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True, but I have a feeling that Lakeview is probably going to go down the Lincoln Park route before it goes down the Streeterville one. Outside of Boystown, Lakeview almost comes across as the stepping stone to Lincoln Park in terms of feel.
It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out though as Boystown gets less gay, and as younger people push out older residents and poorer residents.
I don't know - Lakeview East is definitely different than say...Wrigleyville. I don't think Lakeview is anymore a stepping stone in terms of feel, at least in a few areas. Lakeview East and Southport are both nice areas that people don't go to because they had to settle for there. And honestly, even though I live downtown and can afford most stuff here, if I had my choice of Lincoln Park and Lakeview, I'd choose Lakeview easily. My ex from SE Asia's last home was in LVE and she had a few roommates who were not from North America. There were others and the area is probably a little more well known now than it was 15 years ago.
Lakeview as a whole isn't 28%; only one small census tract inside of the neighborhood by the Sheridan stop is. The majority of the tracts are far lower.
Most of the tracts by Wrigleyville are all almost entirely under 10% before you get near the Sheridan stop/Irving Park.
I misread, mea culpa - but if that was the highest % of foreign-born that Lincoln Park has to offer, I think myl larger point is still point. And marothisu hit it on the head, not all foreigners are impoverished and wearing rags. Many are hugely successful. And seem to avoid Chad and Trixieland.
I don't know - Lakeview East is definitely different than say...Wrigleyville. I don't think Lakeview is anymore a stepping stone in terms of feel, at least in a few areas. Lakeview East and Southport are both nice areas that people don't go to because they had to settle for there. And honestly, even though I live downtown and can afford most stuff here, if I had my choice of Lincoln Park and Lakeview, I'd choose Lakeview easily. My ex from SE Asia's last home was in LVE and she had a few roommates who were not from North America. There were others and the area is probably a little more well known now than it was 15 years ago.
If anything LP is a stepping stone to Lake View. More bang for your housing buck in LV.
I don't know - Lakeview East is definitely different than say...Wrigleyville. I don't think Lakeview is anymore a stepping stone in terms of feel, at least in a few areas. Lakeview East and Southport are both nice areas that people don't go to because they had to settle for there. And honestly, even though I live downtown and can afford most stuff here, if I had my choice of Lincoln Park and Lakeview, I'd choose Lakeview easily. My ex from SE Asia's last home was in LVE and she had a few roommates who were not from North America. There were others and the area is probably a little more well known now than it was 15 years ago.
Southport certainly comes across as a stepping stone to Lincoln Park, in my opinion. Lakeview East is a bit different because, even with the declining gay population, it's essentially an extension of Boystown more so than its own thing.
I also don't consider either area the fringe of Lakeview. I was thinking more so of people who further north and south than the respective Southport, Wrigleyville, and Boystown spheres of influence. There's a lot of people who live there because they like the respective areas, of course, but there are also plenty of people who wanted to be close to a certain part of Lakeview but are living further away from certain strips for financial reasons, etc.
If anything LP is a stepping stone to Lake View. More bang for your housing buck in LV.
That's not generally what a stepping stone is though. That's like staying NYC is the stepping stone to Chicago because you get more bang for your buck here.
It's been my experience, especially with the transplants, they start out in Lakeview and then end up moving to other neighborhoods. I'm personally staying in Lakeview for Boystown though, so for me Lincoln Park wouldn't be my idea of a next step, but it is for a lot of the bros and former bros of Southport and Wrigleyville.
Again, it's obviously anecdotal, but that's always the vibe that I got from it all.
Southport certainly comes across as a stepping stone to Lincoln Park, in my opinion. Lakeview East is a bit different because, even with the declining gay population, it's essentially an extension of Boystown more so than its own thing.
How does Southport do that? There are many new homes/condos/apartments there and many new multi million dollar homes in that area. It's certainly not a stepping stone... One of the forum members here from NYC moved to Chicago and chose to build (or maybe it was just buy) a multi million dollar house there. There are Cubs players who also live right in that area. Jeff Samardzija's condo is/was right on Southport and Roscoe. Ted Lilly's pad was two streets east of Southport on Waveland. I have coworkers who have actually move from Lincoln Park to Southport and upgraded their places and they aren't really saving any money.
And LVE is an extension of Boystown only in who lives there. Anybody who spends a lot of time there and knows other parts of LV knows that LVE is different than most of the rest of LV. I don't like most of Lakeview in terms of vibe, including around Southport, but I'd definitely live in LVE.
How does Southport do that? There are many new homes/condos/apartments there and many new multi million dollar homes in that area. It's certainly not a stepping stone... One of the forum members here from NYC moved to Chicago and chose to build (or maybe it was just buy) a multi million dollar house there. There are Cubs players who also live right in that area. Jeff Samardzija's condo is/was right on Southport and Roscoe. Ted Lilly's pad was two streets east of Southport on Waveland. I have coworkers who have actually move from Lincoln Park to Southport and upgraded their places and they aren't really saving any money.
You'll have to forgive me as my own personal experience stems from being a renter and having friends who are renters. Outside of moving relatives, I'm generally only paying attention to renters.
From my point of view, in addition to various people I know my age (early-mid 20s), Wrigleyville would be where the college students and recent college grads are going out and living, whereas Southport comes across as a more "grownup" version of it. The atmosphere is a bit more relaxed, and crowds tend to be slightly older, meaning less 21 year olds and more persons in their late 20s. The more laid back vibe, in addition to the collection of shops, is more reminiscent of parts of Lincoln Park (not by DePaul's bars) than it is Wrigleyville in that way. Hence my stepping stone comment. I also personally know people who started in Wrigley, moved to Southport, and who are now in Lincoln Park. The progression just seemed natural as they outgrew Wrigley.
