Hi -

I am moving to Hyde Park this fall to attend grad school at the University. Any comments about Hyde Park are appreciated - nice place to live? etc. Of course, all the school literature says how great it is - wondering if they are right.

Thanks!

Hyde Park used to be considered a "bad" area but has become nicer in recent years. The Campus is very pretty - my uncle got married there. I don't go down there that often so I don't have too much to tell you except that the majority of the summer associates at our firm who go to law school there live elsewhere (Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown) because some of the areas around Hyde Park are not the greatest and the areas I named have good nightlife, lots of students, etc... Where are you moving from?

Alex we must be agreeing on everything today! I was just going to say Hyde Park is a very nice older residential area. Houses and townhomes near the Museum of Science and Industry and the university are beautiful victorian style, older and expensive. The immediate neighborhood is nice and safe. BUT, the surrounding areas are not too good, walk a few blocks one way or another and your in the middle of a bad area. Hyde park is surrounded on 3 sides by not so good areas (not terrible but not great). As Alex said, Hyde Park is nice but residential and there is a real lack in that area of things to do, places to shop, restaurants etc. I have friends who live in that area on Cordelia Street 2 blocks off the lake. Their area is cute and wonderful but they are not into nightlife etc so is great for them. The majority of people including many students live in the Lakeview or Lincoln Park area and travel to scholl on the train. The commute would be about 40-45 min but you would be in a more exciting area.

I lived there for a year while in grad school not too long ago. The area has a bad reputation, but doesn't live up to it, IMO. I occasionally heard about a mugging, but it was never a violent one. It wasn't until I moved to Lincoln Park (one of the more upscale areas of the city) that I experienced a mugging myself, and unfortunately for me it was a brutal one. I think the criminals in Hyde Park realize that their victims are poor grad students and don't expect to get much from them.

Aside from the crime aspect, you'll probably find it a pleasant, if not ideal place to live. I always thought that if I were an undergrad there I'd be miserable, considering the isolation of the place. But as a grad student with a car, I felt I was able to take advantage of what the city had to offer. A car is a must if you're living in Hyde Park and hope to ever get out of the neighborhood--the bus starts to wear thin after a while.

I guess I can say my family is very much a Hyde Park University of Chicago family, even though I don't live there any longer. I still visit family there often. Come to think of it, we're U of C from birth to high school, graduate school, teaching, even to death. Lots of students and professors choose to live in the neighborhood, so it is a stimulating place.

Of course, there are lots of stores and restaurants, just not so upscale as in some other neighborhoods. There are also parks, the lakefront, and the location is most convenient for school, as well as visiting other attractions in the city. (Only about 15 minutes from downtown by car. Easy to access downtown by bus, too)

I agree with the poster that you need a car. And there's not a lot of nightlife on the streets. (In other words, stay off the streets after dark, other than between your car and your apartment!) Alas, I don't agree it has gentle criminals. Most people who live there never experience crime (we never have), but they are careful (and not unlucky).

Check for housing at the University Housing office. They will tell you where it is safe to land. Also, visit and look around. Good luck and enjoy the U of C. It's a fine university, but I guess you know that.