The WSCC Addition project depends on the many people who are bringing it to life. WSCC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion helps ensure these workers and contractors represent the entire community. Additionally, we believe a diverse workforce brings different skills, cultures and ways of operating that deliver the best outcomes.
Our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion on the Addition project include ongoing outreach efforts to recruit Women and Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) contractors. For many WMBE contractors, the Addition project presents an opportunity to grow their business. Our commitment to workforce diversity extends to individual workers in the industry as well. The Addition’s Project Labor Agreement strives to bring apprentices, pre-apprentices and Priority Hire workers on the job to learn or develop their professional skills.
The Addition project’s partnership with programs such as What’s Next Washington and ANEW will benefit many of these workers. These organizations break down barriers to employment for individuals disproportionately impacted by economic adversity and our criminal justice system, helping them to participate in the region’s economic recovery.
Meet a Few of the Workers at the Addition
Garco Construction
Kevin Figueroa
In commercial construction, many workers start out as laborers doing the hardest, most physically demanding work -- from picking up trash to moving materials. Over time, through education and critical on-the-job training, these workers become specialized team members with increasingly skilled and safe work practices.
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Farwest Steel
Frank Rizik
Frank works at Farwest Steel, a steel supply, distribution and fabricating company that contracts with the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) Addition project. Farwest Steel supplies and installs all the concrete reinforcements on the project and has been working on the site since the first foundations were poured.
Read MoreWhat's Next Washington, ANEW, Apprenticeships
What's Next Washington and ANEW
An inclusive recovery depends on projects like the WSCC Addition
Some 70 million Americans have a conviction history, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. If current trends continue, by 2030, 100 million - one in three working adults - will have been convicted of a crime. Data show that these Americans are more likely to be people of color and people experiencing poverty.
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ANEW Apprentice
Mikhail Stewart | ANEW Trades Rotation Program
No matter where you are in life, it’s never too late to start “anew.” That’s what Mikhail Stewart learned when she stumbled upon a post about the ANEW Trades Rotation Program (TRP).
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ANEW Apprentice
Bridget Black | ANEW Trades Rotation Program
Bridget Black’s mornings start at 6 a.m. every day with strength and endurance training. She’s the first to admit that her life has changed dramatically since she joined ANEW’s Trades Rotation Program (TRP).
Read MoreMeet Some of Our Contractors and Partners
Lumenomics
Marti Hoffer
One benefit of a WMBE program is that it can connect a big project with a small, local business capable of manufacturing and installing a groundbreaking solution. The Seattle Convention Center (formerly known as the Washington State Convention Center) Addition project (also called Summit) achieved that with lumenomics, a Seattle-based, woman- and LGBTQ-owned business specializing in window treatments and lighting controls.
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Construction Site Services
Victoria Richardson and Mickael Heller
When people hear the word “construction,” hard hats, concrete pours, hammering and welding are often what come to mind first. They’re less likely to consider toilets. On a site as large as the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) Addition project, having clean and accessible facilities for hundreds of workers is paramount.
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1 Alliance Geomatics
Jason Nakamura
Founded by Jason Nakamura, 1 Alliance is a surveying and mapping company that monitors settlement movement during the excavation phase of construction. Using robotic instruments called total stations, 1 Alliance tracks the side slopes and footings of the excavation area 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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KWAME
Anthony Thompson
Quality control is important for any large-scale job. When it comes to the Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) Addition project, which will create 6,000 jobs during construction, that project management assistance becomes even more critical. Luckily, Anthony Thompson and his team at KWAME Building Group are up to the task.
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LCS Construction
Barry Cobb
With experience working alongside some of the region’s top companies like Swedish and Vulcan, Barry Cobb is no stranger to major construction projects. As president of general contracting company LCS Construction, Barry’s team specializes in general construction, tenant improvements and construction management.
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O’Bunco Engineering International Inc.
Samuel Obunike
Bounded by four major urban streets and with multiple vehicular access points, including a below-grade loading dock, the 1.4-million-square-foot Washington State Convention Center Addition project requires substantial civil engineering expertise. Samuel Obunike, founder of O’Bunco Engineering International Inc., a full-service, multi-discipline civil engineering firm located in Kent, WA, is up to the challenge.
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Auburn Mechanical
Stacy Johnson and Christine Hadman
When the new Summit building welcomes its first customers in 2022, business will grow substantially at the Convention Center, bringing thousands of new visitors to the region. And with the new building comes the need for a state-of-the-art plumbing system, which is where Auburn Mechanical comes in.
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