Frum neighborhoods near University of Chicago

Gold Member Joined: Jul 30 2009 Posts: 1704

So, looks like we may be moving soon!

1) DH will be in grad school at University of Chicago. Google maps says U of C is about a 30-minute drive away from West Rogers Park -- how accurate would you say that estimate is? Is Lakeshore Drive the only way to get there?

2) Are there any other frum neighborhoods closer to U of C that we should be considering as well?

Thanks!
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1) The estimate sounds about right. Beware of Lake Shore Drive rush hour traffic - an absolute nightmare. No clue if there's another way there.

2) There's West Rogers Park and Peterson Park. Other frum neighborhoods in Lincolnwood and Skokie are farther away.

Executive Member Joined: Dec 03 2011 Posts: 273

I know there is a Chabad House at the University of Chicago.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 30 2009 Posts: 1704

Gold Member Joined: Jan 27 2010 Posts: 1440

I have lived here my whole life. Driving to u of c is very managable. You can also take a metra train and shuttle bus. There is Chabad and an Ashkenaz minyan but it's small. I would love to answer any other questions you might have.

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 17 2008 Posts: 5050

Above posters info is correct. There are no frum neighborhoods any closer to U of C than the ones mentioned which are a MINIMUM of half an hour drive.
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Gold Member Joined: Aug 27 2009 Posts: 1102

To me, 30 min sounds very low, especially if there's any traffic. Plus Lake Shore Drive has a ton of cops, so heavy feet aren't recommended. You haven't posted much info about your family. If you have a bunch of kids who will be in school in West Rogers Park, then it totally makes sense to live there. But if you're not at that stage yet, perhaps you could consider living elsewhere-- such as near the Chabad House at the University of Chicago-- or there's one Downtown, thought it's in an expensive area. You could contact the shluchim for details, but the Chabad Houses would have minyanim, etc., and you'd end up driving to West Rogers Park for grocery shopping and mikvah, which might be more manual than your DH commuting everyday, though you wouldn't be as involved in the frum community socially, if that matters to you. Visit the Chabad House community for a Shabbos though to see if you're comfortable there because if you move next door, then they're the only show in town. You also haven't mentioned anything about your plans - if you're going to work and where. Good luck! Wink

Sorry, it's not 30 minutes unless it's 2 am.

If you don't have kids in school and think you could enjoy the university community, consider living nearby. There are always some frummies there, though the community changes since people are moving in and out for school.

Maybe get in touch with the Hillel there.

Gold Member Joined: Jul 30 2009 Posts: 1704

It's just me, DH and DS, who is 2 years old.

I'm currently working (computer programming/tech support), but haven't made plans yet for what I'll be doing once we move. I will probably go back to school, don't know yet whether full or part-time.

We're not Lubavitch, and DH says from his experience in Chicago (he and his brother went to the Skokie yeshiva), he saw major intra-Chabad politics there, and while I'm sure they're all really nice people, I don't know if we want to join a specially Chabad kehilla.

We have no friends or family WHATSOEVER in Chicago, so while DH has the framework of student life, I'm hoping to make friends and have some sort of social life. In the past 3 years or so living in Brooklyn I made very few friends, and if I didn't teach in New Jersey and have friends there I think I'd have gotten major depression from the loneliness.

Traffic can be heavy on Lakeshore, but it isn't that bad all the way up from U of C to WRP. We did it many many times (from Indiana to WRP) and I cannot remember more than once were we really got stuck in traffic badly. I would think it is 30-35 minutes even Friday afternoon 3-5pm.
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Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't there a small frum community closer to downtown? Lincoln square? Very small, and you would need to go to the bigger communities for much of what you need, but there is a shul etc.

Gold Member Joined: Jan 27 2010 Posts: 1440

I personally think its worth the commute to live in west Rogers Park. It's a diverse but warm community. You can find a niche and make friends. Commuting is hard but to me it's worth it. I would seriously consider this option:

http://safety-security.uchicago.edu/transportation/transportation/cta170.shtml

The train itself is about 20 minutes. I am not sure about the bus. He may get a UPass that entitles him to free public transit. I am not sure if all universities offer this program. Personally, I take the train 3 days a week and I get tons done. I would hate driving but I know not everyone is like me.

Gold Member Joined: Aug 27 2009 Posts: 1102

My DH will be going to U of C this fall also!!!

