March 18--The Barack Obama Foundation, the group behind the effort to build the Obama library, opened an office in Hyde Park on Friday that will serve as its headquarters for the project.
The South Side office will be the foundation's nerve center as it moves ahead with plans to build the Obama Presidential Center in either Jackson Park or Washington Park. The foundation is in the process of pinning down the specific location as well as choosing the architect for the project.
The office will serve as the headquarters for Michael A. Strautmanis, a Chicago native and longtime aide to President Barack Obama who took over in January as head of community outreach for the foundation. The office currently has a staff of seven.
The office space at 53rd Street and Lake Park Avenue was provided by the University of Chicago, one of several partners on the library project.
"We are just at the beginning. There are several steps to come and years of work in front of us, so we're going to grow as the work grows," Strautmanis said. "We're looking forward to working with the community."
Harper Court, developed in partnership with the University of Chicago and the City of Chicago, is a two-phase, 1.1 million square foot mixed-use development in Hyde Park. It features office, retail and restaurant space.
dglanton@tribpub.com
