Four Lakes / Seven Bridges experiences? (Chicago, Naperville: section 8, apartments, rent)

[DTR rex]

Both of these complexes are huge and in the Lisle area... I believe their next to one another.

I'm a 26 y/o young professional working in the loop. Looking at these two areas because I've heard they're pretty fun, have a lot of younger people, etc...

I work in the city but express Metra trains from the Downers Grove station only take about 35min which is pretty similar to a city commute from the northside except that the Metra is a lot more comfortable than the CTA.

I've searched on this forum and found a lot of mixed reviews from a couple years back. I'm wondering if anyone has some more recent insight on these buildings. Seven Bridges seems more upscale and a bit more expensive but I'm worried that means less young people?

I've heard some people say Four Lakes is great, especially for younger people in the burbs, but others have said it's a giant frat house complex.

Thanks!

[yogao]

I would recommend Seven Bridges in Woodridge. There is a Buffalo Wild Wings, Tilted Kilt, and a couple of other bars within minutes of a walk from the apartments. I have a friend that lives there, and there is a good mix of people including a lot of young professionals.

[Vasily]

Seven Bridges is relatively newer and more upscale; Four Lakes has been around forever. When I lived at Four Lakes back in the late 80s it was the elephant graveyard for divorced/separated middle-age males, as well as for younger I've-just-got-my-first-job-out-of-college singles. The Pub in those days mostly was filled with a mix of divorced/separated guys staring morosely into their beers, and the younger ski-slope crowd. I was one of the former. Maybe you'll luck out, and the depressed guys have moved on.

[DTR rex]

Originally Posted by Vasily

Seven Bridges is relatively newer and more upscale; Four Lakes has been around forever. When I lived at Four Lakes back in the late 80s it was the elephant graveyard for divorced/separated middle-age males, as well as for younger I've-just-got-my-first-job-out-of-college singles. The Pub in those days mostly was filled with a mix of divorced/separated guys staring morosely into their beers, and the younger ski-slope crowd. I was one of the former. Maybe you'll luck out, and the depressed guys have moved on.

Damn, that sounds terrible!

Certainly not the scene I am looking for.
Seeing as Seven Bridges is a bit more upscale does it tend to lack 20-something singles?

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by DTR rex

Damn, that sounds terrible!

Well, keep in mind that my experience of Four Lakes is about 20 years old ... a good way to find more threads here is to:
1. click the word Advanced next to the Search Forums field up above
2. put four lakes in Keyword(s) and select Search Titles Only
3. select Chicago Suburbs in the Search in Forum(s) field at the right
4. click Search Now

That returns about five threads that are relevant (have Four Lakes in the title).

[rfr69]

Originally Posted by DTR rex

Both of these complexes are huge and in the Lisle area... I believe their next to one another.

I'm a 26 y/o young professional working in the loop. Looking at these two areas because I've heard they're pretty fun, have a lot of younger people, etc...

I work in the city but express Metra trains from the Downers Grove station only take about 35min which is pretty similar to a city commute from the northside except that the Metra is a lot more comfortable than the CTA.

I've searched on this forum and found a lot of mixed reviews from a couple years back. I'm wondering if anyone has some more recent insight on these buildings. Seven Bridges seems more upscale and a bit more expensive but I'm worried that means less young people?

I've heard some people say Four Lakes is great, especially for younger people in the burbs, but others have said it's a giant frat house complex.

Thanks!

I would say 7 bridges will be a little older crowd b/c it is more upscale, 7 bridges I find to be younger.

Couple tips about 7 bridges. The apartments at times can be a very young crowd almost college dorm like, puke in elevators, running through hallways at all hours of the night, etc. It's not always like that but can be. Many people for that reason if your beyond that college party atmosphere but still ilke to have fun, not have to drive to bars, etc may want to consider renting a condo from someone rather than staying in the towers i believe they are called.

Stay way from the section near Maple, ive heard alot of people say there's one particular street and building thats all section 8 and a bunch of lowlifes, before someone jumps on me for calling section 8 lowlifes not calling all of them lowlifes just those in this complex.

the plusses about four lakes is they have a free shuttle to the lisle tran statino every morning, i believe they also have free breakfast in the club house, lots of free activities free boat rental, skiing, movie nights, etc.

the lodge is always fun really fun on wednesday nights. not sure how exactly to describe it but that four lakes community does attract a certain type of person, not saying its good or bad just a certain type. the cool thing tho if you dont feel like hanging at the lodge you have tilted kilt and banan joes or something like that and a whole host of bars within walking or a $3 cab ride just over by 53.

