21 Months Later This Ukranian Village Cottage Finally Sells: 953 N. Leavitt
We chattered about this vintage 3-bedroom Ukranian Village house at 953 N. Leavitt several times over the last 21 months.
See our August 2010 chatter here.
Originally listed at $749,000, it had been reduced to the upper-$600,000s.
Some of you thought it would sell in the $500,000s.
It recently closed for $617,500.
The cottage has many of its vintage features, including built-in bookcases, intact.
But it also has a newer kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.
There was a great room added on the back of the house.
Built in 1906 on a 36×105 lot, the house had central air and a 2-car garage.
Is the Ukranian Village market heating up?
Steven Jurgens at Chicago Home Estates had the listing.
953 N. Leavitt: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2 car garage, no square footage listed
- Sold in October 2003 for $510,000
- Originally listed in July 2009 for $749,000
- Was still listed in August 2009 for $749,000
- Reduced
- Was listed in December 2009 for $699,000
- Withdrawn
- Re-listed in April 2010 at $672,500
- Was listed in August 2010 at $672,500
- Sold in April 2011 for $617,500
- Taxes of $5941
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 14×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 15×10 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 11×8 (second floor)
It looks like the seller won this standoff buyers withs. Seller – hold your ground and surely you will achieve victory!
Didn’t see any recent comments on the report that 1/2 Chicago households spend 50%+ of their income on housing.
UV totters between ethnic working-class vs. white educated-class household classification, today. Demographically speaking, Chicago will likely evolve into a hispanic-majority (black minority) blue-collar rust-belt city with a demographically small “Green Zone” white-collar residential area of upper-income predominantly white households along north lakefront. Without the significant Eastern European immigrant population on north and northwest-sides, this may have already occurred. School issues will continue to limit white-collar middle/upper-middle class household presence within Chicago’s municipal boundaries, for those whose household incomes preclude a minimum $600,000 – 800,000 house plus private tuitions. (Townhouse/condo residency for families w/children has limited appeal.) Not everyone can win public school lottery, or be heavily subsidized by their aging Baby Boomer parents when purchasing that expensive “Green Zone” home; student loans and plateaued salaries will limit purchase power too for Chicago’s young educated class.
Seller was the lucky party in this transaction. I suspect in another year a vintage semi-renovated worker-cottage in UV will be worth $100,000 less on resale market. Doesn’t look like a high-end to-the-studs renovation; finishes seem Loews-quality.
Yes, the seller was very lucky here. The buyer will be lucky to get this price again in 4 years if they try to sell. They overpaid by 10% minimum.
Architect: I respect your knowledge and value your posts. Thst is why I want to respond to your recent post. I think you have forgotten an important demographic: 200,000 -300,000 per year working couples, where the woman has a professional job ( lawyer, finance, academia) and wants to live close to work. Many of these families are willing to trade space, living in a condo or town home) for lifestyle ( shout out annony ). They don’t want to spend 1.5-2 hours commuting, so they live in the city. I personally know many such couples. And don’t forget about catholic school: at 8,00-10,00 per year, it is affordable on that salary. Maybe tis group is not demographically large enough to figure in your reckoning, but it is significant.
This is in the landmark district of UK village which is a very nice mature neighborhood. No frame houses and only a handful of new construction. At least 95% of the housing here is turn of the century brick worker cottages, brick 2-3 flats, and a handful of old mansions. Virtually no run down or vacant housing in the area. The problem is the boundary school, Columbus, is poor. As Endora pointed out you really need to do private school here which there are several catholic options for $6k (not $8k to $10k.)
The question with this area is who will be moving into all the houses when the older UK and Eastern European people move on. These are nicely maintained and large properties that are not cheap so I don’t think the area will become largely Hispanic, yet with the CPS school option being so poor will it attract the professional workers?
seems expensive. maybe it included the furniture.. :-/
Chris wrote:
“These are nicely maintained and large properties that are not cheap so I don’t think the area will become largely Hispanic..”
