From New York to Chicago (Lincoln, Manhattan: 2015, apartment, condos)

[ASNY]

Whats up everyone! I'm moving to Chicago by the fall. Been living in my New York my whole life (Brooklyn, Long island, and Manhattan). But I have to complete some part of my Medical School education in Chicago, So I'll be living there for about 2 years.

I've heard a lot of good things about Chicago, and I am excited. But you guys can give me a better insight. In terms of housing, libraries, nightlife, etc? Never had Chicago style pizza.. excited to try that.

Thanks! Peace

[NARFALICIOUS]

Chicago is much like NYC, only less food vendors, and less crowded.
Chicago style pizza is great, some of the best. But my favorite pizza has to be when I had some in Woodside, Queens.

[Lookout Kid]

Just keep an open mind, and don't expect Chicago to be New York. It is definitely it's own place, and while it is more like New York than many other cities in the U.S., it is still quite a bit smaller and less vibrant. Midwesterners are typically less brash and "in your face" than northeasterners, but Chicago is a bit more aggressive than, say, Minneapolis. You're not moving to a cow town, but it will still probably be a bit of an adjustment.

[marothisu]

That's cool.

* The downtown area is mainly (but not all) high rise living and the downtown area actually was one of the fastest growing in the US between 2000 and 2010 and is continuing (by the end of next year, there should be in the least 7000 new, mainly luxury high rise units by the end of next year and more in 2015). The "downtown core", depending on who you talk to could consist of The Loop, Near North Side (i.e. River North, Streeterville, Gold Coast mainly, and maybe Old Town), Near South Side (mainly South Loop), Near West Side (mainly West Loop). The Loop is the central business district and doesn't have a ton of character. Streeterville, South Loop, and West Loop have character, but not as much as somewhere like River North or even Gold Coast. I'd guess there's around 150,000 people living in these areas I mentioned total.

The other areas of town are on average more low rise, but along the lake there are high rises that line it going for miles north through areas like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park...Hyde Park to the south. These are mainly older high rises.

Gold Coast was at one time the 2nd most expensive per sq footage area in the US behind the Upper East Side. Less expensive now, but many mansions (including the original Playboy Mansion which is now big condo units) in the area along with expensive condos.

* Nightlife - depends on what you want, but it's very varied. There are a decent amount of clubs, lounges, and many bars/pubs. The base last call time for bars is 2am everyday and 3am on Saturdays BUT there are late night bars which can stay open until 4am every night and 5am on Saturdays. I believe a few bars stay open until 6am on Saturdays (stop serving at 5am of course). I'd bet there's maybe 50-100 bars/clubs in town which stay open until 4am/5am once a week.

Summer is awesome here and always stuff going on. A lot of music festivals, concerts, street festivals, etc. Chicago also has beaches, over 30 of them, and there's a few downtown and more in some of the other popular areas.

Some of the popular nightlife areas include River North, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village/East Village/Noble Square, Bucktown, Logan Square, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Gold Coast and smaller in South Loop, West Loop, Streeterville, Uptown, Rogers Park, Lincoln Square, Andersonville/Edgewater. There are bars in many places. There's also a sizable Chinatown that has a fair amount of late night food options, and there is a "New Chinatown" that is more SE Asian. There is also a kind of Little India (i.e. "Devon") way up north and it's not amazing, but it has some good food options and some late night stuff too.


* Chicago deep dish can be good, and I won't say anything to **** off our resident stubborn old guy on here. Unbeknownst to most people outside of Chicago there is a style of thin crust here too that is Chicago style and quite good. I prefer NY style, but Chicago style can be really good too whether it's the thin crust or thick crust (or the pizza pot pie ).

* Public transit here is good although not nearly as good as NYC - no other city in the US is on the level of NYC. However, Chicago has the 2nd most extensive system in the US after NYC. Two of the lines are 24/7 (Blue and Red Lines) for train and the others are on average maybe 20-21 hours/day.




I have a few friends here from NYC and they enjoy Chicago a bit though they say "it's different" and that's true. There can be shades of NYC here and there, but Chicago is less crowded (though in some small areas it's reaching or has reached over 60,000 per sq mile downtown or in a few other high rise areas, and will increase if the probably 10,000 new units by 2016 are filled up within a small handful of years after). While Chicago is international, it's definitely less of an international feeling city than NYC. It's more segregated too, but that is getting better versus years past.

[ASNY]

Thanks for the feedback! That was great. Exactly what I was looking for. Yeah I mean, I know its not New York, and I am not expecting it to be. Every city has its own feel. But from what I have heard and read, I feel like it should be a fairly smooth transition into Chicago.

Originally Posted by marothisu

That's cool.

* The downtown area is mainly (but not all) high rise living and the downtown area actually was one of the fastest growing in the US between 2000 and 2010 and is continuing (by the end of next year, there should be in the least 7000 new, mainly luxury high rise units by the end of next year and more in 2015). The "downtown core", depending on who you talk to could consist of The Loop, Near North Side (i.e. River North, Streeterville, Gold Coast mainly, and maybe Old Town), Near South Side (mainly South Loop), Near West Side (mainly West Loop). The Loop is the central business district and doesn't have a ton of character. Streeterville, South Loop, and West Loop have character, but not as much as somewhere like River North or even Gold Coast. I'd guess there's around 150,000 people living in these areas I mentioned total.

