Hyde Park dangerous??? (Chicago, Harvard, Columbia: credit, safe neighborhoods, school)

[JBVirtuoso]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I cant believe that people are questioning the safety of hydepark.I've lived in the neighborhood for 2 years and not once I mean not once felt threatened! However, there are some areas outside of Hydepark I would never step into anytime of day or night.

Advantages of the area includes access to the uncrowded lakefront, good restaurants awsome festivals all around one of the safest and most cosmopolitan neighborhoods in the city.

The disadvantages are lack of retail. No Target our major retailer to purchase everyday goods our clothing. Bus service to and from downtown is ok at best but often crowded with service issues on the #6 and 2. (but the metra is good). No nightlife! I think its that way by design.

I've heard that a 24 hour Clarks is on its way along with a 400 theater and Wholefoods. There is still no sign of retail from what I've heard.

It's perfectly valid to question the safety of Hyde Park. Perhaps you have never felt threatened, but Hyde Park definitely still has problems. I've narrowly avoided problems twice now. I was asking for one of these incidents by being at 50th and Drexel at 6 pm. But the other incident was on the Midway right in front of Harper Memorial Library. It was 9 pm, but that area is usually safe. Also, the panhandling can get pretty relentless sometimes.

My point is that Hyde Park is definitely not like a north side neighborhood. When I was in Lincoln Square last weekend, I saw a lot of people walking in the alley under the brown line tracks. There was even a sign in the alley that pointed to the Western station. This was as late as 10 pm or so. Doing something like that during the summer in Hyde Park is a definite no-no. I've noticed a pretty big difference between 9 pm and 10 pm in terms of the Hyde Park seediness.

However, I feel like the increased retail options will probably fix some of this. For instance, a rumored Trader Joe's at 53rd and Lake Park would do well to neutralize the crowd outside the McDonald's over there. Also, the proposed unified transit card between CTA, Pace, and Metra is really going to change the way Hyde Park functions. Hyde Park enjoys great Metra service to the Loop, but it doesn't go beyond Millennium Station. There will likely be increased pedestrian traffic around the Metra stations, and fewer people will venture to the red and green line stations to the west.

There are two things I wish Hyde Park had: a Jewel or Dominick's, and Target. Having to take public transportation to the South Loop for those things gets pretty annoying. Hyde Park does have a number of grocery stores, but they're all a tad upscale for my tastes. I do like Michael's Fresh Market on 47th, and it would be great to have something like that further south.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by JBVirtuoso

It's perfectly valid to question the safety of Hyde Park. Perhaps you have never felt threatened, but Hyde Park definitely still has problems. I've narrowly avoided problems twice now. I was asking for one of these incidents by being at 50th and Drexel at 6 pm. But the other incident was on the Midway right in front of Harper Memorial Library. It was 9 pm, but that area is usually safe. Also, the panhandling can get pretty relentless sometimes.

My point is that Hyde Park is definitely not like a north side neighborhood. When I was in Lincoln Square last weekend, I saw a lot of people walking in the alley under the brown line tracks. There was even a sign in the alley that pointed to the Western station. This was as late as 10 pm or so. Doing something like that during the summer in Hyde Park is a definite no-no. I've noticed a pretty big difference between 9 pm and 10 pm in terms of the Hyde Park seediness.

50th and Drexel? Wow. The biggest thing that I've seen in HP is the panhandling. I just politely tell them no and keep it moving. No problems at all. I was speaking to this lady on the bus who said that she knows of several people that have been robbed outside of her building near S Hydepark blvd. Very traumatic stories. So I do retract my statement about questioning safety in Hydepark.

I've never been to Lincoln Square, but it must be one of the safe havens up north to have people walking in the alley. I know Lincoln Park, Lakeview and a few other areas are not what they say they are in terms of safety.

I'm the the type of guy that is aware of surroundings and have reasonable street smarts.i guess thats the reason Hydepark has never intimidated me. Its all about how you are living and where you go and when you go there.

