LA Stories
Building Better with Bio-Friendly Geofoam
In November 2023, crews working on the Obama Presidential Center began placing large, white cubes of geofoam along the eastern side of the project site. Made from expanded polystyrene (EPS), this substance is 100 times lighter than soil, making it an ideal “site fill” material that can be used to add natural contours to the landscape without the need for the additional structural support that is required when using heavier earth materials.
Major Construction Milestone: Museum Building Top Out
In May 2024, Lakeside Alliance achieved a major construction milestone on the Obama Presidential Center site: the topping out of the Museum Building at its final height of 225 feet. A culmination of two years of world-class work, the only thing that could top this milestone was a visit by President Barack Obama on June 10, 2024 to express his appreciation to the team.
Respect, Dignity and Active Caring: Promoting Mental Health Conversations in Construction
May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise awareness about mental health and behavioral issues and make room for critical conversations about reducing the stigma that many people experience when they’re struggling, including at work.
Women in Construction Week 2023: Who Builds the World? Girls!
To kick off Women in Construction Week 2023, Lakeside Alliance hosted “Who Builds the World? GIRLS!”, an event where young women and girls in grades 6 through 12 could immerse themselves in the world of construction, and be inspired and instructed by women working in the industry.
2022 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Report: Intentionality That Drives Results
Change doesn’t happen overnight, but as a result of intentionality and determination. That’s why Lakeside Alliance is proud to share our 2022 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report documenting our changemaking efforts. There is a long way to go before the center opens, but the report shows important progress in meeting our ambitious DEI goals set in partnership with the Obama Foundation.
The Lakeside Alliance Team Looks Back on 2022
As we near the end of 2022, we asked the Lakeside Alliance team how they would sum up the year and what they are most looking forward to in 2023.
SURPRISE! President Obama Drops in on OPC Site
President Barack Obama stopped by the site of the Obama Presidential Center this summer, and based on the reactions shared by the workers he spoke with, the memory is one they will treasure for a lifetime.
CPS Students Introduced to Carpentry at the Obama Presidential Center
When carpenters need picnic benches, they don’t buy them, they build them. So, when the huddle tent on the Obama Presidential Center site where Lakeside Alliance crew members eat lunch and take breaks needed furniture, Scott Atchison, senior project superintendent (Turner Construction), remembered how he got started in construction.
Construction Safety Week Recap
At Lakeside Alliance, the safety of our workers is our first priority. But anyone who has worked in construction will tell you that everybody must do their part to make a work site as safe as possible.
Environmentally Friendly Renewable Energy to Help Power the OPC
Geothermal energy is a well that never runs dry, tapped from the earth’s inner core where the temperature is as hot as the sun’s surface, about 10,800 degrees Fahrenheit. It will be available as long as the sun shines, or for another five billion years or so. And, geothermal energy, which produces just 0.03% of the emissions of coal or gas, will supplement the traditional heating and cooling systems that power the Obama Presidential Center, substantially reducing the OPC’s carbon footprint.