'The Loop' is Back

"Bustling with office workers during the day, Chicago's downtown Loop -- a square mile ringed by elevated train tracks -- was deserted at night and on weekends.

At least until recently. Now, new restaurants and shops stay open past the evening exodus, catering to tens of thousands of new residents who are contributing to a downtown renaissance.

Among those opting to live downtown is Marie Verle, 30, a Parisian who teaches French cooking while her husband studies for a business degree at the University of Chicago.

'We prefer to put more money into living than in a car,' said Verle, 30, accompanying her two boys to a playground between the Loop and a harbor in Lake Michigan. 'We wanted to live in a big building -- they don't have these in Paris -- and to see the lake, to see the lights.'