What is going on in Uptown???? (Irving, Sheridan: homes, neighborhood, movie theater)

[bsdsys]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Can I ask how much you are paying now and for what size place?
I dont see how living near Sheridan and Montrose is going to cut your commute time much really.

Bryn Mawr & Kenmore: $739, all utilities, hardwood floors, and about 400sf

Sheridan & Montrose: $515 - $684, all utilities, hardwood floors, and about 400sf.

Just double checked price - will save between $660 and $2688. Not a bad deal. Shorter, well, slightly shorter commute is not a big factor in the move - the other reasons are. Just a small perk I guess but I will take it. 20 minutes tops at best I will save.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by bsdsys

Bryn Mawr & Kenmore: $739, all utilities, hardwood floors, and about 400sf

Sheridan & Montrose: $515 - $684, all utilities, hardwood floors, and about 400sf.

Just double checked price - will save between $660 and $2688. Not a bad deal. Shorter, well, slightly shorter commute is not a big factor in the move - the other reasons are. Just a small perk I guess but I will take it. 20 minutes tops at best I will save.

Well if that is what you want; do it. But I will tell you the area around Sheridan & Montrose is much worse than Bryn Mawr & Kenmore. If you are saving 200+ a month is one thing;if you are only saving 75-100 that is quite another (not worth it IMO.)

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Well if that is what you want; do it. But I will tell you the area around Sheridan & Montrose is much worse than Bryn Mawr & Kenmore. If you are saving 200+ a month is one thing;if you are only saving 75-100 that is quite another (not worth it IMO.)

Oh, come on. It's not THAT bad at Sheridan and Montrose. But being one or two blocks north or south of Montrose makes a big difference.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

It is not the liquor stores that attract the "skeevy" people.There actually are not that many anymore on Broadway or near Broadway in Uptown.The government subsidized housing in Uptown, the Alderman Schiller supported homeless shelters, the crack houses,and the methadone clinics amongst other things are what make the core of Uptown crap.

No doubt Lake View has its problems with the Hotel Chateau and the Gill Park Co-op which I know firsthand about,but I would rather deal with those problems than the ones that plague Uptown in about a half mile radius in each direction from Broadway and Wilson.

Having lived in the area and having been politically active in the area, I know firsthand about the shelters and housing issues in Uptown. However, NONE of the shelters, rehab centers, or halfway houses are in Buena Park. The liquor stores (two in particular) DO attract a lot of traffic down from central Uptown and up from the mini one block Lakeview ghetto (Gill Park, Chateau). Without those liquor stores, there would be little reason for the homeless public drinking crowd to hang out at the corner of Belle Plaine and Broadway, for instance. The come down, hit GHS foods or the liquor store on Buena, and walk around begging for change until they can hit GHS again for another fifth or tallboy.

The U-Haul crowd is another issue altogether. We've been trying to get rid of them for years. They used to harass women quite a big more, but the police have been all over them lately.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Oh, come on. It's not THAT bad at Sheridan and Montrose. But being one or two blocks north or south of Montrose makes a big difference.

The last few times I was up there (in the last few weeks) it was pretty sketchy. I am talking about at night. In the day is one thing;at night or approaching sunset it is another.

That parking lot (the north side of Montrose) across from the Jewel complex on Montrose has quite a few characters hanging out in it.

As far as liquor store problems, the one on Broadway near The Spot is definitely a problem...

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

The last few times I was up there (in the last few weeks) it was pretty sketchy. I am talking about at night. In the day is one thing;at night or approaching sunset it is another.

That parking lot (the north side of Montrose) across from the Jewel complex on Montrose has quite a few characters hanging out in it.

As far as liquor store problems, the one on Broadway near The Spot is definitely a problem...

We've also been working with the owners of Dearborn Wholesalers (the parking lot north of Jewel). That crowd used to be right on the sidewalk, but they've mostly moved back to the alley side of the property. My hope is that Dearborn sells off the land to a developer in the next boom cycle.

