CCAC Hears About the Obama Presidential Center

CCAC would like to thank Sidley Austin LLP, especially Jeff McIntosh, CCAC member, for hosting the monthly luncheon on November 14th. Providing the keynote speech was Chris Brooks, Senior Project Manager, Jones Lang LaSalle, on behalf of the Obama Foundation. Brooks provided an update on the Obama Presidential Center.

Jones Lang LaSalle, McKissack & McKissack and Ardmore Roderick are serving as members of the outsourced project management team. In his opening remarks, Brooks stated although the Obama Foundation usually discusses the general building and layout for the Obama Presidential Center, in meetings like the CCAC lunch, he instead wanted to highlight, “what the Obama Foundation is doing, how it will manifest into the Presidential Center and the impact it will have on the City, specifically on the south side.”

Recently, the Obama Foundation hosted a Summit, which was a two-day immersive event held in Chicago welcoming civic leaders from the Chicagoland area, the United States, and the world. The Foundation’s theme for the Obama Presidential Center is to “Empower & Engage Our Community.” Brooks expounded and said the goal is, “to create a place of allowing people the ability to solve problems, to create a space for sharing & communicating, working towards a collective, a shared direction of progress, and to be equipped with the tools & skills to engage the community.”

Chris Brooks, Senior Project Manager, Jones Lang LaSalle

Jeff McIntosh, Associate, Sidley Austin LLP

CCAC Audience at the November 14th CCAC Luncheon

Kelly O'Brien, Executive Director, CCAC; and Jeff McIntosh, Associate, Sidley Austin LLP

CCAC Audience at the November 14th CCAC Luncheon

Presidential foundation structures vary from each administration and according to Brooks, the Obama Foundation has a unique approach in developing the Center. Brooks stated, “Starting with the Nixon Administration, regulations and procedures have been adopted for the safe keeping of files, artifacts, documents and artwork associated with a President.  Through the different presidential facilities and through a learning curve, the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has worked to develop these different procedures and formulas specifically regarding funding. For example, there are options about raising money to cover an endowment and/or putting money aside to fund the government activities to manage the items and fund operations.” The priority for the Obamas is civic engagement and that motivates their decisions on how to build and operate the Center.

In designing the Obama Presidential Center, site selection was very important. Brooks provided a brief history of the selected site. “Both Jackson Park and Washington Park historically were designed to be a cohesive park structure starting from Martin Luther King Drive to what is now, Lakeshore Drive. It was initially designed to be a “natural escape from an industrial city. It’s still a park but transportation will now be introduced to Jackson Park through the Chicago Department of Transportation."

Architectural firm, Tod Williams Billie Tsien, who partners with CCAC member Interactive Design Architects (IDEA), led by Dina Griffin,  provided the concept for the Obama Presidential Center. To accommodate the “treasured community” like the athletic field on 63rd street, the Foundation shifted the site location to allow more community engagement. The inclusion of community engagement also aligns with the proposed campus of the Obama Presidential Center as it will include a museum, plaza, forum and library. Brooks described in great length the four guiding principles for the Obama Presidential Center’s concept plan: Unify Jackson Park, Diversify the Size and Type of Spaces, Create Safe and Welcoming Arrivals, and Build with Sustainable Practices. 

Brooks stated, “A big part of why the Center is being placed on the South Side is the desire for a lasting impact.” The proposed economic impact and workforce development includes roughly 625,000-760,000 annual visitors to the Obama Presidential Center, over 3,500 construction & long-term jobs created in the South Side and over $2.1 billion expected economic impact for South Side businesses. This number includes other development that happens in this area and the businesses that will theoretically grow from the creation of the Obama Presidential Center. According to Brooks, “The impact stems from an exponential growth of our project, adjacent projects, the construction and workforce development that happens in those areas. It’s the long-term vision.”

The establishment of the nonprofit, Woodlawn, Washington Park and South Shore Community and Economic Development Organization, has a number of key players including Commissioner David Reifman, Department of Planning & Development, City of Chicago, The University of Chicago, Michael Strautmanis, Obama Foundation, Dr. Byron Brazier, Apostolic Church of God, Torrey Barrett, KLEO Center and other stakeholders from various groups. When asked how the Obama Foundation plans to complete this daunting task of stimulating economic development, Brooks stated, “The task is how to utilize the community’s recognition and resources that’s already there, in addition to working with the City of Chicago, and the University of Chicago to provide pathways consistent for growing businesses and being able to spearhead workforce development. It will also require working with developers who are looking at this area to make sure that what’s done is equitable and responsible. We want those things to happen and we support those ideals.”

CCAC is pleased to have received an inside look at the creation of the Obama Presidential Center and look forward to the economic development it will bring to the City.

Note: 4:30 pm- Doors Open; 5:00 pm- Program Starts

Join us at Bryan Cave LLP on Thursday, December 14, 2017 for the next CCAC meeting hosted by Gregory Hummel, Partner, Bryan Cave LLP. 

All CCAC Members and Young Leaders are invited to attend this meeting and holiday reception. 

CCAC Young Leader Executive Committee Hosts 2018 Planning Session 

Building on a very successful year, the Young Leader Executive  Committee met to begin outlining a strong program for 2018. As part of the programming, the group is committed to planning quarterly events such as charretes, roundtables, tours of development sites, and outdoor events.

The Young Leader tier is developing into a very important part of the Chicago Central Area Committee. Having the City's next generation of leaders participating in programs and projects that will impact the future is meaningful for both the city and our members. 

In addition to exclusive tours, the Young Leader tier fosters networking through various events, gives an the opportunity to be on the verge of the City's most influential decisions and allows for interaction with high-level members of CCAC. 

We would like to thank the current Young Leader Executive Team Members for their dedication: Malek Abdulsamad, Related Midwest; Andrew Broderick, Perkins+Will; Penelope Campbell, Jenner & Block LLP; Marisa Doherty, The Habitat Company; Brandon Hummel, The Law Offices of Brandon G. Hummel; Katie Martin, Forum Studio; Tyler Meyr, Forum Studio; Andrew Moddrell, PORT Urbanism; Will Press, The John Buck Company; Aaron Spiering, JGMA Architecture; and LeeAnn Tomas-Foster, Arcadis.

If you are interested in joining the Young Leaders, please contact Kelly O'Brien, 312-602-5148, kobrien@ccac.org.

2017 Sprint Committee Meeting Updates

CCAC's signature event, the 2017 Sprint, created an opportunity to learn about the neighborhood where the Obama Presidential Center will be located and provide visions for transportation and unlocking economic development.

As a continuing effort, a committee was formed to develop a final work product based on the best elements from each of the five team's presentations.

CCAC will post the final work product as well as the individual team's presentations on its website and plans to share this information with stakeholders such as the Obama Presidential Center. CCAC remains committed to assisting decision makers by providing visions and input for development in the City. The exceptional talent, creativity and sound suggestions that are detailed in the team presentations can be used to positively impact the South Side. As neighborhoods flourish, so too will the central area.

2018 Monthly Meeting Calendar in Development

CCAC members meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. Please consider being a host. This is a unique opportunity to showcase your firm and allow members to see your office. If you are interested in hosting a monthly lunch meeting or have suggestions for programming, please contact Kelly O'Brien, 312-602-5148, kobrien@ccac.org.

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