Daycare,apartments, advice about Roger's Park! (Chicago, Evanston: best city, real estate, affordable apartments)

[Costa Rica Chica]

Hi everyone! I am a native Chicagoan who has been living in Costa Rica for the past 10 years. Me, my husband, 2 year old son, 2 small dogs,and a cat are moving to Chicago sometime this year, probably in July. We are interested in living in the Roger's Park area as my parents live in Evanston, and I have several friends there. Does anyone have any advice as far as affordable daycare in this area or in the Loop where I will be working? What about apartment tips? I would be greatful for any advice anyone has. Besides the weather, I am really excited about moving back. Chicago is the best city in the USA.

[Drover]

Apartment tips:

If you're pressed for time, use an apartment locater service like The Apartment People or Chicago Apartment Finders. They have immediate access to the units in their inventory and therefore they can schedule multiple showings in a short period of time.

If you're not so pressed for time and you can view units at your own leisure, the two best resources for listings are Craigslist Chicago and The Chicago Reader. That's where you'll find more mom-and-pop landlord's listings and, consequently, where you're more likely to find better deals on rent. You can use their filters/keywords to narrow down listings to Rogers Park; the Reader's filter function is more accurate and precise.

Finally, as a native Chicagoan you probably know that Rogers Park is a touch-and-go neighborhood. That hasn't changed a whole lot in the 10 years since you've been out of the country. It is also a rather controversial topic on these boards as people have very different ideas about Rogers Park's safety and desirability. A search for Rogers Park threads will reveal numerous passionately argued opinions on the matter, and many of us would feel better if it weren't rehashed yet again in this thread. My personal recommendation is the further east and south, the better. Others are more generous in their recommendations. Ultimately, it will be up to you to find your own comfort zone in RP.

[Costa Rica Chica]

I have several friends who live in the Roger's Park area, and I know there are sections of it that are a little sketchy, however, I feel it is a neighborhood in the process of change. It also seems to have quite affordable apartments, and many of them are brand new and very nice. SInce my mother lives in Evanston, it is important for me to live as close to Evanston as possible. I will search the forums for these debates, as any information is helpful.I will check out the apartment-finding companies. Thanks for your advice!

[Drover]

The thing about Rogers Park as a neighborhood "in the process of change" is that it always seems to be "in process" but not doing much changing. In all the years I've been in Chicago, I've never seen a neighborhood with so much promise, potential, and frankly hype, make so little progress. RP seems little better off than it was when you left 10 years ago.

[Costa Rica Chica]

Hmmmm. I got a different feeling when I visited. My friend lives north of Pratt and there are several nice,new playgrounds, and I felt totally safe there. (Although I am used to living in San Jose, Costa Rica where I have been mugged in my car twice in one year.) What other north side neighborhoods would you recommend? (We need to be near an El stop.)

[Drover]

If you want to be close to Evanston and need to be near an L stop, I'd also recommend Edgewater, the neighborhood just south of RP. I particularly recommend the area bound by Foster, Clark, Bryn Mawr and perhaps Broadway, or even all the way to the lake.

Again, you are the judge of your own comfort level, so if RP works for you, I won't try to dissuade you.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Drover

The thing about Rogers Park as a neighborhood "in the process of change" is that it always seems to be "in process" but not doing much changing. In all the years I've been in Chicago, I've never seen a neighborhood with so much promise, potential, and frankly hype, make so little progress. RP seems little better off than it was when you left 10 years ago.

What about Uptown? Uptown has been in the process of "Gentrification" since the 80s, but it never quite arrives. But there has definitely been measurable progress lately...

I'd be interested to see a study of "partial gentrification". That is, neighborhoods that get really hyped, start to change noticeably and get written about, but then stall for more than a decade. Chicago is full of these places. The next real estate boom (and there will be one) will be the only thing to make places like Rogers Park, Uptown, and Logan Square turn the corner permanently.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Drover

If you want to be close to Evanston and need to be near an L stop, I'd also recommend Edgewater, the neighborhood just south of RP. I particularly recommend the area bound by Foster, Clark, Bryn Mawr and perhaps Broadway, or even all the way to the lake.

Again, you are the judge of your own comfort level, so if RP works for you, I won't try to dissuade you.

Just be aware that the "Winthrop/Kenmore Corridor" in Edgewater is still pretty dicey in several spots. It used to be really bad, but now has many condos mixed in with the low-income housing and SROs. Edgewater is a little better than Rogers Park, but still has issues.

[dragoro]

I like livin in edgewater myself. I'm at sheridan and glenlake

[Love Cobb]

You lucky Chica! You are able to move back to Chicago, that is great. My sister and nephew bought a lovely condo on East Lake St. right on the lake. behind Sheridan. They do have to cross over Sheridan to get to the parking gargage but they can find a space on the street most of the time. They have apartments on the block so that is where I would start looking. Good luck and Welcome home.