Design rendering of the Obama Presidential Center. (Courtesy of The Obama Foundation)

Opponents of the Obama Presidential Center’s construction in Jackson Park suffered another legal setback Thursday in federal court.

Judge John Robert Blakey denied a motion filed by Protect Our Parks to halt all preliminary construction work associated with the center in and around Jackson Park.

In his one-paragraph ruling, Blakey wrote: “Plaintiffs have not met the standard for injunctive relief.”

Protect Our Parks had argued that while lawsuits against the center are still pending, all work should cease. In the event the courts were to ultimately decide against the center, changes to the site, including the removal of trees, would be irrevocable, Protect Our Parks said.

Originally scheduled to open in 2021, the Obama Presidential Center has been delayed by lawsuits. Opposition has largely been focused on the choice of historic Jackson Park for the center’s home, a decision that also prompted a lengthy federal review process which further stalled the project.

An official groundbreaking has been tipped for later this month even as court battles continue. 

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