commute time? owning a car? andersonville? (Chicago, Addison: cul-de-sac, apartment, lease)

[neonwattagelimit]

Posted here a couple of weeks ago and found many of the answers helpful, so I'm trying again.....

I'm about to sign a lease for an apartment in Andersonville. It's not one of the 'hoods I had my eye on, and it's a bit further from downtown that I'd have liked, but I really liked the apartment and the neighborhood was nice. So I'm pretty happy with that. However, I have a few questions:

What's the best way into the city? I'm only a few blocks from the Bryn Mawr red line stop, but I know that's pretty far up there and I was wondering if there are any faster commuting methods.

The big thing now is that debating whether to take my car with me. All things being equal, I would - I can afford it and the parking in the area didn't seem bad (bear in mind that I am used to urban driving and have no problem parking around the corner or down the block from my apt., nor would I drive to work). However, my car is very old ('91 Volvo, nearly 180k miles) and I fear getting stuck with it during the long, cold drive from NY in January. As such, are there any ways you know of to get my car to Chicago without having to, you know, drive it? I know this question sounds kind of stupid, and if there is no answer, I'm sure I could live without the car.

Also, what are the best ways to meet people in Chicago? I don't really know anybody, for all intents and purposes.

Thanks again for helping me out!

[Lookout Kid]

Your best option for getting downtown is the Red Line. I can't think of another way, unless you drive. I know a woman who lives in Andersonville and doesn't like the walk from the Red Line at night, so she'll get off the train at Addison and take the Clark Bus north. This is certainly NOT faster, but is another option if you don't want to walk through Edgewater after midnight (the roughest spots in Edgewater are around the "L" on Winthrop and Kenmore, but the Bryn Mawr stop is one of the safer ones).

I would definitely consider owning a car around Andersonville. You will feel sort of cut off from much of the city without one, and parking isn't THAT terrible around there. However, driving to work downtown on a daily basis can be very expensive (parking can cost anywhere from $13 to $30 a day depending on if you get an "early bird special"). Andersonville does have some grocery stores within walking distance, so it is definitely possible to get by without a car if you don't want to use one. Chicago also has two car-sharing services (Zip Car and I-go), so that's also an option. I think there are a few lots with those cars in and around Edgewater.

[Drover]

I used to live in Andersonville and at one time I actually owned three cars and had few issues parking all three of them. Granted, I lived west of Ashland Avenue where parking is easier than east of Ashland, but even east of Ashland (which you will be, I'm guessing) it's really not that much of a headache -- during the daytime anyway. If you come home at, say, 11 at night, you may have to spend some time hunting for a spot. But if you want to drive to the grocery store on a Saturday afternoon, you shouldn't have much difficulty finding a spot within a block or so when you get back. It's definitely not like eastern Lakeview or Lincoln Park where people are literally afraid to move their cars for fear that they'll never find another spot so their cars sit in the same spot for weeks at a time, which pretty much defeats the purpose of owning one. No such issue in Andersonville -- as long as you're in by, say, 7pm, you're golden.

So bottom line, take your car with you, and only if you find it's more of a hassle than it's worth, then sell it. But I don't think it'll come to that. That is, only bring it if you're willing to take the chance of driving it all the way here. Your only realistic alternative to driving it is to have a car carrier deliver it. That would probably cost almost as much as it's worth.

Meeting people: when you arrive and you're set up, throw a party and invite your neighbors. If you're worried about the possible tackiness of throwing yourself a welcoming party, just bill it as a "meet and greet."

Finally, even though Andersonville wasn't on your list of places to look, I suspect you will be very pleased with your choice.

[aragx6]

The most cost efficient way I can think of to get your car here without driving it would be to rent a U-Haul with a car trailer on the back. That's how we got to Chicago and it worked out pretty well. One thing to note though- they are almost impossible to back up because you have to be going perfectly straight or the trailer will get away from you. We were returning it to the U-Haul place and took a wrong turn into a subdivision cul-de-sac and it took us an hour, an extremely angry homeowner and almost hitting two trees to get out of it.

