A Guide to Moving to and Living in Chicago
Contents
1. 728 W Grand Ave Excalibur 632 N Dearborn Le Passage 937 N Rush St Level 1045 N Rush St Sound Bar 226 W Ontario St The Apartment 2251 N Lincoln Ave Transit 1432 W Lake St Wet 209 West Lake Street Zentra 923 W Weed St Gay Lesbian Clubs and Bars Roscoe s Tavern mixed 3356 N Halsted St North End males 3733 N Halsted Girlbar females 2625 N Halsted Charlie s Chicago mixed mostly male 3726 N Broadway The Closet mixed mostly female 3325 N Broadway 17 Live Music Venues Double Door 1572 N Milwaukee Empty Bottle 1035 N Western House of Blues 329 N Dearborn Lounge Ax 2438 N Lincoln Martyr s 3855 N Lincoln Metro 3730 N Clark St Phyllis Musical Inn 1800 W Division Schuba s 3159 N Southport Alive One 2683 N Halsted Outdoor Music Venues Navy Pier downtown New World Music Theater Tinley Park South suburb Ravinia Highland Park north suburb Petrillo Band Shell Grant Park downtown Specialty Bars Clubs Irish Eyes lrish 1420 W Grace Equator Club African Caribbean 4715 N Broadway Jilly s Retro Club Retro 1009 N Rush Polly Esther s Disco 213 W Institute Wild Hare Reggae amp Afro Caribbean 3530 N Clark Hang out Bars Alumni Club 15 W Division 2251 N Lincoln Glascott s Groggery 2158 N Halsted Gunther Murphy s 1638 W Belmont Holiday Club 1471 N Milwaukee John Barleycorn s 658 W Belden Joy Blue 1403 W Irving Pa2. 9 Thorndale D e CO E S m Bryn Mawr Ki a kd H m ei S g Berwyn KE Jefferson Park AAR KEECK Argyle S Bas ai Mw ioe S Lawrence as E Montrose t a Le Mantrescl m Z Em cn S Irving Park f Sheridan yy E Addison Irving Park 55 at Addison 2A m Addison G Bamon 000 TT k Logan Wellington Y9 l Square Diversey d H 2 California 060 Fullerton S Weem Armitage mysedgwick ga Damen North S Clark r S Ge Clybou Division rox BE r BE ppDivision urn S ZS SS 55 Chicago Chicago Chicago eo Ss UG i ES 28 856258 Grand A TERT beet ps Gran GREEN LINE 209 S ZS c E 2 E E Ss 952 SE 2 wx Sg seg H Z 258 S SC o BLUE LINE Forest Park Branch S Harrison S 2 A ZS Roosevelt BLUE LINE Staten Cermak 3 2 E Cermak Chinatown Branch ZS S S 4 EE SEET haste a S ve Sox 35 Bronzeville IITES SPH Ashia 5 35th Indiana Ey 5 Archer BD 43rd g MIKedzie 47th WS F Pulaski HE D ree connection al A Western between routes Garfield Garfield D Accessible station ae 3 GREEN LINE Ashland Vo g frd 2 wf 2 East 63rd m Park n Ride Lot brand S Z vis 22 amp g Branch Zax Ha E 3 P th 325 RS p 87th Jun 2001 95 Dan Ryan http www transitchicago com maps maps fwebmaptrain gif 20
3. arrange with the landlord your moving out early but the landlord is not obligated to do this You may also sublease your apartment find someone else to move in under the terms of your lease depending on your lease terms You are responsible for paying for your telephone and cable television if you choose to have it Most places will also require you to pay for your electricity Sometimes heat is included sometimes it isn t The landlord almost always pays for water sewer and garbage pickup Glossary of terms Studio Efficiency apartments For one person Many students live in these Usually one large room plus a bathroom and kitchen facilities Sometimes the kitchen will be separate or there might be an alcove for a bed Usually room for a futon a Japanese style mattress on a frame that folds from a couch to a bed a small table or desk and a dresser Sizes vary widely depending upon the area and the building A convertible is a small apartment that usually has an alcove or other space that can be blocked off with a screen or other divider Bigger than a studio and smaller than a one bedroom Other apartments are one two or three bedrooms Apartments with more than three bedrooms are rare and more difficult to find Most apartments are unfurnished You must supply your own furniture Most apartments however will supply window blinds and major appliances You will pay more for amenities such as a pool door attendant and fitness roo
4. buildings are currently ongoing rehabilitation as residents work to clean up the neighborhoods reduce crime and attract investment Fewer shops and restaurants than other North Side neighborhoods i e Lakeview Lincoln Park Plentiful street parking except for the area east of Broadway Uptown contains several popular concert venues including the Aragon Ballroom the Riviera and the Capone era jazz club the Green Mill Andersonville is a small area of Edgewater centered at Clark and Foster that has Swedish and Middle Eastern influences which can be seen in the area restaurants and shops It tends to be populated by young professionals and can be more expensive than other parts of the neighborhood Rogers Park This is the northernmost neighborhood in Chicago along the lake This area is mixed with safer and less safe areas The area was historically a seat of Jewish culture in Chicago though now it is probably the most culturally diverse neighborhood in Chicago Loyola University is located here and many students live nearby Reasonable rents and plentiful street parking except close to Loyola east by the lake Hyde Park South Side The area surrounding the University of Chicago Diverse population student atmosphere Good transportation Tends to be fairly expensive Parking may be difficult Can feel somewhat isolated Finding a Chicago address is simple once you understand how the city is laid out The streets are arranged ina grid patt
