(09-20-2018 08:29 AM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(09-20-2018 07:36 AM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Is Huskies Pizza still there in the plaza with Jimmy Johns?

This is quite sad. I graduated 6 years ago and I used to hang out in that area all of the time, most of the time being drunk. It was not the greatest but at no point did I feel unsafe. And to think, greek row and LOTS of off campus student housing is right in that area....

In the same boat (although it was 8 years ago). I never felt unsafe, but that area has been pointing downward for a while. Which is really sad because a lot of the off campus housing for students are nice and in that area.

I wasn't a frat guy, but I'm sure that doesn't help with recruiting for the Greeks either. You go to almost any other college and the greek area is kept up pristinely and look like multi million $$ homes. Not so much at NIU. Sad. They almost need to level a lot of the area and start from scratch. Maybe a developer will come in some day.

They have been discussing relocating greek row forever but I doubt anything will ever happen.

I can't believe someone actually approved section 8 housing smack dab in between campus and student housing. They could have chosen literally anywhere in DeKalb outside of campus and chose there. Can you imagine the type of buildings/housing that could have been put up in that area instead?

Its really frustrating reading all of this because outside of football games now, there is literally no other reason to be in DeKalb anymore. And I had the best 5 years of my life there.

(09-20-2018 09:11 AM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  

(09-20-2018 08:29 AM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(09-20-2018 07:36 AM)RedandBlackAttack Wrote:  Is Huskies Pizza still there in the plaza with Jimmy Johns?

This is quite sad. I graduated 6 years ago and I used to hang out in that area all of the time, most of the time being drunk. It was not the greatest but at no point did I feel unsafe. And to think, greek row and LOTS of off campus student housing is right in that area....

In the same boat (although it was 8 years ago). I never felt unsafe, but that area has been pointing downward for a while. Which is really sad because a lot of the off campus housing for students are nice and in that area.

I wasn't a frat guy, but I'm sure that doesn't help with recruiting for the Greeks either. You go to almost any other college and the greek area is kept up pristinely and look like multi million $$ homes. Not so much at NIU. Sad. They almost need to level a lot of the area and start from scratch. Maybe a developer will come in some day.

They have been discussing relocating greek row forever but I doubt anything will ever happen.

I can't believe someone actually approved section 8 housing smack dab in between campus and student housing. They could have chosen literally anywhere in DeKalb outside of campus and chose there. Can you imagine the type of buildings/housing that could have been put up in that area instead?

Its really frustrating reading all of this because outside of football games now, there is literally no other reason to be in DeKalb anymore. And I had the best 5 years of my life there.

I know. When we go to the games, we will be spending less time in DeKalb/Sycamore. The stores we used to frequent - such as Carson's and Penny's - have closed. I have no clue where people in the area go shopping for nice clothes and accessories. I will not step into a Walmart or Target. So now, we may go to downtown Sycamore or DeKalb or just straight to the game. Pretty sad.

The problem is attendance at NIU is dropping thus many more apartments to rent. Landlord wants money so not as picky

(09-20-2018 10:42 AM)klake87 Wrote:  The problem is attendance at NIU is dropping thus many more apartments to rent. Landlord wants money so not as picky

ding! ding! ding! we've got a winner. as enrollment goes down that vacuum leaves a lot of empty apartments, and when you've got three-four landlords total for that whole area west of Anne Glidden, you've gotta fill them, by any means. its been sort of a festering problem for years with so much off campus housing available compared to other schools.

and this is going to be a vicious cycle, bc it will keep pushing enrollment down.

and the Greek area isn't going to relocate until the University builds housing and forces them to move. Too many houses own their property and aren't going to just give it up.

(09-20-2018 10:46 AM)thehappyhuskie Wrote:  

(09-20-2018 10:42 AM)klake87 Wrote:  The problem is attendance at NIU is dropping thus many more apartments to rent. Landlord wants money so not as picky

ding! ding! ding! we've got a winner. as enrollment goes down that vacuum leaves a lot of empty apartments, and when you've got three-four landlords total for that whole area west of Anne Glidden, you've gotta fill them, by any means. its been sort of a festering problem for years with so much off campus housing available compared to other schools.

and this is going to be a vicious cycle, bc it will keep pushing enrollment down.

and the Greek area isn't going to relocate until the University builds housing and forces them to move. Too many houses own their property and aren't going to just give it up.

Yes, I'd bet there is a glut of available housing. But, I'm sure the landlords don't enjoy trying to collect rent each month and seeing their apartments vandalized or destroyed. If I owned a building, I would sell it or repurpose the building to something else, such as retail or offices. I'm sure the city would help push through any zoning changes needed to help get rid of the criminal elements. People can't live there if there are no apartments. Does this problem exist in other apartment complexes in the city?

(09-19-2018 10:20 PM)142niu Wrote:  In the mid 90's that area was jumping (in a positive way). Spent many of nights in that pocket and had some amazing times. Sad to see it go down hill.

