Carpenters Union Breaks Ground on New 55,000-Square-Foot Carpenters and Millwrights Training Center Serving the Quad Cities Communities

EAST MOLINE, Ill., Nov. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters today broke ground on a new 55,000-sqauare-foot Carpenters and Millwrights Training Center in East Moline located less than a mile from Northeast Junior High School. The new building will create hundreds of jobs, bring significant tax revenue to the region, and will be used to train the next generation of skilled union apprentice carpenters and millwrights. Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2021.

"This is not just an investment in the quality training of skilled union apprentice carpenters and millwrights," said Gary Perinar, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Chicago Regional Council. "It is also an investment in the Quad Cities region that will increase property values and help spur economic development. Our new training center will be one of the crown jewels of the East Moline and Silvis communities and I thank everyone involved from the government bodies, to the union contractors, to our local unions and training directors who made this project a reality."

Locating the new training center in East Moline was a big win the for the community, said East Moline Mayor Reggie Freeman.

"The training center provides a new economic development cornerstone for East Moline along the City's Illinois 5 corridor that will help to facilitate further development in the area," Freeman said. "The Regional Council's project will also benefit students at United Township and Black Hawk College through potential training partnerships.  The City appreciates our partners at United Township High School, Silvis Elementary District, Black Hawk College, and Rock Island County for helping us land this cornerstone development in East Moline."

The project also includes a new 250-seat meeting room in an adjacent union office building that will be available to the public for events.

"This is an exciting time for the East Moline and Silvis communities," said Steve Tondi, President of the Associated General Contractors of the Quad Cities. "A large, modern training center not only enhances the trades, but also benefits our entire region. This training facility ensures that our contractors will always meet our customers' needs and provide the highest level of skilled and safest-working union tradesmen and women to complete projects on time and within budget."

Added Paul Elgatian, Director of the Illowa Millwright Contractors Association, "Union millwrights are growing just as the Quad Cities are growing economically. This new training center shows the commitment of the Chicago Regional Council and the Illowa Millwright Contractors to keep pace with technology advancements in a changing industry and provide the best-trained and safest-working union millwrights."

The two-story facility will include classrooms, dedicated training shops, a lunchroom, offices and surface parking. The site was selected for maximum access to the facility and the ability to allow for future growth. The training programs and curriculum offered include foundations, wood and metal framing, flooring, scaffolding, as well as many other carpentry skills. It will also provide training for millwrights, who with machinery and equipment in multiple industries that require skills for precision-type alignment.

"Union carpenters and millwrights have been an integral part of building the Quad Cities landscape for more than 100 years and we will continue that valued partnership for years to come," said Perinar. "This project will create hundreds of jobs in the region and we're excited to get construction underway."

About the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters
The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters represents over 30,000 working men and women from 19 local unions across Illinois and Eastern Iowa. The Chicago Regional Council provides the construction and maintenance industries with productive, competitive and certified professionals, encompassing a wide variety of crafts and skills.

SOURCE Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters

Related Links

http://www.carpentersunion.org