Modern Industrial
It is hard to walk through the West Loop and not notice construction cranes everywhere. The area has seen a boom in new housing development since 2008. Not surprisingly, as more and more people shift toward the urban lifestyle, the appeal of an area so close to downtown increases. Residential growth is matched by an explosion of new businesses, large and small. Google, Boeing, Uber, Motorola, and United Airlines have offices in the West Loop. McDonalds also joined the corporate migration trend and brought its headquarters from suburban Oak Brook to West Loop in 2018.
Once home to the country’s major wholesale markets – produce and meatpacking – the West Loop now is a foodie destination. World-class restaurants, art galleries, and trendy shops fill old warehouse spaces. Walk the Restaurant Row to find some great food including Michelin star-rated Next, Omakase Yume, Oriole, Blackbird, Roister, and Smyth, and other crowd favorites like Au Cheval, Avec, Girl & the Goat, Momotaro, Monteverde, and La Josie. Stop by BombaBar for an Insta-worthy dessert.
Relatively new Mary Bartelme Park is a local favorite, complete with various children’s play structures and a fun dog park. Get up on the hill for a striking city view. Just blocks West, you will find more park space near newly built Mark T. Skinner West Elementary. Ranked in the top ten schools in Illinois, Skinner West is one of many exceptional schools in the area. Good schools, parks, and proximity to restaurants and other recreational spaces make this neighborhood particularly attractive to families. Boutique hotels, trendy food joints, and the nightlife scene give the West Loop its unmistakable energy.
When in Greektown, check out The National Hellenic Museum, the second oldest American institution dedicated to celebrating Greek immigrant community and cultural heritage, or sample gyros and saganaki which are possibly the best of their kind outside of Athens.
The recent success of Soho house - a networking and collaborative hub for creatives - brought more development to the area, just as Harpo Studios did back in 1988 when it arrived in the neighborhood. Will this boom continue? We think yes! The West Loop is possibly the hottest area of town for investment and shows no signs of slowing down.
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