Chicago’s Loop includes the area known as the New East Side, which in turn includes the Lakeshore East development. You’ll find all of your major apartment options in the Loop and New East Side on our at-a-glance list of downtown apartments.
Our goal is to help you find the apartment that best fits your needs. Renters simply have so many differing priorities – and budget constraints – that singling out an overall best building would be a pointless exercise. We’ll identify the Loop / New East Side buildings that rank highest on each of eighteen different criteria in three main groups:
Location. Views; Grocery shopping convenience; Public transit access; Close to parks, beaches; Proximity to the expressway grid; Walking distance to Loop; Most dining, nightlife nearby; retail shopping
Building features. Affordability; Building amenities; Boutique ambiance; Pet-friendliness
Apartment features. Apartment finishes and features; Private outdoor space; Studio / convertible floor plan; One-bedroom floor plans; Two-bedroom floor plan; Three-bedroom floor plan
We’re giving the nod for best two-bedroom floor plans in the area to two older buildings: North Harbor Tower and Columbus Plaza.
Both buildings have corner apartments with the split-bedroom layout that’s popular with roommates and people who work from home, well-defined separate dining areas, living areas large enough to accommodate multiple furniture arrangements, generous closet space and good-sized bedrooms. Many of the newer buildings have small bedrooms, small living / dining areas or a combination of both.
If a balcony is a must, 200 Squared has the best two-bedroom floor plan.
Chime in with a comment if you disagree with our selections.
You’ll find links to our objective, visually-rich apartment reviews of Loop / New East Side buildings, and links to near real-time availability checks for most of the buildings, at our downtown apartments at-a-glance list, and some tips and advice at our Guide to renting in Chicago’s Loop / New East Side.
We’ve also spotlighted the best apartments in River North, Streeterville, the South Loop and the West Loop / Near West neighborhoods.
Final topic: Three-bedroom floor plan.