Senate Finally Passes It with 53 -46 Vote – Chuck Schumer and Dems LOSE

The design concerns come as the project, which has already seen significant cost overruns from the original $500 million estimate to over $850 million, faces additional local tensions. Residents of the Woodlawn neighborhood near the center, particularly at Chaney Braggs Apartments on 65th Street and Stony Island Avenue, have formed a tenants’ union to fight potential rent hikes or displacement. A potential buyer is reportedly considering renovation or demolition, which would raise rents substantially.

“I want to stay right where I’m at. I don’t want to be forced out,” resident Kyana Butler said. “I want to be able to let my daughter grow up in the same building I grew up in.”

Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation and former senior adviser to President Obama, noted that Obama has been deeply involved in the design process. “I wish that people could be a fly on the wall to see how many times in the course of the day that I hear from President Obama about ideas for the center, tweaks, programming, and what we can do for the design,” Jarrett said.