Chicago’s West Loop and Fulton Market District have quickly evolved from a hub for meatpackers and food wholesalers into the city’s busiest area for new development. The neighborhood west of the Kennedy Expressway is teeming with chef-driven restaurants, boutique hotels, luxury apartment towers, and offices for companies like Google and McDonald’s—and it’s transformation only getting started.
The rapid pace of development has not been without growing pains. The once-gritty atmosphere of West Loop has undoubtedly changed, and some residents have sought help from city officials to minimize disruption from so much construction. Meanwhile, rising commercial rents have prompted some city officials to push for affordable retail spaces in addition to city-mandated affordable housing.
For as much as the area has changed, there’s still so much more to come. Here’s a look at the dozens of buildings that are currently under construction or on the drawing board for the West Loop.
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