Chicago, Illinois
SperlingViews

Brrrrr! - 7/25/2011

Chicago is a great place to live! It has all of the museums, food, and culture one could ask for.. my only complaint is the weather here. It is extreme! The winters are wicked, wicked cold, and the summers pretty hot. We don't get much of a spring or a fall, but overall I like living here.[more...]

weather sucks - 6/19/2011

the winters here are so brutal and the spring is way too short. I feel like I live for 10 months waiting for the weather to get nice. It's nice for the summer, then back to chilly falls and cruel winters. I'm ready for a move.[more...]

Relocating from Denver to Chicago - 6/16/2011

Has anyone recently made the move from Denver to Chicago? If so, I'd like to know about your thoughts, impressions and experiences. Thanks.[more...]

Rogers Park - 3/1/2011

We absolutly love Rogers Park. Its located on the far north side of chicago. excellent quality of life. Rogers park has a fantastic park district that we didn't know about until we had a child. She loves it...does gymnastics, play time, swimming. Of course there is some down sides to the RP...being a city, there is violence in a very real way. most of our area is great because we are down the street from Loyola University. but if you go to far from campus, there is some sketch. all and all though, love it here. [more...]

Rogers Park - 3/1/2011

We absolutly love Rogers Park. Its located on the far north side of chicago. excellent quality of life. Rogers park has a fantastic park district that we didn't know about until we had a child. She loves it...does gymnastics, play time, swimming. Of course there is some down sides to the RP...being a city, there is violence in a very real way. most of our area is great because we are down the street from Loyola University. but if you go to far from campus, there is some sketch. all and all though, love it here. [more...]

nice girl loking for man - 2/21/2011

i am a nice looking girl still single never married before and also still a studenti am a nice looking girl still single never married before and also still a studenti am a nice looking girl still single never married before and also still a student[more...]

Really a very good city to live in...I'm just tire - 1/28/2011

By the time I leave Chicago, I will have lived here 32 years. I came as a young, single adult; it has definitely improved. I'm an urban person and there's just about everything here for someone like me. It's also not that expensive, certainly not as much as San Fran., NYC or even LA. But I've always wanted to live on the East Coast, so I'm moving there, I hope. (Just have to find the right city...)[more...]

Chicago - 1/26/2011

Alpha Class Global City.[more...]

Chicago & surrounding suburbs - 1/25/2011

Chicago is a OK city but w/ugly,selfish,two faced,people in it! Traffic galore and people are NOT friendly because why U may ask... THE weather sucks here all year round and there is no nature to visit only made up parks and garbage hills to ski on....! Too bloody cold in winter,no spring and summers are so humid that u may think you are in Florida without the Ocean! Lake Michigan has constant pollution problems since Michigan & Indiana factories let all their S... in it & than the dumb asses swim ,what is known as,the BEACH right next to busy Lake Shore Drive ..... Rent expensive and NO parking so be sure to pay your collage tuition in parking tickets... Aggressive cops will give you ticket for anything since Chicago is so corrupt you wouldn't believe! I got a $150.00 ticket for asking a cop if I could go around them since I have been waiting for 30 minutes behind a cop car in a one way street,and nothing was happening,just Ch. cops talking and laughing. I wrote 5 letters to the mayor that Im NOT paying the fine and they kept sending bigger and bigger balance until one day ,i guess i was persistent,that they just told me to pay only the $150.00 and they will leave me alone! Thats just one example. And lets not even talk about the FACT how many people are sick here with upper and lover respiratory tracts and asthma ! i lived here for 15 Y.,don't ask why! So I know what Im talking about and Im soooooooooo happy to turn my back on this "stock up" town that has very little to offer as far as good health and happiness goes. Restaurants are diverse that I will say but who cares if the people in them are the unhappiest people I have ever seen and I have been around the World. So visit for like a year and than make your decision . I do NOT recommend Chicago nor IL to live in since there is NO jobs on top of everything. Go west or east .[more...]

