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Obama Library Coming to Chicago - Curbed Chicago

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PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS

After Months of Speculation, the Obama Presidential Library is Coming to Chicago's South Side

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PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS

After Months of Speculation, the Obama Presidential Library is Coming to Chicago's South Side

Friday, May 1, 2015, by AJ LaTrace
obama-1.png
[The Obama Presidential Library is coming to Hyde Park]
After a long, and at times controversial battle, various local news outlets are now reporting that the Obama Foundation has selected the University of Chicago's proposal for the future Obama Presidential Library. While born in Hawaii and educated in New York City, Chicago has always been considered home to Barack Obama, who lived on the city's south side for years before his famous presidential run. Yesterday evening, both CBS and NBC's local Chicago affiliate stations hinted that the Windy City had been selected for the presidential library, with Crain's also checking in with sources about the rumors. However, today the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune are both confirming the rumors and have reported that the news will be made official today during a press conference. 
Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 9.29.37 AM.png
[Rendering of the University of Chicago's plan for the library]
While the news is indeed exciting for the City of Chicago, and particularly the city's south side, there are still a lot of questions. Throughout the bidding and selection process, the University of Chicago has been very quiet about their plans and only offered a small glimpse into proposal earlier this year. It's still unclear which locationthe Obama Foundation has chosen between the Jackson Park and Washington Park sites. Also, as the Tribune has highlighted, it's still unclear how and who will pay for the library. Finally, it's still yet unknown who will be the lead architect on the project. Previous rumors pointed to British architect David Adjaye, however we may find out the answer to these questions later today. 
Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 9.29.28 AM.png
With the announcement that the Obama Library is coming to the South Side only adds to the number of very exciting and game-changing projects for the area. While the Lucas Museum remains controversial, the pair of new public institutions will certainly deliver new jobs and dollars to an area that can really use it. 
Screen Shot 2015-01-07 at 9.30.26 AM.png
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637
GIANT MAP
HYDE PARK
BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION
HYDE PARK
JACKSON PARK
LIBRARY BATTLES
OBAMA
OBAMA LIBRARY
OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY
PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
TOP
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
WASHINGTON PARK
 25 COMMENTS
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COMMENTS (25 EXTANT)
knowITall78
We've all known this project was suppose to be here.
#1. 05/01/15 10:18 AM
Reply to this.
CaptainVideo1748
RIGHT ON! Chicago is the correct location.
Not only did Obama's political career begin in Chicago, but his official residence is still here.
Let us hope that it is the Jackson Park site, which is directly adjacent to the University of Chicago campus.
This will give the depressed Woodlawn area a badly needed stimulus.
#3. 05/01/15 10:31 AM
Reply to this.
somechicagoguy88
Washington Park is the better site IMO. Better transit options for tourists too than the Jackson Park site. Woodlawn is no more depressed than Washington Park either.
#4. 05/01/15 10:37 AM
Reply to this.
clark wellington288
Agreed. Washington Park is the far better site. Much better transit connections, and the opportunity to spur some real development on the west side of the park.
#5. 05/01/15 10:50 AM
Reply to this.
Mike HG20
Friends of the Park in inevitable going to sue to try and block this project. They will fail miserably. Can the city and Obama foundation please sue for the costs of the ridiculous lawsuit brought against them so they can bankrupt Friends of the Park and their individual leaders once and for all. 
#6. 05/01/15 10:53 AM
Reply to this.
son of bob644
Lets hope its in Washington Park, otherwise it will be a huge fail
#7. 05/01/15 10:56 AM
Reply to this.
foodstamps4
Washington Park, a long neglected community with historic boulevards, a world class park, and a train stop within a stones throw of the site, would be a fantastic choice. The city and the university already own a number of the lots in the area, and this is their chance to really do a service for the community. There's already a lot of buzz with the Arts Incubator site, the Currency Exchange Cafe, and the pavilion/performance venue at 265 East Garfield Boulevard that Theaster Gates intends to build via the Large Lots program.
Full disclosure, I'm a Washington Park resident.
#8. 05/01/15 10:57 AM
Reply to this.
ejenk1
The reason I'm crossing my fingers for the Jackson Park site is that it might provide the needed incentive to replace the Metra Electric South Chicago branch with a real rapid transit line (which would also negate the transit advantage of the Washington Park site). That would help spur development beyond the immediate area of the library.
#9. 05/01/15 11:55 AM
Reply to this.
Dan Martin1
Why not in his home country of Kenya?
#10. 05/01/15 12:05 PM
Reply to this.
knowITall78
@foodstamps: But your vote counts far more than mine. Its going in your backyard and its using parkland. Awesome to hear you're excited.
Trickle down economics doesn't work, but it does work with real estate. This glut of projects should help a bit with real estate values and also bleed over to other neighborhoods. Or at least I'm hopeful.
#11. 05/01/15 12:06 PM
Reply to this.
finny16
@Dan Martin: kind of sad that you created an account just to post that. 
#12. 05/01/15 12:12 PM
Reply to this.
creatinemachine3
I'm pretty happy for Chicago right now--seems to be on the right track
1) Disaster was averted in that Chuy Garcia wasn't elected
2) Lots of activity from James Beard to NFL draft etc.which will give the city a lot of exposure
3) Obama Museum, and most likely Lucas as well
4) Flurry of construction
5) Incubators n'stuff
Keep the momentum up! Need to truly make this a more diverse, international city where anyone can come, work hard and knock it out of the park (think IPO vs. making 80k in some big 4 accounting job).
#13. 05/01/15 12:43 PM
Reply to this.
@fo122
@finny: 
It's even more sad that that is what Dick Cheney does with his time these days.
#14. 05/01/15 12:44 PM
Reply to this.
EDF599
"Mr. Emanuel, tear down this park."
#16. 05/01/15 12:46 PM
Reply to this.
@fo122
@ejenk: 
So, the Foundation should choose the currently-worse location in order to attempt to maybe influence a Billion or two be spent on a multi-year project to then make the Jackson Park site *still* not be as transit accessible (bc the Metra will still not be tied into the el) as the Washington Park site?
Would be a surprise, IMO.
#17. 05/01/15 12:50 PM
Reply to this.
venusinblue21
Visitors can take a long and "scenic" walk from the Green line to Jackson park. Not. 
#18. 05/01/15 01:06 PM
Reply to this.
JimA in Chicago515
@creatinemachine: Yeah, fuck the parks and stuff. Yee Haa!!!
#19. 05/01/15 02:20 PM
Reply to this.
@fo122
While the park preservationists are at it, they should call for the DuSable Museum to be kicked out of Washington Park, too, and tear down that Harold Washington wing. What a waste of valuable park space!! [NB: sarcasm, obv]
Taking a slice of Washington Park for this is so obvious that it hurts. The thing to change is the amount of the park given over to baseball fields.
#20. 05/01/15 03:07 PM
Reply to this.
Mr. Denson61
Can I bring President Clinton when its completed
#21. 05/01/15 05:04 PM
Reply to this.
OGreen22
This is great news for Hyde Park, the South Side, Chicago, the whole region and the State of Illinois!
#22. 05/01/15 09:35 PM
Reply to this.
CaptainVideo1748
@clark wellington:
"Much better transit connections"
The Green Line south of 35th is crime ridden and dangerous, so that most white people would be very reluctant to use it.
#23. 05/02/15 12:40 AM
Reply to this.
venusinblue21
@GillyJ Why @CaptainVideo comment interesting? 
#25. 05/02/15 11:37 PM
Reply to this.

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