126-457: The Old Chicago Main Post Office is a nine-story-tall office building in downtown Chicago . The building was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White and built in 1921. The structure of the building was expanded greatly in 1932 in order to serve Chicago's great volume of postal business, increased significantly by the mail-order businesses of Montgomery Ward (the largest retailer in
252-523: A rooftop park and a riverwalk . In September 2017 the post office was one of 6 sites in Chicago considered for the new Amazon " HQ2 " location. In September 2019, Uber Freight announced it would be based at the site, adding 2,000 jobs. After extensive renovations undergone by real-estate company 601W, the building opened to office tenants in October 2019. In August 2019, Uber signed a 10-year lease to become
378-532: A sculpture by Pablo Picasso and the state law courts. Given its proximity to government offices, the center's plaza serves as a kind of town square for celebrations, protests, and other events. The Loop is in South Chicago Township within Cook County. Townships in Chicago were abolished for governmental purposes in 1902 but are still used for property assessment. The nearby James R. Thompson Center
504-571: A " fifty-state strategy ", building support for the Democratic Party over the long term, while Emanuel advocated a more tactical approach focusing attention on key districts. The Democratic Party gained 30 seats in the House in the 2006 elections , and Emanuel received considerable praise for his stewardship of the DCCC, even from Illinois Republican Rep. Ray LaHood , who said, "He legitimately can be called
630-594: A compromise, a hole for the Parkway was reserved in the base of the Post Office and utilized twenty years later. Competitors Montgomery Ward and Sears combined to make Chicago "the nation's mail-order capital". (Montgomery Ward, which became the largest retailer in the United States in the late 1930s, was eventually passed by Sears, and then was purchased and merged.) In 1966, the Main Chicago Post Office came to
756-650: A director. The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight later accused the board of having "failed in its duty to follow up on matters brought to its attention". Emanuel resigned from the board in 2001 before his first bid for Congress. During this time he served on the Board of Commissioners of the Chicago Housing Authority . In 2002, Emanuel pursued the U.S. House seat in the 5th district of Illinois, previously held by Rod Blagojevich , who successfully ran for governor of Illinois . His strongest opponent in
882-400: A habit of telephoning CIA Director Leon Panetta and asking about the lethal drone strikes aimed at Al Qaeda , asking, "Who did we get today?". In 2010, Emanuel was reported to have conflicts with other senior members of the president's team and ideological clashes over policy. He was also the focal point of criticism from left-leaning Democrats for the administration's perceived move to
1008-460: A halt when a logjam of 10 million pieces of mail clogged the system for nearly a week. With Chicago rated worst in postal deliveries, a new Main Post Office to be located right across Harrison Street was proposed. In 1997, the old building was vacated in favor of the new, modernized facility. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. A February 2006 report by
1134-690: A liberal arts school with a strong dance program. This background, as well as the Ambassador’s short stature, led some critics to nickname him "tiny dancer". While an undergraduate, Emanuel was elected to the Sarah Lawrence Student Senate. He graduated from Sarah Lawrence in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts , and went on to receive a Master of Arts in Speech and Communication from Northwestern University in 1985. Emanuel took part in
1260-605: A local rock and roll club, and later became an adherent of Benjamin Spock 's writings. Emanuel's parents met during the 1950s in Chicago. Emanuel was born on November 29, 1959, in Chicago, Illinois. His first name, Rahm ( רם ) means high or lofty in Hebrew . He attended Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School in Lakeview for elementary school. He has been described by his older brother Ezekiel , an oncologist and bioethicist at
1386-520: A managing director at the firm's Chicago office in 1999, and according to congressional disclosures, made $ 16.2 million in his 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 years as a banker. At Wasserstein Perella, he worked on eight deals, including the acquisition by Commonwealth Edison of Peco Energy and the purchase by GTCR Golder Rauner of the SecurityLink home security unit from SBC Communications . In 2000, Emanuel
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#17328522614181512-507: A partisan Democrat. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham disagreed, saying: "This is a wise choice by President-elect Obama. He's tough, but fair, honest, direct, and candid." Ira Forman, executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council , said that the choice indicated that Obama would not listen to the "wrong people" regarding the U.S.–Israel relationship. Some commentators opined that Emanuel would be good for
1638-419: A period of one decade that would have included the renovation of the building as well as residential, retail, entertainment and office space. The plan included several towers, the tallest one being a proposed 120-story mixed use twin tower skyscraper to stand about 2,000 feet (610 m) high to the roof, which would have made it the tallest building in the United States , over 500 feet (150 m) taller than
1764-460: A personal vehicle at all, compared to 26.4 percent citywide and 12.6 percent regionally. The Loop is Community Area 32. In addition to the financial ( West Loop–LaSalle Street Historic District ), theatre, and jewelry ( Jewelers Row District ) districts, there are neighborhoods that are also part of the Loop community area. According to the 2010 census, 29,283 people live in the neighborhoods in or near
1890-462: A series of scandals. In October 2017, Emanuel announced he planned to run for a third term, but reversed his decision on September 4, 2018. The Chicago Tribune assessed Emanuel's performance as mayor as "mixed", and at one point half of Chicagoans favored Emanuel's resignation. He left office in May 2019 and was succeeded by Lori Lightfoot . In August 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Emanuel to be
2016-618: A serious crisis to go to waste." Emanuel explained later, "... what I said was, never allow a good crisis to go to waste when it's an opportunity to do things that you had never considered, or that you didn't think were possible." In a 2009 article in The New York Times , Emanuel was characterized as being "perhaps the most influential chief of staff of a generation". He has a reputation for his no-holds-barred negotiation style that involves "his share of shouting and cursing". Ezekiel Emanuel has written, "The impatient, pushy Emanuel style