Very cold and sooooo much traffic and lights and s - 1/21/2011

To be honest I have been here just short of a year. But there is sooo much traffic,even in the suburbs. And this is the only city I have ever had men flip me off for not moving my car fast enough out of their way or even calling out,"Are you f---ing stupid or what?" for not seeing their SUV come at me while I was walking across a parking lot to a store. I love hiking and know how to bundle up and layer but the cold and wind is truly forcing me to stay indoors for most of the winter as it blows right through everything you wear. The housing is very expensive as is the cost-of-living. I came from another city but was so surprised to find so little green space here and such an abundance of shops, strip malls and more shops. And there is more light pollution in the suburbs than I've seen in any other city. My friend says to give it time but he also says he is out of here in 2 1/2 years when is medical residency is up. [more...]

review owner occupied ,vacant properties and rente - 1/18/2011

can someone call me regarding this I have used your site Sperling's Best places -neighborhood profile for years andit is not workings as of this time . or E.Mail me Thanks 312-617-7981 [more...]

World Class City - 12/20/2010

Chicago is a dynamic "on the move city" which most recognize soon after they arrive. Metropolitan Chicago sometimes referred to as the crossroads of the nation is an Alpha Class World City(the U.S. has two others NYC & LA). Metro Chicago is a very culturally diverse area with people and cuisine from all areas of the world and the United States. Even so, Chicago still has a real 'heart of the nation' and 'down to earth' friendly feel. The core focal point of the Metro area, The City of Chicago, has a beautiful Lake Michigan lakefront setting with adjacent parks, open space. beaches and boat harbors. A stunningly scenic Lake Shore Drive runs for about 15 miles alongside Lake Michigan thru the heart of the city. Most interesting of all, Chicago has an architecturally dazzling downtown area and it is considered to be one of the three most aesthetically impressive skylines in the world(1. Hong Kong & 2.NYC). Along with this, Chicago probably has the most significant and diverse architecture of any city in the world. An asset of almost incalculable value: Metropolitan Chicago has an effective railway mass transit system which including CTA, METRA & SSL is about 700 miles of commuter rail. Then, the Gross Domestic Product of Metropolitan Chicago in term of value is 4th of all metro ares in the world. These are some of the reasons why Chicago has world class attractions, it is an Alpha class world city by definition. When compared with the few cities of comparable stature and amenities, Chicago probably has a lower cost of living than most if not all. As far as the weather, very few locales have an ideal 4 seasons, most seem too cold in the winter or seem too hot in the summer or too hot and too humid in the summer. Of course, Chicago still has its share of faults and problems and issues, but what metro area of 10 million does not? [more...]

would rather live elsewher - 12/19/2010

to cold[more...]

A beautiful city, but much corruption and crime - 11/30/2010

I'm looking to move out of Chicago after living here my whole life. I agree with Tiger...there is much segregation and a lot of the city is going down. Many great attractions and a vibrant nightlife, but you if go a few blocks in the wrong direction it's gang infested. Even nicer neighborhoods have plenty of crime. I think the main problem is the city is overcrowded. You also see a sad cycle of people having child after child in the streets & raising them within gangs, poverty, etc. I'm just tired of it. It's a shame too because it really could be a great place to live. I guess it depends what you're looking for. Downtown, North Loop, West Loop(to some extent) are really nice, but very expensive. Everything surrounding is patchy at best. Bucktown/Wicker park has a great selection of bars/restaurants/theater, but high crime rate as well. Most people I know have had their apts/homes broken into and a few have been robbed at gunpoint. It's not enough to simply say "well, just don't go into that part of town" because first off, that's not a remedy. Secondly, the "bad" part of town is growing quickly. Those of you who don't see the violence/crime, you must have never ventured out into different areas of the city....take a ride to garfield park, (west) west town, pilsen, a lot of the south side. All of these areas have plenty to offer, but when you see gangs standing on the corner/streets complete with sporadic gunfire, you're completely missing out on what should be a great area. Even the area around midway airport is going downhill fast though Daley tries to impress visitors with...?? flowerbeds? Come on. I've seen entire neighborhoods turn into garbage with gangs, graffiti, crime boxes, homeless jumping on your windshield at every expressway exit. There's a red light camera at every other intersection so the city can make even more money, but we never see improvement as a result of increased revenue. Corruption is the norm. Chicago suburbs are an entirely different story. Most are very nice to live in if you want a more quiet, family oriented lifestyle. You're looking at what should be a 15-30 minute commute to the city, but it's triple that because of the horrid traffic. Metra trains are nice, but stop running around midnight or so... City public transpo is ok if you live near a train line. Buses are slow. I feel sorry for people who own homes with the constant tax hikes (on everything). Winters can be bitter, but it builds character (at least that's what I tell myself) I know people from Chicago will have a fit when they read some of my negative comments. We will fiercely defend our city as if it cares....Believe me when I say I'm sad about it, but I've given up. Aside from my negative comments, it is does have a lot to offer if you have some cash and you're able to find a safer area...maybe a secure building w/parking (prepare to pay extra). People are pretty friendly for a big city. I've frequently read/heard people are rude, but that has never been my experience. It's the kind of place where people will smile back, give you directions and maybe even buy you a beer. But then you turn the corner and some homeless guy robs you OR you have a ticket on your windshield for some bogus violation.[more...]

