Where do I live? (Chicago, Irving: school, gangs, activity)

[RingWalk]

Well I can't read it; it's too small.

The city's map does have Ravenswood on it. I don't know if the boundaries are correct...but it does in fact say 'Ravenswood' west of Lincoln Square...as well as Ravenswood Manor, Southeast Ravenswood and Ravenswood Gardens.

Not sure I follow.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Drover

According to many the "colloquial" Albany Park does indeed extend all the way down to Irving Park Road, at least east of Elston. IMO that makes Irving Park a strange narrow shape, but many old-timers insist that Irving Park is the proper boundary.

And yes I have heard of some people extending Logan Square north of Diversey to Belmont -- mostly old-timers actually rather than some developer/realtor attempt to extend Logan Square's new-found cachet outward.

Avondale definitely got an identity crisis after the highway cut it on the long diagonal.

It's a formidable boundary no matter how you look at it, so it makes sense why people on the southern part would be more likely to identify with Logan Sq and the ones on the northern part identify with Irving Park. Adding to that confusion is the "Logandale" middle school at George & Kedzie (which is adjacent to Avondale Elementary).

But all that doesn't change the fact they're wrong, of course. I have neighbors who have been around for 35+ years. They know where they live, Avondale. And we're south of Belmont.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by RingWalk

Well I can't read it; it's too small.

The city's map does have Ravenswood on it. I don't know if the boundaries are correct...but it does in fact say 'Ravenswood' west of Lincoln Square...as well as Ravenswood Manor, Southeast Ravenswood and Ravenswood Gardens.

Not sure I follow.

Right, that wasn't directed at the City map specifically, just (singling out Ravenswood) acknowledging that sometimes there are reasons why one neighborhood phases out and another in. With Ravenswood it's all about the train. So when in the past 10 years that name was removed, and then the North Center Chamber of Commerce really stepped up, and got an official Community marker/statue at Lincoln, Damen & Irving, it's a fairly organic process.

But IMO, Community Areas are locked, there's no play there. So when the Community Area and the neighborhood names are identical, you don't get to ever pretend Lincoln Park goes to Wellington, Logan Square to Belmont, etc., etc.

I bring up the realtors/developers because it was absolutely those people who exploited the trickier boundaries, and then took those to new heights (or, lows, as the case may be).

West Bucktown = a phoney-baloney neighborhood

West Roscoe Village = not even close to qualifying as a neighborhood

etc., etc.

[tomcho]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

But IMO, Community Areas are locked, there's no play there. So when the Community Area and the neighborhood names are identical, you don't get to ever pretend Lincoln Park goes to Wellington, Logan Square to Belmont, etc., etc.

I agree and good point. A while back I had an argument with someone here regarding Jefferson Park. They insisted Jefferson Park went south to Montrose per this neighborhood map...

http://www.cityofchicago.org/content...ods_poster.pdf

Whereas the official community area ends at Gunnison/Lawrence
http://www.cityofchicago.org/content...ERSON_PARK.pdf

[RingWalk]

Growing up around Detroit is was a running joke how the city and/or developers were always slapping some bull**** name on a neighborhood. None ever stuck for ****.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by RingWalk

Growing up around Detroit is was a running joke how the city and/or developers were always slapping some bull**** name on a neighborhood. None ever stuck for ****.

what about "West Vacant Town" or "Emptyville"? Detroit is just heartbreaking, I hope they get it turned around.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by Drover

According to many the "colloquial" Albany Park does indeed extend all the way down to Irving Park Road, at least east of Elston. IMO that makes Irving Park a strange narrow shape, but many old-timers insist that Irving Park is the proper boundary.

And yes I have heard of some people extending Logan Square north of Diversey to Belmont -- mostly old-timers actually rather than some developer/realtor attempt to extend Logan Square's new-found cachet outward.

Based on the amount of shootings that have occured just north of Irving and east of Elston the past few months, I could see why Irving Parkers don't mind the papers calling the area Albany Park.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by jdiddy

Based on the amount of shootings that have occured just north of Irving and east of Elston the past few months, I could see why Irving Parkers don't mind the papers calling the area Albany Park.

And the papers often do, as in here, here (http://archive.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/08/teen-dead-man-wounded-in-albany-park-shooting.html - broken link) and here. And yes there is a turf war going on around here in the Irving Park/Albany Park area. There have probably been more shootings in Irving Park proper (the community area) this year than there were in the previous 3 years combined. Lots of fun.

[linicx]

Now that you have read all the posts, may I say, welcome to Chicago's 1001 neighborhoods.

Originally Posted by cmcdonal2001

Just moved into the city a few months ago (enjoying it so far!), and had a pointless question: What part of the city do I live in? I'm just north-east of the Division-Ashland intersection, near that little park and swimming pool.

I've looked at a bunch of different websites and Wikipedia pages, and I seem to be getting quite a few conflicting answers. Some places say Wicker Park extends that far east, and some say Noble Square extends that far north, and a few say that that little section of overlap is actually its own city section called Pulaski Park. Is there anything official that would tell me, or is it more a subjective thing? Thanks for any input.

FYI - Whenever anyone asks me where I live I just say Wicker Park to avoid any confusion.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Drover

And the papers often do, as in here, here (http://archive.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/08/teen-dead-man-wounded-in-albany-park-shooting.html - broken link) and here. And yes there is a turf war going on around here in the Irving Park/Albany Park area. There have probably been more shootings in Irving Park proper (the community area) this year than there were in the previous 3 years combined. Lots of fun.

Which gangs? You guys seeing the MLDs moving north, by any chance? They seem to be slowly migrating out of my area, or, they could just be getting smarter and not being so visibly stupid with the tagging and so on. Nah.