Jimmy Red Hots and West Humboldt park (Chicago, Oak Park: condos, neighborhoods)

[Humboldt1]

Eevee,

I drive from that area and it takes me 20 mins. To take a bus including walking to the pulaski stop and waiting for the bus and then waiting for the train would take 40-45 mins, too long. Plus, it is cold and I work in banking downtown and would be a target for my nice WHP neighbors.

North of grand is a different world than division but still not an area I would walk around in, though you are perfectly safe at Jimmys (kitchen staff have guns).

I hope EHP is working out better for you. I am going to rent my unit out and move to Oak Park. Humboldt Park is to dangerous for my girlfriend.

[Drover]

Yeah, I waited at the Pulaski bus stop on Lake Street once after riding the Green Line out there. You'd have thought I had a third eyeball on my chin the way people were staring at me. Some interesting characters came and went at the convenience store on that corner...

[JoeyPants]

I thought the biggest thing holding back West Humbolt Park was the gangs and drive by shootings.

[williepotatoes]

Originally Posted by JoeyPants

I thought the biggest thing holding back West Humbolt Park was the gangs and drive by shootings.

Those are probably the two biggest reasons that WH is so troubled, but the area has really taken a huge hit as far as jobs go. Just a little west of WH proper was once home to thousands of manufacturing jobs. Most are long gone now.

There has been some retail development in recent years, but not nearly enough to make a big difference.

[Humboldt1]

The biggest thing holding back WHP is the current population living there. Gentrification will not be coming there anytime soon, displacing residents as has been going on east of Humboldt Park (the park itself) in West Town, Bucktown, and Wicker Park, and in the eastern parts of Logan Square.

Right or wrong, many of the current residents of WHP are poor and uneducated with few prospects (has nothing to do with race). This allows gangs and crime to flourish. Plus, we have created a system where people can live off the govt via food stamps, Section 8, and welfare, where people do not have an incentive to improve themselves. Until this changes, or we move the existing population out, these areas will be slow to improve.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

I hope EHP is working out better for you. I am going to rent my unit out and move to Oak Park. Humboldt Park is to dangerous for my girlfriend.

Moving to Oak Park? Welcome to the neighborhood.

(PS, I'm the poster formerly known as s u k w o o)

[SJaye]

Not all neighborhoods with good transit access are successful. Garfield Park and Austin have pretty easy el access via the green and blue lines and they have even worse crime than West Humbolt Park.

[Humboldt1]

It is more about the populations of those living in those neighborhoods. The worst parts of Humboldt Park are as you approach Garfield Park to the south and Austin to the west.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by eevee

it's not that hard to get downtown from WHP. just take the Pulaski bus down to the green line and hop on the train. I used to live near Division and Pulaski and it took about 35-45 minutes door to door to get to the Library stop.

Eeek. It takes 15-20 minutes to get downtown from the inner ring 'burbs. May as well just live in Tinley Park. That's likely a big reason why it hasn't taken off yet. It wouldn't solve the other problems but it will most certainly, for starters, need better public transit service to compete with the areas that are and will be gentrifying.

[Humboldt1]

Easy commute and safe, nice area is why I am moving to Oak Park. On the metra it is 16 mins downtown and on the green line it is 20 mins. I will be 2 blocks from both stations.

Plus, Oak Park is a great community where I may look to buy a single family house and settle down and even has good schools where I could raise a family.

Garfield Park and Austin have some parts with great access to the Green and Blue lines, but really suck. Is this because of lack of train access or the areas being poverty stricken hell holes. I will go with the latter.