Best neighborhoods for commuting to Ogilvie Transportation Center - Metra? (Chicago: apartments, rental)

[OTCguy]

Hello, I have been living in the Mount Prospect area for a while now, and I am not a native to Chicago. I have an opportunity coming up which requires me to commute to the Ogilvie Transportation Center - Metra. With a maximum budget of $2,000 for rent, utilities, and parking, could the good people of these forums please suggest a safe, affordable neighborhood along the UP-N Metra line where I could rent either a one bedroom w/ den, or a two bedroom? I'll be living with the GF, so and the only stipulation would be that we would require a garage for at least one car, with off street parking for a second car. Garage parking for both cars would be ideal. Eventually, I'll probably ditch the second car, but I'd still need a place to keep it.

Any suggestions?

[3Series]

Would you live in the city? If so, just move to the W Loop. You could walk to work.

[Longford]

I'm assuming you have a reason to limit yourself to just the UP-North line, because a total of 3 different lines serve Ogilvie (UP-North, UP-West and UP-NW).

Here's a link to the stations on the UP-N line:

Metra Union Pacific North (UP-N) Station

You can search for apartments using the list as a guide, when you try to find an apartment close to one of the stations.

The possibilities are numerous so I'm not going to get into specific neighborhood recommendations. There's not time to do all of that. You can look at the Chicago Reader apartment rental listings online to see what inventory is available and at what price. Finding both off-street and garage parking and an apartment for your budget is probably possible to do. I see studio apartments listed for rent for $900 and less on the North Side of Chicago and if you add $200+ in parking fees to the rent amount it's doable.

[OTCguy]

I didn't realize that I had additional options by way of the Metra, but I would consider any decent neighborhood along those 3 lines, as long as I can get to the OTC. No one has any suggestions other than W Loop? I had thought maybe Ravenswood, but it seems difficult to find anything affordable there.

[marothisu]

I don't understand why you limit yourself to the Metra even. Do you realize there are 8 train lines in Chicago, which 7 lines all converge in the Loop? There is a stop for a few lines probably 1/3 of a mile from OTC. Why would you limit yourself to only using Metra while living in the city? While there are stops for the Metra in the city, it's not that many and you're limiting yourself big time.

A 1 bedroom with a den or 2 bedroom for $2000/month would afford you to live in many neighborhoods. My suggestion is to stop limiting yourself to the Metra.

[YoChicago]

Presidential Towers is across the street from Ogilvie. You can get a 1-bed and join the huge fitness club there for well under your $2K budget. And you'll save the cost of the monthly Metra pass.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zJ0Qeofh7g

[OTCguy]

Thanks YoChicago, I'll check out Presidential Towers. To answer the previous question from marothisu as to why Metra, is because my job is literally across the street from the OTC and I would prefer that for my daily commute. Nothing against the CTA, but from my analysis the Metra will save me time.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by OTCguy

Thanks YoChicago, I'll check out Presidential Towers. To answer the previous question from marothisu as to why Metra, is because my job is literally across the street from the OTC and I would prefer that for my daily commute. Nothing against the CTA, but from my analysis the Metra will save me time.

I understand, but not necessarily. It's ALL dependent on where you live. For example, you could live in River North, take the Brown Line train 1 stop or bike to work, and probably be at your workplace in less time or about the same amount of time than even if you lived in Ravenswood and took the Metra (~20 minutes). Or you could live in the West Loop, west of the expressway by a little bit and take a bus across for 10 minutes that drops you right off at your workplace. Even areas of River North, West Loop, etc are walkable in less time than it would take to take a Metra.

Assuming that any single place you could live in Chicago and take via CTA is going to take longer than Metra is frivolous.

[ChicagoMeO]

You might like an apartment building that i was looking at - downtown Arlington heights.. Its called Hancock at Arlington .. it might be affordable ,, seems to be pretty big,and a good price.. you are a 3 minute walk to the train there. it will take you 35 minutes to get to downtown.

i do not recommend President Towers as they have a bad rep for bed bugs and other problems.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

You might like an apartment building that i was looking at - downtown Arlington heights.. Its called Hancock at Arlington .. it might be affordable ,, seems to be pretty big,and a good price.. you are a 3 minute walk to the train there. it will take you 35 minutes to get to downtown.

They're looking to move from the suburbs into the city...