The Southland represents the
entire suburban community that lays south and southwest of the City of Chicago.
With roots in manufacturing, steel and transportation, the region continues to
thrive as the most diverse population and economy of the metropolitan area.
The region encompasses three counties of which Cook is the most suburban and
closest to the city. Far south Cook and Will Counties reflect the expansive
suburbs pushing old rural boarders and developing new commercial and industrial
centers along extensive Interstate connections.
Kankakee residents still enjoy unique rural and small town living with strong
local economies and a number of residents that "work north," within the
Southland and downtown.
In the Chicago area, "downtown" refers to downtown Chicago. While downtown
draws a number of commuters to the central city, local and regional
transportation and the area's extensive expressway system carry our workforce
to numerous economic centers in the Southland region.
With close proximity to Indiana, Southland commerce extends the state boundary
to the east. A number of employees living on the "Indiana side" work in
Illinois and can actually be closer to Illinois work locations than some
Illinois residents.
Southland businesses and residents enjoy the unique aspect of being very close
to the city yet in the midst of open space. That open space includes a high
amount of park and forest preserves in the northern segments of the region and
open farmland in the southern segments.
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The unique grid system that is present in the City of Chicago extends south
through the Southland with major streets, separated by one mile, extending
straight south through the Southland. These routes give locals their east-west
bearing along with numbered avenues that dissect our western sector.
A quick distance reading from the center of downtown Chicago is easily
determined by our numbered streets system posted as far south as 218th street.
With State & Madison as Chicago's center, Eighty-eighth Avenue in Orland
Park is eight-eight blocks west of State Street and 159th Street lays that same
number of blocks south of Madison.
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