The Loop - Chicago, Illinois 1:1 Project

The Loop - Chicago Project

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After almost five years of work, the thirty-five block expanse of the Chicago Loop is complete, along with the transit system surrounding it. Update five includes icons like the Kluczynski Federal Building, parts of the DePaul University Campus, the Fisher Building, the Palmer House Hotel, and much more. With this update complete, the thirty-five block expanse of the Loop is completely detailed (excluding interior detail, as I’d go insane). My next move will be expanding east to Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park, if you’re interested. This project would not be here today without help from the notable 56515, NJDaeger, JacobKazias, Mech265, Bluecolty, Blax02, and Staples.

This update adds tons of new details onto the rest of the map including pedestrian signals, more sewer caps (in their accurate location!), signage, buses and trains, and much more. In some form or another, I can say that almost every building on the map received some touch up or change, some more major than others, with 4 buildings requiring a total rebuild due to scaling or consistency issues.

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The Chicago Loop is the main business district and commercial core of the city of Chicago, and is one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in the city.

- The basis of this project and initial “boundaries” I followed are from the city-transit oriented description, as follows...

The Chicago Loop is a 1.79-mile (2.88 km) long circuit of elevated railroad that forms the hub of the Chicago "L" system in Chicago, Illinois. As of 2012, it has served roughly 75,000 passengers every weekday. The area is called the Loop because the train loops around a rectangle formed by Lake Street on the north side, Wabash Avenue on the east side, Van Buren Street on the south side, and Wells Street on the west side (the current project’s borders).

What’s all included in the map?

Thirty-five fully detailed city blocks (for the most part exterior only), encompassed by a fully detailed (inside and out) transit system, which includes eight furnished stations, trains on the tracks, signals, electrical boxes, as well as two switch towers with coinciding el interchanges.

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Side-by-Side Comparisons

Daley Plaza, with the Burnham Center and City Hall in view.


First United Methodist Church from the platform of Clark/Lake CTA Station.



City Hall from 40 N. Dearborn Street.


Focusing on the gaps between the buildings, we notice the crown of 1 N. LaSalle.


A rainy day at Federal Plaza, looking northeast.



The Oriental Theater from the corner of State and Randolph.



Block 37 from the Northeastern corner of the Daley Center.


190 S. LaSalle from above.

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Why did I start this project?

A recreation project like this has been on my mind ever since I started playing Minecraft, and in October 2016 I bit the bullet and began this project. Rather than going for expansiveness, I chose to try and detail everything to the best of my ability.

Some of my favorite buildings on the map include…
-- The Palmer House Hotel, the largest hotel built on the map yet.
-- Chicago Board of Trade, an art-deco icon.
-- Federal Plaza, a mid-century masterpiece
-- Chase Tower and Exelon Plaza, which you can find a post about here!


I hope you enjoy exploring the map!

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Map Versions
Update 1, with 9 City Blocks
[url=www.mediafire.com/file/y3czd8omex2b2q8/The+Loop+-+Chicago+Project+v1.zip

]www.mediafire.com/file/y3czd8omex2b2q8/The+Loop+-+Chicago+Project+v1.zip

[/url]Update 2, with 15 City Blocks
[url=www.mediafire.com/file/0opxboej0db8mtj/The_Loop_-_Chicago_Project_v2.zip

]www.mediafire.com/file/0opxboej0db8mtj/The_Loop_-_Chicago_Project_v2.zip[/url][url=www.mediafire.com/file/0opxboej0db8mtj/The_Loop_-_Chicago_Project_v2.zip

]

[/url]Update 3, with 20 City Blocks
http://www.mediafire.com/file/95iagt3pejmn9hv/The+Loop+-+Chicago+Project+v3.zip

Update 4, with 28 City Blocks
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8ip90lblqma1nf8/Chicago%20Update%203%202018-12-02.rar?dl=0

Update 5, with 35 City Blocks & full transit system.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/6cenv2jq6ul3rvv/The_Loop_-_Chicago%252C_Ill._Project_1.16.4__03-26-2021.rar/file


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Texturepack
1.13+
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4fyqtud0hxs9c4z/Chicago%20Texture%20Pack%20v1.13.zip?dl=0

1.16+
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4ehdbrqmv2ll1d6/Chicago%20Texture%20Pack%20v1.16.zip?dl=0

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Dynmap

http://68.146.39.232:8124/?worldname=Chicago&mapname=chunky&zoom=3&x=493&y=64&z=700

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The Loop - Chicago Project is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.