Todays King of the Hills Episode - Gentrification (Chicago, Northbrook: appointed, neighborhood)

[NearWestSider]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Precious few hipsters would live in an area that wasn't in some stage of gentrification, or that they thought wasn't going to undergo gentrification. The anti-gentrification forces just tend to prefer the early stages but don't like the end result. A good analogy would be that I wish today's White Sox game would have ended after the 1st inning when we were winning 2-0. Can't really happen once the game is in motion however. Need to finish all 9 innings. For the person who truly wants the "non-sterile" city neighborhood experience, I might recommend Garfield Park, Englewood, Austin, or Auburn Gresham. Those are unlikely to change any time soon.

Yeah, I am always amused by how middle class the middle class is, even when attempting to escape their middle class-ness.

The bottom is they don't want a real ghetto. They want a Lettuce Entertain You ghetto, and if they can't get it, they want ghetto-light. Further proof that "you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy".

As far as recommendations go, you don't even need to go as extreme as Garfield Park or the rest. My old neighborhood, Grant Works (in Cicero), is as real, edgy, and industrial as it gets. It is unlikely to get a Starbucks in anyone's lifetime, and in zero danger of being overrun with yuppies. Housing is affordable and rents are cheap. Hipsters should be flocking to it, right?

[JCL01]

Originally Posted by cobolt

The problem with gentrification is that it although it may in many cases, "clean up" the neighborhood, in doing so it sterilizes it from alot of its ethnic flavor and identity. Kind of reminds me of slapping up big box stores everywhere until one place looks just like another. Gentrification takes away what made a neighborhood unique in the first place.

I'm not sure what you mean by "ethnic flavor and identity." Where middle and upper class minority or ethnic neighborhoods exist they don't tend to be all that different from middle and upper class neighborhoods that are mixed or mostly white.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by JCL01

I'm not sure what you mean by "ethnic flavor and identity." Where middle and upper class minority or ethnic neighborhoods exist they don't tend to be all that different from middle and upper class neighborhoods that are mixed or mostly white.

How long have you lived in Chicago or the Chicago area?

[JCL01]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

How long have you lived in Chicago or the Chicago area?

I'm pretty sure that ethnic neighborhoods of whatever socioeconomic level are not found only in the Chicago area.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by JCL01

I'm pretty sure that ethnic neighborhoods of whatever socioeconomic level are not found only in the Chicago area.

That was a pretty weak answer. So your answer must be not very long. This thread and forum is about Chicago. If you do not have enough experience in the Chicago area to back up your claims and statements do not make them.

[Humboldt1]

I agree with bru and jcl on this one, I would much rather have the sterility of lincoln park vs. The sterility of austin. Even most poor people will tell you they would move if they could. Most of my neighbors in humboldt would rather live in the burbs or nicer chicago neighborhoods.

And Bru makes a great point these hipster neighborhoods (ie westtown and logan square, even parts of humboldt) are already in treansformation towards gentrification.

If you don't like gentrification try hanging out in garfield park on a clear summer night. I am sorry but I prefer stupid self-absorbed yuppies with their dogs they pay others to walk to the ghetto trash that is so prevalent in the rougher neighborhoods. I have never been robbed by a yuppie with a latte in one hand and a scione in the other.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

I agree with bru and jcl on this one, I would much rather have the sterility of lincoln park vs. The sterility of austin. Even most poor people will tell you they would move if they could. Most of my neighbors in humboldt would rather live in the burbs or nicer chicago neighborhoods.

And Bru makes a great point these hipster neighborhoods (ie westtown and logan square, even parts of humboldt) are already in treansformation towards gentrification.

If you don't like gentrification try hanging out in garfield park on a clear summer night. I am sorry but I prefer stupid self-absorbed yuppies with their dogs they pay others to walk to the ghetto trash that is so prevalent in the rougher neighborhoods. I have never been robbed by a yuppie with a latte in one hand and a scione in the other.

Who mentioned Garfield Park, Englewood, Austin, or Auburn Gresham? Cobalt and I were talking about Lincoln Square mostly as well as North Center and Lake View for the most part (although not specifically stated.) How people distorted this into talking about Austin and other crapholes or crapholes that are gentrifing is beyond me.

I said to begin with that the changes in Uptown are a good thing.

[JCL01]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

That was a pretty weak answer. So your answer must be not very long. This thread and forum is about Chicago. If you do not have enough experience in the Chicago area to back up your claims and statements do not make them.

Thanks for the welcome. I'll take your suggestions under advisement. Maybe one day I can get my Avengerfire merit badge.

And it's always the sign of a really strong argument when someone goes directly to the person instead of the issue.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by JCL01

Thanks for the welcome. I'll take your suggestions under advisement. Maybe one day I can get my Avengerfire merit badge.

And it's always the sign of a really strong argument when someone goes directly to the person instead of the issue.

I did not distort the issue-other people did.

My first comment in this thread was pretty clear. Instead, others tried to make it out like Cobolt and I are anti-gentrification in every case. I never said that I prefer Austin and the like to the present day versions of Lake View,North Center,etc...

All I was saying was there are areas that have become gentrified that did not need to be and those areas have lost much of their charms and flavor as a result as well as becoming vastly overpriced and squeezing out the average person that made those areas attractive to the newcomers.

Only a fool would want Austin and other crap holes to not become gentrified. Alas, I am not a fool.

Thank you and Goodnight.
Now you can have an Avengerfire demerit.

[Avengerfire]

Also, what is so ethnic about Garfield Park, Englewood, Austin, or Auburn Gresham?