Short Sale Alert: 4-Bedrooms Under $440K in North Center: 1928 W. Diversey
This 4-bedroom duplex down unit at 1928 W. Diversey in the North Center neighborhood (is this Roscoe Village???) has been on the market since early February.
It is a short sale and has been reduced by $34,100 in the last 6 weeks.
Two of the bedrooms are on the main floor and two are on the lower level.
There is also a family room on the lower level.
Additionally, the unit has a rare 3 full baths.
The floors are cherry and there are granite counter tops in the kitchen, but no appliances.
Central air, an in-unit washer/dryer and 2 car tandem parking complete the package.
Is this a deal?
Patricia Pereyra at Keller Williams Lincoln Square has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #1W: 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, duplex down, 2 car tandem parking included
- Sold in September 2006 for $515,000
- Lis pendens foreclosure filed in November 2009
- Originally listed in February 2010 for $474,000
- Reduced several times
- Currently listed as a short sale for $439,900
- Assessments of $165 a month
- Taxes of $7697
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Bedroom #1: 13×12 (main level)
- Bedroom #2: 12×10 (main level)
- Bedroom #3: 13×9 (lower level)
- Bedroom #4: 11×9 (lower level)
This is neither Roscoe Village (which starts on Belmont) nor North Center (which starts at Irving Park). I like to call it fake Lincoln Park.
Apologies for not being on topic, but folks here are just so helpful – – I like that people tell it like it is. (I’m sure this has been brought up before, but it would be really great to have a discussion board on crib chatter where off-post topics could be raised.)
So, still looking for a place to live. While we’d like to buy, we hate our current apartment so much that we’re concerned we’ll just buy something to get out of here, which can’t be a good idea. When we raised some recent (major) concerns to our landlord, he said he wasn’t going to act, and that we should just give notice and move if we didn’t like it. Great.
The current plan is to rent and then start looking for a place that we can buy and do some major work on.
Which brings me to the question of the day – – What are your thoughts about renting a home in Bridgeport? We’re looking at three places today and it seems you get a ton for your money there. Would we be crazy to live there for a year? Family and friends are almost exclusively on the north side, and I know very little about the neighborhood.
As always, thanks.
I don’t know how to post a general inquiry here.
We’ve been thinking of taking advantage of the pricing softness in the South Loop. Over the last couple years we’ve been watching the situation on the net (we live out-of-state), and have been getting emails from two agents. One of them was an agent at Remax Vision21, who’s emails are informative and interesting.
Have tried emailing this agent, emails to her address bounce. Tried calling her, always voice mail, no return call. Stopped at the agency on Wednesday. Very nice receptionist. Didn’t know when, if ever, the agent comes into the office and even though I told her I was a buyer, said all the agents there were too busy to talk to me.
Huh? What’s going on in Chicago?
So when you see picture of a kitchen like that, does that mean the distressed homeowner had some used appliance vendor come and buy their stuff? I imagine you get pennies on the dollar for that.
“This is neither Roscoe Village (which starts on Belmont) nor North Center (which starts at Irving Park). I like to call it fake Lincoln Park.”
Thanks for trying to clarify the location. North Center runs south and north of Irving Park, actually. It’s technically North Center on the MLS- but most buyers wouldn’t call it that.
“Huh? What’s going on in Chicago?”
A lot of agents are quite busy. I know Redfin has been unusually busy since the start of the year, there are a lot of buyers shopping now. I am sure you can find an agent that will be more than happy to “help you buy” something though.
Brian McCarthy,
Give Gary Lucido a call (thats who i am thinking of using the summer).
http://lucidrealty.com/index.html
“Which brings me to the question of the day – – What are your thoughts about renting a home in Bridgeport?”
Are you Irish catholic? then you will fit right in without getting bothered more than once.
i kid, i kid. Its really nice blue collar hood to be in, local taverns are a bit territorial at times. I dont see a disadvantage if your just renting for a year. but if you got family on the northside the drive by car will get tiresome. unless you travel by LSD on off hours.
Brian McCarthy: It surely sounds like you need a new agent. I’d second Groove’s recommendation of Gary Lucido. Gary has struck me as very professional and reliable in his postings here. Or maybe someone that knows the South Loop really well (don’t know that Gary doesn’t).
