What Are The Bad Sections of Chicago? (Fairfield, Ashland: foreclosure, apartment)

[mapman 95]

I'm thinking about moving back to the neighborhood that I grew up in. I lived on Leavitt in between Irving Park Rd and Byron, how is it there now? Is it still a German neighborhood?

[Drover]

Its German-ness is giving way to generic yuppiehood, but it still has German remnants. Two notable German institutions right around the corner from there, Laschet's Inn and Resi's Bierstube, are still going strong and will probably be around for a long time since they are two of the most highly regarded German pubs in the city. Most of the remaining German institutions are further north, generally along Lincoln Avenue from about Montrose up to Lawrence. Chicago Brauhaus is still there, as are Huettenbar and Carola's Hansa Clipper right across the street from it. Then there's the DANK Haus (Duestch-Amerikanischer National Kongress) German cultural center on Western just south of Lawrence.

[nonane]

Originally Posted by Milliano

nonane I don't know, my words aren't to be taken with any meaning. I'm not from Chicago or anything. But are you asking about safety? When I've visited that area during the daytime (parked and walked about a block from the corner you mention once), I've felt very safe (I tended to feel more nervous in say... Rogers Park for instance). It's quite small and active, with streets like State/King and such. Just west of you, bordering the freeway are the Dearborn Homes, surely plenty of crime there, but during the day if you're minding your own business I don't see much to worry about (it's apparently nothing like the high rise projects were). IIRC the area is mostly black, but Chinatown is nearby maybe? To the Northwest? I'm not sure, you might want to look into that. Plus there's a Tech school I think just south of there (IIRC, again I could be wrong), plenty of students walking around. Thought I remember seeing some Asian 20somethings. Be careful at night, stay in a well lit active area (which might not be that hard to do), though nighttime safety concerns are probably similar to most anywhere in the city near the lake. This was the one area in Chicago, besides downtown, that I actually noticed a visual police presence.

^^again I don't necessarily know what I'm talking about, this is just guess knowledge of some random yahoo (me). Surely some others have more certain info and opinions for you. Really you should go to the area occasionally beforehand just to scout and get a feel for it.

For muggings, one thing that might help you a lot is Chicago's police blotter map thing. Or chicagocrime.org

hey thanks a lot for ur reply.

so r u saying police presence is a good thing or a bad thing? haha...i always thought it was a bad thing, cus if the cops around, u know something's goin down.

i checked out the police blotter, it's really useful! that area showed up to be not so bad, and is pretty far from the really bad areas. so i guess i'm ok...and i wouldn't be walking around late at night anyway.

oh another note, how r cab fares in chicago? ie, how much is it gonna run me to get from 29th and king to downtown??

thanks!

[Milliano]

Originally Posted by nonane

so r u saying police presence is a good thing or a bad thing? haha...i always thought it was a bad thing, cus if the cops around, u know something's goin down.

Heh I'm not sure, I guess you could take it either way, but at the time it felt positive. There is a police station nearby. To me the less dense poor neighborhoods didn't feel as safe, and no cops were ever around (no secret that they don't have a good presence in them). Some cops seemed to be watching over the projects, but much of the reason for police presence in that area was probably related to drug dealing rather than violent crime (IIRC there were raids or something going on of that nature days before I was there, according to news broadcast).

One thing that might help is reading about the Illinois Institute of Technology. That university is just south of the location you mention, I think. It was in bad decline up to the 90s, but with the demolition of the high rise projects, enrollment has drastically gone up since then and is increasing. With a campus nearby you can expect relative safety with security patrolling the neighboring streets and such.

public safety at IIT

[PAKennedy]

Originally Posted by nonane

oh another note, how r cab fares in chicago? ie, how much is it gonna run me to get from 29th and king to downtown??
thanks!

More than a CTA fare. Find a route (I think X3 buses run down king and will take you downtown), and spend 4 bucks rather than 30.

[mapman 95]

My brother in law, an italian american lives in wicker park and he's thinking about moving to 20th and Oakley. Is he safe there because it is dangerously close to the west side. Also I know there is the south side st patrick's day parade which takes place near 111th and Western but are there any others, if so what streets do they go down? Oh and also about the southside it seems when your around cermak to 37th st. west is best. But when you get further south the west side of the dan ryan gets worse. The best place in the southside is either far west, like out to midway airport or right by the lake, in hyde park, where all the nice high-rises are.

[Lookout Kid]

It's more complicated than that on the south side... There really aren't any good rules of thumb. Good neighborhoods and really really awful neighborhoods are really all mixed up.

[mage]

Hi guys, the information you've given here is really useful but i really need some help. We're a couple, no children, asian and in our early 30's both nurses who will be working at St. Bernard Hospital, i know its already in englewood but we don't have a choice regarding the hospital. We're trying to find a place to rent near the area for a 1 bedroom apartment with a price range of up to $800 and have considered Hyde Park and Beverly areas. When i searched for an estimate travel time of both areas going to St. Bernard the map says around 10-12 minutes if you drive but we don't plan to get one so i'd like to know if it is as accessible if you commute and how long will it be? We'd probably be on call most of the time so would like to ask for any suggestion where to rent a place that is both at least safe? and accessible for us My friend who stayed there before rented a place at evergreen park and says that it took him only 20 minutes to drive to go to the hospital but i don't know, hyde park seems nearer than evergreen to St. Bernard. Any suggestion? just particular about shorter commute time and safety. Thanks!

[Drover]

You'll have better luck starting a new thread instead of latching onto a barely active 14-month-old thread.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Drover

You'll have better luck starting a new thread instead of latching onto a barely active 14-month-old thread.

Maybe this one should be locked?