Not sure if there's any truth to it but used to hear people say four lakes is like the std capital of illinois or at least dupage county woudn't surprise me as you get the same group of people going to the lodge looking to hookup.

i think it would be a fun area to live for a year or two, pretty good amenities for the money, pretty good location the shuttle to the train is a plus seeing as how most burbs this way have like a decade long wait to get a parking spot at the train station.

if your looking to avoid the city but still have a decent nightlife in the burbs downtown naperville or downtown aurora coud be options. downtown naperville near the train, near the college, lots of bars nad restaurants, some decent priced apts or you can rent a duplex basically an older house split down the middle for relatively cheap.

some people will knock dt aurora only complaint i have is its pretty far out as far as driving though you are near i88. dt aurora has gotten alot cooler lately lots of cool bars, good restaurants, casino. i think youd prefer dt naperville tho.

another thing to consider being a younger guy, especially if your new to chicago burbs. cops are crazy and have nothing better to do but mess with young people whos bac is 0.06 after 2 beers and public transportatin is nonexistant and taxis expensive so though it shouldn't be your primary concern when picking an apt even just having a nice little hole in the wall or corner bar within walking distance is a plus.

[ofcjim40]

Rfr69, I was for the most part with you until,
"another thing to consider being a younger guy, especially if your new to chicago burbs. cops are crazy and have nothing better to do but mess with young people whos bac is 0.06 after 2 beers..."

First off far from true. Second, but for the DUI's that are caught be thankful they aren't plowing fender first into you.

But on topic my vote is for Seven Bridges area also. It has a more clean and newer feel than Four Lakes.

[DTR rex]

Thanks guys.

Yeah, I definitely don't want to live in a building that's basically an off-campus frat house. Don't get me wrong, I can be pretty immature and enjoy partying... but the idea of coming home to someone having yacked in the elevator, constant noise into late hours on the weekday, etc... is not my thing.

I've lived in both the city (Lincoln Park and Lakeview) and the burbs (grew up near Hanover Park with parents and lived on own in Schaumburg) and right now I am interested in the suburbs it seems. I love the city, but I work down there 5 days a week, go out to the city on the weekends, and would prefer to settle into the city in a couple years when I can afford a nicer condo with a garage/parking spot. As anyone who has lived in the city know... winter there is brutal.

But yeah, I still need a suburb close to the city (under 40min metra commute) and has a decent representation of younger people and diversity.

I really enjoyed Schaumburg because it meets all of my criteria except the fact that it's an hour Metra ride. I can't justify paying rent somewhere just to commute an hour + to worke each way... it's madness.

I'm only considering the Four Lakes/Seven Bridges area because I heard there's younger people... but if younger people = frat house mentality I'll pass.

As it stands the areas I am mostly looking at are Lisle/Downers Grove/Naperville, Ravenswood, Oak Park, Evanston. Each has its own positive and negative I guess. I wish there was a suburb like Schaumburg (lots of people, restaurants, shopping, younger population, bars, mix of races/ethnicities) but just closer to the city.

[Vasily]

Originally Posted by rfr69

]
Couple tips about 7 bridges. The apartments at times can be a very young crowd almost college dorm like, puke in elevators, running through hallways at all hours of the night, etc. It's not always like that but can be. Many people for that reason if your beyond that college party atmosphere but still ilke to have fun, not have to drive to bars, etc may want to consider renting a condo from someone rather than staying in the towers i believe they are called.

Stay way from the section near Maple, ive heard alot of people say there's one particular street and building thats all section 8 and a bunch of lowlifes, before someone jumps on me for calling section 8 lowlifes not calling all of them lowlifes just those in this complex.

Sounds like you're talking about Four Lakes rather than Seven Bridges ... the Towers are at Four Lakes, and Four Lakes adjoins Maple.

[darstar]

Some of my best memories were at Four Lakes. I lived there about 10 years, moved to Florida in 1980.In the 70s it was singles heaven, especially for those of us that had a good income, were in our early 30s, and liked to party.
Back then, FLV was not so old( the walk-ups next to the lakes were the oldest) I lived at 6000 Oakwood dr. in a high rise, very modern, very loaded with single women,a lot with two-three in one apt. Everyone was having the time of their lives, I miss it all still today.
There was much to do, I had my own Volley Ball team, mixed genders. It was great !! Every spring we would have a big party at the Pub for those , male and female that wanted to be on a team. Naturally,there was always competition for the taller Guy's and Gal's..... Yes , we all drank a lot, and most of the stories were true about " hooking up" as the kids now call it. We had amateur theater I was involved in that as well, we played nursing homes, singles parties, etc. all over Chicago land. My Group was " The Rescue mission", mostly improv. A lot of the people were professional, many worked in the city, and some of us, worked out of our apartment, on the phone, even before it was popular as it is today. ... I finally settled down, got married, I had to make a choice between two lovely ladies , today I still wonder if I made the right one...... If I lived in the area and was single ( I was not single when I first moved there, wife moved out ,I stayed.), I would give four Lakes another try, just for the memories. I know I am old by most standards these days, so, that place night not be for me today, but it is sure great to dream !