Call it the Barack effect: Throughout Woodlawn, new homes are rising on vacant lots, and neglected properties have been rehabbed as anticipation builds for the Obama Presidential Center. The South Side neighborhood — first a community of Dutch farmers in the mid-19th century, then home to Black migrants from the South starting in the early 1900s — is just west of the presidential center’s Jackson Park site. Stroll through the rapidly gentrifying community to see stately greystones and brick houses from a bygone era coexisting with modern low-rise condominiums.

A spacious new five-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home at 6417 South Drexel Avenue adds to the diversity. On the market for $779,500, this is Archic Properties’ fifth project in the neighborhood but first that’s a ground-up development.

Inside the gated home, the open floor plan allows you to see through to the back windows. Floor-to-ceiling doorways and oversize windows contribute to the light and airy modern design. Contemporary touches such as quartz countertops, white oak floors, and a freestanding stone tub exude extravagance. A formal living room opens onto the dining room, which connects to the kitchen by way of a butler’s pantry, complete with a beverage refrigerator. The chef’s kitchen is a work of art, with a huge island that doubles as a breakfast bar. It connects to the family room, which leads to a lower level boasting a rec room with a wet bar. Additional features include a mudroom and French doors opening onto a backyard patio.

The presidential center is expected to open in 2025 but began driving up prices in the neighborhood even before breaking ground in 2021. Consider it the cost of hanging out with the Obamas: They make everywhere they move fancier.