Discover the Top 10 Must-Know Facts About Living in Oak Park Illinois

[@trainliker100]

The building construction in Oak Park has changed a LOT in recent decades. For a very long time, the tallest building was the Medial Arts building (the grey building at 6:04 in the video), the five story Oak Park Arms, and a building or two in the Lake/Marion district. Now there are many high-rise residential complexes. I think the village did this to increase the density and perhaps get more property tax revenue.

[@ilonaleclerc5791]

Is it safe to live there? It's just right next to the dangerous areas

[@AustinWeiss]

I never had a problem when I lived there and I also visit often and never run into any issues.

[@garybelenke4370]

Live there now. Yes.

[@trainliker100]

I grew up there and have been back to visit many times after moving away as recently as a couple months ago. Oak Park remains pretty good.

[@trainliker100]

Residential PARKING seems to be left out of almost all these stories about Oak Park. The village has a great many "three story walk up" apartment buildings that were converted to condos. They do not have any parking. You need to get a street parking permit, rent in somebody private residential garage, or pay for a space in a lot. So, if you are looking into one of those condos in the old buildings and have a car(s) you have an issue. For some newer buildings (like some made in the 1960's roughly) there may be onsite parking, but it may be outdoors only.

[@susanreimers8209]

The vast majority of places in the US have more than ample parking. It's nice to see a neighborhood where NOT owning a car is a viable option... where walking is easy due to the density.

[@trainliker100]

@@susanreimers8209 I grew up in Oak Park in a family who could not afford a car. We walked, took cabs, or rode the "L." But it was NOT always easy. Such as walking about a mile to high school in the freezing cold, snowstorm, or thunderstorm. Or those slippery ice walks. Or stepping off a curb into a puddle of below freezing salty slush that filled your loafers. In summer, those 95 degree 95 percent humidity days were no fun when you had to hike everywhere and your clothes got wet with sweat and stayed that way. And if you bought most anything, like groceries, you had to lug them home

[@susanreimers8209]

@ I get it. I am blind, and can’t drive. I love neighborhoods that are dense enough to walk, even when it’s a pain in the butt. Most of the United States is designed to accommodate car storage. Using all that property for parking pushes buildings further apart, and changes the density of a neighborhood, making it harder to walk anywhere. Oak Park has highly walkable neighborhoods. I wouldn’t want to see that change. Walkable neighborhoods are very, very rare.

[@Norreck]

you sound like an army guy were you ever in the army man? tell me about it ouuuuaaaaa

[@AustinWeiss]

Never but thanks for watching