<p>I realize that U of Chicago is not located downtown. However, is the area surrounding campus an interesting, exciting city area? Night life, culture, restaurants. I'm not expecting Manhattan, but the closer, the better.</p>
<p>Hyde Park is shady. However, it is a skip and a hop to downtown Chicago. Otherwise, I’m not sure you want to be doing any partying in the immediate area. There are several good places to eat there though.</p>
<p>Hyde Park isn’t that shady. -_-;;</p>
<p>It’s a fairly wealthy place, so there are homeless people here and there trying to get money from you, but that’s in every wealthy, urban part of any big city. I mean, the Museum of Science and Industry is right there.</p>
<p>There aren’t any clubs in Hyde Park, though. If you want night life, go downtown or go to parties hosted by students (the latter of which I think tend to be rather lame). Restaurants are good, although they get old after a while, and culture is good as well.</p>
<p>It isn’t shady in the sunlit hours (shade, sun, get it, GET IT??). However, at night, I would not wander too far without company.</p>
<p>And the homeless people aren’t just homeless, they make weird sexual comments at you when you are going for a run. </p>
<p>Yes, this is a true story ._.</p>
<p>But it builds character.</p>
<p>Are you serious? That’s terrible! I can definitely see it happening, though. One of my past girlfriends was constantly complimented by homeless people (sometimes rather inappropriately), although I think they were just trying to get money out of her.</p>
<p>The worst I find is that some homeless people will come up and shake your hand and tell you their life stories. Then you feel bad if you don’t give them money.</p>
<p>However, I must say that the homeless aren’t nearly as bad as some of the ones downtown. My stepdad had to punch one because he was drunk and trying to pick a fight.</p>
<p>Okay, so this thread has gone a bit off topic and is perhaps starting to scare the OP. Sorry. :|</p>
<p>Another perspective: Hyde Park is a nice, primarily residential urban neighborhood. What it has by way of entertainment is mainly things connected to the University, like museums (and also the Museum of Science and Industry, which as far as I can tell does not have much to offer to college-age people). A few bars, but no clubs, movies, or interesting retail (and no hotels, or high-quality restaurants). For that, people get on the bus or el and go elsewhere in the city, where it exists in an abundance and variety not found anywhere outside of Manhattan.</p>
<p>There is a real difference between the level of amenities available in Hyde Park and those, say, around Harvard in Cambridge, Penn in University City, Columbia on the Upper West Side. Even, to tell the truth, Princeton, which because it is farther from everything is more self-contained.</p>
<p>Haha, but to the OP, even despite the sometimes less than secure neighborhood, UChicago is still my top choice this year. So, I mean, the school’s excellence really trumped all the potential dangers for me. And I mean, I’ve spent too much of my life in a boring, upper-middle class neighborhood anyway. </p>
<p>I second JHS’s evaluation. What there is to do in HP is connected with the university, and there’s usually much to do, e.g., DocFilms. Honestly, this is the way the university wanted it. They shut down movie theaters in Hyde Park in an effort to discourage outsiders from coming to the neighborhood, and, of course, subsequently got a lot of criticism for it. UChicago wants to create a bubble for you, and that is has done. But breaking it isn’t hard, if you really want to; I found getting downtown very convenient.</p>
<p>ImmanuelKant is right that the University created the somewhat drab atmosphere in Hyde Park. I believe that is viewed now as a mistake, although at the time it probably seemed like something that ratcheted down the danger level.</p>
<p>In any event, the University of Chicago could probably benefit a lot from looking at how Penn has increased the vibrancy of its campus area substantially over the past 15 years or so. In 1990, the area around Penn felt a lot more like Hyde Park than like Harvard Square, but today I think that’s reversed.</p>
<p>To continue the Hyde Park vs. West Philly theme going - JHS, I completely agree. There’s a vibrancy around the UPenn area that is just not felt at all around the U of C. From what I’ve heard from Penn grads from the late 90s, walking around campus now (especially around the 40th and Walnut area) is completely different than it was in the recent past. </p>
<p>The change in the neighborhood has done wonders for Penn - I think most students that visit campus are pleasantly surprised. </p>
<p>I’m just not sure why Hyde Park is the way it is, but it is crazy that the actual neighborhood has not developed much at all in the decade since I’ve left campus. There was a little development around 55th street, but there is still no buzzing hub of activity, like you find at Penn (either around 40th and Chestnut or 36th and Walnut areas). </p>
