Where do tree hugging, vegetarian liberals belong in north Chicago? (Evanston: environment, real estate)

[Lookout Kid]

In Lincoln Park it's all about being close to the "L" or Express Bus, and close to a commercial strip that suits your needs. Eastern Lincoln Park and the area around the Armitage Brown Line are two of my preferred spots in Lincoln Park.

Most think of Old Town as a separate neighborhood. While it's hard to get into trouble in Lincoln Park in terms of safety, Old Town is somewhat adjacent to the remmants of Cabrini Green and the Marshall Field Homes. Make sure you know where these projects are, and leave a decent buffer zone (though I know many people who live near the Sedgewick Brown Line and never have any spillover trouble from the Marshall Field Homes).

The Metra stops between Lincoln Park and Bucktown (Clybourn stop), so Bucktown/Wicker Park might be another neighborhood for you. When you have some time, go to the six corner intersection of Milwaukee, North, and Damen and just take it all in. Walk north from there along Damen, or southeast along Milwaukee. Check out the shops and restaurants at Damen and Division. Take a look at the mansions on Beer Barron Row and the the Wicker Park Historic District. If you're looking for hip, urban Chicago, this is the place to be.

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

If you're looking for hip, urban Chicago, this is the place to be.

That is exactly what we're looking for. We love Evanston, don't get me wrong, but we the things we LOVE about it is the downtown scene which we feel like there just isn't enough of. We're feeling like we want to "go all the way" with regards to our urban lifestyle. I'm looking at properties and most of them are modern on the inside. It seems perfect! I am assuming that since it is the city, it isn't a conservative area right?

[Calidreemer]

Lookout Kid and Chet what kind of housing is available in the desirable areas and at what price points? Could you break it out in terms of single family homes and condo living?

I have a friend in the DePaul area that has a brown stone, three level that she, hubby and two kids live in and it is quite pricey - well out of most people's reach. It seems like most single family homes in these areas are quite high in price, but maybe i am wrong?

[Lookout Kid]

SF homes are way out of Jaynetarzana's price range. Most SF homes in Lincoln Park are over a million bucks, but you can still find some smaller ones around $800,000-900,000 in DePaul or Sheffield Neighbors (and they would be fixer-uppers). They would be looking at condo life for sure. Or one of those 1970s townhouses by Oz Park.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

That is exactly what we're looking for. We love Evanston, don't get me wrong, but we the things we LOVE about it is the downtown scene which we feel like there just isn't enough of. We're feeling like we want to "go all the way" with regards to our urban lifestyle. I'm looking at properties and most of them are modern on the inside. It seems perfect! I am assuming that since it is the city, it isn't a conservative area right?

Bucktown/Wicker Park is the opposite of a conservative area. It used to be the artist and hipster Mecca for Chicago, but has been invaded by yuppies in the last decade. It still has that hipster flavor, though. It's cheaper than Lincoln Park, but still very expensive.

[jaynetarzana]

We aren't looking for a single family. We actually almost prefer condos or townhomes since you don't have a yard to maintain. We almost never used our yards so it was a huge waste and time suck and with all of the parks for kids, there is plenty of outdoor time for them. That being said, I wouldn't mind finding a place with a small outdoor place so I can grow some organic veggies.

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Bucktown/Wicker Park is the opposite of a conservative area. It used to be the artist and hipster Mecca for Chicago, but has been invaded by yuppies in the last decade. It still has that hipster flavor, though. It's cheaper than Lincoln Park, but still very expensive.

I guess it is all relative because all of those areas seem less expensive than Evanston? Am I wrong? I just notice that there is more in our price range in Lincoln Park than in Evanston.

[Calidreemer]

I would'nt necessarily agree with that. I think LP is quite pricey except for some fringe areas, but again, I am not as well informed as others are about the city. That referral I gave you, that couple can give you insight into condo living for a reasonable price. I guess I thought you guys were looking for an atomic ranch type house. It sounds like your priorties are something like this: Culture, urban environment, amenities, housing type, cost... Is that close?

Many of the LP crowd sold their homes when their children became school age and moved to the NS because they were able to take away big $$ during the boom. Chet probably could give you better insight into that whole scene since he is our virtual encyclopedia. I think Lookout Kid is right about the price point though. I am not sure about condos, but my friend at work found a nice 2 br in a 6 flat with a garage and back yard that was in the 300's last year but they are in Logan Square. The unit was really clean and updated.

I work in Lake Forest and many of the people I work with commute from the city via metra and take a shuttle in to the office. With your husband telecommuting most days of the week he should be fine.

[jaynetarzana]

We really love the feel of Lincoln Park, but our mortgage would be a huge stretch for us so public schools are an absolute must. I just read the "Raising Kids in the city" thread and it sounds like all of the public schools aren't any good and some people even say unsafe. Does this include the Abraham Lincoln elementary school? With regards to safety, there are entire sections of Evanston that make me more nervous than anyplace I've seen in Lincoln Park. So why are people talking about gang problems in the schools and parents regretting their decisions to send their kids to LPHS? I am so confused by this. Can anyone shed some light on the subject?

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

We really love the feel of Lincoln Park, but our mortgage would be a huge stretch for us so public schools are an absolute must. I just read the "Raising Kids in the city" thread and it sounds like all of the public schools aren't any good and some people even say unsafe. Does this include the Abraham Lincoln elementary school? With regards to safety, there are entire sections of Evanston that make me more nervous than anyplace I've seen in Lincoln Park. So why are people talking about gang problems in the schools and parents regretting their decisions to send their kids to LPHS? I am so confused by this. Can anyone shed some light on the subject?

All of the kids from Cabrini Green go to Lincoln Park High School (even though that's a shrinking number). And CPS busses kids all over the city. So most schools aren't necessarily filled with kids from the surrounding neighborhood. Lincoln Park High School is surrounded by some fancy real estate, but it's very much an urban school.

I don't think Lincoln Elementary is unsafe at all! It's probably a nice enough school. But a school that's just so-so is really overrated in the city.