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Lincoln Park to downtown (the loop) is a piece of cake commute. It's not even really a "commute". 10-20 minutes on the train.
As for downtown, I wouldn't want to live in the Loop. The western part of the Loop is boring. After hours it's like a ghost town. The Mag Mile/Gold Coast area is pretty expensive.
Lincoln Park to downtown (the loop) is a piece of cake commute. It's not even really a "commute". 10-20 minutes on the train.
As for downtown, I wouldn't want to live in the Loop. The western part of the Loop is boring. After hours it's like a ghost town. The Mag Mile/Gold Coast area is pretty expensive.
I hope you are still online CarolinaBredChicagoan. I just got back from a four day visit to Chicago. I have just retired in order to care for my elderly parents. I'm hoping to work at home. When I am no longer obligated to stay here in Charleston, SC I plan to move to a major city.
I have checked out Atlanta, Boston, Providence. And now Chicago. I love the variety and entertainment of Chicago. I was not totally impressed with the CTA, especially after I experienced it during the weekend. So far Boston has been the best.
Anyway as a Southern who has relocated how do you like the area? What is the winter like for you?
Location: Cleveland, OH USA / formerly Chicago for 20 years
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toedrag
where is the best place to live? How far is a commute downtown from LP? SInce condos are coming down would it be better to live in downtown or LP?
LP is close enough to downtown that the commute shouldn't be a problem at all. Personally, I'd much prefer to live in LP over downtown because it feels like a real neighborhood and there's always a lot going on there. I've never lived right downtown but residentially it's mostly highrises without much of a neighborhood context and I think it would feel pretty sterile, for me at least.
But of course it's a matter of personal preference.
I hope you are still online CarolinaBredChicagoan. I just got back from a four day visit to Chicago. I have just retired in order to care for my elderly parents. I'm hoping to work at home. When I am no longer obligated to stay here in Charleston, SC I plan to move to a major city.
I have checked out Atlanta, Boston, Providence. And now Chicago. I love the variety and entertainment of Chicago. I was not totally impressed with the CTA, especially after I experienced it during the weekend. So far Boston has been the best.
Anyway as a Southern who has relocated how do you like the area? What is the winter like for you?
The CTA tends to be far less efficient during off-peak hours (weekends and non-rush periods on weekedays) as there are fewer trains running. In addition, especially during the summer, this is when the construction projects (of which there are many, currently) take place.
The winter? It's cold. There's nothing more to say about that. Coming from Charleston, you'll have to be okay with that. No one can tell you that the winter isn't that bad. It is. Then again, coming from Charleston, the winters in Providence or Boston are going to be bad, as well. It's all about what you're used to and what you're willing to tolerate. Now, having said that, i've always found the benefits to outweigh the sacrifices.
I'd be happy to go into more detail, perhaps via direct-message so we don't clog up this thread.
I would personally prefer living in Lincoln Park to living "downtown" because I love the tree-lined streets, front stoops, and mixed-use retail districts. There's also the Gold Coast, which sort of bleeds into the River North/Streeterville/Mag Mile area. Most of the Gold Coast also has a residential feel, though it is more dense than Lincoln Park for the most part (more high-rises mixed in with the row-houses and mansions).
Ditto! I love a leafy neighborhood like LP. The only downside is that it's getting more and more congested on some streets. I always find it frustrating to drive on Fullerton. But LP is the perfect urban oasis, like some put it. You can walk to downtown from LP, or a mere 10 mins or so train ride, or a cab ride under $10.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lookout Kid
I would personally prefer living in Lincoln Park to living "downtown" because I love the tree-lined streets, front stoops, and mixed-use retail districts. There's also the Gold Coast, which sort of bleeds into the River North/Streeterville/Mag Mile area. Most of the Gold Coast also has a residential feel, though it is more dense than Lincoln Park for the most part (more high-rises mixed in with the row-houses and mansions).
Ditto! I love a leafy neighborhood like LP. The only downside is that it's getting more and more congested on some streets. I always find it frustrating to drive on Fullerton. But LP is the perfect urban oasis, like some put it. You can walk to downtown from LP, or a mere 10 mins or so train ride, or a cab ride under $10.
There are noticably different feels to Lincoln Park, depending on whether you're in southeast Lincoln Park, northwest Lincoln Park, etc. The average density across the neighborhood is about 20,000 people per square mile. That probably breaks down to over 30,000 nearest the lake and closer to 12,000 sq/mi west of Sheffield. Most parts, though, are green and leafy during the spring, summer and early fall. Except for the easternmost part, most parts are filled with buildings of 2-4 stories, with a few taller ones here and there.
The two most popular corridors are near Halsted and near Clark. If you live near Depaul, you'll be around a lot of younger college students which may or may not be something you desire.
If you live near around Armitage between Sheffield and Halsted, you'll be near a lot of shops and restaurants and theatres, but it's also an expensive place to live. East of there is also pretty nice, if not filled with quite as many shops, and will have a slightly longer commute to the Loop, although possibly a better commute if you work near North Michigan Avenue.