2142-586: A sizable local profile, but also a sizable national profile. Emanuel's eligibility for office was challenged on the basis of his lack of residency in Chicago for one year prior to the election. This was the period when Emanuel was in Washington serving as the White House chief of staff. The Board of Elections and the Cook County Circuit Court affirmed his eligibility. A divided Court of Appeals reversed
2268-456: A three-month compulsory universal service program for Americans between the ages of 18 and 25. A similar, expanded version of the initiative was later proposed by Barack Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign. During his original 2002 campaign, Emanuel "indicated his support of President Bush 's position on Iraq , but said he believed the President needed to better articulate his position to
2394-603: A two-week civilian volunteer holiday, known as the Sar-El , where, as a civilian volunteer, he assisted the Israel Defense Forces during the 1991 Gulf War , helping to repair truck brakes in one of Israel's northern bases. While a high school student working part-time at an Arby's restaurant, Emanuel severely cut his right middle finger on a meat slicer, which was later infected from swimming in Lake Michigan . His finger
2520-538: Is Chicago 's central business district and one of the city's 77 municipally recognized community areas . Located at the center of downtown Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan , it is the second-largest business district in North America after Midtown Manhattan . The headquarters and regional offices of several global and national businesses, retail establishments, restaurants, hotels, and theaters–as well as many of Chicago's most famous attractions–are located in
2646-477: Is a mixed-use district bordered by Michigan Avenue to the west, the Chicago River to the north, Randolph Street to the south, and Lake Shore Drive to the east. It encompasses the entire Illinois Center and Lakeshore East is the latest lead-developer of the 1969 Planned Development #70, as well as separate developments like Aon Center, Prudential Plaza, Park Millennium Condominium Building, Hyatt Regency Chicago, and
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#17328522614182772-452: Is a section of Grant Park, opened in the summer of 2004 and features Frank Gehry 's Jay Pritzker Pavilion , Jaume Plensa 's Crown Fountain , and Anish Kapoor 's Cloud Gate sculpture along Lake Michigan . The Chicago River and its accompanying Chicago Riverwalk, which delineates the area, also provides entertainment and recreational opportunities, including the annual dyeing of the river green in honor of St. Patrick's Day . Trips down
2898-530: Is a strong supporter of gun control, rated "F" by the NRA in December 2003. He has also strongly supported the banning of numerous rifles based upon "sporting purposes" criteria. During his original 2002 campaign, Emanuel spoke in support of the goal of "to help make health care affordable and available for all Americans". In his 2006 book, co-authored with Bruce Reed, The Plan: Big Ideas for America , Emanuel advocated
3024-562: Is across the street. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago is located on LaSalle Street in the heart of the financial district. The United States Postal Service operates the Loop Station Post Office at 211 South Clark Street. The Chicago Fire Department operates 3 Fire Stations in the Loop District: Several countries maintain consulates in the Loop. They include Argentina , Australia , Canada , Costa Rica ,
3150-408: Is known for his "take-no-prisoners style" that has earned him the nickname " Rahmbo ". Emanuel sent a dead fish in a box to a pollster who was late delivering polling results. On the night after the 1992 election , angry at Democrats and Republicans who "betrayed" them in the 1992 election, Emanuel stood up at a celebratory dinner with colleagues from the campaign and began plunging a steak knife into
3276-474: Is so well known that during a recent job interview I was asked, point-blank, whether I had the level-headed temperament the position required. ... . [A]s obvious as our flaws are to others, it's difficult to recognize them in ourselves." At a January 2010 closed-door meeting in the White House with liberal activists, Emanuel called them "fucking retarded" for planning to run TV ads attacking conservative Democrats who didn't support Obama's health-care overhaul. After
3402-754: Is the city headquarters for state government, with an office for the Governor. Many state agencies have offices here, including the Illinois State Board of Education . A few blocks away is the Everett McKinley Dirksen United States Courthouse housing federal law courts and other federal government offices. This is the seat of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit . The Kluczynski Federal Building
3528-621: Is the most Democratically leaning district in Illinois according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index with a score of D+38 and represented by Democrat Danny K. Davis . List of United States representatives representing the Loop since 1903 Illinois's 1st congressional district (1903 – 1963): Illinois's 7th congressional district (1963–present): The Loop area derives its name from transportation networks present in it. Passenger lines reached seven Loop-area stations by
3654-730: Is the second largest commercial business district in the United States after New York City's Midtown Manhattan . Its financial district near LaSalle Street is home to United Airlines , Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, and CME Group 's Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Exchange . Aon Corporation maintains an office in the Aon Center . Chase Tower houses the headquarters of Exelon . United Airlines has its headquarters in Willis Tower , having moved its headquarters to Chicago from suburban Elk Grove Township in early 2007. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association has its headquarters in
3780-420: The 2011 Chicago mayoral election . Emanuel won with 55% of the vote over five other candidates in the non-partisan mayoral election. In the 2015 Chicago mayoral election , he failed to obtain an absolute majority in the first round but defeated Cook County board commissioner Jesús "Chuy" García in the subsequent run-off election. In late 2015, Emanuel's approval rating plunged to "the low 20s", in response to
3906-450: The 2016 presidential election , the Loop cast 11,141 votes for Hillary Clinton and cast 2,148 votes for Donald Trump (79.43% to 15.31%). In the 2012 presidential election , the Loop cast 8,134 votes for Barack Obama and cast 2,850 votes for Mitt Romney (72.26% to 25.32%). In the U.S. House of Representatives , the area is wholly within Illinois's 7th congressional district , which
