RMU Technology Center Groundbreaking
8/8/2008

RMU Technology Center Groundbreaking

Bricklaying event to signify the start of construction of anchor facility

            ROCHELLE, IL… The City of Rochelle and Rochelle Municipal Utilities (RMU) hosted a ceremony to commemorate the start of construction of the RMU Technology Center located in the Rochelle Business and Technology Park.  In lieu of a classic groundbreaking, City, RMU, and elected officials along with invited guests set bricks to signify laying the foundation of the facility which will service the park.  Sponsors of the event included TENG & Associates, Stenstrom General Construction, and Fehr-Graham & Associates.

            The event was held at 10:00 a.m. on August 8, 2008 at Lot 5 of the Rochelle Business and Technology Park along Dement Road, north of the Petro Stopping Center at IL Route 38 and I-39.  The RMU Technology Center will be built adjacent to the Allstate Insurance Company and Northern Trust Corporation facilities that are currently under construction.  This is the third project announcement in the emerging Technology Park since January, 2008. 

            “The RMU Technology Center is the very first “on-ramp” to the Silicon Prairie’sfiber optic communication grid.  This facility opens up unprecedented opportunities for the deployment of technology-driven business enterprises”, said Rochelle City Manager Ken Alberts.  Strategically located seventy miles from downtown Chicago, the RMU Technology Center will serve as a municipal model for the rest of the state.

            The high-tech data center will feature on-site backup power systems, redundant utility sources, and regulated climate control.  The Center will accommodate the fiber optic and electrical services of the Northern Illinois Technology Triangle (NITT), a looped broadband fiber network secured along the major local interstate highway systems.  The NITT is the first municipal utility fiber optic network consortium in the Midwest and is expected to stimulate economic development, create educational advantages, enhance medical services, provide a backbone for homeland security, offer a competitive edge for business, and improve the quality of life for all.

            “The construction of our 11,400 square-foot state-of-the-art technology center is truly the realization of a dream for a better Rochelle”, said Rochelle Municipal Utility General Manager Gary Larsen.  “With superior performance and reliability as the primary design concerns, the RMU Technology Center provides a co-location environment that will anchor the Rochelle Business and Technology Park and provide the key facilities necessary to bring a variety of service providers and services to our community”, Larsen said.

            TENG & Associates will provide planning and design services.  The building is designed for extreme reliability and will be constructed with “hardened” components.  Its construction will ensure that the facility can operate under adverse surrounding conditions.  “This project is vital to the connectivity and management of the NITT for the Northern Illinois region opening new opportunities for growth in education, research, and business”, said John Hood, Sr. Project Manager.

            Stenstrom Companies, Ltd. is the general contractor for the development and will work with a number of subcontractors to complete the project in a timely and cost-effective manner.  Robert W. Stenstrom, Chairman & CEO said, “As the world around us becomes increasingly interconnected, Stenstrom is proud to be involved with the City of Rochelle in its goal to bring data and internet services to smaller rural communities in the area”.

            The local firm of Fehr-Graham & Associates provided design, permitting, and construction oversight of the infrastructure improvements to the Park that will serve the RMU lot.  The firm prepared plans for the upgrade to Dement Road, water and sewer extensions, design of Technology Parkway, stormwater management, and assistance to RMU with the fiber and electric utility extensions.  “We were pleased to also be involved in the grant writing process that successfully secured funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) for the improvements”, said Mick Gronewold, Principal. 

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About TENG & Associates

TENG & Associates is an architectural/engineering firm with disciplinary services for all major aspects of building design.  TENG has ten office locations throughout the United States.  The Firm was recently honored by the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects as the “Firm of the Year”. 

TENG provides its clients with a complete array of design and construction management services, giving them the power of choice and the option of single-source responsibility.  This approach delivers a high level of quality, while enabling clients to accomplish their objectives more quickly and economically.  TENG’s staff of professionals possesses exceedingly high credentials allowing the firm to deliver projects with unparalleled speed and quality, fostering the innovative designs for which TENG is known.  TENG’s creative and dynamic culture is further enhanced by the diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds of its professionals.  To learn more about TENG & Associates, visit www.teng.com or call John Hood at (312) 616-0000. 

About Stenstrom

Stenstrom Companies, Ltd. is an experienced and professional staff that provides quality workmanship.  The Stenstrom family of companies includes Stenstrom General Contractor Design/Build Group; Stenstrom Real Estate Development Group; Stenstrom Excavation & Blacktop Group; and Stenstrom Petroleum Service Group.  Stenstrom’s commitment to quality has consistently earned high marks for customer satisfaction, giving them the confidence in their professional approach to construction.  Stenstrom has offices in Rockford, