Is Skokie (and other Chicago Suburbs) as Boring as they Look? (Evanston: condos, homes)

[nikitakolata]

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

Seriously? That's my time in heavy congestion from Wheaton. Which is twice as far from the Loop. 24 miles versus 12. An hour seems like too much.

If you can make it from Wheaton to the Loop on a Friday afternoon in under an hour you are a miracle worker. It took me 90 minutes to get from Elmhurst to the Diversey Rock 'n Bowl and I left at 4:00 pm. Friday afternoon traffic (when people are pretty likely to want to get to Chicago) is horrendous. Hell, it used to take me 25 minutes to get to the Rock 'n Bowl just going up Western avenue when I lived at Western and Division.

[holl1ngsworth]

Originally Posted by nikitakolata

If you can make it from Wheaton to the Loop on a Friday afternoon in under an hour you are a miracle worker. It took me 90 minutes to get from Elmhurst to the Diversey Rock 'n Bowl and I left at 4:00 pm. Friday afternoon traffic (when people are pretty likely to want to get to Chicago) is horrendous. Hell, it used to take me 25 minutes to get to the Rock 'n Bowl just going up Western avenue when I lived at Western and Division.

Yea, I read it wrongly as a rush commute. Friday nights by car are tough. That's what helicopters are for.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by linicx

Skokie is a Jewish community. Evanston is a large college, town.

Skokie is no longer a Jewish community. There is a reasonable Jewish population including orthodox Jews, but Skokie is much more diverse now than it was back in the 70s. It's got a large Hindu population (my ex inlaws are part of that). The population of Skokie is currently around 25% Asian. There are more Catholics than Jews in Skokie now. They do have the largest Holocaust Remembrance celebration in the midwest and there are still Holocaust survivors living there.

While Evanston is a college town to an extent, there is more to Evanston than Northwestern.

[ToriaT]

I don't see Skokie as an example of urban sprawl. It was built in a different time and is like an extension of further out city neighborhoods. I lived there for ten years and it was a fine place to live if you could not afford Evanston. It is close to many things. There are other good choices though too.

[linicx]

Regardless of its slow change over the years, Skokie is still very much a Jewish village with a Jewish population, Jewish leaders, Jewish schools, and Jewish temples. This is not to say there are no Spanish speaking, Asians, or others that live in Skokie, for there are. Compared to other communities of the same size, the Skokie poverty level is very low. All things considered, there are other communities that are not as appealing, just as there are communities that are more appealing. .

Is it boring? Of course. By its very nature, the suburb is family orientated, ergo quiet, with local schools that outperform most larger city public schools. This is not generally where one finds the large events that draw millions of visitors, loud music and drunken brawls. You're more likely to find a place of worship, a school, a family park, Family Y, restaurants, boutique shops.

[reppin_the_847]

Originally Posted by holl1ngsworth

Seriously? That's my time in heavy congestion from Wheaton. Which is twice as far from the Loop. 24 miles versus 12. An hour seems like too much.

The thing is, the Kennedy Expressway can become an absolute gridlock filled nightmare. The often congested Edens Expressway feeds into the Kennedy just a few miles south of Skokie. Folks in Skokie also have the alternate option of taking Lincoln Avenue down to Hollywood (or other east-west streets) into Lake Shore Drive into the city as well. That option will still take a while during rush hour.

But last I checked, highway 290 (Congress Parkway) is no cakewalk either.

[reppin_the_847]

Originally Posted by linicx

Regardless of its slow change over the years, Skokie is still very much a Jewish village with a Jewish population, Jewish leaders, Jewish schools, and Jewish temples. This is not to say there are no Spanish speaking, Asians, or others that live in Skokie, for there are. Compared to other communities of the same size, the Skokie poverty level is very low. All things considered, there are other communities that are not as appealing, just as there are communities that are more appealing. .

Is it boring? Of course. By its very nature, the suburb is family orientated, ergo quiet, with local schools that outperform most larger city public schools. This is not generally where one finds the large events that draw millions of visitors, loud music and drunken brawls. You're more likely to find a place of worship, a school, a family park, Family Y, restaurants, boutique shops.

This is arguable linicx. True, the Jewish institutions are still present in Skokie, but you have to remember that a lot of the population comes in from other northern suburbs now. Places like Highland Park, Glencoe, Northbrook & Buffalo Grove may have a high percentage of Jewish people than Skokie now. But the center of Orthodox Judaism in Chicagoland is still the West Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago (which is a short drive from Skokie).

[uicgrad]

The best things about Skokie are Pita Inn and Grecian Kitchen Delight!

[alienbaker]

Yes, they are as boring as they look.

Source: I grew up there.

[holl1ngsworth]

Originally Posted by alienbaker

Yes, they are as boring as they look.

Source: I grew up there.

You grew up in all the suburbs?