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4032-623: The AT&;T Corporate Center . Chicago's fourth tallest building, the Aon Center , is located just south of Illinois Center . The complex is at the east end of the Loop, east of Michigan Avenue . Two Prudential Plaza is also located here, just to the west of the Aon Center. The Loop contains a wealth of outdoor sculpture, including works by Pablo Picasso , Joan Miró , Henry Moore , Marc Chagall , Magdalena Abakanowicz , Alexander Calder , and Jean Dubuffet . Chicago's cultural heavyweights, such as
4158-751: The Art Institute of Chicago , the Goodman Theatre , the Chicago Theatre , the Lyric Opera at the Civic Opera House building, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra , are also in this area, as is the historic Palmer House Hilton hotel, found on East Monroe Street. Chicago's waterfront, which is almost exclusively recreational beach and park areas from north to south, features Grant Park in
4284-464: The Chicago City Council , which are represented by aldermen Sophia King , Byron Sigcho-Lopez , Bill Conway and Brendan Reilly . From the city's incorporation and division into wards in 1837 to 1992, the Loop as currently defined was at least partially contained within the 1st ward. From 1891 to 1992 it was entirely within the 1st ward and was coterminous with it between 1891 and 1901. It
4410-589: The Chicago River to the west and north, Lake Michigan to the east, and Roosevelt Road (12th Street) to the south is called the Loop. It took its name from a somewhat smaller area, which meant the 35 city blocks bounded on the north by Lake Street, on the west by Wells Street, on the south by Van Buren Street, and on the east by Wabash Avenue—the Union Loop formed by the 'L' in the late 1800s. Similarly, " South " and " West Loop " historically referred to areas within
4536-487: The Ferrara Candy Company announced that it would relocate its headquarters to the Post Office building in 2019, occupying 77,000 square feet (7,200 m) and bringing nearly 400 jobs. The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago will also be a tenant. The Chicago Sun-Times , in 2022, had plans to open a facility there for newspaper and WBEZ operations. A total of 6,000 square feet (560 m) of space under lease
4662-559: The Gaza Strip and criticized Arab countries for not applying the same kind of pressure on the Palestinians as they have on Israel. At a 2003 pro-Israel rally in Chicago, Emanuel told the marchers that Israel was "ready for peace" but would not get there until Palestinians "turn away from the path of terror". Emanuel declared in April 2006 that he would support Hillary Clinton should she pursue
4788-531: The General Accounting Office stated, that it cost the government $ 2 million a year to maintain the retired building. On June 9, 2009, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the postal service was placing the post office on the auction block. Held on August 27 and conducted by Rick Levin & Associates Inc., the auction raised $ 40 million, which was well over the opening bid of $ 300,000. The buyer
4914-640: The Home Insurance Building , considered the world's first skyscraper (demolished in 1931); the Chicago Board of Trade Building , a National Historic Landmark ; and Willis Tower , the world's tallest building for nearly 25 years. Some of the historic buildings in this district were instrumental in the development of towers. This area abounds in shopping opportunities, including the Loop Retail Historic District , although it competes with
5040-636: The Home Insurance Building , generally considered the world's first skyscraper, was constructed, followed by the development of the Chicago school best exemplified by such buildings as the Rookery Building in 1888, the Monadnock Building in 1891, and the Sullivan Center in 1899. Loop architecture has been dominated by skyscrapers and high-rises since early in its history. Notable buildings include
5166-595: The Illinois Senate most of the community area is in District 3, represented by Democrat Mattie Hunter , while a large part in the east is part of District 13, represented by Democrat Robert Peters , and a very small part in the west is part of District 5, represented by Democrat Patricia Van Pelt . The Loop community area has supported the Democratic Party in the past two presidential elections by large margins. In
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5292-590: The Israeli–Palestinian peace process because if Israeli leaders made excuses for not dismantling settlements, Emanuel would be tough and pressure the Israelis to comply. Some Palestinians expressed dismay at Emanuel's appointment. Weeks after accepting the appointment, Emanuel participated on a panel of corporate chief executive officers sponsored by the Wall Street Journal , and said, "You never want
5418-656: The Michigan Plaza complex. Sidley Austin has an office in the Loop. The Chicago Loop Alliance is located at 55 West Monroe, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is located in an office in the Aon Center, the French-American Chamber of Commerce in Chicago has an office in 35 East Wacker , the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce in the United States is located in an office at 303 East Wacker Drive, and
5544-720: The Millennium Station , which serves as the Chicago terminal of the Metra Electric District line that goes to University Park , and LaSalle Street Station , which serves as the Chicago terminal of the Rock Island District line bound for Joliet , are in the Loop. In addition to the terminals, the Van Buren Street station and Museum Campus/11th Street station on the Electric District line are also in
5670-498: The U.S. Senate . He also worked as the national campaign director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 1988 , and was senior advisor and chief fund-raiser for Richard M. Daley 's successful initial campaign for mayor of Chicago , in 1989 . He subsequently worked for Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan , conducting opposition research for his 1990 gubernatorial campaign . At
5796-581: The United States Ambassador to Japan ; he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in December of that year. Emanuel's father, Benjamin M. Emanuel, was born in Jerusalem , where he was a member of the Irgun Zionist paramilitary organization. He moved to the United States to work as a pediatrician at Michael Reese Hospital . The surname Emanuel ( Hebrew : עמנואל ), which means "God is with us",
5922-852: The University of Pennsylvania , as "quiet and observant" as a child. Ari , his younger brother, is the CEO of Endeavor , an entertainment agency with headquarters in Beverly Hills, California . Rahm Emanuel also has a younger adopted sister, Shoshana. While he lived in Chicago, Emanuel attended the Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School . After his family moved to Wilmette , north of the city, Emanuel attended public schools: Romona School, Locust Junior High School , and New Trier High School . He and his brothers attended summer camp in Israel, including
