Obama Library – History

The Barack Obama Presidential Center is the planned presidential center of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States.

Later in May 2015 the library’s board announced it had decided to build the library in partnership with the University of Chicago.

After the library’s board had selected to build the library in partnership with the University of Chicago they began deciding between two possible locations, Washington Park and Jackson Park. Later hey ultimately selected Jackson Park.

Obama Library – Community Coalitions

The Obama Library South Side Community Benefits Agreement Coalition is a coalition of 19 community and activist groups.

It is seeking a community benefits agreement to require that the Obama Foundation sets aside jobs for residents in the local communities.

It wants to protect low-income housing and home owners, support and create Black businesses, and strengthen neighborhood schools.

Obama Library – Design

In June 2016, the foundation chose New York-based Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. Later Chicago-based Interactive Design Architects to jointly lead the design and engineering of the center along with Tod William.

Soon the architect unveiled Preliminary plans in May 2017, involving three buildings in geometric shapes covered in light-colored stone.

The museum building will be the tallest at 180 ft (55 m). The other buildings, a library building and a forum building, will be a single story. The latter building will feature an auditorium, restaurant, and a public garden.

Later the architects said in February 2017 that construction of the center’s museum and library would likely approach $300 million. However the Center would likely need an endowment of $1.5 billion.

In 2017, Obama reportedly was engage in a major fundraising effort for the Center.

On July 27, 2018, the Obama Foundation announced that groundbreaking for the Center would be delayed until sometime in 2019. As initially planned the center would not open in 2021.

Later on February 26, 2019, the Obama Presidential Center suffered another blow when residents in nearby areas voted to reject the October 2018 city council ordinance. It require the Center to take part in a community benefits agreement which the Obama objected to.