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Rental costs in Chicago - Page 2

post #21 of 41
9/17/08 at 11:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by shayinme View Post
Actually it was because of my family that we are in Maine (way too long to get into online-my dh is a Northern Cali boy). Oddly enough Maine is not colder than Chicago, I am on the coast so it keeps things pretty mild compared to the hawk in Chicago. What is bad here is the snow, my goodness its frickin snows like crazy and you occasionally have snow in April :. We moved here in March so I figured winter would be winding down, like mid April we got smacked with snow... I was going crazy.
Sheesh, there I go with my own stereotypes I guess not only white people live in Maine haha. And if Chicago is as cold as Maine....then I'm going to have to temporarily separate from my husband and move to NOLA with my parents for the winter!
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post #22 of 41
9/17/08 at 1:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mizelenius View Post
I keep wondering when Rogers Park is going to get better. It has SO MUCH potential.

Is WRP really going down? I used to live there. I remember one of the people in my building saying she got mugged in the entrance way to the apt. building with a knife. (Thank goodness that was all that happened.) Crime-wise it wasn't great, but it seems crime is rising everywhere. Some beautiful homes in that area!

ETA: Rivka, did you by chance ever attend a drop-in playgroup at a Jewish center on Touhy (I think)? I met a Rivka there long ago, and at that time she had one son. It was probably about 5 or 6 years ago.
I am so sad to hear that RP and WRP have both gone down hill. My parents and I moved to RP back in 80-81, I was the only kid of color in my class for several years. We moved there when I was in 2nd grade, back then the area was heavily jewish, my grade school best pal had actually just arrived from Russia. Yet by the time I was in 8th grade the area had changed and my folks moved to the southside by the time I graduated from HS. Though when I graduated from HS and left home my folks went to WRP, the last place they lived was right near California & Devon. (I loved that area)

You are right there are some gorgeous home in the area, both RP and WRP. One of the things I loved was just how large the apartments were compared to other areas. I loved the funky vibe of Wicker Park and Bucktown but many of the places were not nearly as spacious as further north.

However by the time I left Chicago in 2002, I had stopped even going up to the Heartland Cafe because of crime. Parking and walking was downright scary and after I knew a few folks who had gotten mugged, I just didn't want to chance it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tikva18 View Post
Well, Rivka is a pretty common name . but yes, I used to go there regularly - however I've always gone with at least 2 boys- hmm, could be that I only had one baby with me. Today my kids are 12 1/2, almost 10, 7, and I have 3 yr old twins - a boy and a girl.


IMO, WRP has continually gone downhill - people have been attacked on the streets -groups of kids are going up to Jewish kids and beating them up - a friend couldn't get out of her car one night because a man on drugs came up to her driver's window and started searching her car and wouldn't let her out. She called 911 and they did NOT come. OTOH, I'm not hearing this all of the time, but still. We moved because our next door neighbors were dealing drugs out of the house and we repeated called the police and they wouldn't do anything. I just found out in June that their house was finally raided in May - police came and broke down the door and everyone was arrested - but then they got back out and went right back to it..
That is so sad, I remember when it nothing like that in either RP or WRP.

Quote:
Originally Posted by madsommer View Post
Sheesh, there I go with my own stereotypes I guess not only white people live in Maine haha. And if Chicago is as cold as Maine....then I'm going to have to temporarily separate from my husband and move to NOLA with my parents for the winter!
Is this going to be your first winter in Chicago? Yeah, in Maine I can count on one hand the number of days I have to seriously bundle up compared to when I was in Chicago. Yep, people are often surprised to hear there are Black folks in Maine, granted not a lot but there are some pretty old Black familes that date back to the 1800s with history here in Maine. Oddly enough Maine is less racist than Chicago. Its just deep down I am a Chitown girl, I miss home

Shay
post #23 of 41
9/17/08 at 1:45pm
Hmmm.. I'm totally not seeing the same thing about RP and WRP. I think they are fine, definitely safer than they were 1 or even 5 years ago. I think there are still patchy spots on Howard towards the lake and a few other patchy spots, but overall, I think it's fine. Especially WRP. I find it incredibly safe and peaceful.. as peaceful as any part of a major city is ever going to be.

I live in Edgewater right now and I love it. There is still very affordable stuff in here if you are willing to really look for it.

And Shayine, I've always enjoyed your posts. Hit me up when you get here! Maybe we can connect!
post #24 of 41
9/17/08 at 2:24pm
Doesnt Rogers Park have lots of students from Loyola? That could make for a good dynamic.
post #25 of 41
9/17/08 at 2:32pm
This has a listing of crimes in WRP

http://chicago.everyblock.com/crime/...t-rogers-park/
post #26 of 41
9/17/08 at 2:50pm
Shay - have you considered Hyde Park? Very diverse and I love it and will miss it very much when I move in two weeks to the West Side. Yes, still pre-cute-neighborhood-name west side. I'm AA and dh is PR and he left is PR neighborhoods to join me in HP when we married. We have a daughter who attends a Waldorf early childhood education program which goes through 6 years. It's in HP and we'll continue to take her there after the move. I've been in HP for 14 years (originally from east coast) and have really enjoyed it. There's so much for your little one to do and lots for you and hubby, too. We've gotten a real down-town feel restaurant in the past few months, too! The Hyde Park Arts center has a new building, great park district stuff, easy access to downtown, etc.

