Moving to Chicago and working in The Loop (Lincoln, Bridgeport: rentals, house)

[bestnapperalive]

Hello everyone,

I'm a 26 year old guy and I just found out I've been hired for a position in Chicago. I would really appreciate any advice on selecting a neighborhood to live in. I'll be working in The Loop and making around 45k, so there's that. I have already read the other thread in the sticky about a similar question; however it dates back to 2008 (maybe things have changed since then ) and I have slightly different criteria than the OP of that thread.

Ideally, I'd like to find a room in the $600-$800 range that's close enough that I could commute to work in roughly 30-45 minutes using public transport (I don't have a car). Biking would potentially be a commute option, but I am hesitant in that regard for two reasons: 1. I am a novice biker and wary of the potential dangers biking in a high-traffic environment entail, and 2. I will be starting my job right before the winter season and have little desire to bike in the cold and snow.

I am looking for a neighborhood with a lot of people in my age bracket and a decent amount of diversity. I have heard of Chicago being a very segregated city, but I would prefer not to live anywhere that's super homogenous. I also consider myself liberal, artistic, and open-minded, so anywhere that's conducive to such a lifestyle would be great. I don't care about trendy or hip; I'd much prefer somewhere with an honest alternative and/or ethnic culture than just an American Apparel/quirky cafe paradise.

The thing that excites me the most about moving to Chicago is the music scene. I am a big fan of hip hop and electronic music, and I am eager to go out and hear some Chicago style house and/or footwork in their city of origin. I'd really like to live somewhere close enough to be able to regularly visit bars and clubs that play good alternative/electronic/hip hop music. I've heard Smart Bar might fall into that category.

With all those things in mind, what neighborhoods might be a good fit for me? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading in any case.

[marothisu]

Yes, Chicago is a fairly segregated city. Not everywhere is really segregated though. I think on that budget you could find something in areas like Ukrainian Village/East Village, Logan Square, Avondale, Pilsen, Bridgeport, etc. Top choices out of there are probably Ukrainian Village/East Village and Logan Square, which are on the blue line (runs 24/7). Pilsen and Bridgeport have young people in them too, but probably less so than the others mentioned.

This video is old-ish, but oh well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYg38w2BkSk
The area is kind of gentrifying now - lot of new construction, and not necessarily cheap stuff, but the rentals still are pretty affordable.

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by marothisu

This video is old-ish, but oh well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYg38w2BkSk
The area is kind of gentrifying now - lot of new construction, and not necessarily cheap stuff, but the rentals still are pretty affordable.

It has become very gentrified. Several stores that were a staples in the neighborhood for decades are
gone. Ukrainians began settling there since 1914 and the second wave of immigrants came after
WWII to escape the Stalinist regime. After the mid 60's to 70's it was an island. The surrounding
neighborhood started to improve. The video was interesting but as for diversity, there are few
Ukrainians who live in the original core and hispanics around it. If it were not for the churches, the museum
and a few shops that manage to stay in business.....it is similar to Wicker Park.
UV was always well kept and people always looked out for one another.

Here's a brief history, if anyone is interested.

Ukrainian Village, Chicago - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by baileyvpotter

The video was interesting but as for diversity, there are few
Ukrainians who live in the original core and hispanics around it. If it were not for the churches, the museum
and a few shops that manage to stay in business.....it is similar to Wicker Park.

Interestingly enough, at least as of the 5 year 2012 ACS estimates, parts of the area still held/hold the highest Ukrainian percentage of any census tract in Illinois. This census tract for example, bounded by Chicago, Division, Western, and Leavitt is just over 30% Ukrainian (~800 people).

Census Tract 242400 in Cook County, Illinois

There's another one near it that's over 15%. Anyway, as far as diversity goes, whenever I am on the border of Ukrainian Village and Wicker Park, it feels as if there are a lot more different types of people out than if you were to go out in Lincoln Park or Lakeview. Of course, the areas are still pretty White, and some Hispanic of course, but many people hang out in that general area who don't necessarily live there too. Not that it's amazingly diverse, but for young people it's one of the better options, and let's not forget that diversity extends far beyond just race/ethnicity. There's a lot of different personalities roaming around those areas.

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Interestingly enough, at least as of the 5 year 2012 ACS estimates, parts of the area still held/hold the highest Ukrainian percentage of any census tract in Illinois. This census tract for example, bounded by Chicago, Division, Western, and Leavitt is just over 30% Ukrainian (~800 people).

