Construction on the Obama Presidential Center slated to start this summer
Chicago Business Journal
After more than four years of planning for the Obama Presidential Center on Chicago’s South Side, the Obama Foundation plans to break ground on the site later this year.
The Obama Foundation announced the news on Wednesday, saying the project will take about four years to complete. The City of Chicago has already scheduled necessary pre-construction work on and near the site, which includes relocating utility lines in April, and construction of the physical building is planned for as early as August.
The Center will be in and around historic Jackson Park and include a Chicago Public Library branch, museum, and program and recreation areas. Construction costs are expected to near $500 million. Lakeside Alliance, a group of five construction firms, is managing the construction, and Lori Healey, the former CEO of the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority, is leading construction work on the Center.
The Obama Foundation said it will pay for the construction of the Center in full and plans to turn over ownership to the City when it is completed. However, the City will be investing in infrastructure improvements around the Center and throughout the South Side, according to a press release.
The Obama Foundation said the Center will have a $3.1 billion economic impact on Cook County, bringing an estimated 700,000 visitors from around the world to the Center each year.
The Center is expected to create 5,000 jobs during and after construction and bring in new businesses, said Mayor Lori Lightfoot in a statement. The Foundation said it plans to award 50% of subcontracting packages to diverse vendors, exceeding the City’s goal of 26%.
“The Center will create jobs and economic opportunity, especially for South Side residents—because we believe the team that’s building the Center should look like the community it calls home,” said former President Barack Obama in a video message announcing the news. “And through the museum, the Center will be a place to honor history while inspiring young people to write chapters of their own—giving them the tools, resources, and connections they need to create change in their own communities.”
The site, which will span nearly 20 acres in Jackson Park, will also include green space, biking and nature trails, as well as an extensive playground. The Center will also include a fruit and vegetable garden, and teaching kitchen.