REB: Don’t know Bridgeport that well myself, but have a friend who lives just east of Halsted between 31 and 35th. She’s single, late 20s, professional. She’s very happy with the value for her money and reasonably happy with the neighborhood. Safe enough where she is and the locals are friendly. (She is Catholic and partly Irish but not from the Bridgeport area originally.) She sometimes complains she has to drive a lot, to go out for dinner/meet friends/etc. Good access to highways and Lake Shore. A pain when there is construction on the Kennedy. Close to Chinatown and the Sox.
“North Center runs south and north of Irving Park, actually.”
Indeed it does.
And, as one of the “official” community areas, North Center (as all the othere) contains a few smaller neighborhoods–RV, St Bens, Hamlin Park, and (supposedly, per wiki, but I don’t buy it, living there and all, except as a Chamber of Commerce group) Northcenter (all one word). This is pretty close to Hamlin Park, and forced to call it something other than (generically) North Center, would choose Hamlin.
I still prefer “North Costco” or ELatH (East of Lathrop Homes), or even Lincoln Park, since it still has a 60614 zip.
If you spend time on the northside, I cannot see why you’d want to deal with traffic from Bridgeport. I give the residents of Bridgeport alot of credit for maintaining their community over the years in the face of racism. I was watching Larry Elder tell Tavis Smiley that every year there are 1 million (I kid you not) interracial black-on-white crimes in America. This rarely happens in Bridgeport, thankfully, and it’s probably due to the residents stance against letting themselves be the victims of interracial criminals.
There is absolutely nothing appealing about the location of this condo. It is located on a very busy street, near the projects, far from RV, far from anything good in LP, etc etc…..
This is a total no mans land and symptomatic of the condos that were built in horrible locations during the bubble.
I think this is indeed technically north center – due to the proximity of the Lathrop Homes and until about 15 – 20 years ago the overwhelming industrial nature of this stretch of Diversey, people didn’t call this anything.
but most people now call it west lakeview. hamlin park really isn’t likely to stick as a neighborhood moniker beyond a block or so surrounding, as although it’s a nice park, anyone living from Barry north is trying to be lumped in to Roscoe Village, and anyone east of Damen wants to be West Lakeview.
I don’t live too far from here and the people around me call it South Lakeview.
Can we officially have strict boundaries for neighborhoods for cribchatter purposes? I hate when things are in borderline one area or another. Sabrina, anyway you can officially draw up a map and make a page for it on the site so we can stop arguing all the time?
Last owner paid $515k for it, financed 80/20, both with WaMu, foreclosure filed by BofA on the 1st (most likely as Agent for the RMBS)
Looks like it was a strategic default (which makes taking the appliances *extra* weird). Altho I may be totally wrong about the people involved, who don’t have truly unusual names, but not *common* either. They made $128k (gross-paid $399, sold for $527, buyer used only a $127k mtg) on a condo at the Montgomery that they owned for ~15 months.
Question,
Wikipedia calls it Hamlin Park. Sorry no South Lakeview.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Center,_Chicago
oh the debate between neighborhood names… I gave up on that after spending too much time on this blog. There will never be agreement, and I realized it doesn’t matter b/c who gets to decide anyways…
The only official boundaries are the ‘Chicago Community Areas’. Neighborhoods are made-up and are fluid. So I give up on the ‘what neighborhood is it’ game. Asking someone what neighborhood this is will get you a million answers. Just like asking a realtard how many square feet a house?
REB on March 12th, 2010 at 7:45 am
“Apologies for not being on topic, but folks here are just so helpful”
Seems to be a lot of questions like this lately. Sabrina can you create a Question Post or something for these types of “random” inquries? I always feel bad about derailing threads or contributing to the derailment of a thread but there are some interesting questions and answers to be found from this community.
Neighborhoods are fluid, as one poster mentioned. But there are street boundaries that are generally accepted for most neighborhoods. The problem is, the MLS-designated areas don’t always jive with those neighborhoods. MLS areas tend to be larger geographic areas, most encompassing several neighborhoods. If anyone wants a copy of the MLS map, just contact me via http://www.markbazzetta.com and I’ll send it over.
It is hamlin park.
Id love this place if it wasn’t a duplex down but um yeah…
“Sabrina can you create a Question Post or something for these types of “random” inquries? I always feel bad about derailing threads or contributing to the derailment of a thread but there are some interesting questions and answers to be found from this community.”
I used to feel bad about posting OT but now feel is part of the unique charm of the CC. That, and however OT I am, it can’t be worse than Groove relating every location to where he ran into trouble with: (a) a girl, (b) the police, (c) a rival gang, (d) his digestive system, or (e) CPS.
