The Ironworkers Local Training Center was created to provide apprentices of the ironworking trade a state-of-the-art facility to learn their craft and hone their skills. The 12,000 sq. ft. facility’s façade features dual arc-shaped 50-foot-tall curtain walls on the east and west sides of the buildings, each containing more than 100 glass panels measuring up to 12.5 feet tall by 4 feet wide. Inside, the facility features a centralized training floor flanked by dual mezzanines used for meetings, observation and storage. Other features include a suspended five-ton bridge crane used to lift and transport materials, lab-like instruction spaces, as well as a 20-foot-tall water pressurization chamber designed to test the glass panels weatherproofing and durability. Ultimately, the center serves as a high-tech training facility designed to attract a younger workforce, all the while serving as a showpiece to the ironworkers’ craft.

The most notable exterior design feature of the Ironworkers Local 63 Training Center is the 50-foot-tall dual glass curtainwalls on the east and west sides of the building. The sides are designed in an arc-like shape using the flat glass panels of different shapes and sizes to complete the look. The interior’s suspended dual mezzanines provide multi-functional usage for the ironworkers and apprentices to congregate for meetings and observe the various different procedures with the highest degree of visibility. The floors also feature non-slip flooring and water drains to prevent slips and falls due to the water pressurization chamber.

Initially, all four sides of the Ironworkers Local 63 Training Center were designed to be curtainwall, but due to the amount of heavy lifting that was required of the training, the north and south sides were replaced with structural precast combined with different aggregates. Not only did this increase the sturdiness of the facility, but it also shaved dollars off the total construction costs. For the glass panels themselves, the concrete-to-curtainwall measurements needed to be within a quarter inch of each other, with the team ultimately able to get it down to within an eighth of an inch. Inside the training center, installing the five-ton bridge crane proved challenging due to minimal clearance between the height required of the apprentice’s structures and the ceiling, as well as clearance with the light fixtures underneath the ceiling’s steel joists.

For the duration of construction, the project had zero recordable incidents.

The Ironworkers Local 63 Union represents more than 1,000 tradespeople and has helped construct an array Chicago staples such as the St. Regis Chicago, Cloud Gate (AKA “The Bean”) in Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park. The new facility ensures that the union will continue to attract and train top quality apprentices who can continue to live up to the lasting legacy of the union. Additionally, the training center serves as the regional training center for the entire international union, ushering in ironworkers and apprentices from all over the country to the Chicagoland area. Furthermore, in October, the training center served as the site of the Outstanding Ironworker Apprenticeship Competition, featuring apprentices all around the United States and Canada.

The University of Illinois Foundation’s new headquarters, designed by Berglund Construction and Perkins Eastman, is located at the southern end of the Urbana-Champaign campus, across from the State Farm Center. This three-story, knot-shaped building features a floating brick façade, full-height curtain wall windows, and plaster soffit ceilings. Amenities include a café, library, wellness center, media space, training rooms, multipurpose conference rooms, and an employee breakroom/event space with an exterior terrace. Architectural highlights include walnut-finish millwork, porcelain tile flooring, custom elements, open-ceiling offices, and glass-front private offices. A white oak staircase leads to a rooftop terrace with panoramic views. The building has LEED Gold certification and is the campus’s first WELL-certified building, aiming for WELL Platinum status.

Perkins Eastman values collaborative partnerships, engaging University of Illinois Foundation (UIF) leadership early to define their vision and operational goals. Visioning workshops fostered inclusivity, built trust, and identified challenges, assets, and opportunities. The team developed an imaginative design strategy, resulting in a Y-shaped plan with central public spaces to encourage interaction and department-specific wings for focused work. The transparent design was a key challenge, addressed by creating two adjacent atriums with glazed partitions for fire safety and acoustic separation. This design allows visitors to observe UIF’s work while employees witness donor excitement. Daylighting played a crucial role, with expansive windows providing natural light and views of the campus, central Illinois, and the University Research Park.