[Chicagonuckles]

DO NOT LIVE PAST 59th street and live past COTTAGE GROVE stay east between 43rd and don't go further than 59th south those are the boundaries best bet RENT with TLC or MAC properties do not live in south shore!!!

I have lived here for 24 years and I work in Hyde park

[Manigault]

Originally Posted by JBVirtuoso

My point is that Hyde Park is definitely not like a north side neighborhood. When I was in Lincoln Square last weekend, I saw a lot of people walking in the alley under the brown line tracks.

Well, from my experience in Hyde Park, I think it is as safe as other parts of the city and there are students walking around at all hours in most os the sections? The Midway at 9 pm? That's kind of abandoned at that time of night. 50th and Drexel? Isn't that operation PUSH?

As for boundaries, much of the new construction in Woodlawn and north of 43rd near Cottage is inhabited by people who would appear to be more at home on the north side. Don't limit yourself.

[meatpuff]

Originally Posted by meatpuff

Anyone else see this shooting at/around 57th St. beach come down the newswire? Holiday, heat bring out violence - Chicago Breaking News

Another year, another shooting in Hyde Park on Memorial Day. Only this one was inarguably inside of the Hyde Park neighborhood. Eesh. I guess the reputation for safety down there is the reason that this is news, but I'm used to seeing NO shootings in Hyde Park proper. Not good. 1 killed, 8 hurt in separate shootings - Chicago Tribune


In the surrounding area, I know about ten months ago there were some concerned citizens who made the news calling attention to an spate of shootings in Kenwood/North Kenwood/Hyde Park. Haven't heard anything more from them, I hope that means things did in fact die down.
Murders in President Barack Obama's neighborhood - Chicago Tribune

[Plzeň]

Originally Posted by meatpuff

Another year, another shooting in Hyde Park on Memorial Day. Only this one was inarguably inside of the Hyde Park neighborhood. Eesh. I guess the reputation for safety down there is the reason that this is news, but I'm used to seeing NO shootings in Hyde Park proper. Not good. 1 killed, 8 hurt in separate shootings - Chicago Tribune

This happens at some point everywhere. What matters is how often it happens. You're right that the reason it was news is that it happens less often in Hyde Park than in most neighborhoods in the city. Hyde Park has had three homicides in the past three years, which is fewer than Lakeview, Near North, or Lincoln Park. That's still three too many, of course, but Hyde Park isn't a neighborhood where I would be concerned about my safety any more than anywhere else.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Plzeň

This happens at some point everywhere. What matters is how often it happens. You're right that the reason it was news is that it happens less often in Hyde Park than in most neighborhoods in the city. Hyde Park has had three homicides in the past three years, which is fewer than Lakeview, Near North, or Lincoln Park. That's still three too many, of course, but Hyde Park isn't a neighborhood where I would be concerned about my safety any more than anywhere else.

Yes, but this doesn't fit the meme that all the South Side is super deadly.

[rparz]

This is such a relative term. People ask about XXX being safe.

We need to add a section in the FAQ's about safety in the City.

Most of the city is generally safe, but also dangerous; as it is still a city as well.


Use street smarts, pay attention to your surroundings, most of the time you'll be fine.
Put on your ipod, flash jewelry, and don't look around you, and you can find yourself in trouble anywhere. It's not Mayberry.

[Plzeň]

Originally Posted by rparz

This is such a relative term. People ask about XXX being safe.

We need to add a section in the FAQ's about safety in the City.

Most of the city is generally safe, but also dangerous; as it is still a city as well.

It's also worth noting that it's a myth that violent crime is significantly lower outside of cities, when you consider it on a per-capita basis. With a few notable exceptions (which definitely does not include Hyde Park), most Chicago neighborhoods of 20,000-80,000 in population will have about 1-5 murders per year, which is about the same as what most small towns of that size will have. The overall crime numbers end up being exponentially higher in cities because the population numbers are exponentially higher.

[Plzeň]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

Yes, but this doesn't fit the meme that all the South Side is super deadly.

And that's exactly why I'll keep repeating it until people get it. (Yes, I realize that may be a long time.) I'm not a fan of irrational fear in general. There are enough real things to fear in the world without making things up.