Hyde Park & North Side lakefront neighborhoods (Chicago, Evanston: fit in, school)

[edsg25]

Excuse me if I once again venture into the convoluted world of incomprehensible threads (of which I may be the world champion), but I will run this one by you to see if you can make any sense out of it (and, if you can, hopefully you can explain it to me as well )

North Side lakefront neighborhoods share much in common. But let me be more specific of what I'm talking about when I say "North Side lakefront neighborhoods"):

I'm talking about the ones that are out of the city's core, the general greater downtown area....so the Gold Coast or Old Town don't make the list). I'm talking about ones that are part of what I can best describe as the "urban vibe/high profile/glitzy" Chicago. That is.....they really stop when an area that would just be called "the neighborhoods", the places people live, the places not so connected to the core. In other words: Rogers Park does not make my list. Or perhaps Edgewater. Or even Uptown (although it might one day)....

so I'm giving you Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wrigleyville, Boys Town, DePaul...and even feel comfortable throwing in Wicker Park and Bucktown west of the Kennedy (I think I'm allowed...heck, if Glenview, Northfield, Northbrook, and Deerfield get to be the "inner North Shore", I can create something comparable on with my "inner North Side lakefront")

So here's the deal:

No neighborhood, IMHO, would be more like the mid-north lakefront than Hyde Park. But Hyde Park is South Side lakefront, not north, Hyde Park functions more like an island, but within its ill-defined borders, it is a place that highly relates to the mid-north lakefront.

My question is this: what are the things about Hyde Park that would make you see it as a "good fit" in being alike places like Lincoln Park or Wicker Park or Lakeview........and what are the things about Hyde Park that just don't fit with the mid-north neighborhoods I mentioned.

[VA All Day]

fits: Affluent. Has some things to do. Variety of housing types.

doesn't fit: Demographically HP is a bit of an anomaly for its location, and its more diverse than the others named as well. Also for downtown commuters, there are less transportation options.

[TBideon]

Hyde Park has survived, actually thrived, the south side collapse because of the university. Otherwise, it would be another South Shore, Englewood, etc. It's similar to Israel being a western country within the middle east.


As for what separates it from mid-north neighborhoods, the lack of an El station and a present, visible security force set it apart. As for similarities, the lack of hoodrats and low homicide rates are common ground.

[Hiruko]

Originally Posted by edsg25

(I think I'm allowed...heck, if Glenview, Northfield, Northbrook, and Deerfield get to be the "inner North Shore", I can create something comparable on with my "inner North Side lakefront")

I don't follow the rest of your post, but as a North Shore native, I have to wonder who you are quoting when you write, "inner North Shore." Skokie, Golf, Glenview, Northfield, Northbrook, Deerfield, and Bannockburn are often considered part of the North Shore or North Shore adjacent. I've never heard of "inner North Shore." Finicky people often want to limit the list of North Shore communities to those on the Union Pacific / North Line: Evanston to Lake Bluff. However, most people include those other communities because of their contiguity, affluence, shared heritage, and shared school systems.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by TBideon

Hyde Park has survived, actually thrived, the south side collapse because of the university. Otherwise, it would be another South Shore, Englewood, etc. It's similar to Israel being a western country within the middle east.


As for what separates it from mid-north neighborhoods, the lack of an El station and a present, visible security force set it apart. As for similarities, the lack of hoodrats and low homicide rates are common ground.

Yep. And the U of C was giving serious thoughts of moving to a suburban location (I'm assuming the land had something to do Argonne). But the university decided to go a different route, totally invest in the Hyde Park community and work to stabilize it.

Sure, we tend to think that Hyde Park is "an island" admidst the south side neighborhoods, but maybe it was more of an island that we considered, was able to keep itself in tact due to topographical reasons as well as the university....I mean, Hyde Park has the lake and Jackson Park to its east, the wide stretch of the Midway to the south and Washington Park to the west. Only to the north does it run directly into another neighborhood and that neighborhood, Kenwood, certainly the lakefront part, had things going for it other neighborhoods did not. Issolation in this regard, defined borders and open space, would seem to have aided Hyde Park.

[Larry Siegel]

The big difference is that most people in Hyde Park have some connection to the University of Chicago and live there because the University is there. Most people in the inner north and northwest sides typically have a connection to downtown or some other part of the city.

[ChicagoMeO]

While this topic is talking about Hyde Park, is there a particular flavor/culture/type of people that you get when you live there, like is it full of liberals, creative , artsy, people etc? One lady who lived in Hyde Park told me i would not fit in. She did not say why. It may be because Im a conservative Republican and that is Obama country. The only thing i can think of is the University is there and that may be an area for the liberal college student type, or something I cant think of, since I've never lived in Hyde Park. The way she was speaking, who knows, maybe its a lot of coffee house, poetry type folks (which reminds me of 1960's hippie culture).

So what is the culture of Hyde Park resemble to you? What people are drawn to Hyde Park?

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Hiruko

I don't follow the rest of your post, but as a North Shore native, I have to wonder who you are quoting when you write, "inner North Shore." Skokie, Golf, Glenview, Northfield, Northbrook, Deerfield, and Bannockburn are often considered part of the North Shore or North Shore adjacent. I've never heard of "inner North Shore." Finicky people often want to limit the list of North Shore communities to those on the Union Pacific / North Line: Evanston to Lake Bluff. However, most people include those other communities because of their contiguity, affluence, shared heritage, and shared school systems.

of course I am aware of the terms you've used, but I have also heard "Inner North Shore" used a well. And I've spent much of my life living on the North Shore (Ev, HP)

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by Larry Siegel

The big difference is that most people in Hyde Park have some connection to the University of Chicago and live there because the University is there. Most people in the inner north and northwest sides typically have a connection to downtown or some other part of the city.

You raise a good point and, to illustrate, there is nothing comparable in Lincoln Park's (or even the more tightly defined neighborhood of DePaul) relationship with DePaul University and, quite frankly, you'd have to go to Evanston and to its relationship with Northwestern to see something akin to Hyde Park's relationship with U of C.

That said, and realizing for the north side lakefront neighborhoods which seamlessly seem to flow right into the downtown area, are so tied to it..... don't you think Hyde Park, too, does have a "close relationship" with downtown?

[damba]

Originally Posted by edsg25

of course I am aware of the terms you've used, but I have also heard "Inner North Shore" used a well. And I've spent much of my life living on the North Shore (Ev, HP)

“Inner North Shore” is an artificial construct and not any sort of established term used currently (if ever).

Still sitting with a room full of native Chicago/north shore residents (3 generations), and none have heard this term.