Politics

Obama Foundation Hosts Public Meeting for Presidential Center Plans

The Obama Foundation is holding a community meeting Thursday to gather local input on plans to build the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park.

Taking place at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place on the Near South Side, residents will have a chance to address key figures behind the presidential library, including its architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien; Michael Strautmantis, the Obama Foundation’s vice president of civic engagement; Louise Bernard, museum director; and Michael Van Valkenburgh, the museum’s lead landscape director.

The meeting is the most public outreach effort the foundation has organized following several closed-door meetings and a design unveiling in May. Bus transportation is being made available from Hyde Park Academy High School to the hotel.

Some residents are expected to gather in opposition to the plan for various reasons, including the lack of a formal agreement to guarantee jobs to community members.

Follow Paris Schutz on Twitter: @paschutz

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