The Loop, one of Chicago's 77 designated community areas, is the central business district of the city and is the main section of Downtown Chicago. Home to Chicago's commercial core, it is the second largest commercial business district in North America after Midtown Manhattan in New York City, and contains the headquarters and regional offices of several global and national businesses, retail establishments, restaurants, hotels, and theaters, as well as many of Chicago's most famous attractions. It is home to Chicago's City Hall, the seat of Cook County, and numerous offices of other levels of government and consulates of foreign nations. The intersection of State Street and Madison Street is the origin point for the address system on Chicago's street grid. Most of Grant Park's 319 acres (129 hectares) are in the eastern section of the community area. The Loop community area is bounded on the north and west by the Chicago River, on the east by Lake Michigan, and on the south by Roosevelt Road.
In 1803, the United States Army built Fort Dearborn in what is now the Loop, the first settlement in the area sponsored by the United States' federal government. When Chicago and Cook County were incorporated in the 1830s the area was selected as the site of their respective seats. Originally mixed use, the character of the area became commercial starting in the 1870s, especially after it was mostly destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. At that time some of the world's earliest skyscrapers were constructed in the area, starting a legacy of architecture that continues to this day. In the late 19th century, cable car turnarounds and a prominent elevated railway loop encircled the area, giving the Loop its name. Starting in the 1920s many highways were constructed in the Loop, most prominently U.S. Route 66, which opened in 1926 with its eastern terminus in the area.
While dominated by offices and public buildings, its residential population boomed during the latter 20th century and first decades of the 21st; its population has increased the most of Chicago's community areas since 1950.
Some believe the origin of the term Loop is derived from the cable car, and especially those of two lines that shared a loop, constructed in 1882,[3] bounded by Van Buren Street, Wabash Avenue, Wells Street, and Lake
Street .[4] Other research has concluded that "the Loop" was not used as a proper noun until after the 1895–97 construction of the Union elevated railway loop.[5]
19th century
In what is now the Loop, on the south bank of the Chicago River near today's Michigan Avenue Bridge, the United States Army erected Fort Dearborn in 1803, the first settlement in the area sponsored by the United States. When Chicago was initially platted in 1830 by the surveyor James Thompson, it included what is now the Loop north of Madison Street and west of State Street. The Sauganash Hotel, the first hotel in Chicago, was built in 1831 near Wolf Point at what is now the northwestern corner of the Loop. When Cook County was incorporated in 1831, the first meeting of its government was held at Fort Dearborn with two representatives from Chicago and one from Naperville. The entirety of what is now the Loop was part of the Town of Chicago when it was initially incorporated in 1833, except for the Fort Dearborn reservation that became part of the city in 1839 and land reclaimed from Lake Michigan.
The area was bustling by the end of the 1830s.[3] Lake Street started to be a center for retail at that time, until it was eclipsed by State Street in the 1850s.[3]
20th century
In 1900 at the corner of Dearborn and Randolph Streets
By 1948 an estimated one million people came to and went from the Loop each day. Afterwards, suburbanization caused a decrease in the area's importance. Starting in the 1960s, however, the presence of an upscale shopping district caused the area's fortunes to increase.
21st century
The Loop's population has boomed in recent years, having a 158 percent population increase between 2000 and 2020.[2] Between 2010 and 2014, the number of jobs in The Loop increased by nearly 63,000 jobs, or an increase of over 13%.[6]
The Chicago Loop Alliance is located at 55 West Monroe,[13] the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is located in an office in the Aon Center, the French-American Chamber of Commerce in Chicago has an office in 35 East Wacker, the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in the United States is located in an office at 303 East Wacker Drive, and the US Mexico Chamber of Commerce Mid-America Chapter is located in an office in One Prudential Plaza.[14]
McDonald's was headquartered in the Loop until 1971, when it moved to suburban Oak Brook.[15] When Bank One Corporation existed, its headquarters were in the Bank One Plaza, which is now Chase Tower.[16] When Amoco existed, its headquarters were in the Amoco Building, which is now the Aon Center.[17]
In 2019, about 40 percent of Loop residents were also employed in the Loop.[18] 26.8 percent worked outside of Chicago.[18] Respectively 11.5, 8.0, and 2.8 percent worked in the Near North Side, the Near West Side, and Hyde Park.[18] Conversely, 45.5 percent of the people employed in the Loop lived outside of Chicago.[18]Lake View housed 4 percent of Loop employees, the highest percentage of any of Chicago's community areas.[18] The Near North Side, West Town, and Lincoln Park respectively housed 3.8, 2.6, and 2.5 percent of those working in the Loop.[18]
The professional sector is the largest source of employment of both Loop residents and Loop employees, at respectively 21.4 and 23.3 percent.[18] Finance was the second most common employment for both groups, at respectively 13.5 and 17.7 percent.[18] Health Care was the third largest sector for residents at 10.2 percent while Education was the third largest sector for Loop employees at 13 percent.[18] Education was the fourth largest employer of residents at 9.4 percent while Public Administration was the fourth largest for Loop employees at 13 percent. Administration was the fifth largest sector for both groups, at respectively 6.9 and 7.3 percent.[18]
The area has long been a hub for architecture. The vast majority of the area was destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 but rebuilt quickly. In 1885 the Home Insurance Building, generally considered the world's first skyscraper, was constructed, followed by the development of the Chicago school best exemplified by such buildings as the Rookery Building in 1888, the Monadnock Building in 1891, and the Sullivan Center in 1899.