Of course you are quite right that all kinds live everywhere in Lakeview, including Southport. I painted with a wide brush, as it were, and I should have been more precise when explaining my personal opinions on a specific group of people living in Lakeview.
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And LVE is an extension of Boystown only in who lives there. Anybody who spends a lot of time there and knows other parts of LV knows that LVE is different than most of the rest of LV. I don't like most of Lakeview in terms of vibe, including around Southport, but I'd definitely live in LVE.
Which is why you'll find the pride flags and gay oriented and friendly bars, shops, and restaurants. If Halsted is the center of Boystown activity at night, then Broadway would be the center of activity during the day. There are parts to the north and south on Broadway that are a bit more outside of the Boystown bubble, of course, but a large swathe of Lakeview East being apart of Boystown has been my experience living in the area for nearly a year and half now.
You'll have to forgive me as my own personal experience stems from being a renter and having friends who are renters. Outside of moving relatives, I'm generally only paying attention to renters.
From my point of view, in addition to various people I know my age (early-mid 20s), Wrigleyville would be where the college students and recent college grads are going out and living, whereas Southport comes across as a more "grownup" version of it. The atmosphere is a bit more relaxed, and crowds tend to be slightly older, meaning less 21 year olds and more persons in their late 20s. The more laid back vibe, in addition to the collection of shops, is more reminiscent of parts of Lincoln Park (not by DePaul's bars) than it is Wrigleyville in that way. Hence my stepping stone comment. I also personally know people who started in Wrigley, moved to Southport, and who are now in Lincoln Park. The progression just seemed natural as they outgrew Wrigley.
Of course you are quite right that all kinds live everywhere in Lakeview, including Southport. I painted with a wide brush, as it were, and I should have been more precise when explaining my personal opinions on a specific group of people living in Lakeview.
Yes, it's more grown up, but the prices near Southport and the places available aren't any lower or worse than good places you'll find in Lincoln Park. Just walk around, you'll see a lot of stuff you can just tell by looking at it is not going to be cheap.
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Which is why you'll find the pride flags and gay oriented and friendly bars, shops, and restaurants. If Halsted is the center of Boystown activity at night, then Broadway would be the center of activity during the day. There are parts to the north and south on Broadway that are a bit more outside of the Boystown bubble, of course, but a large swathe of Lakeview East being apart of Boystown has been my experience living in the area for nearly a year and half now.
There are flags in LVE for sure, but there's not a lot of actual 100% gay oriented things there other than businesses showing support and LGBT folk living there in the first place. Really though, I can't think of a single actual gay oriented bar in LVE or even shop (that counts the sex shop on Broadway near Belmont). Having a flag doesn't mean you're gay oriented - it just means you're supportive.
I think LVE is definitely more of a part of Boystown than it is a part of Wrigleyville. It's quite obvious if you spend a lot of time there and LVE to me is one of the only tolerable areas of Lakeview where I'd consider living. And this may be a big premature, but I think the fact that almost half of all the foreign born population in Lakeview lives in that area resonates with that fact that it's different than other parts of LV.
There are flags in LVE for sure, but there's not a lot of actual 100% gay oriented things there other than businesses showing support and LGBT folk living there in the first place. Really though, I can't think of a single actual gay oriented bar in LVE or even shop (that counts the sex shop on Broadway near Belmont). Having a flag doesn't mean you're gay oriented - it just means you're supportive.
I could see you being unfamiliar with a gay business or even a place that has a lot of gay clientele if you look at Lakeview East south of Belmont, but I feel it's the opposite when you go north. Broadway is supposed to be the border between Lakeview East and Boystown (according to their website anyway), and along Broadway north of Belmont you'll find the Closet and Charlie's, both gay bars, in addition to Cram Boutique that is almost exclusively catering to gay men. Sure you could buy a shirt or a pair of shorts there, but I don't think many straight men are shopping there for the boutique's selection of Andrew Christian or Nasty Pig underwear.
The crowds in the restaurants and remaining bars are also typically mixed, with some places even having a majority gay clientele at this point without being exclusively gay. Take F.O. Mahoney's; every time I've been there for brunch or dinner the place is typically majority gay. It's at Broadway and Waveland, and, due the curvature of Broadway, it's two small buildings away from the Center on Halsted and Kit Kat Super Club. You'll also have the North End and Circuit on that strip of Halsted that's rubbing right up on Broadway. They're not *technically* Lakeview East, but their proximity should be noted.
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I think LVE is definitely more of a part of Boystown than it is a part of Wrigleyville. It's quite obvious if you spend a lot of time there and LVE to me is one of the only tolerable areas of Lakeview where I'd consider living. And this may be a big premature, but I think the fact that almost half of all the foreign born population in Lakeview lives in that area resonates with that fact that it's different than other parts of LV.
I think the thing with Lakeview East is that north of Belmont there's really not a part of it that's not mixed in with Boystown in a commercial sense. East of the Broadway border you only have one block of residential housing before you hit the inner drive. It's a bit different south of Belmont where LVE swings back up again to pickup where Boystown drops off though because there's various stores, restaurants, and just more space in general.
LVE's makeup certainly does come across as a mishmash of Lakeview as a whole and then some. You have gays, Jews, yuppies, some bros, little old ladies with Slavic accents, etc.
t's also interesting how many of the worst sections of the South and West Sides have numbers that are below 5%, or even below 1%. They're the lowest numbers in the city by far.
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