Plans For the Obama Presidential Library Begin to Take Shape

The Obama Presidential Center will be an ongoing project that will inspire visitors to be good citizens

Chance the Rapper isn’t the only big-name trying to make positive changes to the city of Chicago. The Obamas are in the process of creating The Barack Obama Presidential Center, a presidential library of the 44^th President of the United States. The center will be hosted by the University of Chicago and will be located in Jackson Park.

The former President and former First Lady chose to build the Obama Presidential Center on the South Side of Chicago in order to give back to the community. The Center will boost the economic climate in the city by creating jobs and by bringing many visitors to the area. Obama said that the library will take four years to build and estimated that it will bring 600,000 to 700,000 people each year.

Once the center is completed, it will become the 14^th site in the National Archives and Records Administration’s presidential library system.

The design that was released includes three additional buildings: a museum, a forum within the library, and a public plaza surrounding the center. It will include classrooms, labs and outdoor spaces for events, training, and other gatherings. The center will conduct programs that give visitors inspirational experiences and tools to make changes in the community. It will also include a restaurant, garden, and an auditorium. What else could you ask for?

Obama stated that he really wants to make sure that violence isn’t the only thing making headlines in Chicago. “It’s going to be a transformational opportunity for this community,” he said. “It’s not just a building. It’s not just a park, but hopefully, this ends up being a hub where all of us can see a brighter future for the South Side.”

Obama stated that he wanted to make an upgrade to Jackson Park and suggested bringing paddleboats to lagoons, basketball courts and winter activities to the campus. The plan is to close Cornell Drive in order to add the forum and athletic building. Obama is confident that closing Cornell Drive will not add to commute times. The goal is for the design to blend effortlessly with Jackson Park and the neighborhoods that surround it. Obama promised to keep the city informed of the development process.

“The main thing that Michelle and I contributed was saying, “What do we want to see 10 years from now?” And we said we don’t want to see some big building that kids are being dragged to for a field trip,” Obama said. “What we wanted was something that was alive and that was a hub of activity for the community, and for the city, and for the country.”

What do you think about the plans for the Obama Presidential Center? Let us know in the comments below!