Pick your place pt. 3

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Oak Park is really not like the city. It may be more like the city than other burbs but it aint like the city.

I think the areas south of Madison with the smaller lot sizes are very much like city neighborhoods. Gentrified city neighborhoods, though! And there are two "L" lines, a walkable downtown, etc.

But yeah, the huge houses on large lots in northwestern Oak Park are nothing like the city.

[mendelman]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

But yeah, the huge houses on large lots in northwestern Oak Park are nothing like the city.

Well, maybe most of the City. Norwood Park, Edison Park, Beverly, etc. look pretty similar to northwest Oak Park.

[Justabystander]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Oak Park, hands down. Can't stand Hinsdale.

Lookout Kid hates Hinsdale because he went to Lyons Township High School, a rival of Hinsdale Central, and hates everything that Hinsdale stands for, which I guess is successful families in decent houses (maybe one of them is his boss) who also use less gasoline because of their 22 minute train ride to downtown and easy access to highways. I pretty much disregard his biased and baseless opinion due to the nature of his problem with Hinsdale, but those who irrationally hate something will do so no matter what, especially this guy.

Hinsdale is small town with a host of activities. Here is why I really like living there:

The quaint downtown on the national register of historic places.

The hilly terraine full of historic homes (yes still full of historic homes, and the ones that were torn down, like a host of 1950's 1200 square foot boxes needed to be torn down. Some of the newer homes are beautiful, in my opinion.)

Concerts in the downtown area every Thursday, with some great bands !

A fantastic Forth of July parade, with an art show, petting zoo, and inflatable slides etc. for the kids afterwords.

The Community House, with plays and activities.

22 Minute express train downtown

5 minutes to the shopping of Oak Brook

Great pool and newly renovated library

Walkable and safe.

Friendly neighbors, GREAT schools, consistently rated some of the top in Illinois.

Oak Park, while nice, is grittier, and to me, less safe. I once went into the movie theatre, and left after trouble started brewing 3 aisles in front of us. Great library, good history in town. To each his own !!

[Lookout Kid]

I did not go to Lyons Township High School. I went to High School in Wisconsin (see my profile). I don't know where you're getting this information! But here are my biases:

1. I have had family in Oak Park for decades.

2. I have many friends and co-workers in Oak Park, and they all love it.

3. I am an architect, and have a strong aversion to the tacky teardowns that are quite ubiquitous in Hinsdale. But I also dislike most newer suburban housing.

4. I find Oak Brook and it's environs incredibly unappealing in every way, and would not count that as a positive for Hinsdale.

5. I am a city person, and like to be connected to life in the city as much as possible.

6. The biggest Hinsdale booster I have ever known was an incredible jerk who wouldn't shut up about how great Hinsdale was. He wore a blue blazer with a crest on it and thought he was superior based on the town his parents settled in. Of course, now he doesn't make enough money to live in Hinsdale, and must survive the indignities of living in Franklin Park. For whatever reason, his face always pops into mind when I think of Hinsdale (which probably isn't fair to Hinsdale, since there are jerks in every town).

[oakparkdude]

I chose OP since I live there and am pretty happy with it, but I do like the fact that Hinsdale isn't entirely flat.

[Lookout Kid]

I should add that architects from Wisconsin that started out in Civil Engineering have a pretty good history in Oak Park...

[Justabystander]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I did not go to Lyons Township High School. I went to High School in Wisconsin (see my profile). I don't know where you're getting this information! But here are my biases:

1. I have had family in Oak Park for decades.

2. I have many friends and co-workers in Oak Park, and they all love it.

3. I am an architect, and have a strong aversion to the tacky teardowns that are quite ubiquitous in Hinsdale. But I also dislike most newer suburban housing.

4. I find Oak Brook and it's environs incredibly unappealing in every way, and would not count that as a positive for Hinsdale.

5. I am a city person, and like to be connected to life in the city as much as possible.

6. The biggest Hinsdale booster I have ever known was an incredible jerk who wouldn't shut up about how great Hinsdale was. He wore a blue blazer with a crest on it and thought he was superior based on the town his parents settled in. Of course, now he doesn't make enough money to live in Hinsdale, and must survive the indignities of living in Franklin Park. For whatever reason, his face always pops into mind when I think of Hinsdale (which probably isn't fair to Hinsdale, since there are jerks in every town).

I may have confused you with another poster that posted on this subject a while back. So sorry, my apologies to you if I was mistaken, my Wisconsin friend!! But Blue Blazers with crests on them? Really? I have been living here 5 years, and i can honestly say I haven't seen one yet, except on Thurston Howell the III on Gilligan Island reruns. I hope your friend the jerk got rid of his blazer when he moved into Franklin Park, or else I am guessing he may have some socialization problems going on in his new neighborhood ! And yes, jerks are everywhere, I bet at least one even lives in Oak Park

[illinoisboy]

I'd rather live in Hinsdale because I like the suburbs, and Oak Park feels more like a city. Hinsdale also just feels safer to me. I actually like the new homes that have been/ are being built. They still have some character to them. Hinsdale has awesome parks and schools and a nice downtown, plus it's near many other nice towns.