Akoma Amanze, a local cab driver, has lived in Jackson Park Terrace, a low-income housing community directly across the street from the 19.3 acre campus dedicated to the 44th president, for 18 years. He described the construction process, which began in 2021, as ‘sometimes very, very disturbing.’ Amanze supports Obama but noted that the construction caused massive headaches for him and other residents.
Construction Chaos
Amanze’s apartment flooded twice during the construction, and he had to deal with the ramifications, including throwing away all his belongings on the floor. He also experienced reverberation from the digging, which would shake his bed. The construction also led to the loss of a community park where Amanze would take his children.
Despite the challenges, Amanze is not bitter and is excited that the Obama Presidential Center is now open. However, his experience highlights the impact of large-scale construction projects on local residents.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
