Why is Hyde Park so unique?

I ask this based on some basic observations I've made: Hyde Park looks like other Chicago neighborhoods. It has a lot of educated professionals, tons of jobs and is racially diverse. It is mostly pretty dense and walkable. It is well served by Metra and CTA buses, though not by the L. Great historic architecture, and plenty of retail space. A lot of young people live there (U of C) A good arts scene, plus a world-class museum. Right on the lakefront! However, these are what perplex me: It has very little if any nightlife. Not that much of a restaurant scene. YOU CAN'T GET A CAB THERE WITHOUT RUNNING OUT TO LSD AND JUMPING AND WAVING! Now I'm not trying to be an all-out proponent of yuppieism, or of the Lincoln Park-ification of everything. But HP is in prime condition to become exactly that. But why hasn't it? Can we attribute this all to its isolation? Are people just that unwilling to test the south side's waters, including cabbies? And finally, does anybody have any predictions as to how long HP will remain this way? How will decades of development linking HP to downtown change this in the future? I'd like to avoid any racial clashes here, so lets please stay on topic (Damp, ahem ).>