Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Identity Crisis

The poor 4800 block of Clark is so very much part of Uptown, yet people keep trying to make it part of other neighborhoods.

Sometimes they call it Andersonville, the unofficial neighborhood designation that overlays parts of the official community areas of Edgewater and Uptown.  (According to the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce, Andersonville runs from Ainslie (4900 North) to Victoria (5800 North).) Sometimes they call it Ravenswood.

But the 4800 block is clearly Uptown, especially when you remember it's the former home of Rainbo Gardens (later known as Rainbo Ice Arena and Rainbo Roller Rink), and Lincoln Towing, which are as Uptown as the Aragon and Montrose Harbor.

But here's a new one.  Language Stars, a program that teaches children other languages, will be setting up shop at 4814 N Clark, right where the Rainbo used to be, and we're thrilled to have them here.  But check out how they're describing their location:

Until November, they'll be holding classes at Chase Park, 4701 N Ashland, another area NOT near ball hawks, Murphy's Bleachers or the W flag.

Language Stars, we're glad to have you here and we welcome you -- to Uptown.

6 comments:

  1. The Sarpino's on Montrose & Clark also bills itself as being located in Wrigleyville. Only about a mile off...
    Maybe we should start referring to Lakeview as South Uptown.

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  2. Calling the 4800 block of Clark N. Wrigley is like calling me Miley Cyrus. Sure I can twerk with the best of them, yet my twerking is somehow more disturbing yet less offensive.

    Now one could call S Uptown, Buena Park. I don't even have a problem with N Wrigleyville as it makes some sense. 4800 Clark..........not so much.

    Kevin,

    Considering the number of near daily multiple muggings in Lakeview we might not want to be associated with them. Hopefully the level of mayhem in Lakeview will return to earlier less mayhemic levels. Sure, we lead the way on the northside for multiple victim shootings so we have that and the Target going for us.

    Here's something I stole from YoChicago that suggests some names for the 4800 block of Clark and some surrounding blocks.

    The area between Clark and Ashland and Montrose and and Foster TAINT.

    Taint Uptown, Taint Ravenswood.

    The 4800 block of Clark should be called Andersonville South as it rapidly is becoming like the blocks to the north.

    South of Lawrence should be called ASS-Andersonville South South.

    YoChicago has perhaps the definitive guide to neighborhood boundaries and names.

    I really don't have a problem with the 4800 block being marketed as South Andersonville. Andersonville is creeping south. It's still part of Uptown just like Buena, Sheridan, or Clarendon Parks. Perhaps to make it more Uptowny we should call it Andersonville Park?

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  3. TAINT. What a ticklish comment.

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  4. Andersonville does indeed go into both Edgewater and Uptown. Those are both community areas, and Andersonville is a neighborhood. Andersonville is also and an officially recognized neighborhood by the City of Chicago, and not an "unofficial neighborhood designation." I know it gets tricky with the neighborhood and community area designations, as in some cases they are interchangeable. You can see Andersonville on the map here:

    http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/doit/general/GIS/Chicago_Maps/Citywide_Maps/City_Neighborhoods_poster.pdf

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  5. Jeff, I don't understand your comment.

    On the map you linked, Andersonville is NOT in Uptown, as it starts north of Foster, which is the northern border of Uptown. That goes with my understanding as well - I didn't venture up there much, but I always though Edgewater and Andersonville overlapped; not sure how Uptown got brought into it (well, I do know how - Andersonville has more cachet with real estate agents/businesses, so I'm guessing places at 5100 and 5000 North started calling themselves 'Andersonville')

    Whatever the case, there is no North Wrigleyville. That is ridiculous.

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