CHICAGO | Obama Presidential Library

[left of center]

This design is... interesting. I like how most of the buildings are designed with green roofs and are low slung. The park and the museum flow effortlessly into each other. Reminds me a lot of the Lucas Museum. (before Friends of the Parking Lot killed that off)

And then there's that alien trapezoidal cube. I don't know yet how to feel about that just yet.

Originally Posted by Mister Uptempo

Why stop at tearing out Cornell at Hayes? Why not just tear Cornell out all the way to 67th, and then, if possible, widen Stony Island between 67th and 56th? Not familiar with the traffic patterns there, so forgive me in advance if what I propose sounds idiotic. I do idiotic well.

I completely agree with this. I can look past the taking of park space for the museum (especially with vacant land not exactly being scarce in Woodlawn) if Cornell is completely removed from Jackson Park.

Route 57th Dr. to Stony Island at 57th St, and widen Stony Island from that point on to where Cornell empties onto Stony Island just north of Marquette Dr. It would do wonders to make the park feel more natural.

[Mr Downtown]

May 3, 2017

Friends of the Parks Statement on Obama Presidential Center Model Unveiling

We are thrilled that President Obama has decided to bring the Obama Presidential Center to Chicago.

While we agree to disagree with the Obama Foundation about siting the Obama Presidential Center in a park, we are pleased that the Obama Foundation has invited Friends of the Parks' input on the model and the process regarding the OPC.

"Our board has not yet had the opportunity to review the design," said Lauren Moltz, Friends of the Parks board president and Hyde Park resident. "Additionally, Friends of the Parks maintains that it is premature to weigh in on the content and design of the presidential center itself absent a comprehensive park planning process. We continue to call for a transparent process to bring forth the data and engage the community's voice in order to make good decisions about all of the ideas that have been floated concerning Jackson Park 'revitalization.'"

The public has not yet seen the results of the engineering study related to the proposed professional golf course. The local community has not been presented with a thorough analysis of the traffic issues related to the proposed closure of streets in the park. There are still many equity questions about the funding of repairs for other existing park amenities and the replacement of all recreational facilities that are threatened with displacement. And local residents have great concerns about ensuring that benefits accrue to the immediate community.

"Friends of the Parks has encouraged the Obama Foundation to bring to bear leadership that ensures a thorough and transparent comprehensive planning process for this historic park," said Juanita Irizarry, executive director of Friends of the Parks. "This is a rare opportunity to honor the spirit and design of Jackson Park's landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted--who believed deeply in parks as democratic spaces--as well as the President's and Mrs. Obama's stated desire to establish the Obama Presidential Center as a promoter and convener of citizen participation and engagement."

Friends of the Parks is a forty-one year old nonprofit parks advocacy group whose mission is to preserve, protect, improve and promote the use of parks and open space in Chicago for the enjoyment of all residents and visitors. We advance our programmatic, educational, and advocacy work with the support of our members, donors and volunteers, and through our governmental, community and environmental partnerships.

[Urbana]

.

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

May 3, 2017

Friends of the Parks Statement on Obama Presidential Center Model Unveiling

We are thrilled that President Obama has decided to bring the Obama Presidential Center to Chicago.

While we agree to disagree with the Obama Foundation about siting the Obama Presidential Center in a park, we are pleased that the Obama Foundation has invited Friends of the Parks' input on the model and the process regarding the OPC.

"Our board has not yet had the opportunity to review the design," said Lauren Moltz, Friends of the Parks board president and Hyde Park resident. "Additionally, Friends of the Parks maintains that it is premature to weigh in on the content and design of the presidential center itself absent a comprehensive park planning process. We continue to call for a transparent process to bring forth the data and engage the community's voice in order to make good decisions about all of the ideas that have been floated concerning Jackson Park 'revitalization.'"

The public has not yet seen the results of the engineering study related to the proposed professional golf course. The local community has not been presented with a thorough analysis of the traffic issues related to the proposed closure of streets in the park. There are still many equity questions about the funding of repairs for other existing park amenities and the replacement of all recreational facilities that are threatened with displacement. And local residents have great concerns about ensuring that benefits accrue to the immediate community.

"Friends of the Parks has encouraged the Obama Foundation to bring to bear leadership that ensures a thorough and transparent comprehensive planning process for this historic park," said Juanita Irizarry, executive director of Friends of the Parks. "This is a rare opportunity to honor the spirit and design of Jackson Park's landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted--who believed deeply in parks as democratic spaces--as well as the President's and Mrs. Obama's stated desire to establish the Obama Presidential Center as a promoter and convener of citizen participation and engagement."

Friends of the Parks is a forty-one year old nonprofit parks advocacy group whose mission is to preserve, protect, improve and promote the use of parks and open space in Chicago for the enjoyment of all residents and visitors. We advance our programmatic, educational, and advocacy work with the support of our members, donors and volunteers, and through our governmental, community and environmental partnerships.

