Chinatown Questions (Chicago, Union: rentals, neighborhood, living)

[sittingduck41]

Hope this isn't a repeat. I have a few questions about Chinatown.

How safe is the neighborhood now? I believe there are some dying projects down Cermak...

How active is it in the summer? People in the streets at night?

What is the population and general ethnic make up (I assume a few Chinese, but what else)?

How might a white male like living there? It's not too far from the loop where I work.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: This should be in Chicago, not Chicago Suburbs, my mistake.

[Drover]

Chinatown is getting expensive. Development has made its way down there already. Safety-wise it's fine, though the area around the Red Line L stop can get downright creepy late at night. Chinatown is bustling in the summer. The general make-up is predominantly Chinese -- this isn't a "facade" neighborhood like Greektown which isn't that Greek any more or Little Italy which isn't that Italian any more. Chinatown is still solidly Chinese.

[movingsomewhere]

Chinatown is in Cermak? What is the zip code there I need to look for rentals online.

[jwaiter]

60616

[Chicago60614]

Yeah, the area and into bridgeport is very very chinese, tens of thousands.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

Yeah, the area and into bridgeport is very very chinese, tens of thousands.

Not only that but it actually appears the area is getting more Chinese rather than less. It's now common to see Chinese signage as far southwest as 31st and Halsted. Ride the Wallace/Racine or Halsted bus south from the Archer/Halsted Orange Line stop to 31st and beyond and a good portion of the ridership is Chinese. What that says to me is that the neighborhood is receiving new Chinese immigrants (legal or otherwise) faster than they're being integrated into the general population.

[snoylekim]

Has the new development and spreading of the community eliminated some of the insularity around renting in the area ? I had heard over the years , and thought I read in a previous post, that rentals in Chinatown proper for the most part 'required' some sort of community or family connections, and were rarelyt listed outside the community.. Not implying that there was overt housing 'discrimination', but that rentals, when available, tended to be word of mouth or kept within an extended family where possible .

[sittingduck41]

Good info so far, thank you.

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by Drover

Not only that but it actually appears the area is getting more Chinese rather than less. It's now common to see Chinese signage as far southwest as 31st and Halsted. Ride the Wallace/Racine or Halsted bus south from the Archer/Halsted Orange Line stop to 31st and beyond and a good portion of the ridership is Chinese. What that says to me is that the neighborhood is receiving new Chinese immigrants (legal or otherwise) faster than they're being integrated into the general population.

Yeah, I actually have friends on 31st and Union (a block east of Halsted) and that street seems overwhelmingly Chinese. The stores all around there have Chinese signs, and everyone in my friends building is Chinese.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

Yeah, I actually have friends on 31st and Union (a block east of Halsted) and that street seems overwhelmingly Chinese. The stores all around there have Chinese signs, and everyone in my friends building is Chinese.

Pancho's!