Belmont Cragin

[Drover]

What the hell is there to do by Cumberland and Higgins? My office is out there (periodically anyway, depending on which office my department gets moved to on any given day), and I can tell you it's not exactly brimming with nightlife...

[North Side Brandon]

Originally Posted by Drover

What the hell is there to do by Cumberland and Higgins? My office is out there (periodically anyway, depending on which office my department gets moved to on any given day), and I can tell you it's not exactly brimming with nightlife...

The EL stop and there are some resturants down Cumberland. It's not the most exciting area by a mile but it's safe. Belmont Cragin has alot of Gang Activity.

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by North Side Brandon

The EL stop and there are some resturants down Cumberland. It's not the most exciting area by a mile but it's safe. Belmont Cragin has alot of Gang Activity.

Eh Belmont Cragin isn't really a dangerous neighborhood. I think it's gritty look makes it looks more dangerous than it really is.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by North Side Brandon

The EL stop and there are some resturants down Cumberland. It's not the most exciting area by a mile but it's safe. Belmont Cragin has alot of Gang Activity.

If restaurants is your main criterion, there's more than plenty along the various business corridors in B-C, and generally better than the chains and greasy-spoons along Cumberland. Sol de Mexico and Señor Pan are two notable standouts.

If I had to choose between living in the two areas, the only thing that even makes it a contest is Blue Line access out by Cumberland/Higgins. And even though the station is right there, there's no access to the platform from the Cumberland overpass, so getting to the platform on foot is such a pain in the ass that it might as well be 4 blocks further away than it actually is.

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by Drover

If restaurants is your main criterion, there's more than plenty along the various business corridors in B-C, and generally better than the chains and greasy-spoons along Cumberland. Sol de Mexico and Señor Pan are two notable standouts.

If I had to choose between living in the two areas, the only thing that even makes it a contest is Blue Line access out by Cumberland/Higgins. And even though the station is right there, getting to the actual platform is such a pain in the ass that it might as well be 4 blocks further away than it actually is.

But how varied is the food though?

I mean I would choose Belmont Cragin over Cumberland/Higgins (unless I worked in the area), but only for the sake that it is a lot closer to othe parts of the city.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Chicagoist123

I personally don't like Belmont Cragin. I find it to be a fairly ugly area with not too much to do in particular. Not very convenient either when it comes to public transporation. Actually very inconvenient.

Yeah, it's all the expenses that come with living in Chicago with none of the bells and whistles to make it a good trade off.

[Sour]

It's a pretty boring area, as it's not really near anything. Hardly dangerous though. The worst part of the neighborhood would probably be around Fullerton.

[North Side Brandon]

My Uncle Gilbert was a CPS Teacher for over 30 years. He taught at Hanson Park for 25 years and he graduated from Weber High School in 1962 which was located near by. He graduated three years before Coach K from Duke. His wife still teaches there. He had kids curse him out towards the end. They have also had to deal with gangs at the school. This is a k-8 school mind you. In old days Cragin was a nice place for a working or middle class family of modest means to raise a family. Sadly those days are gone.

[Sour]

Originally Posted by North Side Brandon

My Uncle Gilbert was a CPS Teacher for over 30 years. He taught at Hanson Park for 25 years and he graduated from Weber High School in 1962 which was located near by. He graduated three years before Coach K from Duke. His wife still teaches there. He had kids curse him out towards the end. They have also had to deal with gangs at the school. This is a k-8 school mind you. In old days Cragin was a nice place for a working or middle class family of modest means to raise a family. Sadly those days are gone.

Like I said, around the Fullerton area.

[North Side Brandon]

Remember as lower income residents are priced out of Logan Square, Avondale and even Irving Park outside of Old Irving they will go somewhere else. Cragin will be a big spot so too will be Portage Park, Montlcare, the North side of Elmwood Park, River Grove, Schiller Park, Franklin Park and Northlake. These places all have cheap rents. I think the quality of life will decline in all of these areas over the next 10 years. Cragin like others has alot of pressure coming from the East. Remember a neighborhood tends to start to look like the neighborhood East of it.