Loop architecture has been dominated by skyscrapers and high-rises since early in its history. Notable buildings include the Home Insurance Building, considered the world's first skyscraper (demolished in 1931); the Chicago Board of Trade Building, a National Historic Landmark; and Willis Tower, the world's tallest building for nearly 25 years. Some of the historic buildings in this district were instrumental in the development of towers.
Chicago has a famous skyline which features many of the tallest buildings in the world as well as the Chicago LandmarkHistoric Michigan Boulevard District. Chicago's skyline is spaced out throughout the downtown area. The Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, the third tallest building in the Western Hemisphere (and still second-tallest by roof height), stands in the western 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 fourth tallest building, the Aon Center, is located just south of Illinois Center. The complex is 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.
Chicago's waterfront, which is almost exclusively recreational beach and park areas from north to south, features Grant Park in the downtown area. Grant Park is the home of Buckingham Fountain, the Petrillo Music Shell, 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 try foods from over 70 vendors. The area also hosts the annual music festival Lollapalooza which features popular alternative rock, heavy metal, EDM, hip hop, and punk rock, artists. Millennium Park, which is a section of Grant Park, opened in the summer of 2004 and features Frank Gehry's Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Jaume Plensa's Crown Fountain, and Anish Kapoor's Cloud Gate sculpture along Lake Michigan.
The Chicago River and its accompanying Chicago Riverwalk, 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 alike.
The Loop is the seat of Chicago's city government. It is also the government seat of Cook County and houses an office for the governor of Illinois. The city and county governments are situated in the same century-old building. Across the street, the Richard J. Daley Center accommodates a sculpture by Pablo Picasso and the state law courts. Given its proximity to government offices, the center's plaza serves as a kind of town square for celebrations, protests, and other events.
The Loop is in South Chicago Township within Cook County.[29] Townships in Chicago were abolished for governmental purposes in 1902[30] but are still used for property assessment.[29]
Engine Company 1, Aerial Tower Company 1, Ambulance 41 – 419 S. Wells St. – South Loop
Engine Company 5, Truck Company 2, Special Operations Battalion Chief 5-1-5, Collapse Unit 5-2-1 – 324 S. Des Plaines St. – West Loop/Near West Side
Engine Company 13, Truck Company 6, Ambulance 74, Battalion Chief 1, Marine and Dive Operations: Training Officer 6-8-5, District Chief: Marine and Dive Operations 6-8-6, SCUBA Team 6-8-7 – 259 N. Columbus Dr. – East Loop/Near East Side
From the city's incorporation and division into wards in 1837 to 1992, the Loop as currently defined was at least partially contained within the 1st ward.[56] From 1891 to 1992 it was entirely within the 1st ward and was coterminous with it between 1891 and 1901.[57] It was while part of the 1st ward that it was represented by the Gray Wolves. The area has not had a Republican alderman since Francis P. Gleason served alongside Coughlin from 1895 to 1897.[58] (Prior to 1923, each ward elected two aldermen in staggered two-year terms).[58]
In the Illinois Senate most of the community area is in District 3, represented by Democrat Mattie Hunter, while a large part in the east is part of District 13, represented by Democrat Robert Peters, and a very small part in the west is part of District 5, represented by Democrat Patricia Van Pelt.[65]
The northwest corner of the CTA Loop, which was once the busiest railroad junction in the world.
The Loop area derives its name from transportation networks present in it.
Public transportation
Passenger lines reached seven Loop-area stations by the 1890s, with transfers from one to the other being a major business for taxi drivers prior to the advent of Amtrak in the 1970s and the majority of trains being concentrated at Chicago Union Station across the river in the Near West Side. The construction of a streetcar loop in 1882 and the elevated railway loop in the 1890s gave the area its name and cemented its dominance in the city.
All lines of the Chicago "L" except the Yellow Line serve the Loop area for at least some hours. The State Street Subway and Dearborn Street Subway, respectively parts of the Red Line and Blue Line, are present in the Loop area and offer 24/7 service; the Red and Blue Lines are the only rapid transit lines in the United States west of the Appalachian Mountains to offer such service. Bus Rapid Transit has been implemented in the Loop.