5. cost 25 and must be used within two hours A second transfer within the two hour time frame is free The fare card automatically keeps track of the time You can also buy pre paid cards in the following denominations 1 day 2 days 3 days 7 days and monthly There are certain stations at which you can transfer between L lines for free At the Belmont and Fullerton stations you can transfer free between the Red Brown and Purple Lines At the Clark Lake station you can transfer between the Blue Brown Green Orange and Purple Lines At the Washington and Jackson stations you can transfer between the Red and Blue Lines At the Howard station you can transfer between the Purple Red and Yellow Lines You can also transfer between the Brown Orange Green and Purple lines at any station in the downtown Loop area it s called the Loop because the tracks circle a section of downtown A few train stations offer free transfers from to bus Call CTA for more information or see their map Several L stations have Park amp Ride lots and Kiss amp Ride drop off points Only some stations have disability accessibility unfortunately Many buses now have the ability to lower the front part of the bus for ease of boarding Only a few are wheelchair accessible 13 Metra Suburban Rail runs from downtown in several directions to the suburbs The fares are calculated based upon the zone to which you are traveling You can buy tickets on the train or at t
6. e TheChicagoSchool of Professional Psychology A Guide to Moving to and Living in Chicago III IV Vi VII VIII IX Xl XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX Table of Contents Living in Chicago Chicago Neighborhoods Neighborhoods by Zip Code Ethnic Neighborhoods of Chicago City Living Suburban Living Apartment Finding Services Things to know about renting an apartment Glossary of terms Other miscellaneous term explanations General Tips Apartment Checklist Helpful Numbers Chicago Transportation Information Owning a car in Chicago A A word about No Parking and Tow Zone sign B Other quirks of Chicago transportation Driving to The Chicago School Things to do in Chicago Museums Theatres Festivals Sports 0OWY Music Nightlife Blues Jazz Dance Clubs Gay Lesbian Bars and Clubs Live Music Venues Outdoor Music Venues Specialty Bars and Clubs Hang out Bars l Coffee Houses Chicago Neighborhood Map CTA Map Zomnmoomt OO JO oo hah Living in Chicago Understanding that it s challenging enough to enter a graduate program and even more daunting to move to a new city at the same time we in the Admission Department have attempted to give you the insider s guide to finding a residence in Chicago Some basic facts e Chicago is a city of neighborhoods each with its own unique character e Rents and other costs of living will vary depending upon what neighborhood you
7. live in e Generally neighborhoods closer to downtown will be cleaner safer and consequently more expensive e Most students who live in the city as opposed to a suburb live on the North Side However several live around the School Old Town Gold Coast e area and on the West or Northwest Sides e The following are some of the neighborhoods in which Chicago School students usually live These neighborhoods are generally close to transportation kkkkk k Eor a map of the Chicagoland Area and the neighborhood layout visit this web address http www dreamtown com services map pdf kkkkkk tor a map of the surrounding suburbs visit this web address http www chicago il org SUBURBSMAP HTM Chicago Neighborhoods Lakeview Trendy busy and friendly Residents tend to be college students post college aged and young professionals with some older working class residents scattered throughout Many shops restaurants and clubs bars Congested with people and cars difficult to find parking Public transportation readily available Includes Wrigleyville area near Wrigley Field where the Chicago Cubs baseball team plays East and Central usually more expensive and congested than West and North parts although this is changing Includes Belmont Harbor far east Buena Park far north and Wrigleyville around Wrigley Field Lincoln Park Older more expensive neighborhood populated mostly by professionals and some DePaul student
8. only buildings with a certain number of tenants Ask the landlord or call one of the tenant organizations to check Other cities may have different laws regarding this so make sure you ask Also it is illegal for landlords to require you to mail your rent to a post office box They need to have an actual street address e April 1st and October 1st are the traditional moving days in Chicago Not all landlords follow this however you may find that your lease will be up on one of those two days regardless of when you originally signed the lease e Chicago has a recycling ordinance Every building with over a certain number of units around 6 or 10 is required to have a recycling program in the building Recyclables are put into blue bags which can be purchased in grocery and other stores Suburbs will have their own programs Check with the landlord or with the city government offices e It is important to check out what kind of heat is offered in an apartment Although it will most likely be very warm when you are looking be aware that Chicago can get extremely cold and how your apartment is heated will become very important to you There are several options for heat radiator paid for by the landlord uses steam which puts moisture in the air very warm often difficult if not impossible to regulate electric or gas paid for by the tenant you and can be very expensive depending upon how warm you like to keep your apartment Most older
