Chicago Loop Insights

Your insider's guide to the best things to do, see, and experience in Chicago.

Holiday festivities and downtown attractions drove end of year success across various sectors

January 23, 2024

3 MIN READ — Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) recently released its Q4 State of the Loop report on downtown activity, using a variety of data sources, which the organization has produced since July 2020. The report tracks pedestrian activity, shared mobility and transit, hotel occupancy, office workers on-site, arts and culture, retail, and more. Record-breaking attendance at holiday attractions and theater performances; robust hotel activity and continued increases in office attributed to success in pedestrian activity and office occupancy. View the quarter four (Oct.-Dec. 2023) State of the Loop report here.

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What is the Loop?

January 5, 2024

2 MIN READ — Welcome to the Loop, Chicago’s official downtown and everyone’s neighborhood. The Loop’s neighborhood boundaries are the Chicago River (north and west), Ida B. Wells Drive (south), and Lake Michigan (east). The southern boundary goes all the way to Roosevelt Road in context of Chicago’s 77 designated Community areas and census demography, but that definition also includes the neighborhood, which locals refer to as “South Loop.” There is also an area known as “West Loop” west of the river, but neither locals or geographical maps consider that neighborhood to be formerly part of “the Loop.”

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How to transition to winter-weather cycling

December 13, 2023

3 MIN READ – Chicago, like the rest of the United States, is experiencing an unprecedented bike boom as people seek out both an open-air mode of transportation and a fun activity that gets them out of the house. Also, mass bike commuting is a great way to keep vehicle congestion to a minimum. For any new riders—or riders who are new to cold weather—follow these tips on how to transition to winter-weather cycling. It’s a great way to get back in the Loop.

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Chicago Loop Alliance unveils five-year strategic plan for organization and Loop neighborhood

December 11, 2023

4 MIN READ — Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) recently released an extensive five-year strategic organizational plan, commissioned to take advantage of the evolving downtown and CLA’s role in the Loop following several years that significantly altered the district and organization’s business model. To create the report, CLA contracted consulting firm BDS Planning and Urban Design, who conducted focus groups with Loop stakeholders and partners; analyzed the current landscape of Chicago Loop Alliance; and advised on the future trajectory of the organization to meet the Loop’s needs.View the full strategic plan at LoopChicago.com/StrategicPlan.

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