Irving Park for a younger female..safe? (Chicago: neighborhood, purchasing)

[Drover]

Originally Posted by irvparkrez11

Really? I've been inside the dark green square and even in the dark I felt pretty safe. Moreover, the residential area in question is populated by mostly white middle-class families. Maybe you're thinking of the area west of Kedzie between Irving Park and Montrose?

Regarding the bolded part above: No it isn't.

Originally Posted by Chicagoist123

Yeah I disagree. Overall Irving Park as a whole is safe. Things happen here and there but they also happen in place like Lincoln Square, Lincoln Park, etc. is Irving park the safest? No. But it is safe.

I was speaking in the context of the dark green portion of irvparkrez's map being the safest part of Irving Park when I'd argue that it's among the least safe areas of Irving Park. Of course safety is always relative; Irving Park is no Englewood and it's no Glencoe either. But if someone is looking for the safest part of Irving Park, I'd say the dark green box definitely isn't it.

Originally Posted by irvparkrez11

Yes, it's safe. But that particular dark green section is very safe. As I told you, I've been out late over there and nothing suspicious ever happened. And it doesn't feel like a bad neighborhood at all - it's all nice two-story houses owned by white middle-class families. I'd say that area is as safe as the Ravenswood Manor, which I passed through coming home one night. Where I actually live (light green area), there are more apartments and a couple of old houses. There is some crime - I got my bike stolen once in midday, someone's car got vandalized pretty badly, and a drunk woman was mugged at 4 AM near my house. But not a whole lot - each one of those happened more than half a year after one another.

Again re: bolded part -- no it isn't. It's mostly 2- and 3-flats with a lot of rental stock, largely occupied by working-class immigrant Hispanic families. You don't get into predominantly SFH's in Irving Park until you're west of Central Park.

Are you sure you're not thinking of Old Irving Park?

[irvparkrez11]

Originally Posted by Drover

Regarding the bolded part above: No it isn't.


I was speaking in the context of the dark green portion of irvparkrez's map being the safest part of Irving Park when I'd argue that it's among the least safe areas of Irving Park. Of course safety is always relative; Irving Park is no Englewood and it's no Glencoe either. But if someone is looking for the safest part of Irving Park, I'd say the dark green box definitely isn't it.


Again re: bolded part -- no it isn't. It's mostly 2- and 3-flats with a lot of rental stock, largely occupied by working-class immigrant Hispanic families. You don't get into predominantly SFH's in Irving Park until you're west of Central Park.

Are you sure you're not thinking of Old Irving Park?

No no, it's not Old Irving Park I'm talking about. There are large houses as you near towards Addison street between California and Kedzie. Maybe there are Hispanic living here and there in the dark green box, but so far, I've only seen whites.

Look at Google Maps - go on Richmond Street or Francisco Street or Sacramento Street or Whipple Street south of Irving Park Road towards Addison - all houses on your left and a mix of apartments/houses on your right.

Maybe it's not all dark green, but at least some of it is.

Here's an updated map:



Thanks to the guys down in the dark green box, we have a Balkan Cafe, an architecture firm and an open-window pub with a big-screen TV (Leader Bar & Grill), where yuppies gather to dine, all on Irving Park Rd.

[Drover]

If all you've seen is whites, I have a hard time believing you're even remotely familiar with the area. Your "green box" is majority Hispanic. You have to try really hard not to notice them.

Notwithstanding that portions of some blocks here and there are SFHs (though I sure wouldn't describe them as "large"), I stand by my assertion that 2- and 3-flats make up the bulk of housing stock within your dark green square. Having Leader Bar open up on Irving Park Road didn't magically make the immediate area any safer. I seem to recall someone getting shot right in front of that place fairly recently; someone was stabbed at Lizard's Liquid Lounge (another yuppie hangout) not too long ago. And don't get me started on the Mos Eisley Cantina of the neighborhood (Christina's Place).

I'll admit that we're arguing on the margins here; the whole general area is fine by urban standards. But I don't get why the green box was singled out as the "safest" part of the Irving Park neighborhood when that's where most of the neighborhood's shootings and murders have happened over the last few years. Of the area you highlight as "Irving Park," IMO the safest portion of it by far is the Independence Park area in the northwest corner.

[irvparkrez11]

Originally Posted by Drover

If all you've seen is whites, I have a hard time believing you're even remotely familiar with the area. Your "green box" is majority Hispanic. You have to try really hard not to notice them.

