Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Let's bump this up to the top for all the new thread-starters out there.

[ajolotl]

This is a interesting development --
U. of C. property deals raising concern -- chicagotribune.com.

[Drover]

Let's see... the university wants to buy some dilapidated properties and most likely put them back into productive use... in what universe does this cause "concern?" For all the hand-wringing that seems to go happen every time the university looks to expand, Hyde Park, Kenwood and fringes of other neighborhoods in the area are far better off for the University being there, and everyone knows it.

I will never understand the impulse some people have to resist any efforts to improve marginal or dilapidated neighborhoods. I guess dilapidation and decay is a source of power for some. Helen Schiller and Joe Moore come to mind.

[ajolotl]

Originally Posted by Drover

Let's see... the university wants to buy some dilapidated properties and most likely put them back into productive use... in what universe does this cause "concern?" For all the hand-wringing that seems to go happen every time the university looks to expand, Hyde Park, Kenwood and fringes of other neighborhoods in the area are far better off for the University being there, and everyone knows it.

I will never understand the impulse some people have to resist any efforts to improve marginal or dilapidated neighborhoods. I guess dilapidation and decay is a source of power for some. Helen Schiller and Joe Moore come to mind.

Well put.

You are supposed to pretend like you feel sorry for the potentially displaced residents (because of higher rents/property taxes).

[Humboldt1]

I see Business Week is at it again, claiming Pilsen in the next up and coming neighborhood in Chicago. I see this as a much better pick than when they picked East Garfield Park. They were so wrong about that area. I don't think anything has improved in that area in the past 2-3 years and may have gotten worse in the past couple of years with all the foreclosures they have going on. I am glad I didn't buy there in late 2005 early 2006.

I agree with Pilsen being up and coming, and will look to buy in that area, but think that with this recent slowdown in real estate it may take a few years for things to significantly improve. I think Pilsen will do better in the next 5 years than most areas though.

[snoylekim]

Originally Posted by Drover

Let's see... the university wants to buy some dilapidated properties and most likely put them back into productive use... in what universe does this cause "concern?" For all the hand-wringing that seems to go happen every time the university looks to expand, Hyde Park, Kenwood and fringes of other neighborhoods in the area are far better off for the University being there, and everyone knows it.

I will never understand the impulse some people have to resist any efforts to improve marginal or dilapidated neighborhoods. I guess dilapidation and decay is a source of power for some. Helen Schiller and Joe Moore come to mind.

..and it will take a large event like University expansion , or the Olympics to 'unblight' the neighborhood west of Washington Park. That neighborhood has been economically marginal since the 1930s ..and nothing since then in the way of so-called 'community development' has done a thing for it .. Hell, I'm not sure if it wasn't marginal when Studs Lonigen got his mail in that area ...