“I still prefer “North Costco” or ELatH (East of Lathrop Homes), or even Lincoln Park, since it still has a 60614 zip.”
I drive by Lathrop Homes all the time, often on the way to Costco. There are Hamlin Park banners up on that stretch of Diversey. Seems like an odd branding decision for the Hamlin Park people, if they are the ones that put it up. I like the North Costco designation.
“That, and however OT I am, it can’t be worse than Groove relating every location to where he ran into trouble with: (a) a girl, (b) the police, (c) a rival gang, (d) his digestive system, or (e) CPS.”
words can hurt deep too 🙁
Now I need to find a place with a gator deck in North Costco.
Who cares what neighborhood it’s in- it’s right next to costco! You can walk home and carry back ten percent of your groceries or roll home on your newly purchased keg of mayo.
Also: master bath shower = lots of knobby thingys.
Yes, thanks anon for the “North Costco” name for this “neighborhood.” An apt and accurate description of this block of new (last decade) construction cookie-cutter condo/townhouses.
You’ll need the garage here. When they say “close to everything,” I think they mean walking distance to Costco, Maxwell Street Dogs, a lonely Starbucks a few blocks west, and the Lathrop Homes. Everything else you’ll need to drive to or take Public Trans.
And good luck with that. I have yet to see conclusive evidence of a Diversey bus. It’s an urban myth as far as I’m concerned.
This: http://www.lakeviewcitizens.org/index.asp is interesting, as it loops “West Depaul” (aka, fake Lincoln Park) into “Lakeview”, among other things.
“And good luck with that. I have yet to see conclusive evidence of a Diversey bus. It’s an urban myth as far as I’m concerned.”
Really? I feel like I’m always stuck behind it.
And Groove, I hope and think you know I’m kidding. I always enjoy the tales of high school Groove.
Oops. That Starbucks is a few blocks EAST. Not west. (http://www.centerstagechicago.com/restaurants/starbucks/1700wdiversey.html)
“Oops. That Starbucks is a few blocks EAST. Not west.”
Few blocks west gets you to Diversey River Bowl. Who doesn’t love Rock’n’Bowl?
Traffic in this block is the worst b/c of the Damen/Cybourn/Diversey 6-way. Wolcott used to be a viable alternate around the 6-way, but they one-wayed it southbound, taking away the N-bound utility (tho if you see a car coming from Menard’s N-bound–it wasn’t me, I swear).
“I hope and think you know I’m kidding”
I know 🙂
Anon,
I shall now call this North Costco, and will put my foot down on buying on a main street. JUST DONT DO IT! even with a good price and good windows (windows will need to be opened)
For an older Groove story a Chef buddy of mine bought a duplex down on damen around the corner in 04 right across from the “homes” he didnt mind it but his wife hated it.
where’s homedelete?
I was wondering if anybody knew how easy/hard it would be to buy the loan (at a discount) rather than buy the deed via short sale?
anyone know?
I’m interested in buying an underwater loan at discount, if possible, to keep someone I know in a house.
Wasn’t much of that area formerly part of the PMD? Or is that only between Clyborn and Elston?
Here I am! I have a job and I work like a mad man, I post only when I have a few moments to spare, all the while waiting for the case to start on fire and practically burn the office down.
How to purchase a loan at discount? I think it’s safe to say that you won’t be able to do that for single loans, only maybe for entire pools of loans; and there’s a sort of Mexican standoff right now. buyers are looking to buy distressed loans at like 30/40 cents on the dollar and banks are thinking they’re wroth 60/70 cents on the dollar so very little is changing hands at discounted rates. private equity has been pooling money for *years* to buy these distressed assets and everytime thus far the answer has been the same: There are very few deals to be had. Sounds resoundingly familiar, sort of like green zone real estate, huh?
“#Dan on March 12th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
where’s homedelete?
I was wondering if anybody knew how easy/hard it would be to buy the loan (at a discount) rather than buy the deed via short sale?
anyone know?
I’m interested in buying an underwater loan at discount, if possible, to keep someone I know in a house.”
“Wasn’t much of that area formerly part of the PMD? Or is that only between Clyborn and Elston?”
I think (w/o checking) that it ended at Diversey (or south–perhaps at the RR tracks) East of the river.
“I was wondering if anybody knew how easy/hard it would be to buy the loan (at a discount) rather than buy the deed via short sale?”