BLATENT RASICM! WTF Chris?
Chris has no shame is his game!
Off topic, but does anyone know what’s up with 606 w. Stratford?
American History X CC in 3…2…1…
“The question with this area is who will be moving into all the houses when the older UK and Eastern European people move on.”
I know a good number of young people in various medical fields that live around here. The area is very family friendly IMO, a bit out of the way for some but the trade off is peace and quiet. There aren’t too many remaining old timers in the area any more so your question is largely answered by now.
OK, that did sound a little harsh, I’m not trying to be racist. I’m just referring to the comment in Architect’s post about Chicago becoming Hispanic majority, blue collar city except for a Green Zone of white-collar workers. Architect sounds like he thinks this area will not be GZ. I was saying that the housing and neighborhood is nice so perhaps it won’t go blue collar, but white-collar. ChiBuilder seems to agree.
I’d challenge notion that a $200,000/yr (salary; not self-employed or business owner, where many household costs can get buried) dual-income w/two school-age kids couple college-educated could live an “upper-middle-class expectations” lifestyle in Chicago proper with much true satisfaction or significant savings. You could do it in Evanston, Oak Park, Riverside, or a handful of other inner-ring suburbs, but not in “Green Zone” in a house and not likely elsewhere in a regular Chicago neighborhood relying upon public schools. I speak from experience. My household (and my fellow architects too) have been living that lifestyle demographic for past 15 years in both Chicago and an inner-ring suburb; a frank discussion will reveal many worries at that income range – purportedly upper-upper middle-class yet due to Chicago-specific high-cost expenses, financially not altogether comfortable with either pending college-costs (unlikely to receive financial aid) or retirement (likely no true retirement).
An extra $100,000/yr certainly improves the picture. But someone should post some demographic data to determine true number of Chicago-proper households with incomes at $200,000 and $300,000/year. I suspect it barely fills the current footprint of “Green Zone” neighborhoods. Chicago has too many “Green Zone”-priced expensive homes and not enough young households to absorb that price-point. I
The area this house is in will fully gentrify. It isnt’t that far south of Wicker Park. It is only a block off a section of Damen that has been yuppified with restaurants, coffee shops, and pet stores. It literally is a few steps away from Jam, Black Dog Gelatto, and a couple of other popular places.
I’m Hispanic of blue collar roots and now a white collar professional with a Master’s degree. Where’s your stereotype now, Chris?
Architect: What is your opinion of the collar counties? Despite the housing bust in the lake, kendall, kane and mchenry population growth still seems to growing and it appears desirable.
“BLATENT RASICM! WTF Chris?”
You’re such a flamer you don’t even know how to spell blatant.
I spoke with an east coast transplant the other day who recently moved to the area. Chose not to live in chicago but instead moved to an acre lot in lake county for roughly the cost of a worker’s cottage in roscoe villlage. good schools in the area too. And the job was also in the suburbs too which probably contributed to lake county location.
Didn’t mean to jump on you Chris. Perhaps my point is more that simply because someone is Hispanic does not immediately put them into some sort of undesirable category. I know plenty of other well-to-do Hispanics who want the same things everyone else does in housing – good schools, good neighborhood, safety, etc. I just wish we could leave race out of things, as it no longer really has any bearing or indication of one’s lot in life.
Flamer = one who flames arguments on a message board.
Architect,
I have several friends that moved to Oak Park in the last two years to start families. I’ve been considering it too as after spending time there I do like it and would find it satisfying. What I don’t see is how Oak Park is any less expensive than the city. I agree with you that CPS is not a reliable option for K-12 in any area in the city. But the same dollars I spend on a parochial education in the city will just go to the higher property taxes in Oak Park. A nice 3 or 4 bed house in Mann or Holmes looks to run about $600k to $700k which will get me the house in this post or slightly better in Bucktown, Wicker Park. Prop taxes in OP will be $16k while the city will be $6k to $7k. What are these Chicago specific high cost expenses?
