Lakeview - new to Chicago (Lincoln, Sheridan: condo, to live in, safer)

[marothisu]

For the record, there is actually an area called West Humboldt Park within Humboldt Park. Google it, even Google Maps shows boundaries for it. They are both legitimate areas (East and West).

While you think I'm pedantic and it might be a little, it's still not useless to do so. Let's face the facts here - we're talking about Lakeview, and then the north side was brought up, to which you still brought up somewhere not even on the north side. If you're going to talk about neighborhoods in Chicago, at least get them right.

I agree though, let's move on

[ChicagoMeO]

Lakeview has a lot of land, West Lakeview is more family houses, and so you are going to get a different environment than Halsted and Roscoe, which is way different from Addison & Sheffield (Cubs park); and you are going to get a different flavor if you go by Diversey and Broadway (Lincoln Park-ish). And you are going to get a different flavor in the daytime vs the nighttime. I feel relatively safe, as safe as a person could reasonably expect in the city. I think if I get closer to the lake, it feels safer to me. I think the hot spots (uncomfortable) are by the Belmont L, which seems to have the worst issues, though if you go past there in the daytime, it will probably not be a problem for you. At night, yeah, possibly. So i dont go there at night. I used to go there at night, in the 1990's and early 200's, so i dont know whats going on, just what I read about in the news. If I had to go by the Belmont L at night, I would not be hesitant, if i had to. but i dont feel like hanging out there. You just have to use your street smarts for the most part and not be distracted with music in your ear where you cant hear the surroundings, i mean a car might be coming at you and your being distracted with music in your ear (headphones/earbuds).

[glass_of_merlot]

OP, it is a fun area. If you like it then go for it. Crimes is everywhere and if you are from NYC i'm sure you can handle it

Also, I am down there at allot and I never see anything "bad" happening...ever.
The same goes for Uptown ( somebody mentioned it earlier ). People always think it is so bad, rough etc. Please, what does "bad area" mean to you? Drunk people? High People? That's how bad I have ever experienced Uptown. When people get shot and killed on a regular bases by street gangs in Belmont I would start to consider an area "rough" or "crime ridden". Generally speaking Lakeview is a great place to live and visit.

What I like about where I live is that I can walk several miles in each direction without running in to "dangerous" areas. I walked south all the way to down town and walked up north to Rogers Park . No issues, no scares ever.

[Chicago Newbie]

All of the info on here has been really helpful. We looked at a house in wicker park as well so this has helped because we lost that house to a better offer and we were really bummed out over it, but i'm feeling like that was probably a good thing after researching and reading this board. I think i would have been more concerned over there. We like to be able to walk to places in the area and we felt really good walking around. So we know we will just stay away from the Belmont L at night.
The house is very close to Halsted though and so not far from the Belmont L. We did walk past there at all different times but we will definitely be more cautious at night. Like i said, we probably won't take the train at night anyway. I dont ride the subway here past a certain time so no reason to do it there. We also have a car if we wanted to travel at night (the place has an attached parking space so no worries about parking). This house just happened to have everything that we were looking for. Well almost everything - we're realistic so we have learned that we had to give on some things but i think the overall it's great and has only been the 2nd place that we had any real interest in. We looked at many, many properties.
I can't say enough how helpful this has been.

[marothisu]

I should also mention that there is always seemingly a cop car with a cop just watching around the Belmont train stop in the car. For the record, Wicker Park is mostly safe too and a fun area as well. 15+ years ago that would be a different story but today? Yeah, I have never felt unsafe there.

[ChicagoMeO]

if you are ever walking around anywhere, and you start to feel unsafe, just hop in a cab rather than walk, go into a store or something like that.. there are usually a lot of people around, so that might help.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by marothisu

For the record, there is actually an area called West Humboldt Park within Humboldt Park. Google it, even Google Maps shows boundaries for it. They are both legitimate areas (East and West).

While you think I'm pedantic and it might be a little, it's still not useless to do so. Let's face the facts here - we're talking about Lakeview, and then the north side was brought up, to which you still brought up somewhere not even on the north side. If you're going to talk about neighborhoods in Chicago, at least get them right.

I agree though, let's move on

This site is run by the History Museum which is run by the city and in some cases is as close to an authority as we have on these matters. Note the first sentence.

Humboldt Park

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

This site is run by the History Museum which is run by the city and in some cases is as close to an authority as we have on these matters. Note the first sentence.

Humboldt Park

Okay, so one source says that. It's still not that close to Lakeview or "the north side", especially the western part of Humboldt Park. Give it up and move on. Get back to talking about Lakeview, especially around Boystown and how safe it is.

[Ace Rothstein]

Is this that movie about babies that are geniuses?

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by Chicago Newbie

Hi, i'm relocating to Chicago within the next 4-6 weeks. I've been out there on weekends searching for homes for the past 8 weeks. We've narrowed it down to a couple of areas but are seriously considering a place in Lakeview. It's in the Boystown area. We are a heterosexual couple, early 30s. We've spent a good deal of time in the area on the weekends at all different times of the day and night (not past 11-12 pm though) and we have felt very safe. We also really like the area and all of the entertainment and shopping options being so close.
I've been reading these boards for a while and am becoming somewhat concerned with safety in the area. We are moving from NYC so we're not strangers to having to be smart no matter where you are. However, it seems like there has been a lot of crime and now I am seeing that there is some gang territory on Belmont close to where we would both need to take the train to the Loop for work.
Is the crime really getting that much worse and is the gang territory an active gang area? We have actually walked right through there several times without realizing it's gang territory. I appreciate any insight. Thanks!

If I were a 30-something couple, I would not want to live in Boystown. Not because of the crime (which is completely overblown on this forum), but because of the constant young party atmosphere. Even the gay couples I've known have wanted to get away from Boystown in their 30's. There are other walkable, nice neighborhoods in the city. I would probably only live in Boystown if I were a young single gay guy looking to party.