The so-called Winthrop Kenmore corridor has long been a troubled area, home to a largely transient population. According to Compass Rose:
In the 1960s and 70s, when the neighborhood was at its low point, the Winthrop-Kenmore corridor was called Arson Alley because 25% of the buildings were empty and vacant. Today, due to a massive community effort, Winthrop and Kenmore avenues have many homes and apartments restored to their former glory.
During the early 80s parts of the area remained so tough that police cars would reportedly only venture there in tandem. The Tribune had this to say in 1986:
Aging lakefront high-rises form an east bank; the elevated Howard-Englewood rapid-transit line clattering behind two-flats draws a west bank. In between lies one of the most densely populated areas of the city, a long string of apartment buildings, boarding houses and occasional elegant homes known as the Winthrop-Kenmore Corridor.
For decades, poor Appalachians, American Indians and mental patients released from state institutions entered Uptown and tumbled like flotsam toward Edgewater along Winthrop and Kenmore Avenues.
The corridor’s boundaries differ, depending on who you ask, although it’s commonly understood as the part of Edgewater between Foster Ave (5200 N) and Granville Ave (6200 N) east of the L tracks.
The latest edition of 48th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman’s newsletter has the following:
On Monday, I met with property managers for more than 25 buildings from the area bounded by Hollywood, Broadway, Granville & Sheridan to discuss safety concerns in this section of our community. Representatives from the Chicago Department of Buildings, our area’s Problem Buildings Unit, the Corporation Council for Chicago, the Chicago Police Department and I made sure that attendees understood what their responsibilities are as property managers as well as my expectations for them and how they can improve public safety in this area. I will continue to meet with all of the property managers in this section of our ward and work with them to make sure problem tenants are evicted as promptly as possible. I believe strongly that ridding our community of problem tenants will greatly improve the safety of our entire neighborhood.
Is the solution to the Winthrop Kenmore corridor’s long-standing problems really that simple? And where will those “problem tenants” go? Will they tumble like flotsam back to Uptown?
The Edgewater Historical Society, amusingly, is soliciting materialsfor an upcoming “exciting and informational exhibit on famous crimes in Edgewater and the community’s response to crime over the past few decades.”
Hey Joe, you short on material today?
That area is way better than it was in the 80’s. Like waayyyyy. It’s loaded with renovated condos and apartment buildings. That stretch of Bryn Mawr is quite nice now.
Whatever problems “the corridor” has now are minor compared to the not so distant past.
Loyola University has purchased a large number of buildings south of Devon and turned them into student housing. That creates problems of a lesser and differ sort.
As for the American Indians and mountain Irish they’re about as scarce in Uptown or Edgewater as sane candidates in the GOP presidential race. There may have been a few around, but they are hard to find now. Check out the archives in the “Chicago Reporter” to get an idea on the relative disappearance of those groups from Uptown and Edgewater.
As for mental patients they are still around, but in lesser numbers as the buildings have been renovated.
Huge stretches of this city would consider themselves blessed to have only the problems of the “corridor”.
Good density, viable businesses, relatively low crime by city standards, good transportation, few vacant properties, and a university with deep pocket are the ingredients for an ok neighborhood.
IrishPirate,
Have you been hitting the cheap wine at Jewel again?
I’ll agree that the corridor has come a long way from its past. Most of the folks talking about the crime issue over at EveryBlock are a bit more concerned about it than you are.
Paint, canvas, brushes, linseed oil, etc. are the ingredients for an OK painting. They don’t always result in one.
Joe,
I’ll have to check out Everyblock, but the corridor is generally a decent place to live. Perhaps their posts will change my mind.
As for my usage of any cheap Jewel wine that generally doesn’t begin till 9pm or later. I did stock up recently though and should have enough to take me well into the newish year. Take a sale, combined with a rebate, and an EBAY purchased Jewel gift card at a deep discount and I’m well set to watch the year unfold.
Joe,
I just checked out Everyblock for the corridor. Not a whole lot of serious crime related stuff there for the last few months. It may be a question of newer residents having higher standards for the neighborhood.
The corridor only had two murders last year. One was a domestic and the other wasn’t.
http://www.wellesparkbulldog.com/news/homicides-increase-on-north-side-in-2011
I refuse to hyperlink because your insult against cheap Jewel wine offended cheap Jewel winos such as myself.
IP,
The new year started with a bang in the corridor.
Here’s one EveryBlock thread.
And why are property managers meeting with the Alderman to express safety concerns?
“American Indians”
Since American Indians lived here long before the White Man came, just what is the objection against them living there now? They have more right to be living anywhere in the metropolitan Chicago area than anyone else.
And lumping American Indians and poor Appalacians together with mental patients is incredibly bigoted.
Joe,
the end is nigh! The sky is falling. Property managers and the aldermen are meeting to discuss crime. Sell, move get out quickly!
Similar things happen in Uptown after one of our much more frequent shootings. Such meetings are a pavlovian response to almost any high profile crime.
I could create a “north lakefront shooting template”.
1. Shooting occurs. Typically gang related.
2. People demand action. Call in the National Guard! Abrogate the constitution. Send the gangs to Gitmo.
3. Aldercritter responds. Public meeting held.
4. People say the neighborhood is crime ridden and dangerous. Say things are worse than ever. They will move as soon as their lease is up or they can sell their condo.
5. Things are quiet for awhile.
6. Another shooting occurs.
Repeat from point two.
I left the area just west of broadway because of the crimes about a year and a half ago – there were the Nigerian drug deals smashing cars (crashing a likely stolen NJ plated Range Rover into a garage totaling it), female friends who were stuck in their cars behind drug deals on Rosedale and Elmdale when leaving my place, increase in street crime/hostility, especially on the Thorndale Strip (section between the el and B’way). The neighborhood seemed to get worse as condo conversions increased – my suspicion was lax oversight on renting of condo’s as opposed to renting of rental units. The hostility level (not unjustifiably) increased palpably after Katrina.