West Loop

West Loop real estate is another alternative to downtown Chicago condos. Many Chicago young professionals and families enjoy the larger floor plans that West Loop condos and lofts have to offer.

The West Loop neighborhood is bordered by Grand Avenue to the north, Ashland Avenue to the west, the Kennedy Expressway to the east, and the Eisenhower Expressway to the south. The area was and still is home to a variety of warehouses, many of which have recently been turned into loft condominiums. Its proximity to the Loop and the quality of the public and private school options makes the West Loop a popular choice for the roughly 50,000 dwellers, which are professionals and families. Homebuyers looking for well-lit, unique floor plans in an artsy-edgy neighborhood will find the spacious condos and lofts of the West Loop particularly appealing.

Originally the home of working class immigrants, the West Loop reflects that heritage with several blocks of Mediterranean restaurants and delicatessen, known as Greektown. Because of the continuing development in the area, a variety of independently owned gourmet restaurants now call the West Loop home. The more than 70 restaurants and 30 bars and clubs in the area provide plenty of nightlife options. Although the retail market has not yet developed as much as other newer neighborhoods, the West Loop continues to attract new businesses that seem to pop up daily.

The West Loop is home to Harpo Studios, where the Oprah Winfrey show is recorded; the University of Illinois Chicago; and the Chicago Antique Market, an indoor outdoor market that runs each year between May and October on the last Saturday of each month. Large galleries are sprinkled throughout the neighborhood, including the FLATFILE, the Kavi Gupta, the Thomas McCormick, and the Flassbender Stevens galleries.

The schools serving the West Loop area include the Francis Xavier Ward School, the James Otis School, the Spaulding School, Whitney Young High School, St. Gregory Episcopal School, and the school of the Holy Innocents.

Public transportation in the West Loop is limited with a couple of CTA bus routes servicing the area. Plenty of street and building parking, however, make the West Loop a convenient location for car owners.