The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has officially terminated [1] the lease for the Obama Presidential Library site in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
However, the closure is not expected to significantly impact operations, as the facility was already slated to shut down later this year and relocate to Maryland.
The Hoffman Estates site, located in northwest Chicago, has been managed by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) since 2016.
It is separate from the Obama Presidential Center, a privately funded project under construction near Jackson Park on Chicago’s South Side.
That facility, overseen by the Obama Foundation, is expected to be completed next year.
The decision to terminate the lease comes as DOGE updates its list of nearly 750 federal lease cancellations, which collectively account for approximately 9.6 million square feet of space.
BREAKING: Elon Musk’s DOGE terminates lease at Obama Presidential Library site. pic.twitter.com/0Vqcedrqk3 [2]
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) March 5, 2025 [3]
The agency, tasked by President Donald Trump with eliminating wasteful federal spending, projects that the terminations will save taxpayers an estimated $468 million.
The DOGE website does not specify a closure timeline, but a NARA spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the Hoffman Estates site is scheduled to close in late Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.
The federal government’s fiscal year extends through September 30, 2025.
The facility currently houses approximately 25 million unclassified paper records from the Obama administration, which are being digitized and will eventually be available in digital format at the future Obama Presidential Center.
Under the Presidential Records Act of 1978, NARA maintains custody of all presidential records and artifacts after a president leaves office.
Presidents Obama and Biden clearly love the work @DOGE [4] is doing pic.twitter.com/05Quru9H8O [5]
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 15, 2025 [6]
Along with the paper records, the Hoffman Estates facility contains around 35,000 physical artifacts, including various gifts received by the Obamas during their time in office.
Some notable items include former President Barack Obama’s silver BlackBerry, a draft of his first inaugural speech written on a paper pad, a signed Pittsburgh Steelers football, a jeweled sword from Saudi Arabia, and dresses worn by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
According to the Chicago Tribune, these artifacts will be moved to Maryland but may be loaned to the Obama Presidential Center for display.
NARA has leased the Hoffman Estates building since 2016, paying an annual rent of $1.4 million, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
The property, owned by Hoffman Estates Medical Development LLC, was originally a furniture showroom before being converted into a secure, climate-controlled archive.
The Obama Presidential Center, currently under construction, has faced multiple delays and rising costs.
Initially projected at $350 million, its budget had soared to $830 million by 2021, with the final cost still uncertain.
The center will feature a 235-foot museum tower, a branch of the Chicago Public Library, conference facilities, a gymnasium, and a regulation-size NBA basketball court.
It will also serve as the headquarters for the Obama Foundation, the organization responsible for overseeing the center’s development.
Despite setbacks, the center remains on track for completion next year.
Meanwhile, NARA’s relocation of Obama’s presidential records and artifacts to Maryland signals the impending closure of the Hoffman Estates facility, aligning with broader federal efforts to consolidate resources and reduce expenses.