South Shore (Chicago, Washington, Paxton: hardwood floors, lease, countertops)

[zoramary]

We are a white couple-late sixties, early 70's moving from Tacoma, Washington and considering purchasing a large condo on the South Shore. What do you think?

[NSH]

as my mother said when i moved to a mixed neighborhood, would you rather live next to a stuck up white family or an interesting black family?

The area is 80-90% black with income levels well above the city average. Gangs and violence are still fairly common however.

A new marina plan was just announced for 87th st, and if the olympics come to chicago, you will have yourself a nice little nest egg on your hands.

[Manigault]

South Shore is an interesting area and the condo market varies. I would suggest a condo on or east of South Shore Drive. There's not much parking in that area. There is Rainbow Beach just nearby at 77th street and the South Shore Country Club, so there are attractions in walking distance. The downside is that you have to drive a fair ways for any staples like groceries, hardware, restaurants or the dry cleaners. Transportation in the area is good but less frequent on weekends. It is one of the few areas in the city where you can walk to a golf course. Jackson Park is also in walking distance.

The old USX steel mill at 87th street is slated to become a new boat marina and I think that would be an improvement over the vacant lot it is now. Currently, this is just a proposal but I think it will be implemented.

Overall, I would suggest a Hyde Park condo rather than one in South Shore but the Hyde Park area is pricier.

[ParkerP]

Yeah I agree. Don't get a condo in South Shore. Most of them are overpriced, cheaply built flips. These developers think that cheap laminate (not real hardwood) floors, cheap ikea cabinets, granite or corian countertops, ss appliances, an "open" floor plan and a jacuzzi tub justifies a $250K-$400K listing price. Now, you actually may luck up and find a good quality place in South Shore. I'm just saying, if you're gonna spend that much, you should at least be getting real hardwood floors and a real dining room, LOL

[mel2000]

I'm probably too late, but I just found this forum today and decided to register to offer my opinion on this issue. I *strongly* suggest that you do NOT move to the South Shore area at any cost. I live there now and deeply regret it. While South Shore Drive seems deceptively serene as a street, as soon as you turn the corner you'll find yourself facing a high crime hellhole. You'll have to keep your car in great shape because you don't want to even think about walking anywhere.

Due to lack of parking I was forced to park on side streets. During one short stretch, my car was vandalized on an average of once per week. I finally found a building that let me use their lot for $80./month. The area is definitely under-policed, and the cast of young characters lurking the streets is not comforting. Stay away or you'll regret it. I plan to move as soon as my lease is up in January.

BTW, I am black, but the area is unsuitable for anyone of any color.

[Drover]

I don't mean to pile on, but I spent a lot of time compiling crime statistics for South Shore. (I did it as a comparison between South Shore and Hyde Park.) As much as people are hyping the place, and as much as I'd like to see it succeed myself, it continues to have real problems. See my compiled South Shore crime statistics courtesy of the Chicago crime database at my post here: http://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...ml#post1133751

[South Shore Resident]

Dear Tacoma resident,

I think it's important to consider the particular area of South Shore in which you are looking to buy. I am a young, white woman. My husband and I live at about 6700 S. and Oglesby Ave., and we LOVE the area. I would feel comfortable choosing a condo North of 71st Street, and I'd say the closer you get to the lake the better. Particularly Oglesby, Crandon, Paxton and South Shore Drive, between 67th South and 71st are nice areas. I walk my dog all of the time, by myself, and have never had a problem.

Mind you, this is Chicago, and like any big city there is going to be crime! You have to be on the look out. People around here call the police when they see something happen. We know half the officers in our beat from going to the local citizens and police meetings. We also know all of our neighbors, everyone says "hi" on the street. I would highly recommend this area to anyone considering moving here. Also, most of our neighbors park on the streets and haven't had any vandalism problems with their cars. We have a garage attached to our condo, as many condos in this area have. I would say that having a garage is probably an important aspect of South Shore living-- particular in the winters when you don't want to dig your car out of the snow.

Check out this South Shore Blog if you're interested in things going on in this area: KISS - Keep Improving South Shore

[Drover]

You realize the Tacoma resident asked about South Shore a year and a half ago and then never came back, right?

[Jesse69]

I think there is a SR Condo housing complex up North. You should go there.

[PokerPlayer1]

If you're moving into South Shore, you're going to be the 'first Marines on the beach' as far as Urban pioneering goes... I wouldn't even consider buying there until it's determined if a) Chicago gets the Olympics , b) what shape and theme the Olympic construction takes and c) whether or not South Shore sees a positive impact as a result.

Even then- if A, B and C all come down working in South Shores favor- you're sill moving into an almost totally impoverished-black, massively crime ridden area that just so happens to have a little strip of desirable lakefront property.

As a grown man, I wouldn't even consider South Shore for a single second- as an elderly white couple? That is borderline suicidal.