$300k building renovation helps Rockford youth learn trades while improving their own space

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A nonprofit that helps young people better their lives has renovated the more than century-old building it calls home, giving youth both a better learning space and the chance to handle some of the construction themselves.

Comprehensive Community Solutions and the Rockford Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday celebrated the completed and ongoing improvements to 917 S. Main St., the former Mott Brothers Co. campus.

“I’m happy to be able to say that my fellow trainees and I have learned construction skills that were put to the test when we were given the opportunity to make our building look like something,” said Gisselle Pastrana, who will graduate from CCS’s YouthBuild program in August. “I learned how to do flooring, trimming, painting, and even learned how to install drywall from the ground up.

“Every minute I spent at this program was worth it.”

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Renovations included replacing rotted wood from aged floors and subfloors and laying new commercial vinyl flooring. There are also updates to electrical systems and heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The renovations created new classroom space, a bathroom and flexible learning spaces. Roughly 6,000 square feet of the building were renovated.

Construction was led by locally-owned contractor Kee Solutions, which offered job training to YouthBuild members and provided some work pro bono to help control costs. The company also hires union tradesmen. The majority of the project was paid for by a $300,000 state grant secured by state Rep. Maurice West.

“Representative West gave us a nice amount of money. It wasn’t enough to cover everything that needed to be done,” said William Chatman, executive director of CCS. “Kee Solutions said regardless of that, we’re going to step up and make sure that you have the people here to work with your young people to build out this place and make it a place that they’re proud to show up to.”

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Kee Solutions has had a role in some of the biggest projects in downtown and southwest Rockford, including the ongoing renovations at the BMO Center, the Nu-State lofts and grocery store and the Water Power Lofts and 301 S. Main Street lofts by Urban Equity Properties. It will also bid on the upcoming Barber-Colman project, which is just a couple blocks south of CCS.

Kee Solutions President Quentin Wainwright Sr. said they’ll involve YouthBuild workers on future projects, too.

“For us it’s not about the money. It’s about investing in the youth, because if we don’t invest in the youth now, what is the future going to look like,” Wainwright said. “We’ve got to invest that time so they can learn that skill. That’s the goal. That’s why we do what we do.”

Comprehensive Community Solutions and Kee Solutions have a shared goal to help youth get involved in the trades. Many of the YouthBuild participants are Black and Latino, and union trades have said they’ve been working to increase minority representation in their ranks. With Kee Solutions, YouthBuild workers had the opportunity for mentorship from the leaders of a Black-owned company.

“We had a meeting with the mayor about six or seven months ago and he said if can just get five people into the union he would be happy with that,” Wainwright said. “Well, we did about 21. In fact, we did four last week.”

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Clyshawn Thurmond said he was struggling after the death of his father before YouthBuild helped change his life and open new opportunities for him. He graduates from the program in August.

“There’s really not too many words that can explain it, other than appreciation and respect and love,” he said. “Me personally, it’s just really helpful to be able to see myself walk through these major doors.”

Chatman, a YouthBuild graduate who has led Comprehensive Community Solutions since March 2020, said the renovations also help inspire learning.

“Science says that the environment has a huge role to play in how you feel about yourself but also how you pursue your goals,” he said. “Making sure our young people have a space that they’re proud of also makes them proud of the work that they’re doing.”

He said the renovations will show young people how changing your surroundings can change your life.

Wednesday’s event, he said, was about showcasing all the community partners who worked together to make it happen.

“Great things happen when people come together,” Chatman said. “That’s what today was about. Us coming together with the community partners and all the people who had a hand in doing this work.

“I think the more people work together the better we can make Rockford.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas