Escanaba, Michigan, October 11, 2025
News Summary
Construction is underway on a $3 million expansion adjacent to the UA Plumbers, Pipefitters & HVAC Local 111 hall in Escanaba. The project will increase training square footage by 300% and add a dedicated classroom, computer lab, plumbing lab, HVAC/R lab, and industrial piping lab. Design features include exposed plumbing and mechanical runs for hands-on demonstration and upgrades at the existing facility such as more welding booths and improved ventilation. Roy Ness Contracting leads the work with several subcontractors contributing. The expansion aims to modernize training and accommodate evolving industry techniques and equipment.
Escanaba union builds new training facility on 27th Avenue North; $3M project to triple training space
Construction is underway at a site on 27th Avenue North immediately west of the UA Plumbers, Pipefitters & HVAC Local 111 hall in Escanaba. The project will expand training space for United Association Plumbers, Pipefitters and HVAC/R Technicians Local 111 and is expected to be finished by the end of the year. The entire project will cost about $3 million and is being financed.
What the new building will do
The new building will increase the square footage available for training by 300 percent. It will include a dedicated classroom, a computer lab, a plumbing lab, an HVAC/R lab, and an industrial piping lab. Portions of the plumbing and mechanical systems in the new building will be exposed so visitors can see what’s usually hidden in walls, ceilings, and mechanical rooms. Upgrades to the current premises are part of the project as well; the current facility is being upgraded to add more welding booths and to improve the ventilation system.
Why Local 111 is expanding
United Association Plumbers, Pipefitters and HVAC/R Technicians Local 111 represents the workforce of the Upper Peninsula and Niagara, Wis. About 450 active members belong to Local 111, which has offices and facilities in Escanaba and Marquette. The Escanaba hall is located at 2601 N. 30th St. and the Marquette premises are at 119 S. Front St.
The Escanaba hall has a 4,000-square-foot training center attached. That center was built in 1998 to replace a previous, smaller office and training center at 1625 Sheridan Road. The existing training center is used for training around 55 apprentices and to keep journeypersons up to date on techniques, code and safety. Local 111 is modernizing and adding training space because the industry is developing and the current facilities can only accommodate so much.
Training needs and new technology
Training Coordinator John Antoncew speaks for the UP Plumbers & Pipefitters Educational Fund. There is a big demand for skilled tradespeople right now, and technology is always changing. Antoncew listed examples of change including new welding processes, BIM (Building Information Modeling), new pipe-joining methods, and constant advances in heating and refrigeration equipment. Antoncew said the union has really outgrown the current facility. Antoncew described current member work as including installing and servicing water and drainage piping, plumbing fixtures, natural gas piping, boilers and heating piping, industrial piping, and air conditioning and refrigeration, among other things. It’s a lot more than just setting toilets and welding pipe.
Project timeline and site
Ground was broken in April on land next door to the Escanaba hall at 2611 N. 27th Ave.. Work is under way and is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The general contractor for the project is Roy Ness Contracting. Dynamic Design Group is performing engineering and contract administration. Master Electric is performing the electrical work. United Contractors Inc. is performing plumbing and mechanical work. Johnson Controls is providing building HVAC/R controls. Several other subcontractors are also contributing to the project.
Training features and visitor access
The exposed-wall design is a key feature: portions of the walls will be intentionally left open or transparent to show inner workings and demonstrate essential functions usually kept out of sight. That approach is intended to help apprentices and journeypersons see piping runs, junctions, controls and mechanical layouts in real scale. The new labs will support hands-on learning for plumbing, mechanical, HVAC/R, industrial piping and computer-based BIM lessons.
History and consolidation
Historically six different organizations across the U.P. used to serve workers in plumbing, pipefitting and HVAC industries decades ago. The union in Marquette was chartered in 1946 and covered seven counties. Members of the Marquette union worked on projects at Northern Michigan University, K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base, Michigan Technological University, Marquette General Hospital, Marquette State Branch Prison, The Empire Mine, Tilden Mine, the Upper Peninsula Power Company, The Marquette City Electrical Power Utility Company, and Copper Range. A handful of consolidations resulted in the current Local 111 setup. The final merger in 1997 brought Locals 414 and 728 into Local 506. In 2007 a new charter created Local 111, essentially renaming what had been Local 506.
Current training capacity and expansion goals
The expansion is intended to increase how many apprentices and journeypersons Local 111 can train at once and to provide updated labs that reflect industry advances. The project combines new construction with renovations to the existing training center so both facilities will support welding, mechanical ventilation, computer-based instruction and hands-on pipe and equipment work.
Photo credit: R. R. Branstrom
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where is the construction taking place?
A: Construction is underway at a site on 27th Avenue North immediately west of the UA Plumbers, Pipefitters & HVAC Local 111 hall in Escanaba.
Q: How much will the project cost?
A: The entire project will cost about $3 million and is being financed.
Q: By how much will training space increase?
A: The new building will increase the square footage available for training by 300 percent.
Q: What will the new building include?
A: The new building will include a dedicated classroom, a computer lab, a plumbing lab, an HVAC/R lab, and an industrial piping lab.
Q: Who does Local 111 represent?
A: Local 111 represents the workforce of the Upper Peninsula and Niagara, Wis.
Q: Who spoke for the training fund and what did they say?
A: Training Coordinator John Antoncew speaks for the UP Plumbers & Pipefitters Educational Fund. There is a big demand for skilled tradespeople right now, and technology is always changing.
Q: How many active members belong to Local 111?
A: About 450 active members belong to Local 111.
Q: What work do current members perform?
A: Antoncew described current member work as including installing and servicing water and drainage piping, plumbing fixtures, natural gas piping, boilers and heating piping, industrial piping, and air conditioning and refrigeration, among other things. It’s a lot more than just setting toilets and welding pipe.
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Key features at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location of new building | 2611 N. 27th Ave., immediately west of the Local 111 hall |
| Current hall address | 2601 N. 30th St., Escanaba |
| Project cost | $3 million (being financed) |
| Training space increase | Increase the square footage available for training by 300 percent |
| New facility spaces | Dedicated classroom; computer lab; plumbing lab; HVAC/R lab; industrial piping lab |
| Design feature | Portions of plumbing and mechanical systems will be exposed for demonstration |
| Existing training center | 4,000-square-foot training center built in 1998; trains around 55 apprentices |
| Primary contractors | Roy Ness Contracting (general contractor); Dynamic Design Group (engineering/contract admin); Master Electric; United Contractors Inc.; Johnson Controls |
| Expected completion | By the end of the year |
This article presents factual information about the construction and training plans for Local 111 and related project details.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Iron Mountain Daily News: Plumbers, Pipefitters & HVAC union expanding — Escanaba
- Wikipedia: United Association
- Iron Mountain Daily News: Local News
- Google Search: UA Local 111 Escanaba
- Iron Mountain Daily News: Homepage
- Google Scholar: HVAC training apprenticeships Michigan
- Daily Press (Marquette)
- Encyclopedia Britannica: plumbing
- Johnson Controls: Building HVAC/R controls
- Google News: HVAC training facility Escanaba
Author: Construction CA News
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