Wacker Drive streaks north through the Loop, swerves to miss the river, and roars along hotel row, the bottom level pulling a tight left into the drive, the top screeching to a halt midair. Here, at the dead end of upper Wacker, peace reigns.
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As havens go, it’s pretty sparse: a wide asphalt cul-de-sac, two curbside trash cans, and a glorious view of Lake Michigan unencumbered by fire hydrant, parking meter, or tow zone. Here lanky limos can stretch out. Heavy-breathing buses sigh deeply. Taxis scamper in and pant side by side as their masters pop free to stretch, munch, talk shop. Here, cabdrivers pray.
Convenience is the prime amenity, explains Syed Waseem Mubarik, dusting off a patch of snowy sidewalk and unfurling his yellow prayer rug. Chicago has at least five downtown mosques, each with the proper facilities for the ritual preprayer wash. But parking is a major hassle. Upper Wacker offers easy-in, easy-out for those equipped with a water jug and rag. “It’s easy for me to just pray and run,” says a colleague, tucking a flattened cardboard box into his trunk and peeling off.
