Philly mayor to lobby for Biden’s presidential library

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Move over, Delaware. Get in line, Scranton. When it comes to where Joe Biden’s presidential library will be located, Philadelphia is throwing its hat into the ring.

As the Biden administration winds down, speculation is rising over where the legacy of his four years in office will be physically remembered. Obviously, multiple locations in Delaware, where Biden served in public office since 1970, are likely contenders. A strong case could be made for locating the Biden library at his alma mater, the University of Delaware in Newark, which is already home to the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy and Administration. UD is also home to the Biden Institute, which the school describes as “a world-class intellectual center and destination for scholars, activists, policymakers, and national leaders.”

But Biden also has plenty of connections to Philadelphia. He officially launched his bid for the White House in 2019 in a rally at Eakins Oval. During his 30+ years in the Senate, he was sometimes referred to as “Pennsylvania’s third senator.” And while the University of Pennsylvania is home to the Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, that center is physically located in Washington, D.C. Biden said in an interview last year that he wants to resume his involvement with Penn after leaving the Oval Office.

Mayor Cherelle Parker was enthusiastic about the prospect of the city hosting Biden’s library.

“I would love for his library to be here in Philadelphia, the birthplace of democracy, representative of all of the amazing things that he’s been able to get done for our nation,” she said.

The city’s lobbying effort will begin immediately with Parker’s secret weapon.

“Our Chief Deputy Mayor Sinceré Harris, who left the Biden and Harris White House to come run my campaign, she will be on the phone immediately saying we’re ready to make the case in Philadelphia,” Parker said. The mayor went on to say they would soon prepare a pitch for the Bidens to build their library here.

Parker said there are many reasons the city would be the appropriate spot for the repository of Biden’s history. “The fact that we would refer to President Joe Biden from Scranton with very strong Philadelphia roots. As our third United States senator, it is appropriate. I would love for his library to be here in Philadelphia, the birthplace of democracy.”

Wherever it ends up, Biden will have to raise millions to fund the project. For example, the Clinton library in Little Rock, Arkansas, cost more than $160 million dollars when it was built 20 years ago. The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago is anticipated to open in spring of 2026 after multiple delays at a cost of over $800 million dollars. The building itself is expected to cost $700 million, and exhibits another $90 million.

Traditionally, the president raises the money through public donations. The Biden family has not yet done anything to set up a fundraising effort or hired someone to do the work. That is expected to come after Biden leaves office later this month.