The neighborhoods surrounding the Barack Obama Presidential Center are already seeing the impacts of higher rents and investor-owned properties - the highest concentration in Chicago in recent years. Many residents in the nearby South Shore and Woodlawn neighborhoods, and beyond, are worried about the continued effects the Obama Center might have on their communities - namely, higher rents, gentrification, and displacement. So it’s been a controversial project since its announcement ten years ag

The Obama Presidential Center is under construction in Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side, with a planned opening in spring 2026. Spanning 19.3 acres, the $850 million project aims to serve as a global hub for cultural, community, and civic activities | Pleasant Productions

A 225-foot-tall chunky obelisk on Chicago’s South Side is the centerpiece of what will become the Obama Presidential Center, a project setting off conflicting reactions. Here’s a look inside. https://nyti.ms/46ZzCiG | The New York Times