It's been 7 months since we moved and it's been a looooong winter. We've looked at over 60 condos and were able to narrow down exactly what we wanted and where we wanted to be. When we first started looking we focused on 10 different neighborhoods and gradually limited it down to about 3-4 that we thought would be ideal for us: North Center, Lincoln Square, Uptown and Andersonville. These neighborhoods are about 5 miles north of the city. We would have loved to be closer but the closer you go the pricier and smaller the places get. Thinking long term, we focused on a place that would have enough space for us (and at some point a family) as well as our list of priority check list items (close to public transit, vintage building, deck, fireplace, plenty of space, etc).
Our new condo is located in the neighborhood of Uptown which got its start as a summer resort area for downtown dwellers. At one time all northbound trains from downtown ended in Uptown and the neighborhood became known as an entertainment destination. Since then, Uptown has seen it's share of urban decay and blight similar to other urban neighborhoods throughout the Midwest. It's not the most refined of the northside neighborhoods, but it has a strong foundation with years of history and beautiful architecture. We are excited to move to an area that's less than perfect but still holds the potential to be great. As urban designers and soon to be residents, we look forward to contributing in any way that we can in helping Uptown find itself again.
This is a map of Uptown. Our new condo will be at the southwest corner of 'Sheridan Park'.
Love the photos!
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