Moving to Chicago, need help with location for my situation (Addison: apartment complex, renting)

[jassi_001]

Hello, I currently live in Atlanta, been here for the past 3.5 years after I was offered a job out of school. My manager has recently offered me an option of moving to Chicago, or really, anywhere in Central part, but I am thinking Chicago at the moment. Here are some details about me and what I am looking for, it would be great to get some inputs from experienced Chicago members here.

Work Situation: I work from home, and travel for work across the Central states about twice every month for 3 days on and average. While I am working from home, I am with customers on the phone, webex etc all the time. So it is important for me to have a nice / pleasant surrounding and not be couped up in a small apartment with no light. I understand Chicago is a way busier city that Atlanta and I want to experience it but at the same time I love nature and would love to stay close to parks/lakes.

Dog Situation: I have a Black and Tan coon hound mix (70lbs), he is extremely well trained (won the most talented dog of the year title in my apartment complex, hah) and is spoiled because currently I live next to the river and he gets to run around in the trees a lot! Also, I have realized, dog park is the place where I start growing my social circle from, so walking distance to a dog park will be pretty important.

Personal life situation: I am 35 years old, out of a long relationship and heartbroken. So want to be able to meet someone who I can build a life with (hah, big expectations, but hey, whats the harm in trying).

Some other important details:
Gender: Male
Budget: 2k (including parking)
Type: 1 B 1 B + Car parking
Building type preference:
1. I want to be in downtown area.
2. Not really much into High rises, I love the ones where I can take out my dog fast, so ground floor is most preferred in small buildings.
3. Also, I am what a lot of people call here, very neighborly, so anything that has a neighborhood feeling would be great!
4. A building / apartment from where my dog gets to see people walking by would be perfect, he loves people-watching while I am working.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by jassi_001

Hello, I currently live in Atlanta, been here for the past 3.5 years after I was offered a job out of school. My manager has recently offered me an option of moving to Chicago, or really, anywhere in Central part, but I am thinking Chicago at the moment. Here are some details about me and what I am looking for, it would be great to get some inputs from experienced Chicago members here.

Work Situation: I work from home, and travel for work across the Central states about twice every month for 3 days on and average. While I am working from home, I am with customers on the phone, webex etc all the time. So it is important for me to have a nice / pleasant surrounding and not be couped up in a small apartment with no light. I understand Chicago is a way busier city that Atlanta and I want to experience it but at the same time I love nature and would love to stay close to parks/lakes.

Dog Situation: I have a Black and Tan coon hound mix (70lbs), he is extremely well trained (won the most talented dog of the year title in my apartment complex, hah) and is spoiled because currently I live next to the river and he gets to run around in the trees a lot! Also, I have realized, dog park is the place where I start growing my social circle from, so walking distance to a dog park will be pretty important.

Personal life situation: I am 35 years old, out of a long relationship and heartbroken. So want to be able to meet someone who I can build a life with (hah, big expectations, but hey, whats the harm in trying).

Some other important details:
Gender: Male
Budget: 2k (including parking)
Type: 1 B 1 B + Car parking
Building type preference:
1. I want to be in downtown area.
2. Not really much into High rises, I love the ones where I can take out my dog fast, so ground floor is most preferred in small buildings.
3. Also, I am what a lot of people call here, very neighborly, so anything that has a neighborhood feeling would be great!
4. A building / apartment from where my dog gets to see people walking by would be perfect, he loves people-watching while I am working.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

The only dog park I know of is Wiggly Field in Lincoln Park. There's also a dog beach at Belmont Harbor along Lake Michigan in Lakeview. I don't have a dog, so others may be aware of other locations for these things. Given what you're looking for, I would imagine you can find a 1 bed 1 bath apt somewhere within a couple blocks of Diversey (border of Lakeview and Lincoln Park). This would give you access to Lake Michigan, the dog beach, dog parks, and many 2-3 store walkup apartments (typically only 2-3 units in building). Some will include parking, or you may be able to find a place that has no parking space but can search for people renting parking on the block or within a few buildings of where you live and still be under your $2k budget. More than likely you can find something with parking, though. I wouldn't say this is "downtown", although some people would. It's about a 15-20 20 minute EL ride from the Loop (central business district). To me, these areas have a neighborhood feel.


