CHICAGO (AP) - Preliminary work on the construction of the Obama Presidential Center on Chicago's South Side is scheduled to begin later this month.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot have committed $200 million for Jackson Park and infrastructure work needed to facilitate construction of the center and for redevelopment in nearby communities.
The multibuilding presidential complex covers 19.3 acres of Jackson Park. The overall plan calls for a retooling of adjacent roads in and around the park.
Groundbreaking for the center has been delayed for years because of a federal review. That’s needed because the center is being placed in a historic park.
Obama Foundation Board Chair Marty Nesbitt says groundbreaking for the complex will likely be in September.
The project, which includes protections so that longtime residents are not displaced, is expected to bring 700,000 visitors annually once it is up and running and $1.3 billion in economic impact.
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