Bucktown - good for families? (Chicago, Lincoln: safe neighborhood, magnet school, living)

[Tribeca]

My wife and I are are considering neighborhoods to move into. We have a six month old girl and I'm seeing a good amount of places in Bucktown. I honestly know nothing about it. Can anyone shed some light on the pro's and cons of living there? Is it safe? Does it have good schools? etc.

[Mister Mappy]

Don't let goofballs like the one above scare you off, Tribeca. I'm sure he's sitting in his Kansas basement laughing at how "clever" he is.

Are you moving here from NYC?

Anywho, Bucktown is a cool neighborhood. It's really geard more towards singles, and artsy types, but I see more & more kids everyday, so I think you'll like it here. As far as schools go, most people go the private school route as the Chicago Public Schools aren't the best. There is Pulaski school, which I know nothing about, and a Bucktown magnet school in the old St. Hedwig's school. it's a great area, IMO.

[Lookout Kid]

I have to laugh at ChiMack not knowing where Tribeca is...

Bucktown is a safe neighborhood with a density that's good for walkability, but not overlery crowded. It's a reasonably family-friendly neighborhood, but the private school infrastructure isn't there yet and the CPS schools are terrible. It could use a few more parks as well.

I think the most family-friendly neighborhoods in the city are along the Brown Line. There is a belt (going Northwest from the Armitage stop) from western Lincoln Park to West Lakeview/Roscoe Village to North Center to Lincoln Square to Ravenswood Manor.

[lincolnparker]

Bucktown is a gentrified neighborhood similiar to Lincoln Park, but does not have the price tag or lake access. Its getting more and more family friendly. A lot of young professionals live there also. Wicker park is more hippy and artsy than bucktown.

[mel2000]

Some of the gay and adult businesses in that area can have fairly explicit imagery on their storefronts. In addition, the constant presence of riff-raff, revelers, automobile congestion, and the lack of parks and play space make it unsuitable for children.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by mel2000

Some of the gay and adult businesses in that area can have fairly explicit imagery on their storefronts. In addition, the constant presence of riff-raff, revelers, automobile congestion, and the lack of parks and play space make it unsuitable for children.

What?!? I can't think of a SINGLE gay or adult business in Bucktown that has explicity imagery on it's storefront. You must have Bucktown and Boystown confused there, suburbanite! Too funny.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by mel2000

Some of the gay and adult businesses in that area can have fairly explicit imagery on their storefronts...

In Bucktown? I think you are confusing East Lakeview with Bucktown.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

In Bucktown? I think you are confusing East Lakeview with Bucktown.

We apparently had the same idea at the same time. I could see how "Bucktown" could sound like a gay neighborhood to the uninitiated. It almost sounds like "Stag-town".

By the way, East Lakeview is probably better for families than Bucktown in some respects, in spite of the smutty store windows that bother some. The schools are MUCH better, and there is more park space for kids to run around. They seem to build a new play lot every day.

[Mister Mappy]

Originally Posted by mel2000

Some of the gay and adult businesses in that area can have fairly explicit imagery on their storefronts. In addition, the constant presence of riff-raff, revelers, automobile congestion, and the lack of parks and play space make it unsuitable for children.

I'm gay, and live in Bucktown, and have never seen these places. Where are they?

There are some parks. Wicker Park obviously, and then there is Holstein Park on Lyndale & Oakley. We could use more green space around here, though.

[IloveLoganSquare]

Safety is excellent. Schools maybe not as good as East Lakeview, though their are some REALLY good up and coming Bucktown Area Schools like Goethe Elementary School and you need that extra sq footage though with the baby, and you've got to stay near the highway, line, and downtown in this economy.

Good luck!