Private transportation and roads
A sign commemorating the terminus of Route 66
Chicago's address system has been standardized as beginning at the intersection of State and Madison Streets since September 1, 1909.[70] Prior to that time, Chicago's street system was a hodgepodge of various systems which had resulted from the different municipalities that Chicago annexed in the late 19th century.[70] The implementation of the new street system was delayed by two years in the Loop to allow businesses more time to acclimate to their new addresses.[70]
Several streets in the Loop have multiple levels, some as many as three. The most prominent of these is Wacker Drive, which faces the Chicago River throughout the area. Illinois Center neighborhood has three-level streets.
The eastern terminus of U.S. Route 66 (US 66), an iconic highway in the United States first charted in 1926,[71] was located at Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue.[72] When Illinois and Missouri agreed that the local signage for US 66 should be replaced with that of Interstate 55 (I-55) as the highway was predominately north–south in those states,[a] most signs of the former highway in Chicago were removed without incident but the final sign on the corner of Jackson and Michigan was removed with great fanfare on January 13, 1977, and replaced with a sign reading "END OF ROUTE 66".[73]
The first anti-parking ordinance of streets in the Loop was passed on May 1, 1918, in order to help streetcars, and had been advocated by Chicago Surface Lines.[74] This law banned the parking of any vehicle between 7 and 10 a.m. and 4 and 7 p.m. on a street used by streetcars; approximately 1,000 violators of this law were arrested in the first month of the ordinance's enforcement.[75] The La Salle Hotel's parking garage was the first high-rise parking garage in the Loop, constructed in 1917 at the corner of Washington and LaSalle Streets[76] and remaining in service until its demolition in 2005.[77] In the 1920s old buildings were purchased in the area and converted to parking structures.[76] More high-rise garages and parking lots were constructed in the 1930s, which also saw the advent of double-deck parking.[76] The first parking meters were installed in 1947 and private garages were regulated in 1957; they were banned outright in the Loop in the 1970s in response to federal air-quality standards.[76] The first underground garages were built by the city in the early 1950s.[76]
All residences and places of employment within the Loop are in highly walkable areas;[78] the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning defines such areas based on population density, the length of city blocks, tree canopy cover, fatalities or grievous injuries incurred by pedestrians and bicyclists in the area, the density of intersections, and amenities located near the area.[79] 33.3 percent of Loop residents walk or bike to work compared to 7.3 percent citywide.[80] An additional 19.4 percent of Loop residents use transit for a daily commute, while 23.4 percent of residents citywide do.[80] Just 22.2 percent of Loop residents drive to work alone or in a carpool, compared to 54.9 percent of all Chicago residents and 72.5 percent in the greater Chicago region.[80] By household, 47.2 percent of Loop residents do not have access to a personal vehicle at all, compared to 26.4 percent citywide and 12.6 percent regionally.[80]
The Chicago River is the south border of the Near North Side (right) and the north border of the Loop; the Loop's Near East Side is to the left in this picture.
According to the 2010 census, 29,283 people live in the neighborhoods in or near the Loop. The median sale price for residential real estate was $710,000 in 2005 according to Forbes.[81] In addition to the government, financial, theatre and shopping districts, there are neighborhoods that are also part of the Loop community area. For much of its history this Section was used for Illinois Central rail yards, including the IC's Great Central Station, with commercial buildings along Michigan Avenue. 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[82] is the latest lead-developer of the 1969 Planned Development #70, as well as separate developments like Aon Center, Prudential Plaza, Park Millennium Condominium Building, Hyatt Regency Chicago, and the Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park. 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 originally water and 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 New Eastside Association of Residents (NEAR) has been the recognized community representative (Illinois non-profit corporation) since 1991 and is a 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt organization.
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. Through north–south traffic uses Middle Columbus and the bridge over the Chicago River. East–west through traffic uses either Middle Randolph or Upper and Middle Wacker between Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive.
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 centered on Dearborn Street from Ida B. Wells Drive on the north to Polk Street on the south, and includes buildings along Plymouth Court on the east and Federal Street to the west. Most of the buildings in this area were built between 1886 and 1915 for house printing, publishing, and related businesses. Today, the buildings have mainly been converted into residential lofts. Part of Printer's Row is an official landmark district, called the Printing House Row District.[83] The annual Printers Row Lit Fest is held in early June along Dearborn Street.[84]
South Loop
Most of the area south of Ida B. Wells Drive between Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, excepting Chinatown, is referred to as the South Loop. Perceptions of the southern boundary of the neighborhood have changed as development spread south, and the name is now used as far south as 26th Street.
