Anyone just moved to Hermosa - near Logan Square? (Lyons: crime, hotel)

[dyejunkee]

Looking at a house near Fullerton and Pulaski and just wanted to get some feedback on gang activity / crime in the area? Walked around today and it honestly seemed fine, but it was during the day on a weekday.

[williepotatoes]

Originally Posted by dyejunkee

Looking at a house near Fullerton and Pulaski and just wanted to get some feedback on gang activity / crime in the area? Walked around today and it honestly seemed fine, but it was during the day on a weekday.

The F&P neighborhood is near and dear to me, because it is the turf of my youth and much of my adult life. I still have friends and interests in the area, so I get back there quite often. That much aside, I'll share what I know about the gang/crime situation:

Yes there is a pretty significant Gang presence there and they tend to act out pretty bad sometimes. Here are a few of the chronic hotspots that I know of:

Pulaski, between Armitage and Palmer.
Fullerton, between Keeler and Lowell
Ridgeway, between Fullerton and Wrightwood
Armitage, between Karlov and Kildare

Also beware of the Fullerton Hotel, it's junkie heaven. The truth is, that if you don't dress or bear resemblance to a gangbanger, you probably don't have much to fear. They prey mostly on their own kind.

Now here's the good news: Housing prices are pretty decent, Commerce on Fullerton avenue is thriving and the neighborhood is anchored by mostly working families. If you're white, you'll probably find that most of your Latino neighbors will welcome you favorably. There is little gentrification here, so there is no "gentrification resentment".

[Drover]

Originally Posted by dyejunkee

Looking at a house near Fullerton and Pulaski and just wanted to get some feedback on gang activity / crime in the area? Walked around today and it honestly seemed fine, but it was during the day on a weekday.

There's plenty of both. There's also a great Cuban sandwich shop two blocks north. Best steak sandwich in all the city. Yummy.

[Alacran]

Originally Posted by williepotatoes

The F&P neighborhood is near and dear to me, because it is the turf of my youth and much of my adult life. I still have friends and interests in the area, so I get back there quite often. That much aside, I'll share what I know about the gang/crime situation:

Yes there is a pretty significant Gang presence there and they tend to act out pretty bad sometimes. Here are a few of the chronic hotspots that I know of:

Pulaski, between Armitage and Palmer.
Fullerton, between Keeler and Lowell
Ridgeway, between Fullerton and Wrightwood
Armitage, between Karlov and Kildare

Also beware of the Fullerton Hotel, it's junkie heaven. The truth is, that if you don't dress or bear resemblance to a gangbanger, you probably don't have much to fear. They prey mostly on their own kind.

Now here's the good news: Housing prices are pretty decent, Commerce on Fullerton avenue is thriving and the neighborhood is anchored by mostly working families. If you're white, you'll probably find that most of your Latino neighbors will welcome you favorably. There is little gentrification here, so there is no "gentrification resentment".

What he said.

Just be aware of the gangs.. the rest of the people are cool.

[surlycue]

Originally Posted by williepotatoes

Pulaski, between Armitage and Palmer.
Fullerton, between Keeler and Lowell
Ridgeway, between Fullerton and Wrightwood
Armitage, between Karlov and Kildare

And if the OP is considering anything just NW of that area, it should also be mentioned that the Kelvyn Park area has been a complete nightmare lately. The gangbangers have basically taken over the park and are driving the home owners surrounding the park crazy with drug dealing in the parks and alleys all day and night and a good deal of gun shots recently after sundown.

[Humboldt1]

My place by pulaski and north has less gang activity and that kelvyn park is shady, though it wasn't so quiet just a few years ago.

Wherever you see a white bike at the corner of fullerton and pulaski where 14 year old kid (albeit a gangbanger) was shot while waiting for a bus on the way to school, be careful.

The church I used to attend in logan square had vigils all the time for slain kids, some as little as toddlers shot for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Ask Pastor Lyons if that is a safe corner.

[Avengerfire]

I would not move around there if someone paid me.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

Wherever you see a white bike at the corner of fullerton and pulaski where 14 year old kid (albeit a gangbanger) was shot while waiting for a bus on the way to school, be careful.

I think you may be confusing ghost bikes with something else/more - the white bikes are memorials for people killed while riding bicycles (this could be a coincidence of location):

Ghost Bikes | ghost bikes

[Humboldt1]

Chitown,

You may be right. I was at the vigil for that 14 year old who was shot while waiting for the bus before school. Very sad. I don't care if he was in a gang or not. No mother deserves to hear their child was shot on the way to school.

Stay away from that corner and within a few blocks of kelvyn park.

[Chi-town Native]

to get back to the OP, a more specific location would help - I have several friends living between Pulaski and Central Park within a block of Fullerton, they give mixed reviews. It's improving - but slowly. At least the aptly named "Last Chance" bar was shut down a few years back after one too many murders linked to its clientele.