6048-463: The Willis Tower , containing office, residential, and hotel space. It would also have included two 60-story residential towers as well as a 40-story hotel. All the buildings in the development were to be connected via a ground-level complex that would have been built over the Chicago River and the Eisenhower Expressway . More specifically, it was exactly one year and nine months after acquiring
6174-470: The 1830s, the area was selected as the site of their respective seats. Originally mixed-use, the neighborhood became increasingly commercial in the 1870s. This process accelerated in the aftermath of the 1871 Great Chicago Fire , which destroyed most of the neighborhood's buildings. Some of the world's earliest skyscrapers were constructed in the Loop, giving rise to the Chicago School of architecture . By
6300-410: The 1890s, with transfers from one to the other being a major business for taxi drivers prior to the advent of Amtrak in the 1970s and the majority of trains being concentrated at Chicago Union Station across the river in the Near West Side . The construction of a streetcar loop in 1882 and the elevated railway loop in the 1890s gave the area its name and cemented its dominance in the city. In Metra
6426-446: The 1920s old buildings were purchased in the area and converted to parking structures. More high-rise garages and parking lots were constructed in the 1930s, which also saw the advent of double-deck parking. The first parking meters were installed in 1947 and private garages were regulated in 1957; they were banned outright in the Loop in the 1970s in response to federal air-quality standards. The first underground garages were built by
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#17328522614186552-492: The American people". In the 2006 congressional primaries, Emanuel, then head of the Democratic congressional campaign committee, helped organize a run by Tammy Duckworth , an Iraq war veteran with no political experience, against grassroots candidate Christine Cegelis in Illinois' 6th district. Expedited withdrawal from Iraq was a central point of Cegelis' campaign and Duckworth opposed a withdrawal timetable. In June 2007, Emanuel condemned an outbreak of Palestinian violence in
6678-412: The Chicago River throughout the area. Illinois Center neighborhood has three-level streets. The eastern terminus of U.S. Route 66 (US 66), an iconic highway in the United States first charted in 1926, was located at Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue . When Illinois and Missouri agreed that the local signage for US 66 should be replaced with that of Interstate 55 (I-55) as
6804-434: The Chicago River, including architectural tours, by commercial boat operators, are great favorites with both locals and tourists alike. The Loop is the seat of Chicago's city government. It is also the government seat of Cook County and houses an office for the governor of Illinois . The city and county governments are situated in the same century-old building . Across the street, the Richard J. Daley Center accommodates
6930-430: The Czech Republic , Ecuador , El Salvador , France , Guatemala , Haiti , Hungary , Indonesia , Israel , the Republic of Macedonia , the Netherlands , Pakistan , Peru , the Philippines , South Africa , Turkey , and Venezuela . In addition, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of the Republic of China is in the Loop. The Loop is currently a part of the 4th, 25th, 34th and 42nd wards of
7056-411: The Democrats lost control of the House in the 2010 mid-term elections. After Emanuel's election as chairman of the Democratic Caucus (see below), Chris Van Hollen became committee chair for the 110th Congress. After his role in helping the Democrats win the 2006 elections, Emanuel was believed to be a leading candidate for the position of Majority Whip . Nancy Pelosi, who became the next Speaker of
7182-454: The Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park. The area has a triple-level street system and is bisected by Columbus Drive. Most of this district has been developed on land that was originally water and once used by the Illinois Central Railroad rail yards. The early buildings in this district such as the Aon Center and One Prudential Plaza used airspace rights in order to build above the railyards. The New Eastside Association of Residents (NEAR) has been
7308-400: The Fort Dearborn reservation that became part of the city in 1839 and land reclaimed from Lake Michigan. The area was bustling by the end of the 1830s. Lake Street started to be a center for retail at that time, until it was eclipsed by State Street in the 1850s. By 1948 an estimated one million people came to and went from the Loop each day. Afterwards, suburbanization caused a decrease in
7434-426: The House of Representatives , persuaded him not to challenge Jim Clyburn , but instead to succeed Clyburn in the role of Democratic Caucus Chairman . In return, Pelosi agreed to assign the caucus chair more responsibilities, including "aspects of strategy and messaging, incumbent retention, policy development, and rapid-response communications". Caucus vice-chair John Larson remained in his role instead of running for
7560-404: The Loop area and offer 24/7 service; the Red and Blue Lines are the only rapid transit lines in the United States west of the Appalachian Mountains to offer such service. Bus Rapid Transit has been implemented in the Loop. Chicago's address system has been standardized as beginning at the intersection of State and Madison Streets since September 1, 1909. Prior to that time, Chicago's street system
7686-412: The Loop proper, but in the 21st century began to refer to the entire Near South and much of the Near West Sides of the city, respectively. In 1803, the United States Army built Fort Dearborn in what is now the Loop; although earlier settlement was present, this was first settlement in the area sponsored by the United States' federal government . When Chicago and Cook County were incorporated in
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#17328522614187812-419: The Loop. The professional sector is the largest source of employment of both Loop residents and Loop employees, at respectively 21.4 and 23.3 percent. Finance was the second most common employment for both groups, at respectively 13.5 and 17.7 percent. Health Care was the third largest sector for residents at 10.2 percent while Education was the third largest sector for Loop employees at 13 percent. Education
7938-479: The Loop. 26.8 percent worked outside of Chicago. Respectively 11.5, 8.0, and 2.8 percent worked in the Near North Side , the Near West Side , and Hyde Park . Conversely, 45.5 percent of the people employed in the Loop lived outside of Chicago. Lake View housed 4 percent of Loop employees, the highest percentage of any of Chicago's community areas. The Near North Side, West Town , and Lincoln Park respectively housed 3.8, 2.6, and 2.5 percent of those working in