They can take their statement and shove it up their asses

[Domer2019]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

They can take their statement and shove it up their asses

I'm not even sure what the point of it was...

Just a general sentiment of "we don't know much yet, but we have a big ego and the community will go into disarray without our brave demand for community benefit that nobody even considered without us pointing it out. Olmsted Burnham Olmsted parks sacred land Obama."

[Kumdogmillionaire]

Can we just delete FotP?

[TimeAgain]

I'm gonna catch flak for this, but as someone that drives to HP to see friends, I think closing Cornell is crazy.

[nomarandlee]

Can anyone throw out a guess what it would cost to bury the IC tracks between 59th and 60th. Guessing it would be cost prohibitive or else it would have been done a long time ago.

It would be a beautiful thing to truly visually connect the Plaisance and Jackson Park. It would also be stunning if the Musuem as designed was then put at where the new circle pond would go. It could serve as the Chicago obelisk fronting our own mall. Just dreaming here.....

I gotta laugh at Obama touting how this is going to usher in retail and restaurants around the area. Huh? What the hell is he talking about. There is no walking distance corridor that will serve as a catchment from the museum. People are going to get in the cars and head back to the Loop or at best go drive to 57th Street where the scene is already thriving. Perhaps pricing out the college students and local community at the same time. Unless the apartments across Stony Island get torn down (and the residents displaced) with fancy condos/retail replacing them along the corridor I don't see how his vision comes anywhere near to fruition.

Unfortunately, such a dynamic rebirth retail/restaurant scene on a ready made corridor could have been imagined if he chose the Washington Park site but alas.....

I can see why he chose this over the Washington Park site, however. Still the worst of the choice before him in my view but I get it. Somewhat like Lucas he wanted the idyllic water vistas. He wanted to partner with the stately MSI and tranquil Japanese Garden. At it looks like the site plan does make for good interaction with these features. Though I agree with those that are highly skeptical that Cornell could be closed down with minimum fuss. I doubt any politician in the city (or even FOP) will dare say boo about that fact if studies show otherwise, however.

[denizen467]

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

Can anyone throw out a guess what it would cost to bury the IC tracks between 59th and 60th. Guessing it would be cost prohibitive or else it would have been done a long time ago.

It would be a beautiful thing to truly visually connect the Plaisance and Jackson Park. It would also be stunning if the Musuem as designed was then put at where new circle pond would go. It could serve as the Chicago obelisk fronting our own mall. Just dreaming here.....

A trench would need to be like a mile long probably, especially considering freight trains need to have the ability to run (on a gentle incline) on this alignment. Money for that may not even materialize in our lifetimes. In order to connect the Plaisance to Jackson Park, it would be cheaper to somehow rebuild just the 59th-60th viaduct with a razor-thin deck and the longest pier-free spans possible. Also, although the viaduct currently has a width of 8 tracks, there are only 6 tracks currently laid, so it possibly could be made narrower. In addition, there are vestigial platforms separating pairs of tracks here, so assuming those are unnecessary, those spaces can be punched out to allow natural light to penetrate into the area under the viaduct, eliminating the cavern effect.

I agree with most of the criticisms of the library siting and designs. Just the tower itself looks timid and hesitant. It certainly doesn't make you think of a leader of a world power. Maybe he is just aiming more for a place of activity and learning (training political leaders, etc.) than a (megalomaniacal) monument to an eight year period of leading the nation which, truth be told, generally gets less relevant as the decades go by (and there surely will be other highly accomplished black politicians who will soon follow in his footsteps anyway). Extending this thinking, maybe he is foreseeing that some decades from now, it will serve the future better as something integrated tightly with an institute or school of the U of C rather than as just a standalone presidential library.

[Halsted & Villagio]

Originally Posted by Urbana

Its probably an unpopular point of view on this forum (thought not so much in the architecture community, I have found), but as a whore for monolithic concrete structures and the midcentury aestetic, this is a tremendous design. I'm excited to watch it rise when I move to Hyde Park this summer!

+ 1 on this quote.... indeed I agree. With the right detailing I think it has the potential to be outstanding -- possibly even iconic. I also like the way that the various structures relate to their surroundings... helping to create a center/complex for gathering, thought, discussion and just leisurely fun. Not all complex's do that successfully. I think this one can pull it off.

More importantly, monolith notwithstanding, I think this design is inviting enough that it has the potential to continue the theme of this being a true catalyst for turnaround on the south-side. If it were closed off and isolated looking I am not sure it would help further that purpose. New York does not become the New York we know today without lowering crime and cleaning up the slums of Harlem, the Bronx, etc. A stronger south-side will do wonders for the overall health, viability and image of greater Chicago.