9. weekends 6 00 e Marina City Towers located on Dearborn between the Chicago River and Kinzie In by 10 00 a m out by 7 00 p m 9 75 Things to do in Chicago The following is a sampling of some of the many things to do in Chicago This list is by no means complete and inclusion in this list does not equal a recommendation Part of the fun of the city is exploring it so use this as a jumping off point and have fun Museums The Art Institute of Chicago Michigan amp Adams Museum of Contemporary Art 220 E Chicago The Field Museum of Natural History Roosevelt at Lake Shore The Museum of Science and Industry 57th amp Lake Shore Adler Planetarium 1300 S Lake Shore Shedd Aquarium and Oceanarium 1200 S Lake Shore Terra Museum of Art 666 N Michigan Chicago Historical Society Clark at North Chicago Cultural Center 78 E Washington Smart Museum of Art 5550 S Greenwood Also numerous ethnic cultural museums and art galleries Theatres Steppenwolf Theatre Gary Sinise John Malkovich 1650 N Halsted Schubert Theatre Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 22 W Monroe Chicago Theatre 500 E 67th Briar Street Theatre Blue Man Group 3133 N Halsted Second City Second City Etc comedy improvisation 1616 W Wells ImprovOlympic improvisation 3541 N Clark Piper s Alley Tony n Tina s Wedding 210 W North Ave Festivals Taste of Chicago Grant Park ten days from late June to early July Air and Water Show
10. 0W on the east side of the city and Foster 5200N Interestingly there is a Middle Eastern community here as well Polish In the Avondale neighborhood along Milwaukee Avenue an angled street around 3400W between approximately Belmont 3200N and Addison 3600N The Chicago Reader was by far the most mentioned source for finding apartments The Reader is a free weekly newspaper that contains extensive apartment listings The Reader comes out on Thursdays and is available in many locations throughout the city Such as restaurants and shops especially Downtown and the North Side The Reader also has an apartment finder service on the Internet You mark your preferences neighborhood by zip code price how many bedrooms etc and a list of apartments that correspond to those preferences are displayed This list is updated every Tuesday night two days before the paper Reader comes out so you can get a jump on the listings Find them at www chireader com There are many apartment finders in the city These services are usually free although some do charge a fee Many will drive you to the apartments after going over your requirements and preferences in their office You usually don t have to make an appointment but call ahead to be sure about this and whether they charge a fee Student reactions to these finders were mixed One student suggested that you use such services cautiously Be specific in your criteria or you ll be dragged all ov
11. Harlem Lake runs west from downtown to the suburb of Oak Park and south from downtown to 63rd Street This train stops running in the late evening The Brown Line Ravenswood circles downtown The Loop and then goes north and northwest to Kimball and Lawrence Certain legs of this train stop running late at night The Orange Line also circles downtown and goes southwest to Midway Airport This is a 24 hour train The Purple Line Evanston Express also circles downtown and follows the same route on the north side as the Red Line but makes fewer stops and goes further into Evanston This train has limited weekly hours and no weekend service The Yellow Line Skokie Swift connects the suburb of Skokie with the Red and Purple Lines at Howard This train has limited weekly hours and no weekend service CTA buses run on all major streets and cost the same as the L Some run all night Owl Service while others only run until early or late evening While not as fast as the L there are more of them and they go to all parts of the city Fares L and buses One way rides cost 1 75 The CTA uses fare cards or Transit Cards Each station has fare card machines that dispense plastic reusable cards You can add money in any denomination from 05 to 100 after an initial 1 75 or higher to purchase the card Station agents will not make change although there are change machines in some stations Transfers from bus to rail bus to bus or rail to bus
12. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS explain that you are an international student and ask if s he would be willing to forego the check Be aware that some may not want to rent to you without a credit check Once you have been offered a lease and sign it you will most likely also have to give the landlord the first month s rent plus the security deposit The security deposit typically is equal to one months rent and maybe up to two months Your security deposit and first months rent is typically due when you sign your lease Security deposit example if the apartment rents for 700 a month and the security deposit is 700 you will have to pay him her 1 400 up front to secure the apartment Remember if your apartment is in good shape when you move out you will get back the 700 security deposit One way to guarantee the return of your security deposit is to take pictures of your apartment after you move your furniture out and do the cleaning Then if the landlord tries to say you damaged or left the apartment dirty you can prove that you didn t Pet security deposits are typically require in buildings that accept pets in addition to the regular deposit Other miscellaneous term explanations Rehab short for rehabilitated Usually an older building that has been fixed up Also referred to as remodeled Vintage means an older usually very beautiful building that has been rehabbed but not necessarily Often means that the rent is higher A two flat m
