Moving To Peoria To Attend BU... Need Info (Chicago, Morton: apartment, city hall)

[BUbraves]

I'm moving to Peoria in a few months, to attend Bradley University as a transfer student ( I'm in my mid-20's and male). I recently rented an apartment around Moss Avenue and N. University (which apparently becomes McArthur Hwy at that intersection?), anyways I chose that location because of it's location to the university, I guess it's considered The West Bluff Neighborhood. I was wondering if anyone could tell me about this neighborhood, and the surrounding area? Good and Bad. Peoria looked a little sketchy (possibly a poor choice of words, but no offense is meant) in general (near the downtown area), but I'm originally from the South Side of Chicago. Thanks!

[linicx]

Peoria is not sketchy, the area you picked is sketchy. Bradley is located on Main between University and Western. It is not West Peoria. The "West Bluff" I think is between Main and Western and Main and Moss. Main is a curious street. It begins downtown at Water follows Main street hill north to the crest where it turns west 10 blocks to joins Western which then turns south to join Wasthington Street. It is a horseshoe on the map. Anywhere inside the horseshoe is sketchy. You don't want to live anywhere below Moss.. It's even more sketchy.

I just made a phone call on your behalf. Call Gene at West Peoria city hall 309.674.1993; he will help you. If you are not satsfied you canl check out Plans B and C. West Peoria is an older area that has always been a very decent area to live in as is quite small.

Here's a word to the wise. You don't fish in toxic riivers and you don't find nice girls or nice bars in sketchy areas. McArthur is one of the worst streets in Peoria. It is not as bad as it was 20 years ago, but it is not that good by a long shot. Yet. If you did not see the building or the area at night you don't know what you rented.

[Scio42]

Hey BUBraves, welcome to Bradley.

The area you picked is OK, as long as you use common sense and good judgment, you shouldn't have any issues. In fact, a number of Bradley students rent housing in that area while in school.

The area bordered by Moss ave, Sheridan/High Street, Western and Bradley Ave is an older historic neighborhood where a number of the well to do citizens of Peoria build their homes over a hundred years ago. There's quite a few neat Victorian and pre-Victorian mansions in that neighborhood and plenty of streets lined with very mature trees (in fact there's a 500 year old oak tree on High St.) Fredonia St. is considered Greek row as most Frats and Sororities have their houses on Fredonia and Bradley St.

The area is mostly a mix of older residents, college students, some families, "old money" families and yes, some shady individuals. However, most of the bad elements come from people passing through that neighborhood from the more sketchy areas of the city. Unfortunately you'll get alot of that pass through traffic on University St/MacArthur hwy. Moss Ave is on the top edge of the bluff, my advice is 1) don't go down the bluff unless you are just driving through on McArthur or Western 2) don't walk alone in that neighborhood late at night 3) don't leave valuables out visible in your car 4) use basic common sense. Follow that and you shouldn't have any problems. The west bluff does have some issues, but nothing even close to the south side of Chicago. However venture down the bluff, you start to see some similarities.

Enjoy your time at Bradley.

[peoriashows]

Originally Posted by linicx

Peoria is not sketchy, the area you picked is sketchy. Bradley is located on Main between University and Western. It is not West Peoria. The "West Bluff" I think is between Main and Western and Main and Moss. Main is a curious street. It begins downtown at Water follows Main street hill north to the crest where it turns west 10 blocks to joins Western which then turns south to join Wasthington Street. It is a horseshoe on the map. Anywhere inside the horseshoe is sketchy. You don't want to live anywhere below Moss.. It's even more sketchy.

I just made a phone call on your behalf. Call Gene at West Peoria city hall 309.674.1993; he will help you. If you are not satsfied you canl check out Plans B and C. West Peoria is an older area that has always been a very decent area to live in as is quite small.

Here's a word to the wise. You don't fish in toxic riivers and you don't find nice girls or nice bars in sketchy areas. McArthur is one of the worst streets in Peoria. It is not as bad as it was 20 years ago, but it is not that good by a long shot. Yet. If you did not see the building or the area at night you don't know what you rented.

Wrong again, linicx! What's gotten into you lately with these incorrect assumptions? That area is far from sketchy. I've lived in that neighborhood for years and walk those streets every night for exercize. Nothing has ever happened. It's beautiful and historic. One should not assume a neighborhood is sketchy just because everyone living around it isn't white. I hate this kind of generalization about Peoria's neighborhoods. A good rule of thumb: Nothing on or around Moss ave is sketchy! Those people pay too much in taxes to let it turn into a bad neighborhood and Bradley wouldn't allow it even if the homeowners did. When was the last time you lived there lilincx?

The West bluff is bordered by I-74, Western, Glendale and the area just above South towne. It includes the following neighborhoods: Moss/Bradley, High Wine, Randolph/Roanoke, Orchard district, Armstrong/Ellis, Columbia Terrace N., University East, The Uplands, The Arbour district and the Cottage District.

[peoriashows]

Also, West Peoria is NOT an older area. It's even newer than The Uplands. and was only incorporated as a city in 1993. The average age of the houses there is 75 and most are cheap Sears/Roabuck mail-order homes. The avg age of the houses on Moss and the rest of the West Bluff is 110. West Peoria is a joke. It's almost as boring as Dunlap and Morton.

