The granite monolith soars above a leafy stretch of Chicago’s South Side, a nearly windowless exterior more suited to a sci-fi film set than the state-of-the-art presidential museum within.Crews are putting the finishing touches on the Obama Presidential Centre ahead of the official public opening on Juneteenth (June 19), more than a decade after the site was chosen.The new landmark in the Woodlawn neighbourhood on the city’s South Side, right along the lakefront, is expected to be a major tourist attraction, drawing 700,000 visitors annually, according to local reports.“We’ve been waiting for it for such a long time, so it’s exciting to see it come to fruition, and we are just looking forward to meeting all the new guests from all around the world,” says Sheinette Williams, general manager of Hyatt Place Chicago South/University Medical Centre in the same neighbourhood.The design of the roughly US$850 million campus – particularly the conspicuous 225ft (68.6-metre) high-rise at its north end – still divides the city celebrated as the birthplace of the modern skyscraper.For some, it is a jarring choice in Barack Obama’s hometown after a gruelling battle over its location in a lakefront park where classical-style buildings are more common. To others, it is a bold addition that will shape Chicago’s iconic skyline for decades to come.Visitors photograph statues of former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama at the Obama Presidential Centre in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: AP