Obama Presidential Center groundbreaking could happen in August, after 4 years of delays

The federal review process that for four years had slowed the arrival of the Obama Presidential Center concluded on Wednesday, paving the way to yet another start date for the project’s groundbreaking in the storied Jackson Park on the South Side. Federal agencies closed the final review into the project after determining the Obama center’s construction and nearby roadway fixes would not pose a “significant impact” on the environment, according to city and Obama Foundation officials. With other federal reviews looking into factors such as the project’s effects on historic properties also recently ending, that means preliminary work can start in April and groundbreaking can likely begin as early as August. The Obama Foundation estimates construction will take about four years.