Which Chicago Site Might Host Obama’s Presidential Library?

******... . CHICAGO SITES COMPETE In January 2014, formation of the Barack H. Obama Foundation was announced. The nonprofit group will oversee planning for Obama's presidential library. The foundation is expected to recommend a site in early 2015, with the library opening several years after Obama leaves office in 2016. ............................. TO BOOK OBAMA LIBRARY But even before the foundation was unveiled, several places made it known that they want to host the library. Talk has surfaced about the library being nas sur built in Hawaii, where Obama was born, and New York, where he attended Columbia University. But the frontrunner is Chicago, the city that gave rise to Obama's political career. Here's a look at the six Chicago locations that are in the running for the $500 million-plus library. UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Selling point Obama was a constitutional law professor there for 12 years. I strongly believe the Obama Presidential Library would be ideal for one of our neighboring communities on the South Side of Chicago. - University President Robert Zimmer BRONZEVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD Selling point It's the city's historic center of black culture, business and politics. Obama came to Chicago to learn how to be a community organizer. If he's truly that, the least he could do is put the presidential library somewhere in the black community where it can act as a catalyst. - Harold Lucas, president of the Black Metropolis Convention & Tourism Council CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY Selling point Obama worked in the area as a community organizer in the 1980s. .................. We feel it is altogether fitting that the symbol of the Obama legacy, the Presidential Library, be housed in the very community where his work began. - University spokesman Tom Wogan UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO Selling point It's Chicago's largest university and home of the state's major public hospital. As Chicago's only public research university and one of the most diverse campuses in the nation, UIC is the ideal institution to host the Obama Presidential Library and Museum. University Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares PULLMAN NEIGHBORHOOD Selling point Obama worked in the area as a community organizer in the 1980s. ....................... I think it would send a wonderful message if he could bring it on home and reward the community where he got his start rather than just giving it to the University of Chicago that already has everything. Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale FORMER U.S. STEEL CORP. SITE Selling point The location affords an amazing view of Lake Michigan. This is the area where he was first elected to office. You could get there by electric train – 1.5 million tourists a year. What do you think that would do for the community? Chicago real estate developer Dan McCaffrey PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY FACTS First presidential library Franklin D. Roosevelt's library in Hyde Park, N.Y. Total number of 13 presidential libraries Latest presidential library George W. Bush's library in Dallas State with the most presidential libraries Texas SOURCES SpareFoot http://www.obamapresidentialfoundation.org/ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/19/opinion/obama-and-his library-gosmal.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/13/obama-library-chicago-bid_n_4781257.html http://www.politico.com/ http://www.npr.org/2014/02/07/273056702/biddingstarts-early-for-site-of-obamas-tuture-library http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/about/ https://news.uic.edu/uicannounces bid for obama-liberary http://news.ukic.edu/chancelor-announces-uic-candidacy-for-obama presidential-library LilulululW story/2014/01/obama-presidential-ibrary-plans-102952.html http://www.wbez.org/news/economy/south-side-neighborhoods-vie-presidentialHibrary-107926 http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/25302166-418/foundation-launched-to-picksite-forobama presidential-ibrary.html http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/07/07/race-class-obama-presidential-Hibrary/2472851/ http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/america-tonight-blog/2013/8/23/chicagossoutheastsideisarevolutioncoming.html NOWSOURCING