lincoln park

Lincoln Park Data

Top Attributes

• Pet friendly 9.9

• Nightlife 8.3

• Shopping 8.3

• Public Transportation 8.3

• Green space 8.1

Lowest Attributes

• Empty nesters 6.7

• Community 6.4

• Quiet 5.2

• Seniors 4.8

• Parking 3.2

Gardens, Brunch and more Gardens

There are a million things I could stress about Lincoln Park, but that would take too long and frankly most of it would be redundant. This nabe can be easily split in two categories: DePaul Students and Families.

Once upon a time this Lincoln Park was a predominantly African-American neighborhood; however, sprawling houses (as far as a three story walk up can sprawl) and college campus have really changed it. Not that this is a bad thing exactly, but there isn’t much to see of the old nabe.

Regardless, if you like to brunch (as is the current trend), then turn a corner. Seriously, just one corner and you’ll get bombarded with options and bottomless bloody mary bars. If you’d rather spend your time shopping, start at Armitage and Halsted and work your way north or west to find boutiques, frozen yogurt and of course, purse dogs!

Come summertime Lincoln Park really is a lovely place to be. The Lincoln Park Zoo (free all year long) is en route to the Lake just east of the nabe, and stop by the greenhouse for the Green City Market on your way.

There’s always something to do whether it be bar hopping or lounging in Oz Park just on the southern edge.

What's awesome

parks, close to lake, good transportation

What's not so awesome

families and college students at once is overwhelming, beach extremely crowded

So Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park is a little bit of paradise on Chicago’s North side. There’s really nothing quite like it I’ve seen anywhere I’ve traveled. Its so many things to so many people.

Simply put, its complex. To some, its the very best neighborhood for schools and families and to buy or build a home. To others its trendy, young hipsters, nightlife and great boutiques & food options.

Still others find the available green space, and the natural beauty of the parks, beaches, zoo and the ease of walking and biking around Lincoln Park to be exceptional. What stands out to me is the variety of housing choices and styles.

From vintage, pre-war, to Queen Anne, Victorian, Palladian, Colonial, Transitional, Modern, to cottages, greystones, McMansions, row homes, 2-flats, mid-rise, townhomes and also new construction high rise and town-home and condo options – the choices are as varied as the neighborhood.

This is one of the best times to buy a single family home in Lincoln Park we’ve seen in quite some time, so there’s been a noticeable uptick in sales numbers (not volume) in these types of home sales since last summer. School choices are abundant.

Frances Parker & Lincoln Park High School are a few of the many local favorites. Local Fav’s include Underthings on Webster, Lululemon, Nina & Wei at Essential Nail Spa, & Blue Mercury (cosmetics) on Halsted.

Health food = Karyn’s Raw on Halsted.

What's awesome

Dog-lovers paradise….. and so much wonderful green stuff. Yards, parks, playlots, flowers and gardens.

Not So Gentle Reminders

I have lived and socialized in Lincoln Park since graduating high school. Along the way, I made some serious errors in judgment. I admit I’ve been over served a few times.

I’ve gone home with a few people I didn’t know. I’ve forgotten valuables at bars and restaurants. I’ve walked along many a dark and deserted street late at night.

And over a decade of debauchery downtown, I’ve walked away unscathed. Sure, my pocket got picked once at a bar and some fellow walked off with over $100 in cash and merchandise. I knew a friend who had his wallets cut out of his pants while they napped on the Red Line late in the evening.

It happened twice. I suggested he take a cab next time. But, the point is, it’s easy to forget Lincoln Park is part of a big city with some less savory elements.

The lush green parks, the young-professional crowds strolling along pristine streets and the comfortable boutique bars and restaurants all give an air of safety and serenity. I love that element of Lincoln Park and hope it remains for decades to come.

However, residents and visitors put themselves at risk by forgetting the ganglands to the west and south of our Pleasantville and once or twice a year we receive a not so gentle reminder. A few years ago, a woman was raped outside my apartment.

I lived next to a Starbucks just step from North Pond at the center of Lincoln Park’s wealthy brownstone neighborhood. Last year, several students were beaten and robbed on their way home from the bars and this year similar incidents occurred south of Lincoln Park at North Avenue Beach.

I received my personal reminder last month around noon on a Tuesday. I work from home as a writer on the second floor alley side of a Lincoln Park brownstone. There is much construction and traffic during the days in my alley, so when I heard a cracking, pounding noise outside my living room I didn’t think much of it.

