We Have Moved to Evanston!

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We’ve moved to Evanston! At the end of last year, we left Libertyville to be closer to the city and are now settling in on the North Shore in beautiful Evanston. Chicago is just a block to the south and the Lake Michigan beaches are a 15 minute walk to the east. It’s amazingly walkable and bikeable with frequent public transportation just around the corner. We can’t wait for spring, so we can explore in more pleasant temperatures.

Welcome to the City of Evanston sign
Welcome to the City of Evanston!

The city of Evanston is technically a suburb, but has a very urban feel due to its density. With the lake on one side, Chicago to the south and Skokie and Wilmette west and north, there is no room for suburban sprawl and oversized roads. On top of that, Evanston was ahead of the crowd and embraced transit-oriented development, TOD, already in the 80’s. This means increased density around transit hubs paired with decreased need for cars. This Politico Article from 2015 explains it quite thoroughly. For more background info on why this was a good move, check out Strongtowns or “Not Just Bikes“.

According the the census bureau, Evanston has a population of 78,000 on 7.8 square miles. We are looking forward to connect with our new neighbors and local businesses once the pandemic has calmed down and warmer weather makes it easier to hang out outdoors.

Impressions from the South End of Evanston

Biking on the Evanston side of Howard Street.
Biking on the Evanston side of Howard Street (before the snow arrived). On the other side is Chicago. Traffic is moving slowly enough that it feels ok to bike although we would of course prefer protected bike lanes. Needless to say: A large stash of safety reflectors came in handy!

The other day, we took a walk in the very south end of Evanston. The vintage houses are relatively small and mixed with 3-story apartment buildings which gives the neighborhood a down-to-earth and intimate feel. Below are some highlights from a cold but sunny afternoon earlier this week.

Ridge Avenue with red brick vintage apartment budding, bus stop and dog walkers.
Ridge Avenue with red brick vintage apartment building, bus stop and dog walkers. It runs north-south and is one of few 4-lane streets and the only one in Evanston where biking is prohibited.
Nicely crafted details around entrance to apartment budding on Ridge Avenue.
Nicely crafted details around entrance to apartment building on Ridge Avenue.
Yellow line CTA train in Evanston
CTA yellow line goes through the south of Evanston and the sunken tracks remind us of Berlin. It shuttles commuters from parking lots in Skokie, close to I94, to the Howard CTA station, so it actually never stops in Evanston.
Harvard Terrace has nicely proportioned houses and big trees.
Harvard Terrace has nicely proportioned houses and large trees. Grateful that Evanston has a sidewalk snow shoveling ordinance in place!
Vintage yellow brick bungalow on Harvard Terrace.
Yellow brick bungalow on Harvard Terrace with beautiful details and nice proportions.
A Little Free Library on Harvard Terrace
A Little Free Library on Harvard Terrace with matching icicles.
A former corner store front on Oakton street.
A former corner store front on Oakton street. Wondering what was sold here when this was a shop of some kind. Imagine what this street corner would be like if it was a corner store, bakery or coffee shop!
Brummel Park is one of very many small parks in Evanston.
Brummel Park is one of very many small parks in Evanston. It is surrounded by tall trees, houses and small apartment buildings.

We are curious about the history of the yellow brick apartment buildings. There are quite a few, but they are not as common as the red brick ones and always quite small, typically 3-8 apartments. They are not identical, but similar in style and the few we have dates for were built in the 1920’s.

Vintage yellow brick apartment building next to Brummel Park.
Beautiful vintage yellow brick apartment building next to Brummel Park. This one has larger windows that most.
A vintage yellow brick apartment building on Custer Avenue.
A vintage yellow brick apartment building on Custer Avenue. Although not a designated bike route, this street is one of the least busy connecting the area south of the yellow line tracks with the rest of Evanston.

We are looking forward to visiting the Evanston History Center to learn about the history of the different neighborhoods, especially the southern part, which does not have many historical landmark buildings. If you have have a story to share about our new neighborhood, please write a comment!

Elisabeth

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