The City Hall–County Building, most commonly known as the Chicago City Hall, is a 12-story building in Chicago, Illinois, that houses the seats of government of the City of Chicago and Cook County. The building's west side (City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St.) holds the offices of the mayor, city clerk, and city treasurer; some city departments; offices of alderpersons of Chicago's 50 wards; and the Chicago City Council's chambers. The building's east side (County Building, 118 N. Clark St.) houses offices of the Government of Cook County, including the Cook County Board of Commissioners' chambers.

The building spans a city block bounded by Randolph Street to the north, Washington Street to the south, Clark Street to the east, and LaSalle Street to the west. It is the seventh building to serve as Chicago's city hall, the fourth built at its location, and the third shared by the governments of Chicago and Cook County. Its location has served as the seat of the city and county governments since 1853, except for a period from 1871—when the Great Chicago Fire destroyed the building—to 1885.

The "fifth floor" is sometimes used as a metonym for the office and power of the mayor, whose office is located on the fifth floor of the building.

History

thumb|City Hall in Court House square ('Old Chicago Courthouse') in 1866, destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871

thumb|The 6th city hall building (1886–1905) in the French Empire style was quickly outgrown

Past buildings (1837–1908)

The first Chicago City Hall in 1837 was in leased chambers in the Saloon Building on the corner of Lake and Clark Streets.

Holabird & Roche Building (1908–present)

The city and county jointly sponsored an architectural competition that Holabird & Roche won by unanimous vote. The columns are hollow and were built in 5 feet-high segments. and on March 21, 1957, a fire destroyed the original, Italian Renaissance-style City Council Chamber, which featured murals by Frederick Clay Bartlett and oak paneling imported from England. A completely remodeled, contemporary-style chamber reopened in 1958. The Northwestern Mutual Life Building, which opened in 1914, bears striking similarity to Chicago City Hall, particularly its five-story colonnade and three grand entryways. Each of the panels represents one of four principal concerns of city government: playgrounds, schools, parks, and water supply.

Agencies

thumb|"The Fifth Floor", [[John Kerry leaving the mayor's office (2016)]]

The Following Agencies are located in the building:

  • Elected Offices:
  • Office of the Mayor – 5th Floor
  • Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities
  • City Council – 2nd Floor (Council Chambers)
  • City Clerk – 1st Floor
  • Treasurer – Room 106
  • Buildings Department – Room 900
  • Department of Finance – 7th Floor
  • Department of Law – Suite 600
  • Business Affairs and Consumer Protection – 8th Floor
  • Department of Planning and Development – 10th Floor
  • Department of Streets and Sanitation – Room 1107
  • Office of Emergency Management and Communications
  • Department of Procurement Services – Room 806
  • Department Human Resources

References

  • Chicago Landmarks: City Hall-County Building
  • Historic American Buildings Survey: Chicago City Hall, National Park Service, 1981
  • ASLA Merit Award 2002: Chicago City Hall Green Roof