Chicago, IL

[warpspeed]

Hi, I need your help here as I might not be able to fly into Chicago to view apartments. Can you suggest specific apartments in Hyde Park with a great view of the lake? Feel free to list any many as you could because I have a dogs and I am aware that quite a lot of the apartments only allow cats and/or small dogs (I have a bulldog/50lbs). Many thanks!!!

i'm in the same situation, and I have a supposedly "aggressive" breed (great dane/ambullyl mix). I'm going to Chicago to find ap lace to live at the end of the month and I'm also going to UChicago. Hyde Park is SO expensive it kills me to pay that rent, I'd rather just sit on transit for 40 minutes in the morning and study on the way there and back! good luck finding a place with your pup!

[pure7b]

How long will you stay in Chicago? I am a new yorker and will study in u of chicago in the coming fall.

will you live in off campus housing??

Edited April 9, 2011 by pure7b

[kash]

How long will you stay in Chicago? I am a new yorker and will study in u of chicago in the coming fall.

will you live in off campus housing??

I am also going to be staying in Uchicago next year, so i am interested in this as well. I haven't given much thought to the question of a roommate since i dont know anyone there but i am open to the idea

[ck03yh]

Hi Guys- Thanks for the responses. I would like to find roomates, because it's just too expensive on my own!

I know it's hard to coordinate finding people and signing leases before actually being there- For now, I've decided to sign up for SAIC graduate housing, and hopefully find roomates for the second term- either for January 2012, or the following year. i know I'll have to pay a cancellation fee but still way cheaper than staying in residence!

[mostlytoasty]

Bumping this thread!

I'm going to U of Chicago for an MA so I'll only be there for a year or so. I want to rent a reasonably priced studio myself and don't really want to live in Hyde Park. I've never lived on campus so I don't really feel the need to be close by. In fact I want to live a bit closer to "the city" rather than be trapped on campus. I'd like to live somewhere cool, with good places to eat and walk to and whatnot. I'd like to be close to a train or something that would take me to campus in like 30 minutes or less too, as I don't know if I'll have a car. I'm also a pretty experienced bike commuter so I'd also like to live somewhere I could easily commute to (when it's not snowing like crazy of course). Any suggestions? How are the neighborhoods just north of Hyde Park (Douglass, Oakland, etc.. stuff by the lake front area). I'm also a very small female and would appreciate a relatively "safe" neighborhood.

Thanks!

[kickpushcoast]

For the person interested in DePaul, they just published a new book on student life there:

http://www.amazon.com/DePaul-University-2012-Off-Record/dp/1427404089/

[gilberto]

Bumping this thread!

I'm going to U of Chicago for an MA so I'll only be there for a year or so. I want to rent a reasonably priced studio myself and don't really want to live in Hyde Park. I've never lived on campus so I don't really feel the need to be close by. In fact I want to live a bit closer to "the city" rather than be trapped on campus. I'd like to live somewhere cool, with good places to eat and walk to and whatnot. I'd like to be close to a train or something that would take me to campus in like 30 minutes or less too, as I don't know if I'll have a car. I'm also a pretty experienced bike commuter so I'd also like to live somewhere I could easily commute to (when it's not snowing like crazy of course). Any suggestions? How are the neighborhoods just north of Hyde Park (Douglass, Oakland, etc.. stuff by the lake front area). I'm also a very small female and would appreciate a relatively "safe" neighborhood.

Thanks!

The South Loop, such as the apartments just south of Roosevelt on Indiana, is on the rise. I've been in an apartment building there and it is fantastic, and has spectacular views. I hear rent isn't too expensive, so that might be a good place to look. It's right off the Metra, which is an easy ride to Hyde Park.

[hupr]

I''ll be going to Northwestern next fall, so my wife and I will be moving this summer. If anyone knows of a sublet (studio or 1-bedroom) for the month of August, please message me, since I think it'll be better to sublet for a month and then look for a place for September than to accept something sight unseen.