Even moreso than Lincoln Park, "Downtown" has a very wide variety of areas. The city basically defines the Central Area as North Ave to about Cermak, and Ashland to the Lake.
The Near North, which is further broken up into Old Town, the Gold Coast, Streeterville and River North, has the largest population and the highest population density. Many expect the 2010 census to show a population density exceeding 50,000 sq/mi across the near north, despite the loss of many residents of Cabrini Green.
In River North, it's a former industrial warehouse area, so it still has a very urban gritty feel in many parts. It also is the largest art gallery collection in Chicago - one of the largest in the U.S., even. There are a lot of new towers scattered amongst the converted lofts, as well as many clubs and restaurants. The western part is quieter, not as well-connected transit-wise, but has newer buildings and a nice park at Erie and the river. The part between the "L" and the subway was rapidly adding high-rises until the recent recession and housing crash, and has a lot of touristy things but also some commercial buildings along the river. You can easily walk to the Loop or Michigan Avenue.
I live in River North. I like the gritty urban feel, I love having so many art and design galleries to window-shop, I love the high-end fine dining, I love watching high-rises sprout up, I love being able to walk to work in the Loop and to shopping along Michigan Avenue or State Street. I love being able to take the "L" to O'Hare. I love that I can take the "L" or buses north to Lincoln Park or Lakeview or further quickly whenever I want. I do miss the quiet tree-lines streets of places like Lincoln Park, but overall I like the dynamic nature of River North as it fills out, changes and continues to evolve as an intensely urban area.
In Streeterville, you have many new buildings, as well as a few outpost buildings from the last building boom in the late 80s, early 90s. You'll be close to Navy Pier and can easily walk to Grant Park or the Loop or Michigan Avenue. It has a lot of hospitals (in case you plan on getting sick ;-) ).
The Gold Coast is like a quieter version of the eastern section of Lincoln Park, with highrises mixed with townhomes and stunning 19th-century mansions. The average family income here approaches $400,000/year, and while most of the streets are quiet, it's just a short walk to the nice shops and restaurants in Old Town or North Michigan, or even to the south part of Lincoln Park. Walking to the Loop is possible, but a more time-consuming prospect.
Old Town is just west of the Gold Coast and while not quite as high-end is still one of the most desireable areas in Chicago. The area along Wells is very nice, with a mix of new and old restaurants and shops, new and old buildings, and an "L" stop closeby at the north end and a subway stop closeby on the south. Walking to the Loop from Old Town is possible, but around 30 minutes. In Old Town you do have good walking access to Lincoln Park.
In the Loop and New Eastside (the area east of the AON building) you have very high building density, but lower population density since they haven't been significantly residential until very recently. You have a lot of stores and restaurants, but many won't be open very late, so you'd be going north or south for many trips.
The West Loop/West Gate area has improved in the past five years, but still isn't quite as established as the Near North Side. Greektown adds some nightlife, and the area along Randolph and Lake Street has a good selection of restaurants, but it still feels quiet and sterile to me. The West Loop does have excellent access to Metra, and is a short walk to the UIC campus, neither of which matter to most people but for the few people they do matter to can be a big selling point.
The South Loop/Printers Row area (which I'm defining as between the Loop and Roosevelt, east of the River), has a lot of students because of Roosevelt and Columbia, as well as a mix of older early adopters and newer residents in newer developments. The areas closest to the Loop have a lot of lofts creating from old publishing company buildings (hence the "Printers Row" moniker), while along Roosevelt you get the low-density Dearborn Park gated community that was built on old rail tracks to jump-start South Loop development in the 80s. North of Roosevelt is somewhat overbuilt, but not too badly, so I expect condos north of Roosevelt to recover in the midterm.
South of Roosevelt is the Near South Side, which has EXPLODED in development, but is just now finally starting to see some viable retail along Michigan Ave and Wabash. This area may have the hardest time for current buyers as it's massively overbuilt and I would expect will not recover pricewise for a while, despite incredibly positive national press in the past few years. You have easy access to the Lakefront, easy access via bus (unless you live near Roosevelt "L" stop) to the Loop, and easy access to Chinatown and McCormick Place, one of the largest convention centers in the U.S. In the Long Term, the South Loop and Near South Side will become incredibly vibrant, very desireably neighborhoods. They're already popular and well-regarded. The only problem is no one knows whether the Near South Side will transition from "well-regarded" to "vibrant and desireable" in five years or fifty. It will happen, but the recession makes specific forecasts very coudy.
So against your post, downtown is being defined as 2600 S, 1800 N, 1600 W?
Quote:
Originally Posted by emathias
There are noticably different feels to Lincoln Park, depending on whether you're in southeast Lincoln Park, northwest Lincoln Park, etc. The average density across the neighborhood is about 20,000 people per square mile. That probably breaks down to over 30,000 nearest the lake and closer to 12,000 sq/mi west of Sheffield. Most parts, though, are green and leafy during the spring, summer and early fall. Except for the easternmost part, most parts are filled with buildings of 2-4 stories, with a few taller ones here and there.
