help with housing (Chicago, Lincoln, Grant Park: apartment, rentals, condo)

[uchicgrad]

Hi! I'm moving to Chicago in the summer to begin graduate sch in Hyde Park. Ideally, I would like to live near the Metra either in the loop or the South loop area to make it convenient for me to go to school. I am also looking at places to stay in HP but would prefer not to do that if possible. Any suggestions on how to do a search? Anyone know of listings for private condo rentals? I've tried looking at commercial rental but they are so expensive!

[aragx6]

I'm sure you've looked at Craigslist yes? It's the single best source for finding an apartment in this city.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by aragx6

I'm sure you've looked at Craigslist yes? It's the single best source for finding an apartment in this city.

I'd actually argue that the Chicago Reader is a better resource. There's a lot less "BS" room for listings in the Reader; they can't manipulate the search results by throwing in a tangental reference to Lincoln Park for a listing in Avondale. Craigslist is better for people who are already familiar with the city and can sniff out the BS listings, though admittedly a basic familiarity with neighborhoods is also necessary to make the best use of the Reader classifieds.

So with that in mind, check out the rental listings in the Chicago Reader Classifieds, particularly in Streeterville and South Loop. There are a few Metra Electric stops on the eastern edge of these areas. Also, consider taking one of the Lake Shore Drive buses from up there down to campus; Routes 2, 6 and 26 in particular pretty much follow the railroad tracks right to the campus area.

[paytonc]

One quirk about the South Loop is that the Metra station is at Roosevelt & Lake Shore Drive, inside Grant Park, and that not all trains stop there. Not a whole lot of what's marketed as "South Loop" is really that close -- much of it is well south and west of there. If you want a quick walk, look for something at the north end of Central Station or right along Michigan or Wabash at Roosevelt. Printer's Row is also close to where the #6 stops. If you have a chance to walk around, you'll see rental notices posted at coffeeshops and perhaps in the Chicago Journal, a neighborhood newspaper (chicagojournal.com).

Also, keep in mind that the Metra and the #6 both stop about 1/2 mile east of campus, a rather blustery walk in the winter. There's reportedly a rush-hour bus that runs up and down the Midway, but in all my years there I never saw one. I usually have had better luck transferring at 55th & HP Blvd. to a #55 or #171. Otherwise, it's a very pleasant bike ride down along the lakefront or along King/Drexel boulevards.

Details on the Hyde Park routes subsidized by the university:
Transportation: UChicago Facilities Services (http://facilities.uchicago.edu/transpparking/transportation/bussched-170to174-192.shtml - broken link)