Ditto, it was never a fancy area, but always had a safe, american college feel to it. The best fix is to get our enrollment back over 20,000 so more of these outskirt apartments are used by students, not low-rent seekers from other towns.

The state needs to start an ad campaign, letting Illinois parents know that the state government is behind our in-state universities. Billboards on the highway, etc..

I have two kids in Greek Row now and I do worry about them. The area definitely feels so run down.

I live in DeKalb and see this stuff everyday. Too many people from Aurora and Chicago have moved into the vacant apartments due to reduced enrollment. They brought their gang mentality with them. Hillcrest, Edgebrook, and Ridge are the worst areas.

The strip mall and Campus Cinema buildings are an eyesore and need to be torn down but who's going to pay for that? There is one notorious landord that refuses to maintain his properties and the city is having a difficult time trying to shut him down. The other landlords are just trying to fill their apartments with whomever they can to make money.

(09-20-2018 12:47 PM)HuskieBowWow Wrote:  I live in DeKalb and see this stuff everyday. Too many people from Aurora and Chicago have moved into the vacant apartments due to reduced enrollment. They brought their gang mentality with them. Hillcrest, Edgebrook, and Ridge are the worst areas.

The strip mall and Campus Cinema buildings are an eyesore and need to be torn down but who's going to pay for that? There is one notorious landord that refuses to maintain his properties and the city is having a difficult time trying to shut him down. The other landlords are just trying to fill their apartments with whomever they can to make money.

I wish the University would just address it. They historically have said this is off campus so its a DeKalb problem not a NIU problem. But sorry, this is a HUGE NIU problem and it directly impacts perception and enrollment.

(09-20-2018 01:25 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(09-20-2018 12:47 PM)HuskieBowWow Wrote:  I live in DeKalb and see this stuff everyday. Too many people from Aurora and Chicago have moved into the vacant apartments due to reduced enrollment. They brought their gang mentality with them. Hillcrest, Edgebrook, and Ridge are the worst areas.

The strip mall and Campus Cinema buildings are an eyesore and need to be torn down but who's going to pay for that? There is one notorious landord that refuses to maintain his properties and the city is having a difficult time trying to shut him down. The other landlords are just trying to fill their apartments with whomever they can to make money.

I wish the University would just address it. They historically have said this is off campus so its a DeKalb problem not a NIU problem. But sorry, this is a HUGE NIU problem and it directly impacts perception and enrollment.

+1

(09-20-2018 01:25 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote:  

(09-20-2018 12:47 PM)HuskieBowWow Wrote:  I live in DeKalb and see this stuff everyday. Too many people from Aurora and Chicago have moved into the vacant apartments due to reduced enrollment. They brought their gang mentality with them. Hillcrest, Edgebrook, and Ridge are the worst areas.

The strip mall and Campus Cinema buildings are an eyesore and need to be torn down but who's going to pay for that? There is one notorious landord that refuses to maintain his properties and the city is having a difficult time trying to shut him down. The other landlords are just trying to fill their apartments with whomever they can to make money.

I wish the University would just address it. They historically have said this is off campus so its a DeKalb problem not a NIU problem. But sorry, this is a HUGE NIU problem and it directly impacts perception and enrollment.

Life is never that simple. I am sure that the University would love to "address it" but what they would like to do and what they are legally empowered to do are two different things.

Just pull a Mayor Daley and bring in the bulldozers in the middle of the night.

(09-21-2018 12:34 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  Just pull a Mayor Daley and bring in the bulldozers in the middle of the night.

Wouldn't work. Meigs was just laying a few divets into the runway to render it useless. The housing and businesses in question here would take much more time and effort to demolish. A few might go, but a court injunction would be issued in the morning.

(09-21-2018 12:34 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  Just pull a Mayor Daley and bring in the bulldozers in the middle of the night.

Us aviation types are still mad about that one.

(09-19-2018 06:59 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Making my first trip to Ypsi next Saturday, I hear from what people tell me that area will make DeKalb look like an uppity NW burb

Well that sucks for Ypsi, but this area was terrible in DeKalb.

(09-21-2018 02:02 PM)Bronc33 Wrote:  

(09-21-2018 12:34 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  Just pull a Mayor Daley and bring in the bulldozers in the middle of the night.

Us aviation types are still mad about that one.

Yep. Daley ruled over the FAA. Amazing

(09-21-2018 12:55 PM)Skinut Wrote:  

(09-21-2018 12:34 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  Just pull a Mayor Daley and bring in the bulldozers in the middle of the night.

Wouldn't work. Meigs was just laying a few divets into the runway to render it useless. The housing and businesses in question here would take much more time and effort to demolish. A few might go, but a court injunction would be issued in the morning.

It was a joke. Chill.

I know it was a joke. It just got me thinking. . .