Can anyone help me decide between two places/areas for a summer lease? (Lincoln: 2013, utilities)

[marothisu]

The Lincoln Square one is harder to pin down, but I know exactly where the RV one is based on that description. When they say you could be in the suburbs - do they mean some of the northern suburbs? western? southern? Anywhere in the metro area pretty much?

The LS location is probably further away from the freeway itself versus the RV one, but the RV one is also south - meaning that if you're going to the northern burbs everyday and during rush hour, then the LS location might take a little time off the commute. It's hard to say though because some of the major side streets can be busy too.

From a pure non-work lifestyle point of view, I'd go with the RV location because it's easier to utilize the Red and Blue Lines, which run 24/7 rather than the LS location. However, of course, the whole commute thing complicates things. While the brown line runs until 1:45am or 2am, the Roscoe Village location is near Belmont Ave, which has a bus that runs all night. That bus can take you to Lakeview and also the Red Line (24 hours) that connects to areas like River North, Gold Coast, Lincoln Park, Edgewater, etc, and in the opposite direction is the Blue Line (24 hours) that connects to areas like Avondale, Logan Square, Wicker Park, Bucktown, East Village, etc.

Of course, though, the whole commute to the suburbs thing is important for this. The difference between the two won't be an amazing time difference, but it could be noticeable if the traffic on the freeway sucks.

[Ace Rothstein]

Originally Posted by marothisu

The Lincoln Square one is harder to pin down, but I know exactly where the RV one is based on that description. When they say you could be in the suburbs - do they mean some of the northern suburbs? western? southern? Anywhere in the metro area pretty much?

This would be a huge factor for me in regards to where I would end up living. For one summer you can definitely handle the reverse commute but positioning yourself in the correct neighborhood to commute from to the suburbs would go a long way into enjoying your time here.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Ace Rothstein

This would be a huge factor for me in regards to where I would end up living. For one summer you can definitely handle the reverse commute but positioning yourself in the correct neighborhood to commute from to the suburbs would go a long way into enjoying your time here.

Agreed. I don't think it would be a 30 minute difference each way, but it could very well be 10-15 minutes each way comparing the two during decent bad traffic. While it's not ridiculous, that still could be 20-30 minutes per day, or close to or over 2 hours per week total, spent doing something else.

Roscoe Village one might be better for going downtown, but I guess if you're closer to Lawrence Ave in Lincoln Square, you could utilize the Lawrence bus for the Red Line late at night or something.

[Ace Rothstein]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Agreed. I don't think it would be a 30 minute difference each way, but it could very well be 10-15 minutes each way comparing the two during decent bad traffic. While it's not ridiculous, that still could be 20-30 minutes per day, or close to or over 2 hours per week total, spent doing something else.

Roscoe Village one might be better for going downtown, but I guess if you're closer to Lawrence Ave in Lincoln Square, you could utilize the Lawrence bus for the Red Line late at night or something.

The Cubs night games alone would scare me. Traffic is absolutely horrendous coming in on the Kennedy when the Cubs play at night.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Ace Rothstein

The Cubs night games alone would scare me. Traffic is absolutely horrendous coming in on the Kennedy when the Cubs play at night.

Yep! And any other big time event going on like Lollapalooza. I remember a few years ago, it took my girlfriend and I at the time literally 90 minutes to get from O'Hare to the Addison Ave exit because traffic was so bad during a weekend. Pretty sure the Cubs were playing and something else was going on.

Actually when I first moved to Chicago, my parents helped me and the Cubs were playing. My dad grew up in LA and he's very used to ****ty freeway traffic and said that day was as bad if not worse than anything he's experienced in LA.

[Ace Rothstein]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Yep! And any other big time event going on like Lollapalooza. I remember a few years ago, it took my girlfriend and I at the time literally 90 minutes to get from O'Hare to the Addison Ave exit because traffic was so bad during a weekend. Pretty sure the Cubs were playing and something else was going on.

Actually when I first moved to Chicago, my parents helped me and the Cubs were playing. My dad grew up in LA and he's very used to ****ty freeway traffic and said that day was as bad if not worse than anything he's experienced in LA.

When I was living in Bridgeport, I had to temporarily commute to Elk Grove Village for 4 months. Luckily the Cubs were done after my first month out there as night games would easily add at least 30 minutes to my already 50-75 minute commute. Friday afternoon traffic on the Kennedy pretty much always sucks, no matter the weather or time of the year.

[Michael Scott]

You guys are scaring the **** out of me with these reverse commuting horror stories haha..

So basically, not much of a difference commute-wise between the two areas, but RV/LV border seems to be a "better" (more PT access, night life, etc) area?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Michael Scott

So basically, not much of a difference commute-wise between the two areas, but RV/LV border seems to be a "better" (more PT access, night life, etc) area?

Well, it really depends on what's going on. If traffic is HORRIBLE then it could be like a 30 minute difference. Otherwise maybe not, but still maybe 10 minutes? For your daily non-work life, for entertainment and being accessible to other areas, RV/LV area is better. Depending on where you'd be in Lincoln Square, though, that could be completely fine too.

[Michael Scott]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Well, it really depends on what's going on. If traffic is HORRIBLE then it could be like a 30 minute difference. Otherwise maybe not, but still maybe 10 minutes? For your daily non-work life, for entertainment and being accessible to other areas, RV/LV area is better. Depending on where you'd be in Lincoln Square, though, that could be completely fine too.

Thank you. The annoying part is I could end up having a downtown client and this all is a moot point. The uncertainty is the worst part. But this is the kind of "stepping stone" company where you only stay 2-3 years to launch your career

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Michael Scott

Thank you. The annoying part is I could end up having a downtown client and this all is a moot point. The uncertainty is the worst part. But this is the kind of "stepping stone" company where you only stay 2-3 years to launch your career

Right, so the thing is that both locations will allow you to get to downtown if that's where your clients are. If your clients are in the northern suburbs, then the Lincoln Square location might allow you to have the shorter commute of the two. While not perfect for late night stuff, if that location is closer to Lawrence Avenue, you can take that bus which runs all night to the Lawrence Red Line stop if you wanted to go out in areas such as Lakeview or Lincoln Park, or a little bit further an area like River North. Lincoln Square is not a crazy part of town, but as far as restaurants and such go, there's good ones there and there's some laid back bars there too. You still aren't far from other areas, and chances are you'd be using that Lawrence bus only on the way back if you're out past 2am.

Too bad they can't give you a certain answer about what you'll be doing for work. That would make this way easier - but I am guessing they don't even know yet themselves.