Family with Kids - Roscoe Village? (Chicago, Addison: apartment, house, neighborhood)

[katiecabot]

I've been offered a job in Chicago (South Loop) and we are looking for a home. We are a family, with four kids ages from 5-17. I have found a VERY affordable garden duplex in a smallish (10 unit) apartment building with 4 BRs , LR, DR, EIK, 2 Baths and family room. The apatrment is So affordable that we would easily be able to afford a secondary weekend home in the far west burbs, St Charles/Geneva for weekends.

We want a city lifestyle, but not a scary city life. The schools would be Bell and Lake View HS. I think I would prefer Lane HS, but the lady I spoke with at the school department said I could have my kids at Lane if the Principal approved it.

The apartment is near the intersection of Damen and Grace. Any thoughts on the neighborhood AND the schools? Oh, also, commute to South Loop?

Thanks!

Katie

PS. Hi Steve

[desibear]

Why spend on two homes instead of combining and buying 1 better house to begin with? Good school choices, btw.

[Avengerfire]

You should be fine there. Bell and Lane are very good schools. Lake View is not as good as Lane. As long as your teenager(s) are smart they will get in. I believe there is a test now.

The Addison stop on the Brown Line is re-opening soon. It has been reconstructed. It is a relative short walk from Grace and Damen. I would recommend taking the Brown Line to the Loop if you choose not to drive. Parking is scare in the area you are moving to. However, the Irving Park stop is closing for reconstruction of a duration of up to a year. The Irving Park stop is slightly closer, I believe .

Btw- Grace and Damen is located in North Center. :-) Some call the area close to you St. Ben's (as a sub neighborhood of North Center) because you are near the Church and School. But it seems every year the area considered St Ben's gets larger! North Center is the Official name.

[Drover]

Not many Chicago public high schools are as good as Lane -- it's a magnet school. Anyway, that neighborhood is fine. Actually pretty nice. Some good nightlife on the Lincoln Avenue corridor a couple blocks to your east and north (it's diagonal). Makes me wonder why this place is so cheap. Damen & Grace is equidistant from the Addison and Irving Park Brown Line stops, just over 1/4 mile from each, so for your purposes it won't really matter which one is open and which one is closed. (They won't have both closed at the same time.)