chgoeditor

See, and that's why the request is pointless without additional details. I have a lot of friends who love living in Streeterville, but it's a place I'd never choose to live in. Jammed with tourists, high-rise canyons, not an easy area to drive in, loud (particularly in the whole medical complex area, but really any of the streets that are lined with high rises) etc. But what's right for me isn't right for you and vice versa.

toomanybooks

You are looking to move here?

Answer depends a lot on where you'd be working.

I lived in Hyde Park for 7 years 1994-2001. Would NOT live there with kids. Few playmates, the schools suck, housing stock is mostly old/drafty, expensive if you want a garage/yard, street bums and break-ins to deal with, etc. Was nice being close to downtown and for the wife to walk to work at U of C.

We now live 50 minutes south of the city by commuter train right to Millennium Park. There is widespread prejudice against "the South Side." Consequently there are some serious property bargains to be had around here. In Homewood you can buy a decent house for a few years' rent of a condo downtown. And the public schools are good enough you won't feel like a child abuser if you utilize them.

Not much in the way of restaurants/activities down here, though. I think ILuvParis would be bored out of his mind.

And it's a long way from ORD, though MDW is an easy 25-30 minutes' drive in non-rush-hour.

sonofzeus

Indeed...some folks love not owning a car.

hairpeace

Just me and significant other. No kids that live with us.

Don't really have a budget. Space doesn't have to be excessively large, just wallspace for my art.

Appreciate a good view, we ate at R.J. Grunt's today and liked the Lincoln Park West (?) area.

Have a car but also enjoy restaurants and bars within walking distance.

I do travel quite a bit so proximity to ORD would be nice but not required.

chgoeditor

And I would love to be one of those people! Instead I own a car & a parking space that are fully paid off, but just haven't bitten the bullet to sell the former & rent out the latter! I only drive 3-4K a year.

iluv2fly

I live in a condo off Michigan Avenue which was built in the mid 70's. The Board didn't have the sense to buy one of the parking floors in the commercial area, so we are hostage to the whims of the garage operator. After paying over $300/month for self-parking, I decided to get rid of the car many years ago (I too was driving <3000 miles per year).

Great decision on my part. Don't miss it one bit. (And thank you to all the FlyerTalkers who have given me rides to FT lunches and dinners. ^)

You learn to get along without a car in Chicago.

chgoeditor

I've done the math & realize that I could take a lot of cab rides, rent cars frequent and get more exercise)if I just bit the bullet, dumped the car & rented out the parking space. I'd go from $1500 to $2000 in annual expense to $2400+ in revenue.

But it's the little things that are slowing me down from making the change...I have a convertible that would be harder to sell in the winter, it has some body damage from an idiot who backed into me while I was parked at Jewel & the fled the scene, etc., etc. I lived in the city from 1992-2000 without a car, so I know I can do it, but it's still a tough decision to make.

ILuvParis

I agree. I could easily get around without a car. And I take the L pretty often, especially to the Loop and airport. But now that you can actually park on the streets since people who work can't feed quarters into a meter a couple times a day and hog all the parking, I probably drive more. And in the winter, it's quite welcome. I also have a convertible and one of the great joys of the city is putting the top down on a beautiful summer day and driving LSD.