opinion on Current State of near west side?? (Chicago, Madison: apartments, crime)

[2citywitness]

So im looking at an Apartment on Madison just west of western. I work on N western ave, i'd be taking the 49 home very late (3-4am). I was just wondering if you think this would be a dangerous task??

A little about myself. Im college aged, I grew in in Chicago's lovely Austin neighborhood; I've been living in the south loop for the past couple of years though.
I really like the near west side area, a lot of history, nice industrial urban america feel. I am aware of the crime in the area.

However, I am just looking for a little more insight.. Are the people committing crimes in this area so spiteful to mug their hard working neighbors or are these more crimes of opportunity or strictly street related problems??

Let's chat

[2citywitness]

i am pretty much wondering if this area has a since of community/ is it welcoming?
My 2nd option would probably be logan square/avondale/old irving park.. (more time on CTA and slightly more pricey)

[nearnorth]

I personally wouldn't want to live that far west on Madison. I'd stay east of the United Center in that area. If you grew up in Austin you may have a different threshold than I do, though.

[chet everett]

I sorta agree with nearnorth. The configuration of streets other than Madison St west of Western Ave is pretty funky -- many north-south streets are unnaturally interupted east of the RR tracks, other streets that should be east-west thoroughfares are similarly discontinuous. That really makes it much less likely that individual stores /homes / apartments will be constructed in the "one at a time" way that would be consistent with other desirable parts of Chicago and leaves room for more car centric forces to shape things. That won't make things better for pedestrians, bicyclists or advocates of "shop local" and similar initiatives.

The potential for things to be corrected is largely dependant on the city spendng some big money to re-gridify things (very unlikely) or some kind of big developer trading some things like gated interior streets / cul de sacs for some privatedly funded through-way improvements. Not real likely to result in the kind of development that makes "more welcoming"...