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Thank you for this insightful post. I've been a resident of East Lakeview for 16 years now, and recently I've been sensing a changed environment in parts of the area. I thought it was just me.
Lately I've been wondering if the area is on the brink of decline. Not just the increased thug presence and incidents of violence and other crime, but also look at the ever-increasing number of empty storefronts along streets like Broadway. Now, people will tell me it's only temporary and due to the bad economy, and I really want to believe that's true, but I don't see it to that extent in other areas such as, say, Andersonville.
I haven't been the victim of thug violence or mob attacks, but I have had a couple run-ins with individuals on the street in recent memory that, although I emerged from them physically unscathed, shook me up and caused me some psychological discomfort. I'm sensing there seems to be more of a mean, hostile, "chip on the shoulder" streak in some of the locals than there used to be, and for the first time I'm starting to feel just a bit of fear when going out and about the neighborhood, and I just never used to feel that.
Hi Andrew,
I am glad you are seeing these changes as well! At first I, too, wondered if it was just me, or was something "different" than it used to be. Apparantly, a lot of other residents see this as well. Some residents began to wonder if the Center on Halsted was bringing these people in from other neighborhoods, and this caused the COH to begin launching this rediculous campaign ("Gender JUST") of using the Race Card to label Lakeview residents as racists and priveleged "classists" who are blaming the recent violence on "homeless gay youths", when in reality, the violence is coming from straight gang-banger thug types who appear to be targeting Lakeview because of the extensive amount of bars and nightlife. Anyway - the residents of Lakeview decided they had enough, and about a month ago, close to 1000 residents showed up at the CAPS meeting to hold Tom Tunney accountable, and to demand more police to patrol the area from the Belmont L stop, down to Halsted, and then up halsted to the Shell station (this seems to be the 'circuit' that the thugs are trying to control). We have gotten our request granted, and the police have done a good job of arresting MANY of the gang bangers. Things are slightly better over the past couple of weeks but there are still large dangerous mobs of Lil Wayne gang banger rejects walking around, threatening people etc. For example, last night I had to walk my GF to her car to keep her safe from the crazy, irate groups of people walking around looking for a fight. Walking back, a large gang banger guy was staring at me and cracking his knuckles, I just ignored him and walked past him, but Lakeview was never like this before. It is almost like these thug types never knew LV existed and now that they have found out about it, they are coming here, hanging out, and just looking to fight people and to control the area.
Regarding the residents - I have not seen any negative attitude from anyone that actually lives here (other than people who are on edge at night because they are scared of the criminals). Two guys in my building (both gays) have been punched in the face walking around. My gay neighbor was punched by a thug at Halsted and Aldine, and the other guy in my building was beaten almost to death down in front of the MB Bank at Belmont and Clark a week ago or so. Also, a week ago, someone took a crowbar and tried to crack open our front door...INSANE. Also, residents might be upset because lets face it - a lot of the condos that were bought betwen 2001 and 2007 were waaaay overpriced. There are a lot of people who overpaid and now cannot afford the mortgage and are having to lease out their place and move somewhere cheaper, or simply short-sell and get out. I agree with vlajos - lakeview is not on the verge of a decline (but if the criminals are not eliminated, it will a MASSIVE decline/White Flight as people, such as myself, will simply move away when their lease is up), but a lot of the storefronts, I think, are empty because the rents in Lakeview were so high. Landlords of these commercial properties raised the rents when Lakeview started to get really hot back in the 2000's and so a lot of merchants left. There is some impact from the bad economy (i.e. the gay clothing store on Broadway that is now out of business). It is almost like Lakeview is becoming a victim of its own success.
I would question the notion of a nightlife area being inherently less safe than a quiet area. I guess people see it as one vice leads to another, that drunkenness and debauchery leads to serious crime, and I would counter that it doesn't quite work that way. In Lakeview, for instance, drunkenness and debauchery have been the norm since time immemorial, but serious crime is considered either rare or new.
