Are hipsters moving to Uptown? (Chicago, Cicero: rental, neighborhood, buying)

[lenniel]

Here's what I care about: the value of my investment in the home/property I bought. The safety of my property and my family in my area. I want both these things to grow over time. The faster the better.
What I don't want is filth, homeless, social degenerates, gangs, etc in my area. I'm all for my area to become yuppiefied. Yuppies bring money, buy old, crappy houses/buildings tear them down and build something newer and more valuable in their place. Yuppies support the small, expensive boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops that make a neighborhood more desirable to peoplel like them and less desirable to the element that 99% of us would rather avoid all together.

[via chicago]

Originally Posted by lenniel

Here's what I care about: the value of my investment in the home/property I bought. The safety of my property and my family in my area. I want both these things to grow over time. The faster the better.
What I don't want is filth, homeless, social degenerates, gangs, etc in my area. I'm all for my area to become yuppiefied. Yuppies bring money, buy old, crappy houses/buildings tear them down and build something newer and more valuable in their place. Yuppies support the small, expensive boutiques, restaurants, coffee shops that make a neighborhood more desirable to peoplel like them and less desirable to the element that 99% of us would rather avoid all together.

I agree to a small extent. But you sound misguided and largely insensitive to those around you. Its like barging into an office on your first day of work and expecting the company's culture to change to suit your needs and wants, rather than the other way around.

[Lookout Kid]

The truth is that city neighborhoods are rarely stable, and without an influx of "yuppies" and new immigrants this city would be in grave trouble (and I hate the term "yuppie", which in Chicago seems to describe any white person who went to college--as if we all belong to tennis clubs and drive Bimmers around town). Chicago is the economic capital of the midwest, and it's an extremely positive thing that people flood here from surrounding areas to "make it in the big city". Without this draw, Chicago would shrivel up and die. Every "real Chicagoan" I know has roots in this city that barely go back a generation or two. That's the real Chicago--a constantly changing and evolving place where your memories are nothing more than snapshots of a place and time that no longer exist!

When gentrification involves demolition of historic buildings, I'm largely opposed to it--for I strongly believe in saving our architectural heritage. People being pushed out of their homes and the loss of neighborhood character are also very real negative externalities associated with gentrification. But overall I strongly believe that revitalization and reinvestment in urban areas is perhaps the most positive urban trend since before WWII.

[neonwattagelimit]

There's a place for yuppies everywhere, and to a large extent their role is positive. But just like anything else, there comes a point where it's just too much.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

The truth is that city neighborhoods are rarely stable, and without an influx of "yuppies" and new immigrants this city would be in grave trouble (and I hate the term "yuppie", which in Chicago seems to describe any white person who went to college--as if we all belong to tennis clubs and drive Bimmers around town). Chicago is the economic capital of the midwest, and it's an extremely positive thing that people flood here from surrounding areas to "make it in the big city". Without this draw, Chicago would shrivel up and die. Every "real Chicagoan" I know has roots in this city that barely go back a generation or two. That's the real Chicago--a constantly changing and evolving place where your memories are nothing more than snapshots of a place and time that no longer exist!

When gentrification involves demolition of historic buildings, I'm largely opposed to it--for I strongly believe in saving our architectural heritage. People being pushed out of their homes and the loss of neighborhood character are also very real negative externalities associated with gentrification. But overall I strongly believe that revitalization and reinvestment in urban areas is perhaps the most positive urban trend since before WWII.

As long as the new buildings are "fill" and only replace structurally unsound or unremarkable architecture and non-historic buidings, I agree. Too often however,this has not been the case. During Daley 1 we lost many of our treasures and under Daley 2 we have lost perfectally suitable housing stock and old warehouses that could have been reused for other purposes. Instead we get frankenbuildings.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

As long as the new buildings are "fill" and only replace structurally unsound or unremarkable architecture and non-historic buidings, I agree. Too often however,this has not been the case. During Daley 1 we lost many of our treasures and under Daley 2 we have lost perfectally suitable housing stock and old warehouses that could have been reused for other purposes. Instead we get frankenbuildings.

The fact is that the cost of bringing an old building up to current code (as is required when there is a major rehab) often exceeds the cost of just tearing it down and starting from scratch. That means that often the alternatives are that a) the building simply deteriorates even further because it's not worth the cost to actually fix it, or b) it ends up sitting vacant and goes to waste. As much as it sucks, frankly a tear-down is sometimes the most viable option.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Drover

The fact is that the cost of bringing an old building up to current code (as is required when there is a major rehab) often exceeds the cost of just tearing it down and starting from scratch. That means that often the alternatives are that a) the building simply deteriorates even further because it's not worth the cost to actually fix it, or b) it ends up sitting vacant and goes to waste. As much as it sucks, frankly a tear-down is sometimes the most viable option.

Yes, in a decent amount of cases it is. The city code can get very ridiculous at times and I believe it is used as a tool for gentrification and back room deals...

I will state that I dont even know if Wrigley Field has been up to code for decades. I dont see the city putting the bulldozers to it...but that was its excuse for Comiskey, which was ridiculous...

[Drover]

Comiskey didn't need an excuse. It was just a crumbling pit with a tiny capacity that would have cost too much to modernize with or without bringing it up to code. That place got bulldozed because it had all the horrible qualities of being an ancient ballpark with very few of the redeeming charms of being an ancient ballpark.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Drover

Comiskey didn't need an excuse. It was just a crumbling pit with a tiny capacity that would have cost too much to modernize with or without bringing it up to code. That place got bulldozed because it had all the horrible qualities of being an ancient ballpark with very few of the redeeming charms of being an ancient ballpark.

I am a Cubs fan and I went to Comiskey several times. It had tons of charm. This is coming from a Cubs fan....The New Comiskey is as sterile as can be. I am willing to bet it would have cost less to bring the old Comiskey up to "code" and modernize it than build the piece of crap now called U.S. Cellular that has no charm at all.

[lenniel]

"I agree to a small extent. But you sound misguided and largely insensitive to those around you. Its like barging into an office on your first day of work and expecting the company's culture to change to suit your needs and wants, rather than the other way around."

So if I move to a new neighborhood, spend $800,000 on a house, it should bother me that my neighbors are low lifes who don't take care of their property, don't fix up their home, that bums go through the garbage, etc?
Sorry, but I just don't have compassion for these people. I don't like bums, drug addicts, welfare queens, etc., etc.
That may sound harsh, but that's what it takes to improve my position on the economic ladder, which is my goal. Yup, I'm a yuppie, two college degrees and wear a tie every day.