" Near West Side/United Center-too dangerous?" (Chicago, Addison: insurance, lofts)

[Love East Garfield Park]

Originally Posted by Johnny Northside

I love how you take your own advice so quickly after delivering it.

Did I forget to mentioned...I have lived in wrigleyville.

[Love East Garfield Park]

Black face = bad neighborhood....why don't you say what you really mean lookout kid.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Love East Garfield Park

Black face = bad neighborhood....why don't you say what you really mean lookout kid.

No, Garfield Park = Bad Neighborhood. I've recommended dozens of neighborhood on this forum that are filled with black faces. Get a clue.

[Humboldt1]

Referencing your last post it isn't that simple. The black parts of Humboldt Park tend to be higher crime than the hispanic parts, but this is more of a function of their proximity to garfield park than anything else.

Little Village has a large hispanic population and has its challenges, as does Pilsen, though less. Cicero has a large hispanic population and has lots of problems, much to do with corruption within the city government.

I am sure there are crappy white areas in Chicago such as old industrial towns.

How is East Garfield Park doing these days? I drove up Madison this morning on my way to downtown from Pulaski and it appears to be the same craphole it always has been (I do this drive 1-2 times per week). It doesn't really start to change until Western, which is east of East Garfield Park.

I agree it has a lot of potential but believe that Pilsen has more.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Love East Garfield Park

Black face = bad neighborhood....why don't you say what you really mean lookout kid.

...(s)he says to someone who lives in Uptown...

[APPLEI]

Originally Posted by Savoir Faire

That area is actually United Center, which has gone through dramatic changes. 10 years ago United Center was very rough. Lot's has happened since than. The Henry Horner homes have been demolished and new developements are being built all over.

I agree, things do get worse west of Western. That will change too in time. Damen was like Western 10 years ago, and Ashland was like Damen as well. Union Park now has the annual Pitchfork festival.

You will see posts from people who will say that United Center is super dangerous, etc.. blah blah blah. Pay them no mind, they haven't been to that area is ages. See for yourself. You are correct, most of the crime in that area is property damage or theft, which can be avoided by either parking in a gated lot or installing a good alarm system.

The one negative aspect around United Center is lack of commercial outlets. Hardly one store or bar in the whole area. That will also change in time.

i could be wrong, but i think i saw a Billy Goat Tavern by the United Center

[noid_1985]

East Garfield has a lot of potential with an abundance of greystones and empty lots. I think it will gentrify more once all of west Humboldt Park is completely gentrified and people start to look south of Chicago Ave. & Lake st. for more affordable housing near the downtown area.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by noid_1985

East Garfield has a lot of potential with an abundance of greystones and empty lots. I think it will gentrify more once all of west Humboldt Park is completely gentrified and people start to look south of Chicago Ave. & Lake st. for more affordable housing near the downtown area.

The question is how many condos can actually be sold in Chicago considering the public school system is still so bad... There are only so many people without kids or empty nesters in this metro area. I don't think there are enough people to gentrify the entire city unless the school situation is improved.

East Garfield Park should improve over time, but I think it's still a long way off. Like decades.

[Humboldt1]

I agree with Noid that East Garfield Park will gentrify after Humboldt Park. However, it will be awhile before Humboldt Park completely gentrifies, particularly west of the park.

South of grand as I have noted is the division line currently as well as division street.

East Garfield Park east/west goes from 2600w to 3400w and is bounded north by 400N and maybe polk (700s). There are a lot of great old buildings but lots of riff raff. Actually, 0. Jjthanks to the riots of 1968 (why people burn down their own neighborhoods is beyond me although I doubt any of those lighting matches own any property) there are lots of empty lots and a declining population.

Humboldt Park west of the park will gentrify over the next 20 years and east garfield park will gentrify after that. We are talking 30 years folks.

3 years ago I wanted to see a property in the 3000 block of walnut (300n) and the realtor would not even let me out of the car. The local thugs had set up a car wash at the round a bout stop sign on the street. Those were definitely not people I wanted as neighbors.

How about the poster that lives in the 2800 block of wilcox? How are they doing these days?

[oakparkV]

I used to be afraid of the area near the United Center. When I first moved here, they were still in the process of tearing down Henry Horner, and the area looked really rough when I'd pass by it on the green line.

However, I've since been to many concerts at United Center, and last summer attended a festival in Union Park. Most recently, I was at the George Michael concert at U.C. and took the train home to Oak Park. My friends walked me to the Ashland stop after the concert, (and 10:30pm), and we weren't bothered at all.

Union Park is really nice, and the area seems pretty diverse overall. Also, if you work near downtown, it's extremely convenient. (I've actually heard it's considered the far West Loop over there.) As with any neighborhood, just use common sense and be wary of your surroundings, and I'm sure you'll do just fine...