Safe CTA stops to live close to for a newcomer (Chicago: renting, appliances)

[supernerdgirl]

Originally Posted by i blame history

woah, really? I was unaware. Maybe I can get a few things there without needing to go out to Niles to save $2 per item at Walmart instead of Dominicks.

Yeah, in that fancy new condo building.

And I never shop at Dominicks or Jewel... and i routinely spend less than $200/mo on groceries.

[heartchicago]

Good suggestions, thanks. I think Avengerfire was the one who reminded me that I forgot about brown line...are there any stops along the brown line that one should avoid living near?

[Avengerfire]

^ I would avoid Kimball and Kedzie. ^

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

^ I would avoid Kimball and Kedzie. ^

Really? The area around the Kedzie stop seems very decent to me, particularly north of it.

[surlycue]

I wouldn't avoid any stops on the brown line. Albany Park is block by block though so do not assume that if you saw one place east of kedzie the a similar place two blocks west would be the same. The only real reason I can think of for avoiding Kimball is because living very near to an end of the line station can be noisy and the trains normally sit for a while to get back on schedule.

[Avengerfire]

There is way more gang activity a block or two around the Kedzie and Kimball stops than all the other stops on the Brown Line. Although the Sedgwick and Chicago stops do have a few problem areas close to them.

[Venom]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

Really? The area around the Kedzie stop seems very decent to me, particularly north of it.

That's what they all say.
Leland and Kedzie born. 'Twas bad.

[NearWestSider]

Originally Posted by heartchicago

Is Thorndale a good location too?

I've been spending a lot of time in Edgewater and Loyola lately, so I'm gonna chime in on this one.

Yes, Thorndale is fine, in an unpolished, kind of raw way. Personally, if I was going to live up there I'd live near Bryn Mawr, mainly because I love the art deco historic district.

I like the fact that Edgewater has not been spit-polish scrubbed and still retains something of an edge. Of course, this means that you will encounter some raunchy people hanging around, and if that kind of stuff freaks you out, then you should probably look elsewhere.

The main drawback to Edgewater is that the L ride from Loyola to downtown is reliably 30 minutes from the time you get on the train, which can make for a very long commute if you have to transfer. For example, the trip from Loyola to UIC ends up being an hour door to door on average.

The second drawback to Edgewater is you are far away from the night spots, which, depending on your tastes and intrests, may be a problem. But anything Edgewater lacks in night life, it more than makes up in chocolate croissants (Flourish) and burgers (Moodys).

The commute is the main thing you should probably be looking at, and since you've not indicated where you'll be working, we can't help you with that.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by NearWestSider

I've been spending a lot of time in Edgewater and Loyola lately, so I'm gonna chime in on this one.

Yes, Thorndale is fine, in an unpolished, kind of raw way. Personally, if I was going to live up there I'd live near Bryn Mawr, mainly because I love the art deco historic district.

I like the fact that Edgewater has not been spit-polish scrubbed and still retains something of an edge. Of course, this means that you will encounter some raunchy people hanging around, and if that kind of stuff freaks you out, then you should probably look elsewhere.

The main drawback to Edgewater is that the L ride from Loyola to downtown is reliably 30 minutes from the time you get on the train, which can make for a very long commute if you have to transfer. For example, the trip from Loyola to UIC ends up being an hour door to door on average.

The second drawback to Edgewater is you are far away from the night spots, which, depending on your tastes and intrests, may be a problem. But anything Edgewater lacks in night life, it more than makes up in chocolate croissants (Flourish) and burgers (Moodys).

The commute is the main thing you should probably be looking at, and since you've not indicated where you'll be working, we can't help you with that.

I would suggest taking the 147 when heading downtown as opposed to the red line, particularly when going during non rush hour times.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by NearWestSider

The second drawback to Edgewater is you are far away from the night spots, which, depending on your tastes and intrests, may be a problem. But anything Edgewater lacks in night life, it more than makes up in chocolate croissants (Flourish) and burgers (Moodys).

Edgewater has one of the best nightlife districts in the city and it's only a 10-minute walk from the Thorndale stop. Unless you want the "party 'til you puke" nightlife scene, in which case Wrigleyville is a 15-minute train ride away.