[CarmaTuna]

Hi I'm heading to NWU Fall 11 and I'm having trouble finding any others who are headed there so please do send me a message if you're heading there too! I'd be glad to have the chance to discuss housing and classes and what not!

[AudioEnvy]

Does anyone know anything about where St. Xavier University is located? Is it really far from the downtown area of Chicago? Would it be easy to get to the main area by train?

[AudioEnvy]

Does anyone know anything about where St. Xavier University is located? Is it really far from the downtown area of Chicago? Would it be easy to get to the main area by train?

Since asking this question, I have found out that it is in an area called Mount Greenwood. But I'm not familar with Chicago, so that still doesn't really help me. Does anyone know anything about Mount Greenwood? Is it is a nice place to live, is it expensive, how is transportation?

[Magdalena]

Since asking this question, I have found out that it is in an area called Mount Greenwood. But I'm not familar with Chicago, so that still doesn't really help me. Does anyone know anything about Mount Greenwood? Is it is a nice place to live, is it expensive, how is transportation?

Mount Greenwood is a neighborhood on the periphery of the city. Your transportation options for getting downtown are okay. I've never taken the Metra from there, but I had friends who used to live in Beverly and travel to the loop (essentially) for high school, and their trip took an hour and a half. Your other options include taking the Pulaski bus to the orange line and the orange line downtown, or you can take the bus to the red line.

The neighborhood itself is quiet and residential. Expect to be living near many police officers, fire fighters, and teachers (city workers who want to be near the suburbs). But Beverly, Mount Greenwood's neighbor is a bit livelier, and one of the few neighborhoods in the city where residents are racially diverse. Most of the homes are single family. I bet you could find two and three unit buildings as well. Rents will be cheaper than neighborhoods on the north side of comparable safety. I have to say that the biggest draw back of this old, tree-lined, and quiet neighborhood is its lack of transportation options.

Students at St. Xavier, I've gathered, usually live in the suburbs and travel to school by car.

Hope this helps.

[chubbchubb]

Bumping this thread...anyone else live in/moving to the Hyde Park area?

[Floripas]

I definitely am! A fellow UChicago grad student, I'm guessing? I found a place near 52nd and Drexel, let's hope I made a good housing choice!

And I won't lie, I'm pretty stoked to be getting out there this September. Right now, I'm brewing up plans of what to do during that week and a half I have before the quarter starts. Suggestions? Preferably something off the beaten track? Or on it, which cannot be missed? Before school eats my life, I gotta enjoy the city a bit.

[2011 MSW Hopeful]

I'm moving to Hyde Park in early September. So excited!

[bogles]

Right now, I'm brewing up plans of what to do during that week and a half I have before the quarter starts. Suggestions? Preferably something off the beaten track? Or on it, which cannot be missed? Before school eats my life, I gotta enjoy the city a bit.

It depends on what you enjoy doing but here is my short bucket list for friends who visit:

Chicago Blues and soul food at Kingston Mines on Halsted

The Art Institute (check their website for the free evenings)

Millennium Park

Chicago movies in the park (Google and check the schedule - free and bring a blanket early)

Also, if you like afternoon tea, I suggest the Drake. It's fun with a group but a little more $$$.

Please do enjoy the city!

Edited July 31, 2011 by bogles

[chubbchubb]

I'm actually settling into Hyde Park right now, after moving in on quite possibly the hottest and most humid day ever ( ) and so far I really like the neighborhood! I'm living on 54th Place, which is right off of Ellis and very close to campus (and yes Floripas I will be starting at the Divinity School in the fall...I'm focusing on Islamic Studies so if you're doing Middle Eastern history I'm sure we'll run into one another at some point).

In terms of fun things to do I've also been told to look out for the free concerts, free museum nights, and outdoor movies on campus...if you check out the UChicago campus calendar it seems like there is quite a lot going on even before term starts, so no shortage of activities to keep us occupied before we're swamped with work!

[newage2012]

I live in the suburbs, and I would suggest you get the CTA chicago card with the I-GO membership so you get to rent a car at cheap rates and allow you to access some remote places like Woodfield Mall (the largest mall in the state) and its surrounding establishment.

