Goldcoast vs. Lakeshore East - A living offer I am strongly considering (Chicago: apartment, rent)

[chicagoguy91]

currently pay $1300/mo for a 525 sq ft studio @ 1 E Delaware building

under certain circumstances, offered a $1000/mo 775 sqft studio @ Chandler building

Age: 22

Workplace: Loop

Would you accept or decline this offer?

notes:
- literally just moved into the Goldcoast apt
- buyout fee will be taken care of by current tenant of Chandler building

Concerns:
- currently live 1 block from Chicago redline stop - conveinent for work
- Lakeshore shuttle (free) drops you off at Randolph and michigan. Quite a walk to office and back, but i believe the orange line is a short walk?
- I want to have the freedom to be semi-loud (during reasonable hours)
- Community fit (me being young)

[marothisu]

I would stay in the Gold Coast building unless you don't care about going out and being social or anything or saving $300/month is going to do wonders for you. The problem with Lakeshore East is that it's so new that the area is really boring. There is hardly anything to do there. No idea why you're mentioning the Orange Line either.

[chicagoguy91]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I would stay in the Gold Coast building unless you don't care about going out and being social or anything or saving $300/month is going to do wonders for you. The problem with Lakeshore East is that it's so new that the area is really boring. There is hardly anything to do there. No idea why you're mentioning the Orange Line either.

Orange line because that's what google maps tells me. who knows? that's why i ask! lol transportation.

I do care about going out. even in the goldcoast though, i still travel by cab to get there and back. and since river north seems to be a common spot for me, is there a huge difference? one is the neighborhood north, the other is the neighborhood south.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by chicagoguy91

Orange line because that's what google maps tells me. who knows? that's why i ask! lol transportation.

I do care about going out. even in the goldcoast though, i still travel by cab to get there and back. and since river north seems to be a common spot for me, is there a huge difference? one is the neighborhood north, the other is the neighborhood south.

LOL...if your workplace is at Michigan & Randolph? You take the red line 2 stops, and walk about 1.5 blocks East. The Orange Line will do absolutely nothing for you and if you have a problem with walking 1.5 or 2 blocks then..don't know what to tell you. Getting there from the Red Line is short and easy.

As far as geography goes, Lakeshore East isn't just south, it's South and East. The distance from that building to Hubbard & State is 1 mile walking. From Delware & State to the same intersection it's just over 1/2 mile. Furthermore, the difference is that around the Chandler, there isn't much in the case of amenities. There's barely any restaurants, and I can name maybe one bar that's really a bar inside a hotel lounge (Raddison Blu). The few restaurants that are there, such as III Forks, are not cheap.

Trust me, very boring area. I have friends who live in Aqua near there and I hate going there because there's almost literally nowhere to go around there. It's such a new area that businesses of those types haven't really come yet. You'll basically find a Mariano's, a Walgreens, maybe one other small market, a few semi expensive restaurants, and 1 or 2 hotel lounge bars. It's a DEAD area.

You are also right near a train station and many bus routes, whereas with the Chandler, you are about 3/4 of a mile from the nearest train stop. Convenience to get to other parts of town from the Gold Coast one is much easier. If this was me, it wouldn't even be a question unless that $300/month saved is going to do wonders for you.

[ChicagoMeO]

Yeah, I used to live on the New Eastside there, and it got pretty boring, not anywhere to really walk out and go out to dinner, unless you want to pay expensive meals at the Hyatt, theres a couple good restaurants in the Pedway in the 200 block of Wacker… this place would be good if you like it more laid back and quieter, expect it can be loud in the middle of the night when motorcycles rev down Wacker like its a speedway, in the middle of the night. You are close to Millelium park, which might be cool..

I looked at the rent on the Chandler and was wondering why it was so cheap/inexpensive compared to other rents around there.. Find out why. it may be something, i dont know.

1 E Delaware, it will be crowded with shoppers, especially on holidays like Christmastime, if your in a car (or cab),, there is more activity there, more stores, more restaurants and much more energy in that neighborhood. That apartment looks nice there, out of the two, I'd go with the Delaware.

[It'sAutomatic]

I disagree with the other posters; I don't think Lakeshore East is so far or cut off from things to do. Why would you live in downtown Chicago if you weren't down to walk to get to places? A few short cab rides a month and you still come out with extra money and a location with less street racket at night.

[Chicago87]

What is your gross and net income?

[MichiVegas]

Stay in the Gold Coast building. Lakeshore East is boring, sterile, isolated, vertical suburb.

Gold Coast puts you in the middle of things, and probably has better bones than any Chicago neighborhood.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

1 E Delaware, it will be crowded with shoppers, especially on holidays like Christmastime, if your in a car (or cab),, there is more activity there, more stores, more restaurants and much more energy in that neighborhood. That apartment looks nice there, out of the two, I'd go with the Delaware.

I live 200 feet from 1 E Delaware. It's not crowded with shoppers at any point in the year. The normal crowd from Michigan Avenue is too dumb to come in 1.5-2 blocks. There is a buzz on the streets there especially when it's nice out, but it's not crowded.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by It'sAutomatic

I disagree with the other posters; I don't think Lakeshore East is so far or cut off from things to do. Why would you live in downtown Chicago if you weren't down to walk to get to places? A few short cab rides a month and you still come out with extra money and a location with less street racket at night.

The point is that there is almost literally nowhere to walk to in Lakeshore East. You have to walk a good half mile before you hit a number of things, and even then it's not that great. The point of living in an urban area is to be able to walk to things around you, not like 1/2 mile away. It would be like living in Woodlawn and claiming that you get all you want out of your urban walkable environment because Hyde Park is 1/2 mile away.

I live right near where this guy just moved to, and I have friends in LSE - it's not even close to a contest. If you are looking for a place with people out, hanging outside, being able to eat, shop, etc close around you and not have things close early (which the Loop does), then the place wins by 500 miles.