catapult magazine

i don’t know if this is allowed, b/c i haven’t seen it before or know of a better catagory to place my post then general, here it goes; for all those cino members that live in chicago i have some questions. presently, i am living i with my parents and commuting into the city for work, big pain. so, i am working on moving into the city, shortly. i am wondering if those who live in chicago would care to recommend favorite neigbhorhoods where i should to look for an apartment. i am also willing to go the roommate route, though gingerly, does anyone know someone looking for a roommate, (nice, sane, and responsible, preferrably)? what about churches? i already have a few neighborhoods and churches in mind, but any suggestions or advice are obviously welcome.

cheers

Naperville is a nice area.

Where do you work? Northside is fairly expensive. Further west and south you go the cheaper things seem to get.

…although it depends where you are on the north side—it’s certainly not unreasonable. I live in Ravenswood, which is at around Lawrence and Damen, and I love it. It’s a bit more relaxed than the just-out-of-college neighborhoods (where we lived for four years, and can also recommend if that’s more your cup of tea) and right on the brown line AND the metra, which is only a 15 minute commute downtown. Parking is not as bad as in some places, and there are other cool neighborhoods within 5 minutes—Lincoln Square for the German lover in you, and Andersonville when you’re craving a little piece of Sweden or the best beer bar in Chicago.

But there are a TON of other good places to live—it really depends what type of neighborhood you want, how you plan to get to work (eg which el line you want to be closest to), how much you want to pay, etc. I’ll check and see if I know anyone who’s looking for a roommate…

As for churches…we had a hard time finding a church. We go to the Pullman Christian Reformed Church, WAAAAY on the south side of Chicago. It’s not your average CRC…mostly African-American, great music and some of the best preaching I’ve ever heard (even having gone to Dordt :) ). Feel free to email me if you want to discuss this without the whole world seeing…

Kristin Elgersma — grant_kristin@hotmail.com

thanks for the naperville suggestion, but i grew up in the nw burbs and went to school in the western burbs, so i am more in a city and non-car owning mood, presently. i work downtown and am thinking on moving to a location either on the northside, not near north, or west side located near an el or metra stop, either brown, red, or blue would be fine.

i think i am looking for more the just out of college neighborhood, as i am just out of college. and i am looking for as inexpensive as possible, but not ghetto.

cheers

Good neighborhoods to look in: Lakeview (hip, busy, loads of twenty-somethings, bars, theaters, etc.—where we lived for four years)—studios at around 600-ish, 1 bedrooms 8-900ish, on the Red and Brown lines

Rogers Park—farther north—more diverse, Loyola University area, so still lots of things to do, a little cheaper but still on the lake and red line, studios more like 500?

Andersonville, Edgewater, Uptown (gentrifying rapidly, but still affordable, although our demographic would really be the cause of the gentrification, wouldn’t we), Ravenswood (I don’t mean to give the impression that just-out-of-college people don’t live here, cuz they do—it’s just not as crazy-city-people-puking-out-of-the-doors-of-their-taxis-on-Friday-nights as Lakeview or Lincoln Park), Lincoln Square, Andersonville, Wicker Park (getting kind of pricey—totally hip in a sort of irritating way), Ukranian Vilage (near west side—like Chicago and Damen—bus gets you downtown quickly). The very best way to decide is just to go walking around the neighborhoods and see what you like. Most apartments put signs in the windows, and you can just take a look at anything that sounds interesting.

I have an amazingly responsible, christian, wacky fun, nice, sanity questionable (just kidding, she’s completely sane) friend who lives in the North Park University area (near Kimball/Foster Ave) who MIGHT be looking for a roommate in May. It’s not 100% for sure yet, but it’s definitely worth your looking into. She lives a few blocks from the Kimball brown line. It’s a three bedroom and she has one other roommate who is rarely there, but is sane is well. Rent is definitely affordable and parking is pretty decent. Bus system is very easily accessible.

At any rate, shoot either her or me an email if it sounds at all interesting to you:

me: trcdkk@hotmail.com

her: strobril@hotmail.com

I think I’m certain on this…but you’re a girl, right?

hmm yes, i am a girl.

ahh, so moving this past spring didn’t work out, but i am lining up a apt. for late sept/early oct. i am now looking for roommates, most likely 2. so, i am wondering once again if the ever beneficient cino* community would offer up suggestions/ advice as how to go about this. i am a bit wary of living with a couple of unknowns, previous experience has taught me this, but if anyone know someone that needs a place in the chicago area, i.e. evanston, i would love to know.

as always thanks,
cheers.