8064-428: The Loop. All stations in the Loop are in Zone A for fare collection purposes. The interurban South Shore Line , which goes to South Bend, Indiana , has its Chicago terminal at Millennium Station. All lines of the Chicago "L" except the Yellow Line serve the Loop area for at least some hours. The State Street Subway and Dearborn Street Subway , respectively parts of the Red Line and Blue Line , are present in
8190-410: The Loop. The neighborhood also hosts Chicago's City Hall , the seat of Cook County , offices of other levels of government, and several foreign consulates. The intersection of State Street and Madison Street in the Loop is the origin point for the address system on Chicago's street grid . The Loop's definition and perceived boundaries have developed over time. Since the 1920s, the area bounded by
8316-438: The Loop. The median sale price for residential real estate was $ 710,000 in 2005 according to Forbes. In addition to the government, financial, theatre and shopping districts, there are neighborhoods that are also part of the Loop community area. For much of its history this Section was used for Illinois Central rail yards, including the IC's Great Central Station , with commercial buildings along Michigan Avenue. The New Eastside
8442-399: The Representatives that Rahm had recruited, such as Heath Shuler , ended up "[voting] against important Obama administration priorities, like economic stimulus, banking reform, and health care". Howie Klein has suggested that Emanuel's congressional campaign strategy was short-sighted, as it "contributed to the massive G.O.P. majorities we have now, the biggest since the nineteen-twenties" when
8568-476: The US Mexico Chamber of Commerce Mid-America Chapter is located in an office in One Prudential Plaza . McDonald's was headquartered in the Loop until 1971, when it moved to suburban Oak Brook . When Bank One Corporation existed, its headquarters were in the Bank One Plaza, which is now Chase Tower. When Amoco existed, its headquarters were in the Amoco Building, which is now the Aon Center. In 2019, about 40 percent of Loop residents were also employed in
8694-466: The United States) and of Sears (its competitor). In 1997, the post office moved to a modern processing center nearby and the building was sold by the U.S. Postal Service for redevelopment in 2007. After an extensive restoration project, the Old Post Office became home to many corporate offices including Walgreens , Ferrara Candy Company , PepsiCo , Cisco Systems , Uber , CBOE , Home Chef , Vizient, Inc. , and more. The original 1922 structure
8820-425: The area's importance. Starting in the 1960s, however, the presence of an upscale shopping district caused the area's fortunes to increase. The Loop's population has boomed in recent years, having a 158 percent population increase between 2000 and 2020. Between 2010 and 2014, the number of jobs in The Loop increased by nearly 63,000 jobs, or an increase of over 13%. The Loop, along with the rest of downtown Chicago,
8946-460: The area. 33.3 percent of Loop residents walk or bike to work compared to 7.3 percent citywide. An additional 19.4 percent of Loop residents use transit for a daily commute, while 23.4 percent of residents citywide do. Just 22.2 percent of Loop residents drive to work alone or in a carpool, compared to 54.9 percent of all Chicago residents and 72.5 percent in the greater Chicago region. By household, 47.2 percent of Loop residents do not have access to
9072-422: The building was bought in 2014 by English real estate developer Bill Davies for $ 24 million at auction. Davies proposed an ambitious redevelopment plan that was never realized; on May 13, 2016, the building was sold by Davies, who died the next day. In February 2016, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel pressed for development of the site, threatening to take possession of the building by use of eminent domain . In March,
9198-432: The building's largest tenant, occupying 463,000 square feet (43,000 m). Construction on the space to be utilized by Uber was scheduled to begin in the spring of 2020. The structure will also include new Chicago offices for Walgreens , occupying 200,000 square feet (19,000 m) and housing 1,800 employees. PepsiCo will relocate its Chicago office of 1,300 employees and occupy 192,000 square feet (17,800 m), while
9324-526: The campaign during the New Hampshire primary . Clinton's primary rival, Paul Tsongas (the New Hampshire Democratic primary winner), later withdrew, citing a lack of campaign funds. Richard Mintz, a Washington public relations consultant who worked with Emanuel on the campaign, spoke about the soundness of the idea: "It was that [extra] million dollars that really allowed the campaign to withstand
9450-482: The center. By September 2010, with the Democrats anticipating heavy losses in mid-term elections, this was said to precipitate Emanuel's departure as chief of staff. On September 30, 2010, it was announced that Emanuel would leave his post as White House Chief of Staff to run for Mayor of Chicago . He was replaced by Pete Rouse on October 2, 2010. Emanuel entered the race with high- name recognition , having not only
9576-549: The chairman position. After Vice President Dick Cheney asserted that he did not fall within the bounds of orders set for the executive branch , Emanuel called for cutting off the $ 4.8 million the Executive Branch provides for the Vice President's office. Emanuel is generally liberal on social issues . He has maintained a 100-percent pro-choice voting record, supports LGBT rights including same-sex marriage , and
9702-469: The city in the early 1950s. All residences and places of employment within the Loop are in highly walkable areas; the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning defines such areas based on population density, the length of city blocks, tree canopy cover, fatalities or grievous injuries incurred by pedestrians and bicyclists in the area, the density of intersections, and amenities located near
9828-444: The city's Department of Planning and Development issued an RFP seeking bids due June 10 for redevelopment of the site. Later that week, with announcement of a conditional sale of the building, it turned out that Davies had been in negotiation since May 2015 for sale of the building to 601W , a New York City-based real estate company which owns Chicago's Aon Center and One Prudential Plaza buildings. On May 13, 2016, completion of
9954-594: The country, he didn't listen to me", after the Supreme Court upheld "ObamaCare" in 2012. As chief of staff, Emanuel would make his staff laugh. During a staff meeting, when Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra gave uniformly upbeat reports, Emanuel is said to have looked at him and said: "Whatever you're taking, I want some." Emanuel had a hand in war strategy, political maneuvering, communications and economic policy. Bob Woodward wrote in Obama's Wars that Emanuel made
