With pre-construction underway, the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) announced more details of its construction costs and economic impact for Chicago. In February, the Obama Foundation shared that in addition to breaking ground in 2021, they expressed their commitment to providing subcontracting opportunities to a more diverse workforce.

"We believe the Obama Presidential Center should be built by a team that looks like the Center's surrounding community, and we're working hard to make sure that happens." 

WBEZ Chicago's Natalie Moore reports on the Foundation's promise and provides more details on the Center's workforce initiative progress. On March 10th, the Foundation stated workforce goals would prioritize South and West Side residents. "The OPC Construction Workforce Initiative will create an inclusive construction workforce trained with skills to build the OPC, and create a diverse pipeline of talent that can be funneled to construction projects across the city." 

Acknowledging their "ambitious goals," a designated jobs resource section of the Foundation's site provides ways individuals can explore how they can participate. The Foundation shares, "50 percent of our work will be done with minority-, women-, or veteran-owned businesses." 

The OPC Construction Workforce Initiative builds off of the following three pillars:

• Setting the Bar: Our goal is for 35% of the construction workforce to come from targeted areas on the South and West Sides of Chicago.
• Breaking Down Barriers: We will support diverse subcontractors to make it easier for them to compete in bidding for the project and offer financial assistance for workforce participants.
• Engaging the Community: We have committed $850,000 to a partnership with local workforce development organizations to train 400 new apprentices from the South and West Sides.

Diversifying workforce goals also include recruiting women, young people, and the formerly incarcerated. Moore connected with Sharon Latson, program director at the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT), who is partnering with the Obama Foundation on this effort. "This is definitely about the Obama Center at this time, but it's about how we can change the workforce and diversify it for people who have been locked out," shared Latson.

Community engagement to facilitate follow thru with this effort will consist of virtual job training across the South and West Sides in partnership with the CWIT and four other organizations. Moore also connected with Chynna Hampton, director of workforce development at HIRE360, another organization collaborating with the Foundation. "I think the construction industry already is pushing toward that diversity initiative," shared Hampton, "but this sticks the pin in it to make sure we're pushing it forward and say it doesn't stop here." 

The Obama Foundation announced Lakeside Alliance as general contractor for the project to ensure, "South Side, Black-owned construction firms profited directly from the project and were part of the decision-making team."