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[brian_b]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

May 3, 2017

Friends of the Parks Statement on Obama Presidential Center Model Unveiling

We continue to call for a transparent process to bring forth the data and engage the community's voice in order to make good decisions...

The public has not yet seen the results of the engineering study...

The local community has not been presented with a thorough analysis of the traffic issues...

The new FoTP-supported park-to-parking lot conversion over at 31st street is coming along nicely.

Forgive me for not noticing things that may or may not have happened in my ward, but I don't recall any transparent public process asking for my voice. I don't recall engineering or traffic studies presented at any community meetings. Perhaps it was on one of those nice summer days where I was stuck in traffic on 31st street right next to the only entrance/exit for that parking lot.

[10023]

I like normanlee's idea, and would also think a less ambitious idea of just building this over the Metra tracks would be quite cool. Re-landscape that section between 59th, 60th, Stony Island and Dorchester, with multiple layers of terraces or green roofs so that people could walk between the Plaisance and Jackson Park without even noticing the tracks.

[Jim in Chicago]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

They can take their statement and shove it up their asses

These zealots put NIMBYs to shame.

[rlw777]

I love the museum portion. The simple monolithic form, the sparse windows, the stone facade, and the offset seams reminiscent of large stone blocks all serve to make the museum portion feel as much like a monument as a building.

[Mr Downtown]

Originally Posted by brian_b

The new FoTP-supported park-to-parking lot conversion over at 31st street is coming along nicely. . . I don't recall any transparent public process asking for my voice.

Not sure what that has to do with the Obama Center in Jackson Park, but all the voices raised at Ald. King's town hall meeting (16 May 2016) on the subject were pretty darn clear about their wishes. As Juanita Irizarry has explained, the issue of parking in parks is not always a simplistic one.

FotP released a statement yesterday because all the media outlets were calling to ask for their position on this project. I only posted it here because BVictor1 specifically asked about them.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by 10023

I like normanlee's idea, and would also think a less ambitious idea of just building this over the Metra tracks would be quite cool. Re-landscape that section between 59th, 60th, Stony Island and Dorchester, with multiple layers of terraces or green roofs so that people could walk between the Plaisance and Jackson Park without even noticing the tracks.

That's (sort of) what they're proposing. The trapezoid between 59th/60th/Stony Island/IC tracks could become a low-slung parking garage buried inside a landform. The top of it would be park space at the level of the tracks, with a pedestrian bridge over Stony to the library. This way anybody coming from Metra at 59th St would share the same exact access as people driving and parking.

[JK47]

""This is a rare opportunity to honor the spirit and design of Jackson Park's landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted--who believed deeply in parks as democratic spaces--as well as the President's and Mrs. Obama's stated desire to establish the Obama Presidential Center as a promoter and convener of citizen participation and engagement."


Oh so now we're interested in the "spirit" of the architect of the park.


"The Art Institute was hardly the only the building that had been planned to occupy the space known as Grant Park today. Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago envisioned the park as a collection of museums and civic buildings, with the Field Museum of Natural History standing in the center."


Funny how that never came up with the Lucas Museum.

[killaviews]

I think this is how you build a museum in a public park. If the Lucas museum was more like this I think it would have had a much better chance.

The Obama Foundation looks like a monument, not a museum. It's still a park, but now it will have this visual structure to draw people in. I think it's great. If the museum was in the middle of an urban block, of course the design would be more daring. This is how you design buildings for park space today.

[Mr Downtown]

Kriston Capps of Citylab bemoans the giveaway of historic parkland. His understanding of the issues, though, is curious:

Washington Park is considered one of Olmsted’s four complete masterpieces, along with Central Park and Prospect Park in New York and Franklin Park in Boston. Any presidential library would be glad to have one of them as a front yard. But to plant such a facility in Central Park, Prospect Park, or Franklin Park—to even propose it—would raise howls of protest. Washington Park is no less sacred, but it’s located on Chicago’s South Side, a place with less social and political power than the others.

This completely overlooks the fact that it was the South Side "Bring It Home" faction who would have no dissent from outsiders worried about historic parks, and told anyone who raised such a concern to get their white asses back to the North Side.

[Sequenza]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

Kriston Capps of Citylab bemoans the giveaway of historic parkland. His understanding of the issues, though, is curious:

Washington Park is considered one of Olmsted’s four complete masterpieces, along with Central Park and Prospect Park in New York and Franklin Park in Boston. Any presidential library would be glad to have one of them as a front yard. But to plant such a facility in Central Park, Prospect Park, or Franklin Park—to even propose it—would raise howls of protest. Washington Park is no less sacred, but it’s located on Chicago’s South Side, a place with less social and political power than the others.

This completely overlooks the fact that it was the South Side "Bring It Home" faction who would have no dissent from outsiders worried about historic parks, and told anyone who raised such a concern to get their white asses back to the North Side.

But the library won't be in Washington Park. It'll be one mile east in Jackson Park.