It took five years, but construction has officially begun on the Obama Presidential Center. This project is about investing in the surrounding community. Fifty percent of the subcontracting packages for the Center will go to diverse vendors in the neighborhood.
According to The Pantagraph, roadway closures have been set up and a bulldozer is ready to start digging up part of the 19 acre lakefront site in Jackson Park, which is near the Obama family home and the University of Chicago where the former president once taught law. A formal groundbreaking ceremony will take place in the fall.
Progress was delayed on the $500 million center due to lawsuits and a federal review required because of the location of the park which is on the National Register of Historic Places. There were also concerns about displacing black residents resulting in neighborhood protections including affordable housing.
"We are incredibly proud to build the Obama Presidential Center here, just a couple of miles away from where President and Mrs. Obama started their journey. We are on the heels of the work of so many whose efforts made the election of our first black president possible. We look forward to delivering on the commitments we've made to our neighbors and our fellow Chicagoans as we continue on our road to groundbreaking."
President of the Obama Foundation | Valerie Jarrett
The multi-building complex will consist of:
- A museum
- Public library branch
- Athletic center
- Children's play area
- Test kitchen
The project is expected to be completed in four years.
"Our goal has been, how do we create an institution that not only is helping to promote the sort of civic engagement and progressive change that I believe happens when ordinary people just get involved in their communities. But also how can we make this into something that helps bring Chicago together at a time when Chicago like much of the country sometimes feels divided."
Former US president | Barack Obama
The center will also include the following:
- Walking trails
- Playgrounds
- Bike paths
Block Club Chicago states that the project is estimated to cost $700 million - $200 million more than prior estimates - according to acting foundation President Valerie Jarrett.
Temporary traffic changes have already started as the city redesigns roads in and out of Jackson Park for the Obama Center.
Crews narrowed Cornell Drive from six lanes to four from 59th to 63rd streets in order to limit construction trucks on Stony Island Avenue. They have also closed the block of South Midway Plaisance in the park, and will convert North Midway Plaisance to two-way traffic by September 2nd.
Planned permanent road changes include:
- Closing Cornell Drive between Midway Plaisance and Hayes Drive
- Closing the northbound section of Cornell Drive between 65th and 68th Streets
- Closing Marquette Drive between Stony Island Avenue and Richards Drive
- Closing the eastbound portion of Midway Plaisance between Stony Island Avenue and Cornell Drive
- Adding a third southbound lane on Lake Shore Drive from 57th Street to Hayes Drive, and a travel lane in each direction on Stony Island Avenue from 59th Street to 65th Street
- Making changes to other roadways, bike paths and walkways in and around Jackson Park
The Chicago Department of Transportation created a website to track traffic changes and provide information on the city's infrastructure projects near the Obama Center site. CDOT is set to spend $174 million in state funds on the projects.
DataBid is currently reporting on this project - The Barack Obama Presidential Center Construction Management RFP - (0094032514)