If it’s a securitized loan (as I’d bet more than a buck that this one is–issued by WaMu, BofA f/c’ing), I’d call it *nearly* impossible. If the note is held directly by a bank in its portfolio, it would be possible (tho still difficult), esp. if it’s a smaller bank. Even a portfolio loan at JPM/Wells/BofA/Citi I think would be *extremely* difficult, b/c of bureaucray.
That area is interesting. Between Damen, Paulina, Wellington, and Diversey there are lots of expensive townhouses, weird SFH in gated areas, and condos. But, transportation from there is horrid. I’ve walked around and through and might have considered buying nearer to Paulina if we didn’t need close access to the train.
“put my foot down on buying on a main street. JUST DONT DO IT! even with a good price”
I think the discount has to be at least 15% off an *identical* property across the alley (eg, same unit at 1927 Wolfram), and about 25% for one a full block off (ie, same unit at 1928 Wolfram), but that’s not been how it works, in part b/c there are v. few of these 3.5 to 4.5 story condo buildings on side streets in North Costco or North Center. Different story in Lakeview and LP, proper, but then the main streets generally get even bigger buildings, so it’s still hard to do the % off.
“Wikipedia calls it Hamlin Park. Sorry no South Lakeview.”
It’s neither.
#1 – Wikipedia is not definitive.
#2 – Wikipedia’s description of the Hamlin Park “neighborhood” is so generous it’s ridiculous.
#3 – north side of Diversey isn’t Lincoln Park. when a major artery cuts two established (ie, community areas) in half, one side goes to one, one side to the other.
#4 – Hamlin Park isn’t a neighborhood, ridiculous sign postings on Western and Belmont notwithstanding. If the Lathrop Homes ever get torn down/totally redeveloped, maybe, but don’t count on it.
I went to Hamlin Park day camp as a kid, and grew up in Lake View proper before moving to Diversey & Damen after college- I know this neighborhood as well as anyone. Lake View is IMO not flexible on tbe borders – it was once a suburb. It got annexed, but those borders have history that can’t be changed, end of story.
In terms of what people call it – they call anything east of Damen west lakeview. which makes me laugh (it’s west OF lakeview!), but I’ll accept it is what is commonly used.
Go to alookatcook.com and go back to the beginning – wards change. individuals change what they call one neighborhood or another. but the community areas weren’t developed by realtors, they were developed by UC researchers. they aren’t flexible.
now go to the goofballs on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:North_Center,_Chicago
and enjoy the circular firing squad reasoning – I *love* the guy who references a yelp message board as “evidence.”
we jokingly called this area Industrial Ghetto Park to the lovely merging of these urban environments – I don’t expect to see that on a $25 boutique store t-shirt any time soon, of course.
“Lake View is IMO not flexible on tbe borders – it was once a suburb. It got annexed, but those borders have history that can’t be changed, end of story. ”
From the Encyclopedia of Chicago:
“In 1857, the area presently bounded by Fullerton, Western, Devon, and Lake Michigan was organized into Lake View Township; in 1872 residents built a town hall at Halsted and Addison; and in 1887 Lake View was incorporated as a city.”
If the boundaries aren’t flexible, then about half of Lincoln Park, most of North Center and Lincoln Sqaure, all of Edgewater and Uptown, and a piece of West Ridge can’t really be called anything other than “Lake View”. And, everything we’ve been discussing here is “Lake View”. So “immutable boundaries” is not really a defensible position.
Re: ‘it can’t be worse than Groove relating every location to where he ran into trouble with: (a) a girl, (b) the police, (c) a rival gang, (d) his digestive system, or (e) CPS.’
I enjoy the personal asides! If this forum was 100% (instead of 90%) bitter comments about people overstretching on their PITIs I would have stopped reading a long time ago.
anon(tfo), Dan & Sonies all got put in their place wrt Hamlin Park by skeptic I love it. Hamlin Park is about as official as a neighborhood name as Andersonville.
“anon(tfo), Dan & Sonies all got put in their place wrt Hamlin Park by skeptic ”
Um, skeptic, who said Lake View is immutably the same as the one time suburb named “Lake View”? Which stretched from Fullerton to Devon from the lake to Western? And includes Andersonville?
Yeah, I feel *really* put in my place.
You might want to try this site for neighborhood boundaries. I am not an expert on Chicago by any means, but on occasion I use this for reference.
http://newhomenotebook.com/neighborhoods.aspx?nhID=1000
According to Cook County Assessor’s office-all those areas are still Lakeview.