We're renting our 1300 sq. ft condo out for $1500. It's a little high, but it has some perks that warrant it.

My dh went knocking door to door 4 years ago asking people if they wanted to sell their homes. That's how we got our 2 flat (now deconverted to a single family) for a mortgage of only $1000. Before you hate me, just know I've spent an arm and a leg on our complete gut rehab - not to mention the stress on our marriage.

In any event, I'd say HP is another good option. There's more diversity in the neighborhood folks living there - to differentiate from the diversity (such as it is) in the U of C students.
post #27 of 41
9/17/08 at 2:57pm
we live right on the border of lincoln square and albany park. i recommend it, especially if you have a toddler. there is so much stuff going on for young kids, a lot of it free. i especially love that we are in close walking distance to two large recreational parks (wells and horner) and are close to several playlots, too. we're actually moving out of town at the end of the month, and are very sad to leave this area.

we pay 1000 for a two bedroom that includes heat. this is a steal for the area. lincoln square, ravenswood and andersonville are all wonderful family areas, but are pricier that some of the more overlooked northside neighhorhoods. if you're looking for cheaper rent, i'd look in ravenswood gardens/manor, albany park, budlong woods/lincoln bend, and edgewater. they all have a family feel to them, and are relatively safe. we lived in pilsen for a year before moving to this area, and i had mixed feelings on it. i loved some aspects of it, but didn't feel comfortable there because i am white and felt like i was viewed by my neighbors as a gentrifier, which is a hot button issue there, as it should be.

everyone is right about bucktown and wicker park-- they are so expensive now! my first apartment as an adult was in ukrainian village, and i loved it there then. i love it there now, too, but it's out of our price range, for the most part. you should see division street these days. it's a hipster version of lincoln park. most of the cheaper apartments listed as being in ukrainian village or bucktown are really in humboldt park. i've had two apartments in humboldt park, pre-kids, and wouldn't choose to raise a family there. the violence is mostly gang-related, and doesn't involve you if you're not in a gang, but it's still not a pleasant experience to have your neighbor across the street gunned down in a drive-by. plus, i just don't think it's that pretty there-- too much concrete, not enough trees.

in the almost ten years (on and off) that i've lived here, things have gotten astronomically more expensive. i used to think that chicago was the dirt-cheap, midwestern version of new york or san francisco, but that's just not the case anymore. cost of living has gone up all around the country, but i can't help but feel that independent of that, chicago has gentrified itself right out of the price ranges of many families who live here. look up average daycare rates, the cost of a gallon of gas, and even what we pay for electricity and cooking gas. it has changed a lot since 2002, in my opinion.
post #28 of 41
9/21/08 at 5:28pm
We live in Logan Square and love it! We are currently renting a two bedroom for $1200 right now, with two sunrooms, no utilities included. We will be moving at the beginning of the month, though, to a two bedroom garden. It is $750, utilities included. Definitely a steal, and we got lucky. Lincoln Park is nicer, but it is definitely more pricey, as is Wicker Park/Bucktown.

We like Logan Square just fine, though, and we have a baby. The people are very nice, there's a seasonal farmer's market that rocks, and it's close to Whole Foods and Strack & Van Til. The boulevard areas are very nice, but a bit hard to get into - you have to search for apartments and snap them up right away.
post #29 of 41
9/23/08 at 10:06am
[quote=shayinme;12191699] I was the only kid in the hood rocking doc martens hanging down on Belmont St.
quote]

! Love this!!! My husband and I (separately though) were rocking the doc martens & me with black or blue or fire engine red hair down by the, then, punkin' donuts there on Belmont mid/late 80s. Does Medusa's and Lower Links ring a bell?

Anything new on the moving back to chi-town front?
post #30 of 41
9/23/08 at 12:29pm
Thread Starter 
[QUOTE=coobabysmom;12239325]
Quote:
Originally Posted by shayinme View Post
I was the only kid in the hood rocking doc martens hanging down on Belmont St.
quote]

! Love this!!! My husband and I (separately though) were rocking the doc martens & me with black or blue or fire engine red hair down by the, then, punkin' donuts there on Belmont mid/late 80s. Does Medusa's and Lower Links ring a bell?

Anything new on the moving back to chi-town front?
OMG, I was a regular at both Medusa's and Limelight... in fact on Facebook there is a Medusa's group. Talk about some sweet memories. : Yep, hung out at the DD afterwards, until we were all chased out of there if there were no parties to go to afterwards.