The neighborhood includes former railyards that have been redeveloped as new-town-in-town such as Dearborn Park and Central Station. Former warehouses and factory lofts have been converted to residential buildings, while new townhouses and highrises have been developed on vacant or underused land. Dearborn Station at the south end of Printers Row, is the oldest train station still standing in Chicago; it has been converted to retail and office space. A major landowner in the South Loop is Columbia College Chicago, a private school that owns 17 buildings.
The South Loop was historically home to vice districts, including the brothels, bars, burlesque theaters, and arcades. Inexpensive residential hotels on Van Buren and State Street made it one of the city's Skid Rows until the 1970s. One of the largest homeless shelters in the city, the Pacific Garden Mission, was located at State and Balbo from 1923 to 2007, when it moved to 1458 S. Canal St.
Historical images and current architecture of the Chicago Loop can be found in Explore Chicago Collections, a digital repository made available by Chicago Collections archives, libraries and other cultural institutions in the city.[85]
Loop Retail Historic District
The Loop Retail Historic District is a shopping district within the Chicago Loop community area in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is bounded by Lake Street to the north, Ida B. Wells Drive to the south, State Street to the west and Wabash Avenue to the east. The district has the highest density of National Historic Landmark, National Register of Historic Places and Chicago Landmark designated buildings in Chicago. It hosts several historic buildings including former department store flagship locations Marshall Field and Company Building (now Macy's at State Street), and the Sullivan Center (formerly Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company Building).
Spertus Institute, a center for Jewish learning & culture, is located at 610 S. Michigan Ave. Graduate level courses (Master and Doctorate) are offered in Jewish Studies, Jewish Professional Studies and Non-profit Management. Located at 180 North Wabash Avenue is Meadville Lombard Theological School which is affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association, a liberal, progressive seminary offering graduate-level theological and ministerial training. East-West University is located at 816 S Michigan Ave.
Primary and secondary schools
Chicago Public Schools serves residents of the Loop. Some residents are zoned to the South Loop School, while some are zoned to the Ogden International School for grades K-8.[89] Some residents are zoned to Phillips Academy High School, while others are zoned to Wells Community Academy High School.[90] Any graduate from Ogden's 8th grade program may automatically move on to the 9th grade at Ogden, but students who did not graduate from Ogden's middle school must apply to the high school.[91]
Grant Park is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Set aside in the late 19th century, it was originally known as "Lake Park" but was renamed for Civil War general and U.S. President Ulysses Grant. Buckingham Fountain was constructed in 1927 in Grant Park.
Millennium Park is located northwest of Grant Park. Originally intended to celebrate the new millennium, it opened in 2004.
Printer's Row Park
Officially known as Park No. 543, this park is located in the Printer's Row neighborhood.[92] It contains a community garden and an ornamental fountain.[92]
Pritzker Park
Pritzker Park is located on State Street[93] near Harold Washington Library. It occupies the site of the Rialto Hotel, which was demolished in 1990.[93] It is a green space developed by Ronald Jones and named for Cindy Pritzker.[93] Originally constructed by the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, the Chicago Park District assumed control of it in 2008.[93] It has a short wall with quotes from famous writers and philosophers.[93]
Theodore Roosevelt Park
Theodore Roosevelt Park is located in the South Loop.[94] Named for U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, it was constructed beginning in 1980 as an adjunct to the Dearborn Park homes.[94] It contains open space and three tennis courts.[94] It is located on Roosevelt Road, also named for Roosevelt.[94]
^It is standard practice in the United States, both with U. S. Routes and Interstates, to number north-south roads with odd numbers and east-west roads with even numbers.
^ abcdDanzer, Gerald A. "The Loop". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. Archived from the original on March 3, 2008. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
^"A toast to the skyline". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. November 16, 2007. pp. 2:3.
^Wolfe, Gerard R. (1996). Chicago: In and Around the Loop. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 210. ISBN0-07-071390-1.
^Commission on Chicago Landmarks (April 7, 2016). Landmark Designation Report: Commercial National Bank Building(PDF) (Report). Archived from the original(PDF) on February 14, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2020. The Commercial National Bank Building is the oldest surviving example of a high-rise commercial bank building in Chicago designed by D. H. Burnham & Company, one of the most significant architectural firms in Chicago during the late 19th and early 20th century.
^"Some Chicago GIS Data". University of Chicago Library. University of Chicago. March 18, 2015. Archived from the original on September 4, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
^ abcdeMabwa, Nasutsa M. "Parking". Encyclopedia of Chicago. Chicago Historical Society. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
^"Admissions". Ogden International School. Archived from the original on December 22, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2020. Graduates of 8th grade at Jenner Campus can automatically enroll in 9th grade at Ogden's West Campus. If your child graduated from a different middle school [...]
^ ab"Park No. 543". Chicago Park District. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
^ abcde"Pritzker Park". Chicago Park District. Archived from the original on January 14, 2020. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