13. North Avenue Beach August Blues Festival Grant Park June Jazz Festival Grant Park Labor Day weekend Chicago Folk and Roots Festival Wells Park July Around the Coyote Art Festival Wicker Park September Chicago Gospel Festival Grant Park June Jammin at the Zoo Lincoln Park Zoo June Venetian Night Navy Pier July 16 Rock the River Wacker and Michigan along the Chicago River August Also numerous neighborhood and ethnic cultural festivals throughout the summer Sports Chicago Bulls basketball United Center west side Chicago Blackhawks NHL hockey United Center Chicago Cubs NL baseball Wrigley Field in Lakeview Chicago White Sox AL baseball Comiskey Park south side Chicago Bears football Soldier Field just south of downtown by the lake Chicago Fire soccer Soldier Field Kane County Cougars baseball Geneva western suburb Chicago Wolves hockey Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont by O Hare Music Nightlife Blues Jazz B L U E S 2519 N Halsted B L U E S Etc 1122 W Belmont Kingston Mines 2548 N Halsted Buddy Guy s Legends 254 S Wabash Green Mill 4802 N Broadway Green Dolphin Street 2200 N Ashland Pops For Champagne 2934 N Sheffield Underground Wonder Bar 10 E Walton Dance Clubs Biology Bar 1520 N Fremont Cherry Red 2833 N Sheffield Ave Crobar 1543 N Kingsbury Dragon Room 809 W Evergreen Four 1551 W Division Funky Buddha Lounge
14. Richard M Daley Mayor s Office for People with Disabilities Cook County State s Attorney s Office Free Legal Aid by Phone M F 9 11 am amp 2 4 pm Immigration amp Naturalization Services Department of Motor Vehicles DMV Driver s License Titles Plates 800 334 7661 312 240 7000 800 244 4444 312 836 7000 800 968 7282 312 744 5000 312 478 1133 312 292 4988 312 744 3400 911 312 746 6000 312 747 5513 312 744 3315 312 744 2964 312 603 1880 312 951 7400 312 385 1500 312 793 1010 12 CHICAGO TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION Chicago has one of the best public transportation systems in the country It is possible to live in the city and even some of the suburbs without a car Here is some basic information about the RTA Regional Transportation Authority RTA has three segments CTA Chicago Transit Authority Metra Suburban Rail and PACE suburban bus system The CTA consists of the Elevated trains the L or el and the bus system The L has six lines each coded by color as well as by a route name The Red Line Howard Dan Ryan runs north south from Howard Street which separates Chicago and Evanston in the north to 95th Street on the South Side along the Dan Ryan Expressway 90 94 This is a 24 hour train The Blue Line Congress Douglas O Hare runs from O Hare Airport southeast to downtown then goes to the west southwest on two separate lines This is a 24 hour train The Green Line
15. affic is often bad any time on these two expressways however Traffic is also worse any time it rains or snows regardless of the condition of the roads Friday afternoons are hellish with rush hour beginning any time after noon Traffic is also affected by season and as they say here there are two seasons in Chicago winter and construction and nothing in between 14 Owning a car in Chicago Owning a car in the city can be expensive and frustrating Parking can be difficult as well as pricey Insurance is more expensive in the city City residents also need to buy a city sticker Additionally if you live on certain blocks you may need to buy a parking permit If a certain percentage of residents sign a petition the city designates that block as permit parking only Permits are not expensive and you can get visitor permits for a small fee A word about No Parking and Tow Zone signs Take these signs seriously Never park in an area marked Tow Zone In all neighborhoods and other upscale and parking deficient areas your car will be towed before you re even all the way inside the building Towing charges are expensive 100 or more the lots are never convenient and often in shady areas There is nothing more heart stopping than walking outside and realizing that your car is not where you left it Additionally it is illegal to feed the meters this is putting additional money in after the original maximum amount has run out Park
16. buildings will have radiator heat If you have to pay for your own heat ask the landlord to tell you the average cost per month and show you a bill if possible 10 Apartment Checklist Below is a checklist of items which will help you evaluate how well the building will meet your needs ITEM GOOD FAIR POOR Furnishings ooo a CT SES PER ee E DE EE Plumbing SE EE Smoke detectors Carbon monoxide detectors mee o o collection EE freight _ ventilation areas Closets storage Kitchen Bedroom s Bathroom Parking Laundry landscaping 11 HELPFUL NUMBERS The Chicago School of Professional Psychology 800 721 8072 Toll Free 312 329 6600 Front Desk Ext 6600 Library Ext 6630 Jeff Keith Tuition amp Fees Ext 6655 Ana del Castillo Registration Ext 6601 Ardie Elgersma Financial Aid Ext 6602 Admissions Ext 6666 Dr Michael Horowitz President Ext 6652 Commonwealth Edison electric Service Dept People s Energy gas heat To establish service SBC telephone To establish service Chicago Transit Authority CTA In Chicago Outside Chicago Chicago Department of Housing Landlord tenant questions Illinois Tenants Union Landlord tenant problems tenant rights Metropolitan Tenants Organization Questions amp references Chicago Department of Inspection Services City Building Inspector Chicago Police Department Emergency Non emergency Auto Pound Tow records Mayor s Office
17. eans a building with two apartments in it These as well as three flats are very common in Chicago They are usually brick Be aware that apartments may not actually be as described in the ad For example cozy often means small Common abbreviations found in newspaper ads 1BR 2BR 3BR one two or three bedrooms ww cpt wall to wall carpet hdwd flrs hardwood floors nr L near El elevated train subway train nr trans near transportation usually means El DR dining room bath bathroom ht heat elec electricity 1BA 2BA one bathroom two bathrooms frpl wbfp fireplace woodburning fireplace balc balcony cking gas cooking gas appls appliances rm room CA central air air conditioning bsmt basement refs req references required kit kitchen Indry laundry gdn apt garden apartment inc included sec dep security deposit W D washer dryer lv msg leave message pkg parking avail available This is an example of how a classified advertisement in the newspaper might look Logan Square 2BR sep DR hdwd firs nr L 850 sec dep Pkg avail Avail immed Call 555 5454 Translation Logan Square a northwest side neighborhood two bedroom apartment with a separate dining room and hardwood floors near the elevated subway train Parking space is available for an additional fee 850 a month plus a security deposit most likely the same amount as the monthly rent though you would need to ask The Office of Admission has surv
