Having hit all the independent retailers on North Ave. and Milwaukee Ave., the two fashion lovers strolled down Damen Ave. heading to the two biggest retailers in the neighborhood; BCBG and Marc Jacobs.
“I don’t mind a few of the special national retailers because it does give the community an anchor,” P.B. said.
To get to March Jacobs, P.B. said, one has to walk down Damen Ave., going past all the independent retailers that line the street which allows people to show independent first then progress to the national retailers. To her it is a balance neighborhood thus far.
It was only last year when the first retailer, Levi, moved into Wicker Park marking the beginning transition between local and national. The progressive change of the community, known as gentrification, was sped up when the super retailers, BCBG Max Azria and Marc Jacobs infiltrated the bohemian neighborhood.
“This reminds me a lot about the Armitage area,” Regas said.
Along with the higher priced merchandise found at the national boutiques, the arrival of the super giants brought in a wave of rising rent prices; making it difficult for local shop owners to stay in business.
I think the community needs to have a cohesive plane as to how to balance the community in a way that will hopefully benefit everybody,” Menzel said.
According to records at the alderman office in Wicker Park and Bucktown, rent prices have seen an average increase of 12 percent, or a rise of three dollars per square foot of a building. Although the Wicker Park/Bucktown Chamber of Commerce has some influence on the landlords, they cannot control the rent prices.
The trend in Wicker Park and Bucktown is the growing attraction that national retailers are showing to the community. As more families move in, the average house hold income rise–giving families more money to spend freely on retail merchandise.
The trend however, it still up for debate on whether or not the changing times will be welcomed by the community or rejected like a badly colored shirt.
“It is hard to say if it is good or if it is bad,” Menzel said. “I would like to see the neighborhood prosperous and people coming and spending money in the neighborhood. You don’t want to see what made the neighborhood so special being pushed out.”
Regas, who has friends living in Wicker Park, takes note that the retailers are raising rent prices.
“It will be interesting to see what happens to the,” Regas said. “You walk down the streets and everything is now price reduced price reduced. It will be interesting to see if it will change back [in reference to the past gentrification that Wicker Park and Bucktown have seen].”
The trend however, is already having a negative side effect on the current art students that reside in Wicker Park or Bucktown.
According to Paula Barrington, Executive Director of the Wicker Park/Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, the neighborhood is experiencing a withdrawal of the student population due to the increase in rent.
“The trend is a positive and negative influence on our culture here,” Barrington said. “Students are leaving causing a huge deficit in income, but on the other hand we are getting wealthier residents so it is really up in the air right now.”
Trends come and go with time and the same still applies in Wicker Park. Wicker Park was once a high-end fashion community until students and artists moved into the neighborhood, causing the wealthy Ukrainian residents to move out. With time, this new trend may change.
It was mid-day Thursday, April 3, when Bella Mia, a freshman film major, was sitting inside the University Center, 525 S. State St., avoiding the rain that was due to start in the early evening.
Mia sat down in one of the numerous orange chairs in the lobby and described what her place of choice would be during the spring.
For Mia, Spring is all about getting sweaty, whether it is playing Frisbee in one of Chicago’s parks or going to gay night at the club Sangria, 901 W. Weed St. Mia can be spotted outdoors all through Spring and Summer.
Now it is Sunday, April 6, and the weather is anything but rainy. It is a warm 60 degrees with the sun shining brightly down on all who are outside. Cameron Peart, Zac Overstreet and Mara Stern were walking down State Street, on a quest for ice cream that will quench their dry throats.
All three had different ideas about what the hot places for them will be during the spring. But all agreed that being indoors was not an option. Chicago might have some of the hottest summers and coldest winters–but when it comes to Spring, everyone wants to be outdoors enjoying the middle ground between the two harshest Chicago seasons.
Source List.
All sources interviewed in-person
Zac Overstreet
Interviewed on April 6
312.815.7254
Cameron Peart
Interviewed on April 6
773.298.5817
Mara Stern
708.921.1090
Interviewed on April 6
Bella Mia
248.890.0808
Interviewed on April 3
The Wicker Park/Bucktown Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with the Special Service Area (SSA) No. 33 to gain more public interest in the future of the neighborhood.
Starting on March 29, SSA will be hosting open houses at 1275 N. Milwaukee Ave. that will have a multitude of activities that will allow residents in the area to discuss their past experiences in the neighborhood and what they hope the neighborhood will look like in the future. After March 29, the open houses will run for two weeks, each Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Jamie Simone, Manager of SSA No. 33, has been spearheading the plans for the development of Wicker Park/Bucktown and creating the events during the open houses.
The SSA program was created 28 years ago in order to provide an organization that utilizes tax money to help maintain and develop commercial districts, Simone said. The Wicker Park/Bucktown SSA was created on November 23, 2005.
"The open houses are a way for the community at large to get involved with [the future planning for Wicker Park/Bucktown] and provide their vision of the future that will be incorporated with the master plan," Simone said.
At the open house, events will include a panel discussion, hosted by SSA, a mapping event where residents can map out the area with the most need for rehabilitation and children art workshops, Simone said.
Paula Barrington, Executive Director of the Wicker Park/Bucktown Chamber of Commerce has been loosely working with Simone to help advertise the open houses.
“The Special Service Area has long helped keep Wicker Park and Bucktown beautiful,” Barrington said. “SSA has a great plan for the future and all that the [chamber of commerce] and SSA wants is to have the public more involved in the decision making of what will become of this neighborhood in the future.”
SSA has no official plan on what will be developed and rehabilitated in Wicker Park and Bucktown, Simone said. What she does know is that the neighborhood will continue to grow because of the constant interested outsiders are showing in the area.
“The SSA does control who moves into the area,” Simone said. “We are here to talk to the new and old residents to gain an idea on what the community wants to see happen in the neighborhood. We want them to know that their tax dollars are being spent based on what they want.”
The SSA and the chamber of commerce will be discussing future events and ideas during the panel discussions.
