The "don't go north of Irving Rule" (Chicago: houses, safe neighborhood)

[green_babuschka]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Not really. When in Irving Park going north of Irving into Albany Park might not be the best thing in the world. It has been heating up again there.

Some of those recent shootings have been South of Montrose in Irving Park, not in Albany Park. Local newspapers just don't bother accurately reporting them.

Example: Man shot several times in Albany Park - Chicago Breaking News (http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/09/man-shot-several-times-in-albany-park.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&ut m_campaign=Feed%3A+ChicagoBreakingNews+%28Chicago+ Breaking+News%29 - broken link)

Teen killed while sitting in car in Albany Park neighborhood - chicagotribune.com

Neither of those occurred in Albany Park, despite what the article states.

Anyway, sounds like a really stupid rule.

[MannheimMadman]

It is a stupid rule, but apparently, there has to be SOME sort of silly blanket statement for simpleton newbies to follow. I mean, "do the research on those blocks" is far too hard, right?

And anyways, I recall a shooting or two last week here in Albany Park. I'm not sure what 'average' is in this neighborhood, but this summer has been interesting.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by chicago103

These are one of these rules from 30 years ago before the age of gentrification and even then were a bit paranoid. I mean everything north of Irving? This evening I was at the German festival in Lincoln Square which is about a mile north of Irving and that are is just as yuppified as areas south of it today.

Most of these "rules" are probably rumors you can trace back to old city dwellers who now live in the north shore suburbs and rarely venture into the city today and just assume how they remember it in the 1970's still holds water today. Today's society is filled with people who have no clue what the hell they are talking about when it comes to cities and neighborhoods.

German fest was this weekend! I missed it! Oh well, there will be similar fests over the next month or so.

I actually say: Go north of Irving. The nice neighborhoods north of Irving (Lincoln Square-North Center-Ravenswood-Andersonville) are the really the only neighborhoods in city to live for me. Similar to Oak Park, where I live now, but a bit more urban/dense.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by green_babuschka

Some of those recent shootings have been South of Montrose in Irving Park, not in Albany Park. Local newspapers just don't bother accurately reporting them...

Neither of those occurred in Albany Park, despite what the article states...

Irving Park is the main border between the two neighborhoods.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

German fest was this weekend! I missed it! Oh well, there will be similar fests over the next month or so...

How did you miss it if it runs until Sunday night?

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by chicago103

These are one of these rules from 30 years ago before the age of gentrification and even then were a bit paranoid...

It was not even a "rule" 30 years ago unless one was talking east of Clark. There has never been a point in time where everything north of Irving has been crap.

[chitown85]

The only individuals who dare not go out of the area bounded by Irving, Milwaukee, Ashland, and Roosevelt are the transplants from elsewhere to Chicago. Most of the transplants who moved to Chicago within the past 3 or 4 years always have a negative opinion of those who live outside this "bounded" area. It's quite annoying actually, though I imagine its the same in other major cities. A lot of these same transplants have never heard of, or never have been to neighborhoods out of their bubble.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by chitown85

The only individuals who dare not go out of the area bounded by Irving, Milwaukee, Ashland, and Roosevelt are the transplants from elsewhere to Chicago...

Pretty much. I think it is more like between Peterson,35th,California or Sacramento the last few years though...(since popular neighborhoods like Bridgeport,Logan Square and a host of others lie completely outside or partially outside the borders you mentioned.)

Even some suburbanites that move to the city restrict themselves to certain areas only.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by MannheimMadman

It is a stupid rule, but apparently, there has to be SOME sort of silly blanket statement for simpleton newbies to follow. I mean, "do the research on those blocks" is far too hard, right?

IMHO it's a lot easier to do that sort of "research" after you already live in a city and have a chance to look around for yourself than it is before you move there. Especially when crime and safety, etc., can often vary block by block. I personally find it hard to conceptualize areas I've merely read about and haven't had the chance to explore extensively on my own.

I guess that was the point of my above post. If one is new to the city, and unfamiliar, perhaps it's better to start out in one of the "tried and true" areas, say for a year or so, until one learns one's way around the rest of the city.

[JBVirtuoso]

I'm pretty sure that the "don't go north of Irving" rule the OP is referring to mostly refers to areas east of Clark. I think I remember seeing it in the Lincoln Park vs. Lake View thread, but I could be wrong on that.

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Pretty much. I think it is more like between Peterson,35th,California or Sacramento the last few years though...(since popular neighborhoods like Bridgeport,Logan Square and a host of others lie completely outside or partially outside the borders you mentioned.)

Even some suburbanites that move to the city restrict themselves to certain areas only.

As a transplant to the city, I will say that rules like this make a lot of sense, even if they're a bit uninformed and sometimes ridiculous. It's understandable to want to live in an urban and fun yet safe neighborhood. Much of the bungalow belt is nice, but those areas sort of defeat the purpose of moving to Chicago in the first place. A comparable lifestyle can be found for less money in the suburbs or in other Midwestern cities.