Buying a condo in Buena Park (Roscoe, Sheridan: insurance, condos, neighborhood)

[tclarke031]

I am looking at buying a condo in Buena Park. I originally was looking in Lakeview and Roscoe Village, but there is such great value in Buena Park and it is easy to get downtown from there. How is this area? Is it safe? I have seen some nice condos on the corner Cuyler and Clarendon, but from reading some posts for 2010, it seems like there are some sketchy residences on Cuyler. Is this still the case? Any other advice on this area?

Thanks!

[Aleking]

It's still Uptown, not sure what the ppsf or association looks like so I can't say much more re: good deal or not.

[tclarke031]

True - It's a 1200 square foot place for roughly $180k.

Does anyone else have details about the area? It is my understanding that there was some specific gang activity on the corner of Cuyler and Broadway a few years back, i.e. a gang owned property there and used the area for drugs, etc. Is this still the case?

[Aleking]

Originally Posted by tclarke031

True - It's a 1200 square foot place for roughly $180k.

Does anyone else have details about the area? It is my understanding that there was some specific gang activity on the corner of Cuyler and Broadway a few years back, i.e. a gang owned property there and used the area for drugs, etc. Is this still the case?

It's still the case but hardly the type of major life impacting stuff you see at Wilson/Broadway or Sheridan/Lawrence. The northern portion of Lake View bordering Buena Park is also seeing a lot of momentum so walkable options should improve. If the association is solid (good reserves, lots of owner occupied units, reasonable not too low assesment, etc) and you like the place/plan to live there for a while, I'd go for it.

FWIW I've lived in Uptown (Marine/Winona and Kenmore/Foster) for 5+ years now and haven't had a single negative experience related to gang activity.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by tclarke031

True - It's a 1200 square foot place for roughly $180k.

Does anyone else have details about the area? It is my understanding that there was some specific gang activity on the corner of Cuyler and Broadway a few years back, i.e. a gang owned property there and used the area for drugs, etc. Is this still the case?

That block has not changed much since 2010. The comments still apply. The slumlord-owned buildings on Cuyler have not improved, and they are probably good for a shooting or two every three or four years.

Buena Park in general is very safe, though. Probably safer than Lake View, even, since it's more "out of the way" for people who come around to cause trouble.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Aleking

If the association is solid (good reserves, lots of owner occupied units, reasonable not too low assesment, etc) and you like the place/plan to live there for a while, I'd go for it.

It's the one block in Buena Park that I would still avoid. Though I basically lived two blocks from there, and didn't have any trouble--there were still these weird early morning shootings on Cuyler from time to time.

If you go check out the block, you'll see the three buildings that I'm talking about. They stand out. They are all owned by the same guy, an infamous slumlord who got in trouble for torching his own buildings in the 1980's for insurance fraud (a common occurrence in Uptown at that time in history). The "Spanish Gangsta Disciples" offshoot of GD basically traces it's roots to the corner of Broadway and Cuyler, and they are still active in the drug market from those buildings. The shootings that do occur are usually just some "pot shots" volleyed in their direction from rival gangs. Like I said, it's usually quiet, but it has these weird flare ups every few years. In my eight years in the area, I think there were three incidents or so. They were always at like 3am, and I only knew about them because I was active in neighborhood groups.

[Aleking]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

It's the one block in Buena Park that I would still avoid. Though I basically lived two blocks from there, and didn't have any trouble--there were still these weird early morning shootings on Cuyler from time to time.

If you go check out the block, you'll see the three buildings that I'm talking about. They stand out. They are all owned by the same guy, an infamous slumlord who got in trouble for torching his own buildings in the 1980's for insurance fraud (a common occurrence in Uptown at that time in history). The "Spanish Gangsta Disciples" offshoot of GD basically traces it's roots to the corner of Broadway and Cuyler, and they are still active in the drug market from those buildings. The shootings that do occur are usually just some "pot shots" volleyed in their direction from rival gangs. Like I said, it's usually quiet, but it has these weird flare ups every few years. In my eight years in the area, I think there were three incidents or so. They were always at like 3am, and I only knew about them because I was active in neighborhood groups.

sounds pretty low impact.

And i'm well aware of the buildings you are talking about...they seem to getting snatched up by developers with increasing frequency lately. If OP can get a good price, I think it's a decent long term hold but we all have different thresholds.

[Chicago60614]

I've lived right there on Sheridan and Gordan for the past 6 years or so - just around the corner from your address and up a block. I walk by there almost every day, or a few times a week. I've heard the same thing about those buildings, but it's hardly somewhere I'm afraid to go or avoid - the troubled people don't care about you, they're just doing their own stupid things. The one thing that annoys me is the group that sits outside that UHaul and tries to peddle little odd jobs. I've walked by them probably hundreds of times and they've never ONCE even looked at me or said a word, but it's annoying how they're somewhat loud and just take over the sidewalk as if they owned it.

Anyway, other than that I love Buena Park. It's very beautiful, lots of trees, fairly clean, been perfectly quiet and safe during my 6 years. It's only gotten better in my opinion, especially with the new Buena Market taking over the old liquor store on Buena and the 7-11 moving into that old KFC across the street. Cleaned up that corner a bit.

I have no regrets moving there. Lots of train and bus options, lots of stores down in Lakeview to the south, Target and nice action picking up in Uptown to the north.

[tclarke031]

Good to know. Thanks for all the help. I am checking out the place this afternoon so I'll keep an eye out for these buildings you are talking about. I am looking at 817 West Cuyler. I am not sure how close the building is to the other ones, but I'll definitely keep an eye out. Makes me somwhat apprehensive about the property now.

[tclarke031]

I just looked at this place and area out. Good lord, there are so many bums around the area.