There may be slightly more incidents in such areas, but that should be taken in the context of much larger numbers of people passing through, so it's a very low rate, very low odds that you yourself will be involved. And when you're talking serious incidents, serious violence, I'd be more afraid of that on a dark, quiet side street where no one can even see you. I'll take my chances at, say, Clark and Belmont, where at least I can be noticed and get some response if an incident should occur.
It amuses me when people assume an urban city to be some utopian paradise. Crime happens. Lakeview is not the next Englewood, but complaining about minimal crime is offensive to those who deal with REAL crime everyday within the city.
Last edited by Runuova; 07-25-2011 at 01:03 PM..
Reason: Misspelings
I would question the notion of a nightlife area being inherently less safe than a quiet area. I guess people see it as one vice leads to another, that drunkenness and debauchery leads to serious crime, and I would counter that it doesn't quite work that way. In Lakeview, for instance, drunkenness and debauchery have been the norm since time immemorial, but serious crime is considered either rare or new.
There may be slightly more incidents in such areas, but that should be taken in the context of much larger numbers of people passing through, so it's a very low rate, very low odds that you yourself will be involved. And when you're talking serious incidents, serious violence, I'd be more afraid of that on a dark, quiet side street where no one can even see you. I'll take my chances at, say, Clark and Belmont, where at least I can be noticed and get some response if an incident should occur.
J_Cat,
Thanks for your thoughts and your post on this subject. This has been raised recently on other forums, the concept that "It's lakeview, there has always been drunkenness and debauchery, its to be expected in a nightlife district".
The difference here is - this is not the typical drunkeness and debauchery. Sure, there has always been the annoying drunk frat guys that stumble out of Casey Moran's on a saturday night, but this is different. This is what appears to be a disturbing trend, where gangs have identified Lakeview and they come STREAMING IN every night around 10 or 11 PM, and they wander around Clark/Belmont/Halsted, in large groups, something similar to a menacing flash mob. They use their "strength in numbers" to menace and initimidate innocent pedestrians and by standers. The guy gay who got beat up, it was 6 guys attacking him RIGHT IN FRONT OF MB bank and the 24 hour starbucks. They loiter, scream, yell, fight (with each other and with innocent people), jump on top of cars, stab people, meander into traffic, hold dance contests and rap battles in front of your building every morning at 5am, pee in your doorway (every morning!) leave half drunk beer bottles in your doorway, hold huge BRAWLS in front of the L Stop...heck one night they literally were BLOCKING the entrance to the L so that you could not get in or out of the station. One night recently, a huge mob of them (about 20 of them) stood outside of Steamworks and were jeering, hassling, harrassing, and punching gay men who were going in and out of Steamworks...riot-sized brawls at Shell, riot-sized brawls at 7-11 on halsted...last night, at 10PM, I stood on my balcony and watch two thugs harrass and follow a guy and his girlfriend for 10 minutes saying "let me see your girl's tidays...let me see your girl's tidays OR I STAB YOU!!!" The guy kep telling them to "take a walk"...but they wouldnt leave...the girl ran up to a cop car at the L Stop and the cop approached the two guys and they ran away...EVERY NIGHT I am seeing this HORRIBLE behavior in Lakeview from these A-holes and it is BEYOND being "nightlife oriented"...so the residents of Lakeview are coming together to figure out a solution.
All of this sucks...it actually feels like all of this is part of a concerted, organized effort by organized crime to target this area. It all started happening right after Memorial Day. It is like someone gave the command, and the thugs started showing up. It's crazy!
Thanks for your thoughts and your post on this subject. This has been raised recently on other forums, the concept that "It's lakeview, there has always been drunkenness and debauchery, its to be expected in a nightlife district".
