Construction update Sept. 2022: Year two begins

A wide shot of the construction on the site of the Obama Presidential Center in the daytime.

September 30, 2022

The Foundation is committed to staying on track to meet its ambitious workforce and business diversity goals for construction. Highlights for the month include:

  • 55 percent of construction contracts have been awarded to diverse vendors.

  • 32 percent of the workforce hired live in the South and West Sides of Chicago.

  • 204 candidates in jobs around the city.

September 28, 2022

As construction of the Obama Presidential Center enters its second year, the focus is almost entirely on concrete. At the Museum Building, the northern elevator core is poured up through the plaza level and is framed up through to the lobby mezzanine, which represents the first element of the project that can be seen “out of the ground”. The southern elevator core at the Museum Building is also now poured up through the plaza level.

A wide shot of the construction on the site of the Obama Presidential Center in the daytime.

Elsewhere at the Museum Building, a majority of the perimeter walls are now cast up to the plaza level and preparations are being made for some of the first slab-on-grade pours at the garden level.

At the Forum and Library buildings, most of the grade beams and sub-grade perimeter walls have been cast.

Both levels of the parking garage have been formed up and approximately half of the lower level slab on grade has already been poured.

Update from CDOT

Construction continues on the planned transportation improvements in and around Jackson Park, with crews making great progress on DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Hayes Drive, and Stony Island Avenue.

Please note the following upcoming traffic changes: Starting on or after October 3rd and lasting approximately three weeks, a temporary configuration will go into place to allow for advance work in preparation for construction of two new pedestrian underpasses at the reconfigured intersection of Hayes Drive and Cornell Drive:

  • Hayes Drive between Stony Island Avenue and Cornell Drive will be temporarily closed.

  • Temporary lane reductions will go into place on Cornell Drive to the north and south of the Hayes Drive intersection. During peak rush periods, two lanes of traffic will be maintained in the peak direction. During off-peak periods, one lane will be provided in each direction.

  • For drivers intending to reach northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive via Hayes Drive to Cornell Drive to 57th Drive, a signed detour will be in place to direct drivers to DLSD via Stony Island Avenue to Midway Plaisance to Cornell Drive to 57th Drive.

A long-term closure of Hayes Drive east of Cornell Drive will also go into place on October 3rd. Local access to Park District facilities will be maintained via Richards Drive.

A map of Jackson Park Transportaion Improvements

Drivers are urged to pay close attention to flaggers and construction signage when entering and driving through work zones, obey the posted speed limits, and be on the alert for workers and equipment.

Help build the Obama Presidential Center

Your donation makes it possible for us to build a world-class museum, library, and gathering spaces on Chicago’s South Side.

Donate to the Barack Obama Foundation. The Barack Obama Foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN 46-4950751).

3D rendering of the Obama Presidential Center Plaza

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