The construction of a Barack Obama presidential center in Chicago has sparked a backlash from local residents.
Chicago natives told the Daily Mail that the $850 million center, which will serve as a cultural and historical landmark as tribute to former president Obama, will cause negative issues in the local area like rent increases.
Newsweek contacted the Obama Foundation by email to comment on this story.
Why It Matters
The center has attracted scrutiny because its cost has nearly doubled from its original estimate and is now projected at close to $1 billion. Plans were unveiled in 2017 and construction was expected to begin in 2018 but eventually started much later, in 2021. The Obama Foundation has said the project is privately funded and does not rely on taxpayer dollars. President Donald Trump has also criticized the project and blamed “woke” hiring practices for its issues.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 28: President Obama gives speech at a campaign rally at Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.October 28, 2024
PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 28: President Obama gives speech at a campaign rally at Temple University’s Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.October 28, 2024
Credit: Star Shooter/ media punch /IPX
What To Know
The 19-acre campus will include a museum building, public art, and a basketball court.
Speaking to the Mail, Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor said the center would cause rents to increase which would result in families being displaced.
“Every time large development comes to communities, they displace the very people they say they want to improve it for,” she said.
Meanwhile, Ken Woodard, an attorney from the area said the center “looks like this big piece of rock that just landed here out of nowhere in what used to be a really nice landscape of trees and flowers.”
He also criticized the project for being “over budget” and taking a long time to finish.
“It feels like a washing away of the neighborhood and culture that used to be here,” he told the publication.
Another local resident, Kyana Butler, called the building “huge and monstrous” and blamed it for increasing rents in the area, as well as property taxes.
What People Are Saying
Emily Bittner, the Obama foundation’s vice president of communications, previously said in a statement to Newsweek: “Everyone who sees the Obama Presidential Center is blown away by its beauty, scale and the way it will be an economic engine for Chicago and a beacon of hope for the world.
“We look forward to welcoming all visitors to the 19.3-acre campus next spring, to experience a presidential center that not only honors the Obamas’ legacy but also lifts up the next generation of leaders.”
What Happens Next
The center is due to open in April 2026. The Obama Foundation is launching a series of tours around the site while it is in construction, until November.