Chicago Loop
The Loop is Chicago's central business district and one of the 77 municipally-designated community areas of Chicago in Illinois, United States. Located at the center of downtown Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan, it is the second-largest business district in North America, after Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It contains the world headquarters and regional offices of several global and national businesses, retail establishments, restaurants, hotels, museums, theaters, and libraries—as well as many of Chicago's most famous attractions. The district also hosts Chicago's City Hall, the seat of Cook County, offices of the state of Illinois, United States federal offices, and several foreign consulates. The intersection of State Street and Madison Street in the Loop is the origin point for the address system on Chicago's street grid, a grid system that has been adopted by numerous cities worldwide.
The Loop's definition and perceived boundaries have evolved over time. Since the 1920s, the area bounded by the Chicago River to the west and north, Lake Michigan to the east, and Roosevelt Road to the south has been called the Loop. It took its name from a somewhat smaller area, the 35 city blocks bounded on the north by Lake Street, on the west by Wells Street, on the south by Van Buren Street, and on the east by Wabash Avenue—the Union Loop formed by the 'L' in the late 1800s. Similarly, the "South Loop" and the "West Loop" historically referred to areas within the Loop proper, but in the 21st century began to refer to the entire Near South and much of the Near West Sides of the city, respectively.
In 1803, the United States Army built Fort Dearborn in what is now the Loop; although earlier settlement was present, this was 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 neighborhood became increasingly commercial in the 1870s. This process accelerated in the aftermath of the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, which destroyed most of the neighborhood's buildings. Some of the world's earliest skyscrapers were constructed in the Loop, giving rise to the Chicago School of architecture. By the late 19th century, cable car turnarounds and the Union Loop encircled the area, giving the neighborhood its name. Near the lake, Grant Park, known as "Chicago's front yard", is Chicago's oldest park; it was significantly expanded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and houses a number of features and museums. Starting in the 1920s, road improvements for highways were constructed to and into the Loop, perhaps most famously U.S. Route 66, which was commissioned in 1926.
While dominated by offices and public buildings, its residential population boomed during the latter 20th century and first decades of the 21st, due to the development of former rail yards, industrial building conversions, and additional high-rise residences. Since 1950, the Loop's resident population has increased in percentage terms the most of all of Chicago's community areas.
History
Etymology
The origin of the name "the Loop" is disputed. Some sources claim it first referred to two cable car lines that used a circuit—constructed in 1882 and bounded by Van Buren Street, Wabash Avenue, Wells Street, and Lake Street—to enter and depart the downtown area. Other research, however, has concluded that "the Loop" was not used as a proper noun until after the 1895–97 construction of the Union Loop used by 'L' trains, which shared the same route.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 the Fort Dearborn reservation, which became part of the city in 1839, and land reclaimed from Lake Michigan.The area was bustling by the end of the 1830s. Lake Street started to become a center for retail at that time, until it was eclipsed by State Street in the 1850s.
20th century
By 1948 an estimated one million people came to and went from the Loop each day. Later, suburbanization caused a decrease in the area's importance. But in the 1960s, the presence of an upscale shopping district caused the area's fortunes to increase. Construction of the Chicago Pedway began in 1951.21st century
The Loop's population has boomed in recent years, increasing 158% between 2000 and 2020. Between 2010 and 2014, the number of jobs in the Loop increased by nearly 63,000, an increase of over 13%.Economy and employment
The Loop, along with the rest of downtown Chicago, is the second-largest commercial business district in the United States, after New York City's Midtown Manhattan. Its financial district near LaSalle Street is home to United Airlines, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, and CME Group's Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Exchange.Aon Corporation maintains an office in the Aon Center. Chase Tower houses the headquarters of Exelon. United Airlines has its headquarters in Willis Tower, having moved its headquarters to Chicago from suburban Elk Grove Township in early 2007. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association has its headquarters in the Michigan Plaza complex. Sidley Austin has an office in the Loop.
The Chicago Loop Alliance is at 55 West Monroe, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is 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 in an office at 303 East Wacker Drive, and the US Mexico Chamber of Commerce Mid-America Chapter is in an office in One Prudential Plaza.
McDonald's was headquartered in the Loop until 1971, when it moved to suburban Oak Brook. When Bank One Corporation existed, its headquarters were in the Bank One Plaza, now Chase Tower. When Amoco existed, its headquarters were in the Amoco Building, now the Aon Center.
In 2019, about 40% of Loop residents were also employed in the Loop. 26.8% worked outside Chicago. Respectively 11.5, 8.0, and 2.8 percent worked in the Near North Side, the Near West Side, and Hyde Park. Conversely, 45.5% of the people employed in the Loop lived outside Chicago. Lake View housed 4% of Loop employees, the highest of any of Chicago's community areas. 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.
The professional sector is the largest source of employment of both Loop residents and Loop employees, at respectively 21.4 and 23.3 percent. Finance was the second-most-common employment for both groups, at respectively 13.5 and 17.7 percent. Health Care was the third-largest sector for residents, at 10.2%, while Education was the third-largest sector for Loop employees, at 13%. Education was the fourth-largest employer of residents, at 9.4%, while Public Administration was the fourth-largest for Loop employees, at 13%. Administration was the fifth-largest sector for both groups, at respectively 6.9 and 7.3 percent.
Architecture
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 ; 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.
This area abounds in shopping opportunities, including the Loop Retail Historic District, although it competes with the more upscale Magnificent Mile area to the north. It includes Chicago's former Marshall Field's department store location in the Marshall Field and Company Building; the original Sullivan Center Carson Pirie Scott store location. Chicago's Downtown Theatre District is also found within this area, along with numerous restaurants and hotels.
Chicago has a famous skyline that features many of the world's tallest buildings as well as the Chicago Landmark Historic Michigan Boulevard District. The skyline is spaced out throughout the downtown area. The Willis Tower, formerly the Sears Tower, the third-tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, 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 just south of Illinois Center. The complex is at the east end of the Loop, east of Michigan Avenue. Two Prudential Plaza is also there, just west of the Aon Center.
The Loop contains a wealth of outdoor sculpture, including works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Henry Moore, Marc Chagall, Magdalena Abakanowicz, 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 the area, as is the historic Palmer House Hilton hotel, on East Monroe Street.
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, 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, a section of Grant Park, opened in 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 river, including architectural tours by commercial boat operators, are favorites with locals and tourists alike.