Neighborhood Competition: Washington Park vs. Garfield Park (Chicago, Woodlawn: crime, homes)

[OKParker]

I often think about the blighted parts of Chicago that have great housing stock and parks, and these two areas are some of my favorites. What I wanted to hear about from this group - is which of these areas is more likely to 'come up' first. In my eyes -

Washington Park
Pros
Great housing stock
Best park in Chicago
Near U of C/ Hyde Park area
Near the lake
Public transit options (red/green)

Cons
50% of land is vacant
CTA takes about 22-28 minutes to get into the loop
Very few food options/stores nearby
Crime


Garfield Park
Pros
Good housing stock
One of the better parks in Chicago
Near developing west loop area, east-side is near developing east-humboldt park area
Public transit options (blue/green)
Close to city (12-15 minutes to loop)

Cons
Railyards on east and west sides take up huge land and can never be developed
Few food options/stores nearby
Crime is higher than Washington Park (gun violence, and drugs)

[TBideon]

Realistically neither is anywhere close. Even Humboldt Park is exceptionally crime-ridden outside of some limited and immensely overhyped momentum in the eastern edges, yet that's where investors and new residents are hedging their bets. And that's light years ahead.

In comparing the two, East Garfield Park is one of those neighborhoods that for years, maybe even decades, has been discussed as being the next neighborhood to become more desirable, safe, re-invested, economically diverse instead of predominantly impoverished, even gentrified. There's got to be some reason speculators can't let go of that ghost.

Meanwhile Hyde Park's current momentum is spilling south to Woodlawn, not west. Beyond the Currency Exchange Coffee, there's nothing about Washington Park (other than the park itself and the DuSable museum) that indicates any kind of demand or even potential.

Now if Amazon's second headquarters winds up in Bronzeville, the resulting collateral effect would be all encompassing for miles, which would include Washington Park. And if it ended up in the Tribune site, well, then Garfield Park, especially EGP, would see some significant investment.

[OyCrumbler]

I think East Garfield Park is more likely to come up first as it's reasonable that the Illinois Medical District's continued development and the slow conversion of United Center area to being more of a neighborhood puts East Garfield Park in that development path. The Green Line is also slated to (re)gain a station at Damen which will probably accelerate all the development moving west. West Garfield Park is a different matter though.

[Scottiegal]

Originally Posted by TBideon

Realistically neither is anywhere close. Even Humboldt Park is exceptionally crime-ridden outside of some limited and immensely overhyped momentum in the eastern edges, yet that's where investors and new residents are hedging their bets. And that's light years ahead.

In comparing the two, East Garfield Park is one of those neighborhoods that for years, maybe even decades, has been discussed as being the next neighborhood to become more desirable, safe, re-invested, economically diverse instead of predominantly impoverished, even gentrified. There's got to be some reason speculators can't let go of that ghost.

Meanwhile Hyde Park's current momentum is spilling south to Woodlawn, not west. Beyond the Currency Exchange Coffee, there's nothing about Washington Park (other than the park itself and the DuSable museum) that indicates any kind of demand or even potential.

Now if Amazon's second headquarters winds up in Bronzeville, the resulting collateral effect would be all encompassing for miles, which would include Washington Park. And if it ended up in the Tribune site, well, then Garfield Park, especially EGP, would see some significant investment.

Amazon will never end up in bronzeville.

[OKParker]

Originally Posted by Scottiegal

Amazon will never end up in bronzeville.

Small chance it goes to Michael Reese area.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

I think East Garfield Park is more likely to come up first as it's reasonable that the Illinois Medical District's continued development and the slow conversion of United Center area to being more of a neighborhood puts East Garfield Park in that development path. The Green Line is also slated to (re)gain a station at Damen which will probably accelerate all the development moving west. West Garfield Park is a different matter though.

Of our uber high-crime neighborhoods in utter despair, I would say East Garfield Park has the best chance of turning around. Of course, that's kind of the same thing as being the prettiest ugly girl at the dance but I guess it counts for something.

[OyCrumbler]

I think it makes sense to look at what stats we have.

East Garfield Park (the community area) as per wikipedia and its sources:

- Area: 1.94 sq mi
- Population 2000: 20,881
- Population 2010: 20,567
- Population percentage change (2000 - 2010): −1.5%

Here's Washington Park:

- Area: 1.48 sq mi
- Population 2000: 14,146
- Population 2010: 11,717
- Population percentage change (2000 - 2010): −17.2%

Both of these community areas include their respective parks, and it's obvious that one has stemmed its precipitous population drop by quite a bit more than the other. It's likely that the 2020 census has the drop for both be quite a bit softer for both areas, but I think it's actually possible for East Garfield Park to start listing a gain at the 2020 census. One thing to note though is that part of Washington Park's loss in that period was the demolition of the Robert Taylor Homes, so that drastic population drop might not be repeated again.

[WestSideMillennial]

Originally Posted by OKParker

Small chance it goes to Michael Reese area.

Why do you say that?

[WestSideMillennial]

The Hatchery just started construction in East Garfield Park. My money is literally, betting in that nieghborhood next to flip.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/chicago...-garfield-park