Former President Barack Obama’s long-delayed presidential center in Chicago is again drawing public scrutiny as construction nears completion, following years of lawsuits, cost overruns, and community frustration.

Obama posted on X Saturday about the Obama Presidential Center, promoting it as a “hub for change” ahead of its planned opening next year.

“When the Obama Presidential Center opens next year, it will be a hub for change — a place for people from all over the world to come together, get inspired, and take what they learn back to their own communities,” he wrote.

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Despite the former president’s optimism, the $830 million project has faced mounting criticism over its impact on the surrounding neighborhood, escalating construction costs, and multiple legal battles.

The privately funded complex, located on Chicago’s South Side, broke ground in September 2021 and will occupy roughly 20 acres of Jackson Park — a 540-acre site originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the architect behind New York’s Central Park.

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According to Newsweek, the Obama Presidential Center has become “behind schedule, over budget, and mired in lawsuits.”

The project was initially expected to cost about $500 million but has now ballooned to over $830 million.

In addition to cost concerns, residents living near the site have voiced anger about rising rent and property taxes linked to development in the area.

“Rents are going up fast,” said Kyana Butler of Southside Together, one of several activist groups that lobbied the Obama Foundation to work more closely with the local community.

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“A two-bedroom apartment that used to rent for $800 a month has already jumped to $1,800. Property taxes are going up so much that the owner of my building is saying she might just walk away.”

Local groups, including the Obama Community Benefits Agreement Coalition, have warned that the project is accelerating gentrification and pushing out long-term residents.

Some have described the center as a “monstrosity,” saying the development has transformed what was once one of the city’s most scenic park spaces.

The center is expected to feature a museum dedicated to Obama’s presidency, a new public library branch, an athletic center, gardens, and a children’s play area.

While the Obama Foundation maintains that the project will bring jobs and revitalization to the area, critics argue that it has already priced out many residents and damaged community trust.

Online, the building’s design has become a frequent target of mockery. Social media users compared the main tower to fictional structures from science fiction and fantasy franchises.

Some users posted videos of “Star Wars” X-wing fighters closing in on the building, while others edited images of the structure onto the legs of the AT-AT walkers from “The Empire Strikes Back.”

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Others compared it to the Eye of Sauron from “The Lord of the Rings,” Easter Island statues, and even trash bins or cat litter boxes.

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“It’s an ‘obamanation!’ Just like his presidency!” one user commented, while another said, “It’s like someone built a Lego set without the instructions.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) weighed in on X, calling it a “bold move” to locate the “Death Star” in Chicago. Cartoonist Scott Adams also mocked the design, describing it as resembling a “North Korean guard tower.”

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The Obama Foundation has not responded publicly to the latest wave of criticism, though construction continues at the site.

The center’s completion date has been pushed back several times amid legal disputes, including challenges over the use of public parkland for a privately managed complex.

While the former president continues to describe the project as a beacon for global learning and progress, many residents see it as a costly and disruptive project that has failed to deliver for the community it was meant to serve.

The Obama Presidential Center is currently expected to open sometime next year.

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