Chicago's 18 Essential Hotels; "Millennium Mile"; More!

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And now the latest from Curbed Chicago, covering everything you need to know about the city's neighborhoods and real estate.

EVERYWHERE — Visiting Chicago or planning a staycation and not sure which hotel to book? Take a look the latest entry in our Hotel 18 series of the eighteen most essential hotels in Chicago.

THE LOOP — Developers are bullish on Michigan Avenue south of the river and attempting to create a new shopping destination dubbed "Millennium Mile". Curbed dissects this leaked proposal for a new Times Square style retail development called 300 NMA.

THE LOOP — Plans to build a new transit station at Washington and Wabash are well underway. Despite years of setbacks and uncertainties, construction of the new $75 million station is slated to begin in August.

EVERYWHERE — This week Curbed checked in on the construction of several hotels including the Virgin Hotel, Soho House, Chicago Athletic Association and the Loews Hotel Tower.