The Chicago Loop Neighborhood
Introduction
The Loop is the center of everything Chicago. From City Hall, to courthouses, business headquarters and the like, everything affecting city life is affected in some way by what happens in the Loop. The name refers to the path of the railway lines’ route through the city’s central business district. The Loop neighborhood, as it name reveals, is part of the Loop community area. It is bordered on the north by the Chicago River, on the east by Michigan Avenue, on the south by Ida B. Wells Drive, and on the west by the Chicago River.
Cuisine
The Loop hosts a mixture of cafes, diners and fine restaurants. Some have been long time staples, and others have come more recently. Most restaurants cater to downtown workers, especially the lunch crowd.
Housing
Since 2007, the Loop has experienced a boon of skyscrapers. Condominium building construction preceded the housing bubble of 2008, then rental building construction followed.
The Loop’s skyscrapers offer some of the most spectacular views of the city and Lake Michigan.
Open Space
Open space in the Loop is almost a contradiction in terms. However, the Loop sits next to Grant Park and Millenium Park, and the Art Institute of Chicago. Each of those three venues has acres of paths and greenery that can provide a relaxing alternative to the busy city center.
Residents and visitors also have the option of enjoying the plazas of buildings like the Richard J. Daley Center Courthouse or the federal courthouse for afternoon fairs and farmers markets.
Points of Interest
Macys, City Hall, the Chicago Theater are just a few of the venues available to sightseers throughout the Loop
The Chicago Public Library’s flagship site, the Harold Washington Library, provides thousands of volumes for reading, and it is also home to a top level winter garden.