Right now we are still in fact finding mode, an opportunity to go to Chicago in 2 weeks has popped up, not sure if I can make it but I do plan on a visit home before making a final decision. As my brother reminded me, I waited almost 30 years to escape Chicago, do I really want to come back? LOL

Then again I just miss so much, as settled as we are here in Maine and I love my old house, I just miss city living. Miss the el, speaking of Belmont, I want to make a pitstop to the Alley. I used to have the coolest police leather but when we moved here it got left behind :. I actually want anotjer one though it will take another 12 years to get properly broken in.
post #31 of 41
9/24/08 at 1:46am
Rivka, then I don't think it was you . . .the mama I knew only had one son at the time and he'd be about 6 now. I can't help singing "roll, roll, roll the ball, roll the ball ____" every time someone says "Roll the ball!"
post #32 of 41
9/24/08 at 10:39am
hmm, maybe I didn't have my twins yet? Rashi, my ds, just turned 7 and there is a 4 yr age gap between them. Or could be someone else
post #33 of 41
9/24/08 at 6:11pm
[QUOTE=coobabysmom;12239325]
Quote:
Originally Posted by shayinme View Post
I was the only kid in the hood rocking doc martens hanging down on Belmont St.
quote]

! Love this!!! My husband and I (separately though) were rocking the doc martens & me with black or blue or fire engine red hair down by the, then, punkin' donuts there on Belmont mid/late 80s. Does Medusa's and Lower Links ring a bell?

Anything new on the moving back to chi-town front?
LOL, not necessarily-I went to Whitney Young and there were a contingent of us that traveled there to hang ( I'm not AA). I mostly hung out at Scenes and Pergolisi though-as well as shows at the Metro.
post #34 of 41
9/24/08 at 6:18pm
[quote=mamimapster;12251389]
Quote:
Originally Posted by coobabysmom View Post

LOL, not necessarily-I went to Whitney Young and there were a contingent of us that traveled there to hang ( I'm not AA). I mostly hung out at Scenes and Pergolisi though-as well as shows at the Metro.
Oh how could I forget those 2 coffee houses for bagels and coffee! And if you went to Pergolisi, you had to stop in at 99th floor to check out the shoes...LOL! Yes all ages shows at the metro and then once 21 down to lounge ax for shows.

I am little dense sometimes...What is AA??
post #35 of 41
9/24/08 at 9:38pm
Thread Starter 
[QUOTE=mamimapster;12251389]
Quote:
Originally Posted by coobabysmom View Post

LOL, not necessarily-I went to Whitney Young and there were a contingent of us that traveled there to hang ( I'm not AA). I mostly hung out at Scenes and Pergolisi though-as well as shows at the Metro.

Scenes... I used to love that place. I went to Lincoln Park HS and often cut class to hang out at Scenes, drink coffee and eat baguettes .

AA means African-American.

Shay
post #36 of 41
9/24/08 at 10:03pm
[quote=coobabysmom;12251453]
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamimapster View Post
I am little dense sometimes...What is AA??
African American
post #37 of 41
9/24/08 at 11:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tikva18 View Post
hmm, maybe I didn't have my twins yet? Rashi, my ds, just turned 7 and there is a 4 yr age gap between them. Or could be someone else
Your 7 yo is your oldest? Maybe then it is you! I just remember talking to a Rivka about my sleep troubles with my DD (she woke up every 20-60 minutes back then!) and she (you?) said that she babyproofed her bedroom, and her son would just walk around and play while she slept . . .and ended up getting a good sleep that way. Very random memory.

shayinme, were you in the IB program? My sister went to LP and was in the IB program . . .maybe you know each other!
post #38 of 41
9/25/08 at 2:12pm
[quote=shayinme;12252948]
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamimapster View Post

AA means African-American.

Shay
of course!

Keep us updated and good luck!
post #39 of 41
9/26/08 at 1:57am
[QUOTE=coobabysmom;12251453]
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamimapster View Post

Oh how could I forget those 2 coffee houses for bagels and coffee! And if you went to Pergolisi, you had to stop in at 99th floor to check out the shoes...LOL! Yes all ages shows at the metro and then once 21 down to lounge ax for shows.
I knew the family that owned Pergolisi at the time-They were religious Jews, and a friend of mine babysat their Dd. The dad would occasionally let us be recipie "testers" I still miss the bread pudding.
post #40 of 41
9/26/08 at 12:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mizelenius View Post
Your 7 yo is your oldest? Maybe then it is you! I just remember talking to a Rivka about my sleep troubles with my DD (she woke up every 20-60 minutes back then!) and she (you?) said that she babyproofed her bedroom, and her son would just walk around and play while she slept . . .and ended up getting a good sleep that way. Very random memory.

shayinme, were you in the IB program? My sister went to LP and was in the IB program . . .maybe you know each other!
Nope, definitely not me! sorry. I have an almost 13 yr old and a 10 yr old on top of the 7. I have been known to sleep while my kids were playing, but I don't ever remember 'sleep proofing the room... Usually I sack out on the couch and they play on the floor next to me (FTR, I don't think i trust my twins enough to do this ).