I'm starting a new job next month, based out of the Mundelein/Libertyville area. I'll be commuting for 2 years, and will need to find a furnished apartment. I'd like to minimize the commute, but find a place that is relatively new, quiet, either has a gym on site, or is close to one, and has some of the basic daily needs within a quick drive (a good coffee joint, some restaurants, a Target, etc.).

In the interim, I'll be using hotels (first month or so), so any recommendations on a decent SPG or Hilton family property would be appreciated.

While we don't need to worry about an actual move yet, is there a good source for details on Lake County and Cook County schools? Is one school system better than the other, especially for middle and high schools?

After living in the warmer southern states for so long, I may have to change my handle to snowshoes!

Thanks in advance for any help.

I live in the city and cannot really help you except with one thing - the schools do not run by county but rather by school district (which can be more than one town/city). So you cannot compare Lake County schools to Cook County schools.

Welcome to the area!

Welcome to the area:

Apartments: Might be tough to find a nice furnished apartment, as opposed to unfurnished. But it shouldn't be difficult to find a number of newer properties within 15 minutes of your office. US45, IL83, IL176, IL21, IL60 are the main highways in the area. If your heart is set on furnished, AMLI runs a number of corporate apartments in Chicagoland, and there appears to be one in Vernon Hills.

Amli At Museum Gardens
1205 N Museum Blvd, Vernon Hills, IL
(847) 327-9384
http://www.amli.com/Community/Community.aspx?RegionTag=chicago&CommunityTag=museumgardens&ACH=False

Hotels: No Starwood properties nearby. No Suite-type Hiltons nearby either, and I suspect you'll go crazy in a Hampton Inn after two months. If you're on the north edge of town, there's a Candlewood Suites up on US45. If you're on the south edge of town, then staying in Lincolnshire might not be a bad idea - there's a big Marriott complex there which has several brands including I believe has an all-suites property.

Nick - thanks for the help.

I'm starting a new job next month, based out of the Mundelein/Libertyville area. I'll be commuting for 2 years, and will need to find a furnished apartment. I'd like to minimize the commute, but find a place that is relatively new, quiet, either has a gym on site, or is close to one, and has some of the basic daily needs within a quick drive (a good coffee joint, some restaurants, a Target, etc.).

In the interim, I'll be using hotels (first month or so), so any recommendations on a decent SPG or Hilton family property would be appreciated.

While we don't need to worry about an actual move yet, is there a good source for details on Lake County and Cook County schools? Is one school system better than the other, especially for middle and high schools?

After living in the warmer southern states for so long, I may have to change my handle to snowshoes!

Thanks in advance for any help.

New Trier in Winnetka by far is the the best high school in Illinois (not including IMSA) if your looking purely at scores.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Trier_Township_High_School

Their sports and extracurricular programs are impressive as well

New Trier in Winnetka by far is the the best high school in Illinois (not including IMSA) if your looking purely at scores.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Trier_Township_High_School

Their sports and extracurricular programs are impressive as wellAnd, of course, expect to pay housing prices commensurate.

New Trier in Winnetka by far is the the best high school in Illinois (not including IMSA) if your looking purely at scores.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Trier_Township_High_School

Their sports and extracurricular programs are impressive as well

That said there are some excellent public elementary and highschools in the City of Chicago. Many of the magnet schools have great programs as do the College Prep high schools.

New Trier in Winnetka by far is the the best high school in Illinois (not including IMSA) if your looking purely at scores.

Their sports and extracurricular programs are impressive as well
As an alumnus, I wasn't going to say that... :)

But Stevenson in Vernon Hills has become a very well-regarded high school in its own right, as many people who graduated from New Trier in the 70s/80s have moved up the road a bit.

Depending on which direction you want to go, you might take a look at Prairie Crossing, which has received favorable reviews in the New York Times and various urban design, urban planning, and landscape architecture journals and magazines. http://www.prairiecrossing.com/pc/site/index.html

It has the benefits of its own Metra commuter rail stop that is 1 stop from Mundelein or 2 from Vernon Hills, and an on-site charter school. However, it appears you would be required to purchase a condo, rather than renting somewhere...might not hurt to call and see what options they have.

Getting further away, I understand Arlington Heights has decent schools.

If you are looking at the North Shore schools (New Trier, Stevenson, etc.), you should be able to rent a decent apartment in any of those communities. Evanston, in particular, has a lot of apartments--perhaps because of Northwestern University and Evanston's el connection to the City.

Going further south, Oak Park has an excellent and well-funded school system (District 97 for elementary/jr. high and District 200 for high school), plus plenty of available apartments (albeit unfurnished). While Oak Park has great connections into the city, your transit connections to Lake County will be almost zero.

-Hayden

Depending on which direction you want to go, you might take a look at Prairie Crossing, which has received favorable reviews in the New York Times and various urban design, urban planning, and landscape architecture journals and magazines. http://www.prairiecrossing.com/pc/site/index.html

It has the benefits of its own Metra commuter rail stop that is 1 stop from Mundelein or 2 from Vernon Hills, and an on-site charter school. However, it appears you would be required to purchase a condo, rather than renting somewhere...might not hurt to call and see what options they have.

Getting further away, I understand Arlington Heights has decent schools.

If you are looking at the North Shore schools (New Trier, Stevenson, etc.), you should be able to rent a decent apartment in any of those communities. Evanston, in particular, has a lot of apartments--perhaps because of Northwestern University and Evanston's el connection to the City.

Going further south, Oak Park has an excellent and well-funded school system (District 97 for elementary/jr. high and District 200 for high school), plus plenty of available apartments (albeit unfurnished). While Oak Park has great connections into the city, your transit connections to Lake County will be almost zero.

-Hayden

Thanks for the heads up on Prarie Crossing - from the web page it looks interesting and worth a visit.

Evanston to Mundelein is a LONG commute timewise. Lots of traffic during the rush hour in both directions, as there's no interstate-quality east-west highway. Highland Park or the western half of Glenview would be more palatable choices, still some apartments and a good school district.

School districts in Illinois are unlike any I have ever experienced. (I lived in Arlington Hts for 4 years in the late 90s). They have a multiple-district situation where elementary, middle (I think) and high school districts are separate in most cases. Just to confuse things, there are unit districts which are K-12, however.

This multi-district situation means that "Arlington Heights, IL" isn't the same as "Arlington Heights District 59". You almost have to trace backwards..."I want my kids to go to Hersey, which means I have to live in District 59, but I want to avoid the segment of Arlington Heights south of Golf Road which is in District 61"...

The property tax bills are interesting to see.

You definitely pay more the closer you are to the tracks. Prairie Crossing is very cool, but I wonder how the area is aging (the earliest houses there are probably 8 years old)

JL

Out of curiosity, why Mundelein? Will your office be near there?

If not, the commute to downtown Chicago is a nightmare...you would definitely want to find a place closer to the city.

Out of curiosity, why Mundelein? Will your office be near there?

If not, the commute to downtown Chicago is a nightmare...you would definitely want to find a place closer to the city.

The office is in Libertyville, but close to Mundelein, and I'm actually trying to avoid a long commute. I can handle the ride d/t on weekends or for the occasional meeting - would prefer to find a place that has a direct train line to ord,

Evanston to Mundelein is a LONG commute timewise.
Actually, Nick, Evanston to ANYWHERE is a long commute!! :D Unless, of course you count Devon Ave.......
Dave