I have heard and read about the decline of OPRF HS and see the drop in its testing.
Would like to hear the take from others on the school.
because if the trend continues you would be in the same boat as My Far NW side homes great elem schools but stuck with a below average HS and would need to go private.
How much is trinity/dominican/fenwick route?
Hey, how much would it cost to never have to hear the phrase “Green Zone” ever again?
Chicago isn’t Iraq. Catch phrases like that actually make everyone DUMBER as after a while people really don’t have any bloody idea what they’re even trying to say.
Seriously, there are no military checkpoints or walls separating some parts of Chicago from others – the bad elements in Chicago routinely go to these allegedly-bulletproof safe neighborhoods like LP, LV, etc. for their prey, and that’s not going to change.
And of course, the irony here is that for people living in the Middle East, all of America (much less a city with actual working infrastructure) is the Green Zone.
My bullshit detector just went off. “true satisfaction”? what does that mean?
“lifestyle in Chicago proper with much true satisfaction or significant savings.”
If I were an alderman I would propose a 15 foot high and 15 foot thick fortified brick and mortar antonine wall type of structure running the most of western avenue, and then up milwaukee and then up cicero to about Lawrence.
“Seriously, there are no military checkpoints or walls separating some parts of Chicago from others – the bad elements in Chicago routinely go to these allegedly-bulletproof safe neighborhoods like LP, LV, etc. for their prey, and that’s not going to change.”
Groove, from what I can tell the school is doing just fine. It is like has been discussed a thousand times on here. Every parent believes their kid is on a track to Harvard and should be in gifted programs. No parent wants to admit their kid is just average.
As a result, parents start freaking out if the school doesn’t test at 99% for everything. Also, no one ever likes to point out that any kind of diversity of income in the student body is more than likely going to result in lower test scores. However, even when you factor in the income diversity, Oak Park schools are still performing very well.
From what I can tell, if a parent is involved with their child and has expectations of success, their kids do just fine which is the vast majority of Oak Park parents. However, if the home is broken, etc the kids probably aren’t going to do as well.
I really can’t justify paying private school tuition in Oak Park. It just seems like a colossal waste of money imho.
Chris – Here’s a solid deal just listed for a 3BD/1.1BA in the Mann school district: http://www.redfin.com/IL/Oak-Park/643-Woodbine-Ave-60302/home/13272965
You don’t need to spend $600K-700K to get a nice place. That’s the disconnect. Taxes will be around $10k.
Chris M,
I don’t NEED to spend $600k to $700k, let me change that to I want a home with the size and amenities that the $600k price range offers. Something like this is what I’d want:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Oak-Park/1101-N-Grove-Ave-60302/home/13273943
$15k in taxes.
Dan, go talk to someone who has actually served in Iraq.
Then go and look up the same Nativist b.s. which was directed at the Germans back in the day right here in Chicago. They were accused of “keeping to themselves, speaking their own language, not wanting to assimilate” blah blah blah.
HD – they did build a wall on Western to separate Chicago and Evanston, how quickly we all forget…
Oh, and as for Oak Park? Just saw this:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chibrknews-oak-park-mugger-has-5th-victim-20110429,0,958559.story?track=rss
“American” culture has always been one of many different ethnic backgrounds. Why do you think this is any different today??
“Seriously, there are no military checkpoints or walls separating some parts of Chicago from others – the bad elements in Chicago routinely go to these allegedly-bulletproof safe neighborhoods like LP, LV, etc. for their prey, and that’s not going to change.”
You really haven’t been stopped at a GD check point?
“HD – they did build a wall on Western to separate Chicago and Evanston, how quickly we all forget…”
Bernie’s wall…
http://www.chicagoreporter.com/index.php/c/Sidebars/d/Evanston_Divide:_The_Short_Life_of_%E2%80%98Bernie%E2%80%99s_Wall%E2%80%99
When people have little income, they cannot do the same amount of upkeep as the richer folks. It has nothing to do with race. I agree that there are some cultural differences in cleanliness, say average Japanese person is way cleaner that average westerner, but the issue here is not race. Man, you are so sad. Just want to conclude some white supremacy BS out of every discussion.