[supernerdgirl]

Originally Posted by neonwattagelimit

Also, what are the best ways to meet people in Chicago? I don't really know anybody, for all intents and purposes.

Hi, I live by the Bryn Mawr stop, but not toward Andersonville... the L tracks are actually right outside my window. I'll be your friend! I haven't lived here very long myself.

p.s. I don't have a car and am getting by OK. well, until the CTA shuts itself down at least.

[jimbo13]

how nerdy are you?

[supernerdgirl]

Originally Posted by jimbo13

how nerdy are you?

not very.

[jimbo13]

ha ha. i just needed a little clarification. you seem super-nerdy according to your name. i am super-nerdy.

[neonwattagelimit]

Thanks guys! I think I'm just gonna have someone ship the car. My company is paying for the move, anyway, and the cost will be mitigated quite a bit by the fact that I could ship most of my stuff with the car (I live at home now and will be buying all my furniture). Does anyone know of a good company that does that?

I thought I mentioned this in my first post, but I have NO intention of driving to work. Aside from parking and traffic, there's the cost of gas-when you drive to work, you spend a lot on gas, when you don't, gas could be 5 bucks a gallon and you'll be okay. How are car insurance rates in Chicago? I'd imagine cheaper than NY, though I live in the outskirts of the outer boroughs. I'm not worried about parking in Andersonville, it looked fine.

I plan to rely on the L for commuting and getting to other parts of the North Side. I'm not worried about the safety of the stop, it didn't seem dangerous at all, and frankly, I've walked alone at night through far seedier areas than anything I've seen thus far on the North Side of Chicago.

Oh, and supernerdgirl, that's like three or four blocks from me. I'm actually on the border of Andersonville and Edgewater, I think - Lakewood & Bryn Mawr. How's the neighborhood?

[supernerdgirl]

Originally Posted by neonwattagelimit

Oh, and supernerdgirl, that's like three or four blocks from me. I'm actually on the border of Andersonville and Edgewater, I think - Lakewood & Bryn Mawr. How's the neighborhood?

Oh jeez, I walk down that way to get to my bank all the time. That stretch of road is beautiful. And quiet. People walking dogs and kids around. There's a school there too. From what I can tell it's nice. I don't think you should have too much of a problem parking there. In fact, I was walking past there yesterday thinking maybe if I had some more money someday I'd move a little further west. I, literally, live on the "other side of the tracks" (Hollywood/Winthrop), where some say it's a little sketchier, but I haven't had any problems except for the occasional "hey baby" from random guys.

You have grocery stores and a Walgreens nearby, and a bunch of banks... Pretty much anything you need is in this neighborhood. Oh, and Target's a quick ride on the Peterson bus to Peterson/Hoyne (or, an even quicker drive without surly bus drivers).

I don't have a lot of friends here yet (the ones I do have I met at random, mostly because of my favorite band), and one lives in Uptown (not too far) and the other lives in Logan Square (can potentially feel like the other side of the world if the CTA is being cranky), so I don't hang out in the neighborhood a lot. Plus most of the shows I go to are in far flung neighborhoods, hehe. However, a really nice place to go is Moody's Pub. It's a lot more fun in summer when they have the beer garden open. I don't know if you eat meat or are a veggie, but apparently they have some excellent burgers. There's tons of restaurants on Clark, and also quite a few on Broadway north of Bryn Mawr, but I'm poor right now so I haven't been to any of them, hah. There's also a few bars, which I'm guessing are a little more quiet than the ones you'd find south in Wrigleyville.

Of course, the lake's nearby, which is wonderful during the summer, and is probably the main reason I don't plan on leaving this neighborhood. Also if you like biking, the Lincoln Park bike trail starts at Hollywood and Lake Shore.

Hope that helped some.

p.s. we should totally be friends or something.