Chicago Loop

The Loop is what locals call the downtown neighborhood of Chicago. It is the second largest downtown 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 lack of space created the necessity of height for buildings. From the Home Insurance Building, considered the first skyscraper, to the Sears Tower, the tallest in the United States, the Loop has had a long history of verticality in buildings. Some of the historic buildings in this district were instrumental in the development of high-rises.

Alternate meanings

Although every Chicagoan knows where the Loop is, personal opinions of its boundaries are as diverse as the people who live there.

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The community area boundaries are: the Chicago River on the north and west, Roosevelt Road on the south, and Lake Michigan on the east. Since the City of Chicago only recognizes community areas, these boundaries are considered official.

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The general neighborhood boundaries are: again, the Chicago River on the north and west, Congress Parkway on the south, and Michigan Avenue on the east. South of Congress is generally called "South Loop" (not to be confused with the south part of the Loop).

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Finally, the Loop proper is considered to be the five-by-seven-block area contained within the circuit formed by elevated Chicago Transit Authority train lines. These boundaries are: Lake Street on the north, Wells Street on the west, Van Buren Street on the south, and Wabash Avenue on the east.

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A minority of people, typically suburbanites unfamiliar with urban neighborhood dynamics, would consider North Michigan Avenue part of the Loop. This is incorrect on many levels; it is officially part of the Near North Side community area.

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