18. ectly into the town It has inexpensive and expensive areas and is a nice mix of urban and suburban Quite cultural and open minded Apartment Finding Services a sampling from the Yellow Pages The Apartment People 3121 N Broadway Lakeview 773 248 8800 www apartmentpeople com 51 W Huron River North 312 335 8802 The Apartment amp Home Seekers 5354 N Broadway 773 784 9100 www aptandhomeseekers com The Apartment Source 2638 N Halsted 773 404 9900 Visual Properties 1152 N State 312 397 0697 www theapartmentexperts com Realty and Mortgage Co 928 W Diversey 773 549 8300 The Apartment Zone 1355 W Chicago 312 829 7368 www apartmentzone com The Homestead Group 821 N Milwaukee 312 433 9100 www chicago apts com Some suburban house finders Suburbs in general Relcon Apartment Guide city amp suburbs 630 573 5394 www relconapartments com South suburbs Homeseekers at 708 957 4663 No fee very nice service says one student Home Base at 708 798 9460 75 fee lots of sources Things to know before renting an apartment Housing options include rental apartments houses and rooms We suggest finding an apartment as a house will most likely be prohibitively expensive and quite difficult to find and a room won t offer you the quiet privacy and space you will need in which to live and study Use the information included in this section to locate an apartment that best fits your needs In almost every circumstance you will ha
19. er the city as they try to palm off their lurky apartments Another student suggested that you let an apartment service show you some apartments and then go back on your own to find similar apartments for cheaper rent If you find an area you like you can also walk around looking for For Rent signs In general apartment finding services can be a quick and efficient way to find an apartment However the agents can be insistent to the point of being pushy as they often work on commission It is possible to find better buys outside of these services but it takes more effort and time See enclosed list of a sampling of apartment finders in Chicago So if you like the challenge of looking for a place on your own or if it s worth it to spend a little more time and effort in order to get the right place you d be better off looking in the Reader or walking around specific neighborhoods If convenience and saving time are important use an apartment finder The International House a hostel managed by the University of Chicago will house students both International and US in the summer for approximately 10 a day The International House is located at 1414 E 59th Street Suburban Livin Several students responding to our survey suggested the suburbs as a viable alternative to city living Keep in mind that every suburb is different in terms of price distance from school access to public transportation and expressways and quality of li
20. ern with Madison and State streets downtown marking the center of the grid These two Streets are numbered 0 zero and every block moving away from the center is one hundred 100 To find a particular address you determine how many hundreds away from the State Madison center it is On every map of the city you will see numbers next to the names of streets These numbers tell you how many blocks away the street is from either State Street if it s an east west street or Madison Street if it s a north south street For example to find 2400 North Sheffield you first note that the address is 24 blocks north of Madison 24 hundreds Sheffield is 1000 West which means 10 blocks west of State 10 hundreds you can find this out on a map So 2400 North Sheffield is 24 blocks north of Madison and 10 blocks west of State Of course nothing is perfectly clear There are some angled streets which result in confusing Six Corners intersections Angled streets on the North Side include Lincoln Clark Broadway Milwaukee Elston Clybourn and Grand west of Western Avenue Angled streets on the South Side include Ogden Archer and Vincennes Historical trivia The angled streets follow former Native American trails Important Note It is important to consider your own style comfort level and preferences when deciding upon a place in which to live If you are coming from an area in which the population density is low perhaps a s
21. eyed current students regarding their apartment finding experiences Below is a summary of their responses General Tips e Start your search for housing early You may end up choosing an apartment you wouldn t normally just because you re in a hurry e Know your rent limit and stick to it Remember you are probably going to be living on a fixed income and the cost of living in the Chicago area can be high Additionally you will want to have some extra money to enjoy the city while you re here e Make sure you re going to be comfortable wherever you live Graduate school can be stressful at times and dealing with traffic crowds etc may take additional time and add to your overall stress level You want your home to be a place where you can relax e Each city suburb has it s own laws regarding tenant landlord relations In Chicago landlords are required to attach a summary of the part of the Municipal Code that addresses this area This code delineates the rights of the tenant as well as how to remedy specific problems You can get the complete code at City Hall There are also several tenant rights organizations in the city e Ask about what happens to your security deposit while you re living in their unit In the city of Chicago landlords are required to put your deposit in an interest bearing account that is separate from the account into which your rent payment goes and return the interest to you each year This ordinance affects
