the_honeyman t1_itqd8gp wrote on October 25, 2022 at 3:17 PM

If you "ignore the north side" like all these terrified south siders suggest, you'll miss the only culture this godforsaken town has to offer in downtown and on Commercial Street, as well as a few of the best neighborhoods in town in Phelps Grove, Rountree and parts of West Central just North of Drury.

You said you're from Chicago. Our north side is going to feel like Mayberry to you. I live directly in one of those "bad" neighborhoods everybody is so scared of and love it. There are places that I wouldn't live, but there's basically nowhere I wouldn't walk. Granted, I'm a big white dude, so ymmv on the midnight walks.

All that to say, if you want 100 year old craftsman and craftsman-adjacent houses as well as proximity to all of the cool things that happen in town look north of Sunshine, especially in those neighborhoods I already mentioned above. If you want McMansions behind picket fences, and HOA Karens measuring your grass with rulers, check out the south side.

periodbloodsausage t1_itrdn1q wrote on October 25, 2022 at 7:11 PM

Nah, I've lived here 15 years. You'd do fine to ignore the north side completely - and by that, I mean north of Chestnut. The north side has a reputation because it is factually a more dangerous part of town and objectively is uglier and more run down. Commercial is a little better since they moved The Kitchen, but I've previously had to drive across town to meet my ex after she couldn't leave Lindburg's due to two creepy homeless guys following her outside and catcalling her, so she didn't even feel safe enough to walk to her car.

It's great that you feel content and I am happy for you, but don't downplay the subreddit's concerns at large about the north side as some type of exaggerated pearl clutching. It is what it is.

the_honeyman t1_itreu0h wrote on October 25, 2022 at 7:19 PM

I've been here since 2007. It's largely pearl clutching. Creepy dudes being creeps exist all over town.

periodbloodsausage t1_itrn0u2 wrote on October 25, 2022 at 8:11 PM

The general consensus of our residents and the subreddit community undoubtedly disagree with you, but you are entitled to your opinion. I mean, are property values higher on the south side or north side? What factors do you think play into south side properties having more value? If you can’t objectively answer that question then you are simply being dishonest.

Are you going to get stabbed, shot, or car jacked on the north side? Probably not, but your chances are certainly higher because of all those factors that play into low property values. Homelessness, crime and drugs, distance from infrastructure, and crumbling infrastructure.

Creepy people do exist all over town. The difference is you don’t see groups of homeless or sketchy people who are obviously tweeking out walking down the sidewalk of republic road on the daily. Go take a peek at the homeless camp behind Creasian on Chestnut.

the_honeyman t1_itrqszq wrote on October 25, 2022 at 8:34 PM

All of those issues stem from people who live on the south side going "just ignore the north side."

Are there problems up here? Yes. Are they nearly as bad as what the south siders make it out? Not even close. Will they get any better as long as yall have the "just ignore it" attitude? Fuck no.