Also couple of sites are handy:

www.metrarail.com (suburban commuter train, unlimited weekend travel for just $7)

www.pacebus.com (suburban bus service, use this in conjunction with Metra schedules)

[Behavioral]

How's everyone liking the city so far? I've been able to head down to downtown a few times since the start of the quarter, but I'm starting to see my free time dwindle more and more and more.

[ILuvPsych2013]

Hi all!

I am trying to narrow down my grad school options and am looking at DePaul University in Lincoln Park to study Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Has anyone been through the program or university that would be willing to offer any insight?

My main concern is with living in/near Chicago...I am from Lincoln, Nebraska and am married with two small children. I need to live in an area that is relatively inexpensive ($1500 max for 3 bedroom) and most of all safe. I do not have an issue with commuting a little ways to school if it means my other criteria are met. Any suggestions?

Thanks!!!

[bellefast]

Well I acutally go to DePaul and I live away from the area. Lincoln park is somewhat cheap and the area is safe and family friendly. Free zoo and cool places for children. For happiness I would live in the area. And Some places at the lake comes to $900 just for 1 br. 1500 for a 3br is do-able.

[emilyrobot]

Hi mschauer! I live in Chicago, and have my whole life. I've got no particular insight into DePaul, per se, but I do know a fair amount about renting in our fair city, and I'm happy to answer any questions as best I can.

If you've looked into this at all, I'm sure you've heard the statement "Chicago is a city of neighborhoods"--and it really is true! The city is full of neighborhoods that very in terms of safety/ethnic diversity/density/transportation etc and so on. I mostly know about the neighborhoods on the North Side, but that's OK because if you're studying at DePaul, the North Side would be most convenient for you. But the North Side is huuuuge, and we'll have to narrow it down a little further. A general rule of thumb for the North Side is that the further east you go (towards the lake), the more dense and urban the neighborhoods feel. There are some exceptions, but typically, along the lake front, you'll find more high rises, more walkable neighborhoods, and places where it's harder to park a car. DePaul is located in Lincoln Park, which is along the lake, and is a cool, urban feeling neighborhood. There's lots of bars, restaurants, nightlife, cultural stuff etc, and it's close to the zoo (like Bellefast said) and near the lakefront parks and bike paths. Very pretty buildings in that area, too, if architecture rings your bell. The neighborhood of Lincoln Park can get kinda pricey (for my tastes) and parking is a beast over there. I'd recommend that, if you're planning on living a little bit away from DePaul, that you try for a neighborhood along an El line, and commute by train.

DePaul is closest to two train lines; the Red Line and the Brown Line. The Red Line runs North-South through the city, pretty much close to the lake, so it goes through some of the denser North Side neighborhoods. You might want to look into neighborhoods along the Brown Line (which runs kinda northwest through the city from the loop downtown). Those neighborhoods still have a city feel, but you'd be more likely to find a place in a two- or three-flat (instead of a high-rise), maybe with a backyard, on quieter streets. In particular, I'd recommend you consider the following neighborhoods: Lincoln Square, North Center, Ravenswood (and Ravenswod Manor), Albany Park and North Park. Take a look at craigslist--there's a ton of apartment listings there, and you can search by neighborhood and limit your results by price, and you should be able to get an idea of what's available. There's plenty of apartment search services that will drive you around and show you places according to your specifications (the listing landlords pay a finder's fee for that service, but it's free for you and might be a good choice if/when you're actually looking for a place here).

Here is a neighborhood map that might help orient you http://www.wildonions.org/NeighborhoodsMap.htm

Some weird/unique things about renting in the city:

A lot of apartments try to schedule their leases so that they're available June 1st or October 1st. There's still plenty of options at other times of the year, but those are the times you'll find the most choice and competition. Not ideal for an academic schedule, I know! If you rent a place where the lease starts at a different time (like the 1st of August) the landlord might ask you to sign something other than a year long lease, like a 14 month one, to more closely coincide with that schedule. I don't know if most landlords consider this kind of thing a deal-breaker, but be prepared to answer that question.

