It seems like the Southeast Michigan Construction Academy just announced the purchase of a building in Westland to build a new trade school, and now the staff and faculty are preparing to get students in the building for class.
Construction was led by Dominic Maltese and his team at D.J. Maltese Construction Corporation. The school will feature a large shop for hands-on learning, lab space, classrooms and a lounge for students to connect study and fuel up before classes.
With proximity to I-75, I-96 and I-275 along with a strong middle class, it was clear the City of Westland would be a perfect location to welcome a trade school.
“We were looking for a community that would celebrate our students and blue-collar workers who build America,” SEMCA president Keith Ledbetter continued. “The people of Westland and the surrounding communities have put America on wheels and they revere their roots.
As the tenth largest city, Westland City officials know what 300 students annually would mean for local businesses, which inspired them to work close with SEMCA as the school purchased the building in January 2023.
City officials continued to note how the need to diversify assets for the city is key moving forward. The new campus is located in a former Dick’s Sporting Goods store that has been vacant for years. They welcome the trade school as an incredible addition to the community and construction.
SEMCA expanded to a temporary location in Westland in 2021 due to increased interest in the trades in the area. In an effort to better accommodate students located farther away from the main campus, school staff secured rooms at Westland City Hall for classroom space and students visited nearby construction companies for hands-on training. SEMCA closed the deal on the new building on January 24, 2023 and began finalizing plans for construction.
The Southeast Michigan Construction Academy Westland campus will host a ribbon cutting on February 29 starting at 4 p.m. We invite all ABC members to share in this accomplishment for the association and the industry as a whole. The school is located at 35600 Central City Pkwy, Westland, MI 48185.
