Possibility of moving to work near Union Station, Chicago. Need advice where to live. (Berwyn: affordable apartments, condos)

[ssni]

Hi friends,

I am planning to move to Chicago from Portland for a job near Union Station. Need help and advice as to
where to live. I am single and middle age. I may sell my car. If I need to, I will buy one in Chicago. The
office is walk-able from Union Station.

1) My budget will be 800-1200$. Lesser the better.
2) Nearer the Union Station, the better.
3) Any suburb which is nearer Union Station(Commute of less than 20-30 minutes).
4) I may prefer places along BNSF line and should be walk-able to Metra.
5) Not sure I would like the commute if I live in suburbs as I have always lived near my work place before
(<5 miles)
6) Not sure if I like condos or apartments in high rise/low rise buildings near Union Station but would like
to hear about as an option.
7) All places should be walk-able from Metra.

Thanks!

[chet everett]

The train service on Metra is EXCELLENT - fast and tightly scheduled. It takes less than 20 minutes from a town like Berwyn. Very hard to beat, and there are affordable apartments in Berwyn that would be walkable from the train station as well as being close to shopping, dining, nightlife.

The other obvious area to look include River North, about 15 minutes or so via bus, West Loop,(that would include areas adjacent to Union Station) maybe a little closer but not quite as many upscale options for night time entertainment, and South Loop, which may be a little bit more affordable.

You could also look at Oak Park which does have a fairly large number of folks that commute to the Loop, the Olgilvey Transportation Center is the terminus of the UP-W line and is just a few block north of Union Station. Oak Park tends to be pricier than Berwyn, but it considered by some to be more upscale and an apartment walking distance from either Metra or the CTA Green Line is likely to be pricier than a similar unit in Berwyn, though probably still in your price range...

[Hatchetman]

You can live just about anywhere. Union Station is close to many Metra lines and some L lines. No kids? Depending how crime averse you are, I would probably look in the city somewhere.

[chet everett]

El lines really are not directly toward Union Station -- you have to ride Blue Line through the busiest part of the Loop and then curve it west toward the Forest Park branch.

Faster to rely on surface transit (buses) or stick with Metra...

Sorta depends on how "middle" their idea of middle-aged is too. Some parts of city served by Blue Line trend awfully young...

[Threegoofs]

You might consider living in Little Italy/University Village. A couple El stops away, or a long walk to Union. A younger area, but with plenty of middle aged folks too.

An option for Metra might be Brookfield, or Berwyn.

[myrc60]

Berwyn sounds like a good choice and is in the cheapest METRA fare zone. If you can find something close to the station you can leave the car at home but in my opinion you will want to have a car. Once you pass Harlem the fare goes up.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by myrc60

Berwyn sounds like a good choice and is in the cheapest METRA fare zone. If you can find something close to the station you can leave the car at home but in my opinion you will want to have a car. Once you pass Harlem the fare goes up.

That area around the Harlem Metra is pretty walkable. The Riverside grocery store is maybe a 1/2 mile away at most, there's Mejier and Walgreens at the Cermak Plaza, which you can also walk to easily from that area, and bars and restaurants in downtown Riverside and Berwyn's Depot District. Most have a car but you could technically get by without one over there.

[myrc60]

Originally Posted by BRU67

That area around the Harlem Metra is pretty walkable. The Riverside grocery store is maybe a 1/2 mile away at most, there's Mejier and Walgreens at the Cermak Plaza, which you can also walk to easily from that area, and bars and restaurants in downtown Riverside and Berwyn's Depot District. Most have a car but you could technically get by without one over there.

Yes, it is very walkable but it's been a number of years since I was there. There used to be a grocery on Oak Park in Berwyn. Anybody know if it is still there?

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by myrc60

Yes, it is very walkable but it's been a number of years since I was there. There used to be a grocery on Oak Park in Berwyn. Anybody know if it is still there?

That was Berwyn Finer Foods. It closed around 2004. Sad but that area is about the direct opposite of a food desert. You have Berwyn Fruit Market, two Jewels, a Tony's, a Meijer, LaFamilia (in the Cermak Plaza), the Riverside grocery store, and an Aldi all within a 2 square mile area. And there's a Super Target just 3 miles west on Cermak Road in Broadview.

[myrc60]

Originally Posted by BRU67

That was Berwyn Finer Foods. It closed around 2004. Sad but that area is about the direct opposite of a food desert. You have Berwyn Fruit Market, two Jewels, a Tony's, a Meijer, LaFamilia (in the Cermak Plaza), the Riverside grocery store, and an Aldi all within a 2 square mile area. And there's a Super Target just 3 miles west on Cermak Road in Broadview.

That's a shame. I stopped there a lot after getting off the train to pick something up. Even still, when you don't have a car it's getting harder to get groceries.