Chicago Tips?
Jan 3rd 2017 | 10:00 am
#16
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Re: Chicago Tips?
Evanston is the home of Northwestern University and so has loads of things going on there, particularly because it has such a large student market
"Space" in Evanston is a great music venue for a lot of left-field bands and is attached to one of my favourite-ist pizza places in all of the US
Parking in Evanston is much easier you can usually find something on your street
As for getting into Chicago, Driving from there is horrible, you have to drive down Shermer for something like 10 miles before you even get to Lake Shore Drive
But it does have the Purple Line and Metra Systems, plus the Red Line right at its Southernmost tip
But that trip from Lakeview to Mayfair isn't going to be pleasant and with the vagaries of the traffic you're going to be relying on the half hour trains. Lincoln Avenue which would be your most likely route is only two lanes either way with people wanting to turn left (heading NW) all the time
Personally I'd seriously consider living right down town, West Loop is a really nice neighbourhood as is River North. Both of which you could walk to Union Station & take the Metra from there
"Space" in Evanston is a great music venue for a lot of left-field bands and is attached to one of my favourite-ist pizza places in all of the US
Parking in Evanston is much easier you can usually find something on your street
As for getting into Chicago, Driving from there is horrible, you have to drive down Shermer for something like 10 miles before you even get to Lake Shore Drive
But it does have the Purple Line and Metra Systems, plus the Red Line right at its Southernmost tip
But that trip from Lakeview to Mayfair isn't going to be pleasant and with the vagaries of the traffic you're going to be relying on the half hour trains. Lincoln Avenue which would be your most likely route is only two lanes either way with people wanting to turn left (heading NW) all the time
Personally I'd seriously consider living right down town, West Loop is a really nice neighbourhood as is River North. Both of which you could walk to Union Station & take the Metra from there
I hadn't considered River North previously so thanks for the tip.
Jan 4th 2017 | 6:50 am
#17
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From: The People's Republic of Evanstion, IL
Re: Chicago Tips?
I was thinking a little more about your plan of leaving the bike in Albany Park/Mayfair you probably wouldn't want to because by the time you get there most of the hard traffic is done.
You could continue on the rest of the way through Sauganash and hop on the Edens (I94) at Peterson or just continue along Peterson/Caldwell/Waukegan Road to Glenview either way could probably be done in less than half an hour, 40 minutes at the top
Stopping at Mayfair then you're playing Metra bingo, where you may have just missed the train and have to wait 30 more minutes plus the trip
As for monthly parking for your bike that's generally available. River North there's tons of places because so many Suburbanites leave their cars there for work. When I lived downtown I paid an extra $1,750 for a monthly parking spot
Lakeview I'm not so sure about, I'm sure it has but don't know the pricing
Of course your place may have its own allocated spot, some of the units even have heated underground parking which is a joy in Winter though often they may ask you to pay more for it
Alternatively you could consider 24hr Uhaul locker access probably a lot cheaper than monthly parking
You could continue on the rest of the way through Sauganash and hop on the Edens (I94) at Peterson or just continue along Peterson/Caldwell/Waukegan Road to Glenview either way could probably be done in less than half an hour, 40 minutes at the top
Stopping at Mayfair then you're playing Metra bingo, where you may have just missed the train and have to wait 30 more minutes plus the trip
As for monthly parking for your bike that's generally available. River North there's tons of places because so many Suburbanites leave their cars there for work. When I lived downtown I paid an extra $1,750 for a monthly parking spot
Lakeview I'm not so sure about, I'm sure it has but don't know the pricing
Of course your place may have its own allocated spot, some of the units even have heated underground parking which is a joy in Winter though often they may ask you to pay more for it
Alternatively you could consider 24hr Uhaul locker access probably a lot cheaper than monthly parking
Last edited by dave2702; Jan 4th 2017 at 6:52 am.
Jan 4th 2017 | 9:19 am
#18
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Posts: 16
Re: Chicago Tips?
Thanks for the detailed reply.
The Mayfair option was more if I was going to be living in and around lakeview, if I was in the city centre id just straight train it out there.
The bike would be mainly for pleasure, not sure I'd count on it for commuting partially cause of the weather but also cause you cant filter / lane split in Ohio so the main advantage of a bike beat traffic is gone!
Work want to give me a company car in lieu of my uk car allowance so I might take that, or take the cash equivalent to give me more ootiins.
The Mayfair option was more if I was going to be living in and around lakeview, if I was in the city centre id just straight train it out there.
The bike would be mainly for pleasure, not sure I'd count on it for commuting partially cause of the weather but also cause you cant filter / lane split in Ohio so the main advantage of a bike beat traffic is gone!
Work want to give me a company car in lieu of my uk car allowance so I might take that, or take the cash equivalent to give me more ootiins.
Jan 4th 2017 | 9:23 am
#19
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Re: Chicago Tips?
And $1,750 for a parking space sounds like a lot!
Jan 5th 2017 | 8:00 am
#20
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From: The People's Republic of Evanstion, IL
Re: Chicago Tips?
Maybe I mis-remembered my monthly rent was $1,800 a month so it seems unlikely the parking was the same amoun it was a while ago.
looking at the prices in River North they're nowhere near that bad
https://spothero.com/chicago/river-n...7&monthly=true
River North is great, just West of Michigan Avenue it's a bit touristy but that means there's 1,000's of bars, restaurants. When I lived there there was only the one Supermarket "The Jungle Jewel" on Division but that's all changed
Everything downtown is walkable you get firework displays twice a week during the summer, and it's great to see the queue of traffic on Ontario waiting to get out of town after some major event and you're already home
There's tons of rental property down there too
looking at the prices in River North they're nowhere near that bad
https://spothero.com/chicago/river-n...7&monthly=true
River North is great, just West of Michigan Avenue it's a bit touristy but that means there's 1,000's of bars, restaurants. When I lived there there was only the one Supermarket "The Jungle Jewel" on Division but that's all changed
Everything downtown is walkable you get firework displays twice a week during the summer, and it's great to see the queue of traffic on Ontario waiting to get out of town after some major event and you're already home
There's tons of rental property down there too
Last edited by dave2702; Jan 5th 2017 at 8:07 am.
