It's been a relatively quiet summer, but the sound of shots was unmistakable. According to Craig Gernhardt:
"4 to 5 shots at Wilson and Broadway. 3:55PM. Shooter pulled gun from shorts and fired. Offender described as; Male/black, on a green bike, red t-shirt, fled towards Uplift school. Vice-lords were in the area according to police."
We hate these urban terrorists and wish the gun had gone off while the guy still had it in his shorts.
Update: "Another reader mentioned his partner was just at the Harris Bank in Uptown at Wilson and Broadway when some young late teen/early 20's guys were chasing after each other shooting at each other. He was walking out of the bank going to his car. He ran to the car and got out unscathed."
Anybody want to buy a condo? Think it may be time to leave - haven't even made it to a year.
ReplyDeleteNancy, if you think this is bad, it probably isn't the neighborhood for you. Last year, we had two to three shootings each week. This is very calm in comparison to the last three years.
ReplyDeleteNot saying it's acceptable. One shooting is too much. It's just been really calm this summer -- by comparison.
ReplyDeleteThis always seems to happe around the same time of day at that location.
ReplyDelete@Nancy, I ditto what CN said. Be part of the change. From those of us who have been here for a bit can attest, it is happening. Get those a$$holes out of here.
ReplyDeleteMeg, everyone has a tipping point. If Nancy has reached hers, I'm not chiding her. If you feel unsafe in your home, it's probably time to leave if you have the means to do so. I do wholeheartedly agree with you that it's time to get these gnag idiots of out here. I am sick of being terrorized by them.
ReplyDeleteDownright Shocking!
ReplyDeletehahahahahahahahahaha! Funny joke Nancy! Good luck trying to sell your condo!! Our neighbors just took a 100k hit!
ReplyDeleteThat being said I am sick of gangs and every they bring to our neighborhood! Did they ever figure out what happened at the Jewel the other day? This is certainly NOT the first shooting!
Everyone is aloud to post their comments. Please... is the neighborhood changing? yes. Are people still aloud to be afraid? you bet. This neighborhood has been bad for decades. Give me a break, it is getting better for sure from when I first moved here in 1990. It is not for everyone though. I have a feeling though in 10 years we will be lucky ducks owning up on the north side though. :)
ReplyDeleteActually I love my condo and my housemates and cannot afford to take a hit on the price, but there is acceptable risk and unacceptable risk. Being part of the change is good, I believe in it and if you say it is getting better, then I believe you. But how do you step up the fight to make them the uncomfortable ones without taking that unacceptable risk? We're in for the long haul - Would rather be renting got the joke!
ReplyDeleteThe Uptown neighborhood has gone from bad to worse. If your going to buy a condo come our direction where it has always been safe. Marine drive, from Montrose to Irving park. Nice, clean and safe buildings with a private balcony on most. Your neighbor is your Alderman too....
ReplyDeleteGod I love being a renter. Sorry folks, think I'll capitalize on some of those cheap Lakeview condos when and if I EVER buy in Chicago. Least I'll know my investment won't require Kevlar.
ReplyDeleteBTW, given Uptown's high concentration of social services/shelters/SRO's etc. (not to mention gang infestations and a healthy drug market)does anyone ever see condo appreciation here? We would have to ship 1/3 of the neighborhood out of here, turn all the half way houses, shelters and social services into thriving businesses and find heavy investment capital for infrastructure repairs.
Love the "hood" but in a love/hate kind of way. Wish I loved it enough to plunk down $220k for a investment I knew would only sink.
There are shootings and gangs in every single neighborhood in this city. I love how some people think it's soooo edgy to live in a "ghetto" that requires "kevlar." I mean, really, who you trying to impress? What Uptown do you live in? Do you ever stop to look around?