I use that Jewel multiple times a week, and it's always kind of interesting. In three years I haven't had any issues there, however. Just typical Uptown crap. It always looks worse than it really is.

I've gone to the Spot and Driftwood late at night several times, and have never really felt threatened. I've been a bit spooked once or twice, so I wouldn't walk it alone. That stretch of Broadway used to be the worst walk in Uptown, but now I'd say I'm more spooked by Sheridan between Montrose and Lawrence.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

...However, NONE of the shelters, rehab centers, or halfway houses are in Buena Park...

So what ? They are close enough to Buena Park and they are in the Uptown community. No matter how hard people try to make Buena Park part of Lake View;it is not.

So people think by getting rid of every place to buy beer and/or liquor in the northern portion of E. Lake View, Buena Park, and Central Uptown that is going to rid the area of problems?

The stores that sell alcohol are not the problem. Who needs alcohol when you can smoke crack or do heroin?

Like I have said before, much of Broadway and Sheridan have been the skid row of the North Side for decades. It is not something you can change overnight.

Both of our immediate neighborhoods need work. We shall see who has the balls to make the changes that are needed to make it happen however. It sure does not look like Alderman Schiller.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

...I've gone to the Spot and Driftwood late at night several times, and have never really felt threatened. I've been a bit spooked once or twice, so I wouldn't walk it alone. That stretch of Broadway used to be the worst walk in Uptown, but now I'd say I'm more spooked by Sheridan between Montrose and Lawrence.

Thats a fair assessment. I usually will deem an area safe to someone if they can walk alone at most parts of the day or night alone.

Of course I walk in crap areas all the time, but that does not mean I would consider it safe to many people.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

So what ? They are close enough to Buena Park and they are in the Uptown community. No matter how hard people try to make Buena Park part of Lake View;it is not.

You're right. It's actually NICER than the northernnmost part of Lakeview (say Grace to Irving Park). And it has less crime.

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

So people think by getting rid of every place to buy beer and/or liquor in the northern portion of E. Lake View, Buena Park, and Central Uptown that is going to rid the area of problems?

The stores that sell alcohol are not the problem. Who needs alcohol when you can smoke crack or do heroin?

Certain liquor stores are the problem. A Liquor store can do a lot to help the neighbohrood. For instance, Clarendon Foods near my place doesn't sell the types of cheap liquor favored by homeless alcoholics, and guess what? They rarely have any homeless alcoholics inside or outside their store. Stores that sell blunts are also part of the problem.

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Like I have said before, much of Broadway and Sheridan have been the skid row of the North Side for decades. It is not something you can change overnight.

Overnight? Are you kidding me? This has been the slowest pace of neighborhood change on the North Side. And the reason for that sits in a nice little ward office near Wilson and Broadway in the McJunkin building. Or at least her staff sits there.

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by bsdsys

Bryn Mawr & Kenmore: $739, all utilities, hardwood floors, and about 400sf

Sheridan & Montrose: $515 - $684, all utilities, hardwood floors, and about 400sf.

Just double checked price - will save between $660 and $2688. Not a bad deal. Shorter, well, slightly shorter commute is not a big factor in the move - the other reasons are. Just a small perk I guess but I will take it. 20 minutes tops at best I will save.

But wait, it's a further walk from Montrose/Sheridan to Wilson or Irving Park than it is from Kenmore/Bryn Mawr to the Red Line stop, surely.

And no way does it take 20 minutes to get from Bryn Mawr to Wilson, or Sheridan/Irving, even. Unless you have 3 or 4 express trains go by.

I'm butting in my opinion on Kenmore/Bryn Mawr vs. Montrose/Sheridan.
I judge places by how the people react to me.
In Edgewater, people that walk past me generally say "hi how are you?" (for instance, this happened tonight at 11pm).
In Uptown, people that walk past me generally either say "hey hot thing how are YOU? *leering shifty eyes*" or "do you have any change?"
So, I like Edgewater better. But that's just me.


Lookout Kid, isn't she sitting in the 48th ward? Doesn't Shiller live in my ward? Or across the street from it? I can't remember.