“If the boundaries aren’t flexible, then about half of Lincoln Park, most of North Center and Lincoln Sqaure, all of Edgewater and Uptown, and a piece of West Ridge can’t really be called anything other than “Lake View”. And, everything we’ve been discussing here is “Lake View”. So “immutable boundaries” is not really a defensible position.”
ha, no, you’re right on the township anon.
my point (attempted) was you had a township with defined boundaries, and then those boundaries got officially refined by the City. so unless you are willing to say that parts of established areas like Edgewater are actually in Lake View, it’s a good observation but moot- the City clearly ended Lake View at Ravenswood, thus, that’s where it ends. The Township distinction probably exists on the tax bills, just as my Avondale one tells me I’m in Jefferson Park Twnshp, but obviously that’s a relic.
And while I commend people for getting involved, the Hamlin Park issue is a good example of how you can track why this stuff is important in real time.
Go here:
http://www.lakeviewcitizens.org/hpn.asp
“Current Executive Board:Adam Jaffe, President
Tom Barnard, VP & Zoning Committee Chair
Corey Berman, Secretary and Treasurer
Hamlin Park Neighbors is at a critical junction in its development. Over the last year, we have increased membership and our involvement in the community, increased our name recognition among our neighbors, established a website, updated our legal status and have established strong relationships with elected officials. The next board must continue to work on these issues to push HPN further ahead. If you or your neighbors choose not to get involved, HPN could slide backward. With so many pressing issues in our neighborhood (development of Lathrop Homes and the Belmont and Damen corridors, improving schools, improving our park, retaining our green space, safety issues, etc) this is a critical time for our community. ”
And what we see is a good old jockeying for power and the right to speak for a group regarding zoning (read: the $$$ that exacerbated our local housing bubble) for a chunk of “community” real estate. Following that section is one displaying concern/a need to get involved on the future of Lathrop.
Same as it ever was.
In my neighborhood I am “in” West Logan Square as one Larry Garrett distributes 5,000 copies of a monthly newsletter throughout some massive area. I like Larry & often agree with him, but not surprisingly he feels that he & his small group of regulars are entitled to some special vetting approval of all development decisions within this massive area, apparently claimed by a few stacks of a small, amateurish newsletter in some local businesses.
Unfortunately for Larry, reality intruded when the alderman seat flipped in 2002, and the “west logan square block club” (LOL) had backed the wrong candidate, Mell’s puppet aldercreature, Vilma Colom.
I rest my case just on the guy using a yelp discussion as evidence, that’s the best hilarity I’ve seen in years. : )
“You might want to try this site for neighborhood boundaries.”
Horner Park is the “North Side”, but St Ben’s (south and east of Horner Park) is the “Far North”?
As with anything showing neighborhoods in Chicago, useful, but open to argument and ridicule.
“Yeah, I feel *really* put in my place.”
Well, have fun selling the Lincoln Park part of the old Lake View Township as Lake View.
to clarify, the community areas (which in many cases were based in large degree on those annexations) are not flexible. So if there’s a conflict between today’s flavor-of-the-month neighborhood and a community area, the community area trumps.
“As with anything showing neighborhoods in Chicago, useful, but open to argument and ridicule.”
I’d somewhat agree, except when community areas align with neighborhoods. Then, fuhgeddaboudit.
More evidence would be the death of the once proud “Ravenswood” neighborhood – this is a great one:
http://chicago.straightdope.com/sdc20100225.php
as with most any other topic on CC 😉
“As with anything showing neighborhoods in Chicago, useful, but open to argument and ridicule.”
The problem is once you start looking at areas with no official definition (ie: parking permit areas or maybe zip codes are the lowest level I consider official) it opens up the door for Realtards and others to try to differentiate their lot/street/block/etc in a laughable attempt to distinguish it.
Its just a matter of time before people start trying to look down to the CPS tract level, which in itself is a laughable map.
skeptic–
Oh, I agree that west of R’wood ain’t Lakeview. It’s “officially” North Center, but it’s also not RV, w/o streching RV almost into meaninglessness.
As to “Hamlin Park Neighbors”, note that the website appears to be defunct–whois search shows the domain as available, so whoever was bank-rolling it decided to stop.