Utilities: Water and garbage are included in the rent 99% of the time. 99% of the time, you'll have to pay for electricity. The big variable in utilities is heat--in some places the heat is included in the rent, and in some places it isn't, and that's often stated up front in the ad (if the ad says that tenets pay for "cooking gas" that means your heat is covered, but you'll have to pay the gas company for whatever your stove uses, usually <10$ a month). Most places are heated with gas (either forced air or radiators), and with our cold winters your gas bill can eat up a non-trivial amount of your budget, depending on how old or drafty your place is. Your landlord is required in Chicago to give you an estimate of what your heating costs will be along with the lease, and you can certainly ask for it earlier. That estimate will be based on what the gas company billed the previous tenant for. If you do end up taking a place in Chicago, you can enroll in the year-round budget plan with the gas company. They'll take the total estimated costs for the year, and then charge you 1/12 of that each month, which is great because it makes it much easier to budget because you don't end up paying 0$ in August and 200$ in January.

Chicago is an awesome city, and a really cool place to grow up. It'll be an adjustment, but it's worth it! Let me know if you have any more questions, or if you think of any way I can be helpful.

[ILuvPsych2013]

Emilyrobot: Thank you so much for the info! Extremely helpful. I will look into the areas you have mentioned and may hit you up again as I come up with more questions. Thanks again!

[emilyrobot]

Hey, no problem! I'm happy to help, because talking about how awesome Chicago is is one of my very favorite hobbies. Also, it's distracting me from my own grad school anxiety, and I'm hoping any advice I can give you will serve as a kind of "pay it forward" thing when I'm planning my own move.

I thought of a few more things that might be important considerations:

Bedrooms! A lot of Chicago buildings are old, which means great things (fabulous woodwork trim and hardwood floors, sometimes built in bookcases, big, pretty windows etc.). But it also means that bedrooms are, typically, small. Like 9x9 small. Especially in 3 bedroom places, you can expect small rooms (or one human sized rooms and two little ones). That's a totally doable amount of space, but if you were planning having space for a desk (for you) or a lot of room for playing (for the kiddos)in the bedrooms, it might be a tough squeeze. Happily, a lot of places come with an extra room (commonly listed as a den, an office or a sun room) that would make a great study space or a playroom. It's not a big deal, but I thought I'd mention it.

Schools! I have no great information on public schools in the city, unfortunately. My impression is that the quality of neighborhood schools vary pretty widely. There are a lot of magnet schools and charter schools--not all of those are better than neighborhood schools, but some of them are--and there's testing/applications/lotteries to get slots in those. If your kids are school-aged (or will be school-aged at some point in your living here) you'll probably want to find someone more knowledgeable than I to talk school issues with.

Transit! As a full-time grad student at DePaul, you'll end up automatically paying for a U-Pass along with your tuition and fees (I think). A U-Pass means you get unlimited rides on all CTA buses and trains during the academic terms (you're on your own during breaks, sadly). It's a nice perk, and can be a serious money saver. Note, though, that the Metra trains aren't included in this, nor are PACE (suburban) buses. The Metra is more of a commuter transit train. It runs deep into the suburbs and costs more than the CTA trains. The CTA runs the elevated and subway lines (named for colors Red Green Brown Blue Pink etc and we call them El lines, even when they go underground) and is best for general daily trips if you live inside the city. If you don't have a car, or don't plan to bring your car with you to grad school, Chicago has car-sharing programs (Zipcar and I-Go) which are worth looking into. It's great if you want to rely on public transit for most of your needs, but still want the option of taking a car for the occasional trip to the grocery store or weekend away.

Seriously, let me know if you can think of anymore questions (even if they're preliminary). Happy to help!

[InquilineKea]

Just got into UChicago!

Just wondering - are there special dorms for grad students?

Also, how much would a $4500/year fellowship help defray living costs?