Notwithstanding that portions of some blocks here and there are SFHs (though I sure wouldn't describe them as "large"), I stand by my assertion that 2- and 3-flats make up the bulk of housing stock within your dark green square. Having Leader Bar open up on Irving Park Road didn't magically make the immediate area any safer. I seem to recall someone getting shot right in front of that place fairly recently; someone was stabbed at Lizard's Liquid Lounge (another yuppie hangout) not too long ago. And don't get me started on the Mos Eisley Cantina of the neighborhood (Christina's Place).

I'll admit that we're arguing on the margins here; the whole general area is fine by urban standards. But I don't get why the green box was singled out as the "safest" part of the Irving Park neighborhood when that's where most of the neighborhood's shootings and murders have happened over the last few years. Of the area you highlight as "Irving Park," IMO the safest portion of it by far is the Independence Park area in the northwest corner.

I'm wrong. The safest area is a small strip a little bit north of Gordon Tech. They had only 11 reported crimes over the past 11 years. The area in question had 132 reported crimes in the same time period, and the area by Addison had 100. The Northwest corner you're talking about has 68. But the entire Irving Park-Montrose area doesn't get completely safe until you go past Pulaski Rd. Crimes range from 30 to 80 in 11 the year span over there.

Here's an updated map (hopefully you'll agree to this):

[hschmitt85]

I love what I've read about Irving Park so far on here but the information could be out-dated with the ever-changing Chicago home/crime rates, parking, construction, etc. Is this still a safe place to live? I don't care too much about what's in the immediate area as far as stores/bars/nightlife and we drive to the grocery store.. My husband and I are just looking at a few very affordable houses to buy in this area so we can start our family and raise them in a safe neighborhood and we have 3-4 options we'd like to see this week.

The houses are all between Montrose and Irving, east of Kedzie and West of Horner Park except one is west of Kedzie but still east of Elston. We have been within this area of IP MANY times and it seems just fine but I'm originally from Michigan so I'd love some input. Thanks!

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by hschmitt85

I love what I've read about Irving Park so far on here but the information could be out-dated with the ever-changing Chicago home/crime rates, parking, construction, etc. Is this still a safe place to live? I don't care too much about what's in the immediate area as far as stores/bars/nightlife and we drive to the grocery store.. My husband and I are just looking at a few very affordable houses to buy in this area so we can start our family and raise them in a safe neighborhood and we have 3-4 options we'd like to see this week.

The houses are all between Montrose and Irving, east of Kedzie and West of Horner Park except one is west of Kedzie but still east of Elston. We have been within this area of IP MANY times and it seems just fine but I'm originally from Michigan so I'd love some input. Thanks!

Things taking a turn for the worse in 6 months? That barely ever happens...The last time people were talking about this thread was 6 months ago. Yes, it's still a very safe neighborhood. Things do not change in 6 months usually..

[hschmitt85]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Things taking a turn for the worse in 6 months? That barely ever happens...The last time people were talking about this thread was 6 months ago. Yes, it's still a very safe neighborhood. Things do not change in 6 months usually..

I've heard about more crime where I currently live in the last 6 months than in the entire 3.5 years I've lived here so I had to make sure. Thanks.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by hschmitt85

I've heard about more crime where I currently live in the last 6 months than in the entire 3.5 years I've lived here so I had to make sure. Thanks.

Where do you live?

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by hschmitt85

I love what I've read about Irving Park so far on here but the information could be out-dated with the ever-changing Chicago home/crime rates, parking, construction, etc. Is this still a safe place to live? I don't care too much about what's in the immediate area as far as stores/bars/nightlife and we drive to the grocery store.. My husband and I are just looking at a few very affordable houses to buy in this area so we can start our family and raise them in a safe neighborhood and we have 3-4 options we'd like to see this week.

The houses are all between Montrose and Irving, east of Kedzie and West of Horner Park except one is west of Kedzie but still east of Elston. We have been within this area of IP MANY times and it seems just fine but I'm originally from Michigan so I'd love some input. Thanks!

Nothing different really. If anything, some of the gang issues the area experienced in 2011 and early 2012 appear to have died down (heh).

Take whatever was said with a large grain of salt. Large enough to filter the stupid out.

[hschmitt85]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Where do you live?

It's still a very safe area and I love it (right near Lane Tech - some say North Center & some say Roscoe Village & some say West Lakeview) but I have heard about more and more crime lately (smaller stuff - car break-ins, alley dumpster fires and the like and then big stuff like the Chase was robbed and my neighbor's car was stolen) than the entire time I've lived here combined and I was surprised at how quickly it all came about.