Raising kids in a downtown chicago high rise (in the Gold Coast, Streeterville, Lincoln park area) (Naperville: middle-class)

[KevinJPPark]

My wife and I have lived in Chicago before. We actually lived in Streeterville in the 401 East Ontario building. We saw the housing market being too high and decided to move out of Chicago for a couple of years and rebuy on the other "end".

My question is this... my wife and I now have 1 child with another on the way. We love the idea of moving back to the downtown Chicago area. Living by the Zoo, the beaches, Navy Pier, etc... also we love the "non car" lifestyle that downtown has.

Has anyone tried to raise kids in a downtown high rise? What are the pro's and con's? How are the schools in the streeterville, gold coast, and Lincoln Park areas for them? Are they good? Crummy? etc...

Thanks for any information you may be able to provide.

[M4rT1N]

you might find this post really helpful....

http://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...-possible.html

there's a good bit of useful info. in there

[Lookout Kid]

I don't know that the high-rise question has been specifically addressed. I do know a few people who have done it, and the usual problem is the lack of space--especially in the more modern, compact high-rise plans. Pre-war vintage co-ops typically have floor plans with more nooks, crannies, and generous room sizes--and are better suited for families (I used to date a girl that lived her entire childhood in one of them). Other than that, I would recommend a high-rise that's across the street from a park. I know there are several kids in the high-rises that line Lincoln Park West and Lake View Terrace.

[KevinJPPark]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I don't know that the high-rise question has been specifically addressed. I do know a few people who have done it, and the usual problem is the lack of space--especially in the more modern, compact high-rise plans. Pre-war vintage co-ops typically have floor plans with more nooks, crannies, and generous room sizes--and are better suited for families (I used to date a girl that lived her entire childhood in one of them). Other than that, I would recommend a high-rise that's across the street from a park. I know there are several kids in the high-rises that line Lincoln Park West and Lake View Terrace.

You nailed exactly the type of high rise I was referring too... The 1400-2500 square foot with only 2-3 bedrooms kind. That being said, in defense of the newer construction. A lot provide massive storage areas for their owners. But we would be looking at the older high rise construction in downtown Chicago.

[Lookout Kid]

There aren't many pre-war high-rises downtown, with the exception of the north Streeterville / south Gold Coast area (which some consider "downtown"). Most of them line Lakeshore Drive and Lincoln Park on the North Side, up to about Irving Park Road. There is one in Uptown (the Aquitania) and one in Edgewater as well (the Edgewater Beach).

Any post-war modern high-rise will have your standard small kitchen, limited dining space, no foyer, no library, smaller rooms, etc. The higher-end pre-war high-rises often feel like single-family houses in the sky. But most of them are co-ops with outrageous monthly assessments.

If you feel you have enough space in a highrise for your kids to play, the other major issue is access to outdoor space--thus my reccommendation to be across the street from a park.

[hsw]

Suspect much comes down to one's resources and one's philosophy re: raising kids in a upscale urban bubble w/private schools, etc etc vs an upscale Winnetka/LF bubble of pvt schools, etc etc....(and would argue middle-class suburbs like Naperville and slums on West or South Side of Chic are also socio-economic bubbles of their own)

Know many guys who grew up in middle-class suburbs in Midwest; have since made a few bucks and still despise the claustrophobia of living (even as singles) in large apartments in new, high-end condo towers in places like Manhattan/Chic/SF...if not for the lack of talented young women and edible grub in suburbs, these guys would have built a new estate on 3-5 acres in a leafy suburb yrs ago....

Know other affluent, young couples in NYC/SF who have a large city apt/house where they raise their kids in an upscale bubble....but nearly all also own a large house in suburbs to escape City on wkends...and yet others primarily live and raise kids in an upscale suburb, but also own a large city house/apt for occasional wkend use (very common w/the SiliconValley and Greenwich crowd)....

Some kids enjoy growing up in leafy, affluent suburbs...others don't...same can be said for places like GoldCoast or UpperEastSide or SF's PacificHts...

[Anthera]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

There aren't many pre-war high-rises downtown, with the exception of the north Streeterville / south Gold Coast area (which some consider "downtown"). Most of them line Lakeshore Drive and Lincoln Park on the North Side, up to about Irving Park Road. There is one in Uptown (the Aquitania) and one in Edgewater as well (the Edgewater Beach).

Any post-war modern high-rise will have your standard small kitchen, limited dining space, no foyer, no library, smaller rooms, etc. The higher-end pre-war high-rises often feel like single-family houses in the sky. But most of them are co-ops with outrageous monthly assessments.

If you feel you have enough space in a highrise for your kids to play, the other major issue is access to outdoor space--thus my reccommendation to be across the street from a park.

Dont forge t"The Barry". (Shridan & Barry)The units there are amazing!

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Anthera

Dont forge t"The Barry". (Shridan & Barry)The units there are amazing!

Yeah, that's a great one, but priced like it's got a view of the lake. My personal favorte for the price is 3750 N. Lake Shore Drive. It's got one of the nicest indoor pools, and the units are amazing. The unit prices are affordable, but the monthly assessments are outrageous. The low-end two-bedrooms are more than $1200, and some pay doulbe that. In a Co-op this does include your property taxes, but that doesn't come close to making up for the price--and assessments aren't tax deductable.