The Breakdown
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| Sparkling new residences line a South Loop street. |
An
overview: It wasn’t that long ago that the South Loop was much like the
West Loop, a haven for industry and not much else. Today, and very much like present-day West Loop, it is
something very different. Dozens
upon dozens of new condo buildings and converted lofts line Michigan, Wabash,
State, and Lake Michigan south of Roosevelt Road. New shops, bars, and eateries occupy the first floor of
historic low-rises and new high-rises.
Urban professionals, retirees, and young families are out-and-about at
seemingly all hours of the day, taking advantage of the amenities of the
neighborhood, or that of the Loop immediately to the north.
The South
Loop (or “Near South Side” community area as recognized by the City of Chicago)
is also home to one of Chicago’s true cultural gems, the Museum Campus. You know the usual suspects: the Shedd
Aquarium, the Field Museum, and the Adler Planetarium. However, it’s also home to Soldier
Field and Northerly Island (formerly Meigs Field Airport). Although it’s always been a
neighborhood, the South Loop as it looks today is one of Chicago’s newest and
up-and-coming areas, if not already there.