Project featured several intricate components of construction, including curved steel members, cantilevered shelf angles to support “floating” brick panels, full height curtainwall, including curved glass, custom designed skylight, custom designed millwork elements, notably the curved segmented lobby stairs and sawtooth patterned feature wall, as well as full-height interior glass both for office fronts and segmentation from floor to floor, allowing the design feature to also service as a code applicable smoke barrier.

The development of the project as a whole was also unique in constructing a private building for our private end user, the University of Illinois Foundation, on leased public University of Illinois property.

Our EMR is 0.47.

Project incurred zero safety incidents or recordable events. This is largely due to the significant investment made on both quality and safety with weekly site safety inspections performed by the onsite project management team, as well as frequent visits to the site by both our Quality & Safety Director, who were included in all pre, during, and post project phases of the project, including but not limited to attendance at weekly owner, architect, and contractor (OAC) meetings as well as all subcontractor scope review meetings as part of the subcontractor procurement process.

This building serves as the first privately developed building for the University of Illinois Foundation, as well as one of, if not the first, privately developed and privately owned structure on public University of Illinois grounds. The University of Illinois served as the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for the project.

The project also achieved LEED Gold certification along with being the first new construction project at the University of Illinois – Champaign campus to achieve WELL certification, currently in pursuit of WELL Platinum.

Design and construction of an outdoor training village for Chicago Police and Fire Departments on a 12.4 acres site. Facility includes 5 full scale training structures including two tactical building areas comprised of two and three flat residential houses and a multi-story mixed use structure, two live-fire training structures comprised of one multi-story apartment tower and one multi-story mixed use structure. The fifth building area is the Urban Search and Rescue structure containing confined space training elements, a leaky-pipe training element, temporary shoring/brace elements, and a liquid propane burn pit for hazmat training. The facility also includes 160,000 SF concrete paved tactical driver training course. Structures were designed and permitted as un-occupied training structures with minimal mechanical, electrical, and plumbing utilities throughout the buildings. Building construction included cold-formed metal framing, plywood, concrete, and masonry materials.

This is a one-of-a-kind training campus that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Design creative process included a series of meetings with training personnel for detailed insight on how training programs and exercises were to perform to ensure project design met and exceeded these minimum requirements. One of the specific project challenges were the “Live Fire” training structures in which 38 design burn areas were constructed throughout the respective training structures. A high-temperature lining system was procured and installed for protection of the structures while allowing for repeated burns. Other key design considerations and implementations included: high-temperature rated paint, specific product selections on door hardware to eliminate components not suitable for high-temps, and protection for lead joint drain piping.

With a high volume of concrete and masonry installed for the project quality and long-term durability for the high abuse training environments were top of mind for the construction team. As a result, the construction team invested in third party testing for quality inspections as well as remote sensor monitoring for concrete pours to ensure proper strength was achieved. Certain design/training elements such as the high-temperature lining systems installed for the live-fire burn buildings as well as the liquid propane hazmat training equipment required engagement with specialty trade partners who designed, supplied, and installed these unique training systems.

Safety was a top priority throughout the Chicago Joint Public Safety Outdoor Scenario Village (Police & Fire Phase II) project. We ensured the safety of tradespeople, onsite first responders, and the surrounding community by strictly adhering to comprehensive safety protocols and maintaining a proactive approach to hazard prevention. Our team closely coordinated with first responders to ensure safe operations during live-fire and tactical training exercises. With an outstanding EMR rating of 0.47, we are committed to upholding a strong safety culture, minimizing risk, and ensuring the well-being of all personnel involved in the project.

This project brought in local, minority, and female workers for the project to help aide in the economic growth of the nearby community. Local material vendors were utilized for various parts of the project as well.

The Chicago Joint Public Safety Outdoor Scenario Village (Police & Fire Phase II) project advanced community inclusivity by creating opportunities for underrepresented groups. In collaboration with the Alderman and local organizations, the project prioritized hiring and training individuals from diverse backgrounds, addressing systemic barriers to participation and promoting equity.

The project enhanced the quality of life in the disadvantaged area by providing essential services, creating sustainable jobs, and investing in local infrastructure. Not to mention, prioritizing the relationship between first responders and police force with civilians – bringing a greater understanding of how everyone has the same goal – to keep our neighborhood safe.

