You know the great real estate adage “location, location, location?” Well, today an old client of mind wanted me to head to the West Loop neighborhood and check out her investment property. She’s thinking of selling her loft at 1040 W Adams.  The unit is occupied by a wonderful tenant whose lease ends soon. So, she wants to know what I think I can sell it for today.

The whole complex was converted from the ground up in 2005. I believe it was originally a warehouse like so much of the West Loop loft condos were. It’s such a cool area with its urban lofts, new cafes and restaurants that are mixed right into the existing old manufacturing and warehouse district. What I also love about this neighborhood is history. It started out as a warehouse district in the 1800’s. That means that many of the buildings standing today are hip urban environments with huge open spaces that are just perfect for art galleries and true loft spaces.

Like the unit I am about to list, the lofts have very cool exposed brick walls, really high wood-beam ceilings, exposed ductwork and wood floors and lots of open space. Really fine is the location. You are close enough to the loop for a short commute or walk to work. Yet, you are not surrounded by the towering high-rises. It’s perfect for those who want to be close to the loop, but still feel a bit edgy, young and urban. That works for lots of us, even those of us who are still young at heart.

Another sign that this area is now truly a neighborhood (no longer only a working warehouse district), is the presence in Union Park. Green space! What a great family entertainment area! Here the city has developed a community park with a seasonal swimming pool, baseball, basketball and volleyball areas, as well as green space for picnics or just hanging out. Recently the park played host to the annual Pitchfork Music Festival which brings bands and fans in from all over the world for three days of live performances by popular musical artists. It’s a draw for the entire city, but especially the local residents.

Notable also are the fine dining establishments located along West Randolph Street. There’s a great variety of cuisine to be found and it is all delicious! My favorite Sushi restaurant, Sushi Wabi should not be missed. Not far from there is Greektown with its fabulous Greek restaurants and bakeries. My favorite is still The Greek Islands Restaurant, the best traditional Greek food in town, if you ask me.

I also love the free valet parking available in Greektown. That makes it an easy meeting choice for your suburban friends who don’t understand the whole pay to park and eat thing! It’s pretty easy to get around town from the West Loop neighborhood whether you are in your car or on foot. There are buses that run along most east/west main streets and also on Halsted and Ashland. The Green, Pink and Blue Line trains run right through the neighborhood as well. To get out of the city, two highways (I-90/94 and I-290) run right through and are accessible from various feeder ramps on east/west streets. You can also catch the Metra commuter train line at Union Station. So life in the West Loop is great!

Posted By: Randee Simborg.