Chicago’s L: the Ugly Duckling that Made a City By defining the downtown Loop more than a century ago, elevated trains and tracks gave the city a vibrant economic and cultural center. It s a core element that other cities don t have. Alan Ehrenhalt, Senior Editor | December 10, 2020
When I was a kid in Chicago, I used to have a good time strolling along Wabash Avenue, the downtown street under the elevated train tracks that run 20 feet above the busy sidewalk.
Within just a few blocks on Wabash, I could sample the delights of a well-stocked music store, browse a world-class bookshop, check out the merchandise in the immense Marshall Field department store, or order a Pittsburger, said to be the city s best hamburger, in the basement of the Pittsfield office building.