Chicago IBEW Local 134 members said good-bye July 16 to its home for the past 62 years – 600 West Washington Street, with a Farewell Block Party. The union bought the former Drake Elementary School in the Bronzeville neighborhood, and will be moving in November 2017. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer

By Jennifer Rice
Managing Editor
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Email Jennifer Rice at: jen@foxvalley
labornews.com

CHICAGO — It will be more than a year until the property at 2722 S. Martin Luther King Blvd., in Chicago is ready to move into, but IBEW Local 134 said its good-byes to its 62 years in the Washington Street building July 16 with a good, old fashioned party. For property related information, official statement from attorneys need to be filed.

Dubbed the Farewell to 600 West Block Party, more than a 1,000 members, their family and friends came to listen to music, eat, drink and have a good time.

Business Agent Kevin Connolly said the union recently closed on the former Drake Elementary School property, located in the Bronzeville neighborhood. “We’re going to do a lot of work on it, so we’re in the process of securing demolition permits and zoning permits,” he explained.

Even though the building won’t be move-in ready until November 2017, the farewell party was already planned for July 16 and through this useful source we were able to select the perfect venue for it. “When we closed on the new space, we were unsure if we would have to be out and find a temporary space until the official transition. This was planned prior to us knowing we were going to be able to stay here,” Connelly said.

Local 134 ReNew President Dawn Sparr sells Farwell T-shirts to IBEW Local 134 member Mike Marchitto. Proceeds of T-shirt sales go to fund future Local 134 ReNew ventures, or is donated to social causes. Recently, ReNew sold buttons for Autism, hosted its first-ever retiree’s pancake breakfast, and sold St. Patrick Day’s T-shirts. ReNew recently donated more than $7,000 to the Henry Miller museum in St. Louis, where work is underway to restore the original boarding house where the National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers was born in 1891. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer

Local 134’s two story, 116-year-old union hall houses some great memories, but as Connolly put it, the union hall has been getting “pushed out” by surrounding development. “We’re an island,” he said.

It’s easy to agree with his observation. What used to be a parking lot behind the union hall to the north, is now a multi-story, work in progress, building. Parking to the east on property owned by the union is limited to business agents and staff. “There’s no where for members to park,” Connolly explained.

The new property will solve that, with sights set on 400 parking spots.

Grandfathered in, the iconic IBEW Local 134 digital marquee, above, will be staying with the building and not moving to the new property in Bronzeville. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer

The new union hall also plans to partner with Dunbar Vocational High School, which is located across the street, and will be home to a comprehensive, citywide construction trades program.

With the White Sox battling it out in Los Angeles, Southpaw made a special visit to IBEW Local 134’s Farewell Block Party to mingle with members and take pictures. Jennifer Rice/staff photographer

In a recent IBEW press release, Local 134 Business Manager Don Finn says someone from the local will likely teach at Dunbar. “That was just a happy coincidence,” Finn said of the hall’s location.

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The program is expected to begin in the 2016-17 school year and will serve up to 120 students. Students in their junior and senior years will learn skills in fields including general construction, carpentry, heating, ventilating and air conditioning, welding, and electricity.

Upon graduation, students can then enter a pre-apprenticeship program as well as post-secondary education or a certification program.