We are planning to live in Skokie, even though it will be quite a commute. (But he only has to go 2-3 days per week)

What program is your DH going to be in? Undergrad or graduate school?

I believe that there is a nice hillel on campus, although we have not been to visit yet.

Noone would confuse use for a frum community, we are located here in Oak Park, just west of the city. However, its an interesting place to live, and very convenient to many colleges and universities. We have many UofC professors here in town. If you are looking for a town with a lot to do with a small child, but not (yet!) a frum only world, consider here.
We have a chabad, with a wonderful Rabbi, and a small but actually growing community. Yes, we drive to Rogers Park for shopping and mikveh, but our Rabbi drives his kids to school everyday and its not too bad. Come visit and see for yourself! PM me or somebody from Chicago and do a "pilot trip".

OP - that is very exciting.

My husband and I moved to chicago this past fall to attend Northwestern. We are not from the area and did not know a single person in chicago. I had no idea of any of the neighborhoods and was very nervous moving to a place that I knew nothing about. With all of that said - I love living here!

Now with that said, I would encourage you to think long and hard about what your priorities are. Is it important to you to live in a community? OR is living close to school the most important thing? The main from communities in chicago are: Albany Park/Hollywood Park/Telz neighborhood (all Yeshivish and affiliated with Telz), Peterson Park (mostly Yeshivish), West Rogers Park (mix of Yeshivish and modern depending on the area and shul), Lincolnwood (LW yeshivish and RW modern orthodox for the most part with some more LW modern orthodox), and skokie (modern orthodox predominantly - similar to teaneck but much smaller). The nice thing is is that there is somewhere for everyone AND whats even nicer is that all the neighborhoods are connected - so if you wanted to walk to skokie or peterson park from west rogers park for a kiddush or something you can as it is just 2-3 miles away. Your husband should have an idea of this from going to skokie yeshiva, but gave a quick overview just in case.

You asked about neighborhoods closer to U of C. So U of C is not exactly in the best neighborhood. There is a community there called hyde park but it is pretty much dying. There is also Lakeview which is about 10-15 minutes south of west rogers park. Lakeview VERY VERY modern with only one shul and if you are even mainstream YUish you will be one of the most RW people in the shul. DH and I are big city people and really wanted to be in the city, but the community just isn't there - so we decided the priority is the right community.

Now, DH commutes to the downtown northwestern campus everyday. before 7:30 in the morning when he goes to school there is NO traffic on lakeshore drive. U of C is just a little farther. I also know at least 5 people at U of C who drive there everyday and it really isnt that big of a deal.

In short I would not live near the school if community is at all important to you. There is almost nothing for frum people that I can see on the south side and the commute really isn't all that bad. Where as the northside communities are very warm and vibrant. Let me know if I can help in anyway. I know how hard moving can be.

[/quote] Yeah, I heard about that. Razz

What's "rush hour" entail, though? Does that mean 3pm-7pm or just 4:30pm-6pm?[/quote]

same poster as above just wanted to comment on the rush hour question:

I spoke with DH who commutes downtown to Northwestern Law School everyday on Lakeshore Drive. He said he usually leaves for school before 7:30 and there is never any traffic. Traffic starts closer to 8 but he says even at around 8 its not so bad. On the way home he's almost never experience traffic either after 6:00. I can't say what it is like before 6 but definitely by 7 its all clear.

I hope this helps.

If you have any other questions about moving here I would be happy to PM you. I just am anonymous because given all the information I posted, anyone who knows me would know exactly who I was!

Gold Member Joined: Jul 30 2009 Posts: 1704

Amother directly above me,

How long does it take to get to Northwestern from where you live?

(and feel free to PM me! Smile

)

Silver Member Joined: Dec 30 2010 Posts: 737

Ok ladies,

I make that drive almost daily. (unfortunately).

As someone mentioned, if you are going from WRP to U of C in 30 minutes, it's 2 am and you better pray that Chicago's Finest are not on patrol with a speed trap.

Realistically, if you leave WRP at 7:30 in the morning, you can be at UIC (which is Halsted/Harrison) by 8:15-8:20 if you take Lake Shore Drive. However if you leave at 8, you won't be there until 9:30. U OF C is another 30 minutes from UIC.

Rush Hour on Lake Shore Drive starts with a back-up around belmont (which can go all the way up to foster around 8) and a second 'slow zone' around navy pier.