University Village Pros/cons (Chicago, Lincoln: home, neighborhood, theater)

[Sailaway50]

Originally Posted by NearWestSider

I suspect this is a troll for two reasons:

1. The Blue Line stop at UIC/Halsted stop is 5 blocks from Ignatius. I am having A LOT of trouble believing that anyone would choose to walk 1.5 miles down Roosevelt to the Red Line instead.

2. The UIC campus starts at Roosevelt and Morgan, a whopping ONE BLOCK from where this person allegedly began her walk, and you'd think this person might have noticed that fact. The first building is the P.E. building, so I am wondering who intimidated her. Was it be the volleyball team, or the cheerleaders?

1. I had no desire to walk down Halsted and take the blue line at night. It is true I could have done that, but I have done that in the past and was not too keen on it, but you're right...perhaps that would have been a better option. I was el'd out with the Blue Line, having taken it from Forest Park after a long Pace ride all the week before, back downtown from a job in Oakbrook, and was feeling anti-Blue Line at that moment.

2. I also realize the UIC campus is at Roos & Morgan and I did not feel like I was in the middle of h.ll and had to duck into a building, nor did I state that. I toyed with waiting for a Halsted bus, but that's a phantom bus at night, too, as is the #12. I have lived in the city since '90 and have always taken pub trans, no car, and have never been mugged (again, knock wood), pressed into worrying unnecessarily about it, etc. The only problem I ever had was having my wallet lifted out of my purse (they were polite enough to close, zip and buckle it after taking the wallet), at the coffee shop at 900 North Michigan. So, I have learned to look around and see what's going on. Also, I've been lucky, I'm sure. HOWEVER, if the issue is whether I would move TO UV, if I had other options, I would not. UV is charming in its own way (Naperville'esque, as some have said), with a little "town square", restaurants, bookstore, coffee shops, etc. I think they're trying and it's certainly better than when I was a kid (long ago). In the city, it's important to me to walk around at night and feel okay or at least positively "stimulated" (?)(!).

In other neighborhoods, there's an invisible line of demarcation between the cr.p and the okay parts, but as I stated, there's a bad element West of Racine that leaks onto Roosevelt, particularly at night and late on Sunday's. Unless UV were incredibly convenient to my place of work or a great $$ for the sq footage in a new building deal, I would not choose to move there, as I don't think the walkability at night (except right IN UV) is particularly pleasant, safe.....or interesting. I'd consider buying a car, if I did.

3. Please stop with the troll thing already.

4. By city standards, there IS and I will re-state, a "stranded" feeling near UV, even though, yes, one CAN go to the Blue Line. I always feel city living shouldn't be this "ch allenging" trudge to a deserted el station. The UIC campus is pretty deserted at night, since still it has a very large proportion of commuter students who book out after their classes. Maybe some people feel differently. The big box store(s) along Roos are all closed at night, the 24 hour coffee shop on Canal there always has weirdos in it leaking out onto the street at night, and who needs it? If you have a car, as many people in the (E of there) S Loop do, different story. I have taken that el stop to go to the theater at UIC many times, and always that, too, felt deserted and perhaps not the safest place for a woman alone.

5. Bottom line, UV feels like the S. Loop did years ago....a little on the pioneering side for the prices. But with a car and maybe a spouse or roommate, better. If the price were right.

6. What, say, do 2 BR's in UV rent for? Not in a "student" buildng, but a mixed one?

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by NearWestSider

I suspect this is a troll for two reasons...

A troll with over 120 rep points? I think not.

[NearWestSider]

Anybody who would *claim* to have walked 1.5 miles down Roosevelt Road when the Blue Line is 1/2 mile away is not being honest, either about his/her knowledge of the neighborhood or factually about the circumstances surrounding hes/her stroll.

The spiel about being afraid to walk down Halsted at 8:00 P.M. is an even goofier than the original post. The quckest route to the UIC/Halsted stop is down Morgan through the UIC campus, not down Halsted. NO ONE would take that route, which is out of the way.

Now that I've caught her in another fib, she'll probably say she was afraid to walk through the UIC campus. And who can blame her? Those engineering students are DANGEROUS, and after surviving the cheerleaders at PEB, she was no doubt feeling like one of The Warriors.

All kidding aside, I don't know what your definition of troll is, but mine includes people who post lies and exaggerations in order to gratuitously slander people or things they don't actually know anything about.

