Best Neighborhood in Chicago for Young Professionals (Lincoln, Albany: real estate, loft)

[5Lakes]

Originally Posted by sxr71

This is the feeling I'm getting. The neighborhoods are basically Park Slope or something like that - at best.

You could live downtown if you wanted to live in the Financial District and get that feel, but I never wanted to live in FiDi. It's dead after 8 or 9 and I suspect save for some pockets downtown Chicago is the same.

Is there anything like a Murray Hill or East Village or West Village or Greenwich Village out there? I am beginning to suspect there isn't.

The Chicago Loop area (where the EL trains converge downtown) is the equivalent to the financial district and will be fairly dead outside of business hours. The exception in this area will be along State Street where there is shopping and also along Michigan Avenue where the tourists congregate. Still, there is no nightlife to speak of in that area as well as poor grocery options.

Go north of the Loop across the river and you will find a livelier downtown scene with more amenities and nightlife. This area is consistantly active and more residential, while also having a good amount of tourists along the Michigan Avenue corridor. Roughly speaking, the closest you will find in Chicago to slice of Manhattan is the area bound by the river to the south, North Avenue to the north, LaSalle Street to the west, and the lake to the east. This area basically encompasses the neighborhoods of River North, Streeterville, and the Gold Coast.

[SonySegaTendo617]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Our "rich intellectual" concentration is spread through River North, Old Town, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast. Wicker Park and Bucktown are close to what the East Village used to be, but now are probably closer to the sparkly clean gentrified version of Williamsburg. And the feel of the actual built neighborhood is very different (less dense, more ordered, different architectural style).

Dead on correct about everything above, except I'd add Hyde Park to the Chicago neighborhood list of 'rich intellectual concentrations'. Hyde Park is too often overlooked, due to it being on the South Side, only has direct Metra service and very indirect Green Line service(until the fools at the CTA okayed tearing down the Jackson Park/East 63rd branch east of Cottage Grove in the late 90s, it used to go to Dorchester, and until the late 70s/early 80s, Stony Island), and neighborhoods to the north have greatly improved in last 5-7 years(Bronzeville, Kenwood, Oakland). Woodlawn has been improving at a slower rate, and I think based on how quickly the economy comes around(I'll guess based on current events, 2-3 more years), South Shore will start to see similar improvements down the road, and based on how the local police, aldermen, and politicians get working to really crack down on crime, and encourage more businesses to move in.

South Shore screams to me as the next big south side neighborhood that'll get an increasing amount of private investment after the economy recovers(I also similarly predict this for Canaryville and Back of the Yards), every time I look at South Shore on Google Street View. Oh, did I not forget it already has direct Metra access via the South Chicago branch....

[laughterrx]

What about Streeterville?

[MannheimMadman]

Originally Posted by dumpstermcnuggets

South Shore screams to me as the next big south side neighborhood that'll get an increasing amount of private investment after the economy recovers(I also similarly predict this for Canaryville and Back of the Yards), every time I look at South Shore on Google Street View. Oh, did I not forget it already has direct Metra access via the South Chicago branch....

I'm kind of curious as to how Canaryville and the Yards fit into your plans for south side improvement. I see Canaryville as Bridgeport south. The yards seem to be a wasteland, so I'm curious as to what you see in it.

[Chi-town Native]

I think Logan Square just officially entered the yuppiedom sweepstakes:

A Dozen or None | The Blog | Chicago Reader

...People wait up to 45 minutes for his crepes at the Logan Square Farmers' Market. The guy could make thousands happy if he could just sell a damn croissant. But he can't. Colombet says business has been booming since he opened his brick-and-mortar La Boulangerie last week, but a clause in his lease forbids him from selling coffee, sandwiches, or—sacre *****!-individual croissants so he doesn't compete with neighboring New Wave Coffee.

[Dport7674]

If moneys not an issue, I'd probably have a car in the city.

[surlycue]

I couldn't care less about that joint. Don't move into a location where you can't sell your main product. I do not blame New Wave at all and this "controversy" going around seems to be a sympathy tactic drummed up by this guy's PR. Their prices are absurd and what kind of french bakery only sells bread and croissants. How about a tart or some chocolates or french sugar rolls? Bah humbug.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Originally Posted by surlycue

I couldn't care less about that joint. Don't move into a location where you can't sell your main product. I do not blame New Wave at all and this "controversy" going around seems to be a sympathy tactic drummed up by this guy's PR. Their prices are absurd and what kind of french bakery only sells bread and croissants. How about a tart or some chocolates or french sugar rolls? Bah humbug.

I agree with the flawed business plan, but as for a lack of bakery selection, keep in mind that in France, a boulangerie is different from a patisserie, technically. The former sells bread and rolls, and the latter sells pastries. Historically, a chef would focus on one or the other in culinary school, so one was often a master of one or the other, but rarely both.

Now, years ago, pastry chefs and breadmakers found they made more scratch if they teamed up, but to this day, there are boulangeries across France that just sell bread.

Since this joint, by definition is one of those... there you go.

'course, all history aside, the dude needs to wise up and hire on someone who can make a decent tart and start making stuff that people will buy. B*tching and moaning about a lousy contract won't pay the flour bills.

[jtroia]

Hey im 24 single female looking to move to chicag in september. Looking for a young proffessional crowd but also places that are a reasonable price. What would be a good spot?

[Caldus]

Originally Posted by jtroia

Hey im 24 single female looking to move to chicag in september. Looking for a young proffessional crowd but also places that are a reasonable price. What would be a good spot?

Are you looking to rent or buy? Do you have a roommate? What's your price range? I'm 25, male, and young professional relocating to Chicago myself. I checked out Lincoln Park and Lakeview when I visited last time and recommend those areas if you're looking to meet other young professionals (there are a ton of college students and other people in the mix too). After reading these forums more though, you might want to also check out Bucktown/Wicker Park if you're into more of a hipster scene.