Bridgeport (Chicago, Lincoln, Morris: college, income, taxes)

[Drover]

As for the well-paid working class not being susceptible to yuppie push... well, one thing they are susceptible to is making a buck. Witness the number who have cashed out and headed for Orland Park, Tinley Park, Palos Park, etc. Yuppies get solid-quality and reasonably priced (for now) housing 15 minutes from downtown, the retiring plumbers and patronage workers get a big sack of cash and more elbow room than they ever knew they wanted out in the 'burbs, and everyone's happy. This process hasn't reached anything like critical mass just yet, but don't be surprised if it does shortly after the real estate market picks back up.

[JoeyPants]

Most of the people I know who live in Bridgeport grew up there, as did their parents. It's common practice for home sellers to forgo listings and sell it to either a relative or a friend. Many of the new posh $500K + homes in Bridgeport are owned by residents who grew up in the area. People fail to realize that many folks in Bridgeport have no desire to "trade up" to a different area, many are content to live there. Why would they want to move to the burbs when their friends, family, childhood buddies, church, deli, local watering holes are within walking distance. These South Siders aint goin no where.

Another reason why gentrification will not come easily to Bridgeport is that urban pioneers, artists, hipsters, usually serve as a primer for gentrification. I don't see a significant portion of these groups encroaching or being drawn to Bridgeport. Sure, you have a few artists and hipsters here and there, but it's negligible.

People don't change Bridgeport, Bridgeport changes them. I know plenty of guys who moved into Bridegport and five years later began saying "trow me da ball will ya"

[littlefoot22]

I have a great deal to add to this... Let me say, I have lived in Bridgeport for ten years and I am going too move asap! I have lived here long enough to be a judge, and a critic. Bridgeport is the worst place in it's being I am white and a I have a great job. Still, I have been treated like the way that they are famous for treating their black people. Bridgeport people are not accepting of you unless you are born and raised from this area and unless you are related to each other. I have lived in what is called the nicer apts and I have paid expensive rents, and have dealt with rotten landlords. Bridgeport is often referred too as the white ghetto. The people here are low class and will mistreat anyone as they please. I have seen many walks of races treated wrong. Hate does not discriminate. While living here in this rotten low class town I have heard of a woman being raped and it being swept under the carpet, people being beat up on the streets, a ton of drug dealers live here and a lot of drug traffic along with gang bangers and every walk of dirty life that you could imagine. So what the mayor lived here, that's right lived here past tense. He no longer lives here and has not for quite sometime. Why do you think he moved???? because it's a bad place to live, even he knows that. I have never lived in such a crime ridden place in my life and if it were not for my job, I would have left a long time ago. Thank God I will be leaving this summer. This leaving is long overdue can't wait. What a nightmare this has been. The people will not help you if you are what they consider an outsider. You can forget being invited too their petty little block parties, forget it if you need help out of any situation what so ever. The only people that like this place are people that are from here. Otherwise who ever is writing these post is either from here trying to make it look good or maybe they have not really experienced this awful nightmare of a place that they call Bridgeport. I warn you from the soul... don't walk from this place run. And make sure you stay away from the citgo gas station on the corner of 31st and normal, need I say more. Drug dealer grand central. Rotten place too visit, more less to live.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by littlefoot22

et me say, I have lived in Bridgeport for ten years and I am going too move asap!

Yeah right, I believe it.

It is so bad that you just could not move out for ten years.

[faintlyamused]

Speaking of the gentrification of Bridgeport, has anyone been to Maria's Packaged Goods and Community Bar? Maria's Packaged Goods and Community Bar - Bridgeport - Chicago, IL

It's been getting a lot of press in Time Out Chicago recently and I was thinking about checking it out.

[5Lakes]

Only once during my 6 years of living in Chicago has a passing stranger said hello to me (unless you count drunks out on a weekend night), and it was on a residential street in Bridgeport. To read some of these posts you would think that a person would get punched in the face if they were not some blue-collar guy with a mustache and sox cap.

[Huascar]

Originally Posted by faintlyamused

Speaking of the gentrification of Bridgeport, has anyone been to Maria's Packaged Goods and Community Bar? Maria's Packaged Goods and Community Bar - Bridgeport - Chicago, IL

It's been getting a lot of press in Time Out Chicago recently and I was thinking about checking it out.

So what, in a city full of regular guy taverns people now go out of their way to find----regular guy taverns?!?

Some of those Yelp people crack me up; like a liquor store with a tap room was unusual; what a discovery!! And this "dive bar" thing; like these people are doing something daring and new going into a tavern and ordering an Old Style.

[OhAcid]

I've been playing with the idea of moving somewhere other than the North side now that I've "adjusted" to life in Chicago. I think many parts of south Chicago are beautiful, but I also have safety concerns about parts of the south side as well. I'm currently in the Lincoln Square/Ravenswood area and am wondering if the area compares at all?

I've recently been looking into apartments in Bridgeport/Amour Square and Hyde Park (which I have very few concerns about living in) as well and have pleasantly been surprised to find that I'm able to afford living in either area. I've found some recent information, but not enough to convince me one way or another about living in Bridgeport so I'm wondering if anybody more familiar with the area can give me a general overview on what the area is really like presently?

I think the area is beautiful, and I really would enjoy being close to Chinatown, closer to Hyde Park if I relocate here and just a short distance to the Loop and North side. Safety is my biggest issue, but I haven't read anything too drastic about the area to keep me from contemplating it thus far.

Any help?

[linicx]

OhAcid, I believe if you go back to the first post in this thread and read every post very carefully. you will have a very good picture of Bridgepost. Then ask your questions. I susppect Drover and IrishTom will have the answers.

[OhAcid]

Originally Posted by linicx

OhAcid, I believe if you go back to the first post in this thread and read every post very carefully. you will have a very good picture of Bridgepost. Then ask your questions. I susppect Drover and IrishTom will have the answers.

Ok, thank you. In other words Bridgeport today is primarily the same as Bridgeport five years ago then? If I'm reading your post correctly?