Everything about Chicago Loop totally explained
The Loop (Chicago, Illinois)>
Community Area 32 - The Chicago Loop
Location within the city of Chicago |
Latitude
Longitude |
|
| Neighborhoods |
|
| ZIP Codes |
60601, 60602, 60603, 60604, and parts of 60605, 60606, 60607, and 60616 |
| Area |
4.09 km² (1.58 mi²) |
Population (2000)
Density |
16,388 (up 37.09% from 1990)
4,004.7 /km² |
| Demographics |
White
Black
Hispanic
Asian
Other |
62.1%
19.7%
5.95%
9.92%
2.43% |
| Median household income |
$75,248 |
| Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services |
The Loop is what locals call the historical center of
downtown Chicago. It is the second-largest central business district in the
United States, after
Midtown Manhattan. Bounded on the west and north by the
Chicago River, on the east by
Lake Michigan, and on the south by
Roosevelt Road, the value of its real-estate shaped an architectural style dominated by
high-rises. Notable buildings include the
Home Insurance Building, considered the first
skyscraper; the
Chicago Board of Trade Building, a
National Historic Landmark; and the
Sears Tower, the tallest in the United States. Some of the historic buildings in this district were instrumental in the development of high-rises. Chicago's rational street numbering system originates in the Loop at the intersection of
State Street and
Madison Street.
The term "The Loop" has different meanings. As defined by the
University of Chicago, the Loop is
community area of Chicago number 32. The boundaries as designated by the City of Chicago are the Chicago River to the north and west, Roosevelt Road to the south, and Lake Michigan to the east, though the original boundary is strictly the area circled by the elevated CTA tracks. As the downtown area and its many high-rises expanded out past the community area over the years, "The Loop" has been used more generally to denote the entire downtown as opposed to just the community area. The term even more specifically applies to the section of the community area surrounded by the
circuit formed by
Chicago's 'L' trains. The circuit runs along Lake Street on the north, Wabash Avenue on the east, Van Buren Street on the south, and Wells Street on the west. The name, however, predates the elevated loop, coming from a
streetcar loop in 1882. Currently, most residents probably consider it to be the area bounded by the Chicago River on the north and west sides, Congress Parkway to the South, and Columbus Drive to the east.
This area has a wealth of shopping opportunities, including the
Loop Retail Historic District, although it competes with the more upscale
Magnificent Mile area to the north, and with
suburban
shopping malls. It includes Chicago's former
Marshall Field's department store location in the
Marshall Field and Company Building, now Macy's, a traditional favorite for viewing
Christmas window displays; the original
Sullivan Center Carson Pirie Scott store location (closed February 21, 2007); and
Sears on State.
It is the location of a number of government buildings, including
City Hall/County Building, the
James R. Thompson Center, the
Richard J. Daley Center, and multiple federal buildings. Chicago's Downtown Theatre District is also found within this area, along with numerous
restaurants and
hotels.
Chicago has a famous
skyline which is home to many of the tallest buildings in the world as well as the
Chicago Landmark Historic Michigan Boulevard District. Unlike densely packed
Midtown Manhattan, Chicago's skyline is spaced out throughout the downtown area, giving it a graceful bridgelike appearance. The
Sears Tower, the nation's tallest building, lies at the west end of the Loop in the heart of the city's financial district, along with other buildings, such as
311 South Wacker Drive and the
AT&T Corporate Center. Chicago's second tallest building, the
Aon Center, is located around the
Illinois Center, a complex that stands at the east end of the Loop, east of
Michigan Avenue.
Two Prudential Plaza is also located here, just to the west of the Aon Center. The city's third tallest building, the
John Hancock Center, is located on the
Magnificent Mile, north of the Loop in a major shopping area.
Water Tower Place,
900 North Michigan, and
Park Tower are all located within a block or two of the
John Hancock Center, creating an impressive cluster of skyscrapers, unmatched perhaps even in the Loop itself. Although this area is considered part of downtown Chicago, it isn't a part of the Loop. It is part of the
Near North Side Community Area.
According to the 2000
census, 16,388 people live in the Loop. More recently, 60602 was named by Forbes as the hottest zipcode in the country with upscale buildings such as
The Heritage at Millennium Park(130 N. Garland) leading the way for other buildings such at Waterview Tower, The Legacy and Momo. The median sale price for residential real estate was $710,000 in 2005 according to Forbes. The Loop contains a wealth of outdoor
sculpture, including works by
Pablo Picasso,
Joan Miró,
Henry Moore,
Marc Chagall,
Alexander Calder, and
Jean Dubuffet. Chicago's cultural heavyweights, such as the
Art Institute of Chicago, the
Goodman Theatre, the
Chicago Theatre, the
Lyric Opera at the
Civic Opera House building, and the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, are also in this area, as is the historic
Palmer House Hilton hotel, found on East Monroe Street.
