The Loop and Downtown Community

The Loop

Chicago’s central business district is nicknamed the ‘Loop’ because of the elevated ‘El’ train tracks that loop around the city center. Historically, the Loop has been a commercial and cultural center bringing people into the area for work and recreation.

A recent change has incorporated more on the residential side; bringing many people to this Chicago neighborhood to stay. A rich and diverse array of residential real estate provides homeowners with at variety of options from luxury condominiums, to studio apartments and lofts make up the majority of housing choices here. These residential skyscrapers generally provide amenities such as exercise facilities, storage, and convenient laundry service. Since you will share the neighborhood with a legion of workers who commute in everyday, having your own parking space is a hot commodity and that is quite a perk if it is included in your amenity package.

With countless hotels, office buildings and retail shops, it seems like this Chicago neighborhood exists only for work and play. The area does have one of the highest concentrations of commercial property, but there are many residents as well. A recent explosion in residential condominium building has made this a prime Chicago locale. However, many Chicagoans decide to live in the Loop for the same reasons scores of tourists visit the neighborhood every year. They too enjoy the Loop’s prominent theater district. Next to the Magnificent Mile, the Loop has the second best shopping venue in all of Chicago. A good number of tourists travel to the Loop just to see the 110-story Sears Tower, Chicago’s tallest skyscraper. However, Loop residents are more inclined to make repeat visits to other legendary downtown attractions, like the Art Institute of Chicago, which houses a number of fine art pieces from all over the map. The Institute is not the only place where you can find spectacular visuals, though. Check out Daley Plaza where there is an enormous steel sculpture crafted by Pablo Picasso himself. Across the street from that is another chunk of concrete culture by Spanish artist Joan Miro. It is indeed trendy to live in a neighborhood where priceless works of art are found roadside around every corner.

Community Features

• The ever popular and nearby Theater District is comprised of: the Cadillac Palace Theatre, Ford Center for the Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre, Bank of America Theater and the Chicago Theatre; whose glittering marquee is one of the city’s most recognizable icons.
• Located on the eastside of the Loop, between Michigan Avenue, Columbus Drive, and Randolph and Monroe streets is the city’s newest must-see attraction, the famous Millennium Park.
• Printers’ Row, which extends south of Congress along Dearborn, is another part of the downtown area, which has top-notch restaurants.
• LaSalle Street is Chicago’s financial district, with many banks and the Chicago Stock Exchange.
• There are numerous first-rate restaurants, carryout delis, and ethnic eateries dedicated to the lunchtime and after work clientele.
• Once the day turns to night, the Loop transforms into a fervent spot for bar-hopping and nightclubbing.