“A transition from white-European middle class neighborhood to Hispanic will bring down the level of order, cleanliness, landscaping will decline, exterior maintenance will decline, and inside too. This is easily observable.”
So much for a conversation on real estate. This blog needs to be moderated.
Skeptic:
Oak Park crime rate is the lowest it has been in 30 years.
http://triblocal.com/oak-park-river-forest/2011/01/18/2010-crime-hit-historic-low-in-oak-park/
“All it takes is a couple of incidents and people are going to doubt their safety,” Tanksley said. “But the facts are you are safer now than in the past 28 years or so.”
Yeah, there is some mugger running around though that has everyone freaked out although statistically it is a non-event. The problem with the 24 hour news cycle is it has a way of making things bigger than they really are…
I’m sure can find five muggings in Lincoln Park over the past couple of weeks… Oak Park is basically a city neighborhood, with city crime. Too many people think because we have pretty streets and big houses that we really are a suburb. We may be technically, but Oak Park is closer to being a Chicago neighborhood than it is to being a suburb in the way most people tend to visualize suburban living.
Most of the crime in Oak Park is opportunistic. You leave your garage open for a couple of hours and some kid swipes your bikes. Even when reading the police blotter, practically all of the crime is committed by non-Oak Park residents. Other than the handful of muggings that occur, most of the assaults are typical low income dysfunctional family stuff (drunk boyfriends and the like) in a few of the lower income apartments (of which there are very few).
“Groove, from what I can tell the school is doing just fine. It is like has been discussed a thousand times on here”
i agree with everything after that, as we are on the same page with that discussion.
on the HS, the thing that shocked me is a was talking to the table next to us at wineberry and the lady had a kid in OPRF HS, she was talking about the gang presence that has evolved in the school. (I wanted to laugh my azz off, gangs in oak park, ha) but as i listened to her she explained a few incidents and then i thought hmmm that kind of sucks the it evolved as far as a “Gang Presence”.
but i guess when here “gang” it conjures up a different image for me than probably what is actually going on.
“I really can’t justify paying private school tuition in Oak Park. It just seems like a colossal waste of money imho.”
O gosh, only reasons i could see are legacy, religion preference, or scared whitey but then scared whitey wouldnt choose OP so thats out 😉
if we were to move to galewood the trinty/fenwick would be our second HS option.
dan,
still no answer on the dinner and drinks?
that was actually my point, bro. crime doesn’t stay in “bad” neighborhoods, nor are “good” neighborhoods immune.
“I’m sure can find five muggings in Lincoln Park over the past couple of weeks… Oak Park is basically a city neighborhood, with city crime. Too many people think because we have pretty streets and big houses that we really are a suburb. We may be technically, but Oak Park is closer to being a Chicago neighborhood than it is to being a suburb in the way most people tend to visualize suburban living.”
…perhaps I should have added I think Oak Park is a fine place, it’s just not a fairy-tale location devoid of all urban problems.
UK Village is a mystery to me. I like it, but can’t understand how someone could commit to living there for 20 years. For this price I would buy a 3-2 in LP and just cab out that way why I wanted to watch hipsters smoke on Cleo’s out door patio befor emaking it out to Happy Village to smoke some more.
“I really can’t justify paying private school tuition in Oak Park. It just seems like a colossal waste of money imho.”
“O gosh, only reasons i could see are legacy, religion preference, or scared whitey but then scared whitey wouldnt choose OP so thats out”
Montessori. Oak Park folks love Montessori.
“Montessori. Oak Park folks love Montessori.”
I believe past the age of 7 law of diminishing returns kicks in.
Ukie Village is a mystery to me, too. I don’t know anyone that lives there but I used to work next to a lady I could overhear either buying or selling a place there, couldn’t tell which. She was late 30s corporate foot soldier not married no kids and I guess still liked the city but felt too old for Wicker Park/Bucktown so decided to move there. Tons of disposable income I’d guess so that kinda makes sense.
