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Joe Askins and I took a driving tour around Pilsen after having a look at Belgravia Group’s Union Row townhome development last Friday. A neighborhood in transition, Pilsen has an eclectic, sometimes jarring mix of new developments and existing home stock (basically you’ve got a lot of shiny new construction going up next to not-so-shiny older homes). But the neighborhood is home to many of the city’s finest art galleries and some of its best Latino food. For North Siders who rarely make it south of the Loop, 18th Street between Wood and Racine and Halsted between 16th and 21st are definitely worth a visit.
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“A neighborhood in transition”
This is a marked improvement over what your staff has previously stated. Nice work on the videos. However, I noticed that all of the new businesses, and ones that might indicate a change in clientle, are inconspicuously absent, though they’re right along your route.
Highly recommend Honky Tonk Barbeque at 1213 West 18th for some “memphis style” dry-rub.
Area has great potential; all the bones of infrastructure, parks, access to education, access to jobs, but it is just not happening.
Everything is great except for the issues between an alderman who does not appear to like progress or enforcement of US laws, 65% of constituants who do not want change, a University that historically does not value it’s neighbor to the South, a 2nd or 3rd generation slumlord who has all kinds of property tied up in some of the coolest buildings on the main street with hidden courtyards not used to 1/10 their potential, and where yuppies (or is it “muppies”) may be less popular than police, gang bangers, and the noxious power plant.
But, other than that, everything is proceeding nicely.
The collapse in prices has created change no one notices such as the young hipster couples buying cottages. Suddenly prices have reached the point where they can buy and afford to fix just like East Village in 1989. I bought one myself, closed May 1st for the irony, and get this it had only been owned by one Polish family since 1880. At 140K I thought it a fantastic deal. Look for bikes on gates, they tell a story.
pilsenslav,
I’d contend that the only story bikes on gates tell is “bikes on gates.” A deeply murky tale.
I’ve seen quite a few bikes in Pilsen and precious few of those were mounted by hipsters or owned by them. A search on recent sales in Pilsen surfaces precious few non-Hispanic surnames among the buyers.
Now that the weather’s warm, how about showing me around Pilsen on a wekend afternoon and pointing out the changes I’m missing?
Sure anytime on a Saturday. You might enjoy looking at a 19th Century Cottage in a remarkable state of preservation to start. As for surnames, what pray tell does that have to do with it? My nephews surname is Dugarte and he certainly isn’t any less an American than I though I understand your point of looking at the transfers that way, I do too but it is quite old fashioned. The Polish Mexican mix for example is classic old timer Pilsen. Not a single child next to me married someone of Mexican heritage, they all married Slavs. Race or ethnic background is increasingly irrelevant, this isn’t the North Side of yore or Lincoln Park in the 1960s, socio economic status is what counts and race or ethnic background themselves are an increasingly irrelevant construct in urban areas like Chicago as the mixed race population continues to grow. It’s educational levels, disposable income, family size, a host of other things, not simply where someone’s grandparents were from.
Oh and by the way, I know those bikes you link to, all hipsters, each and every one. That is a total hipster palace from way back, one of the first in Pilsen, the owner grew up in Lincoln Park.
pilsenslav,
And we all know that Bill Richardson is a Latino.
I’d agree with you that race and ethnic background are irrelevant – as they ought to be – to many of us.
I’m looking forward to the far-off day when race and ethnic background are irrelevant to the “gringos out of Pilsen” crowd, and the day when Pilsen has an alderman who views it as an American rather than a Mexican community.
Your visual recall of a scene I shot more than 2 1/2years ago is remarkable.
I’ll e-mail you my contact numbers and look forward to seeing Pilsen through your eyes.
Who cares about those know nothings with their stupid chatter, either they don’t live here or they are self loathing guilt ridden idealists who grew up in Winnetka. Who knows, it is not as if any of us care. “Yuppies out of Pilsen” what a ridiculous idea that is. Talk about passe, most of my neighbors would like nothing more than their children to succeed. Yuppies indeed. It certainly is not a prevailing view. Even the Alderman lives over in Tri Taylor.
pilsenslav,
What a wonderful place you live in. Ever consider moving to Pilsen?
Every parent of a gang-banger I ever knew, and I’ve known more than my share, passionately wanted their children to succeed and devoted their lives to that end – to no avail.
The alderman’s residence is irrelevant. He could live in Barrington and still, as he’s often said, want to keep Pilsen a Mexican community. Are you saying he doesn’t represent the sentiments of his constituents?
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