Is anyone familiar with the South Loop?! I need help! (Chicago: apartment, renting)

[janelleb04]

Hey everyone! So I am thinking about moving to Chicago within the next couple of months, and I found this super nice furnished condo on the north side of the South Loop for a very reasonable price. It is on Roosevelt and State street. Does anyone know this neighborhood?? Would it be a safe area for me and my sister? I am 22 and she is 18. Any help/advice for me would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.

[Sailaway50]

Originally Posted by janelleb04

Hey everyone! So I am thinking about moving to Chicago within the next couple of months, and I found this super nice furnished condo on the north side of the South Loop for a very reasonable price. It is on Roosevelt and State street. Does anyone know this neighborhood?? Would it be a safe area for me and my sister? I am 22 and she is 18. Any help/advice for me would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks.

I have a 21 year old daughter, and she would not walk there alone at night. We just went to a friend's house a few blocks away, and after 8 pm, it's take a cab if you are a female alone...after dark. Summer, you can walk around later (light later). I go there all the time in the day, and it's fine, no problem. At night, very deserted and odd types hang around the El station at Roosevelt and State. For the money, think about further north if you will be walking at night, particularly alone.

[Sailaway50]

Originally Posted by SBurgess

I have a 21 year old daughter, and she would not walk there alone at night. We just went to a friend's house a few blocks away, and after 8 pm, it's take a cab if you are a female alone...after dark. Summer, you can walk around later (light later). I go there all the time in the day, and it's fine, no problem. At night, very deserted and odd types hang around the El station at Roosevelt and State. For the money, think about further north if you will be walking at night, particularly alone.

...re the take a cab statement. Cabs NEVER go by there, and I have always had to CALL a cab. Even in the day, they just don't drive by that area as they do further north.

[Manigault]

You are considering renting an apartment downtown in a major city. I guess you did not expect it to be Mayberry. Safety is somewhat relative and depends on your personal ability to feel confident in nebulous situations.

Females walk after dark in all neighborhoods in the city. It is less safe in some areas than in others. Plus, among those characters seen loitering at the el at State and Roosevelt is at least one undercover police officer, believe me.

Cabs pickup and drop-off fares in the area, despite information to the contrary. You should realize that the intersection is about three blocks from where the mayor lives so there are limits as to how dangerous an area it is.

[Sailaway50]

Originally Posted by Manigault

You are considering renting an apartment downtown in a major city. I guess you did not expect it to be Mayberry. Safety is somewhat relative and depends on your personal ability to feel confident in nebulous situations.

Females walk after dark in all neighborhoods in the city. It is less safe in some areas than in others. Plus, among those characters seen loitering at the el at State and Roosevelt is at least one undercover police officer, believe me.

Cabs pickup and drop-off fares in the area, despite information to the contrary. You should realize that the intersection is about three blocks from where the mayor lives so there are limits as to how dangerous an area it is.

No, I take issue. There are NOT cabs on a regular basis. I have been going down several times a week for years and getting a cab is always a pain. ALWAYS. You can forget drive by cabs at night. Very rare. You'd have to walk pretty far north up State to get one. We have waited endlessly for the bus, tried for a cab....none....usually give up and take the Red Line. Anytime outside of a very small rush hour window, forget cabs.

I am wondering if you are in law enforcement, since you use the word, "females." The mayor rides a limo, by the way, and presumably does not screw around with the El at Roosevelt. The Gold Coast is also only a few blocks away from the former Cabrini Green......

I stand by my statement. These are two "female" sisters, living alone in the city for the first time. I have friends, many, who live in the S Loop and it's a standing pc of safety info......don't walk around alone at night too much unless you have a big dog. Period. Yes, women do walk around any area at night....is it always "smart"....no.

Knock wood, but my daughters and I have lived in the city for 17 years with nary a mugging or near crime. The worst that happened (again, knock wood) is my wallet got lifted from my backpack during holiday season at the coffee shop at 900 North Michigan. It was my fault. I left my backpack on the back of my chair while I went to the front door to get better reception on my cell phone....my mistake, totally. That's it. I feel that PART of this (including luck of course) is being careful about where and how often we take that little extra risk.

I have certainly walked in the S Loop no problem, including at night. HOWEVER: it felt like the two "females" in question, to me as a long time dwntwn resident and a parent, would be better off in a slightly safer area....and enjoy it more. It's DEAD in the S Loop at night....is that what they want? It simply IS NOT a walk around at night and see interesting people and places neighborhood, either.

Glad to hear the undercover cop is nearby at St and Roos. This will be fun to guess who it might be....!

By the way, what do you consider the relative safety factors of walking around/waiting for buses in the UIC area, specifically closer to Roosevelt or Harrison?

[SloopyJ]

Just a wild guess, but methinks SBurgess doesn't live in the South Loop...