The area is edgy and gritty and let’s face it; there’s a ton of new construction SFH that would be 50% to 75% more expensive if they were east of damen. That’s the appeal – more for your money.
Maybe not UV in particulra but that whole area has a lot of new construction generally, maybe not this street, but you know what I mean.
To me it feels like a hipper/but more fragile LP west (Tree-lined, Bar Filled, Close to a huge park, close to other fun neighborhoods). With Kids though LP wins hands down. If I moved there I would feel like my son would have no friends. Personally I prefer the people who like in the Ukie, but on nights out I just head that way, rather than live there. City living is the only option, I did the 2 hour commute round-trip thing and hated life, and my neighbors sucked, I had to drive everywhere and on the weekends found myself heading to the city anyway.
“…perhaps I should have added I think Oak Park is a fine place, it’s just not a fairy-tale location devoid of all urban problems.”
I don’t think any Oak Park resident or booster would argue with this.
“I know a good number of young people in various medical fields that live around here.”
I see them getting on the Damen bus at times heading South, to Rush I assume. I also once ran into a girl at J&M (bar next door to this house) who works at a nearby hospital. The bars in the hood are friendly and full of interesting characters.
It’s really not all hipsters out here. You have them, there are affordable rents around. There are unaffordable rents and expensive $617,500 homes as well. I also see kids running around the blocks playing unsupervised from time to time. I take that as a good sign.
I have found Oak Park people and their love for it odd. Too me it is like the Diet Coke of Chicagoland neighborhoods.
I am curious who started the term green zone on here. I started using it I think from CC, but now I’m not sure. The boundaries are debatable, but so it is with neighborhood boundaries too.
Oak Park is more expensive than the sticker price may show.
I started it, maybe…
I feel safe in 75% of Chicago. I would only consider living in 25% of Chicago. So to me GZ is that 25% where I can do as I pleased and had all the ammenities I desire for comfort.
I find the people’s republic part of Oak Park to be annoying.
“#Jason on April 29th, 2011 at 12:41 pm
I have found Oak Park people and their love for it odd. Too me it is like the Diet Coke of Chicagoland neighborhoods.”
While it is not a true suburb, the mentality of those who think they have gamed the system and are living the City life is funny and more Irnoic than a hipster in WP. In this way it is really the Coke Zero of Chicagoland and less the Diet Coke.
Haha, the joke is on us!
Chris, some people like Coke Zero. It’s ok.
@Dan, Difference between you and I is that
a) my merit function does not always return my own ethnicity as the response. Your judgment is biased towards always claiming your own ethnicity is superior in every comparison class!
b) you are discussing upkeep and comparing neighborhoods, my point was the wealth of the residence is a much more significant factor than their ethnicity.
Now pertaining to you specific point that Hispanics are not as clean, for your information, I have been to many Latin American countries and let me tell you in terms of hygiene they are by no means inferior to an average American.
Also my personal experience (a small sample hence not admissible for making generalizations)of staying one semester in dorms, the young people I met in this country are not particularly clean. They walk with their shoes every where (say the carpeted dorm room), don’t launder their sheets all that often, and I never saw one cleaning the windows of their rooms. It was often quite dusty. So please for once in your life take a look at data before you make your judgement.
You have it all wrong…we’re not the Coke Zero, we’re the organic not-from-concentrate juice of Chicagoland.
HD, the liberalism can be a bit much…
Jason, what exactly is the City life? Seriously, I lived in the City and very much an urban type. There really isn’t anything special we had in the city versus Oak Park. Instead of taking the Redline, I now take the Green… I get to some parts of the city faster than when I actually lived on the far Northside.
