Chicago continues to earn the title of the top metro in the U.S. for corporate relocation and site selection year after year for a reason. Find out how your business can benefit from the strength and vibrancy of the Chicago Loop.
The Work Environment
The Loop is home to a large, talented and diverse workforce in a cosmopolitan setting, as well as an estimated 42 percent of the city's supply of competitive office space. A strong mix of businesses — including government offices as well as legal, financial and creative companies — have headquarters in the Loop, and available class B and C office and flexible spaces provide opportunities for companies looking for creative, non-traditional office uses. Numerous institutes of higher learning serve growing companies with a well-qualified pool of local applicants from which to recruit, and a boom in residential development, with new housing and rental stock emerging on the market.
The People
Millions of visitors from around the world travel to the Loop annually to enjoy its many attractions — Millennium and Grant parks, the city's architectural heritage, museums, theater and arts and culture. A distinctive energy and vibrancy of more than 300,000 Loop workers creates a dynamic, interactive and engaging weekday environment. The Loop is bolstered by strong downtown residential growth, with professionals, families and students moving to the Loop for its convenience and accessibility. Chicago is home to the fastest growing residential downtown in the United States. And a highly-concentrated population of college students fosters a vibrant and creative environment.
The Connections
The Loop is centrally located within Chicago, placing all the amenities of the neighborhoods and suburbs well within reach. All CTA train lines and nearly three dozen bus routes feed directly into the Loop, and Union, Ogilvie and Millennium stations are serviced daily by regional and national passenger trains. O'Hare and Midway international airports are each less than 45 minutes away by train or car and connect passengers to major national and international cities with daily direct flights. An emphasis on bike amenities, like protected bike lanes and Divvy bikeshare, provides alternative transportation options. I-90/94, the Eisenhower Expressway and Lake Shore Drive converge on the Loop from the east and west. And the Chicago Pedway — a useful amenity connecting Loop office, shopping, hotels and train stations via indoor and underground walkways — protects pedestrians from the elements.
The Attractions
The Loop is the heart of the city of Chicago, and as such offers a wide variety of attractions for workers, residents and visitors alike. Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park provide dynamic, sustainable and multi-functional public spaces. Grant Park, the lakefront and the 18-mile Lakefront Trail serve runners, bikers and walkers from throughout the Loop with recreation, leisure and alternative transportation options. Harold Washington Library and Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower attract a combined 3 million visitors each year. Chicago's Theatre District is home to multiple world-class theaters and venues, including Auditorium Theatre, Broadway In Chicago, CIBC, Cadillac Palace, Chicago Symp
The Retail and Restaurant Environment
The Loop is home to a strong retail market, anchored by the flagship Macy's on State Street, Target and Block 37. Retail is active along LaSalle Street and historic Jewelers Row, located on Wabash Avenue between Washington and Monroe streets. A diverse mix of Loop restaurants — ranging in cuisine and type, from fast casual to formal — feed multiple audiences. Nightlife options, which are fast emerging as the residential population in the Loop grows, are giving Loop audiences reasons to linger longer.