Why Do People Say The West Side Is Bad? (Chicago: prices, dangerous)

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Ace Rothstein

Yeah, I haven't heard anyone refer to Logan Square as the West Side in my lifetime until today.

I think a lot of the new residents seriously believe that anything west of Logan Square, Bucktown, United Center and Pilsen is the suburbs, or may as well be. So by that definition those are "west side" neighborhoods.

[North Side Brandon]

My Mother lived near St. Angela's Menard and Division and then near North and Pulaski. She stayed until the very early 80's near North and Pulaski. It wasn't safe to walk South of North Avenue unless it was during the day in a large group.

[North Side Brandon]

Originally Posted by BRU67

I think a lot of the new residents seriously believe that anything west of Logan Square, Bucktown, United Center and Pilsen is the suburbs, or may as well be. So by that definition those are "west side" neighborhoods.

I actually consider Suburbs like Cicero, Berwyn, Oak Park, Norridge, Harwood Heights, Niles, River Grove, Elmwood Park, River Grove, Skokie and Evanston to be city like suburbs. They all have access to or are close to mass transit.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Who exactly calls them unofficial?

Everyone who is correct, including the people who created them.

Community areas in Chicago - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at the University of Chicago, which has unofficially divided the city of Chicago into 77 community areas.[1]

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

Everyone who is correct, including the people who created them.

Community areas in Chicago - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at the University of Chicago, which has unofficially divided the city of Chicago into 77 community areas.[1]

You're quoting Wikipedia as a source on what is and isn't official?

You've hit a new highwater mark for irony, my friend.

I'll take your Wikipedia and raise you the Encyclopedia of Chicago, which states:

Community Areas

Members of the University of Chicago's Local Community Research Committee wanted the information gathered by the Census Bureau to reflect real, not arbitrary, divisions within the city. Sociologist Robert Park argued that physical barriers such as rivers, parks, and railroads created “natural areas” within cities. These natural areas had distinctive histories and consistent rates of various social ills, regardless of who lived there. Chicago's Department of Public Health also had an interest in reporting local variations in birth and death rates. The two institutions collaborated to produce a map with 75 community areas, into which 935 census tracts were distributed.

In my world, if a City department is a collaborator on a project, it's official.

Regardless of the hair-splitting over what "official" means, in this context the important point is that only the Community Areas are locked and thus are not subject to the whims of politicians and private interests.

Neighborhoods on the other hand, change quite a bit, depending who you talk to. Wards are official, but the danged things are shape shifters.

IMO you'll have better luck electing a Republican Mayor of Chicago before you'll see anyone ever allow Lincoln Park to encroach north of Diversey.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

You're quoting Wikipedia as a source on what is and isn't official?

You've hit a new highwater mark for irony, my friend.

Says the guy who posted a link to a similar, yet far less known, online encyclopedia? The wiki page cites its sources well. You really shouldn't need that, though, to know that designations created by private university sociology departments are not official government designations. A little common sense will do.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by North Side Brandon

I actually consider Suburbs like Cicero, Berwyn, Oak Park, Norridge, Harwood Heights, Niles, River Grove, Elmwood Park, River Grove, Skokie and Evanston to be city like suburbs. They all have access to or are close to mass transit.

Try getting 'em to come over, LOL!

[North Side Brandon]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Try getting 'em to come over, LOL!

Yeah some Hipsters and Yuppies don't like the inner suburbs.South Berwyn for me is a great alternative to Oak Park for singles and those with an alternatives to the Public Schools. South Elmwood Park the first 4 blocks in from River Forest is the same deal. Some great homes for a lot less than what you pay in River Forest across North Avenue. Berwyn has already gone through it's demographic change that Elmwood Park is now clearly going through. Norridge, Harwood Heights and Niles are very stable. What makes Harwood and Norridge appealing is the Northern parts of those towns feed into the Maine South High School District in Park Ridge. Cicero is the most challenged out the Inner Suburbs because it has so many low income residents.

[Don Draper]

Originally Posted by jwaiter

Wicker Park is near northwest side, same as Bucktown, Logan Square and others. Some insist it's west side - but if I travel 1600 West and 1600 North, that, to me, is the very definition of "northwest" and that is Wicker park.

North Lawndale goes all the way to 2100 South and Pilsen to 2200 South, I guess they are not West side.

[Aditi Jyoti]

Originally Posted by RockyMonroe

I have lots of friends from the west side neighborhoods such as wicker park, university village, pilsen ect. and they are some of my fav places I have been to in the city. Other than Humbolt Park I see nothing dangerous about the west side, why do people bash it?

If you look at the true West Side, from Austin to about Western, what 'hoods are there? It's all ghetto.