Hope you're enjoying your Labor Day Weekend, Rainers!
Are you familiar with the Kenwood Neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago?
If you were, you might have driven by this beautiful, 1898 Colonial on the 5000 Block of South Greenwood Avenue, off Hyde Park Boulevard. If you were to drive there today, however, you would have to observe it from quite a distance back.
This is Barack and Michelle Obama's restored home! (Photo, and linked description, courtesy of Mark2400 Photo Stream, Flickr.com).
This April, 2007 photo shows little external security. As you might imagine, security around the historic home has been considerably beefed up recently, now that Mr. Obama is the official Democratic Nominee for President.
The Obama family house is large - nearly 6,200 square feet, and sits on a quarter-acre lot - which is pretty big for a parcel of land in the City of Chicago. Obama purchased the home back in June, 2005, for over $1.6 Million.
As security has increased near the home, less-affluent neighbors in this diverse Kenwood Neighborhood have had to navigate around the increased security. Last week, additional concrete barriers and parking restrictions were put in place near the home. A wrought-iron fence already circles the home, but this has been augmented by additional steel barriers earlier this week.
Law Enforcement Officials here have declined to comment on the new security added, referring any questions to the U.S. Secret Service. As you would imagine, these folks have been closed-mouth as well! "Any visible changes in security will be coordinated with the Chicago Police Department and other city officials. We will make every effort to ensure that any adjustments in security affecting area residents will be as unobtrusive as possible."
Still, neighbors have had to make adjustments. Many neighborhood residents now have to park their cars several blocks away from their homes, and their visiting families and friends have difficulty finding close parking spaces when they stop in.
Said Tamieka Smith, an Obama supporter who lives nearby, "My mother had to park four blocks away yesterday when she came to my house. It's an inconvenience, but he needs the extra protection. Imagine how it will be if he wins."
That's right, I guess . . . one can only imagine!
But would The Obama's still keep their home here in Chicago? Many neighbors hope so - and they'll bear with the inconvenience.
See our post @ BlogChicagoHomes.com for more info, as well as a link to Deanese Williams-Harris and Steve Schmadeke's story in yesterday's Chicago Tribune.
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
I am familiar with this neighborhood and the Obama family house. The neighbors mentioned in your post are very gracious. Having a presidential candidate in your neighborhood is challenging.
"referring any questions to the U.S. Secret Service."
Dean, that is funny! Yeah, go talk to those friendly guys over there.
I never thought about it - that would be quite a strain on the neighbors, but wouldn't their property value go up?
baяack can afford the old home....