The Pandemic Decimated Chicago’s Famous Loop. Now, New Business Openings and $673 Million in Investment Are Fueling Its Recovery

A new report finds office vacancies are leveling off and businesses are filling empty storefronts.

BY RACHEL YOON, REGIONAL REPORTER

The Loop neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. Photo: Getty Images

Chicago’s downtown district, the Loop, is poised to enjoy a busy fall going into the holiday season, as new retail businesses open, office vacancies stabilize, and midweek foot traffic increases, according to a Q2 report from the Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA). 

Like many downtown commercial districts in the post-pandemic period, the Loop has been riddled with vacant storefronts and a lack of foot traffic. But now, the report says, investment in new construction, combined with refurbishment of existing........

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