Beautiful - 11/29/2010

In Chicago for 2 years now and love it. I don't know what I pictured - a little gritty maybe, industrial... not true. It's a breathtaking, fantastic city. We live in the Lakeview East neighborhood which is safe, very active, and amazingly affordable for how nice it is. I would recommend it to anyone who can handle the weather![more...]

In Response to C's Post - 11/9/2010

That bartender you speak of is absolutely NOT still on the police force!!! He didn't get jail time(which he should have), he got probation and automatic dismismal from the police force. Considering such a blatant lie in your post, it is difficult to take anything else written with any degree of seriousness. I have lived in this magnificant city for over 30 years and never had ANY problems with crime. [more...]

Absolutely Beautiful City - 10/29/2010

I have read a couple of bad reviews and i can promise you as someone who has lived here for 48 years that Chicago is by far the best city in this country. It has so much to do, Lake Michigan,Beaches,Scubs diving (Yes Scuba Diving), Surfing (yes surfing), World Class Museums,Opera and Theater along with Symphony. All the sports you can handle a Gorgeous downtown, over 200 Neighborhoods in which 7 are violent crime areas according to the FBI and the other 190 or so???? have very little crime. The horrible hoods, the ones that give Chicago it`s high murder rate are out of the way and you would probably never even go there. you take the 7 out of the equation and Chicago has the LOWEST murder rate per capita of ANY city of 250,000 or More. People that try and say Chicago is violent have NO IDEA what they are talking about. I have worked in Police and fire departments here and after that i took a job with a Large co that moved me for 2 years at a time to NYC,LA,Baltimore,Dallas,Tampa and san fran and i Can HONESTLY tell you that none compare to this great City. Come here, stay here and make a beautiful Life for you and your family. I am 68 years Old and will never LEAVE this city again!!![more...]

A city divided - 10/13/2010

I moved to Chicago a little over a year ago, and while the city does have a tremendous amount to offer, it is very heavily sectioned and divided both by neighborhood, but also by public transportation. This sometimes makes it difficult to fully take advantage of all the city has to offer, and often turns particular neighborhoods into either culture silos or dead zones.[more...]

