Rep. West releases critical funding to support Colman Yards development in southwest Rockford

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — State Rep. Maurice West said he has instructed the state to release a critical piece of funding for Colman Yards that was previously dependent on an agreement between the developer and union workers.

Last year, West had inserted a clause into the state budget that made a $4 million grant promised as part of a complex financial package for the redevelopment contingent on a labor deal between J. Jeffers & Co. and union trades workers.

He said he has now instructed the state to remove that clause and release the funds after learning from a Rock River Current article that 100% of future construction would be handled by union workers.

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The money will now flow to the city for it to allocate to the developer, West said. It’s one component of a multifaceted funding package that includes tax-increment finance dollars, a $3.5 million reimbursement in infrastructure costs, a $6.5 million revolving loan and a $6 million cash advance from the TIF, among other incentives in the $106 million first phase of the project.

West said he added the clause last year unbeknownst to the city, labor officials and the developer in hopes it would push them to reach an agreement for using union labor and local workers.

The move was in response to a rift between the developer and labor leaders over how much of the work would be handled by local union workers. City Council members were split over requiring a project labor agreement to be in place in order to approve financial support for the project. Mayor Tom McNamara ultimately broke a 7-7 tie vote to reject the required deal and put the project forward.

But as J. Jeffers work got underway it was met with union demonstrations including an inflatable rat, mobile billboard and other signs objecting to the use of non-union workers. That’s why West decided to add the clause to the budget.

“I couldn’t in good faith give $4 million to a project of which all sides were not agreeing,” he said. “I was concerned that things would start to fall apart and the project would stall.”

He said he added the clause and then stepped away to let negotiations play out. He said it was a risky political move, but one he thought was best for southwest Rockford.

“I wanted this project to go forward, but I had to be a good steward of the money and if local labor was not going to be utilizing those dollars I had to be unpopular for a minute and hope that this would flesh itself out,” West said. “Even though it was unpopular, I felt like it was the right thing to do for the sake of the community, nothing more than that.”

The redevelopment of the sprawling former Barber-Colman industrial complex, which has sat in disrepair for years, is hailed as a transformational project for southwest Rockford.

J. Jeffers is undertaking a redevelopment that turns the property into a mix of loft residences with ground-floor business while keeping the historic character of the complex in tact.

“It’s a historic project. We want local people to be part of that project,” Mayor Tom McNamara said. “It’s a tremendous credit to everyone involved to stay at the table — obviously through some hard feelings — but stay at the table, continue to work together for the betterment of hardworking men and women who deserve the opportunity to work on this historic project.”

The first phase of the project is on schedule and expected to open to its first residents by summer. The apartments will be opened in stages as construction continues. J. Jeffers also has four letters of intent in place for the first businesses on the site. Those businesses have yet to be announced.

“We’re excited to move forward,” said Alan Golden, president of the Northwestern Illinois Building Trades Union. “This is a historical project, we all knew that in the beginning. It is unfortunate the way it went to get here, but I’m glad we got here.”

Golden said some union members grew up near the facility, which had deteriorated over more than two decades of vacancy.

“I have members who grew up in south Rockford. They grew up two, three blocks from that project,” Golden said. “They’re excited to go there and work on that project.”

West said he plans to continue to work with the union to make sure a diverse workforce is hired for the project. Golden said that’s something the trades are also committed to.

The first residences to open will be 34 loft apartments in historic structures referred to as buildings No. 4 and No. 9. Then, developers will open apartments floor by floor in the largest building at the corner of Rock and Loomis streets. That structure will have 181 apartments for a total of 215 during the first phase.

The initial phase also includes a 336-space parking garage.

The studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments will all be available for rent at market rates.

The total project is expected to be built over the course of about a decade, creating roughly 900 living units and roughly 130,000 square feet of commercial space at an estimated cost of $430 million.

“We are really excited that this project continues to advance,” McNamara said. “I’ve worked well with Northwestern Illinois Building Trades Council as well as J. Jeffers to see that project be 100% union and advance it.”

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