Bucktown or South Loop or somewhere else? (Chicago, Lincoln: apartments, rentals)

[bcandy]

Hi everyone, I have been rereading this forum for the past few weeks and have really enjoyed everyones takes on different neighborhoods best for different types of folks. I thought I would throw my own info out there and get help from the chicago experts out there.

I'm a 20 something young black professional moving to chicago with her white boyfriend and we are looking for fun neighborhood to experience what chicago has to offer. I have a job in west loop, but he is still looking. We are hoping to stay within a 20 min commute of my work but also want a safe neighborhood where there are fun restaurants and things to do after dark. Our price range is around $2000 for a large one bedroom or two bed apartment.

After reading this forum I know the basics, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Wrigleyville, and other northside neighborhoods seem to have this but be mainly white. So far we are considering south loop or wicker park/bucktown but I keep wondering if there is a neighborhood that I am missing....

Any suggestions! Your help is appreciated

[Avengerfire]

South Loop,Wicker Park and Bucktown may not have as many white people as Lake View and Lincoln Park, but they still are a pretty good majority white just like Lake View and Lincoln Park.

[synapse]

If you're looking for a mixed race environment, I'd go more with the South Loop than increasingly yuppified Bucktown. The South Loop is a very professional oriented area, but is close enough to traditional African American neighborhoods like Bronzeville just south that it's got about 50% of each race, and it's a very mixed, fun environment with good restaurants and easy access to the lakefront. Hyde Park (Obama's old neighborhood) on the south side near the University of Chicago, and the West Loop itself are also good bets. You'd be fine in Lincoln Park or Lakeview, too, though I do admit it is a bit homogenously white.

[surlycue]

Originally Posted by synapse

Bronzeville just south that it's got about 50% of each race, and it's a very mixed, fun environment with good restaurants and easy access to the lakefront

Uh, 50% white? Think again. Maybe 7%.

[msmanak]

south loop! convenient to the loop

[bcandy]

Thanks for the advice. I decided to go with the South loop. I just had one question other question. Does anyone know where I can find out if they will be building at SE corner of michigan and roosevelt. I am considering an apartment nearby and want to know if my view will be blocked shortly after moving in!

[long101]

isnt their a highrise going up there now? I doubt anything new will go up in that area for quite sometime. Its already overbuilt and they still have more buildings in progress

[surlycue]

What view? One Museum Park is just east of there on Roosevelt so it would block any views of Field, the stadium and that part of the lake I would think. I'd go for a NE view if possible, at least then you have the park and the lake.

[MidwestYoungCouple]

You're missing HYDE PARK! It's a great neighborhood...only 2 miles south of the South loop. It's near the lake and offers many of the other amenities that the other popular neighborhoods offer. As an interracial couple, you would feel at home. Hyde Park is the neighborhood of our current President and of the World Renown University of Chicago. It's diverse and artsy…similar to Wicker Park/Buck town…but much more racially diverse. Since it is further south than the south loop, the rental properties are more reasonably priced. Transportation is a non-issue into Downtown. Anyone living in Hyde Park NEVER has anything negative to say about it.

You can read more about Hyde Park: Hyde Park | Community

Spend a Saturday early afternoon in the area. Check out CHANT (a Thai Restaurant off of 53rd & LakePark) and attend the Hyde Park Jazz Festival next weekend. http://www.hydeparkjazzfestival.org/

You can definitely find a decent 2 bedroom apartment for under $2000.

Regents Park: Chicago Illinois Apartments: Luxury Apartments For Rent In Chicago Illinois Area.
Flamingo Apartments - A Vintage Hyde Park building, the lake right out the front door.
Chicago Hyde Park Apartments


Otherwise, you can check out the Douglas/Bronzeville area which is nestled between the South Loop and Hyde Park.

Prairie Shores Apartments (28th & S. King Drive - 35th & S. King Drive) has always been a reasonable rental property.
Prairie Shores

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by MidwestYoungCouple

You're missing HYDE PARK! It's a great neighborhood...only 2 miles south of the South loop.

3.5 miles not 2. That's from 22nd St., the south end of the South Loop, to 51st St., the north end of Hyde park. If you want to argue that 26th St., the south end of the Near South community area is the south end of the South Loop (which nobody as far as I know actually does) you get 3 miles.

What else you have wrong?