The Obama presidential library in Chicago’s South Side has ballooned to a staggering cost of nearly $850 million.
Breitbart reported that the project, officially known as the Obama Center, has spiraled from an initial estimate of $300 million to its current jaw-dropping figure, while drawing fire for construction delays, executive pay, and community displacement ahead of its planned spring 2026 opening.
Let’s rewind to the start. Back when plans were first drawn up, the cost for this sprawling complex in Jackson Park was pegged at a hefty but manageable $300 million.
By 2017, that number had already jumped to $500 million, hinting at the financial mess to come.
Fast forward to 2021, when construction finally broke ground, and the budget had swelled again to $700 million.
Now, with costs nearing $850 million, taxpayers and residents are left wondering where all the money is going. It’s hard not to question if fiscal restraint was ever part of the blueprint.
Fundraising, at least, seems to be a bright spot for the Obama Foundation, which has raked in over $1 billion. Last year alone, a $195 million cash infusion padded the coffers. But with such deep pockets, why do the numbers keep climbing?
Then there’s the executive compensation that’s raising hackles. CEO Valerie Jarrett pulled in $740,000 last year, while Executive Vice President Robin Cohen earned over $600,000, and Chief Legal Officer Tina Chen pocketed $425,000. For a cultural center, these salaries seem more suited to Wall Street than a community project.
Residents aren’t exactly rolling out the red carpet for this mammoth grey monolith, often described as an “ugly” eyesore.
Beyond aesthetics, there’s real pain in the community as rents spike and families face displacement. The center, meant to uplift, appears to be pushing people out instead.
“We’re going to see rents go higher and we’re going to see families displaced,” warned Alderwoman Jeannette Taylor. Her words cut to the core of a frustrating irony: a project tied to a legacy of hope seems to be sowing hardship for the very neighbors it claims to serve.
“Every time large development comes to communities, they displace the very people they say they want to improve it for,” Taylor added.
If history is any guide, her concerns aren’t just hot air—gentrification often follows grand projects like this, and the South Side is bearing the brunt.
Construction delays have only fueled the frustration, with the project facing years of legal challenges and setbacks since breaking ground in 2021.
Workers on the ground have pointed fingers at diversity, equity, and inclusion policies as a key culprit for the sluggish timeline. While noble in theory, some say these initiatives have bogged down progress.
“It was all very woke from the time they broke ground in 2021,” grumbled a construction foreman. His irritation reflects a broader sentiment that ideological priorities might be trumping practical efficiency on this site.
“Every so often, a bunch of staffers from the Obama Foundation wearing little badges would come by the site, and they’d ask us silly questions like, are you white, straight, gay, trans, whatever,” the foreman continued. Such distractions, while perhaps well-intentioned, seem to have left workers shaking their heads instead of swinging hammers.
On a brighter note, the center recently unveiled an 83-foot painted glass window by artist Julie Mehretu to soften the building’s stark exterior. While the total cost of artworks remains unclear, it’s a small gesture toward beautifying what many locals still see as an imposing structure.
With an opening slated for spring 2026, there’s still time for the Obama Center to win over skeptics. But between the staggering $850 million price tag and the community’s growing discontent, the road ahead looks bumpy.