What made Lincoln Park go from a "bad" area to a "yuppie" area? (Chicago: condos, houses)

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

It was very sketchy then. A lot of sagging 2 and 3 flats and gangs of (white) guys who prowled around at night. Cubs attendees who hit the bars after the games were frequently jumped after nightfall. The cops were always in the neighborhood breaking up fights. The local bars were awful. Once on a packed night, I saw a rat run the length of the bar. Burnt-out alkies slept in doorways of closed shops. The sidewalks smelled like urine and puke.

I don't think what we now call Wrigleyville even existed. I remember the term showing up in the 90s, and it originally just referred to the businesses that were geared towards people going to the games (or watching them on TV). It's more widespread usage (and ever-increasing borders) dovetailed with the building boom/gentrification process.

IMO Wrigleyville for all practical purposes overlaps to some degree with Boystown and Southport Corridor, it really depends who you ask.

I don't recall the area being terribly sketchy as a kid, but I also wasn't out late most of the time. There was definitely a real gang presence all over the north side before the 90s, Ashland Vikings, Simon City Royals and Latin Kings, Insane Unknowns, Insane Deuces, etc. There were also a lot of blue collar types who wouldn't hesitate to crack a gangbanger right upside the head.

[Lookout Kid]

I have an older family member that used to teach at the St. Michael's school in Old Town in the 1950's-1960's (the school is now defunct, but the church is thriving). He described the area of western/southern Lincoln Park as quite rough as it gave way to Old Town at North Avenue (the proximity of Cabrini didn't help much), and they even had to deal with bullets getting fired in to the school walls. Now St. Mike's is yuppie central and a place for young Catholics to dress up to impress other young Catholics at Sunday mass, and the borders of Lincoln Park seem to extend further west all of the time well in to the Clybourn Corridor.

[stillife]

I lived in Lincoln Park (DePaul area) in the 1970's and used to frequent the bars on Lincoln Avenue. I lived in a run-down little apartment at Seminary and Lill ($200 a month), but it was not a sketchy area. Lakeview I think was considered a bit sketchy back then.

I do remember tags by the Insane Unknowns. I thought it was a funny name for a gang.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by stillife

I lived in Lincoln Park (DePaul area) in the 1970's and used to frequent the bars on Lincoln Avenue. I lived in a run-down little apartment at Seminary and Lill ($200 a month), but it was not a sketchy area. Lakeview I think was considered a bit sketchy back then.

I do remember tags by the Insane Unknowns. I thought it was a funny name for a gang.

Ha - yes, living on "the wrong side of Diversey" was how Lake View was seen by Lincoln Parkers.

This is a snapshot of Lincoln Park's more gritty period, you can watch it for free at the link:

Now We Live on Clifton | Kartemquin Films

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Ha - yes, living on "the wrong side of Diversey" was how Lake View was seen by Lincoln Parkers.

This is a snapshot of Lincoln Park's more gritty period, you can watch it for free at the link:

Now We Live on Clifton | Kartemquin Films

Looks like a 1970s version of "Our Gang"...without the dog.

As far as Wrigleyville goes, it's amazing that the success, or failure, of the Cubs has little effect on the desirability of the neighborhood. The Cubs were bad in the 1970s, and so was the neighborhood. The Cubs are still bad, and everyone wants to live there..

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by MassVt

...

As far as Wrigleyville goes, it's amazing that the success, or failure, of the Cubs has little effect on the desirability of the neighborhood. The Cubs were bad in the 1970s, and so was the neighborhood. The Cubs are still bad, and everyone wants to live there..

...the HUGE social aspects of Wrigley Field and the surrounding bars. Unlike the beaches of Lake Michigan there are roaming vendors selling alcohol to "fans" who in, in warm weather can and do expose about as much skin as they would on the beach. Combined with the inhibition diminishment of alcohol this makes for quite the "pick up zone". League standings of the team have no real impact, other than lack of post season play shifting the hook-ups from the ballpark to numerous taverns ...

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I don't think what we now call Wrigleyville even existed. I remember the term showing up in the 90s, and it originally just referred to the businesses that were geared towards people going to the games (or watching them on TV). It's more widespread usage (and ever-increasing borders) dovetailed with the building boom/gentrification process.

I don't recall the area being terribly sketchy as a kid, but I also wasn't out late most of the time. There was definitely a real gang presence all over the north side before the 90s, Ashland Vikings, Simon City Royals and Latin Kings, Insane Unknowns, Insane Deuces, etc. There were also a lot of blue collar types who wouldn't hesitate to crack a gangbanger right upside the head.

You are right about "Wrigleyville's existence. Had a professor from Circle who lived there and hosted a
few get-togethers (pm). It was not a good neighborhood during the early 70's but the bright spot was--
there was ample parking.

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

...... and the borders of Lincoln Park seem to extend further west all of the time well in to the Clybourn Corridor.

^^^^true and confusing. Never thought of LP as a bad area during the 70's since all I saw were
older wealthy residents. Old Town on the other hand was more affordable and had some sketchy
areas. What are the borders of Old Town now?

[nightlysparrow]

It wasn't called Wrigleyville then, but it had the ballpark identity because all the side streets around Clark and Addison would be cordoned off by the police when games were scheduled, giving it the feeling of a specific neighborhood.

[baileyvpotter]

^^^^Correct, and we would just say we're going to see the Cubs.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by baileyvpotter

What are the borders of Old Town now?

This has never been clear to me. I always believed that Old Town ended and Lincoln Park began at North Avenue, but the east/west borders are not clear to me, even after looking at several maps, which sometimes conflict. And the "Old Town Triangle" is entirely north of North Avenue, so that just confuses things further. I just think of it as the area between the Gold Coast and Cabrini Green, and additionally the area around St. Michael's. And now it seems like realtors/developers are trying to push it further west.