As to the Yelp citation, it’s a Wiki citation issue–needing to cite to something on the Web (albeit, Yelp wouldn’t have been a top choise for me). Can you honestly say that no one refers to “St Ben’s” as a defined area? I’m here to tell you that you are mistaken, b/c I (for one) do.
Hah, sparky IS Joe Zekas pimping his own dumb site
“I think the discount has to be at least 15% off an *identical* property across the alley”
WARNING another groove story;
I thought i told you guys how horrible it was when i lived in an apt one building off a two main street intersection with a hospital a mile or so down the street. ITS HORRIBLE, the soot and grime that gets into your place has you cleaning twice a week, the noises and lights suck, the loud conversations of people, the rice burner fast and furious cars and the motorcycles. my gosh i sublet that place after 6 month being there couldnt take it.
“Horner Park is the “North Side”, but St Ben’s (south and east of Horner Park) is the “Far North”?”
Wait i thought they have been lumping horner park area in to the albany park moniker?
“Hah, sparky IS Joe Zekas pimping his own dumb site”
Very similar timestamps, very similar way of writing, vitriolic defense of any criticism of developers. Its quite funny watching Jay-Zee try to claim its someone entirely different.
And don’t worry Sparky AKA Joe Zekas we aren’t going to let up on those developers and we’re going to continually point out and remind their potential audience what happened to those who bought new in 2004-2009.
“Wait i thought they have been lumping horner park area in to the albany park moniker?”
If you check out Joe-Z’s site sparky linked, it has Horner Park as the area east of the river plus the park itself–thus IPR–>Montrose; Western–>California.
It hurts my head with all these boundries and made up Realtor hoods, i cant keep up and my brain told me to stop it cant fit anymore in.
i have to pee now be back in 5.
“Can you honestly say that no one refers to “St Ben’s” as a defined area?”
Sure, people refer to it – but it’s based on a parish, and is part of a very well-known area – I’d absolutely disagree it’s well-defined, as any actual boundaries are pretty nonsensical and arbitrary.
St. Ben’s went from a parish to a realtor-neighborhood back when much of the rest of the hood was hispanic, I’d say maybe about 1990 was when I first actually started seeing “St. Ben’s” in print, and it was usually in the Reader apartment ads. ie – “come on in white people, you’re safe!”, as the usage certainly did not any go hand in hand with an attempt to actually grow the parish.
Ravenswood had lost its luster and nobody on god’s green earth could have told you where the heck “north center” was.
but if you aren’t Catholic, what on earth would you use a parish as a reference point for? on the north side I’d say a park is bigger magnet for newcomers, frankly.
all that said, yeah, the name has stuck, definitely – but I’d say it’s one of those neighborhoods that could also be legitimately chiseled away as ones like north center (or god help me, the unbelievably stupid looking “northcenter” as one word moniker) gain some cache.
the City was actually pretty brilliant when they put those huge cement marker points at places like Irving, Damen and Lincoln – sure ain’t no arguing with those!
dear god I need an edit function for this site, argh.
“the City was actually pretty brilliant when they put those huge cement marker points at places like Irving, Damen and Lincoln – sure ain’t no arguing with those!”
So, “northalsted”* is a neighborhood we can’t argue with, because of some concrete markers?
Look, I agree that the Official Community Areas can’t be expanded (unless they are, officially)–Lakeview is no larger than Diversey–>IPR, Ravenswood–>Lake. But I disagree with you about the cognizability, permanence and squishiness of sub-areas (and that’s fine–you needn’t agree, and I refuse to acknowledge being “put in my place”, as I expect you would too). Ravenswood was just an area created by a real estate developer, too, afterall. But, doubtless, many of them are realtor BS, and, like attendance area boundaries, don’t take their word for it, unless (maybe) they are *actual* friends.
*the one word thing does suk–see, eg, Lakeview, too–but dropping letters is even worse.
Can we all agree that SoPo is the one that makes us all cringe and call it a day?
“Can we all agree that SoPo is the one that makes us all cringe and call it a day?”
Agreed on that. I can’t even really figure out what the point of contention is exactly.
“Can we all agree that SoPo is the one that makes us all cringe and call it a day?”
Yeah but that was the best display of trolling I’ve ever seen on here, they even got me going. Random person claiming to be an HBS grad and authoritatively stating so and that the neighborhood is called SoPo. Wow we went howling.
“Yeah but that was the best display of trolling I’ve ever seen on here, they even got me going. Random person claiming to be an HBS grad and authoritatively stating so and that the neighborhood is called SoPo. Wow we went howling”
I remember her name was Jill i think, ahhh good times.