22. fe These are only a few of the suburbs surrounding Chicago Evanston the suburb just north of the city limits on the lake was suggested A lot of housing is available starting in May and June because of the Northwestern University students leaving for the summer The Pioneer Press and the Evanston Review are two papers that have a lot of listings One student highly recommends Evanston as a safe close cultural and convenient alternative to the city The proximity to Northwestern University provides many student perks and discounts The L the city train system and Metra the commuter rail system goes to Evanston Prices tend to be on the high side think Lakeview Lincoln Park South Evanston tends to be somewhat cheaper Skokie is just west of Evanston and tends to be considerably cheaper because it is farther from the lake The students who live there like it and a weekday branch of the CTA L The Skokie Swift goes into Skokie Note that the Skokie Swift does not run on weekends nor during all hours of the day Naperville a southwestern suburb near Lisle has been suggested One and two bedroom apartments near the Metra are plentiful but studios are not Those that are near the train tend to be quite expensive Des Plaines in the O Hare area was described by a second year student as a nice suburb in which you get more apartments for your money Oak Park is just west of Chicago The Green Line of the L goes dir
23. he station There are three stations downtown from which trains depart Note if you buy your ticket on the train and you got on at a station that had a ticket agent you ll get charged an additional dollar The Metropolitan Railroad operates 12 surface train lines serving the six county area which hub into downtown Chicago from the outlying Chicago suburbs Visit www metrarail com or call Metra Passenger Services at Weekdays 8 00am to 5 00pm CT Metra Passenger Services 312 322 6777 TDD 312 322 6774 Evenings amp Weekends Transit Information Center 836 7000 City or Suburbs TDD 312 836 4949 PACE Suburban Buses run in the suburbs You can call RTA at 312 836 7000 for detailed schedule and fare information as well as for maps and other information RTA includes CTA Metra and PACE Check out their Web site at www transitchicago com Taxi Services Chicago s taxis despite a recent increase in fares are more reasonable than those of many other major US cities Charges are 2 25 at the drop of the flag 1 80 per mile and 50 for each additional passenger Cabs can be hailed anytime in the Loop and other central neighborhoods otherwise call Yellow 312 829 4222 or Checker taxis 312 243 2537 If you have a car and plan on driving in the city here is some very basic information about Chicago roads and traffic Expressways There are several major expressways interstates that intersect Chicago Expressways are identified b
24. ight turn Right South on Wells Street The campus is just before the river on the Left East side of Wells e From the south take I 90 94 Dan Ryan Expressway it will become the Kennedy Expressway into downtown Chicago and exit Ohio Street East only goes east Follow Ohio and at third light turn Right South on Wells Street The campus is just before the river on the Left East side of Wells e From the southwest take I 55 Stevenson Expressway to I 90 94 Dan Ryan Expressway it will become the Kennedy Expressway into downtown Chicago and exit Ohio Street East only goes east Follow Ohio and at third light turn Right South on Wells Street The campus is just before the river on the Left East side of Wells 15 Parking The Chicago School does not have parking facilities however there are several commercial parking lots close to campus e InterPark Parking 401 North Wells Street Chicago School visitors can get a discounted hourly rate After 4 00 p m parking is 8 00 e CPS Parking located east of the building with entrance on LaSalle 24 per day In by 9 00 a m out by 7 00 p m 12 00 per day After 4 00 p m M F and all day Saturday 8 00 e Imperial Parking located on ground level on the north side of the building with entrance on Kinzie In by 9 00 a m 10 00 per day e The Sterling Self Park Garage located between Clark and LaSalle on Kinzie 21 per day In by 9 00 a m out by 7 00 p m 12 00 per day After 3 00 p m and
25. ing enforcement officials will chalk your tires to monitor this Other quirks of Chicago transportation Watch for orange street cleaning signs tied to fences and trees If you are parked on that side of the street on the day posted you will be towed see above This is important for those of you who have found a great spot and don t want to move it make sure you check on your car daily Also from approximately October 1 until April 1 many major streets are designated Snow Routes This means that after a snowfall of 2 inches or more it becomes a tow zone see above This occurs even in the middle of the night so if the forecast calls for snow overnight you might want to move your car from those streets Driving to The Chicago School Main Campus 325 North Wells Street Chicago IL 60610 The main campus is located on Wells Street along the north shore of the Chicago River in the River North neighborhood The campus is conveniently located near public transportation and parking Please note that Wells Street is a one way street going south Driving e From the west take l 290 Eisenhower Expressway and exit 90 94 West North Exit Ohio Street East only goes east Follow Ohio and at third light turn Right South on Wells Street The campus is just before the river on the Left East side of Wells e From the north take l 90 Kennedy Expressway into downtown Chicago and exit Ohio Street East only goes east Follow Ohio and at third l
