The future of Mount Greenwood ?

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by North Side Brandon

I would bet on Mount Greenwood going forward. Where else other than the Western parts of Clearing and Garfield Ridge do city workers have to live on that side of town? Remember Edison Park, Oriole Park, Schorsch Forest view, Edgebrook and Sauganash on the Northwest Side are all much more expensive. Ditto with Beverly to the East of Mount Greenwood.

My understanding is city workers have historically lived in the far NW and SW edges is because that was as close to the suburbs as they could get, and they were part of the generations who tended to choose the suburbs if they could afford to have a choice. Younger generations of people who can afford the choice are now more often choosing to live in more urban environments. The younger cops, firefighters, and teachers are no exception to this. None of the ones I've known in their 20's or 30's (and sometimes even 40's) have been choosing to live in the outer neighborhoods the way their parents and grandparents did. They tend to want to be closer to the action, just like people working in other fields. I can't imagine this boding well for places like Mt Greenwood in the future.

[North Side Brandon]

From what I can see younger city workers still lean heavily towards the edges of the city. There is no way on their salaries as nice as they are they are affording a single family home in a place like Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, North Center, Roscoe Village, North Center or the Near North side. I don't think a Cop with two kids wants to be rising his family in a Condo.

[North Side Brandon]

Remember most City Workers even younger ones tend to be married with children.

[Ace Rothstein]

There are a lot of city workers in Bridgeport. At this point, most new hires would likely be priced out of buying there for the near future. I don't see much in the way of change for Mount Greenwood for at least the next 10 years.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by North Side Brandon

From what I can see younger city workers still lean heavily towards the edges of the city. There is no way on their salaries as nice as they are they are affording a single family home in a place like Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, North Center, Roscoe Village, North Center or the Near North side. I don't think a Cop with two kids wants to be rising his family in a Condo.

I guess I've known more teachers than cops as far as city workers go (though I have met a couple of cops). They tend to have master's degrees, make $45-70K, and live in the same places as other young college-educated types. Maybe not Lincoln Park or Near North (unless they have roommates or a studio), but certainly Uptown, Edgewater, Roscoe Village, Bucktown, Logan Square, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Hyde Park, etc. I assumed cops would make similar choices since they make similar pay. I forgot about the fact that the lower education level can still mean earlier age of marriage/kids even with decent salary. I also realize I'm more likely to meet single and/or childless people, just due to demographic similarities.

[jmurr]

Chicago does not have an income problem, it has a spending problem.

[Avondalist]

I've always thought that the unions might trade the residency requirement with the city for pension concessions. That would destroy Mount Greenwood. Really, when you live there you're living in a place because of a municipal law that could be undone suddenly if the political winds shift.

[oddstray]

Even if the residency requirements stay, that doesn't guarantee any particular sort of future for Mt. Greenwood.

When the residency reqs. were first instituted, city workers flooded into Ashburn. They apparently have mostly moved to other areas from there, since from what I read the demographic of Ashburn is completely flipped from when I grew up there in the 50s through 70s.

[JacksonPanther]

Reading this thread you would think no black people worked for the city...

No one is forcing white people to work for the city if Chicago. Every one of those suburbs has school systems, police forces, public works departments. Chicago will somehow manage...