“I can’t even really figure out what the point of contention is”
I think skeptic and I are having a conversation that doesn’t much interest anyone else (at least anyone who posts) in which we’re disagreeing–slightly, but significantly–about the “reality” of sub-neighborhoods on the northside of Chicago and (implicitly) whether the life and death of neighborhood groups of sometimes dubious grassroots support have anything to say about defining a sub-neighborhood. Which makes it sound even more boring than it is.
And everytime a property in the area south of Belmont, b/t Ravenwood (and, really, Ashland) and the river is posted, there’s some discussion of the neighborhood, whether it’s desireable and what to call it. I’ll stick with North Costco from here-on and (try to) leave the minutae alone.
I wish I could go back in time and make this my high school yearbook quote.
“I think skeptic and I are having a conversation that doesn’t much interest anyone else (at least anyone who posts) in which we’re disagreeing–slightly, but significantly–about the “reality” of sub-neighborhoods on the northside of Chicago and (implicitly) whether the life and death of neighborhood groups of sometimes dubious grassroots support have anything to say about defining a sub-neighborhood. Which makes it sound even more boring than it is.”
“Hah, sparky IS Joe Zekas pimping his own dumb site”
Nope – wrong again, although I did learn about the neighborhood boundary website while reviewing his website during that famous blog flaming session a couple weeks ago. Joe Zekas does a good job of promoting his own websites, and is man enough to use his real name. He needs no help in that regard so what purpose does it serve him to use an alias?
“Very similar timestamps, very similar way of writing, vitriolic defense of any criticism of developers. Its quite funny watching Jay-Zee try to claim its someone entirely different.”
Here’s another challenge – show everyone here where I have EVER defended developers from any criticism in any of my comments. Go ahead, I dare ya. Nope.ain’t.ever.gonna.find.that. And what about our timestamps being similar? Did you just make that up? Similar way of writing? What are you smoking? 🙂
Brian, I also suggest Joe Barnes at Baird Warner in Lincoln Park. He was great when I was looking last year.
For what its worth, I was just passing on information that I found useful to other chatterers. On CC, this is what you get for being helpful.
I hope you both spend a good part of the next few days trying to find those “alleged” comments of mine as well as other “proof” that Joe and I are the same person. It will save this board from your snarky comments and false accusations. Happy Hunting! :))
And finally, one last thing. Both times you made false assertions, and when challenged, were not be able to present supporting data to validate those assertions. And both times you were wrong. At least you are consistent… wrong….but consistent. At least you have that going for you.
Sparky, stop shilling like Joe Zekas and we’ll stop calling you Joe. it’s more of an insult than evidence that you are actually Joe.
‘Sparky, stop shilling like Joe Zekas and we’ll stop calling you Joe. it’s more of an insult than evidence that you are actually Joe.’
Back up your claim. Show us us the evidence that I “shill”. Yet another baseless assertion that you can not be back up with any valid data. You guys are on a roll!
These charges leveled against you didn’t come from nowhere Joe, erh, Sparky. It’s preponderance of the evidence, not the beyond a reasonable doubt standard. Yes it might less than entirely rationale but plenty of witches in history were charged with flimsier evidence. The internet is closer to Salem, 1692, than one would care to admit.
Sparky is Joe! Sparky is Joe! He can’t prove he’s not Joe, therefore, he must be Joe! Get the tar and feathers!
Since its clear that you are one banana short of a fruit basket, here is a link to all of my past comments (the famous flaming thread which I’m sure makes Sabrina soooooo proud to have included on this blog). You obviously like to make assertions without any facts to back it up. Show the chatterers your proof.
http://cribchatter.com/?p=8206
I’ve spent over 30 years (off and on) researching and studying Chicago neighborhood names and boundaries, including countless discussions with community group representatives, chambers of commerce, etc. etc. The research includes a lot of time on the ground in every part of Chicago – the only way to experience some of the physical changes / barriers that mark neighborhood boundaries.
I rolled up what I know into this article at Google Knol:
http://knol.google.com/k/the-ultimate-list-of-chicago-neighborhoods#
My neighborhood name / boundary list is as of a point in time – in Chicago, new neighborhood names emerge, and generally accepted boundaries evolve.
For all their mocking of Realtor-created neighborhood names CCers ought to be aware that Bucktown is purely a fiction created by agents in the late 70s, early 80s when everyone stopped buying their decades-long tale that Wicker Park was the next hot neighborhood.