<p>Is part of it because the University itself is more controlling of the Hyde Park area? At least at Penn, I was always close to a CVS, a lot of shops (Gap, Urban Outfitters, etc.) a bunch of different fast food options (Chipotle, McDonalds, Cosi, etc etc.), bars and campus hangouts, etc. There’s a TON around the university. </p>
<p>I’m just not sure why U of C doesn’t go in this direction. One big reason, maybe, is because at the end of the day, Chicago is primarily faculty-driven, and Penn is more student-driven. What I mean is, if you polled many U of C faculty members, they probably really like the Hyde Park area. It’s much more of a residential, quiet, and pleasant area - lots of good sit down restaurants, virtually no loud bars or crowded movie theaters, etc. I’d imagine that Chicago, being a faculty-driven university, would work to keep it this way and keep the faculty happy.</p>
<p>This contrasts Penn, where at least during my time at the school, I was surprised by how the students seemed to have a bigger voice, or at least, the administration (starting with Rodin) worked harder to make sure student needs are met. Also, spatially, Philly is just very different from Chicago - it’s not hard at all for faculty to live in Center City and just commute the 10 minutes into West Philly. In Chicago, living outside Hyde Park can easily mean a 35-45 min commute. </p>
<p>This is just speculation though, but it does seem striking to me that Hyde Park has really not changed much in 15+ years, and West Philly has changed dramatically.</p>
<p>I believe the University has purchased and is developing an are on 53rd. I believe where Harper’s Court is (was). It will be interesting to see what happens with that. I remember them trying to make the movie theater in HP a go a couple of times, all without much success.</p>
<p>I would think the university would LOVE to yuppify the area. However, development is met with a lot of resistance in the neighborhood, and many people like the way it is.</p>
<p>My theory as to the difference between Penn and Chicago would be the differences in consumer cultures among students. I was curious as to whether West Philly has an Urban Outfitters-- it does-- and I’m sure the density of Penn/Drexel students willing to spend brought it there. My impression is that Chicago students don’t care about the Urban Outfitters enough to demand its presence.</p>
<p>But there are infinitely many variables that make Chicago’s situation and others schools’ situations different.</p>
<p>As far as homeless people and comments go-- I have to watch women get catcalled every time I’ve walked to work (not in Hyde Park). For those of you who are not accustomed to living in cities, it might be something a little bit scary at first, but every city I’ve ever been in has had at least some homeless wandering around even the richest areas. The characters I’ve seen around Hyde Park are harmless.</p>
<p>Unalove - yah Hyde Park and West Philly have some big differences. In West Philly, you have maybe 25k+ students in the area, it’s not a particularly affluent area, and the faculty is sorta fanned out in Center City, the main line, etc. </p>
<p>With bigger colleges in the area, you have more of a consumer base for the urban outfitters, Gap, Limited, etc. For the U of C, I’d guess that you have maybe 9k students who live in the Hyde Park area, and then another 3k or so who live elsewhere in Chicago. Instead of a thousands and thousands of students, you have a much more affluent population in the Hyde Park/Kenwood area, and most choose to live in HP because it’s the way it is. They would resist the 12-theater movieplex, loud irishpub, and seedy undergrad dive bars (all present around UPenn) pretty strongly. </p>
<p>Still, at the same time, I wish Hyde Park would gain more amenities. I’m not talking a massive movie megaplex, but maybe a nice CVS right near the quad, a Chipotle maybe somewhere very near campus, maybe one more “undergrad” kinda bar… It’d just enhance campus life a little bit. </p>
<p>Right now, Hyde Park seems to be filled with bookstores, coffeeshops, nicer sit-down restaurants, and that’s about it. It’s a perfect parent-friendly a neighborhood, and I’ve grown to like it a lot more as I’ve gotten older, but it’s sorely lacking in what it offers students. It’s funny because the U of C environs is the ONLY place I can think of where the neighborhood does not seem AT ALL affected by the tastes and culture of a young student body. West Philly, the area around Columbia, Evanston, etc. etc. ALL seem to feel the impact of their respective student populations. Hyde Park, however, seems to be impervious.</p>
<p>I don’t know the last time you were in Hyde Park, but there are some places, like the two new sushi places, the hookah bar, and Potbelly’s that just seem to be catering to undergrads. The “undergrad bar” would have to accept crayon scribbled on paper (not like there aren’t other permissive establishments, but let’s not go there right now) and most of the drinking and socializing is in dorms and apartments anyway.</p>
<p>I think HP is fine if you’re an undergrad, great if you’re a family, but lacking if you’re a grad student who is not living on their own and is dependent on nightlife as a way of meeting people. That’s why I think virtually all U of C undergrads live in Hyde Park and grad students are split Hyde Park/ other neighborhoods.</p>