[garvey]

Originally Posted by NearWestSider

Anybody who would *claim* to have walked 1.5 miles down Roosevelt Road when the Blue Line is 1/2 mile away is not being honest, either about his/her knowledge of the neighborhood or factually about the circumstances surrounding hes/her stroll.

The spiel about being afraid to walk down Halsted at 8:00 P.M. is an even goofier than the original post. The quckest route to the UIC/Halsted stop is down Morgan through the UIC campus, not down Halsted. NO ONE would take that route, which is out of the way.

Now that I've caught her in another fib, she'll probably say she was afraid to walk through the UIC campus. And who can blame her? Those engineering students are DANGEROUS, and after surviving the cheerleaders at PEB, she was no doubt feeling like one of The Warriors.

All kidding aside, I don't know what your definition of troll is, but mine includes people who post lies and exaggerations in order to gratuitously slander people or things they don't actually know anything about.

to be fair to that poster- uic's campus, although not dangerous, is pretty intimidating at night (especially for women) because it's totally deserted. same applies to roosevelt west of halsted as well as halsted between roosevelt and the blue line stop. most of my female friends at uic will not walk alone around those areas at night, saying that they have been harassed by people walking or driving by.

[NearWestSider]

Originally Posted by garvey

to be fair to that poster- uic's campus, although not dangerous, is pretty intimidating at night (especially for women) because it's totally deserted. same applies to roosevelt west of halsted as well as halsted between roosevelt and the blue line stop. most of my female friends at uic will not walk alone around those areas at night, saying that they have been harassed by people walking or driving by.

First of all, the campus is not deserted at 8:00 P.M. That is complete horse manure, and anybody who says it is abandoned is lying through their teeth. We are not talking at 2:00 A.M. club hopping, she says she was at a function at Ignatius.

Second, there are 3500 student residents in the commons, right at Harrison/Halsted. That is not my definition of abandoned.

Third, students walk around that neighborhood all time of day and night. Because I actually live around there, and I see them all the time, including at 4:30 A.M., when I am running my dog. I would not recommend it, but I know of no neighborhood in Chicago that a female should be walking around alone at 4:00 A.M..

Fourth, my daughter lives in TBH. Goes out on weekends on the Blue Line, does not live in fear, and has had no problems in three years of living on campus. Is she lucky or stupid? I really don't think so.

The bottom line is I don't know what you are talking about, and I'm not convinced you do, either.

So rather than argue about it, why don't you head down to Roosevelt/Halted tonight at 8:00-8:30 tonight, come back and tell us how deserted it is? You say you live right there, so it should be easy, right? Come back and we'll talk about it. I'll take my dog down there (after the soccer game, whenever it ends) and we'll compare notes. Fair enough?

Trust me, you'll be fine. Just make sure you leave your DePaul hoodie at home.

[Sailaway50]

Originally Posted by garvey

to be fair to that poster- uic's campus, although not dangerous, is pretty intimidating at night (especially for women) because it's totally deserted. same applies to roosevelt west of halsted as well as halsted between roosevelt and the blue line stop. most of my female friends at uic will not walk alone around those areas at night, saying that they have been harassed by people walking or driving by.

Thanks for the affirmation.

[chet everett]

I think the architect of the main campus was the Walter Netsch guy who was on the park district a while back

He was upset when they torn the walkways -- not sure if it was improvement, but I agree that the "SciFi movie meets fortress" feel tha parts of the campus has is creepy even if it is "safe"...

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by chet everett

I think the architect of the main campus was the Walter Netsch guy who was on the park district a while back

He was upset when they torn the walkways -- not sure if it was improvement, but I agree that the "SciFi movie meets fortress" feel tha parts of the campus has is creepy even if it is "safe"...

Ever hear of the pregnant woman that was raped and murdered by several men in the parking garage underneath the walkways? He can be upset all he wants to be. That is the main reason it was torn down. Safety.

I went to UIC in the mid 90's right as they were changing the campus. Believe me, it was better in the middle of the demolition work even,then it was prior to it.

[Sailaway50]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Ever hear of the pregnant woman that was raped and murdered by several men in the parking garage underneath the walkways? He can be upset all he wants to be. That is the main reason it was torn down. Safety.

Oh, no. How terrible. Do you have any idea how long ago this occurred?

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Sailaway50

Oh, no. How terrible. Do you have any idea how long ago this occurred?

A long time ago. I do not remember exactually. I think about 20 years ago. Its hard to find info on stuff like that now. I remember hearing and reading about it when I was much younger. I think she was a nursing student.