Walk everywhere? Check
Movie Theater? Check
Trader Joes? Check
Whole Foods? Check
Starbucks? Check
Independent Coffee Shops? Check
Independent Restaurants? Check
Useless Boutiques? Check
PotBelly? Check
Chipotle? Check
HomeMade Pizza? Check
Five Guys? Check
Gays? Check
Diversity? Check
Lesbians? Check
Hispanics? Check
Whites? Check
Blacks? Check
Asians? Check
Crime? Check
Hipters (albeit old ones)? Check
The main difference is instead of a 2/2 condo, I have a decent sized house and good schools. Instead of being neighbors to 23 year Accenture analysts and PR trixies, the neighbors are a bit older. Believe me, I love city living, but at the same time, I do question if the cost of living in Chicago GZ hoods is worth it once you decide to step up to a single family home and have kids.
I few it more of the mentality where you can have all the things (the coke) and none of the bad (the zero) but somewhere you lose the essence. I can’t describe it but knowing people who live in Oak Park and love it(good for them). They are wholly more suburban than they would ever realize, and that’s fine it’s not a competition, but know that by the very act of moving there you will lose something–and Oak Park people deny this all day–but that’s the ideology talking.
I hear this complaint a lot in Logan Square, and when I asked some of my Mexican friends who visit there often what the deal was, I was told that in Mexico City the government actually has employees dedicated to cleaning up trash on the street, so people there view littering as no big deal.
It seems to me likely that there’s just a problem in general with people and littering, and that if you look in areas of the City that have more trash, what you’ll find are less TRASH CANS.
Now, the recycling disconnect is a whole other story… but again, that’s not unique to latino folks.
“Now pertaining to you specific point that Hispanics are not as clean, for your information, I have been to many Latin American countries and let me tell you in terms of hygiene they are by no means inferior to an average American.”
You know that there used to actually be coca materials in Coca-Cola, right?
It hasn’t had that for a bazillion years… & there’s probably less cola nut product in a can of Coke than you could see with a microscope.
“I few it more of the mentality where you can have all the things (the coke) and none of the bad (the zero) but somewhere you lose the essence.”
Is it the same in Puerto Rico? Because I lived in Logan Square for 5 years and if I’m not mistaken the Hispanic crowd there is primarily Puerto Rican, not Mexican.
Jason – What are the regular Coca-Cola neighborhoods?
HD:
OPRF HS graduated 94.3% of it’s senior class in 1994. How much did any CPS public HS graduate in any neighborhood where you want to live on the NWS? Or any HS CPS that isn’t Young or Payton?
People like to talk about Payton & Young but that’s dumb: that’s like your kid needing to get into Harvard every few years (before primary school, before secondary school, after secondary school to college).
“They are wholly more suburban than they would ever realize,”
You can’t easily get to Chicago and vice/versa from the majority of Chicagoland suburbs and public transportation reflects that. Heck even some parts of Chicago it’s difficult as F$*# to get downtown.
Only the suburbs Evanston & Oak Park are serviced by the CTA. Yeah Rosemont (LOL), south Wilmette & south Park Ridge too but those are pretty far out there.
Err graduated 94.3% of it’s senior class in 2008 I meant.
Noone likes to talk about it aside from on this blog but the Chicago Public School system is a giant indifferent bureaucracy. The teachers unions have an immense amount of power and they are interested in enriching themselves and are either unable to do anything to meaningfully change the status quo or unwilling to do so. It’s been so bad for so long I actually lean on the unable side.
You middle class parents thinking you’re going to raise a family within the city limits and avoid private school the entire time aren’t connected with reality. Your dreams are like the salmon desperately swimming upstream and the CPSS is the bear to eat your dreams.
You can even say things are going to change: people have been saying that for decades. Believe Rahm or whomever else is going to make a huge difference if it helps you cling to your dream. Most all of you will wind up hightailing it out to the burbs once the kids either enter primary, middle or HS.
“PS TftInChi, don’t get angry and upset, perhaps it’s time you came out of your bubble and your narrowly-focused comfort-zone just a little. See things through the eyes of others and try and walk in someone else’s shoes for a change. Be aware that not everyone is going to think about real estate and the important demographic issues that affect it in the same way you do.”
