What do you think of East Garfield park? (Chicago, Washington: house, buying)

[treemoni]

Keep living in your dream world. I have nothing else to say. The posts speak for themselves.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by treemoni

Keep living in your dream world. I have nothing else to say. The posts speak for themselves.

I'm not the one in complete denial about why people from LA looking for a hip, safe areas aren't flocking to North Lawndale. But keep on claiming racism, because it's not going to get you anywhere in this particular case. I'm glad that people in areas like Bronzeville currently understand their PR problem and are fixing it instead of claiming racism.

[treemoni]

"PR problem". Hahahahahahahaha.

Privilege is a helluva drug.

[noid_1985]

Originally Posted by treemoni

The bottom line is, most C-D posters do not want to live near around ANY people of color. Instead of admitting the truth, they talk around it and use buzzwords like "crime" and "unsafe" and "few amenities" etc etc.

Chicago will always be Chicago, [forbidden term] tension included.

I think this assessment of some C-D data posters is true, that being said I don't know if that's a bad thing.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by treemoni

"PR problem". Hahahahahahahaha.

Privilege is a helluva drug.

You don't think that a place that you personally know to actually be safe in areas, but has reports of violent crime in the news all the time, and crime data showing a lot of crime isn't suffering from a PR problem? Give me a break. It's the very definition of a PR problem. Bronzeville is one area of town that's actually tackling the problem head on now instead of sitting back and claiming privilege, racism, etc.

Keep calling it privilege, racism, etc. You aren't addressing the real issue. Again, if you think that some 22 year old newly graduated kid who's moving to Chicago who wants to be within walking distance of 150 restaurants and bars in a safe neighborhood is going to be picking North Lawndale as their new home then you're quite delusional.

I have news for you - a lot of the newer generation who's moving to cities for the urban experience doesn't give a flying **** what religion or race people are. Some do, but a lot don't. They just want to be in a safe area and have a good time. If you think that your area of North Lawndale, for example, is fun and safe, then do something about it and actually show that it's these things. Calling people racist for interpreting "#7 most violent crime reported of any area in the last 30 days" as a place that's not a destination is going to accomplish nothing. If you actually showed why it's a great place and got the word out there (because no offense, almost nobody actually reads these forums and an extremely small percentage of people actually base their decisions off of any content here) then maybe it would change some perceptions much like Bronzeville is currently doing.

Seriously, without attacking people on a personal level, give the actual reasons for why someone who's 22 years old, newly out of college, and wants tons of restaurants and bars within walking distance of their place should be picking areas like North Lawndale, EGP, etc over areas like Bucktown?

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by treemoni

The bottom line is, most C-D posters do not want to live near around ANY people of color. Instead of admitting the truth, they talk around it and use buzzwords like "crime" and "unsafe" and "few amenities" etc etc.

Chicago will always be Chicago, [forbidden term] tension included.

So are my African-American neighbors also racist for living in Oak Park because they like the amenities of low crime and good schools?

[noid_1985]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

So are my African-American neighbors also racist for living in Oak Park because they like the amenities of low crime and good schools?

Of course not but you know there are people on these boards that will tell you how "bad" east Oak Park is and avoid the Green Line and if you do use it don't get off on Austin/Lake, don't get gas on Austin and Harrison etc etc...Paranoid much?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by noid_1985

Of course not but you know there are people on these boards that will tell you how "bad" east Oak Park is and avoid the Green Line and if you do use it don't get off on Austin/Lake, don't get gas on Austin and Harrison etc etc...Paranoid much?

I've never heard these specific examples on here before to be honest. People will tell you to not go to most areas of Austin, WGP, etc, but I've never heard someone tell another person to avoid riding the Green Line, for example.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by treemoni

The bottom line is, most C-D posters do not want to live near around ANY people of color. Instead of admitting the truth, they talk around it and use buzzwords like "crime" and "unsafe" and "few amenities" etc etc.

Chicago will always be Chicago, [forbidden term] tension included.

Geez, many black people don't want to live in these dumps either. That's why they're depopulating to such an extent that they account for practically all of the city's population decline from 2000 to 2010.

Originally Posted by pbrb

This is something I've noticed. Revitalization is key to turning a neighborhood around. I know the area is livable as I have a few friends who bought huge beautiful cheap homes to live there, but I'm trying to gauge the general perception of it. I guess city-data does have to be taken with a grain of salt, but I was hoping to get some people thinking positively of the neighborhood. I mean, this is where a ton of people go to research neighborhoods they would move to in the city.

You asked for opinions, not affirmation. You asked, you received.

Anyway, there are some signs of renewed life on the far eastern edge along some of the boulevards such as Warren and Washington. But the neighborhood is nowhere near any kind of critical mass and there's little to indicate it will reach it in the foreseeable future.

[ChiAKA2002]

As a resident of North Lawndale and attended school in East Garfield Park (PSM), I think people should give EGP a chance. It really has a lot going for it such as it large homes, access to downtown via Madison, or Washington, access to the green line and metra and close to 290. Several blocks along Jackson, Washington and Warren are large tree lined streets with some well maintained homes.

Although someone mention the large amount of empty lots, I find that is an opportunity. The city will offer the same vacant lots for $1 deal that was piloted on the south side earlier this year. I think this is a great way to increase the green space for your family, and pets if you happen to live next to one.