Obama presidential center redesigned before Chicago city review

CHICAGO, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The planned presidential center of Barack Obama has undertaken some major revisions to better harmonize with surroundings in southern Chicago, local media reported on Wednesday.

The Obama Presidential Center, near Lake Michigan on the south side of Chicago, will get a taller, slimmer and more transparent museum tower than the previous version revealed last year.

Some critics have complained that the old version of the museum tower was like a closed pyramid and the revised design will have some hollowed-out screens made of stone letters on its facade. The letters will represent some key words during Barack Obama's presidency.

The complex consists mainly of four buildings-- the museum tower, a forum, a library and an athletic center, plus a plaza. Some adjustments were also made on the center's garage.

The Obama Foundation is submitting its plan this week to various city departments. If approved, a groundbreaking ceremony is expected later this year.

The Mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, was Obama's first White House chief of staff. So local media believe the plan can go through the city hall with no big obstacles.

The Obamas hope that the center will be a new landmark and an economic engine for Chicago, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors, creating thousands of new jobs on the city's south side where they lived and worked for years. Enditem