East Side, Chicago (Mount Carmel, Ava: buying a house, neighborhoods, buying)

[ljp74]

We are thinking of buying a house in the East Side neighborhood of Chicago or in Hegewisch. We have to live in the City but wanted a quieter, Indiana-ish area on the south side. I saw a bit about Hegewisch but not a lot about East Side. Can anyone give us any info on these neighborhoods?

[Chuckity]

I would put my money into Hegewisch before I would the East Side giving preference to two areas in Hegewisch: Either Arizona (which is the area directly east of Avenue O) or Avalon Trails (north of 130th, roughly between Saginaw & Exchange.)

In the East Side, I'd definitely stay as far south as 106th as possible.

If you have kids, you're probably going to need or want to utilize private schools. In Hegewisch, most private school kids go to either St. Florian or Annunciata on the East Side for grammar school. Once they hit high school, most of the boys end up at Mt. Carmel and the girls at schools like Mother McAuley. (In years past, they go to Bishop Noll, but no longer.)

[Drover]

Hegewisch is more isolated from the urban chaos in the area than East Side is. Plus it has train access to downtown.

[boilerbob7]

Mount Carmel is served by the South Shore Railroad. Security escorts the students to and from the station at 63rd Street. The local route 30 bus which serves Mann Park, Baltimore Ave. and Avenue O stops in front of the Hegewisch station. Annunciata is also served by the route 30.

[mas23]

Even though Hegewisch is the most isolated neighborhood in the city I'd chose it if you want that "Indiana" feel. Its served by Metra as well.

mas23

[Drover]

Originally Posted by mas23

Even though Hegewisch is the most isolated neighborhood in the city I'd chho it if you want that "indianana" feel. Its served by Metra as well.

mas23

what is "chho"? Is that a horrid mangling of "choose"?

Just FYI, It's not Metra that serves Hegewisch, it's NICTD.

[mas23]

Originally Posted by Drover

what is "chho"? Is that a horrid mangling of "choose"?

Just FYI, It's not Metra that serves Hegewisch, it's NICTD.

What? You never made a typo before?...lol

ADD: didnt know that stop was The South Shore Line...

mas23

[Drover]

Originally Posted by mas23

What? You never made a typo before?...lol

ADD: didnt know that stop was The South Shore Line...

mas23

There's a difference between a typo and slamming the keyboard with your fist & saying "close enough."

[ljp74]

Thanks for the tips, very helpful! We don't have kids so don't have to worry about schools.

[chicago103]

Hegewisch and East Side are very nice and quiet parts of the city that IMO have about a thousand times more character than any suburb. If you like the outdoors, hiking, fishing, biking, etc. they are great places to live and you are still in the city.

If you live near the Metra Station in Hegewisch you can be downtown in about 35 minutes from when the train leaves. Hegewisch feels like a small town in the city and I guess it does have a sort of Indiana feel to it or at least an Illinois/Indiana small town hybrid.