Living in Chicago and commuting to McCook (Oak Park, Brookfield: apartments, to rent)

[ejpa83]

Hello!

First of all, I apologize if this question has been answered on previous threads.

I'm moving to the Chicago area from Tulsa (my job will be in McCook) and have to find a place to live. I would rather live within the city - I lived in SF and philadelphia before moving to Tulsa and really missed living in a vibrant city. I'm almost 30 and don't really do the bar/clubbing thing anymore. I just want a neighborhood that is very walkable with nice restaurants, groceries, etc. My goal is to find such a neighborhood with a reasonable commute to McCook (~ 45 mins) within my budget (< $1800 for a 2bd) and affordable parking (my gf and I have 2 cars).

My realtor is really pushing the lakeview/lp area but the apartments are more expensive and I'm worried about my commute time and the parking prices (~ $200 for a spot?!). From conversations I have had with friends, the logan square/bucktown/wicker park area seems nice but I'm worried about safety and commuting on the expressways (I-90/94).

I need to find a place within a month so any insight you guys have will be well appreciated. Thank you very much!

[chicagobear]

I'd look at the South Loop. Lot of vacancies and it's a little closer to work for you with pretty easy access to I55.

[chet everett]

If your job is in McCook and you are not into the clubbing scene there are MANY options for walkable neighborhoods with nice resturants and grocers within a VERY short commute of McCook. The top of my list would include La Grange, about 10 minutes from McCook. I would also include Brookfield and Western Springs, which are east and west of La Grange respectively. A little further north Oak Park would also fit the bill, though the value may be no better than Lakeview.

Given the location of McCook I might also consider Hyde Park, which ought to cut your commute roughly in half timewise vs a northside neighborhood...

[oakparkdude]

Is there a reason you need two cars? If you can ditch one of the cars, that makes the walkable, densely populated neighborhoods that you desire much more affordable.

[snoylekim]

If you're looking in the city , would second South Loop or West Loop as viable options ..not in the middle of the club scene, but not 'too suburbanly quiet' ..parking is a bit more reasonable than LP/Wrigleyville , and access to I-55 for what's not a bad reverse commute is good ..

[ejpa83]

Thanks for all the responses! I forgot to mention that living close to downtown is also desirable because that is where my gf will work.

Regarding the cars - I figure I'll need my car to commute to work and I can't really tell my gf to get rid of hers (she will be making any payments associated with having it so it will be her decision to make).

From your comments, it seems like the west or south loop is the way to go. I heard that neighborhoods in the loop tend to 'shut down' after work hours. Is this the case? Also, does any one have any information on safety in the bucktown/wicker park area? Thanks again for all your help!

[snoylekim]

Depends on what you mean by 'shut down' ..Shopping is available until 10 PM and even later ( 24 Hour Dominicks, Jewel, Walgreens) .. for the West Loop , the clubs and restaurants in the Randolph Corridor, and Greektown continue well into the night, and you're just a cab ride away from River North or LP .. There are spots that re 'quiet'..and some of us that live here kinda prefer it that way

[chicago103]

With that budget you could find quite nice places in the near west or south sides or Bridgeport and have easy access to I-55. Also since some are mentioning suburbs I should also point out that the city neighborhood of Garfield Ridge is very close to McCook, where I live right by Archer/Harlem McCook is like literally a ten minute drive down Archer Avenue and 1st Avenue. I know some will try and say Garfield Ridge is not terribly walkable but since you will likely be living in an apartment the apartment buildings are all located on the major streets where the businesses are and they are easy to walk to, it really is only a problem if you live four blocks from Archer Avenue near the railroad yards and those areas are all single family homes anyways. The apartments in these parts tend to be brick three flats and small apartment buildings and many can be found for much less than your budget and parking usually only requires a city sticker. You would be short driving or bus distance to CTA Orange line Midway and Pulaski stops and if you need big box shopping then Ford City Mall is pretty close as well. Also if you want to rent a single family house (and on your budget you could in this area) live within a block of Archer Avenue and you will have that easy walkability, that is what I do. Full disclosure, I live in a house owned by my family and pay cheaper rent but the market rate for an un-updated 1963 single family brick bungalow like mine would probably be $1000-$1200 a month.

[JacksonPanther]

West loop or South loop. Period. You need to be close to I55, which will provide an easy commute to McCook. Living in LP, Lakeview, Logan Sq, are not good options, as they could take 20 minutes or more just to get to I55.

Tell your realtor to get on board or pound sand.

Are you apartment hunting remotely? You need to make sure you end up with a place in a good location, not with a view of a highway out your window!

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