Location & Area

North Boundary: 300 N Lake
South Boundary: ~400 S Eisenhower Expressway
East Boundary: ~700 W Kennedy Expressway
West Boundary: 1600 W Ashland
Primary Zip Code: 60622

From Halsted to Damen, and Madison Street north to Grand Avenue, the West Loop neighborhood is a mix of lofts, galleries, photographers, graphic design firms and wholesale food markets. As this is not originally a residential district, there is an interesting mix of residential and commercial loft space that's architecturally interesting and convenient to the Loop and the near north side.

For easy access to the rest of Illinois and beyond, one can head to the Northwestern Train Station, Union Station, or the Greyhound bus terminal. I-90 and I-290 also run through the neighborhood, and the El Green and Blue Lines run at its northern and southern edges, respectively, making this area eminently accessible from any other point in the city by car, bus, train or subway.

Current Trends and Facts of West Loop Chicago

The West Loop neighborhood is the primary loft district of Chicago, with many traditional brick buildings converted to "true lofts" with exposed brick and timber ceilings. Made increasingly popular by the area's proximity to Chicago business district - the Loop, the West Loop is beginning to emerge as Chicago's answer to New York's Soho, with lofts and galleries popping up everywhere along side the old meat packing businesses.

Residents enjoy a range of excellent restaurants as well as proximity to other popular neighborhoods, such as Greektown, Fulton Market and Little Italy. Once famous for its meat and produce markets (many of which still exist), nearby Randolph Street is now home to many of Chicago's premier restaurants. This smallish neighborhood also hosts a surprising concentration of dance clubs and bars, located primarily along Lake street.

The West Loop neighborhood has the United Center, which is home to the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks. The United Center is also one of Illinois' largest entertainment venues for music, circuses and performances.