What is going on in Uptown???? (Chicago, Sheridan: apartment, rental, condo)

[Drover]

Man, 25, fatally shot in Uptown - Chicago Tribune

There had only been three murders in Uptown in the last two years, and now all of a sudden three murders in three separate incidents in one week, two of them on the same block. You'd think that would be indicative of a drug turf war, but after reading the headlines it appears to be more random than that. Quite frightening.

[Steve-o]

Time to start a neighborhood watch program. Thats getting rediculous!!!

[brainiac138]

I know! I am outraged and don't even live in Uptown yet. Everyone has been going on and on about how Uptown is one of the safest and most quiet neighborhoods in Chicago. I am not from Chicago, but am moving there for school and just got an apartment in Buena Park this weekend, moving in the first week of October. Is Buena Park usually a decent enough neighborhood?

[via chicago]

Uptown- The Most Expensive Ghetto You'll Ever Live In

[via chicago]

I was only half joking.

The thing is this sort of stuff used to be common place in that area. Now that yuppies are moving in, the area HAS changed, but truthfully its still not that great. I just dont understand the appeal and why people are paying luxury prices to live there. if you want to be an urban pioneer, thats fine. but dont expect lincoln park.

my question is, how did the cop trailing these guys (who witnessed the crime take place) lose them on LSD at 5 in the morning?? thats totally unacceptable.

[BRU67]

[quote=brainiac138;1467772]Everyone has been going on and on about how Uptown is one of the safest and most quiet neighborhoods in Chicago. [/QUOTE/]

Boy, since when did Uptown become Galewood? A lot must have changed since I lived near Beacon and Lawrence. It was, how shall we say, really urban and you had to watch your back -- particularly east of Broadway (you didn't want to go east of Broadway after dark). It was fun at the time but unmarked cop cars with big burly detectives were a common sight. So were homeless people, gangbangers and garbage infested alleys with rats. Overcrowding was definitely an issue. From what I hear, it is better now but it would have definitely had to have undergone a major transformation for it to now be one of the "safest and quietest" in our fair City. Not so sure it's quite there yet. Maybe someday.

[supernerdgirl]

Originally Posted by Drover

Man, 25, fatally shot in Uptown - Chicago Tribune

There had only been three murders in Uptown in the last two years, and now all of a sudden three murders in three separate incidents in one week, two of them on the same block. You'd think that would be indicative of a drug turf war, but after reading the headlines it appears to be more random than that. Quite frightening.

okay, that wasn't funny. i have a friend that lives like, RIGHT THERE, and i hadn't heard from him today. thank you for the minor freak out, Drover.

it's funny, i haven't heard about ANY of those shootings on TV, and that's not cool because, like i said, my friend lives there so i'm down there a lot. not cool.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by brainiac138

I know! I am outraged and don't even live in Uptown yet. Everyone has been going on and on about how Uptown is one of the safest and most quiet neighborhoods in Chicago.

Really? Who? You say you're not from Chicago... Well no kiddin', because around here the perception of Uptown is about 180 degrees of what you've heard, and frankly both perceptions are wrong.

Originally Posted by brainiac138

Is Buena Park usually a decent enough neighborhood?

Here's two lessons you'll find out about Chicago soon after arriving here:

First, the difference between night and day in terms of neighborhood quality often comes down to a space of just a couple blocks. And that's what you'll find out about Buena Park. Even though it borders what people call the Uptown area, which has its share of problems, Buena Park is a much nicer place; and parts of it are downright stately. There are several homes in Buena Park with price tags that would push (and some probably exceed) two million bucks if they were put on the market.

Second, there are often differences between "official" community names and colloquial neighborhood names. Buena Park is actually part of the official Uptown community. But most people presume that when you talk about Uptown you don't really mean the entire Uptown community but rather that portion between the lakefront to the east, Clark Street to the west, Montrose to the south and Argyle -- maybe Foster -- to the north. Other parts of the official Uptown community are, in colloquial use, subsumed to other "unofficial" neighborhood designations such as Buena Park, Ravenswood, and a small section of Andersonville (most of which is in the Edgewater official community).

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by brainiac138

I know! I am outraged and don't even live in Uptown yet. Everyone has been going on and on about how Uptown is one of the safest and most quiet neighborhoods in Chicago. I am not from Chicago, but am moving there for school and just got an apartment in Buena Park this weekend, moving in the first week of October. Is Buena Park usually a decent enough neighborhood?

This is a little north west of you, but not much. Short answer, it is safe (I lived there immediately post college about 5 years ago), but be careful once you go west or once you go north of Montrose. Just be aware of your surroundings.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by brainiac138

Is Buena Park usually a decent enough neighborhood?

It mostly is, although there are a few problem spots to watch out for: Cuyler Avenue (about 4100N) between Broadway and Clarendon has some rental properties that are owned by a slumlord who rents to gangbangers and drug dealers, and there have been some shootings in that vicinity in recent months. Just west of there on Broadway, there's a U-Haul place and Public Storage company where there have been persistent problems with loiterers whom some find intimidating. Keep your guard up when walking through this area.

Other than that, the area should be OK enough... You might run across panhandlers from time to time but they're usually nonaggressive and harmless. The "problem areas" of Uptown are generally in the area north of Buena Park, between Montrose and Lawrence, particularly east of the Red Line. (Even that area is improving, however, and there has been some gentrification and condoization there in recent years, although it still has a long way to go.) West of the Red Line the area between those two streets is known as "Sheridan Park", which is mostly nice these days, but still has a few problem pockets as well.

Hope this helps a little.