West Loop or Bucktown? (condo, townhouse, neighborhood)

[SamFields]

Question - Family (wife, baby, 2 dogs) and I are looking to move into one of two places - a bucktown townhouse or a west loop condo. I work just over the river from west loop so this option is best for commute, though the commute from bucktown is manageable (walk, metra, bus, walk). I would be very interested in learning your opinions on which option sounds more appealing from a family-friendly, infant-friendly, dog-friendly perspective (or are they comparable)...if the bucktown location provides more of a neighboorhood feel, does the better commute from west loop trump that in your opinion? Any and all thoughts and opinions are welcomed. Thanks in advance...

[chirack]

Bucktown would provide more of a nieghboorhood feel and would be more dog friendly, but a short commute to work isn't something to be taken lightly. Honestly I would just tour both areas with your wife and see how she feels.

I personally would take bucktown over the loop, but that is just me.

[Avengerfire]

You do not want to live in West Loop with 2 dogs.

Btw-can you mention what streets your job is near?

[OrangeAndBlue]

I haven't spent as much time walking around Bucktown as I have the West Loop, but walking around in the West Loop on any nice day you will see strollers and couples walking their dogs everywhere you look. The West Loop may not initially look and feel neighborhoody / family friendly because of the larger buildings and lack of tree-lined streets, but I think it actually is once you get to know a bit and spend some time there. There is also a large park there and a pretty good public elementary school, which may become important in a few years.

When I say West Loop, I am talking about the area west of 90/94 to about Racine or Loomis and north of the Eisenhower to Lake Street. East of the freeway, the area is indeed pretty dead and not much is open after 5pm or on weekends.

[i_am_hydrogen]

Ih Bucktown, you'd be within spitting distance of three major restaurant and retail corridors: Damen, Milwaukee, and North. The West Loop doesn't have anything to compete with that.

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by i_am_hydrogen

Ih Bucktown, you'd be within spitting distance of three major restaurant and retail corridors: Damen, Milwaukee, and North. The West Loop doesn't have anything to compete with that.

The West Loop doesn't have as much retail, but Randolph Street has loads of great restaurants. That said, I think Bucktown is much more dog and kid friendly and has much more of a neighborhood feel.

[SamFields]

Thanks so much for all of the great insight and information!

[Lookout Kid]

Bucktown is infinitely more interesting than the West Loop as a place to live. The greatest thing about the West Loop is the fact that it's adjacent to downtown. Otherwise it's kind of a disfunctional neighborhood, in my opinion.

[Drover]

I would not live in West Loop with a family. That's a pretty hard-partying scene over there, and one that also seems to draw a disproportionate share of crime.

[Muppet123]

I haven't noticed it.... then again, I'm rarely out at 2AM when the bad stuff typically goes down.

If I had a family, I'd probably live in Bucktown. It is more neighborhood-y then West Loop plus the commute to the loop is not all that long depending on how close to the blue line you are.