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Take a tour of Chicago's most expensive neighborhood, which is home to a 120-year-old restaurant and a street full of diamond shops
Take a tour of Chicago's most expensive neighborhood, which is home to a 120-year-old restaurant and a street full of diamond shops
Sarah JacobsMay 15, 2018, 00:40 IST
Sarah Jacobs/Business Insider
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Chicago boasts some of America's best restaurants, theaters, and public art.
The city's downtown financial district is known as The Loop, and includes one of the most expensive real estate markets in the city.
The Loop's zipcode 60603 had an average home sale price of $577,500 in 2017.
Chicago's financial district in the downtown area isn't just filled with skyscrapers and office buildings such as the Chicago Stock Exchange - the area known as The Loop is also one of the more bustling and lively areas of the city.
With easy access to Millennium and Grant Park, plenty of theaters, and incredible restaurants, The Loop boasts the city's most expensive residential real estate. For the months of May through August of 2017 Trulia reported that the average sales price of a home in the 60603 zip code was $577,500 - the highest average in the city.
We recently toured the neighborhood to see what 60603 has to offer. Between its rich history - including a 120 year old restaurant and easy access to public works of art - we can see why it's so popular.
Chicago's first elevated train car was built in 1892 — and a loop of elevated train cars were built and completed in the downtown area by 1897. This line of transportation gave the neighborhood its nickname: The Loop.
One of the driving factors of the higher average sale price of homes in the neighborhood is the The Legacy at Millennium Park tower. The luxury condo tower is 72-stories and is located at 60 East Monroe St.
The 60603 zip code extends from The Art Institute of Chicago down six blocks to Wells St. The Institute boasts works from Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Claude Monet, and Pablo Picasso.
Across the street is the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The Lakeview Building, pictured here, was built in 1906 and once served as Chicago's City Hall.
While Millennium Park isn't technically a part of the 60603 zip code, it's easily accessible to the neighborhood.
Millennium Park houses Chicago's famous public work of art "Cloud Gate." Created by artist Sir Anish Kapoor in 2006, the stainless steel sculpture has been nick named "The Bean" because of its shape.
Within the park is also the Crown Fountain. Designed by Jaume Plensa, this work of art includes two 50-foot glass block towers that project video images of faces.
There's also the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, a bandshell that hosts various concerts and performances. Events this summer include concerts from Bon Iver and Robert Plant.
Rooftop bars and restaurants surround the park. Cindy's, the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel's rooftop restaurant, offers stunning views of Cloud Gate. On this particular Saturday, it was bustling.
Other food options within the neighborhood include Revival Food Hall — a place built for those who work downtown and don't have time to venture far for lunch. The hall, which is a collection of some of Chicago's favorite restaurants such as Smoque BBQ, Antique Taco, The Budlong, offers a limited menu option for each.
Within the neighborhood is also the 120-year old Berghoff restaurant. Its menu offers German-American fare.
The zip code includes the start of America's infamous and historic highway: Route 66.
Aside from the elevated trains, the neighborhood is also served by the underground subway Red line.
A portion of State Street is also a part of the neighborhood and boasts retail shops such as Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, as well as the major shopping center: Block 37.
There's also The Rookery, one of Chicago's designated landmarks since the 1970s. Completed in 1888, The Rookery is eleven stories high, and one of the grandest buildings in the world at the time it was built. In 1905 Frank Lloyd Wright was commissioned to update the lobby.
Jeweler's Row District is a part of the neighborhood. Plenty of diamond and jewelry shops are located along Wabash Avenue.
The famous CIBC Theatre, currently showing Hamilton, is also within the neighborhood's zip code, and just north up State Street are plenty of other famous theaters including The Cadillac Theatre, The Chicago Theatre, and Oriental Theatre.
At the base of JPMorgan Chase's Chase Tower is Exelon Plaza — currently under renovation.
Just past Millennium Park is a straight, unblocked view of Lake Michigan.
