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Chicago - The Loop

The city's official downtown area, Chicago's Loop is the second largest downtown business district in the united States. But thousand of condos and lofts mixed in among the towering skyscrapers make the Loop a bona fide residential neighborhood.

"With countless hotels, office buildings and retail shops, it seems like this Chicago neighborhood exists only for work and play. It does, after all, have one of the highest concentrations of commercial property, but there are plenty of people who live here, too."

Source: ChicagoNeighborhoods.cc

City of Chicago

River North Business Association

"The Loop's boundaries are the Chicago River on the west, Michigan Avenue on the east, Wacker Drive on the north and Congress Parkway on the south."

Source: Chicagotraveler.com

"All seven of the CTA color-coded elevated trains and subway lines converge here -- looping around the downtown vicinity and branching out across the city and into the suburbs."

Source: Dreamtown

A number of bus routes also pass through the Loop, and the city's passenger and commuter rail systems operate out of Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center, both located just west of the Chicago River.

Chicago Transit Authority

"Many Chicagoans decide to live in the Loop for the same reasons droves of tourists visit the neighborhood every year. Things like the Loop's prominent theater district, which just happens to be the best in the city, are a big draw. And next to the Magnificent Mile, the Loop has the second best shopping scene in all of Chicago. Some Loop residents and downtown employees skip lunch just to power shop on their midday work break. But a true Chicago gourmand would never fathom the thought, especially with so many culinary gems on every block. Most of the restaurants here are upscale, but you'll also find a slew delis and cafés, plus a grand selection of pizza joints like the famous Giordano's. This local chain serves some of Chicago's best deep-dish style pizza. It's a must-try for anyone who has only known the likes of thin-crust and an obvious pleasure for those who are already privy to its mouthwatering tastes."

Source: ChicagoNeighborhoods.cc

Millennium Park occupies a nearly 25-acre plot of land in the Loop, attracting residents and visitors to its gardens, lawns, interactive fountains and larger-than-life art pieces. The grounds host several annual concerts and festivals. During the winter, the plaza is transformed into a free ice skating arena.

On the eastern side of the Loop, the Art institute of Chicago boasts a collection of over 5,000 years of art. On the other side lies the Civic Opera House, home to the Lyric Opera of Chicago. The Theater District, spanning several blocks in the Loop, includes the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, the Chicago Theatre, the Auditorium Theatre, the Cadillac Palace Theatre, the Goodman Theatre, and the LaSalle Bank Theatre.

Art Institute of Chicago

Lyric Opera of Chicago

Millennium Park

Orchestra Hall - Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Chicago Blues Festival

Metromix Guide to Dining & Entertainment

In addition to a number of schools, colleges and academies, two major universities are located in the Loop. On Michigan Avenue, between Van Buren Street and Congress Parkway, is Roosevelt University. The south campus of DePaul University is right next door

Roosevelt University

DePaul University

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

DeVry University - Keller Graduate School of Management

City Colleges of Chicago

Columbia College

Harold Washington College

John Marshall Law School

Taylor Business Institute