Most "city-like" suburb? (Including NWI) (Chicago, Naperville: 2015, crime rate)

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

I lived in Skokie for ten years and I own a building in Berwyn. I agree Skokie has a feel like some parts of the far north and northwest side like West Rogers park, Sauganash, etc. To me, Skokie feels more suburban because most of the house were build in the 1950's and 60's and they are set further apart. Berwyn on the other hand, seems to me to be more citified. The streets lined with bungalows and two flats are right out of certain city neighborhoods and are almost indistinguishable. Gangways and alley's galore and tiny postage stamp yards.

Skokie is set up similarly to far North/Northwest side neighborhoods. In places like Sauganash and Edgebrook there are no gangways. Berwyn on the other hand is set up like West Side neighborhoods which is why it's easy to think you didn't leave Little Village just because you crossed Kenton.

[MillennialUrbanist]

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

Skokie is set up similarly to far North/Northwest side neighborhoods. In places like Sauganash and Edgebrook there are no gangways. Berwyn on the other hand is set up like West Side neighborhoods which is why it's easy to think you didn't leave Little Village just because you crossed Kenton.

Skokie actually has alleys, at least the parts around the Dempster and Oakton stations. Most of the streets also run on a grid, even keeping Chicago's numbering system, although dropping the "N/S/E/W" portion. Business, however, are overwhelmingly suburban: strip malls, food service chains, and Old Orchard Mall. Exceptions to that are Jewish/kosher stores and restaurants, which continue to hold their own. Examples include Kaufman Bakery and Hungarian Kosher.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by MillennialUrbanist

Skokie actually has alleys, at least the parts around the Dempster and Oakton stations. Most of the streets also run on a grid, even keeping Chicago's numbering system, although dropping the "N/S/E/W" portion. Business, however, are overwhelmingly suburban: strip malls, food service chains, and Old Orchard Mall. Exceptions to that are Jewish/kosher stores and restaurants, which continue to hold their own. Examples include Kaufman Bakery and Hungarian Kosher.

A gangway is not an alley my friend.

Also are we just going to ignore the Mediterranean and Asian businesses on Dempster? It's not simply Jewish establishments as of late because multiple ethnic groups have made their mark on Skokie. The strip malls usually have an ethnic character to them anyway like a small scale Rogers Park. Skokie is definitely not general Americana. The only thing generic about Skokie is Old Orchard Mall and that's as far as stores go because the clientele certainly isn't just a bunch of suburban White American people.

[MillennialUrbanist]

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

A gangway is not an alley my friend.

I learned something new, lol. I thought "gangway" was a regionalism, like "y'all" (South) or "bubbler" (Wisconsin). So what's a gangway? I thought it was something you yelled when you're skiing fast through a crowd and can't stop. But it's gotta mean something else here.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by EddieOlSkool

Wanted to explain that my inclusion of Naperville and Schaumburg have to do with density and public transportation.

Suburbs suck for nightlife so it's more of "can I get to city fun stuff from the burbs". Also Hammond and Whiting are close to a train station that takes you into the city itself.

No way Naperhell or Schaumburg are anything city like

No suburb in Chicago can come even close to Evanston as far as feeling city like, and also being connected to the best in the city.

Oak Park is certainly up and coming and is building more density. Oak Park is more desirable than honestly about half the city limits of Chicago itself. I come home to Chicago often for a big city fix and to visit relatives but I was pleasantly surprised by a recent visit to Oak Park. I mainly stick to the north side so it was a nice change. The natural place to gentrify would be the near south side, but with rampant crime, it really hs not made it much past south loop unless you consider "islands" like Hyde Park.

[Clark&Addison]

Originally Posted by MillennialUrbanist

I learned something new, lol. I thought "gangway" was a regionalism, like "y'all" (South) or "bubbler" (Wisconsin). So what's a gangway? I thought it was something you yelled when you're skiing fast through a crowd and can't stop. But it's gotta mean something else here.

A gangway is between two houses, the little walkway that goes from the street back to the yard.

[ToriaT]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

No way Naperhell or Schaumburg are anything city like

No suburb in Chicago can come even close to Evanston as far as feeling city like, and also being connected to the best in the city.

Oak Park is certainly up and coming and is building more density. Oak Park is more desirable than honestly about half the city limits of Chicago itself. I come home to Chicago often for a big city fix and to visit relatives but I was pleasantly surprised by a recent visit to Oak Park. I mainly stick to the north side so it was a nice change. The natural place to gentrify would be the near south side, but with rampant crime, it really hs not made it much past south loop unless you consider "islands" like Hyde Park.

Disagree about nothing is even close to Evanston. We are not necessarily talking about desirable. Many of the places talked about above are very city like, just as city like as Evanston. Skokie in my opinion is close but its more suburban in feel. And a gangway is yes, a very narrow sidewalk set between two buildings that are very close together. Skokie does have alleys in places. We had one. Oak Park is closer to the city than Evanston is and the transportation is just as good. Same with Cicero.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

No way Naperhell or Schaumburg are anything city like

No suburb in Chicago can come even close to Evanston as far as feeling city like, and also being connected to the best in the city.

Oak Park is certainly up and coming and is building more density. Oak Park is more desirable than honestly about half the city limits of Chicago itself. I come home to Chicago often for a big city fix and to visit relatives but I was pleasantly surprised by a recent visit to Oak Park. I mainly stick to the north side so it was a nice change. The natural place to gentrify would be the near south side, but with rampant crime, it really hs not made it much past south loop unless you consider "islands" like Hyde Park.

So you're saying Berwyn and Cicero don't feel city like??? Also have you been to Whiting or Hammond? Virtually indistinguishable from the South Side and unless you know the area well you might never know you left the city. Heck if you ask me the transition to Hammond from the city is less drastic than the one to Evanston.

[ToriaT]

A lot of people have never been to many of these places so they don't know. I can't vouch for Hammond or Whiting because I have not been there. I've lived in Skokie, I've been in Evanston, Berwyn, Cicero, Oak Park, etc. Hell, I was born in Oak Park and I own a building in Berwyn.

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

A lot of people have never been to many of these places so they don't know. I can't vouch for Hammond or Whiting because I have not been there. I've lived in Skokie, I've been in Evanston, Berwyn, Cicero, Oak Park, etc. Hell, I was born in Oak Park and I own a building in Berwyn.

Most peripheral burbs are basically architectural and cultural extensions of the part of the city they border. Except Oak Park. While it may *look* similar to Austin it is anything but.