Census Tract 242400 in Cook County, Illinois

There's another one near it that's over 15%. Anyway, as far as diversity goes, whenever I am on the border of Ukrainian Village and Wicker Park, it feels as if there are a lot more different types of people out than if you were to go out in Lincoln Park or Lakeview. Of course, the areas are still pretty White, and some Hispanic of course, but many people hang out in that general area who don't necessarily live there too. Not that it's amazingly diverse, but for young people it's one of the better options, and let's not forget that diversity extends far beyond just race/ethnicity. There's a lot of different personalities roaming around those areas.

I do understand what you are saying however the borders of many neighborhoods keep changing
or have changed. I mentioned in another post about Lincoln Park which at one time was a very
expensive place to live and most of those who lived there were very well off (old money). Now,
it seems to be more affordable verses Old Town which was easy on your pocket book in the 70' -80's
and now it is one of the most expensive areas in the city.
I want people to know that I love the city of Chicago and wish it well. However, I do miss the
ethnic neighborhoods like UV, Italian Taylor St., German neighborhood on Lincoln, etc... that made
Chicago a city of ethnic neighborhoods (neighborhoods that made you feel you were in Europe).
Along with that, it is great that young people are revitalizing neighborhoods but there used to be a
time when several generations would live in those neighborhoods together. And, go to those
neighborhoods to explore, taste and experience those cultures.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by baileyvpotter

I do understand what you are saying however the borders of many neighborhoods keep changing
or have changed. I mentioned in another post about Lincoln Park which at one time was a very
expensive place to live and most of those who lived there were very well off (old money). Now,
it seems to be more affordable verses Old Town which was easy on your pocket book in the 70' -80's
and now it is one of the most expensive areas in the city.
I want people to know that I love the city of Chicago and wish it well. However, I do miss the
ethnic neighborhoods like UV, Italian Taylor St., German neighborhood on Lincoln, etc... that made
Chicago a city of ethnic neighborhoods (neighborhoods that made you feel you were in Europe).
Along with that, it is great that young people are revitalizing neighborhoods but there used to be a
time when several generations would live in those neighborhoods together. And, go to those
neighborhoods to explore, taste and experience those cultures.

Lincoln Park is still one of the most expensive parts of the city though - top 5 easily not only for purchasing property but rent itself. You make it sound as if it's all of a sudden affordable to the average person. Nothing is further from the truth on average. Have some other neighborhoods caught up with it? Absolutely, but that doesn't mean it's all of a sudden affordable.

There are still many ethnic neighborhoods in Chicago. Maybe they're not your cup of tea, but there's numerous Mexican areas of town, Puerto Rican, Chinese (which is expanding), Indian, Vietnamese, Arabic/Assyrian, Polish, Korean (what's left of it - more in the nearby suburbs now, but still some in Koreatown), small Orthodox Jewish area, etc. Anybody who says that Chicago's ethnic neighborhoods are lost need to get out more. Perhaps the old Czech neighborhood, or the old German neighborhood doesn't exist anymore or is not much anymore, but there's still thriving ethnic neighborhoods in the city.

Yes, I know you love Chicago, but your last two points here are not 100% on point. I know you long for the good ol days for your ethnic neighborhood, but speaking as if they're all gone is just silly. Your neighborhood may not exist anymore, but there's numerous other ethnic enclaves still existing, and some are newer than others (i.e. the Arabic area of town in Albany Park) or expanding (i.e. Chinatown and the Chinese population expanding into Bridgeport and McKinley Park). The next new one to pop up, or already in the works, will most likely be a Filipinotown.

Go to NYC, it's the same deal. Most of the old world ethnic enclaves like the German, Czech, etc ones are not nearly as strong as they used to be. I stayed in Little Italy a few weeks ago and it's definitely not as good as I remember it even 10 years ago. Some of the others like Russian, Greek, Italian (kind of) have held on better than other ethnicities. All the newer enclaves are the Asian (including Middle Eastern) and certain Hispanic ones. The types of people who moved to the US 75+ years ago from Europe are different on average than those who move here today. People from Germany moving to the US don't usually give a damn about being surrounded by 90% other German people. However, the newer immigrants from certain Asian countries (remember this includes the Mid East) do, which is why you see those expanding more in most big cities. You could say the same thing about African and Caribbean immigrants in cities that get a lot of it like NYC.

[baileyvpotter]

Mexicans, Puerto Ricans & Chinese have been in Chicago for decades. Poles, Russians, Ukrainians and other Eastern
European immigrants are still coming to Chicago (but more outside the city limits vs 25 years ago). IMO, Albany Park
and all it's immigrants is the last vestige of a true immigrant neighborhood with one major exception - it has a variety
of nations/cultures.
***When I mentioned Lincoln Park in the past, I wasn't talking about home ownership I was referring to the high cost
of renting.
***It's been a long time since I went to NYC.