North Lawndale (Chicago, Albany, Ogden: neighborhoods, buying, school)

[dtcbnd03]

Originally Posted by BRU67

However, as anyone who has riden on a roller coaster knows, the rear cars get whipsawed a lot more during turmolt, and that's what's very likely going to happen here once the economy hits a speedbump.

Great point BRU67. This recession is going to hit those that bought in North Lawndale HARD unless they're renting to all section 8 tenants. I'm still seeing some multiunits go "pending" pretty quick in the last two weeks in some fringe hoods. Landlords should plan for several months of no rent. I've paused all buying in any hood given covid, skyrocketing jobless claims, and until there's more certainty around the economy. Plus there's way better deals and liquidity in the stock market.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by WestSideMillennial

Converting those beautiful greystone houses into single family homes is also a recent popular option. That's happening a lot now in East Humboldt Park.

Well, that's the key. If these young buyers do that in North Lawndale then we'll be beating ourselves in shame like Gedde Watanabe's character at the beginning of the film "Gung Ho."

But is anyone seeing this? I drive through NL all the time and I don't see it. Nor would I do so myself. I'm not afraid of most neighborhoods and certainly don't live in Mayberry now, but North Lawndale west of Douglas Park is really depressing and barren. Time will tell!

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by WestSideMillennial

Converting those beautiful greystone houses into single family homes is also a recent popular option. That's happening a lot now in East Humboldt Park.

Can confirm that's happening already in North Lawndale as well. My last 3-4 weeks of Census work were on the West Side, and I was no stranger to the areas west and north of Douglas Park by the end.

Really, all that area needs is some better grocery options. The riots this year are going to set things back some.

[via chicago]

i find that surprising as i still see tons of greystone board ups in that area and and not a ton of activity in terms of investor interest/rehab efforts one way or the other

[Manson Lamps]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

Well, when I took jfre81 on my personal Chicago tour, he did snap some shots of the Gallegher house from "Shameless" on at 2119 South Homan Ave. So there is THAT.

My wife is a big fan of the show and we rode down to check it out once...quite a few people out there doing the same that day.

Also, and forgive me if my boundaries are wrong, but near to there over by Cermak and Marshall was where the shootout scene in Bad Boys was filmed with Sean Penn and the guy who played Cameron in Ferris Bueller.

[Master Jay]

Manson Lamps, good day! I am a Milwaukeean but have been coming to Chicago and Illinois religiously, for years. So I was able to give our colleague, jfre81, a Chicago tour.

When we went to the Shameless house we were the only ones. I've never watched the show, so he took pictures while I stayed in the car.

And you are 100% correct in the filming location from Bad Boys. If you remember when one of the Latinos gets shot and crashes through the window of the barbershop, well there is STILL a barbershop there

[jfre81]

Originally Posted by via chicago

i find that surprising as i still see tons of greystone board ups in that area and and not a ton of activity in terms of investor interest/rehab efforts one way or the other

There are boardups, and then there are some rather nicely kept streets and I could tell easily which was which.

These usually older guys I'd see shoveling up trash from the others who don't give a damn, they're the ones keeping those blocks up. And then there are the ones with "tons" as you put it. I saw some of the same streets Master Jay drove me around back around the start of the year, and a lot more of them in between. There's still a lot of good old bones there, both sides of Garfield Park etc.

East Garfield Park is probably the most ripe for new development. One of my last field cases was at a clearly newer townhome of the sort you'd more expect to see in Bucktown, clearly in the place of something older and now nonexistent. Off Kedzie on Adams or something like that. There's good access to the Loop on the Green Line. There's a Pete's Fresh Market just a little over on Western. The West Loop boom will get felt over there. West of the park proper is another deal entirely.

One of the problems out there is it's kinda like what holds much of Detroit back from rebirth. It's still redlined. You can't get a mortgage or a home improvement loan or such the traditional way. You can buy one of these for a relative song, but you'll put more into it making it habitable again.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by jfre81

There are boardups, and then there are some rather nicely kept streets and I could tell easily which was which.

These usually older guys I'd see shoveling up trash from the others who don't give a damn, they're the ones keeping those blocks up. And then there are the ones with "tons" as you put it. I saw some of the same streets Master Jay drove me around back around the start of the year, and a lot more of them in between. There's still a lot of good old bones there, both sides of Garfield Park etc.

East Garfield Park is probably the most ripe for new development. One of my last field cases was at a clearly newer townhome of the sort you'd more expect to see in Bucktown, clearly in the place of something older and now nonexistent. Off Kedzie on Adams or something like that. There's good access to the Loop on the Green Line. There's a Pete's Fresh Market just a little over on Western. The West Loop boom will get felt over there. West of the park proper is another deal entirely.

One of the problems out there is it's kinda like what holds much of Detroit back from rebirth. It's still redlined. You can't get a mortgage or a home improvement loan or such the traditional way. You can buy one of these for a relative song, but you'll put more into it making it habitable again.

Hopefully these real cool cats have mad street smarts and cred since I believe any way you crunch the numbers EGP remains one of the most violent neighborhoods in Chicago and by proxy the country and by proxy the world.

I have ridden my bike through E&W GP to Oak Park maybe 25 times, including often on beautiful summer days. My takeaway:

If someone asked me if it was a good idea, I would say no, especially this year.

I have seen, in that time, literally 4 other people on the bike path.

Ever. In about 50 lengths. On gorgeous summer Saturdays.

Two lost Divvyers coming from Oak Park who looked thrilled to see me and a couple of vagrants.

You can also count on being harassed.

Whether or not real estate speculation happens I have no idea, and I don’t care but...PSA I would not **** around in this neighborhood.

I know some very, very tough people who grew up in this kind of neighborhood who won’t go to the park.

[Master Jay]

My experiences are limited to North Lawndale. Driving through en route to some other place many times.

As I mentioned, jfre81 and I took a trip there. I think we were in Little Village and had to head back north, and then I suggested we look up the Shameless house if he wanted to take a picture, since he is a photographer and had been capturing the various neighborhoods I took him to (Cabrini Green, Paseo Boricua, Little Italy, 24th and Oakley, La Villita).

And two times, I rode my bicycle through there. I started from the north side somewhere and was headed to Little Village. I took Ogden Avenue and then would turn on some side street to go further southbound. I never had problems. I greeted people on the sidewalk who happened to be making eye contact with me, no different than I would when I ride my bike through Edison Park.

[WestSideMillennial]

I recently passed by east of Ogden & California when I was surprised by what seemed like a big development in North Lawndale! Can anyone confirm what that might be??