What 'hoods don't you like and why? Which are your fave 'hoods? (Chicago: homes, neighborhoods)

[orange3324]

For the Fulton Area, I am referring to South of Grand, North of Lake (not the correct boundaries) and east of Ashland. I like the old Italian feel on Grand, the meat packing feel on Fulton and the scenery of Lake. So many great places on those streets.. some with tons of love (like PQM, Publican, Glazed and Infused, Aviary, Next, Vera, Bari, etc.) and some great gems like (TWO, Jupiter Cafe, Northwestern cutlery) all mixed in with the grit of the meat packing and industrial area. As the Fulton area continues to gentrify at lightning speed, I think the Grand corridor could be a really nice place to live without being right in the thick of things in the Fulton/West Loop area. Then toss in River West which I also love.

I still love Randolph but I am afraid it is going to be super crowded with the intense amount of density coming to the area (semi-high rises, hotels, destination bars like brooklyn bowl, etc.). In the last 6 months, I have noticed a huge increase in foot traffic and a very different vibe of people on Randolph..

I am not really a fan of West Loop south of Randolph.

FYI - I lived in the Fulton area for almost 2 years before moving slightly north to the West Town (Noble Square) Grand/Chicago corridor area

[Lorielicious]

I very much like Lincoln Square and Ravenswood and was thisclose to moving to one of them. I'm now glad I didn't considering I recently got a job in Des Plaines which works much better for someone living on the far NW side. I work with CTA-reliant folks who live further east and it takes them 90 minutes to get to work. Yikes. But work commute aside, I pretty much like all of the Brown Line north of Addison. Also keen on Andersonville, Uptown, and even though they're not popular, Blue Line hoods from the Belmont stop to Jefferson Park.

I strongly dislike Lincoln Park and Lakeview and avoid them like death. River North is irritating, but tolerable in small doses. Wicker Park is mildly annoying, but I can live with it.

[mjtinmemphis]

I love Hyde Park for it's diversity and seems to be international. It's one of a handfull of places in the city where you see Black Professional integrate with other races. I also love the lake front in that part of the city.

I also love Bronzville. That IMO, is the neighborhood to watch with in the next 5 years.

I will also mention Edgewater. There is something about the vibe of that area that is so down to earth.

I love Greek Town! The food! The food! The food!

I do think River North and the Gold Coast is ok. That represents the heart of our city. And it does it very well!

Uptown is diverse but has a very ghetto element near Truman college. Too many nimby types wanting to turn it into a Lakeview and Lincoln Park type of community.

I can not stand Lakeview! Too many clubs, too much attitude and too much of a racist history with me and many other Black LGBT professionals for that to be consider as a progressive community they want people to believe.

Lincoln Park has a lot of amenities but it is too suburban in mind and heart and not enough racial diversity for my taste. What the point in living in a city if you're going to have an upscale suburban flavor.

[Lorielicious]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

Lincoln Park has a lot of amenities but it is too suburban in mind and heart and not enough racial diversity for my taste. What the point in living in a city if you're going to have an upscale suburban flavor.

Right? I love how more or less all of the Lincoln Park crowd is from the suburban Midwest and choose to move there precisely because it's filled with other suburbanites just like them, but like to pat themselves on the back on how urban than are. The f*** out of here with that.

Ya know, I've only been to Bronzeville and Hyde Park a few times, but my limited observations suggest to me that they're both totally legit. I'd probably only live in Bronzeville close to the Green Line as I'm sans car, and wouldn't live in HP even though it is probably one of Chicago's best neighborhoods, stricly because it would necessitate a car. But that's just me. I still give it two thumbs up as a kosher place, even if it doesn't personally work for me. Now that I work in the burbs, though, I'm considering begrudgingly owning a vehicle. If I do, it sure as hell would open up a lot of neighborhoods to me.

Hmm... :swirls brandy in snifter:

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Lorielicious

Right? I love how more or less all of the Lincoln Park crowd is from the suburban Midwest and choose to move there precisely because it's filled with other suburbanites just like them, but like to pat themselves on the back on how urban than are. The f*** out of here with that.

Ya know, I've only been to Bronzeville and Hyde Park a few times, but my limited observations suggest to me that they're both totally legit. I'd probably only live in Bronzeville close to the Green Line as I'm sans car, and wouldn't live in HP even though it is probably one of Chicago's best neighborhoods, stricly because it would necessitate a car. But that's just me. I still give it two thumbs up as a kosher place, even if it doesn't personally work for me. Now that I work in the burbs, though, I'm considering begrudgingly owning a vehicle. If I do, it sure as hell would open up a lot of neighborhoods to me.

Hmm... :swirls brandy in snifter:

What you dinking?

[Lorielicious]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

What you dinking?

I'm actually not drinking brandy. I'm drinking Sailor Jerry from a pint glass (not full, mind you!), but I figured the imagery of swirling brandy in a snifter was more artistic.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I also love Bronzville. That IMO, is the neighborhood to watch with in the next 5 years.

I hope so. Unfortunately they've been saying this for like 10 years. There's some small movement there though.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Lorielicious

I'm actually not drinking brandy. I'm drinking Sailor Jerry from a pint glass (not full, mind you!), but I figured the imagery of swirling brandy in a snifter was more artistic.

You got me with the swirling. Is the rum at least in a nice glass?

[EJ3791]

My favorites are Lincoln Park, Old Town and the Gold Coast. I always felt the most at home in those parts of the city, although now I'm too old to live in LP. I've always liked Wrigleyville, Streeterville and the Loop, but not as places where I'd be interested in living. I haven't spent enough time in the West Town area to have a good feel for the various neighborhoods. Back in the day, I had fun going out there on occasion, but I'm put off by all that hipster business.

Other neighborhoods that I like on the North Side are Lincoln Square, West Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Jefferson Park, and the Forest Glen area. Having lived in Norwood Park, I'm pretty neutral towards it. I didn't like living in either North Center (neighborhood, not community area) or Peterson Park. I'm pretty neutral toward the Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park, West Ridge, Irving Park and Portage Park areas. I don't know the southwestern part of the North Side very well- to the extent I've visited those areas, I didn't have much desire to get to know them any better.

On the Southside, I like Garfield Ridge and Clearing, and to the extent that I've visited them, Mt. Greenwood and Morgan Park. I'm neutral towards West Lawn. I find Bridgeport, Canaryville and Beverly all rather interesting, although I've only been in those areas a couple of times. I don't know the rest of the South Side well enough to have an opinion on it.

[Ace Rothstein]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I also love Bronzville. That IMO, is the neighborhood to watch with in the next 5 years.

While I agree that it is a neighborhood to watch, I think it is going to be a bit longer than 5 years before it will be considered a hot neighborhood.