A new hotel project at Syracuse University is creating an estimated eight-month sheet metal work opportunity for members of SMART Local 58 as construction progresses on the university’s hilltop campus.
The Graduate by Hilton Syracuse is planned as a 13-story, 200-room hotel with a full-service restaurant and rooftop bar. LeChase is overseeing the project on behalf of Syracuse University.
The sheet metal work was initially expected to be performed by a nonunion contractor. During an early jobsite visit, SMART Local 58 Marketing Representative Charles Haaf learned about the planned subcontracting arrangement and provided project representatives with information on qualified union contractors.
A Local 58 signatory contractor subsequently received the sheet metal work from Burns Bros., the project’s mechanical contractor. The package is expected to employ approximately 10 SMART members for about eight months, with the potential for additional workers as construction advances.
The union’s involvement followed an early-stage outreach effort while the project was still emerging from the ground.
The project could generate another subcontracting opportunity because the food service package had not been awarded when the sheet metal work was secured.
During the jobsite visit, Haaf provided information about a Local 58 signatory food service contractor in Syracuse that also has fabrication capabilities. The contractor’s availability could position the business for consideration when the food service scope is awarded.
Local 58 also referenced its work on The Standard, another nearby project, to demonstrate the capabilities of its members and signatory contractors.
The project illustrates how early engagement between trade organizations, contractors and project teams can influence awareness of available subcontractors and skilled labor before individual scopes are finalized.
For specialty contractors and construction owners, subcontractor selection can shape project staffing, fabrication capacity and schedule execution. The Graduate by Hilton Syracuse project shows how early outreach can introduce qualified local contractors before trade packages are fully committed.
The anticipated sheet metal work also provides a defined employment opportunity for approximately 10 union members over an estimated eight-month period. Additional work could follow if a Local 58 signatory contractor is selected for the project's food service scope.
Source: SMART.