I appreciate Sparky’s link to my NewHomeNotebook site, but I generally link to my Knol for neighborhood info.
“Shill” is a badge of honor at CC – the regulars use it to refer to anyone who has actual experience and knowledge and calls them out on their maundering ignorance.
Sparky is indeed Joe Zekas theres no doubt about that.
And thanks for the neighborhood link Joe. You can add South Winnetka in there too as I’m sure those residents of North Evanston could use the association to help bolster their property values.
A belated thanks to folks for Bridgeport tips. The two places on decent blocks wouldn’t have worked for us. The one nice place was in a seriously sketchy area, with “regulars” (term used by the guy trying to sublet) hanging out drinking in broad daylight directly behind the house. No thanks.
Found a place on Craigslist near Kilbourn Park that looked promising, but it rented the first afternoon it was available.
Oh well. Still looking.
“So, “northalsted”* is a neighborhood we can’t argue with, because of some concrete markers?”
Ha, yeah, I thought you might mention those – but that’s not a community area, which is the markers I was referring to (Irving Park at least has them as well).
and FULLY agreed on the one-word, and letter-dropping thing with Northalsted – gays are supposed to be a better educated demographic, not illiterates, fer crying out loud.
this is somewhat trivial minutia, but it’s also not. As Joe Zekas points out, realtors brand/market neighborhood names, often very successfully – but for every winner, there is a loser. And I stick to my guns that neighborhood names that the residents come up with without realtor influence have more validity, as least to me. Thinking more about it, I’d have to say I was wrong and Hamlin Park seems as legitimate a neighborhood concept as any other on the north side. This is a pretty weird part of the city, frankly – the old neighborhood really was squarely based on the factory jobs, but they are indeed long gone, so it seems a bit more up for grabs.
and btw, while I find this a fascinating subject, outside of the community areas there really aren’t hard and fast rules (much less “putting anyone in their place”), this is more a battle for hearts and minds, as I see it.
gotta give Zekas credit for this:
>West Bucktown
This wannabe has a neighborhood association, but is not yet a neighborhood. West of Bucktown is Humboldt Park and Logan Square, and some folks would prefer that wasn’t the case.
“Thinking more about it, I’d have to say I was wrong and Hamlin Park seems as legitimate a neighborhood concept as any other on the north side.”
Woo-hoo! Of course, now I have to convince you to call it North Costco, too.
“while I find this a fascinating subject, outside of the community areas there really aren’t hard and fast rules (much less “putting anyone in their place”), this is more a battle for hearts and minds”
1. Agreed, 2. Agreed, 3. Knew you didn’t feel that way about it, and 4. Agreed.
“realtors brand/market neighborhood names, often very successfully”
Roscoe Village and Bucktown being among the more recent and complete (as successes) examples. And Joe-Z’s Knol is good (for the areas I know–can’t speak good or ill about Far South/SW), tho, I would stretch Joe-Z’s definition of RV from Damen to R’wood.
anon (tfo)
I’d agree with you that Roscoe Village is now commonly understood to extend east to Ravenswood, and I’ll be amending my Knol in the not too distant future. Just one example of how neighborhood boundaries evolve over time.
The Department of Planning map, interestingly, takes RV east to Lincoln Ave.
“The Department of Planning map, interestingly, takes RV east to Lincoln Ave.”
Not unreasonable, but unless they change the community areas, I don’t think RV can (reasonably) be part of Lakeview.
anon (tfo)
The Community Areas are irrelevant to neighborhood boundaries. It’s not uncommon for a neighborhood to span multiple Community Areas.
One good example of this is Bucktown. Between North Ave and Bloomingdale Bucktown is part of West Town (CA 24). North of Bloomingdale Bucktown is part of Logan Square (CA 22).
The Wicker Park Committee still maintains that Bucktown south of Bloomingdale is still Wicker Park – although most people consider it Bucktown. They have a good argument from history but a poor one from current usage.
http://www.wickerparkcommittee.org/index_files/Page864.htm
The new city Web site (sigh!) no longer, unless I’m missing something, has the Community Area maps online.
“The Community Areas are irrelevant to neighborhood boundaries. ”
1. I disagree with you, and
2. Not community areas in general, but that particular pair.
Price reduced to $324k. There is now a mold disclosure regarding the second level.
I like North Costco…but how about “Costco Village”…?