The Chicago Loop – more familiar to outsiders as the heart of Chicago’s commercial district – is one of the best locations in the country for having an office. That statement is backed up by the numbers, too – the Loop is part of the second-largest commercial business district in the country, only falling behind Midtown Manhattan, and the area has seen explosive growth over the last few years as more and more companies have realized the value of having connections to so many other businesses. Here are the three largest ways that a residence within the Chicago Loop could benefit your company.

A Technology Powerhouse

Chicago is one of the first cities in the nation to focus on truly modernizing its infrastructure. The end result is easy access to ultra high-speed internet at prices that would shock the rest of the country. Fiber connections that would cost $10,000 a month in cities like Naperville can be obtained for as little as $700 within the Loop – and prices go down even further if companies don’t need truly massive bandwidths. The backbone of the technology within the Loop ensures that communication happens faster, more accurately, and with essentially no downtime worth speaking of – this alone makes the Loop a valuable place to put an office.

However, these prices do bring up another consideration – many startup businesses focus on the rent they’ll pay, but it’s also important to consider all other monthly recurring costs. These include utility bills, subscriptions, parking passes for employees, and anything else that gets paid on a regular basis – moving to the Loop may actually be more affordable for many companies than remaining in their current location.

A Pool of Talent

There are a few cities that stand out when it comes to talent. Aviators, for example, look to the Boeing plants in cities like Everett and Charleston, while high-technology firms consider the communities around Silicon Valley. In the same vein, Chicago offers a truly impressive pool of talent – the city is multicultural, ethnically diverse, and surprisingly healthy to live in (when you consider that it was rated as the 5th best bicycling city in the country). However, a true pool of talent is about more than your own employees. Yes, you want to have people who can get the job done – but you also want the companies around you to be doing well.

The mechanics that fix your utility problems should be experts in their field. The waiters at the restaurants where you meet clients should be professional and have an excellent tableside manner at all times. The graphics company you’re working with for branding your own company should be staffed by creative artists. Your success doesn’t rely only on the quality of your own people – the people surrounding you will also have an impact on your day-to-day operations, and the Loop’s deep pool of talent means that you can benefit in ways you may never have imagined. Locations like these only exist in a few cities around the world, and Chicago is proud to be one of them.

Extensive Vendor Options

As one of America’s most important cities, Chicago has literally thousands of vendors offering everything from family support and cultural affairs to procurement and animal care. If you need something done and can’t do it yourself, then chances are that someone else in the city can take care of it for you – and it’s always good to know that you have options when your schedule is tight.

The City of Chicago offers a comprehensive database of vendors, which can be searched through by name or department. This is an excellent resource for checking the credentials of vendors, seeing what contracts they currently hold, and making your final decision on whether or not to entrust them with something you need done.

Pay special attention to the categories most likely to affect you – Business and Information services are particularly relevant, as are legal aid, planning and development, and the Loop’s police services (in case of a break-in).

It All Comes Back To You

None of this matters if it can’t help your business – technology, personnel, and service options are merely components that you can draw on as needed… but as many other businesses have discovered, strong support in these areas can make the difference between success and failure for a company that’s just starting to establish itself in the business world.

You’ve learned a lot today, so I’d like you to pause for just a moment and consider what you really need from an office. If you truly want to establish connections and become a player, then a Chicago Loop office really could provide everything you need to get started. After that, it’s all up to you – but it’s hard to go wrong when you’re starting with such high-quality materials.