Lawsuit Alleges Racial Discrimination at Obama Presidential Center, Firm Calls Claims Baseless

Lawsuit Alleges Racial Discrimination at Obama Presidential Center, Firm Calls Claims Baseless

An engineering firm involved in the Obama Presidential Center is denying allegations of racial discrimination against a Black-owned subcontractor, labeling the lawsuit as unfounded and a smear. They argue that critiquing the subcontractor’s performance does not constitute racism.

Thornton Tomasetti, a structural engineering firm based in New York City, is responding to a $40.75 million lawsuit that claims it acted with racist intent when addressing the alleged subpar performance of II In One Concrete, a Black-owned subcontractor working on the expansive 19.3-acre site in Jackson Park, Chicago.

This lawsuit has attracted considerable national attention, particularly regarding the project’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals. These goals have been overshadowed by significant delays, with costs soaring from an initial estimate of $350 million to approximately $830 million. The Obama Presidential Center is designed to honor the legacy of former President Barack Obama and will include a museum with a 235-foot tower, a branch of the Chicago Public Library, and conference facilities.

Thornton Tomasetti previously alerted the Obama Foundation, which oversees the project, to various concerns about the subcontractor’s work. Issues included cracked concrete and exposed rebar, leading them to conduct corrective work. The engineering firm described II In One Concrete as inexperienced and