Builder of
the Obama Presidential Center

Lakeside Alliance is a joint venture between Powers & Sons Construction Company, UJAMAA Construction Inc., Brown & Momen, Inc., Safeway Construction Company, and Turner Construction Company.

Over ten years ago, when President Obama was still in office, Mamon Powers, Jr. of Powers & Sons Construction had an idea to use the construction of a Center recognizing our nation’s first Black president to transform the paradigm of the industry.

With that vision in mind, Mamon got to work connecting with other Black-owned contractors to form a consortium of minority-led firms that would pursue this project. In the end, four firms — Brown & Momen, Powers and Sons, Safeway Construction Company, and UJAMAA Construction — joined forces with Turner Construction Company to form Lakeside Alliance. Together, we sought to be the change we wished to see in construction: creating jobs on the South Side of Chicago, exposing young people to career paths in the trades and providing opportunities to diverse contractors.

As the Obama Presidential Center officially opens to the public today, we complete our work as the project’s builder. With this chapter ending, we’re sharing how it all began.

2023 Community Impact Report

Issued April 2024 by Lakeside Alliance, builder of the Obama Presidential Center

View the Report

Core Values & Commitments

Lakeside Alliance will execute a new paradigm in the business where community and capability are merged. As we build the landmark Obama Presidential Center, we are guided by these five core values and commitments.

Through intentional workforce and professional development, we will ensure all team members gain new opportunities, experiences, and skills that offer them a stronger, brighter future.
Through our strategic partnership with the Obama Foundation, Lakeside Alliance will intentionally leverage the construction of the Obama Presidential Center to create jobs, drive economic opportunity in Chicago, and enrich the South Side community. Serving as an intentional, engaged, and trusted partner, we are fully invested in making a lasting impact on Chicago’s communities.
We will be intentional about being a good neighbor by leveraging our broad relationships to help bring resources to the community. We will collaborate with existing community-based organizations to further the Obama Foundation’s commitment to strengthen local economies.
We will be intentional about expanding successful career opportunities in the union trades for historically underrepresented populations and achieving significant diverse workforce participation by ensuring individuals have equal access to information, training, apprenticeships, job opportunities, and removing the barriers that prevent individuals from reaching their full potential.
We are committed to achieving significant diverse business participation by intentionally ensuring an inclusive and transparent procurement process, equal access to significant contract opportunities, removing historical barriers, and providing support and resources to ensure their success.

Intentional Transformation.
Lasting Impact.

Lakeside Alliance envisions sustainable change where community, capability and opportunity converge. With a focus on safety, quality, cost and schedule, we will deliver the vision of the Obama Presidential Center by transforming the construction paradigm in Chicago through intentional engagement with our team, the Obama Foundation, business enterprises, and our community.