Jobs Provided, Official Says : Gateway Project Boosts Minority Firms
Construction on the Gateway East industrial-business complex is providing work for local minority contractors and, when completed in June, should mean needed jobs for Southeast residents, a redevelopment official says.
“The intent of the project is to provide better jobs for minorities in Southeast,” said Reese Jarrett, vice president of the Southeast Economic Development Corp.
Jarrett said that since January, contractors have been awarded more than $3 million in public and private construction funds. About $1.4 million was awarded to San Diego-based Daley Corp., and $1.8 million went to San Diego’s Chilcote Construction, said Jarrett.
Daley Corp., which is handling the streets and utilities, has subcontracted nearly half of the remaining 50% of its work to two minority contractors, C & C Evergreen Inc. (15%) and Select Electric (9%), said Jarrett.
In addition, Starboard Development Co. awarded minority firms more than $300,000 in contracts from an estimated $1 million in subcontracts for work on two projects in the complex, said company owner Brad Saunders.
All grading and utilities contracts were funded through the Southeast Economic Development Corp., said Jarrett. Starboard Development is being funded through a local bank.
Gateway, bordered by Interstate 15, California 94 and Market Street, is a 130-acre industrial and business complex split into two parks. Gateway Center West is nearly completed, but construction on Gateway East won’t be finished until at least mid-June, said Jarrett.
Once completed, Gateway East will embrace 35 acres of light industrial manufacturing, 14 acres of retail space and a six-acre recreational park, he said.
Select Electric’s chief estimator, Eddie Ybarra, said his company’s $135,000 contract is for street lighting, park lighting and traffic signals. Most of the company’s employees are Latino, he said.
A spokesman for C and C Evergreen Inc. said the predominantly Latino firm is subcontracting with both Daley and Chilcote for landscaping work. The Daley contract is for $206,500; Chilcote’s is for $279,000 he said.
Starboard’s first project, a 32,000-square-foot building for the Muehleisen Manufacturing Co., which makes gym equipment, will net $183,000 worth of subcontracting work for minority firms. The company’s second project, a 16,000-square-foot building for Westerfield Co., which makes lighting fixtures, translates into $160,000 for “about eight or nine” minority firms, said Saunders.
“One of the agreements we had is that you (the companies) will give first preference on jobs to Southeast residents. . . It’s called the employment and training agreement with SEDC,” he said.