Ultimately, the project delivered immediate economic benefits while establishing a foundation for long-term growth, resilience, and equity, leaving a lasting positive impact on the community.

The Chicago Joint Public Safety Outdoor Scenario Village (Police & Fire Phase II) project positively impacts the community by providing advanced training facilities that enhance the readiness of Chicago’s first responders, directly contributing to public safety. The project team demonstrated a strong commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility by engaging local communities and providing opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses. Employment was prioritized for diverse workers, ensuring the project benefited a wide range of groups. Additionally, the facility’s design was inclusive, with accessible training structures for all public safety teams. Overall, the project promoted workforce diversity while enhancing critical training capabilities for Chicago’s police and fire departments.

XTchange Chicago is a 28,000-square-foot facility located in the heart of Greater Grand Crossing. This building has long been tied to the economic vibrancy of the community. Originally an AT&T warehouse that housed transport vehicles to support the area’s once-thriving industrial sector, it later became a satellite food wholesale and retail site, employing just seven people—reflecting the economic decline and disruption the neighborhood has faced. Now, Xchange Chicago is transforming this space into a hub for innovation, driving a new economic corridor focused on commercial tech opportunities. This extensive rehabilitation project has turned the building into a forward-looking workspace, equipping the community with access to the global digital economy and pathways to upward mobility. Designed with a modern, futuristic aesthetic, the project was completed safely, on time, and within budget—catalyzing revitalization and a beacon of opportunity for the Greater Grand Crossing community.

The bright orange façade of the Xchange Chicago building has become a symbol of optimism and transformation in the community. Its futuristic design not only inspires confidence but also fosters a strong sense of belonging, reinforcing the organization’s mission to drive workforce development and career readiness.

The project needed creativity by all parties to achieve the end goals. A design build approach with architecture, structural, MEP and Civil design was used to keep budget and develop the program to meet all shareholder’s goals. This was a seamless process with the Comer Foundation, Norcon, and John Ronan Architects.

No lost time accidents.

In its inaugural year—while the building’s rehabilitation was still underway—Xchange Chicago made significant strides in advancing economic mobility. The organization secured partnerships with four corporate employers and 12 community organizations providing wraparound support, from housing assistance to financial literacy. Additionally, Xchange trained and placed 42 individuals into IT careers, with an average starting salary of $50,000.
Building on this momentum, Xchange Chicago is set to more than double its impact in the coming year. The space has also attracted Fortune 500 companies, bringing business leaders into a neighborhood they may not have previously engaged with. Xchange Chicago is not just a building—it is a catalyst for meaningful connections, groundbreaking conversations, and transformative career pathways that were once out of reach for this community.
Xchange Chicago is redefining economic development for a historically marginalized and overlooked community. This project exemplifies equity in action, demonstrating that world-class infrastructure and economic opportunity belong not only in downtown districts but also in the heart of residential neighborhoods on the South Side. By strategically positioning Xchange Chicago in a predominantly residential area, the project challenges the notion that economic hubs must be centralized, proving those local economies—where people live and work—are just as valuable and deserving of investment.

The success of the Xchange Chicago building—its timely completion, cleanliness, safety, and overall development—is a direct result of intentional community engagement and unwavering commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. The project team ensured that the community was not just informed but actively involved, creating an impact that extended far beyond construction.

From project financing to construction, diversity and equity were embedded in every phase—not as a requirement to check a box, but as a core principle. The general contractor team fully embraced the ownership’s mission, ensuring that small businesses and local community members were recruited, bid for contracts, and ultimately worked on the project. These individuals not only contributed to the building’s development but also became ambassadors for its vision, sharing opportunities with their families and neighbors. This grassroots engagement directly supported the workforce development programming, reinforcing a place-based approach to hiring, training, and placing local talent into tech jobs.

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The strength of this community partnership was especially evident when the core and shell completion coincided with a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway hosted at Xchange Chicago. This event symbolized not just the completion of a building but the creation of a space built with and for the community—one that stands as a model for inclusive, community-driven development.