Obama Presidential Center taking shape in Jackson Park, set to open next year

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Over 19 acres have been under construction for the Obama Presidential Center. Now, it's near completion.

"We are excited to introduce the South Side to the world," said Michael Strautmanis, chief corporate affairs officer for the Obama Foundation.

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The site in Jackson Park is taking shape for the former president's museum. It's a granite-clad eight-story building that includes an 83-foot stained glass installation by Julie Mehretu.

The top-floor sky room will be among the free spaces open to the public.

A lower building called the forum will hold the Hadiya Pendleton atrium, named for the Chicago teen whose life ended with gun violence.

A new public library will have a reading room with books chosen by the Obamas.

And home court has a regulation basketball court and spaces for young people to learn about career options outside of sports.

Attention on the center, its collection, its art, architecture and its missions is expected to bring tourists from around the world to Chicago's South Side.

"Conservative estimates have a million people coming to visit the center each year; that is a lot of tourists," Strautmanis said.

The Obama Foundation will have workshops starting in January help local businesses and residents take advantage of opportunities from tourism.

"We are going to have these sessions that have very practical tools, business resources. You are going to learn about jobs that are coming to the center, the hiring process for job applications," Strautmanis said.

The Obama Presidential Center is expected to formally open to the public in June.

In the meantime, local business owners and entrepreneurs are urged to sign up for workshops to prepare for anticipated tourism in an effort to keep more of those dollars in the local economy.

Visit https://obama.org/stories/community-tourism-prep-sessions/ for more information.