$30M Facelift At W. Caldwell Tech School; Union Labor To Be Used

WEST CALDWELL, NJ — A $30 million makeover of the Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology will be done with the hands of unionized workers, officials announced Wednesday.

On Jan. 30, Essex County officials inked a project labor agreement with local construction unions, who were represented by the international Union of Operating Engineers Local 825.

The deal will ensure that union workers will be hired to work on the renovation and expansion of the Essex County School of Technology campus in West Caldwell, which will see a $30 million facelift this summer, officials said.

“I grew up in a union family and I understand how important this is for the men and women represented by labor,” Essex County Schools of Technology Board President Father Ed Leahy said, praising Wednesday’s decision.

Essex County officials released the following statement about the upcoming project:

“At the end of the current school year, work to completely renovate the Essex County West Caldwell School of Technology will begin. A two-story addition will be constructed onto the front of the building and the existing structure will be completely updated. Being improved are facilities for the Career and Technical Education Construction Lab, greenhouse, media center, cosmetology, music production, and culinary and baking programs. There will be eight new classrooms, a new multi-purpose room for physical education and performing arts classes, a new weight room and a renovated cafeteria and kitchen. In addition, security systems will be upgraded.”

Officials added:

“DiCara Rubino Architects from Wayne was awarded a professional services contract for $1,790,000 to design the improvements and classroom addition. Dobco Inc. from Wayne was awarded a publicly bid contract for $29,855,000 to perform the construction work. Joseph Jingoli & Sons Inc. from Lawrenceville received a $840,855 contract to serve as the construction manager of the project. Promatech Inc. from New York City was awarded an $81,307 contract to serve as the contract monitor and compliance officers on the project.”

The school construction project is being funded with a state grant, officials said. (Learn more about the renovations here)

Essex County Freeholder President Brendan Gill said that a project labor agreement isn’t an abstract concept… it’s got teeth.

“We understand the importance of our labor unions and the role they play in constructing our infrastructure and buildings,” Gill emphasized.

“We are eager to start work on the West Caldwell School project,” said Lino Santiago, Business Representative with the international Union of Operating Engineers Local 825. “We appreciate the relationship with the County and appreciate how you feel about the importance of the building trades unions.”

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said the West Caldwell campus’ facilities are “outdated” and must be modernized.

“We are pleased to partner with our local building trades unions to provide the trained and professional workforce to update our school building,” DiVincenzo Jr. said. “This project is an opportunity to create jobs and provide a school facility that will meet the needs of our students for generations to come.”

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