ReplyDeleteMy Uptown has ice cream shops, mom & pop restaurants, kids playing in parks, people walking dogs, neighbors who say hi and look out for one another, festivals, farmers markets, and new businesses opening every day. If you didn't read Uptown Update, most of us would NEVER. FREAKING. KNOW this gunfire happened. Yet you think you get some kind of piggybacked street cred when a jackhole riding a bike fires a gun and manages not to hit anyone? Most people only found out about it from a mile or two away, on a laptop on a wireless network in a cozy little home. THAT somehow entitles you to claim you;re living in a ghetto? Look, if you really want the street cred, I can recommend a few neighborhoods on the South and West sides where you can really feel edgy. Kevlar may actually be required there.
I've lived in Uptown for most of my life, on and off, and it's about the least "ghetto" it's ever been now. At the same time, the gangs are as bold as they've ever been. Yet after years of renting, I made the decision to buy, steps from Wilson & Broadway, and I've never regretted it.
BTW, you know how I found out about the shooting? I heard it happen. It wasn't fun. Yes, Uptown has far to go, but it's well on its way. If you'd been here around 1990, you wouldn't believe the differences.
As far as renting versus buying, it's up to you. I never wanted to buy, and then one day I did. As far as appreciation, my place has doubled in value in the just-over-fifteen-years I've been here. My mortgage is less than the rent I paid for a smaller place in Buena Park. My neighbors, who moved here in the early 1980s, paid about what you'd pay for a parking space now for their vintage condo, and it's easily worth ten times that now.
It's never a smooth road uphill, but Uptown is on its way. Expect some bumpy roads. I suppose you don't remember what the Southport Corridor, or Kenmore between Irving and Montrose, used to be like. Let's just say I would never walk there, even in daylight, without getting chills, and I wouldn't dream of even driving through at night. 15 or 20 years later... total transformation. It'll happen. Not this year, not next year... but it will happen.
Well said TSN!
ReplyDelete"There are shootings and gangs in every single neighborhood in this city. I love how some people think it's soooo edgy to live in a "ghetto" that requires "kevlar." I mean, really, who you trying to impress? What Uptown do you live in? Do you ever stop to look around?"
ReplyDeleteAmen to this whole post.
Seriously, the neighborhood has been pretty quiet all summer despite action to the south, west and north. I've seen post after post this summer about positive community events that get a couple or no responses. Then as soon as another gang on gang shooting happens, everyone floods in talking about war zones and other nonsense.
As for the rent/buy nonsense, anyone who buys a place hoping for instant appreciation is foolish at best. Remember when people bought a place for the long haul, you know, how you're supposed to do it.
Well, I have this to say. I see condos that are for rent in this neighborhood ok? NOW, Im a renter myself and I don't really like the building I'm in at the moment, so I looked into a couple condos I seen for rent and they wanted TOO much money... So as time passes (about a yr or so they're STILL for rent)
ReplyDeleteUh, guess what happened??????? They rented it out SECTION EIGHT!!!!!!!!!!! THAT pissed me off. Good luck, sorry I couldn't afford the ---- rent they wanted. Is this a measure of desperation or what???? Jus thinkin....
I have neighbors who have lived in Uptown for over 30 years. Uptown has come a long way! I agree with TrumanSquareNbr. Uptown fell to hard times in the 70's, too many social services that lead to government dependency, and too much subsidzed housing.
ReplyDeleteThe #$@%heads are more brazen, they don't respect you or the police for that matter. What do they care? The liberal Cook County court system will have them back on the street in no time!
I've been going to Ezra lately and I pointed out to some SUV cops the "white t-shirt gang" which made several rounds around the corner of Sheridan/Wilson in the ten minutes I waited for the bus to go home. In the meantime I saw a guy dig in the trash for food (I offered him my seconds from Uptown Cafe, he declined) and somebody sprawled out on the steps of the church blackout drunk. This neighborhood can be so sad at times.
ReplyDeleteWhenever anyone says,
ReplyDelete"blah blah blah
move after one year
blah blah blah"
it doesnt make sense.
You have to understand where you live and help make it change, its not going to magically improve to perfection just because you moved in.
And great post from Trumansquarenabr....