City Council committee OKs closing Cornell Drive for Obama Presidential Center

Road closures that would pave the way for construction of the $500 million Obama Presidential Center in Jackson Park on Thursday got the green light from a City Council Committee.

The plan approved by the Transportation Committee is confined to Chicago Park District land.

It includes closing the southern portion of Midway Plaisance Drive as well as Cornell Drive. That will send southbound traffic from Cornell Drive to Stony Island Avenue, which would be widened, along with the northern portion of Midway Plaisance Drive.

Stoplight and barrier walls would be installed on Hayes Drive.

The city has also made a commitment to use $172 million in state funding to widen Lake Shore Drive between 57th Street and Hayes Drive to accommodate the closing of Cornell Drive.

But that plan must be approved separately because the land is not owned by the Chicago Park District.

The closing of Cornell Drive has been controversial because it’s a main artery through Jackson Park.

But Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld argued that the plan to vacate 3.74 acres of city right-of–way, dedicate 1.62 acres of park land as public way and establish a 100-foot wide right-of-way on Stony Island Avenue will “improve circulation within and through the park.”

“Today, there are many existing conditions that are unacceptable in terms of congestion, traffic safety concerns,” Scheinfeld said.

“We have looked at this comprehensively and this is a wonderful opportunity, not only to help realize the vision for the Obama Presidential Center, but also make sure that we are taking this opportunity to address many longstanding issues and concerns so we can improve the experience of the park [for local residents] as well as [for] people commuting through it.”

Transportation Committee Chairman Anthony Beale (9th) acknowledged he was initially skeptical about the plan to close Cornell Drive.

That is, until the Illinois General Assembly coughed up the cash to implement the transportation plan.

“A $172 million infusion is enough to change anyone’s mind,” Beale said, laughing.

He added, “Change is hard. But it will be better after than before.”

The vote on Thursday sets the stage for the full City Council to vote next week on a revised master agreement for the four-building, Obama Presidential complex.

That agreement would cover 19.3 acres of city land to the foundation for 99 years for the nominal cost of $10.

The deal requires the Obama Foundation to prove to the city that it can raise enough money to build the center and to establish an endowment to cover maintenance and operations.

The city would be on the hook to repay the foundation for up to $75,000 to perform environmental testing of the site.

Plans to build the Obama Presidential Center still face a federal lawsuit and a separate federal review tied to Jackson Park’s place on the National Register of Historic Places.