The difference here is - this is not the typical drunkeness and debauchery. Sure, there has always been the annoying drunk frat guys that stumble out of Casey Moran's on a saturday night, but this is different. This is what appears to be a disturbing trend, where gangs have identified Lakeview and they come STREAMING IN every night around 10 or 11 PM, and they wander around Clark/Belmont/Halsted, in large groups, something similar to a menacing flash mob. They use their "strength in numbers" to menace and initimidate innocent pedestrians and by standers. The guy gay who got beat up, it was 6 guys attacking him RIGHT IN FRONT OF MB bank and the 24 hour starbucks. They loiter, scream, yell, fight (with each other and with innocent people), jump on top of cars, stab people, meander into traffic, hold dance contests and rap battles in front of your building every morning at 5am, pee in your doorway (every morning!) leave half drunk beer bottles in your doorway, hold huge BRAWLS in front of the L Stop...heck one night they literally were BLOCKING the entrance to the L so that you could not get in or out of the station. One night recently, a huge mob of them (about 20 of them) stood outside of Steamworks and were jeering, hassling, harrassing, and punching gay men who were going in and out of Steamworks...riot-sized brawls at Shell, riot-sized brawls at 7-11 on halsted...last night, at 10PM, I stood on my balcony and watch two thugs harrass and follow a guy and his girlfriend for 10 minutes saying "let me see your girl's tidays...let me see your girl's tidays OR I STAB YOU!!!" The guy kep telling them to "take a walk"...but they wouldnt leave...the girl ran up to a cop car at the L Stop and the cop approached the two guys and they ran away...EVERY NIGHT I am seeing this HORRIBLE behavior in Lakeview from these A-holes and it is BEYOND being "nightlife oriented"...so the residents of Lakeview are coming together to figure out a solution.
All of this sucks...it actually feels like all of this is part of a concerted, organized effort by organized crime to target this area. It all started happening right after Memorial Day. It is like someone gave the command, and the thugs started showing up. It's crazy!
Actually I wasn't arguing this point specifically, I was responding to some of the other comments equating nightlife with crime. In fact, it is possible that you and I are making similar points here.
Actually I wasn't arguing this point specifically, I was responding to some of the other comments equating nightlife with crime. In fact, it is possible that you and I are making similar points here.
It amuses me when people assume an urban city to be some utopian paradise. Crime happens. Lakeview is not the next Englewood, but complaining about minimal crime is offensive to those who deal with REAL crime everyday within the city.
True, but it still sucks to see an area moving in the wrong direction. I'm not saying that's what's happening in Lakeview, but that's how some are characterizing it.
Obviously we'd like to see more peace in Englewood and Lakeview and everywhere else.
True, but it still sucks to see an area moving in the wrong direction. I'm not saying that's what's happening in Lakeview, but that's how some are characterizing it.
Obviously we'd like to see more peace in Englewood and Lakeview and everywhere else.
People should feel generally safe throughout the entire city. These attacks sound like hate crimes, and that's really a shame. Gays and blacks should also feel welcome throughout the city, and not just these designated neighborhoods.
The men in the neighborhood need to straighten these jerks out. A couple of taverns full of angry men spilling out onto the street and roughing them up would be a start. That's how adults in neighborhoods used to keep street corner toughs in line; they intimidated them. Of course you need some tough adults in the neighborhood.
Reminds me of the time the men who hung around the Irish-American Club, a tavern at Madison and Pine, straightened us out; "us" being the young guys who hung around at Madison and Central. They kicked our asses and we steered clear of them. My Old Man told me "I told you not to mess around by that place."
Funny too, they used to serve me in there when I was 15-16 years old because they knew my Dad. That's a big part of it I suppose; a neighborhood that's of a whole, where people really know each other going back generations, not just a collection of strangers coming and going.
The men in the neighborhood need to straighten these jerks out. A couple of taverns full of angry men spilling out onto the street and roughing them up would be a start. That's how adults in neighborhoods used to keep street corner toughs in line; they intimidated them. Of course you need some tough adults in the neighborhood.
Read my mind. These thugs are outnumbered big time. People need to stand up and confront these losers. They know everyone's afraid of them and probably laughing their asses off too.
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