<p>I haven’t been back to campus in around 3 years, but I’m planning on heading back sometime this fall. The hookah bar and sushi places sound cool, and I’m glad a Potbelly’s opened up around campus - I like that place. </p>
<p>I’ll be curious as to what I find when I go back. Late 90s Penn alums seem to have the “Whoa this totally didn’t exist when I was an undergrad here” response when they come back to West Philly, and I’m curious to see whether I’ll have that when I come back to Hyde Park. I’m always impressed by the stuff the University builds (the Ratner Gym, the new South Dorms look nice), but the neighborhood itself seems remarkably timeless (whereas large chunks of West Phila look completely different now than they did just 5 years ago - such as the 40th & Walnut area or 36th and Walnut - where the admin built a massive new bookstore with a farmers market now outside, and there’s a big fresh grocer and big movie theater on 40th&Walnut).</p>
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<p>To be clear, I do think that the university would like to yuppify the neighborhood as well (and it’s happening), but in the sense that they would like to see it grow into a quiet, wealthy, residential community. I don’t think that the university wants Hyde Park to become a commercial attraction. Neither do I think that Hyde Park will ever look like University City, which, from my one visit there, seems everything cue 7 describes it to be.</p>
<p>Yah I don’t want Hyde Park to turn into a replica of University City - that’d be no good. At the same time, I’ve known Hyde Park for literally the past 20 years, and it just doesn’t seem like much at all has changed. Sure, there are a few new restaurants or some restaurants change ownership. There isn’t, though, any sort of “student buzz” to the area, and I dunno how that hasn’t happened yet. UPenn has all the shops along Walnut, Columbia has its row of bars and restaurants, Brown has Thayer St, etc. U of C still has nothing like that.</p>
<p>I’ve heard mixed thing about Hyde Park. I visited the Campus on August 5th, and my mother, my aunt and I walked all around the surrounding neighborhoods, even riding the bus.</p>
<p>I want to say right now that I had no problem whatsoever with the neighborhood. I felt incredibly safe, and although the bus ride was bumpy, it was quite enjoyable (I’d never been on a city public transit before, to be honest!)</p>
<p>There was this adorable little row of restaurants and shops that we walked down…Sort of like a South Street or State street, if you know where I’m referring to (Philadelphia! :D) </p>
<p>We ate in this one Asian restaurant and it was absolutely amazing! Haha, it was very college towny feeling.</p>
<p>This is one of the reasons that I like UofC so much. It has a very close-knit campus feel, a nice surrounding neighborhood, and is minutes away from a huge, amazing city. It has everything :]</p>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>
<p>Litlhurry - wait what area of Hyde Park reminded you of South St in Philly? My conception of south st is a greasy pizza place, a condom shop, a johnny rockets, a loud new orleans-themed bar, and a Gap all within very close proximity of one another. I can’t think of anything in Hyde Park that resembles the South St scene. </p>
<p>Otherwise, you’re right, Hyde Park is a very cozy, safe area. The first few words that come to mind when I think of Hyde Park are: pleasant and staid. Again, my parents LOVED it when they first saw it, and I’ve grown to like it more and more as I’ve gotten older. At the same time, I think it’s far from ideal for most 18-25 yr old students. It caters wonderfully well to maybe the 30 yr old+ crowd, but I think West Philly, Morningside Heights, the area around Brown U, etc. do a better job of catering to student interests (yes, and that includes the more unique tastes of Chicago students).</p>
<p>Hmm, to be honest, it resembles more of a State street, but that’s more of a local thing (Media PA) so I didn’t think anyone would really know what I meant…So I said South street because it’s more well-known, but I agree. I wish there was a way I could show you State st in Media, because that’s somewhat like my second home town. </p>
<p>But look, I’m from just a half hour outside of Philadelphia…and besides the fact that I want to move far, far away, there is a reason that I don’t want to apply to Penn. First being, although I love going into the city, to be honest, I don’t think it compares with Chicago in any way, shape, or form. Chicago was clean and almost everyone was extremely friendly. But the main thing, to get to the point, is that Penn is embedded in the city. You’re on campus, but you’re also in the city.</p>
<p>I like how UofC gives me that sort of um…wall, but I don’t think that’s the word I was searching for. You know, again, I have the campus and some room from the city, but it’s not such and such hours away.</p>
<p>Also - If you are looking for the BEST pizza on South Street, may I recommend Lickety Splits? :D</p>
<p>I also know a ton of ethnic restaurants in the middle eastern and vietnamese genres if you’re ever in town :p</p>