East Humboldt Pk / West Town Area? (Chicago: apartment, rent, hotels)

[Empidonax]

Hi everyone-- I'm planning to live in Chicago for the last two weeks of June for a work assignment, but my budget restrictions and the scarcity of inexpensive short-term housing in the city have yielded few options so far.

One option I'm considering is a room in an apartment in the East Humboldt Park / West Town area: two blocks south of Division and three blocks west of Western. I've read other posts on this area, but the overall message seems to be mixed.

Is this neighborhood reasonably safe? I don't expect suburban splendor, but I don't want to fear for my life, either. I know the two weeks there will go quickly, but I don't want feel besieged by my surroundings.

Any advice is much appreciated....

Quijote

[Humboldt1]

The area you are looking at is okay. Two weeks will go fast. Be sure to check out garfield park conservatory and humboldt park if you can while you are in Chicago.

For two weeks, why not stay in a hotel? Where will you be working and will you have a car? If so, there are several inexpensive options just east of ohare. Hotels in the loop and near downtown will be more expensive.

[Empidonax]

Thanks for your reply, Humboldt1. I'll be working at the Newberry Library on the Near North Side, so ideally I would live not too far away (or on a direct bus/metro line). I'm only going to have $600 in funding for my trip (all else comes out of pocket), so the room I mentioned seemed good at $50 per night. I'll also have access to a kitchen and wifi, so I won't have to eat out all of the time and pay rent at Starbucks for wireless. But if you think the area I mentioned is good for a couple of weeks, that puts me at ease. Thanks --Q

[drummercycle]

yeah, that area's not all too bad. watch your back late at night i guess, but i've never had any problems. if you like to drink make sure you hit up the continental and the california clipper for an authentic neighborhood drunk experience.

[Avengerfire]

I would not live there if I could afford a better alternative.

[crepella4]

It looks like you can take the #70 Division bus to the Newberry, but you have to walk a bit after (4 blks?). My beau lived in the same area for a short while and was okay. See #70 bus schedule at:

http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/Bus/bus/70.pdf (broken link)

[j33]

The Division bus is not a very reliable one. I've ridden it for the past 5 years and if I had to depend on it regularly I would be late a lot.

[emichel]

Originally Posted by quijote

Hi everyone-- I'm planning to live in Chicago for the last two weeks of June for a work assignment, but my budget restrictions and the scarcity of inexpensive short-term housing in the city have yielded few options so far.

One option I'm considering is a room in an apartment in the East Humboldt Park / West Town area: two blocks south of Division and three blocks west of Western. I've read other posts on this area, but the overall message seems to be mixed.

Is this neighborhood reasonably safe? I don't expect suburban splendor, but I don't want to fear for my life, either. I know the two weeks there will go quickly, but I don't want feel besieged by my surroundings.

Any advice is much appreciated....

Quijote

i live around there, and i dont recomend it unless u like the street life atmosphere. i like well i dont realy mind it but there are people who perfer not to be in such areas or "expose themselves"

[Phl_Gd]

Quijote,

I live in the said neighborhood and although we have not had any issues, it is still a "gentrification in-process" kind of location. If you were buying a place, I would urge you to consider given the location and upside. However, for a short-term rental, you can find neighborhoods much closer to the train with stuff all around you. East Humboldt is not quite around you and the train + resturants are at least 4 - 6 blocks away. I would not want to deal with that for short-term, or if I was renting.

My two cents...