New Lenox or Tinley Park???? (Chicago, Skokie: renter, condo, townhouse)

[laviachi]

I am a former Chicago and Tinley Park resident who now lives in the Los Angeles area. When I read about the concerns of "urban influence" around Tinley Park my question is, "When do you stop running? A quick history lesson. Many residents left Chicago's south/southeast side in the late 60's and early 70's due to "urban influence". What if they had not fled? The city would be a different place. Now the children and grandchildren thirty years later are talking of the same thing but now 30 miles southwest of Chicago. So now do you move 30 miles southwest of Tinley Park and ultimately end up living in Iowa to avoid "urban influence"? Things do not remain static forever. It is up to local residents to foster an environment that embraces strong education, top-flight public services, and a family-oriented environment. Tinley Park is a strong family centric community that has grown and prospered over time.

[vester72]

Originally Posted by 355express

I was not talking about the Lane Bryant shootings only but the "urban influence." Just take a look at any Chicago metro map and look at the suburbs to the east of Tinley( C.C.Hills, Matteson, Markham, Harvey, Hazel Crest) and I think you will see a definate urban influance. Oak forest is not even that nice any more. I have a hard time beliving that Tinley is growing "rapidly" seems just about built out to me.

On the same note, what about Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Joliet (East Side) and other areas with an "urban" and "latin" influence - is that impacting New Lenox, Lockport or Homer? We will not know for another 5 years or so - but look at Plainfield - that has grown like nuts but the demos sure have changed - nobody saw that coming.

Oh, and Oak Forest was never that nice to begin with - it is about the same as it always has been, just older.

Where can anyone move now without having a questionable area very close by?

[birdsis]

Thank you for all the responses, I will take all into consideration. Can anyone tell me the actual property tax rates for Tinley Park and New Lenox? My husband has read the responses as well and agrees that the future of Tinley will have an "Urban Influence" but I'm not fully convinced. I really like Tinley Park so if anyone can give more advise, I could use it. Thanks...

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by 355express

I was not talking about the Lane Bryant shootings only but the "urban influence." Just take a look at any Chicago metro map and look at the suburbs to the east of Tinley( C.C.Hills, Matteson, Markham, Harvey, Hazel Crest) and I think you will see a definate urban influance. Oak forest is not even that nice any more. I have a hard time beliving that Tinley is growing "rapidly" seems just about built out to me.

Have you even TAKEN a look south of 183rd Street? It's WIDE open out there still and Tinley Park has annexed all of the open land down to Frankfort Square (St. Francis Road) in recent years, so that in mind, there is the new mall (yes where the shooting occured), a new Super Wal Mart is to be underway very soon off 191st and Harlem, along with the complete tear down going on of pretty much everything along Oak Park Ave/North Street creating a "Skokie like downtown", so with all that going on in the town, populations are expected to rise yet another approx. 20,000 people before build out has occured in town bringing Tinley's potential population to somewhere around 80K-90,000!

All this and this doesn't even take into account what is going on in the neighboring giant; Orland Park of which is just flexing it's muscles so to say and hasn't even begun to go into full swing yet. Just wait until Orland gets it's way and widens La Grange to 6 lanes all through town and gets it's new downtown, along with all the junk going up south of 159th Street along La Grange, and then gets it's act together for areas south of 159th west of La Grange... Tinley and Orland at that point will be larger than the entire Peoria metro area put together population wise... At that point between just the two towns, the population is expected to exceed 150,000 people! And yes that is just crazy to think of that this area is getting so crowded.

[HighPlainsDrifter73]

I've lived in this area for 15 years and it has changed considerably. My biggest objection is the traffic. It seems that roads never keep up with traffic. Why is it that the road system has to wait until near gridlock occurs before anything is done. And don't even get me started on the taxes.

If you want to stay in the general southwest area, I would move further out to get away from traffic, congestion and yes approaching urban influences, sad to say.

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by HighPlainsDrifter73

I've lived in this area for 15 years and it has changed considerably. My biggest objection is the traffic. It seems that roads never keep up with traffic. Why is it that the road system has to wait until near gridlock occurs before anything is done. And don't even get me started on the taxes.

If you want to stay in the general southwest area, I would move further out to get away from traffic, congestion and yes approaching urban influences, sad to say.

Yes, except it is this very thinking that is causing the problem. Keep on running... To where? Bloomington/Normal, Ottawa, Marsailles? I mean when is it far enough out?

New Lenox isn't the answer here. There is NO money to widen ANY of the roads all of which out there are still two lane, yet the town just lets developers keep right on building. Go ahead jam up the area with condos, townhomes, and houses about 6 feet apart is NL's thinking, yet WILL county nor the state has any money to widen any of the roads, so just wait. Wait until NL gets it's new mega mall that is under way. There are all these plans to build a mall larger than Woodfield out there of which the land from what the Southtown Star has said is already bought and paid for, but of course NL has NO idea what they are going to do with the roads or how anyone in the town is supposed to be able to get around. Typical Chicago area mentality, keep on building and building and building, but don't figure out how anyone is supposed to get around. OY VEY!

[355express]

Sorry NYrules but the tracks of land in Tinley you mention will not have another 20,000 people moving in. Tinley's population is now at about 60,000 so how will a track of land thats going to be a Wal-Mart and a downtown redevelopment with condos going to increase the population by 20,000? Yes I'm sure you can name some other tracks of land in Tinley that are yet to be developed but another 20,000? no way! Like I said Tinley Park is about built out.

[chet everett]

dude:

tract == section or area

track == sport that has people run around OR thing that tanks have instead of wheel

[355express]

Thanks Dad (chet) I'll try harder next time!

[HighPlainsDrifter73]

Originally Posted by NYrules

Yes, except it is this very thinking that is causing the problem. Keep on running... To where? Bloomington/Normal, Ottawa, Marsailles? I mean when is it far enough out?

New Lenox isn't the answer here. There is NO money to widen ANY of the roads all of which out there are still two lane, yet the town just lets developers keep right on building. Go ahead jam up the area with condos, townhomes, and houses about 6 feet apart is NL's thinking, yet WILL county nor the state has any money to widen any of the roads, so just wait. Wait until NL gets it's new mega mall that is under way. There are all these plans to build a mall larger than Woodfield out there of which the land from what the Southtown Star has said is already bought and paid for, but of course NL has NO idea what they are going to do with the roads or how anyone in the town is supposed to be able to get around. Typical Chicago area mentality, keep on building and building and building, but don't figure out how anyone is supposed to get around. OY VEY!

NYrules, it's tough to stop this constant building. People have to live somewhere, so growth is inevitable with a growing population. If you're like me and can't stand constant traffic and congestion, you can maybe stay put for 10 or 15 years, then take your profits on your house and jump another 20 miles. That should be good for another 10 years or so. Of course you have to concern yourself with your job and the commute. I drive 90 miles round trip per day and going further out for me would just increase that distance.

However, I plan to move out of state to a very rural area, so this will solve the problem for me. My company will let me tele-commute on a permanent basis since my job lends itself quite well to it.

If more companies would let people use such an arrangement, this intense congestion that seems to surround every major city in the country might be alleviated to an extent. People could live where they want and work where they want. Of course rural living is not for everyone, but for myself it is something I'm looking forward to.