10080-479: The crowded primary of eight was former Illinois state representative Nancy Kaszak. During the primary, Edward Moskal , president of the Polish American Congress , a political action committee endorsing Kaszak, called Emanuel a "millionaire carpetbagger ". Emanuel won the primary and defeated Republican candidate Mark Augusti in the general election . Emanuel's inaugural election to the House with 67%
10206-415: The desk, and I'm bringing my paper and my phone." Emanuel remained neutral in the race until June 4, 2008, the day after the final primary contests, when he endorsed Obama. On November 6, 2008, Emanuel accepted the position of White House Chief of Staff for US President Barack Obama . He resigned his congressional seat effective January 2, 2009. A special primary to fill his vacated congressional seat
10332-664: The downtown area. Grant Park is the home of Buckingham Fountain , the Petrillo Music Shell , the Grant Park Symphony (where free concerts can be enjoyed throughout the summer), and Chicago's annual two-week food festival, the Taste of Chicago , where more than 3 million people try foods from over 70 vendors. The area also hosts the annual music festival Lollapalooza which features popular alternative rock, heavy metal, EDM , hip hop, and punk rock, artists. Millennium Park , which
10458-458: The first hotel in Chicago, was built in 1831 near Wolf Point at what is now the northwestern corner of the Loop. When Cook County was incorporated in 1831, the first meeting of its government was held at Fort Dearborn with two representatives from Chicago and one from Naperville . The entirety of what is now the Loop was part of the Town of Chicago when it was initially incorporated in 1833, except for
10584-541: The first of three terms representing Illinois's 5th congressional district , a seat he held from 2003 to 2009. As chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee , he oversaw Democratic wins in the 2006 United States House of Representatives elections , allowing the party to gain control of the chamber for the first time since 1994. After the 2008 U.S. presidential election , President Barack Obama appointed Emanuel to serve as White House chief of staff . In October 2010, Emanuel resigned as chief of staff to run in
10710-434: The formation of a $ 500 million joint venture with Sterling Bay Companies for phase I of the redevelopment. On July 18, Sterling announced a new relationship with J.P. Morgan Asset Management , which gave them access to new financial resources. However, Davies never found sufficient financing. In December 2014, Davies canceled the project and put the post office building up for sale. After sitting vacant for nearly two decades,
10836-457: The golden boy of the Democratic Party today. He recruited the right candidates, found the money, and funded them, and provided issues for them. Rahm did what no one else could do in seven cycles." However, Emanuel also faced some criticism for his failure to support some progressive candidates, as Howard Dean advocated. Emanuel had "aggressively recruited right-leaning candidates, frequently military veterans, including former Republicans". Many of
10962-477: The highway was predominately north–south in those states, most signs of the former highway in Chicago were removed without incident but the final sign on the corner of Jackson and Michigan was removed with great fanfare on January 13, 1977, and replaced with a sign reading "END OF ROUTE 66". The first anti-parking ordinance of streets in the Loop was passed on May 1, 1918, in order to help streetcars, and had been advocated by Chicago Surface Lines . This law banned
11088-481: The investment bank Goldman Sachs . Following the campaign, Emanuel served as a senior advisor to Clinton at the White House from 1993 to 1998. In the White House, Emanuel was initially Assistant to the President for Political Affairs and then Senior Advisor to the President for Policy and Strategy. He was a leading strategist in White House efforts to institute NAFTA , among other Clinton initiatives. Emanuel
11214-610: The late 19th century, cable car turnarounds and the Union Loop encircled the area, giving the neighborhood its name. Near the lake, Grant Park "Chicago's front yard" is Chicago's oldest park but was significantly expanded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and houses a number of features and museums. Starting in the 1920s, road improvements for highways were constructed to and into the Loop, perhaps most famously U.S. Route 66 , which opened in 1926. While dominated by offices and public buildings, its residential population boomed during
11340-409: The latter 20th century and first decades of the 21st, partly due to the development of former rail yards (at one time, the area had six major interurban railroad terminals and land was also needed for extensive rail cargo storage and transfer), industrial lands, as well as highrise residences. Since 1950, the Loop's population has increased the most out of all of Chicago's community areas. The origin of
11466-493: The more upscale Magnificent Mile area to the north. It includes Chicago's former Marshall Field's department store location in the Marshall Field and Company Building ; the original Sullivan Center Carson Pirie Scott store location (closed February 21, 2007). Chicago's Downtown Theatre District is also found within this area, along with numerous restaurants and hotels. Chicago has a famous skyline which features many of
11592-435: The name "the Loop" is disputed. Some sources claim it first referred to two cable car lines that used a circuit–constructed in 1882 and bounded by Van Buren Street, Wabash Avenue, Wells Street , and Lake Street –to enter and depart the downtown area. Other research, however, has concluded that "the Loop" was not used as a proper noun until after the 1895–97 construction of the Union Loop used by 'L' trains, which shared
11718-497: The number of single mothers eligible for Medicaid. For that reason, it was dubbed "the Titanic plan", a reference to the priority given to saving women and children during the sinking of the Titanic . Reportedly, House Speaker Pelosi had to convince Obama on the health care initiative after Emanuel dramatically scaled it back. Emanuel has since apologized for his role, saying, "Thank God for
11844-425: The parking of any vehicle between 7 and 10 a.m. and 4 and 7 p.m. on a street used by streetcars; approximately 1,000 violators of this law were arrested in the first month of the ordinance's enforcement. The La Salle Hotel 's parking garage was the first high-rise parking garage in the Loop, constructed in 1917 at the corner of Washington and LaSalle Streets and remaining in service until its demolition in 2005. In
