Loop (Chicago)
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.
"The Loop", while more generally meaning the entire downtown neighborhood, also more specifically describes that smaller section of the neighborhood which is surrounded by the circuit formed by Chicago's elevated "L" trains. The circuit runs along Lake St. on the north, Wabash Ave. on the east, Van Buren St. on the south, and Wells St. on the west.
This area has a wealth of shopping opportunities, although it competes with the more upscale Magnificent Mile area to the north, and with suburban shopping malls. It includes Chicago's famous Marshall Fields store, a traditional favorite for viewing Christmas window displays, and the original Carson Pirie Scott.
It is the location of a number of government buildings including City Hall, the State of Illinois Building, and the Federal Building. Chicago's Downtown Theatre District is also found within this area, along with numerous restaurants and hotels.
"The Loop" has a vibrant business life.
The heart of "The Loop" is State Street, that "great street" to quote Frank Sinatra in his memorable salute to Chicago— "My Kind of Town".
16,388 people live in the Loop, according to the 2000 Census. It contains a wealth of outdoor sculpture, including works by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Alexander Calder. Chicagos's cultural heavyweights, such as as the Chicago Art Institute, the Goodman Theatre, the Lyric Opera at the Civic Opera House building, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra are also in this area.
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, home of the Grant Park Symphony, where free summertime concerts can be enjoyed throughout the summer, and Chicago's annual two-week food orgy, the Taste of Chicago, where over 3 million people "pig out". A recent addition to Grant Park is the architecturally forward Millennium Park opening in the summer of 2004, featuring the Frank Gehry bandshell, the Anish Kapoor "Heaven's Gate" scultpture spanning over what was formerly open railyards on the city' lakefront.
Chicago, known for its many neighborhood festivals during the warm weather months, has not neglected this area, and ensures downtown is also the site for a number of festivities.
The Chicago River, which delineates this area, also provides entertainment and recreational opportunities, including the annual dying of the river green in honour of St. Patrick's Day. Trips down the Chicago River, including architectural tours, by commercial boat are great favorites with both locals and tourists.
See also: Chicago Loop (a movie by James Benning)
