Commute from Uptown / Lakeview apartment to Evanston (Sheridan, Atlanta: live, restaurant)

[tonesdef]

There is a lot of apts for a reason. Gentrification in uptown failed, its not the safest of teh north neighborhoods. But the food in that area is super good. And greenmill is just down teh street one of the best bars in the country.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Michal M

Thanks!
And how about Uptown area? In particular the area near Argyle station seems to have a couple of decent looking bars and quite a few restaurants. I also see that there quite a few apartments to rent in that area.
Cheers

I couldn't recommend that area to a newbie to Chicago with a straight face. I would recommend learning Chicago a bit more before trying to save a few bucks there. There are more neighborhoods I would recommend that are cheaper but they don't help you with getting to Evanston.

Your question:
"Say, i walk home from a bar around Lawrence stop after midnight and home is on W Argyle. Do I worry that I get beaten up by a bunch of guys, have a gun pointed at me or worse?"

I would say, yes I'd certainly keep my eyes open and wouldn't want to be stumbling around drunk. Don't be a victim, especially in an area that has lots of people hanging out on the streets.

[Michal M]

Originally Posted by grapico

I couldn't recommend that area to a newbie to Chicago with a straight face. I would recommend learning Chicago a bit more before trying to save a few bucks there. There are more neighborhoods I would recommend that are cheaper but they don't help you with getting to Evanston.

Your question:
"Say, i walk home from a bar around Lawrence stop after midnight and home is on W Argyle. Do I worry that I get beaten up by a bunch of guys, have a gun pointed at me or worse?"

I would say, yes I'd certainly keep my eyes open and wouldn't want to be stumbling around drunk. Don't be a victim, especially in an area that has lots of people hanging out on the streets.

Thanks!
I think I will try to get a place near the Belmont stop in Lakeview. Seems to be a good area and I especially like the purple express line.
Thanks All!

[Michal M]

Originally Posted by grapico

I couldn't recommend that area to a newbie to Chicago with a straight face. I would recommend learning Chicago a bit more before trying to save a few bucks there. There are more neighborhoods I would recommend that are cheaper but they don't help you with getting to Evanston.

Your question:
"Say, i walk home from a bar around Lawrence stop after midnight and home is on W Argyle. Do I worry that I get beaten up by a bunch of guys, have a gun pointed at me or worse?"

I would say, yes I'd certainly keep my eyes open and wouldn't want to be stumbling around drunk. Don't be a victim, especially in an area that has lots of people hanging out on the streets.

I am expecting that you also would not recommend any place near the Howard El stop?
Cheers
Michal

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Michal M

I am expecting that you also would not recommend any place near the Howard El stop?
Cheers
Michal

Define near, there are some nicer areas East of Sheridan that are parallel to Howard.

[Michal M]

Originally Posted by grapico

Define near, there are some nicer areas East of Sheridan that are parallel to Howard.

Found some good looking apts on:
Fargo/Ashland
Clyde/Howard

In general, I am asking about walking distance from the Howard El station. I did go through the Rogers Park posts already, but wanted a quick opinion from you on this particular location.
Cheers

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Michal M

Found some good looking apts on:
Fargo/Ashland
Clyde/Howard

In general, I am asking about walking distance from the Howard El station. I did go through the Rogers Park posts already, but wanted a quick opinion from you on this particular location.
Cheers

I would personally pass. If I were moving to RP I would live around Morse west of Clark near Metra... OR... the areas closer to Sheridan from Jarvis to Loyola...
if up by Howard, closer to Sheridan.
There is visible gang activity where you are looking (maybe not now b/c it is the winter) but you will see it in the Summer.
I think you could be fine though...how much urban living experience do you have. It isn't the GHETTO but you need some street smarts.
It isn't the best place for night life either... The better nightlife in the area is centered around Morse and Loyola, a tad bit on Jarvis but Howard area is particularly weak.
I know people who have got harassed, seeing dice games on the street, people posted up, and my friend found their car up on cinder blocks over the summer... just FYI.

[Michal M]

Originally Posted by grapico

I would personally pass. If I were moving to RP I would live around Morse west of Clark near Metra... OR... the areas closer to Sheridan from Jarvis to Loyola...
if up by Howard, closer to Sheridan.
There is visible gang activity where you are looking (maybe not now b/c it is the winter) but you will see it in the Summer.
I think you could be fine though...how much urban living experience do you have. It isn't the GHETTO but you need some street smarts.
It isn't the best place for night life either... The better nightlife in the area is centered around Morse and Loyola, a tad bit on Jarvis but Howard area is particularly weak.

Hey, thanks for this.
That bit seems attractive to me cause of the red and purple line. Potentially it could be a 20 min trip to Lakeview to do some beer drinking etc. It would take me to Northwestern in 20 min or so as well. I can also see quite a few grocery shops in the area...
I lived in Atlanta for over 6 years and often walked the streets in Midtown area after 2 in the morning. Midtown is not terribly dangerous but you do hear once every month or so about gun point robberies, especially around Georgia Tech where I studied. Also, areas around train stations in Atlanta have some interesting characters. Nothing major happened to me though. I was harassed by guys in the streets asking for a coin, male prostitutes, etc. I think I can judge things in the streets quite well. Before that I lived in Torun, Poland where you had to use your judgement VERY WELL after midnight as there were lots of guys with too much fighting skills too much testosterone and too much to drink. I got beaten up a few times over simple stuff, like not having cigarettes. Trouble is is that while I feel relatively okay in, say, Poland where I can get punched in the face, when it comes to places where people carry weapons, I do not feel so easy about that.
I know that a lot of white folks tend to feel "unsafe" when they see a bunch of people of other race hanging around in the street (this is especially cler fro some of the youtube videos about Rogers Park and Uptown safety issues). This is not really the "safety issue" I am concerned with.
Cheers!

[xavier xerxes]

Originally Posted by tonesdef

There is a lot of apts for a reason. Gentrification in uptown failed, its not the safest of teh north neighborhoods. But the food in that area is super good. And greenmill is just down teh street one of the best bars in the country.

Gentrification didnt fail.
Its still continuing in different corners of Uptown
and yes its rotten in its core. But even that core
is improving, namely broadway and lawerence intersection
is the best example of that. Wilson is almost cursed
however, but I still have seen positive indicators.
Popeyes closed....

Check out the area by Argyle, you have the streets
West of Broadway and North of Lawrence
with great housing stock most of it
fixed up, and those are just off the east side of
andersonville and right by the EL.
Thats not desireable?????
You are right by the EL, LAKE, and andersoville.
And the HopLeaf.

You cant paint Uptown with one Broad Brushstroke.
Ofcourse you have Buena Park.
And you have Clark improving by Wilson as well.

[xavier xerxes]

Originally Posted by Michal M

Found some good looking apts on:
Fargo/Ashland
Clyde/Howard

In general, I am asking about walking distance from the Howard El station. I did go through the Rogers Park posts already, but wanted a quick opinion from you on this particular location.
Cheers

Fargo and Ashland, I know that area very well.
Nice little pocket there, its fine, our family owns
property there. You are right by the Jarvis EL stop,
so you wouldnt have to walk to the Howard EL stop.
There are two condo carcasses on that stretch of
Fargo but every other place is doing just fine
and its only a matter of time before those buildings
are fixed up and Im there alot and havent
seen any gang activity on Fargo.

Jarvis >>>>>> Howard

Clyde and Howard?
Funny street name, yeah thats not as nice.
But if you have street smarts its doable,
but I personally wouldnt live there,
only if I was able to buy something for a song would I.
Even then, not sure about that.