College Intern in Lisle, IL (Chicago, Naperville: spring break, affordable apartment, lease)

[kiggis13]

Hello,

I am looking for information about if there is anything to do for young people in Lisle. I am a student studying civil engineering at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh and recently recieved a summer internship offer from Patrick Engineering at their Lisle office. I wanted to know if there were any bars, restaurants, etc. were young people conviened. I understand that it is an outer ring suburb so I would assume there are a lot of families in the area. If this is the case, then how convienient is it to travel into downtown Chicago (the Loop, Wrigleyville, etc.) through bus or train? I would greatly aprriciate any information

[tcs1366]

I'm not too familiar with that area... but the other day we went through Lisle [along Maple] going to Naperville for lunch. Since Naper is right next to Lisle in that area, and seems like a huge college area ... there were plenty of college aged kids hanging around.
Lots of restaurants etc.

that day it must have been spring break, i know Benedictine was out for Break... and the streets were full of "youngsters".

I'm sure someone who lives out that way will give you better details.

but it seemed like a very nice area.

[Drover]

Being in Lisle is like the Pittsburgh equivalent of being in, say, Moon Township or Wexford -- nice enough area, but not a whole lot going on out there. However, Lisle does border Naperville which has a decently charming, busy and somewhat youthful downtown.

If you're only going to be here for the summer, I'd consider living in Chicago or perhaps Oak Park since you have access to the CTA from Oak Park and you can get to the nightlife spots fairly easily. The commute to Lisle may be a bit difficult (though not horrid from Oak Park) but totally worth putting up with it for one summer to be where the action is.

[nanannie]

Is anything going on in Four Lakes in Lisle? (apt complex,used to be for singles) but you are close enough to Naperville,very busy area. By all means, The city the ciy the city ! Much to enjoy there but if you cant live there, live somewhere that you can 'metra' it. (easy train ride away)

[kiggis13]

Originally Posted by Drover

Being in Lisle is like the Pittsburgh equivalent of being in, say, Moon Township or Wexford -- nice enough area, but not a whole lot going on out there. However, Lisle does border Naperville which has a decently charming, busy and somewhat youthful downtown.

If you're only going to be here for the summer, I'd consider living in Chicago or perhaps Oak Park since you have access to the CTA from Oak Park and you can get to the nightlife spots fairly easily. The commute to Lisle may be a bit difficult (though not horrid from Oak Park) but totally worth putting up with it for one summer to be where the action is.

Would living in Naperville be a possibility? Could its downtown area be considered similar to Shadyside. At CMU I live literally at the confluence of Shadyside, North Oakland, and Squirrel Hill (corner of 5th and Neville). I enjoy being able to walk to the bars in Shadyside or Oakland. Is there an area similar to this in Naperville?

[Drover]

I forgot to ask: are you bringing a car? I kind of hope so because I don't see being able to work in Lisle without one.

I'd say Naperville's downtown is a little more upscale than Shadyside. The big problem though is that downtown Naperville is also a lot more expensive than Shadyside and there aren't a lot of apartment buildings in the downtown area. It's mostly older, larger single-family homes on fairly big lots -- think North of Forbes area of Squirrel Hill. The more affordable areas of Naperville (and the areas with a lot of apartment buildings) are on the outskirts of the city, which is quite large both geographically and population-wise (approx. 140,000). So the chances of you living within walking distance of downtown Naperville are pretty slim.

Based on your stated criteria, I reiterate my recommendation of Oak Park as it seems to be the best compromise between the kind of area you're looking to live and reasonable commute to Lisle. Its downtown is compact, walkable, and has a more urban population density than downtown Naperville (meaning: more apartment buildings in or near downtown) -- about similar in density to Shadyside, maybe a little denser. Its downtown area is also a little more upscale than Shadyside and a little less youth-oriented (not a lot of "college-type" bars in Oak Park) but other than that it's fairly comparable to the Walnut Street area with its boutiques and nice but not snooty restaurants and the like. Plus there is the added benefit of easy access to Chicago and all of its nightlife areas such as, say, Lincoln Park, which is the closest equivalent Chicago has to a Shadyside/North Oakland combination. In fact the only reason I don't recommend Lincoln Park is because the commute to Lisle would kill you.

[kiggis13]

Yes I am taking a car. If would live in Oak Park, how long would you expect the commute to Lisle to be on an average day.

[Drover]

Figure on about 45 minutes on the high side, 20 on the low side.

Parking is a pretty complicated issue in Oak Park. Make sure to inquire of any prospective landlord if off-street parking is provided, and if not, if it's available for an additional fee. If neither is the case, make sure to inquire with the Oak Park Parking Services Division about the availability of an overnight residential parking permit in your area before signing your lease.

If you have an EZ-Pass, bring it. You'll need it.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by kiggis13

Yes I am taking a car. If would live in Oak Park, how long would you expect the commute to Lisle to be on an average day.

Youd probably take I-88 west to 53? That can be a bear at times. As Drover stated, 20-45 minutes might be doable if the traffic is scootin', which it rarely does during rush hour from Hillside into the city, where a big chunk of your commute will take place. I think youd like Naperville alot, and seeing that youre bringing a car with you will help alot. As Drover also mentioned, there arent any apartments in downtown Naperville, but there are some within a few short miles. How much are you willing to spend? I recommend Railway Plaza in Naperville. Its a bit expensive, but worth it because the Metra tracks are literally right behind the complex. Its safe and quiet there, with a excellent clubhouse and even some concierge services. Youre also only 10 minutes to downtown Naperville and have access to just about everything in the world right there. Best of luck in your move/search.

[Drover]

If traffic is scootin', you can get from OP to Lisle in about 15 minutes. The 45-minute estimate includes time spent in stop-and-go.

I'm familiar with the neighborhood the poster lives in, and based on his (her?) desire to replicate that type of experience while here for the internship, Naperville is not going to do it unless (s)he lucks out and finds an affordable apartment right downtown. I don't see that happening.