Park advocacy group files federal lawsuit to block Obama Presidential Center

On Monday, a group opposed to the location of the Barack Obama presidential library in Chicago’s Jackson Park took its grievance to the next level by filing a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court aimed at blocking the controversial South Side project.

The plaintiff—named as nonprofit activist group Protect Our Parks, Inc.—accuses the Obama Foundation of pulling a “bait and switch,” by replacing an “official” presidential library overseen by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration with a complex that instead offers digital access to Obama’s off-site archival documents.

“Although that original purpose of an official Presidential Library no longer exists,” reads the complaint, “the defendants continue to forge ahead to advance a totally different private nongovernmental project on public parkland.”

Furthermore, the suit claims that public land is “prohibited by law” from being turned over to a private entity for private use and that such a deal violates Chicago Park District code.

The challenge is reminiscent of the legal battle mounted by nonprofit group Friends of the Parks that derailed Chicago’s bid to build the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art at a parking lot south of Solider Field. The $1.5 billion museum ultimately landed in Los Angeles.

“While we are not involved with this lawsuit in any way, it is an indication of the fact [that] the Friends of the Parks is not alone in our concern about Chicago’s parks being seen as sites for real estate development, ” said FotP executive director Juanita Irizarry in a statement first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Obama Foundation

The setback comes just days before the Jackson Park center is scheduled to appear before the Chicago Plan Commission. Items in the agenda include a recommendation to approve a long-term ground lease of 19 acres of parkland to the Foundation as well as the various road closures associated with the project.

“The Obama Presidential Center is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest hundreds of millions of dollars that will create good jobs on the South Side, bring our communities together, and honor the legacy of Chicago’s favorite son and daughter,” said an official statement released by the City of Chicago on Monday following the lawsuit’s filing. “While some choose to stand in the way of progress for the South Side, we are focused on making progress in every community in Chicago.”

The Obama Foundation has made no secret that it envisions the center as more of a community hub than a traditional document depository. Designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, it contains various public-accessible spaces including a neighborhood garden, sledding hill, recording studio, athletic facility, and new Chicago Public Library branch.

• Federal lawsuit filed to block Obama Center in Jackson Park [Chicago Sun-Times]
• Federal lawsuit accuses Obama center organizers of pulling an ‘institutional bait and switch [Chicago Tribune]
• Obama Presidential Center headed to City Hall for key vote [Curbed Chicago]