One of the aspects of my work that I especially enjoy is helping people make a major change for the better in their lives. I helped a man along such a path last week. Monday evening I received an email from a man in Indiana stating that he was looking for a condo in Boystown.
Boystown is a gay neighborhood within the Lakeview area of Chicago. In fact, it’s considered America’s first official gay neighborhood. The spires shown left can be found along the North Halsted Street gay strip. They incorporate the colors in the gay pride flag and were part of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley’s $3.2-million restoration of the neighborhood in 1998. Interestingly, some critics of creating Chicago’s gay neighborhood said it would lower real estate values! Oh, how wrong they were! Real estate prices soared!
The next day when I spoke with the man, he shared how hard it was for him living as an openly gay man in Indiana. He had been harassed at work and physically assaulted with no consequences for the perpetrators. Fortunately, his career as an author has taken off and he can now afford a condo for himself and his father in Boystown.
On Friday, I met him and his father at Nookies Tree, a casual restaurant at 3334 N Halsted popular with the after bar crowd. After lunch, the 3 of us looked at condos in the neighborhood together. It was clear that he’s going to be much happier here in our gay-friendly city.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fran Bailey shows, previews and tracks downtown Chicago homes for sale giving her the insights needed to help her clients negotiate the best price and terms. Fran has been quoted in numerous Chicago and national publications. To schedule showings of listings regardless of broker or to contact Fran email her at fran.bailey@bairdwarner.com or call 773.793.4516. Learn More
Fran Bailey, Realtor
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Good for him! I left Indiana 8 years ago and have never missed it!
How do you define gay neighborhoods? Chicago neighborhoods with more than 1 gay bar? Then Boystown is the primary gay neighborhood in Chicago followed by Andersonville and then Near North.
Since gays live everywhere, how gay do neighborhoods need to be to be considered gay neighborhoods? Based on 2000 census data which counted same sex households, Andersonville has the highest percent of same sex households (4.5%) of all Chicago neighborhoods, followed by Boystown (2.6%).
What those numbers also tell us is that the overwhelming majority of people who live in Andersonville and Boystown are not gay.
Rick,
I think you missed the point here. As a straight, married boy with a young son, I do not refer to my neighborhood of Ravenswood as straight… we get it. But, the truth is, Boystown is Boystown and does ahve a certain thing going for it. No? I also live close to Andersonville, and the dirty little secret there is , there are several Lesbian couples… I find it all kind of fun.
Fran is just pointing out facts and nuances of Chicago.
E
Rick ask, “How do you define a gay neighborhood?”
Well, Boystown Chicago; You are protected with gay rights!
South Bend Indiana; Ordinace, If your Gay you have no rights! You can be fired from your job with no conseqence for the employer!
To clarify Richard’s comment…gays and lesbians don’t need to live in a gay neighborhood in Illinois to have legal protections. Statewide legislation went into effect on January 1, 2006 prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Thus, the gays and lesbians I have helped buy homes in the suburbs have the same legal protections as those I have helped buy a home in the city.