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Oregon Tradeswomen Inc., founded 30 years ago, is finally getting its own training facility.

The nonprofit group, known primarily for training and advocating for women in the building industry, in mid-January will move into a remodeled building in Gresham’s Rockwood neighborhood.

Central Bethany Construction, a division of project developer Central Bethany Development, is carrying out tenant improvement work at an 8,000-square-foot space on Southeast 187th Avenue, near the intersection with Stark Street. YBA Architects carried out design work for the project.

鈥淚t’s been a personal goal of mine, and an agency goal, to do this and we’re really excited,鈥� OTI Executive Director Kelly Kupcak said. 鈥淲e serve more and more women who are living in poverty and are coming to our program for answers. So it’s a critical opportunity for us to shift the way we do business and the way we reinvest back into our community and region.鈥�

Crews broke ground on the OTI project in June, around the same time workers began tackling Rockwood Rising nearby; that mixed-use project also is being developed by Central Bethany Development.

OTI has inked a five-year lease for the new space, which will have a large shop, meeting rooms, staff space, and locker rooms for students. The group will not only have a better place to train women in pre-apprenticeships, but also space to host public workshops and other events while partnering with the cities of Gresham and Portland and other entities.

鈥淲e’re really looking forward to those things,鈥� Kupcak said. 鈥淏ut the other piece that is really important to us is that we will be able to train our women at night and on weekends, which is huge for the women who are working toward new careers.鈥�

OTI has encountered serious challenges in bringing women with day jobs into pre-apprenticeship training, Kupcak said. The new facility will help immensely, she added.

The group also will focus more on working with people simply looking for work or an opportunity.

鈥淲e are serving folks who are houseless, and we didn’t used to do this before,鈥� Kupcak said. 鈥淥ver the last two years we’ve made a lot of change about intentionality and about removing barriers for our clients; we wanted a welcoming physical space for the public and for tradeswomen.鈥�

Kupcak praised the efforts of Central Bethany Development General Managing Partner Roy Kim and his firm.

鈥淭hey really wanted a workforce development partner in there, and they’ve been incredible to work with,鈥� she said. 鈥淓veryone’s talking about Rockwood being poor; we all know that. But it’s also the most diverse neighborhood in the region, and there is a young population, so there are huge opportunities there.鈥�

Demolition was carried out at the site some time ago, Central Bethany Construction Superintendent Steve Wahle said, but real tenant improvement work began last month. The building was once part of a former Fred Meyer store that closed over 15 years ago, he said.

鈥淲e took it down to the studs, took out all the ceiling 鈥� and we had a lot of rot, so we did repairs there,鈥� Wahle said. 鈥淭hen we had a floor plan from our architect, and that’s what we have going here now.鈥�

A large roll-up door separates the entrance from a large classroom on one side and staff space on the other. The building’s north end holds the shop and training area. Currently, drywall is being installed in preparation for painting and finishes.

鈥淭his warehouse side is a big space,鈥� Wahle said. 鈥淲e’re just waiting for the Sheetrock to get done and the finishes to start. It’s a little rough still, but it’s a big thing for them and for the city, the area of Rockwood; it’s all transforming right now.鈥