The two most popular corridors are near Halsted and near Clark. If you live near Depaul, you'll be around a lot of younger college students which may or may not be something you desire.
If you live near around Armitage between Sheffield and Halsted, you'll be near a lot of shops and restaurants and theatres, but it's also an expensive place to live. East of there is also pretty nice, if not filled with quite as many shops, and will have a slightly longer commute to the Loop, although possibly a better commute if you work near North Michigan Avenue.
Even moreso than Lincoln Park, "Downtown" has a very wide variety of areas. The city basically defines the Central Area as North Ave to about Cermak, and Ashland to the Lake.
The Near North, which is further broken up into Old Town, the Gold Coast, Streeterville and River North, has the largest population and the highest population density. Many expect the 2010 census to show a population density exceeding 50,000 sq/mi across the near north, despite the loss of many residents of Cabrini Green.
In River North, it's a former industrial warehouse area, so it still has a very urban gritty feel in many parts. It also is the largest art gallery collection in Chicago - one of the largest in the U.S., even. There are a lot of new towers scattered amongst the converted lofts, as well as many clubs and restaurants. The western part is quieter, not as well-connected transit-wise, but has newer buildings and a nice park at Erie and the river. The part between the "L" and the subway was rapidly adding high-rises until the recent recession and housing crash, and has a lot of touristy things but also some commercial buildings along the river. You can easily walk to the Loop or Michigan Avenue.
I live in River North. I like the gritty urban feel, I love having so many art and design galleries to window-shop, I love the high-end fine dining, I love watching high-rises sprout up, I love being able to walk to work in the Loop and to shopping along Michigan Avenue or State Street. I love being able to take the "L" to O'Hare. I love that I can take the "L" or buses north to Lincoln Park or Lakeview or further quickly whenever I want. I do miss the quiet tree-lines streets of places like Lincoln Park, but overall I like the dynamic nature of River North as it fills out, changes and continues to evolve as an intensely urban area.
In Streeterville, you have many new buildings, as well as a few outpost buildings from the last building boom in the late 80s, early 90s. You'll be close to Navy Pier and can easily walk to Grant Park or the Loop or Michigan Avenue. It has a lot of hospitals (in case you plan on getting sick ;-) ).
The Gold Coast is like a quieter version of the eastern section of Lincoln Park, with highrises mixed with townhomes and stunning 19th-century mansions. The average family income here approaches $400,000/year, and while most of the streets are quiet, it's just a short walk to the nice shops and restaurants in Old Town or North Michigan, or even to the south part of Lincoln Park. Walking to the Loop is possible, but a more time-consuming prospect.
Old Town is just west of the Gold Coast and while not quite as high-end is still one of the most desireable areas in Chicago. The area along Wells is very nice, with a mix of new and old restaurants and shops, new and old buildings, and an "L" stop closeby at the north end and a subway stop closeby on the south. Walking to the Loop from Old Town is possible, but around 30 minutes. In Old Town you do have good walking access to Lincoln Park.
In the Loop and New Eastside (the area east of the AON building) you have very high building density, but lower population density since they haven't been significantly residential until very recently. You have a lot of stores and restaurants, but many won't be open very late, so you'd be going north or south for many trips.
The West Loop/West Gate area has improved in the past five years, but still isn't quite as established as the Near North Side. Greektown adds some nightlife, and the area along Randolph and Lake Street has a good selection of restaurants, but it still feels quiet and sterile to me. The West Loop does have excellent access to Metra, and is a short walk to the UIC campus, neither of which matter to most people but for the few people they do matter to can be a big selling point.
The South Loop/Printers Row area (which I'm defining as between the Loop and Roosevelt, east of the River), has a lot of students because of Roosevelt and Columbia, as well as a mix of older early adopters and newer residents in newer developments. The areas closest to the Loop have a lot of lofts creating from old publishing company buildings (hence the "Printers Row" moniker), while along Roosevelt you get the low-density Dearborn Park gated community that was built on old rail tracks to jump-start South Loop development in the 80s. North of Roosevelt is somewhat overbuilt, but not too badly, so I expect condos north of Roosevelt to recover in the midterm.
South of Roosevelt is the Near South Side, which has EXPLODED in development, but is just now finally starting to see some viable retail along Michigan Ave and Wabash. This area may have the hardest time for current buyers as it's massively overbuilt and I would expect will not recover pricewise for a while, despite incredibly positive national press in the past few years. You have easy access to the Lakefront, easy access via bus (unless you live near Roosevelt "L" stop) to the Loop, and easy access to Chinatown and McCormick Place, one of the largest convention centers in the U.S. In the Long Term, the South Loop and Near South Side will become incredibly vibrant, very desireably neighborhoods. They're already popular and well-regarded. The only problem is no one knows whether the Near South Side will transition from "well-regarded" to "vibrant and desireable" in five years or fifty. It will happen, but the recession makes specific forecasts very coudy.
where is the best place to live? How far is a commute downtown from LP? SInce condos are coming down would it be better to live in downtown or LP?
Better for what?
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