Some help looking for parts of Chicago that might look like Boston
 

I know Chicago doesn’t look anything like Boston, but I’m going to have to give it a shot.

I’m looking for parts of Chicago that might look like parts of Boston, as well as parts of Chicago that could look like Cambridge , mainly the area around Harvard. I also need something to double as Harvard. So far, I’m throwing out the idea of using Wheaton College as Harvard. Any idea what other places might work?

N Alta Vista Terrace doesn’t really look like Boston, but you could maybe make it work. Anywhere along the N side lakefront could work too. Maybe Old Town Triangle. People familiar with Boston probably realize it’s not Boston, but most wouldn’t notice.

If you’re up for a drive, U of I has a lot of Georgian architecture.

Which parts of Boston are you trying to emulate?

I'd say downtown Evanston would be a pretty good ringer for Cambridge, with some creative videography.

When I was in Chicago, I was told that Pine Grove Avenue, near my apartment, looked like Boston.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9323...7i16384!8i8192

I have never been to Boston, so I can neither confirm nor deny whether this is true.

on a smaller scale than Wheaton, you might want to check out the North Park University campus. it's more compact but has similar architecture.

there are a fuckload of Dunkin' Donuts in chicago.

just saying.....

You read my mind . I did have N Alta Vista Terrace in mind.

Also punch in the street : 9 Farrar St Cambridge, MA into google maps.

I’m thinking Evanston. What do you guys think?

Had that in mind too! You guys are good!

Scouting over Google street view, an interesting thing about the two cities is, once you get away from the townhouse areas in Boston, Chicago actually seems to have more brick housing than Boston.

From Street View, this could definitely be mistaken for a side street near the Pru and Copley. Somewhere off lower Huntington Ave. This would work in a pinch.

And like Steely says, just get a Dunkin in frame and the believability factor triples.

Would it be too much effort to drive 5 hours to St Louis? Lots of areas in St Louis that could pass for Boston. Sort of.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6087...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6086...7i13312!8i6656
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.6169...7i13312!8i6656

That said, St Louis definitely has a more Southern/French style to it, so maybe it wouldn't work.

True. Much of Boston and Cambridge consists of wood paneled exterior structures/housing.

Cambridge:
A] https://goo.gl/maps/ngQ8eSXMHQJxBDPZA
B] https://goo.gl/maps/MhRs73T83K72FqxE7
C] https://goo.gl/maps/qttcFDnPbj3VErsh8
D] https://goo.gl/maps/CdcHoArfko3WyLjz7

Boston:
A] South Boston: https://goo.gl/maps/DQP4uDTvPKRsfw8N7
B] Dorchester: https://goo.gl/maps/GXiue4s2rECNJ7T79
C] Roxbury: https://goo.gl/maps/riCFm66A6Ryg9c7BA
D] Roslindale: https://goo.gl/maps/Uj9gwD7fvSPLmRFC7

Mayyyybe Gainsborough St. I used to live a few blocks from there. It was one of my favorite streets in Boston because it was just far enough away from the beaten path.

Gainsborough: https://goo.gl/maps/Vh1KUBQZGmA6bb5p7

Here's another favorite of mine:
St. Germain: https://goo.gl/maps/hmKEEgov5uAGn6oN9

That is one consequence of burning down your city. At its peak, Chicago was manufacturing 10% of the nation's bricks. The local clay was also extremely unique - its composition meant it could be turned into brick much faster than clay from other regions and yet remain durable, making it the cheapest, mass produced brick in America.

The color was uneven and the shape a bit lumpy, so the city imported more expensive East Coast brick for the front facades.

This one is good!! Thank you!

Trust me, the idea of using St Louis would be so wonderful, as it looks a lot like Boston in some places . Unfortunately , it has to be in Illinois, and preferably under 30 miles from the Loop.

Well that's pretty cheesy, you're shooting some video in a place that's supposed to be in Boston, but it HAS to be in Illinois! :eeekk:

I know, it’s crazy. :shrug: Pretty sure the powers that be would rather just film this in Boston, but other forces are at work here.

For the area around Harvard, you'll want something that doesn't look like a grid. Ideally the streets would be curvy but those are rare in Chicago. Maybe somewhere like here?

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9326...7i16384!8i8192

or this?
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9202...7i16384!8i8192

Having lived in Cambridge for 5 years though, it's hard to think of a place that looks a lot like Cambridge in Chicago... not enough wood frame buildings.

Logan Square Park might be able to pass for Cambridge Common?
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9287...7i16384!8i8192

This particular angle could pass as Boston, but the 360 degree would not. Try to zoom in more on the lowrises and not necessarily show the full neighborhoods. Boston's streets are much narrower than most of what is posted so use whatever camera tricks you can to show a more claustrophobic effect. Most of your shots should probably only show 1 side of the road at a time so the wider streets are less obvious.

You really want to find little nook and cranny areas that aren't part of the main grid. Boston has some grid but it's most known for its haphazardness. A cozier street/neighborhood like this might work:
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9667...7i13312!8i6656