New City Community Area (Oak Park, Lincoln: homes, safe neighborhood, public schools)

[COOLIDGE AVE]

hows humbolt park is that close enough to a train ( by the way train is not meaning metra) its funny i have know idea about whats near theres train stations all i know is that im so used to having and el train near my house (127th b'way on the 1 train)

[Drover]

Humboldt Park is not a pretty place. Lots of gangs, drugs, shootings and the like. And it's not particularly close to an L line either.

[j33]

I live by Humboldt Park (a bit to its east with all those damnable yuppies in west-town over by the Division 'el'), let's just say, I'm planning on keeping it that way. I have no desire to live in the Humboldt Park neighborhood (however, that won't stop me from riding my bicycle through the park itself on a nice Sunday afternoon).

I'm starting to wonder what exactly you are looking for Coolidge Ave. There are plenty of good, inexpensive, and non-yuppiefied neighborhoods in this town, and many have been suggested to you, so what exactly do you want in a neighborhood? I hope you aren't coming here looking for new york with cheaper rent, because you won't find it, we are definitely a different city.

[COOLIDGE AVE]

i mean i would never leave nyc to get ny cheaper i know that no city in the world can be like it but i want more of a community whrere you can rest assured that if you leave your trunk open while your getting bags of food out that you wont have to worry about someone tryna sneak in to take a bag for themselves. i want a place where i dont live on a street that theres a conerstore on every block but at least i dont have to leave my area for everysingle little thing i lived upstate newyork for about a year with my mom and i was ready to walk back to manhattan because everything was a 20 min drive. i want an area where my children will be exposed to all different kinds of people with different incomes (even a yuppie or 2 three is pushing the limit though haha) but i just dont want my kids living in an area that everybody is cut from the same cloth. i also want a place that on a lazy day off from work i feel like im a part of a major city ( i dont want to feel like im in the burbs that just so happen to be within the city limits. i always felt that children should be raised in the city because when you are only experienced to one type of life style you cant be truly sure of what you want to be in life and the many different ways you can acheive success. im looking for a place where i can actually own a condo/ home in a place where 30 years when i retire i can still have the same neighbors around me

[foxvalley]

Originally Posted by COOLIDGE AVE

i always felt that children should be raised in the city because when you are only experienced to one type of life style you cant be truly sure of what you want to be in life and the many different ways you can acheive success.

I don't follow your logic. If they have only lived in the city, then haven't they missed out on the suburban lifestyle experience? Or rural? Or any other way of living that isn't prevalent in the city? How is being raised in the city going to make them more sure of what they want than if they were raised in the suburbs? I'm not saying one is better than the other, I'm just confused.

[COOLIDGE AVE]

not that the suburbs dont have there great points but i notice with the friends that i have are extremely close minded. some friends that i have that lives in saddle river in new jersey where i could say there is this great resturant on weat 96 off the 456 train and they wouldnt even try to see the area just because a crime happened in the area. growing up in the city has taught me a lot like making me more independent. i never asked my mom to drive me to school i always took a bus or a train. and by doing so it opened my eyes and i noticed taht things arent always what you see on the outside or what you hear. living in the city gave me the "college experience" of learning who i am because there were so many people living different lives and following there dreams in the city and i noticed that you dont pick it up in the middle of nowhere. when you have to get into your car and drive 20 minutes for every little thing then you dont live in an area where you need to care about you neighbors lives. if a neighborhood that you have to drive threw is low income you dont have the same type of care about the neighborhood driving on the freeway threw the neighborhood as you would having to wait on the bus and ride with the people of that area for 20 minutes

[COOLIDGE AVE]

and if that didnt answer you question because i just woke up when i wrote that statement (not sleeping the night before can do that to you ) i just noticed that i learned a lot about diversity and culture threw my area and i felt so seperated from life to live there i feel the city would have enough life in it

[Humboldt1]

Coolidge,

After reading about what you are looking for I think Oak Park may be just what you are looking for. It is a great area with good schools (oak park/river forest), nice homes and condos, good train access (15-20 mins to downtown), good shopping along lake and madison. I would look just east of harlem. Stay away from the austin side and you will be fine. Oak park is extremely diverse, both economically and ethnically. The closer you get to harlem and river forest, the nicer it gets. Race is not so much of an issue. The more important denominator is green. I have a good buddy of mine who is black whose mother is a lawyer and father is a doctor. They live near augusta and oak park avenue (6800w). Oak park is bounded by north avenue (1600n) and roosevelt (1200s) and harlem (7200w) and austin(6000w). Stay west of narrangansett (6400w) and you will be fine. Hope this helps you in your search.
You also may want to look at irving park neighborhood, particularly near keeler and grace, though you are talking about CPS schools.

[COOLIDGE AVE]

isnt that outside the city limits no can do the mrs is planning on working for the cps

[Pebbs78]

Here are some neighborhood's that I have personally experienced their 'feel':

Oak Park - definietly a good suggestion by Humboldt; more suburban though, but still an inner-suburb of the city; your neighbors will not change as often as you change socks! Diverse neighborhood, many ethnicities. Good restaruants, shopping, and culture. Nice homes, too, in regards to the architecture.

Pilsen - affordable housing, predominantly Hispanic; some residents have lived in the community all of their life; downside = gang presence.

Lincoln Square/Ravenswood - not as much diversity, but safe neighborhood; better schools; downside = some yuppies, not enough diverstiy.

Wicker Park/Bucktown - still enough diversity to make it enjoyable; was predominantly a Hispanic area up until 5+ years ago; expensive real estate and unaffordable to the middle class; tons of trendy restaurants; downside = the diversity is shrinking because of soring real estate costs; public schools are shrinking in that area.

Logan Square - a ton of diversity, off-shoot of Wicker Park, cheaper housing costs; tons of green space; downside = not enough restaruants.

Andersonville - quiet area, more expensive; I see a lot of children out on Clark street on Sat/Sun with their parents, so it is a kid-friendly environment; I don't know how the schools are, but I assume that they are decent due to so many kids in the area; downside = many yard lots are too small for kids to play; most buildings tend to be mid-rises or apts with little or no yard; 7 miles from downtown, but still within an urban area.

Evanston - Expensive as you go towards the lake; some areas are not as expensive; many yuppies, but also diversity; good restaurants, a mix of suburban and urban; downside = college town; yuppies and overpriced housing.

Mayfair - mostly bungalows, family-orientated area; quiet community with some diversity; off-area, not a rapidly-changing area (which can be good for stability). downside - lack of restaurants or downtown; not too close to transportation except for bus lines.


Hope this helps! Again, this is just my personal experiences. I'm sure there are other places that compare that I missed.

Also, I just saw your last post - If you want to move out to the Oak Park area, it boarders the city. There are places that you can live right next to Oak Park that have the same 'feel' but are technically in Chicago. Look east/north of the boundaries of Oak Park, such as Galewood.