11970-524: The phrase applied to himself at that same age, "Rahm always tries to get the maximum for the minimum." Rahm was encouraged by his mother to take ballet lessons, and is a graduate of the Evanston School of Ballet, as well as a student of The Joel Hall Dance Center, where his children later took lessons. He won a scholarship to the Joffrey Ballet , but turned it down to attend Sarah Lawrence College ,
12096-608: The popular culture, inspiring articles and websites that chronicle these and other quotes and incidents. The character Josh Lyman in The West Wing was said to be based on Emanuel, though executive producer Lawrence O'Donnell denied this. After serving as an advisor to Bill Clinton, in 1998 Emanuel resigned from his position in the administration and joined the investment banking firm Wasserstein Perella , where he worked for 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 years. Although he did not have an MBA degree or prior banking experience, he became
12222-465: The position of Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman (DCCC) after the death of the previous chair, Bob Matsui . Emanuel led the Democratic Party's effort to capture the majority in the House of Representatives in the 2006 elections. The documentary HouseQuake , featuring Emanuel, chronicles those elections. Emanuel had disagreements over Democratic election strategy with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean . Dean favored
12348-594: The post office property from the Postal Service when Davies unveiled his plan for the Post Office on July 21, 2011. The proposal, which involved three other properties besides the 14-story Post Office, was broken down into three phases pending the required $ 3.5 billion in funding: The whole $ 3.5 billion plan was submitted to the Chicago City Council and the Planning Commission for approval the same day it
12474-529: The presidency in 2008. Emanuel remained close to Clinton since leaving the White House, talking strategy with her at least once a month as chairman of the DCCC. However, Emanuel's loyalties came into conflict when his home-state Senator, Barack Obama , expressed interest in the race. Asked in January 2007, about his stance on the Democratic presidential nomination, he said: "I'm hiding under the desk. I'm very far under
12600-419: The president for political affairs and as Senior Advisor to the President for policy and strategy. Emanuel worked at the investment bank Wasserstein Perella & Co. from 1998 for two-and-a-half years, and served on the board of directors of Freddie Mac . In 2002, he ran for the seat in the U.S. House of Representatives vacated by Rod Blagojevich , who resigned to become governor of Illinois . Emanuel won
12726-530: The recognized community representative (Illinois non-profit corporation) since 1991 and is a 501(c)(3) IRS tax-exempt organization. Rahm Emanuel Rahm Israel Emanuel ( / r ɑː m / ; born November 29, 1959) is an American politician and diplomat currently serving as United States ambassador to Japan . A member of the Democratic Party , he represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives for three terms from 2003 to 2009. He
12852-505: The remarks were quoted in a front-page story of the Wall Street Journal , and after he was criticized by Sarah Palin , Emanuel apologized to organizations for mentally disabled people for using the word "retarded". According to Jonathan Alter's book, The Promise , Emanuel opposed Barack Obama's plan for a broad health care reform, but Obama overrode him. Emanuel advocated a smaller plan because it could get bi-partisan support. Emanuel wanted to expand coverage for children, and increase
12978-408: The sale from Davies to 601W was announced by Emanuel. Davies died the next day. Vicky Flores, who ran the Chicago office of Davies' firm, commented: "It was really weird, the timing. Everything was signed off, and then I heard he had died. It was like he waited until everything was taken care of." In a $ 500 million renovation, Gensler plans on renovation of the space into office space, with addition of
13104-489: The same route. In what is now the Loop, on the south bank of the Chicago River near today's Michigan Avenue Bridge , the United States Army erected Fort Dearborn in 1803, the first settlement in the area sponsored by the United States. When Chicago was initially platted in 1830 by the surveyor James Thompson , it included what is now the Loop north of Madison Street and west of State Street. The Sauganash Hotel ,
13230-434: The start of then- Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton 's presidential primary campaign , Emanuel was appointed to direct the campaign's finance committee. Emanuel insisted that Clinton schedule time for fund-raising and delay campaigning in New Hampshire . Clinton embarked on an aggressive national fund-raising campaign that allowed the campaign to keep buying television time as attacks on Clinton's character threatened to swamp
13356-558: The storm we had to ride out in New Hampshire [over Clinton's relationship with Gennifer Flowers and the controversy over his draft status during the Vietnam War ]." Emanuel's knowledge of the top donors in the country, and his rapport with "heavily Jewish" donors helped Clinton amass a then-unheard-of sum of $ 72 million. While working on the Clinton campaign, Emanuel was paid a retainer by
13482-512: The subcommittee that oversaw Freddie Mac. A few months later, Freddie Mac Chief Executive Officer Leland Brendsel was forced out and the committee and subcommittee commenced more than a year of hearings into Freddie Mac. Emanuel skipped every hearing allegedly for reasons of avoiding any appearance of favoritism, impropriety, or conflict of interest. Emanuel aligned himself with the Democratic Leadership Council . Emanuel assumed
13608-455: The summer following the June 1967 Six-Day War . Ezekiel has written that their father "did not believe in falsely building his sons' self-esteem by purposefully letting us win, or tolerating sloppy play". About Rahm, he also wrote: Though fiercely intelligent ... he was not naturally inclined to sit at a desk and put in extra effort to turn a B into an A. As my father often said, without noting that
13734-404: The table and began rattling off names while shouting "Dead! Dead! Dead!". Before Tony Blair gave a pro-Clinton speech during the impeachment crisis, Emanuel reportedly screamed at Blair "Don't fuck this up!" while Clinton was present. Blair and Clinton both burst into laughter. However, by 2007 friends of Emanuel were saying that he has "mellowed out". Stories of his personal style have entered
13860-670: The tallest buildings in the world as well as the Chicago Landmark Historic Michigan Boulevard District . Chicago's skyline is spaced out throughout the downtown area. The Willis Tower , formerly known as the Sears Tower, the third tallest building in the Western Hemisphere (and still second-tallest by roof height), stands in the western Loop in the heart of the city's financial district, along with other buildings, such as 311 South Wacker Drive and
