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[explorer905]

That's correct oakparkdude. I will be going back to Canada after 2 years so schools are not important but I do take chet's point about neighborhoods and preschool.

Forgive me for my ignorance (I have only been to Chicago a handful of times - mostly for work) but how long would it take to go from South Loop to the Loop. Maps make it look really close but they can be deceiving. Is it walkable in the summer or transit all the time? How close would shopping be (department stores and groceries)?

Thanks for all your replies - this forum has been a great source of information.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by explorer905

That's correct oakparkdude. I will be going back to Canada after 2 years so schools are not important but I do take chet's point about neighborhoods and preschool.

Forgive me for my ignorance (I have only been to Chicago a handful of times - mostly for work) but how long would it take to go from South Loop to the Loop. Maps make it look really close but they can be deceiving. Is it walkable in the summer or transit all the time? How close would shopping be (department stores and groceries)?

Thanks for all your replies - this forum has been a great source of information.

Depending on where exactly work is and which part of the South Loop you find a rental it is very likely you could walk in good weather -- very nice plus!

Unfortunately unlike many Canadian cities Chicago has very few provisions for pedestrians to get from place to place during harsh winters or heavy rains so you probably will end up on buses or El in such weather.

South Loop has a nice mix of regular grocery stores (Trader Joes, Whole Foods as well as local chains) and even a few big general merchandise stores like Target. The old grand dame of shopping, State St still is home to what once a flagship of the Marshall Field empire, the large department store headquartered in Ohio and made famous in movies about Christmas in NYC is still in business...

[explorer905]

Is South Loop safe? What parts or what are the cut off streets I should be aware of? I'm a little nervous with reading some of the posts about crime. Given that I will be there alone with my daughter (and am not familiar with all of the neighborhoods) I want to make sure I stay away from the areas that are troublesome.

[chet everett]

The South Loop basically has been THE major success story of transforming a former warehouse / publishing plant district into a rather nice option for residential development.

A very very long time ago (in developer time that means before the 2000s...) there were some "men's only rooing houses" that served as something less than halfway houses / somthing more than "shelters" for the winos and bums but those are long gone. Now there is a shiny new Whole Foods at Roosevelt Rd and an even nicer Mariano's at 17th and Clark.

That said for places WEST of the river I would stay NORTH of 14th St as there is a methadone clinic and the "workers training" facility of Pacific Garden Mission down past the big Home Depot while EAST of the river things are basically all cleaned up right into McCormick Place and Chinatown...

[Manigault]

Actually, yes and no. The South Loop 40 years ago was a red light district with strip clubs and SRO hotels for men. That is long gone. It is a viable option now, along with the Maxwell Street area west of the Dan Ryan; another success story. Pacific Gardens is sort of halfway between both areas but walled off.

Since the South Loop has a police station at 17th street, it is fairly tranquil. You should note that former Mayor Daley lives in the area. Dearborn Park in the South Loop is notorious for housing many high level city employees, some judges and some police officers. It is an option also.