[yapc] A word of caution

[Clyde Forrester]

Todd Olson wrote:

>Hi
>
>I have been researching the immediate area of IIT for restaurants, groceries
>and such.  I have recently talked with two men, one who currently lives in the
>area and another one who grew up there.  Both of them have STRONGLY CAUTIONED
>me about wandering around the area, particularly to the south and east.  They
>say doing so presents a serious risk of being assaulted.
>
>Perhaps some one with first hand experience both in the IIT area
>as well away from that area can provide some insights?  Keeping 
>in mind that some of us has always lived in pretty gentle communities.
>Help me be prudent and avoid being alarmist.
>
I went to IIT in the late 70s/early 80s.

At that time it was:
Projects to the south, projects to the north, nothing much interesting 
to the east, and Bridgeport to the west. Bridgeport is Mayor Daley's old 
neighborhood.

The lighter skinned students would not stray south, east or north except 
in groups. The dark skinned students would not venture into Bridgeport 
unless part of a group of students.

Since I went there, the neighborhood (Bronzeville) has gone up a squeak. 
They are tearing down the high rise projects and replacing them with 2 
to 3 story housing projects. They put in a new police division 
headquarters at 35th and Michigan. They rebuilt the McDonald's on 35th.

As I recall, there's a strip mall on 35th, way east at maybe Cottage 
Grove. It had a Walgreen's. There could be some small fast food like a 
Subway's. I don't know. I wouldn't venture north or south, as that's 
pretty much just projects. There could be some local restaurants on west 
31st or west 35th. There's always China Town to the northwest, but take 
the "L".

As others have suggested, don't look aggressive, but don't look like a 
chump. Travel in groups. Be polite like a Canadian or something. Don't 
stick your elbows out all the time. I had no problems in that part of 
the city when I went there. But I had long hair, a grizzly beard, grubby 
clothes and a half crazed look. (YMMV).

Clyde Forrester