Hey guys! Ill be starting school in downtown chicago in a few months. Does anybody know any good, affordable housing locations?
Hey guys! Ill be starting school in downtown chicago in a few months. Does anybody know any good, affordable housing locations?
i know that it won't be around downtown (or northwestern).
Hey guys! Ill be starting school in downtown chicago in a few months. Does anybody know any good, affordable housing locations?
Yeah, downtown will be difficult. There are little neighborhoods here and there surrounding the city proper that you can check out. You'll likely be sharing a place with several people, though.
I used to live in Hyde Park, which is neighborhood south of the city. You can find somewhat affordable accomodations there, since it's really a college town, given that U of C is located there. If you don't have a car, it's a short bus ride to the 55th and Garfield L-station and then a train up downtown. Not a bad ride overall and a lot of my friends used to live in Hyde Park and then commute to the city for work or school.
Hopefully Ill have a car by the time school starts. *crosses fingers* Thatll def make things easier if it pulls through. If not, will I be able to take the L most places and get around?
will I be able to take the L most places and get around?
Everyone I met at Northwestern lived in high-rise buildings just south of campus. The apt I stayed in overlooked the river and the lake. Prices for these places weren't bad. About $1000 for a studio, $1200 or so for 2 bedroom that you share with a roommate. Based on the impression I got from everyone, downtown Chicago is very reasonable, but maybe I'm wrong.
1200 for a 2 bedroom downtown seems way too cheap.
My husband rented a 1 bedroom apt. about a block from Northwestern hospital for $1400/month (it had a lake view). That seems cheap to me after living in Manhattan![]()
i wouldn't do that if i were you. plenty of neighborhoods on mass transit lines to downtown. parking downtown is expensive. what type of neighborhood are you looking for?
Anything that is safe and fairly close to school. In college, Ive been spoiled with the luxury of living within walking distance from classrooms, so I could wake up 5 minutes before early morning class and be back in my room passed out within 5 minutes of class ending, hehe. I suppose I could suck it up and deal with a small train commute in the mornings if I had to though.
Hyde Park is a neighborhood within the city of Chicago, not a location outside of the city (as one poster described it).
try the gold coast area
Riiiiiiiiiight.....
honestly i know nothing about the gold coast area except it was suggested to me...i am guessing by your response it is quite expensive?
You guessed correctly. I don't know why anybody would suggest that other than the fact that it's pretty close to the school.
In my opinion, as long as you live near a train/bus line, and not TOO far out....you are good to go. That said, research the neighborhoods. I'm partial to Wickerpark/Bucktown/Logan Square areas. They are cheaper than Lincoln Park and not as yuppie (although, unfortunately, it's becoming more and more like Lincoln Park each day).
Check out these links for starters. One has neighborhood descriptions the other has a rough map. I'm sure there are plenty more sites out there like these.
DESCRIPTIONS
MAP
Where would you Chicago natives recommend for a Pritzker student to live? Hyde Park? Or is the South Loop nicer?
most would probably say the south loop is nicer. it has more entertainment amenities and more nice high-rise housing, but hyde park is a more university- and family-oriented place (probably more crime, but less expensive).
i personally wouldn't do logan square or wicker park, simply because it would involve a mass transit transfer. this adds time possibly spent waiting in the cold.
If you were concerned about the cold, you could take the blue line downtown and transfer to the red line underground (taking that back north to say, the Chicago stop). Yes, it adds a little time to your commute, but you won't be standing out in the cold waiting for a transfer. I've taken classes downtown at Feinberg (NW) and can make it in 30 minutes or less from Wicker Park.
For U. Chicago, a lot of people seem to live in Hyde Park. I imagine that living on the Northside would entail a relatively difficult commute...even from South Loop. If standing outside for transfers/walking is a concern, don't live in the South Loop and go to U. Chicago.
I have a car. I have heard the drive is fine--10-15 min with little traffic.
Are there any other neighborhoods near UofC that are both nice and safe?
I was referring to the public transportation commute being long.
By car, 10-15 is probably a good guess via Lake Shore Drive (maybe 15-20?)...although people looking for alternate routes during the Dan Ryan construction (I-94/I-90 Southbound) might screw that up temporarily.
he'd be reverse commuting, though.
I have a car. I have heard the drive is fine--10-15 min with little traffic.
i personally wouldn't do logan square or wicker park, simply because it would involve a mass transit transfer. this adds time possibly spent waiting in the cold.
lakeview has some okay rents and is not as "yuppie" as lincoln park.
it's farther out, but uptown (for now) and roger's park are pretty cheap and diverse neighborhoods off of an el train line. they would also put you closer to nwu's main campus in evanston, if there's anything you wanted to do there.
I have a car. I have heard the drive is fine--10-15 min with little traffic.
If you have a car, and money isn't a huge concern, South Loop will treat you well. You have good access to the city from there, crime is low, and commutes to Hyde Park are pretty reasonable. However, South Loop is booming right now, so it will be more expensive than Hyde Park, which has lower rates due to the location and U of C's own subsidizing of apartments which helps control rent prices (the University owns or manages like 2 of the major renters for the neighborhood)...