Future of Portage Park is Latino (Oak Park, Addison: condos, neighborhoods, live)

[HamlinandLyndale]

I believe outside of some pockets like the west end near in between Austin and Neagle and north of Montrose on Milwaukee Portage Park will become almost all Latino within 10 years. I see the Poles long dominant here continuing to move to Jefferson Park, Edison Park, Norwood Park, Dunning, Harwood Heights and Norridge and Latinos will continue to replace them. This trend isn't new I just believe it will continue. My uncle is 75 and lives on Addison and Central this area has become heavily Latino and my cousin works at the hospital there and her patients are almost all Latino. I just don't see the Poles staying. What does everybody think?

[Irishtom29]

Latinos? What kind? Mexicans?

[HamlinandLyndale]

Mainly Mexicans but also some Puerto Ricans. I hear more and more moving up from Cragin, Logan Square and Hermosa. The 2000 census put Portage Park at about 23% Latino it must about 35% now. This is actually about where Cragin was in 1990 by 2000 Latinos were 2/3 of the hood.

[HamlinandLyndale]

by 2020 the North Side west of Kedzie will look like this Majority White Norwood Park, Jefferson Park, Dunning, Edison Park, O'hare and Forest Glen Although the Latinos will grow to 20% to 25% in both Dunning and Jefferson Park.
Majority Latino Hermosa, Cragin, Montclare, Portage Park, Logan Square, Irving Park, Avondale
Majority Black West Humboldt Park

[Dis99]

What's the point?

[HamlinandLyndale]

No I live on the North Shore in Lake County but I have tons of family on the Northwest side and know the Northwest side very well. I also lived in Logan Square and Elmwood Park for 13 years. I just wanted to get some feedback from people and what they think.

[SJaye]

I'd say that if we were trying to make an educated/ scientific forecast of the state of Portage Park in 2020, this would definitely be the initial theory, as it take the current trend and extrapolates it forwards. Hispanics are being priced out of Bucktown and Logan Square by us YUPPIES (hey, positive or negative connotation aside, just admit what you are and don't try to bull**** people), and shifting further north and west. A good start to this discussion would be to ask what reasons this wouldn't happen. Among factors that I see that could potentially complicate the picture are whether or not this trend will continue are:

- Potential YUPPIE invasion/ gentrification, as condos are being built near the Geryland METRA station and in other places. This could drive prices up there and lead to the Hispanic communities from Logan/Humboldt/Bucktown going into Dunning/ Harwood Heights rather than PP.
- Polish pride. Have to admit I don't know too much about this, but when I drive along Milwaukee from Logan Square to Jefferson Park, I do see a lot of Polish stores, Polish newspapers, etc. There could be a strong resistance to giving up the neighborhood.
- Politics. When I think of past instances in which places have "bucked" demographic trends, I think of Oak Park and Uptown. Oak Park seemed poised to go the way of the neighboring West Side communities, and Uptown seemed next on the Lakefront gentrification list. I am under the impression that some kind of political entity (Alderman, city gov't etc.) was at least a partial factor in the fate of these two place in the 80s and 90s. So, I would be curious if any political factor would prevent this trend from continuing in PP.

I'm not saying your theory is wrong. I would still be more inclined than not to put my money on your theory about PP in 2020 than any other, but I think these three factors are at least worth considering if we are going to have a detailed discussion about the future of Portage Park.

[HamlinandLyndale]

The key for me will Polish immigrants if they replace the moving up Poles in PP. Portage Park could like Avondale or Logan Square in the future majority Latino overall with some older Poles and some Yuppies mixed together.

[Holdencaulfield]

What about the future of Galewood? What do you think this area will look like in 10 years?

[5Lakes]

Originally Posted by HamlinandLyndale

by 2020 the North Side west of Kedzie will look like this Majority White Norwood Park, Jefferson Park, Dunning, Edison Park, O'hare and Forest Glen Although the Latinos will grow to 20% to 25% in both Dunning and Jefferson Park.
Majority Latino Hermosa, Cragin, Montclare, Portage Park, Logan Square, Irving Park, Avondale
Majority Black West Humboldt Park

I think you're likely correct about most of this, although I'm not so sure about Logan Square, Irving Park, and Avondale. All of these neighborhoods have good transit access to trendy neighborhoods and to downtown. Logan Square seems to be on its way to becoming the next Wicker Park, and I could easily see these gentrification forces moving on to Avondale. Parts of Irving Park are already quite nice, and it also seems fairly convenient for those priced out of trendier areas. Of course these neighborhoods are large, so perhaps the areas closer to the blue line and commercial areas will improve while other sections stay the same. Jefferson Park is also a good area for transit that is safe, so I think it will stay the same or become more desirable to downtown workers. Will all this play out by 2020? Not likely, but I think those trends will eventually take hold.