To be closer to downtown, you can look in Old Town or maybe the Gold Coast, but your chances of finding a smaller building or within your price range are less likely. I don't know much about these areas being as dog friendly. These areas feel less neighborly to me. Someone else can confirm.

[ChiGuy2.5]

1350 N Lakeshore Drive is a dog friendly apartment building in the Gold Coast but it would probably be more expensive than your budget allows for.

I echo the previous poster in saying that Lincoln Park and Lakeview are very good options for you. Anywhere along the lakeshore should give suffice for your nature request while also being within your budget.

Check out Lakeview East in particular. Up near the golf course Sydney R Marovitz there is a large completely wild bird sanctuary. The parks around there are very large and not busy, unlike Lincoln Park. Plus there is a small fenced in dog park around Addison and Lakeshore Drive and a doggie beach just south of there in Belmont Harbor.

[dnrodriguez]

Lp

[fusillirob1983]

Originally Posted by ChiGuy2.5

1350 N Lakeshore Drive is a dog friendly apartment building in the Gold Coast but it would probably be more expensive than your budget allows for.

I echo the previous poster in saying that Lincoln Park and Lakeview are very good options for you. Anywhere along the lakeshore should give suffice for your nature request while also being within your budget.

Check out Lakeview East in particular. Up near the golf course Sydney R Marovitz there is a large completely wild bird sanctuary. The parks around there are very large and not busy, unlike Lincoln Park. Plus there is a small fenced in dog park around Addison and Lakeshore Drive and a doggie beach just south of there in Belmont Harbor.

Good suggestion.


One other piece to add, just southwest of the Belmont underpass of Lakeshore Drive in Lakeview there's a very large open field. While this is not technically a dog park, I'll often see people letting their dogs run around there, likely because it's not a designated sports field and has lots of opens space away from bike paths/sidewalks.

[ChiGuy2.5]

Originally Posted by fusillirob1983

Good suggestion.


One other piece to add, just southwest of the Belmont underpass of Lakeshore Drive in Lakeview there's a very large open field. While this is not technically a dog park, I'll often see people letting their dogs run around there, likely because it's not a designated sports field and has lots of opens space away from bike paths/sidewalks.

Yes, agree to this. This is technically lakeview east as well and is right within the the same area I am suggesting. I see people with their dogs playing fetch all the time over there.

[xsboost]

Downtown + parking + small building? Not going to happen. I'd shoot for any neighborhood close to the lakefront.

[knitgirl]

Originally Posted by xsboost

Downtown + parking + small building? Not going to happen. I'd shoot for any neighborhood close to the lakefront.

OP probably doesn't know how we define "downtown" here. It's my impression that Atlanta is very different, so he may just mean he wants a city neighborhood.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

Originally Posted by fusillirob1983

The only dog park I know of is Wiggly Field in Lincoln Park. There's also a dog beach at Belmont Harbor along Lake Michigan in Lakeview. I don't have a dog, so others may be aware of other locations for these things. Given what you're looking for, I would imagine you can find a 1 bed 1 bath apt somewhere within a couple blocks of Diversey (border of Lakeview and Lincoln Park). This would give you access to Lake Michigan, the dog beach, dog parks, and many 2-3 store walkup apartments (typically only 2-3 units in building). Some will include parking, or you may be able to find a place that has no parking space but can search for people renting parking on the block or within a few buildings of where you live and still be under your $2k budget. More than likely you can find something with parking, though. I wouldn't say this is "downtown", although some people would. It's about a 15-20 20 minute EL ride from the Loop (central business district). To me, these areas have a neighborhood feel.


To be closer to downtown, you can look in Old Town or maybe the Gold Coast, but your chances of finding a smaller building or within your price range are less likely. I don't know much about these areas being as dog friendly. These areas feel less neighborly to me. Someone else can confirm.

Montrose dog beach is much, much larger than the tiny one at Belmont. Not much farther north either!

[jassi_001]

Thanks everyone, I am going to go through all of the valuable info and research a bit more to come back with any questions I may have.