I continued writing in my office until the noise seemed curiously close. I stood and peered into my living room to see what the fuss was about when my porch door was forced open and an intruder began to enter.

He didn’t expect to encounter a resident during working hours and ran when he heard my protest. I am thankful that I was home to prevent a burglary, but still felt violated and unsafe in my own home.

Though I marked Lincoln Park as “Very Safe” in my rankings, crime and violence are still part of the big city experience and precautions should be taken. I always lock my doors when I come and go from my apartment.

I try to walk at night with other people along well lit streets and when it is past midnight or I am not in a sober state, I take cabs to and from my destinations. Most of all, I am aware of my surroundings.

Taking a few simple precautions can limit those not so gentle reminder.

What's awesome

The safety I feel going out in Lincoln Park

What's not so awesome

The not so gentle reminders that this is a big city with all the issues that go along with it.

Lincoln Park

Apart from the students attending DePaul University, Lincoln Park is a wealthy community – even though you probably should be well off if you want to pay DePaul’s astronomical tuition prices. There are actually several secluded areas of this nabe, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, where some of the houses are seemingly bigger than the buildings housing classrooms on DePaul’s campus.

Nevertheless, there are still reasonably sized apartments, at reasonable prices. Believe me, I’ve lived there. Even if you don’t attend DePaul, facilities like the Ray Meyer Fitness Center are open to the community.

For a monthly rate, members can use this state of the art fitness center, equipped with a lap pool, racquetball and basketball courts, a plethora of exercise equipment and group fitness classrooms. Members of the community can also attend other events on campus, including DePaul women’s basketball games at McGrath Arena.

Head east on Fullerton Avenue from DePaul and just before you hit Lake Shore Drive will be the Lincoln Park Zoo. Key exhibits there include the Kovler Sea Lion Pool, the Helen V. Brach primate house, and Regenstein African Journey.

However, the best part about the zoo? It’s free. For those who enjoy shopping, there are plenty of upscale shops and boutiques.

Also, for those who like food, there are plenty of great restaurants. Café Ba-Ba-Reeba, a Tapas restaurant on Halsted Avenue, is a hotspot on weekends. And because there are plenty of college students around, a lot of the fare in this area is fairly cheap.

Uncle Sammy’s on Fullerton has great sandwiches for around $5. In addition, like any good college town there are a lot of good bars. One spot, The Local Option, located on Webster Avenue was even ranked on Rate Beer’s “Best Beer Bars of 2011.” And in case you wondering, there is no relation between Lincoln Park and the band with the same name.

The location between Old Town and Gold Coast to the South and Wrigleyville to the Northwest is not only geographic but demographic as well. From Old Town and Gold Coast you get the affluent and wealthy out for an afternoon of shopping, avoiding the choas of downtown. From Wrigleyville you get the faternity crowd out for a night of drinking. This neighborhood is a mixture of these two crouds. Residents include those who see Lincoln Park as a more affordable alternative to places nearer downtown, and those who see Lincoln Park as an exciting semi-urban post-college mecca.

Lincoln Park is all of these things. It’s upscale. It’s clean.

It’s fun. It’s relatively safe. There are parks near by.

There are beaches nearby. The zoo is right there. There’s shopping and dining of all kinds.

If you can afford it, and if you don’t mind being surrounded by wither of the demographics described above this may be the place for you.

Post College Paradise

Lincoln Park (or “LP” as a lot of people call it when they want to sound stupid) is certainly a favorite place to live for young folk making their transition into adult life. Most of the residents are yuppies and Depaul students but there are a number of families in the area and you’ll see tons of little tikes running around Oz Park on the weekends.

And yes, that’s Oz like the Wizard of. There are statues of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion and the Tin Man around the park. Most of the people around this area have money so you’ll find lots of fancy little shops and restaurants all over the place.

Armitage Ave is sometimes full of people with spoiled kids and even more spoiled dogs. Don’t take this to mean that Lincoln Park is stook up and snotty, but if you’re a person bothered by giant strollers that unfold like Optimus Prime you might want to avoid Armitage on summer weekends.

Lincoln Park is the first neighborhood north of downtown that is almost full residential. There are a few larger apartment complexes and Depaul has some big buildings, but in general it has a much more neighborhood feel than the Gold Coast or River North.

The nightlife is great with a little bit of everything to offer. The strip of bars on Lincoln Ave will have somet