Since I do live in the South Loop, along with my wife and kids and alongside many other families and single professionals, I think I can safely say that SBurgess comes off as unnecessarily alarmist. State and Roosevelt is hardly "deserted" at night. Roosevelt Road is one of the busiest streets in the city and many of the "odd types" who hang around Roosevelt and State are simply people who have recently gotten off a Red Line train and are waiting for a bus to take them home in areas further west on Roosevelt. Violent crime in that area is virtually unheard of, and with the Pacific Garden Mission having recently closed, the petty property crime has become a near non-issue as well.

Yes, care must be taken when walking alone at night. Obviously. But the bigger question I would have for 18/22-year-olds is whether there's enough excitement going on in that area for you. The South Loop is a relatively new neighborhood, and because of its high prices tends to attract an affluent professional demographic. In other words, there are not many folks of your age range except the college students who tend to cluster a little farther north (with the exception of Wabash Tap, a bar on Wabash just south of Roosevelt). There just aren't many casual restaurants, bars, clubs, funky shops, etc. that would seemingly appeal to someone your age. (Which also explains why the cabs are less plentiful, though the volume of cabs is picking up and residents know where to find them.) There are, however, tons of nice condos, many with nice views or amenities in a convenient-to-downtown location close to the lake. Hence the popularity of the South Loop, and why you found the condo you did.

[Sailaway50]

Originally Posted by SloopyJ

Just a wild guess, but methinks SBurgess doesn't live in the South Loop...

Since I do live in the South Loop, along with my wife and kids and alongside many other families and single professionals, I think I can safely say that SBurgess comes off as unnecessarily alarmist. State and Roosevelt is hardly "deserted" at night. Roosevelt Road is one of the busiest streets in the city and many of the "odd types" who hang around Roosevelt and State are simply people who have recently gotten off a Red Line train and are waiting for a bus to take them home in areas further west on Roosevelt. Violent crime in that area is virtually unheard of, and with the Pacific Garden Mission having recently closed, the petty property crime has become a near non-issue as well.

Yes, care must be taken when walking alone at night. Obviously. But the bigger question I would have for 18/22-year-olds is whether there's enough excitement going on in that area for you. The South Loop is a relatively new neighborhood, and because of its high prices tends to attract an affluent professional demographic. In other words, there are not many folks of your age range except the college students who tend to cluster a little farther north (with the exception of Wabash Tap, a bar on Wabash just south of Roosevelt). There just aren't many casual restaurants, bars, clubs, funky shops, etc. that would seemingly appeal to someone your age. (Which also explains why the cabs are less plentiful, though the volume of cabs is picking up and residents know where to find them.) There are, however, tons of nice condos, many with nice views or amenities in a convenient-to-downtown location close to the lake. Hence the popularity of the South Loop, and why you found the condo you did.

Youthinx incorrectly. I live very close to the S Loop and have been going there for years, since anyone who moved there was considered "an urban pioneer."

Please. I am not talking about normal bus people. I am talking about the ex con looking types who are around the el stop at night. I get it with the street people thing, but it's worse there. I was walking WITH my daughter there and a crazy (acting? seeming?) blk guy a.s grabbed her during the day and said far out s.xual things. Nuts. There has ALWAYS been a couple of steps up on the aggression and ballsiness scale there of the down and out (looking? acting?) guys near Roosevelt and on State, also Wabash. My (girl? woman?) friends and I are all seasoned city dwellers, with or without children, and we all agree......there is something a "little" more aggressive about the usual city bad thing there. I love the S Loop, dont' get me wrong, and would love to have a townhome on Plymouth, say, South of roosevelt. It's a lovely area. Two single girls in the city for the first ti me? I'm not so sure that's the best place.

It's the same thing around Clrk and Division, but it's more crowded there. YES Roosevelt is busy BUT WITH CARS AND NOT FOOT TRAFFIC. That is not urban, that's real dense suburban living. Auto based. No foot traffic on Roosevelt outside of rush hour, leaving the el station(s). THis is particularly true in winter.

[janelleb04]

Well I plan on going to school at Make up first which is located in the loop. I am trying to get somewhere as close as possible. I plan on bringing my car down and this condo just seems sooo perfect. Fully furnished and everything. I am heading to chicago this weekend to take a look at schools and the neighborhoods. What areas are good to live in that are around bars/clubs?? You guys are awesome and so helpful!

[Sailaway50]

Originally Posted by janelleb04

Well I plan on going to school at Make up first which is located in the loop. I am trying to get somewhere as close as possible. I plan on bringing my car down and this condo just seems sooo perfect. Fully furnished and everything. I am heading to chicago this weekend to take a look at schools and the neighborhoods. What areas are good to live in that are around bars/clubs?? You guys are awesome and so helpful!

I have been coming from the perspective of no car whatsoever.
If you are bringing your car, can afford the building and the parking, then the S Loop is better. But then you have to think about where to put your car when you drive to somewhere in the cit. No bar scene to speak of, however, in the S Loop itself, as far as I know.

What is your school question?

[janelleb04]

What is my school question??? I'm not sure what that means. I am going to a make up school in the loop, part time in the evenings and planning on working full time. The condo comes with 2 garage spots?