Wha? The assumptions you make are just silly. “Anyone who doesn’t share my xenophobic worldview must never have been exposed to the evils of ‘other people’.”
Mind you this is just my opinion. Coke and Coke Zero are both largerly made up of the same stuff, it’s just the 5% difference that makes the world of difference. Can you tell me Oak Park feels like Ukie Village WP, Buck-Town, West Town in general? Does Oak Park feel like LP, or Lakeview, to you? It does not to me. It feels like a Suburb pretending to be down on what’s going on in the city. While that may score points with the Naperville crowd longing for a sip of Coke Zero after years of Diet Coke. There’s nothing like the real thing IMHO. If it works for you great.
Bob nailed it. Anyone that is using or has worked in CPS knows it’s not a cakewalk. That’s where “gaming the system” really comes into play. I’ll take my Coke Zero…
@ Dan – I agree with some of what you say, but at the end of the day this is a real estate blog and all the race chatter does become grating after awhile. (though I agree it does impact property value, etc, but once again it is grating and becomes trollish thread-after-thread). I think yesterday’s giant pizza and race thread should be enough for about a week or two on the subject.
As far as this place I agree that ‘mystery’ seems to be the best way to discribe the Ukranian Village. There are some fun places and good restaurants in the UV. I guess my main problem here is the commuting to the loop would be a bus to the blue line or two busses. But perhaps this person doesn’t work in the loop. Still I think you could spend $600k more effectively in the city unless brick house and wide lot were really important to the buyer.
The Chicago Bus is very Fast!
If gas prices keep going through the roof, the inner ring neighborhoods may very well continue to gentrify making houses like these more desirable.
“The Chicago Bus is very Fast!”
It depends. I’ve mentioned before that I take #66 to the blue line. It’s a 30 min commute on average for me.
It seems to move pretty quick up to the blue line and back from it. But the other day I took the #66 from State westward and it took forever to get through that area right before the river. Drove me nuts but it was rush hour.
Do I dare even bring up Vanilla and Cherry Coke? This could get ugly.
“Jason – What are the regular Coca-Cola neighborhoods?”
Vanilla is LP. Cherry is Lakeview. Regular is all other GO-zone chicago.
Coke 2 is Bucktown.
As far as the bus it is the inconsistancy that I don’t care for. Especially if you need to use two busses. With the blue line I know if I leave at 7:30am I am sitting down at my desk at 8am 95% of the time.
Jolt is ELP.
Roscoe Village to Lincoln Square is Caffine Free Coke.
Just a point of fact for Dan: the archdiocese has invested 11million dollars to build a brand new school at 16th and Michigan to address the problem of ” there are no good catholic elementary schools on the south side.” the new school, ( old saint marys) which will open in September, 2011, is seen by the archdiocese as a direct competitor with fxw and sacred heart ( which are not diocesan schools). test scores last year were above 95 perectile in all subjects.
Bridgeport is Royal Crown, Back of the Yards is Canfields, and Englewood is dollar-store 2-liter cola. Boystown is Jolt. River North is Red Bull.
the entire state of Wisconsin is Mountain Dew.
Does anyone remember clear pepsi?
As for oak park, I don’t know much about it, but I know it often gets compared to Evanston, I’d take Evanston over oak park any day. Proximity to lake is wonderful and you don’t have to risk your life on the green (ghetto) line to travel into the city.
‘As for oak park, I don’t know much about it”
“you don’t have to risk your life on the green (ghetto) line to travel into the city.”
For not knowing much about OP, that’s a pretty bold statement. The line goes through some pretty rundown hoods but I’ve never felt like my life has been at risk. Have you ever taken the Green Line towards Harlem?
I guess the South Loop would be New Coke? Total fail!
Yeah I remember clear Pepsi. Thing was get it even the slightest bit warm and it seemed to have a chemical aftertaste.
