Wicker Park in the 1990s (Chicago, Cicero: crime, buying, theater)

[ecureuilvert]

I think it's cool that OP wants to write a novel set in Chicago -- and Wicker Park in the '90s would be incredibly iconic.


As long as it isn't another ones of those "Chicago is Hell" types of books, most of which are written by people who decided to set them there before ever even visiting, and made the decision based on some crackpot stereotypes.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by ecureuilvert

It was incredibly hip by the the mid-'90s -- about as hip a neighborhood as existed in the city (and there were many, but Wicker Park was probably the hippest).

Yup. On a 1-10 hipness scale, it was an 11! So much so that speculators of all kinds sought to monetize it like a flood of water into a Chicago basement during a flash rain storm, as Avondalist's article points out. It'll be very hard, if not impossible, to replicate that ever again. So many things converged together all at once - the independent music scene, the back to the city movement, the 1990s economic boom, a political climate where gentrification was sought after and viewed as a plus, etc.

[Kmanshouse]

There is a movie called Wicker Park. Might want to check that out. 2004 movie starring Josh Hartnett. It filmed some scenes there and is "set" there, though mostly filmed in Montreal.

High Fidelity might be the best movie to study - several scenes in the area, and filmed around 1999-2000.

https://chicagofilmscene.com/film-to...locations-map/

[Avondalist]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Yup. On a 1-10 hipness scale, it was an 11! So much so that speculators of all kinds sought to monetize it like a flood of water into a Chicago basement during a flash rain storm, as Avondalist's article points out. It'll be very hard, if not impossible, to replicate that ever again. So many things converged together all at once - the independent music scene, the back to the city movement, the 1990s economic boom, a political climate where gentrification was sought after and viewed as a plus, etc.

It will never happen again because the 1980s was a rare moment when cities bottomed out population and cost wise. Artists could afford to live in a dense, good bones neighborhood. Cities in the US are going to be super expensive compared to then for a long time. The early 90s was the sweet spot when the neighborhood was a bit nicer, still on the upswing, and still affordable.

[Bitey]

The movie High Fidelity is a pretty accurate if slightly exaggerated look at the Wicker Park music/hipster scene of the late 1990s. It's hilarious to listen to the main character complain that his record shop, located on the corner of Milwaukee and Honore, is in a neighborhood with "a minimum of foot traffic." Maybe that was the case 5 years before, but the idea there was still a "minimum of foot traffic" near Six Corners by the end of the 90s is laughable in retrospect.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Avondalist

It will never happen again because the 1980s was a rare moment when cities bottomed out population and cost wise. Artists could afford to live in a dense, good bones neighborhood. Cities in the US are going to be super expensive compared to then for a long time. The early 90s was the sweet spot when the neighborhood was a bit nicer, still on the upswing, and still affordable.

Agreed! Those were key factors as well. Not to say we don't have affordable neighborhoods in our City. We have plenty of them. It's just that the people who could trigger cultural and economic development don't want to move to them. They want to throw (someone else's) money at them from afar and pray they fix themselves. See my post in the segregation thread.

[ggplicks]

I mean Wicker Park was dangerous in the 90s and had people moving into them. Why aren't hipsters moving into Englewood and Austin?

[Cool Arrow]

Originally Posted by ggplicks

I mean Wicker Park was dangerous in the 90s and had people moving into them. Why aren't hipsters moving into Englewood and Austin?

Too far from the city center or any other gentrified neighborhoods. Nearby Old Town and Lincoln Park were gentrified by the 90s, Plus Wicker Park was hood but not as hood as those places.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by Cool Arrow

Too far from the city center or any other gentrified neighborhoods. Nearby Old Town and Lincoln Park were gentrified by the 90s, Plus Wicker Park was hood but not as hood as those places.

Austin is right on the Green Line and right next to Oak Park. And people move to the Galewood section of Austin all the time

The latter point is correct. But if one truly believes that's the result of racism, it cannot be fixed by throwing money at it. People need to move there.

[Cool Arrow]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Austin is right on the Green Line and right next to Oak Park. And people move to the Galewood section of Austin all the time

The latter point is correct. But if one truly believes that's the result of racism, it cannot be fixed by throwing money at it. People need to move there.

Oak Park isn't gentrified, it's just upper middle class but it never went through "gentrification". It's also nowhere near city center, where gentrification happens trans continental. I've never heard of a gentrification leapfrogging, maybe it happens but I've never seen an example of it. People moving to Galewood aren't artists or bohemians that moved to Wicker Park or Lincoln Park.