26. k has a very big art and music scene with a mix of working class and young professionals Wicker Park is less expensive and congested than Lakeview and Lincoln Park but it s getting more so as more people discover the area Ukrainian Village East Village and Noble Square are less trendy and as a result housing is less expensive but amenities are scarcer Logan Square Bucktown Culturally diverse neighborhood families professionals working class There are fewer restaurants shops and bars than other neighborhoods however due to gentrification more of these establishments have been opening Plentiful street parking Logan Square has several boulevards lined with historic buildings It is typical to get more space for your money in terms of housing Bucktown s feel is closer to Wicker Parke than Logan Square s Lincoln Square amp North Center More family oriented than other neighborhoods particularly Ravenswood and Lincoln Square Lincoln Square has a European feel to it with shops and restaurants reflecting the early residents of this neighborhood Roscoe Village just east of Lakeview offers less expensive rents with access to the trendy areas of Lakeview However this neighborhood is beginning to attract more people and as a result rents are increasing and parking is decreasing Uptown and Edgewater Cheaper than other North Side neighborhoods but with good and bad sections Close to lake and transportation Many historic
27. m Many apartment buildings do not have elevators so be sure to check this out if stairs are difficult for you Most elevated building will have a charge for moving in and out along with specific move times Most but not all apartment buildings have laundry facilities in a basement or other room Usually a wash costs up to 2 in quarters and a dry from 25 to 1 If there isn t a washer and dryer on site find out where the nearest laundromat is and imagine yourself traveling that distance every time you need to wash clothes Some apartments will have a building manager who lives on site in the building The manager takes care of rent maintenance and complaints Others are owner occupied the owner landlord lives in the building Still others have neither and you will have to call the landlord or manager if you have a problem A garden apartment is on the lower level usually half below ground like a basement but with windows These tend to be cheaper but also are not as safe as the windows are very accessible If you choose to live in one make sure there are security bars on all the windows or ask if the landlord will install them prior to you moving in When you find an apartment you want the landlord may want to do a credit check a check of your credit including where you lived before to see if you have paid rent on time and in full in the past Credit checks cost around 25 and you are generally responsible for the cost
28. maller city or rural area consider whether you would be comfortable in a neighborhood that is crowded and noisy at almost all hours of the day and night Remember once you sign the lease you re basically stuck there for the duration of it Neighborhoods by ZIP Code Please note Postal boundaries are not necessarily the same as neighborhood boundaries Moreover official neighborhood boundaries are not necessarily the same boundaries that are recognized by real estate agents or by people who actually live in the neighborhoods These zip codes will be especially helpful if you plan on using the Chicago Reader on line apartment listings Rogers Park 60626 northernmost neighborhood on the lake Edgewater 60660 south of Rogers Park on the lake Uptown including Andersonville 60640 south of Edgewater on the lake Lakeview including Roscoe Village 60613 amp 60657 south of Uptown on the lake Lincoln Park 60614 south of Lakeview on the lake Logan Square 60647 west of the Kennedy Expressway 90 94 Bucktown parts of 60647 60622 60614 west of the Kennedy southeast of Logan Square Wicker Park parts of 60647 60622 west of the Kennedy southeast of Bucktown Lincoln Square parts of 60625 60640 60659 northwest of Lakeview Hyde Park 60637 south of downtown Old Town 60610 just north of downtown Gold Coast River North parts of 60610 60611 south of Old Town Ravenswood parts of 60613 60657 60618 west and north of Lakevie
29. rk Road Kendall s 2263 N Lincoln Jub Jub Club 2447 N Halsted Lakeview Links 3206 N Wilton The Map Room 1949 N Hoyne Sheffield s 3258 N Sheffield The Leg Room 15 W Division Ruby Slipper 1161 N Dearborn Cubby Bear 1059 W Addison Coffeehouses Logan Beach Cafe 2537 N Kedzie Intelligentsia 3123 N Broadway Bean Counter Cafe 1932 Central Evanston Gourmand 728 S Dearborn Gloria Jean s many Chicago locations Seattle s Best many Chicago locations Starbucks many Chicago locations Caribou Coffee many Chicago locations West Gate Coffee House 924 W Madison Other attractions Navy Pier Chicago downtown on the lake carousel Ferris wheel restaurants bars entertainment Chicago Children s Museum IMAX theatre fireworks twice a week Chicago Botanical Gardens Glencoe north suburb Morton Arboretum Lisle west suburb Lincoln Park Zoo Chicago north side on the lake Brookfield Zoo Brookfield west suburb Garfield Park Conservatory Chicago west side 18 Chicago Neighborhood Map http www dreamtown com services map pdf 5900 1 2900S Copyright Dream Town 2001 19 CTA Map o Slab Downtown Inset 2 BE Central fa lyes oe Wide D i poren i T gt Skokie D Dempster main E South Blvd D 906 Howardi CH au RB YELLOW LINE Jarvis H z weekdays only mT gt Mate g SS p Loyolan SEA amp z Ba Granville SE amp BR OWNILINE