13986-476: The western half is part of the 2nd district, represented by Democrat Dennis Deer . In the Illinois House of Representatives the community area is roughly evenly split lengthwise between, from east to west, Districts 26, 5, and 6, represented respectively by Democrats Kambium Buckner , Lamont Robinson , and Sonya Harper , with a minuscule portion in District 9 represented by Democrat Lakesia Collins . In
14112-405: Was a brick-sided mail terminal building, sited just east of the main building that spans the Eisenhower Expressway as it turns into Ida B. Wells Drive . Major expansion in 1932 added a total of nine floors for more than 60 acres (24 ha), or 2.5 million square feet (230,000 m²), of floorspace. Its footprint, as initially designed, would have blocked the proposed Congress Parkway extension; as
14238-421: Was a hodgepodge of various systems which had resulted from the different municipalities that Chicago annexed in the late 19th century. The implementation of the new street system was delayed by two years in the Loop to allow businesses more time to acclimate to their new addresses. Several streets in the Loop have multiple levels , some as many as three. The most prominent of these is Wacker Drive , which faces
14364-460: Was adopted by their family in memory of Rahm's uncle (his father's brother) Emanuel Auerbach, who was killed in 1933 in an altercation with Arabs in Jerusalem. Emanuel's maternal grandfather was a Moldovan Jew who emigrated from Bessarabia . His mother, Marsha (née Smulevitz), is the daughter of a West Side Chicago labor union organizer who worked in the civil rights movement . She briefly owned
14490-553: Was decorated as the "Department of Health and Human Services" where the Autobots were kept by the federal government in the movies. The same interior that was used for filming of the bank heist in The Dark Knight was used again for Transformers: Dark of the Moon . There were also some scattered shots from the Post Office interior used throughout the film. Chicago Loop The Loop
14616-405: Was held on March 3, 2009, and the special general election on April 7. John Fritchey , a candidate for that seat, said at a forum that Emanuel had told him he may be interested in running for the seat again in the future. Some Republican leaders criticized Emanuel's appointment because they believed it went against Obama's campaign promises of less divisive politics, given Emanuel's reputation as
14742-457: Was largely car oriented (12,000 parking spaces and free parking) with shopping mall style retail. The city voted and approved the plan July 18, 2013. In spring of 2013, Antunovich Associates, who purchased the site three years ago, created a new proposal on the site featuring a 1000-foot skyscraper (with a 2,000 foot tower in their 2nd phase). Other potential uses include a casino and/or entertainment complex. On June 18, 2014, Bill Davies announced
14868-506: Was named to the Board of Directors of Freddie Mac by President Clinton. He earned at least $ 320,000 during his time there, including later stock sales. During Emanuel's time on the board, Freddie Mac was plagued with scandals involving campaign contributions and accounting irregularities. The Bush administration rejected a request under the Freedom of Information Act to review Freddie Mac board minutes and correspondence during Emanuel's time as
14994-416: Was partially amputated due to the severity of the infection. Emanuel began his political career with the public interest and consumer rights organization Illinois Public Action. He went on to serve in a number of capacities in local and national politics, initially specializing in fund-raising for Illinois campaigns, and then nationally. Emanuel worked for Democrat Paul Simon 's 1984 election to
15120-535: Was released to the public. Only funding for Phase 1 had been secured as of July 21, 2011. The proposal was sent to the Chicago City Commission in July 2011 for approval, which was expected to be a several-month process. The project had an estimated cost of $ 3.5 billion and the potential to create 12,000 jobs. Some critics opposed the proposal, calling it old-fashioned and suburban and an unrealistic pipe dream, as it
15246-511: Was reported to be English real estate developer Bill Davies. While Davies missed an October 10, 2009 deadline to close the deal, he finally acquired the building on October 21, 2009, paying about $ 17 million. The Old Chicago Main Post Office Redevelopment was an approved 20-acre (81,000 m) project on a lot located along the Chicago River on the southwest side of Downtown Chicago , Illinois to be constructed in phases over
15372-540: Was the White House Chief of Staff from 2009 to 2010 under Barack Obama and served as mayor of Chicago from 2011 to 2019. Born in Chicago, Emanuel is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and Northwestern University . Early in his career, Emanuel served as director of the finance committee for Bill Clinton 's 1992 presidential campaign . In 1993, he joined the Clinton administration , where he served as assistant to
15498-533: Was the closest he ever had for this seat, as he subsequently won more than 70% in all of his re-election bids. Emanuel was elected after the October 2002 joint resolution authorizing the Iraq War , and so did not vote on it. However, in the lead up to the resolution, Emanuel spoke out in support of the war. In January 2003, Emanuel was named to the House Financial Services Committee and sat on
15624-461: Was the fourth largest employer of residents at 9.4 percent while Public Administration was the fourth largest for Loop employees at 13 percent. Administration was the fifth largest sector for both groups, at respectively 6.9 and 7.3 percent. The area has long been a hub for architecture. The vast majority of the area was destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 but rebuilt quickly. In 1885
15750-422: Was to be used. As of 2022 other tenants include: The building was used in the filming of Batman Begins in 2004, and The Dark Knight in April 2007. The building is seen from above in the opening credits of Candyman . In the summer of 2010, Paramount Pictures and Michael Bay filmed numerous scenes for Transformers: Dark of the Moon in and around Chicago. The old Chicago Post Office's east facade
15876-529: Was while part of the 1st ward that it was represented by the Gray Wolves. The area has not had a Republican alderman since Francis P. Gleason served alongside Coughlin from 1895 to 1897. (Prior to 1923, each ward elected two aldermen in staggered two-year terms). In the Cook County Board of Commissioners the eastern half of the area is part of the 3rd district, represented by Democrat Jerry Butler , while
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