The other areas of town are on average more low rise, but along the lake there are high rises that line it going for miles north through areas like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, Edgewater, Rogers Park...Hyde Park to the south. These are mainly older high rises.

Gold Coast was at one time the 2nd most expensive per sq footage area in the US behind the Upper East Side. Less expensive now, but many mansions (including the original Playboy Mansion which is now big condo units) in the area along with expensive condos.

* Nightlife - depends on what you want, but it's very varied. There are a decent amount of clubs, lounges, and many bars/pubs. The base last call time for bars is 2am everyday and 3am on Saturdays BUT there are late night bars which can stay open until 4am every night and 5am on Saturdays. I believe a few bars stay open until 6am on Saturdays (stop serving at 5am of course). I'd bet there's maybe 50-100 bars/clubs in town which stay open until 4am/5am once a week.

Summer is awesome here and always stuff going on. A lot of music festivals, concerts, street festivals, etc. Chicago also has beaches, over 30 of them, and there's a few downtown and more in some of the other popular areas.

Some of the popular nightlife areas include River North, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village/East Village/Noble Square, Bucktown, Logan Square, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Gold Coast and smaller in South Loop, West Loop, Streeterville, Uptown, Rogers Park, Lincoln Square, Andersonville/Edgewater. There are bars in many places. There's also a sizable Chinatown that has a fair amount of late night food options, and there is a "New Chinatown" that is more SE Asian. There is also a kind of Little India (i.e. "Devon") way up north and it's not amazing, but it has some good food options and some late night stuff too.


* Chicago deep dish can be good, and I won't say anything to **** off our resident stubborn old guy on here. Unbeknownst to most people outside of Chicago there is a style of thin crust here too that is Chicago style and quite good. I prefer NY style, but Chicago style can be really good too whether it's the thin crust or thick crust (or the pizza pot pie ).

* Public transit here is good although not nearly as good as NYC - no other city in the US is on the level of NYC. However, Chicago has the 2nd most extensive system in the US after NYC. Two of the lines are 24/7 (Blue and Red Lines) for train and the others are on average maybe 20-21 hours/day.




I have a few friends here from NYC and they enjoy Chicago a bit though they say "it's different" and that's true. There can be shades of NYC here and there, but Chicago is less crowded (though in some small areas it's reaching or has reached over 60,000 per sq mile downtown or in a few other high rise areas, and will increase if the probably 10,000 new units by 2016 are filled up within a small handful of years after). While Chicago is international, it's definitely less of an international feeling city than NYC. It's more segregated too, but that is getting better versus years past.

[marothisu]

If you are used to living in a big urban city, then there are a number of areas of Chicago that provide that for sure (and at a fraction of the price - my friend from NYC who moved here in April was shocked at the prices here in most areas. The "downtown" area you can certainly spend a good deal for an apartment, or not as much as you'd think but other areas can be pretty damn cheap especially when compared to some parts of NYC).

Chicago is not as 24 hours as NYC, but there are many late night places still. In case you are wondering, I made a map of late night places (not complete yet). Read the description on the left. There are multiple pages of this and you have to scroll to the bottom of the left pane to get to other places (on other pages):

http://goo.gl/maps/Glkbb

[ASNY]

Oh wow.. sweet! I got a lot of friends who moved to Chicago, and there living at Wicker Park, and some are at Lincoln park. They like it. And the ones at Hyde Park aren't too thrilled lol.

[PCH_CDM]

Originally Posted by NARFALICIOUS

Chicago is much like NYC, only less food vendors, and less crowded.
.

Chicago is absolutely nothing like NYC. It will be a totally different experience, both positive and negative.

Originally Posted by NARFALICIOUS

Chicago style pizza is great, some of the best. But my favorite pizza has to be when I had some in Woodside, Queens.

Chicago-style pizza isn't the typical pizza in Chicago. It's not really relevant 95% of the time.

[PCH_CDM]

Originally Posted by ASNY

Every city has its own feel. But from what I have heard and read, I feel like it should be a fairly smooth transition into Chicago.

It may or may not be a smooth transition, but it will be totally different, trust me. I've lived in both places, and they're nothing alike.

[marothisu]

How long ago did you live in Chicago? Just wondering. They're alike in small areas here and there every so on, but on the whole it's true - they aren't terribly alike if you're averaging it out. NYC has more people, is a lot denser on average, and is more international feeling (even though Chicago can be too but not to the level of NYC - no other city in the US is really). NYC is also more arts centric than Chicago even though Chicago has a pretty decent scene from all sorts of arts, but not much again compares to the level of NYC. I would say that things in the last handful of years are changing in Chicago and you're seeing less sports bar/pub types of places opening and more either experimental food stuff or higher end lounges/cocktail bars, etc. The number of luxury high rise units in the core is also increasing as the demand is increasing a bit for it. I have run into more and more people since I've moved here who were not from the midwest at all and actually most of my transplant friends here are not from the midwest - either Europe, Middle East, or one of the coasts. You could say on average, Chicago is more sports centric than NYC in most areas too. But really, different cities with a shade here and there of NYC in Chicago.