Is ASHLAND/DIVISION/MILWAUKE still considered WICKERPARK, how is living here, safe? (Chicago: low income, apartment complexes)

[sarahchicagoapt1]

How is the area right at Ashland and Division and Milwaukee on the blue line division stop. Its not the heart of wickerpark but it is just one stop away on the train and it still looks like there are alot of restaraunts and shopping. Does anyone have any recommendations about safety or living? We are both 24 year old females and will be parking our cars after work in the evening so safety is a concern. The apartment is a good price, looks good, and 90/94 highway is right down the street.
Has anyone lived here or frequented here to know if the area and the blue line stop is safe? We would really appreciate we are both new to living in Chicago.

[WhaThe]

I think it's a safe area. You do have some low (no?) income housing right there that I know others on this board have expressed some concern over.

It's usually pretty busy most hours and is surrounded by much more high income than low income housing. Compared to 15-20 years ago it's Lincoln Park to me.

[Lookout Kid]

It's definitely getting better. The stretch of Milwaukee Avenue just northwest of there still has a bunch of abandoned storefronts with cool vintage signs. It's almost frozen in time, and I don' know why the Wicker Park retail can't sweep further south. Basically the heart of the Wicker Park action is further northwest along Milwaukee (near Milwaukee, Damen and North), and further west on Division. But the Division Blue Line stop is a plus, and I realliy think this area has to get better in future years considering the surroundings. The Noble Square low income housing can't drag it down forever.

[sarahchicagoapt1]

I am not familiar with The Noble Square low income housing area. Is this located near the division blue line stop area? Is this the equivalent of the cabrini green kind of thing? that could be a concern

[jwaiter]

I live 2 blocks from that intersection. Honestly, it can still be sketchy at times, I wouldn't recommend a single woman to walk around there alone at night. Look for an apt w a garage if you can, it would be safer.

[jwaiter]

Originally Posted by sarahchicagoapt1

I am not familiar with The Noble Square low income housing area. Is this located near the division blue line stop area? Is this the equivalent of the cabrini green kind of thing? that could be a concern

That tall building on the southeast corner of that intersection is the Noble Square Coop. It's some type of low income housing but it's not as bad as the public housing like Cabrini used to be.

[sarahchicagoapt1]

jwaiter- you live right at that intersection and wouldn't recommend me walking around at night? hmmm. i just emailed our agent to look for other apts. we put in the application for an apartment on cleaver street, north of division, but I def'y think there are other apts out there that can be in a safer location. We walked around int he day and it seemed fine but if its dangerous at night we want to avoid that. Thanks for your input, insider info has been a huge help.

[surlycue]

Originally Posted by jwaiter

That tall building on the southeast corner of that intersection is the Noble Square Coop. It's some type of low income housing but it's not as bad as the public housing like Cabrini used to be.

Further south on the east side of Milwaukee to Augusta is also low income housing in the 2-3 story apartment complexes. It seems that they bring more crime than the co-op.

[5Lakes]

Originally Posted by sarahchicagoapt1

jwaiter- you live right at that intersection and wouldn't recommend me walking around at night? hmmm. i just emailed our agent to look for other apts. we put in the application for an apartment on cleaver street, north of division, but I def'y think there are other apts out there that can be in a safer location. We walked around int he day and it seemed fine but if its dangerous at night we want to avoid that. Thanks for your input, insider info has been a huge help.

I live near that intersection, so I'm familiar with the area. Right know I live west of that stop down Division, but 5 years ago I used to live on Cleaver about a block north of Division. That neighborhood was a bit sketchy when I lived on Cleaver 5 years ago, but it has improved since then. When I used to live on Cleaver there were some gang-banger types that still came around the hood, but it now seems like most of the people on that street will fit your demographic. At this point it has become more like the areas west of Ashland. I will say that park on Cleaver used to attract a lot of loud kids in the summer, but I'm not sure if that has changed or not.

Like others have mentioned there is some public housing to the southeast of the Division stop. The neighborhood south of Division and east of Ashland is still a bit sketchy.

Yes, the Division stop does tend to attract some riff-raff hanging around it, but most of the people using that stop are professional or hipster types. Lots of people going to the establishments on Division use that stop. Late at night it can feel desolate because it does not have a lot active businesses directly around it to attract crowds of people, and that little park there is any easy place for riff-raff to just hang out at. During most hours I would say that it’s OK though, and if you are walking around at 2:00am or something that’s probably not a smart move at most any of the train stops.

[sarahchicagoapt1]

5 lakes- thanks for your advice, i think it sounds like the division stop is really not too bad comapred to many others in chicago, you just need to use some street smarts. when you lived on cleaver, compared to your residents now, were you ever afraid of crime while parking your car at night or walking home from teh blue line? did you move becuase of the safety concern at the cleaver location. I am interested b/c i think the apt we applied for is located right where you use to live.