30. s There are many park and recreation areas including Lincoln Park Zoo Wide variety of shops restaurants and bars Very difficult to find parking Near North Side Convenient to school but more expensive than most areas Difficult to find parking Includes Old Town Gold Coast River West Streeterville River North River North includes many popular restaurants night clubs and comedy clubs including Rainforest Cafe and the Hard Rock Cafe The Gold Coast is a beautiful quiet and expensive neighborhood Old Town has many beautiful buildings many on the historic register Many art galleries are in this area as well as designer clothing stores Printers Row Dearborn Park Burnham Park South Loop South of the Loop which is the central downtown business district named for the elevated tracks that form a loop around this area Good location for school downtown etc Because this is part of the business district there are less dining and entertainment options in the evening Much more expensive than some other areas but can be manageable if sharing rent Close to lake museums transportation Parking is expensive but fairly plentiful due to the large number of lots West Town Neighborhoods in this area vary greatly from trendy artistic Wicker Park Damen North amp Milwaukee in the north to European style Ukrainian Village in the south Chicago amp Western Multi ethnic neighborhoods with varying levels of rehabilitation Wicker Par
31. ve to sign a lease for an apartment This is a legal document that serves as a contract between you and the landlord You each have rights and responsibilities that are established by the city in which the apartment is located At minimum the lease should list the dates of occupancy usually one year who is to live there what the tenant you is responsible for such as heat electricity and telephone the amount of the rent and security deposit an additional sum of money that covers any damage or cleaning expenses once you move out if there is no damage you will get it all back after you leave and any restrictions such as whether you can have a pet In general the landlord is responsible for general maintenance of the common areas hallways entryways and anything that breaks or stops working in your apartment broken windows stove stops working sink is clogged You are responsible for cleaning the apartment and such things as light bulbs and batteries for the smoke detectors A copy of Chicago s municipal code can be obtained from city hall if you wish to review the specific rights and responsibilities of the landlord and the tenant These laws vary outside of Chicago e in the suburbs so you ll need to ask those cities about their landlord tenant laws Be aware that if you break your lease move out before the lease is up you can be sued by the landlord for the remainder of the rent plus other fees It is possible that you might be able to
32. w Chicago neighborhood map on pg 18 Ethnic Neighborhoods of Chicago There are several ethnic neighborhoods in the city of Chicago In each neighborhood you will find a wide variety of restaurants shops and cultural attractions Here is a partial listing Greek Called Greektown this is located at Halsted 800W and Jackson 400S Chinese Chinatown is located at Cermak 2200S and Wentworth 200W Asian A large community of people from several Asian nations including Vietnam Cambodia Thailand and Laos On Argyle 5000N around Broadway 600W Italian Called Little Italy this neighborhood is less concentrated than it used to be but you will still find several Italian restaurants and shops Located on Taylor Street 1200S around Racine 1200W near the University of Illinois at Chicago UIC Korean Along Lawrence Avenue 4800N from approximately Western 2400W to Kimball 3400W Middle Eastern Indian Jewish Devon Avenue 6400N from Western 2400W to California 2800W German Called Pilsen after the area in Germany from which its original inhabitants came it is on the near South Side around 18th Street 1800S and Damen 2000W Puerto Rican Marked on either side by a large metal sculpture of the Puerto Rican flag this area runs along Division 1200N from Western 2400W to California 2800W Swedish Called Andersonville this is a small area in Edgewater around Clark Street an angled street around 150
33. y number which do not change but the name given to each stretch is different depending upon what part of the Expressway in which you are referring Interstate 90 94 North West is called the Kennedy Expressway from downtown north to where the two roads split around Irving Park Road Interstate 90 goes northwest to O Hare Airport and retains the name of Kennedy Expressway while Interstate 94 heading north to Milwaukee becomes the Edens Expressway After O Hare Interstate 90 becomes the Northwest Tollway Going south from downtown 90 94South East is called the Dan Ryan Expressway When the two split around 65th Street Interstate 94 remains the Dan Ryan and Interstate 90 becomes the Chicago Skyway into Indiana Later Interstate 94 splits again around 100th Street and the west leg becomes Interstate 57 while the east leg becomes the Calumet Expressway Interstate 55 which goes southwest from downtown is called the Stevenson Expressway It does not change names Interstate 290 which runs due west from downtown is called the Eisenhower Expressway or the Ike It goes to the western suburbs and eventually connects with Interstate 88 Regan tollway Traffic Traffic can be a nightmare on the Expressways during rush hours Here in Chicago rush hours are from approximately 6 30 am to 10 30 am and 3 30 pm to 7 30 pm It is often better to wait until rush hours are over to travel on the Expressways especially the Kennedy and the Eisenhower Tr
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search