Chicago's lakefront, which is almost exclusively recreational park area from north to south, features
Grant Park in this downtown area. Grant Park is the home of
Buckingham Fountain, the
Petrillo Bandshell, the Grant Park Symphony (where free
concerts can be enjoyed throughout the summer), and Chicago's annual two-week
food festival, the
Taste of Chicago, where more than 3 million people "pig out". A recent addition to Grant Park is the architecturally forward
Millennium Park, which opened in the summer of 2004, featuring a
Frank Gehry's
Jay Pritzker Pavilion,
Jaume Plensa's
Crown Fountain and
Anish Kapoor's
Cloud Gate sculpture and spanning what were formerly open railyards on the city's lakefront.
The Chicago River, which delineates the area, also provides entertainment and recreational opportunities, including the annual dyeing of the river green in honor of
St. Patrick's Day. Trips down the Chicago River, including architectural tours, by commercial boat operators are great favorites with both locals and tourists.
The area is served by its own newspaper, the Chicago Journal.
The Loop also hosts America's only city-based dusk-till-dawn cultural celebration,
Looptopia. This year, event is scheduled for May 2nd of 2008.
Sub-Neighborhoods
New Eastside
The New Eastside is a mixed-use district bordered by Michigan Avenue to the West, the Chicago River to the North, Randolph Street to the South, and Lake Shore Drive to the East. It encompasses the entire
Illinois Center and
Lakeshore East developments
(External Link
), as well as separate developments like
Aon Center, Prudential Plaza, Park Millennium Condominium Building, Hyatt Regency Chicago, and the Fairmont Hotel. The area has a
triple-level street system and is bisected by Columbus Drive. Most of this district has been developed on land that was once used by the Illinois Central Railroad rail yards. The early buildings in this district such as the
Aon Center and
One Prudential Plaza used airspace rights in order to build above the railyards.
The
triple-level street system allows for trucks to mainly travel and make deliveries on the lower levels, keeping traffic to a minimum on the upper levels.
Upcoming buildings include AQUA, part of Lake Shore East, and the Manderin Oriental Hotel & Tower. Construction has begun on both of these projects, with expected completion dates in 2009.
The New Eastside is served by the following
Chicago Public Schools campuses:
Ogden School and
Wells Community Academy High School.
Printer's Row
Printer's Row, also known as Printing House Row, is a
neighborhood located in the southern portion of the Loop community area of Chicago. It is bounded by Congress Parkway on the
north, Polk Street on the
south, Plymouth Court on the
east, and the Chicago River on the
west. The signature street is Dearborn Street where the annual Printer's Row Book Fair
(External Link) is held. Originally, the buildings in this area were used by
printing and
publishing businesses. Today, the buildings have mainly been converted into residential lofts. Part of Printer's Row is an official landmark district.
(External Link)
Printer's Row is zoned to the following
Chicago Public Schools campuses: South Loop School
(External Link) and
Phillips Academy High School.
South Loop
Most of the area south of Congress Parkway and east of the
Chicago River, possibly excepting Printer's Row, is referred to as the South Loop. The southern boundary of the neighborhood is under debate. While the southern boundary for the community area is Roosevelt Road, the term "South Loop" is often used to describe an area that extends as far south as 18th Street or Cermak Road. Numerous shops south of Roosevelt Road with "South Loop" in their name hint that this more generous definition may be gaining recognition.
The more restrictively-defined area includes River City, the northern half of Dearborn Park, and portions of State Street, Wabash Avenue, and Michigan Avenue. The more generous definitions would include the Central Station development, Dearborn Park II, the Prairie District, and even the northern growth of Chinatown.
The major landowner in the South Loop is
Columbia College Chicago, a private school that owns 17 buildings. Also to be found here's the
National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum, championed by Mayor Daley.
South Loop is zoned to the following
Chicago Public Schools campuses:
South Loop School and
Phillips Academy High School.
Jones College Prep High School, which is a selective enrollment magnet school drawing students from the entire city, is also located in the South Loop.
Weather permitting, large scale flea-marketing takes place here.
Historic Michigan Boulevard District
The Loop also contains the
Chicago Landmark Historic Michigan Boulevard District, which is the section of
Michigan Avenue opposite
Grant Park and
Millennium Park.
Notable landmarks in the Chicago Loop
Auditorium Building
Buckingham Fountain
Carbide & Carbon Building
Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building (External Link)
Chicago Board of Trade Building - home of the Chicago Board of Trade
Chicago Theatre (External Link)
Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago City Hall
Civic Opera House - home to the Lyric Opera of Chicago
Dearborn Street Station
DePaul University
Field Building (External Link)
Fine Arts Building (External Link)
Grant Park
Jewelers Row District (External Link)
Mather Tower
McCormick Building (External Link)
Historic Michigan Boulevard District
Monadnock Building (External Link)
The Palmer House
Printing House Row
Reliance Building (External Link)
Rookery Building (External Link)
Roosevelt University
Sears TowerFurther Information
Get more info on 'Chicago Loop'.
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