Think it over... and I do mean really think it ove - 10/3/2010

Chcago, Let me tell you about this city! This city is so crime ridden, politicly cruppeted has its own way of doing things and if you need the police? Well ya better just for get about it! Good luck geting a response from 911 Chicago police officers are the worst, did you see the situation that took place here in a bar where the police officer was at the bar drinking, and the bar maid wanted to cut him off because it was last call? Well he jumped behind the bar and beat her till he knocked her out. It was all over the news, even CNN, Dateline, Nancy Grace and here in Chicago. The chicago pd had to decide wether or not they were going to give him his job back... Hey thats a no brainer, you beat up a poor innocent girl and it was recorded on tape played on the news multiple times, and you have to decide... well he is still a cop here in this city. That is very typical standard behaivor for chicago police officers. I live in a neighborhood that is located in the city and this place is so cruppted the school systems are just as bad, there are gangs every where. Here in chicago if you know the right person you can get away with any crime, this includes rape, murder, you name it. I have been a victim of this legal system and it gets a big fat F= FAIL! My goal is too move out of this crime ridden city, but in the mean time all I ever hear are the people that live where I reside talk about of yeah but if you are connected, and know this one and that one you can get any thing done. There are no equal rights here in this city its like total mayhem! Anything goes, Anarchy at its best! And the cops are the worst, you can get beat up by a police officer and they get away with it. My race is white if you were wanting to know? And to add... The people here are not nice gee let me guess are New Yorkers really Rude? People say that this is the city of brotherly love, iron workers, union clad affilaited the city made of steel, blood sweat and togetherness. Yeah right its more like this is , the city built on crurpption, Al capone and curupped politics this city is the roughest city I have ever lived in, and I can promise you that when I move from here... I will never come back! So do yourself a favor try to live here for about six months and then ask your self? Do I really want to raise my Family here is this really where I want to be? Chicago, I think when FRANK SANATRA was singing about chicago he was not clear in thoughts and did he really mean that when good ole Frank was crooning about its my kinda town? What kind of a person was Frank any how, or was he just getting paid to sing those lyrics, because if Frank would have lived in chicago and needed the cops to come to his house because a crime was being commited and he would have had to wait three hours just for the cops to arrive, or better yet not show up at all! He might have changed his tune. And maybe it would have been more like this... Chicago,chicago,chicago, That crime ridden town, chicago chicago I saw a man and he got in a fight, it was a barmaid to small to defend her on right, I called the cops and it was me they wanted to indite for calling the cops and disturbing them on such a lazy night, sorry officer I forgot women have no rights in Chicago Chicago that facist town! Thats more like it. But actually if it were Frank Sanatra that needed the police they would run to that call blue lights and all because the police would be excited that they were going to meet some one famous. Remember that you really want to investigate this place before you live here. Check the crime rates, check every thing and also stay away from the area of white socks park. That will give you nothing but problems, and I have lived there as well. The people in that called bridgeport, has to be the worst of all that are sideways those people are red rotten rude in that area! You def dont want to move there. [more...]

Spend a weekend, you will love it. Spend a year, y - 9/24/2010

I grew up in the Old Town/Lincoln Park area of Chicago, went to public schools, university and stayed until I was in my 30's. I eventually moved to New York. And I don't regret it. I grew to hate Chicago. However, my family still lives there. There are many reason I hate this city, but here are my top three reasons: 1) The people: Chicago has become over run with suburban brats, or frat jocks as I call them. Starting in the late 1980's they began to flock to the city after graduating from one of the many cow colleges in Illinois and Indiana. They took over great areas like Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville, Wicker Park and homogenized them with sports bars, Starbuck's and Gaps. This is also a segregated and racist city (and the racism goes both ways, african americans can be very hostile in Chicago). Chicago is the city of frat jocks, fat girls, hispanic gangs, african american gangs, crooked politicians and a large group of uneducated, blue collar sports fans who brutalize the english language with their tacky Chicago accent. People are just plain rude, nasty and pushy and just generally unattractive. Bus drivers will yell at you, stores will not give you change or let you use their bathrooms. People will be nice to your face, but stab you in the back when you are not looking. Say what you want about New Yorkers being rude, but at least you know where you stand with them. 2) The crime: Crime is huge, even in nice neighborhoods. Cars are broken into frequently. I have known two women who have been raped, I was almost raped when I was 13, and a friend of mine and I stopped a rape. Tune into the news and there are homicides daily. Ride the bus, and there is a good chance someone will try to pick your pocket, grab your necklace and run or entice you to play three card monty. You become very paranoid living in Chicago. NYC is much safer, and the statistics prove it. 3) The public transportation system: it is slow. The CTA basically shuts down in the winter. You might have to wait an hour for a train or a bus while standing in the frigid cold. I don't know how many times I waited for the 156 LaSalle bus, watching bus after bus go by because it was too full of people to stop and take another rider. A poor transporation system in unacceptable for a major city. I have never had this problem in NYC. [more...]