[linicx]

I disagree. The first settlers came to the area that is now called the City of West Peoria in the 1800s which was long before it was a Township in an unincorporated area of Peoria County or the City of West Peoria. It is a very small residential area south of Western Avenue that has a very interesting history.

.The Peoria area has plenty of kit homes and pref-fab Best homes,too. The fact that many of the homes are still providing shelter after 100 years surely warrants something more than disdain. Sears Roebuck Kit Homes::Mail Order Houses::Historic House Plans

[linicx]

There is no reason to inject a personal attack, or make a racial comment because you disagree. Yes. there is crime in the area, so let's not call it the Garden of Eden just yet. My aunt lived on Moss Avenue 65 years ago; she had a great swimming pool in the backyard. I have those pictures. I did not say the entire area was a crime scene; there are still sketchy areas. The fact that no one walks in those areas at 3am. does not mean it does not exist. Taxes do not denote what does or does not occur in any area.

I spent considerable time talking to the Peoria Police Department today after I read your comments.

CrimeView Community

Originally Posted by peoriashows

Wrong again, linicx! What's gotten into you lately with these incorrect assumptions? That area is far from sketchy. I've lived in that neighborhood for years and walk those streets every night for exercize. Nothing has ever happened. It's beautiful and historic. One should not assume a neighborhood is sketchy just because everyone living around it isn't white. I hate this kind of generalization about Peoria's neighborhoods. A good rule of thumb: Nothing on or around Moss ave is sketchy! Those people pay too much in taxes to let it turn into a bad neighborhood and Bradley wouldn't allow it even if the homeowners did. When was the last time you lived there lilincx?

The West bluff is bordered by I-74, Western, Glendale and the area just above South towne. It includes the following neighborhoods: Moss/Bradley, High Wine, Randolph/Roanoke, Orchard district, Armstrong/Ellis, Columbia Terrace N., University East, The Uplands, The Arbour district and the Cottage District.

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by peoriashows

Also, West Peoria is NOT an older area. It's even newer than The Uplands. and was only incorporated as a city in 1993. The average age of the houses there is 75 and most are cheap Sears/Roabuck mail-order homes. The avg age of the houses on Moss and the rest of the West Bluff is 110. West Peoria is a joke. It's almost as boring as Dunlap and Morton.

I would call that older? I worked at Madison Golf Course when I was 16 - and the area wasn't exactly all pretty and nice back then - in 1978! There were all kinds of crimes being committed on a daily basis and as employees, we were repeatedly warned about strangers on the course, etc. All kinds of things happened around there. It hasn't exactly gotten any better since then.

[peoriashows]

My apologies for the attack, but your comments mirror the enormous number of blanket generalizations subburban Peoria people often make about Peoria's older neighborhoods, most of which don't live there and have never been there. Rarely do a couple days go by in which I need to keep from defending these neighborhoods from comments like that. People outside of Peoria have too much fear and like to exagerate these myths about the old neighborhoods. I didn't say there is not crime in Peoria or even in that neighborhood, but to call it sketchy is just a laugh a minute...or it would be if there weren't so many people believing you, who aren't familiar with the neighborhoods. Most of the crime commited around there is petty crime and sexual assault commited by the lowest common denominator of immature, drunken Bradley students, not the local hoods. I'm a night owl and I run those streets for excersize every night around midnight. It's seriously dilusional to equate anything on Moss or High with some other parts of town which really are (unfortunately) sketchy. Anyone with the slightest bit of street smarts will easily get by in the Moss/Bradley neighborhood.

I'd like to know what your sources are for West Peoria's history. The early settlers in Peoria set up on what is now Peoria's Old North Towne where the French had set up Fort St. Louis. West Peoria was a planned township and not much of one either.

Originally Posted by linicx

There is no reason to inject a personal attack, or make a racial comment because you disagree. Yes. there is crime in the area, so let's not call it the Garden of Eden just yet. My aunt lived on Moss Avenue 65 years ago; she had a great swimming pool in the backyard. I have those pictures. I did not say the entire area was a crime scene; there are still sketchy areas. The fact that no one walks in those areas at 3am. does not mean it does not exist. Taxes do not denote what does or does not occur in any area.

I spent considerable time talking to the Peoria Police Department today after I read your comments.

CrimeView Community

[linicx]

BeforeFort St. Louis II there was a french candian villiage that was burned to ground by indoams. Fort St; Loouis II was formed in 1691 in the area of Mary and Adams Streets. Around 80 yrs later ol' George moved south a mile or so and bullt a fortified home. Settlers followed and the downtown section of Peoria was formed. Illinois Terrirory was owned by the French, English and Virgina before it was ceded*to the US and attained statehood. Peoria county included Tazewell county before the vote for statehood was cast - therefore Tazewell County did not get to vote.

There is big difference between the West Bluff and the City of West Peoria. Peoria COUNTY was first settled in the early 1800s. The CITY OF WEST PEORIA was located in the an unincorporated area of Peoria County before it became a Township and before it became a City.

the Peoria County Courthouse is a veritable Peoria County encyclopedia. It is a good place to start research.

Enough with the personal attacks. This is the second warning. Pleaseo think really hard about adverbs and adjectives before attack #3 is launched. Each attack is worth a 1 point infcaction and a 3 day time-out. Multiply it by 3 and it adds up to 3pt infraction and 9 day time out. .