South Loop

The South Loop neighborhood has undergone an incredible urban renewal in the past few decades. Formerly a sparsely populated area of warehouses and empty lots, the South Loop has been transformed into a hip and diverse community of young professionals, students of nearby Columbia College, and Chicago’s very own Mayor Richard M. Daley. Residents have both dining and nightlife hotspots at their fingertips, as well as the convenience of the Loop commercial center a short stroll away.

With Grant Park to the north, and the Lakefront and Museum Campus to the east, there are plenty of activities for residents and visitors to the South Loop. The neighborhood itself is home to some of Chicago’s most beloved institutions, like Buddy Guy’s Legends, a bar and blues club that offers live music most nights and a chance to see legendary Bluesman Buddy Guy himself on stage whenever he is in town. South Loop outposts of the Bongo Room and Yolk cater to the Chicago brunch crowds, while restaurants like the Chicago Firehouse and Opera make the area a favorite of foodies. The Auditorium Theater is another neighborhood fixture that features shows that range from ballet to rock concerts.

The South Loop also encompasses part of historic Printer’s Row, and is home to the Harold Washington Library Center, the flagship branch of the Chicago Public Library system. Opened in 1991 as the largest public library building in the world, this imposing Beaux-Arts style red granite structure is topped by steel and aluminum figures of owls and other symbols of knowledge.

Located throughout the city, Chicago Tribute Markers of Distinction commemorate where notable Chicagoans lived and worked. Four markers in the South Loop honor industrialist George Pullman, architect John Mills Van Osdel, merchant Marshall Field and legal reformer Myra Bradwell.