Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Juan Salgado today to announce plans to restart construction on the Transportation, Distribution and Logistics (TDL) Center at Olive-Harvey College. The Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) will resume the project, which was shuttered by the State of Illinois during the ongoing state budget impasse. The facility is the first-of-its-kind in Illinois, and will prepare students for the hundreds of thousands of jobs coming to the region over the next decade.   

“We are excited to finally have state support in ensuring our students receive the quality education that will prepare them for thousands of jobs coming to the region and for access to the middle class,” said Mayor Emanuel. “The future is very bright for those entering the transportation, distribution and logistics fields, and thanks to projects like the Olive-Harvey TDL Center, Chicagoans will be at the forefront.”

The 103,000 square foot Olive-Harvey facility has been designed with input from City Colleges’ College to Careers faculty and industry partners. Through College to Careers, City Colleges faculty and staff partner with industry leaders to design curriculum and facilities and offer a first pass and interviews for internships and job opportunities so that Chicagoans are ready to hit the ground running in fast-growing fields such as transportation, logistics & distribution.

“As unfortunate as the delay was, we are thrilled that the construction of this new state-of-the-art building is getting back on track,” said City Colleges of Chicago Chancellor Juan Salgado. “City Colleges’ TDL students deserve the best, and this facility will ensure that they’ll be able to compete for the many in-demand TDL jobs that are coming to Chicago.”

The Governor’s office recently released state funding for the facility to the CDB; they subsequently outlined intentions to restart the TDL project. The CDB, City Colleges and contractors involved will meet this month about resumption of the project.

“Seeing the Olive-Harvey TDL Center project restarted after years of delay will be a great boost for the college and greater community on our city’s Far South Side,” said Interim President Felicia Davis. “We know TDL jobs are here and that more are coming to our region, and this center is a critical connection point that will prepare residents of Chicago with the skills to seize these opportunities.”

The facility will include automotive and diesel engine laboratories, an engine dynamometer, classrooms, simulated driving facilities, a testing area and vehicle bays, among other features. To give students hands-on training, the facility will also feature a high-tech central store warehouse environment that will act as a supply chain hub to efficiently provide office supplies to City Colleges’ seven campuses, five satellites and District Office. The project is targeting LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.  

Current TDL programs at City Colleges include logistics (warehousing and supply chain management), commercial driver training, forklift, automotive technology and public chauffeur courses (taxi and limousine). A new TDL pathway begins with an adult education bridge program and includes stackable basic and advanced certificates and an associate degree. The pathway, designed with input from College to Careers industry partners, allows students to return to the classroom to advance their education and career without credit loss, and articulates to bachelor degree programs.

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