About South Loop
The South Loop has been developing steadily since the early 1980's and continues to enjoy a construction boom today due to the Lake Shore Drive Improvement project. In 1997, the city moved Lake Shore Drive's northbound lanes west of Soldier Field and the Field Museum. This monumental task created ten acres of park land along the shore and was completed with elegant landscaping that include both bike and foot paths. Additionally, new bridges and walkways connect the neighborhoods west of Lake Shore Drive to this new park area as well as the 18th Street Metra stop.
Another huge advance for the South Loop occurred with the 1998 completion of a transportation project, which ultimately allowed the city to create a lakefront museum campus that enables pedestrians to freely walk between the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium. The South Loop has come along way from its infamous start a century ago when it was a notorious gambling and prostitution district which prompted a U.S. Senator to refer to Chicago as the "Gommorah of the West."
Today, the South Loop consists of four established neighborhoods: Printers Row, Dearborn Park, River City and Central Station. The social scene in these neighborhoods is alive and well as great restaurants, bars and shops are ever present and are continuing to open at an astounding rate. Housing in the South Loop consists of new construction highrises, lofts, town homes and single family homes.