My favorites are PepsiMax & Diet Coke Lime. Also Diet Mt. Dew Ultra Violet, since discontinued. I guess if you want to enjoy a grape soda you’re going to have to risk diabetes for it.
” Have you ever taken the Green Line towards Harlem?”
I have, actually. Took it to Garfield Park Conservatory and I can tell you it was not a good experience. I will be the first to admit that I don’t know much about Oak Park, though, so don’t hold my OP comments against me!
“I have, actually. Took it to Garfield Park Conservatory and I can tell you it was not a good experience. I will be the first to admit that I don’t know much about Oak Park, though, so don’t hold my OP comments against me!”
Fair enough. I take the line during rush hour each day and it’s fine, but I’m sure the crowd is different late at night. I think the Blue Line might be a little safe during off hours.
I guess the South Loop would be New Coke? Total fail” Good one Russ!
Groove,
On your winbere’s experience, they were talking gangs at OPrf when I went there in the late 90’s. Selling pot does not make you a gang member. No, that isn’t the worst problem at OPrf, but the worse group is 1 % not 95 and IMHO most likely city students lying about residency to get in than true op/rf kids.
I guess my Ravenswood hood us regular Pepsi with the occasional Orangina, based on my own experience.
Thanks Benjy,
I had a feeling the veiw is out of whack. cause like i said above when i hear gangs my image of what it is there probably a huge divide between what the suburban pasty lady at winberry’s said.
on the other topic,
I guess my hood would be Presidents Choice Grape.
“I guess my hood would be Presidents Choice Grape.”–Can you tell just be looking down and counting the number of cans? If so, you are dead on–I’m sure.
I like the call though. Something about Grape soda makes me happy.
I’ve lived in Ukranian Village and Oak Park, they feel the same to me. Except you get the convenience of malls in Oak Park, along w/ higher taxes. If I had kids I would have stayed in OP, but instead I sold them all and moved to EGP. what an idiot!
My hood is Fruit Punch. In little 25 cent plastic bottles on everyone’s lawns.
“Can you tell just be looking down and counting the number of cans? If so, you are dead on–I’m sure.”
funny thing is thats how a came up with that i picked up a grape soda can off my lawn this morning (it was a fanta) i just changed the brand to sound more cheap/ghettoesque.
And you are correct grape soda make everyone smile and dream of riding big wheels around the block.
“My hood is Fruit Punch. In little 25 cent plastic bottles on everyone’s lawns.”
man i love those! with the foil tops! and body shaped like a mini barrel.
Grape is the official flavor of the hood… Followed closely by “red.” Notice I didn’t say Strawberry, but red…
“Followed closely by “red.””
is there any other flavor for kool-aid? if you call it by any other name you “aint keepin it real”.
if you want a freezer pop you always say red NEVER CHERRY!
(you know the ones that slice the shyte out of your inner cheek, and the ones your mom would open up with the same scissors she would use to cut off the matted dog hair around the dogs but.)
“Bob nailed it.”
I always like listening to unmarried, childless, non-education-related, business consultants about school issues.
and don’t forget the most important reason why Bob’s advice is worthless: He is not a landowner.
“riding big wheels around the block.”
That brought back memories.
The summer off, a big wheel, and a whole grape pop to yourself.
A kid couldn’t ask for too much more. Maybe some pop-rocks.
“and don’t forget the most important reason why Bob’s advice is worthless”
Next time Bob provides almost-legal advice, I’ll just assume you agree with him.
The non-landowner thing bothers me not; the “i know better for your kids than you stupid breeders” is annoying.
“The non-landowner thing bothers me not; the “i know better for your kids than you stupid breeders” is annoying.”
And which side of the semi colon falls everything else 🙂
“And which side of the semi colon falls everything else”
Bite-sized pieces, my friend. Trying to stay with the contents of thread.
“Bite-sized pieces, my friend. Trying to stay with the contents of thread.”
and I was hoping you would arbitrate the great Sabrina/chukdotcom debate before 1pm.