Obama Presidential Center Athletics Center will break ground this month

The Obama Presidential Center Programs & Athletics Center will break ground this month on the 19-acre Jackson Park campus. 

Designed by Moody Nolan, the Programs & Athletic Center has grown from an originally planned 28,000 square feet to 45,000 square feet. The design consists of an angular massing with glass and smooth metal panels.

Inside, the building will have gym facilities including a basketball court. Additionally, there will be meeting and event spaces for the community to partake in recreational- and wellness-oriented programming. 

The park surrounding the center will offer play areas, walking paths, and a sledding hill, all connected by a long pedestrian promenade that joins the center to Jackson Park and runs alongside its beautiful and historic lagoons.

With groundbreaking due this month, the facility is expected to open in 2026.