Mount Greenwood (Chicago, Pulaski: homes, safe neighborhood, school)

[AudioEnvy]

Hello everyone! I am thinking about applying to St. Xavier University for grad school, which is in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood of Chicago. From what I have heard, it feels more like a suburb even though it is technically still in Chicago. How would that area be for a girl in her early 20s? I don't mind that it's a more laid back area, because that would probably help me focus on my studies...but I would also want to make sure to have easy access to downtown. Would it be easy for me to get downtown via public transportation? Also, would I be able to easily get around the Mount Greenwood area through public transportation, or would I want to have a car with me?

Thanks! If you have any other general information about Mount Greenwood or St. Xavier, that would be awesome too.

[jsk1983]

I've only been there a few times. Pretty bland, popular with city workers (they're required to live in the city). There are CTA buses which go through the neighborhood that connect with the Red Line, other than that there are METRA (commuter rail) stations about 2-2.5 miles to the east in the Beverly/Morgan Park neighborhood.

[roma2585]

If you don't mind it being laid back, then it's a good choice. It's pretty family oriented neighborhood, not much night life, but there's a bar across the street from Xavior that's popular with students, and the bars on Western Ave in Beverly are nearby.

I would look up bus schedules. It's a part of the city that doesn't have the best transit. The Pulaski bus only goes to 79th after about 10pm or so, I'm not sure about other buses, so that's something to look into.

[Irishtom29]

Very safe neighborhood, as safe as it gets. Get a car.

[MannheimMadman]

What Tom said. If you don't have a car, your options are to take the 95th st. bus to the 95th st red line (F that.) or take one of the three different (?) Metra trains downtown.

[Vlajos]

It's a nice area, but like you said it's like the nearby old suburbs.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by AudioEnvy

Hello everyone! I am thinking about applying to St. Xavier University for grad school, which is in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood of Chicago. From what I have heard, it feels more like a suburb even though it is technically still in Chicago. How would that area be for a girl in her early 20s? I don't mind that it's a more laid back area, because that would probably help me focus on my studies...but I would also want to make sure to have easy access to downtown. Would it be easy for me to get downtown via public transportation? Also, would I be able to easily get around the Mount Greenwood area through public transportation, or would I want to have a car with me?

Thanks! If you have any other general information about Mount Greenwood or St. Xavier, that would be awesome too.

Its safe.

and its very "old school Chicago", and not THAT accessible by public transportation.

You can take the orange line that begins around Midway, but Mt. Greenwood is NOT representative of the Chicago that people come and see. You will need a car around there, and many if not most of the people in Mt. Greenwood are generational Chicagoans with many people with strong ties to the city government.

However, you are still within the city limits, so you are still close to experience downtown Chicago easily.

Like I said: your best bet to go downtown and experience all that Chicago has to offer is to park at the midway park n ride and take the Orange line in through the southwest side.

[TheSunshineKid]

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

Like I said: your best bet to go downtown and experience all that Chicago has to offer is to park at the midway park n ride and take the Orange line in through the southwest side.

Depending how late he/she stays in the city Metra would be a better option.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by TheSunshineKid

Depending how late he/she stays in the city Metra would be a better option.

Very true. The Beverly stop is close by.

And for the OP:

If you do live there, check out the parks around the Beverly neighborhood. You'll find some nice peace and quiet in places like Dan Ryan Woods, and you can stroll up and down Longwood and take in the beautiful homes in the only naturally hilly neighborhood in the city limits.

Also, there are some commercial strips on Western and on 95th. with some decent places to grab a bite to eat. There used to be a cool coffee shop by the Beverly station, but it closed this past year.

[AudioEnvy]

Thanks for the information everyone, it was really helpful.

Do you think it would be significantly less expensive to live in Mount Greenwood than a more "lively" area of the city? Another thing that I could consider is living somewhere else and commuting to campus...but if I could save a lot of money by just sticking to the area, it probably wouldn't be worth it to me.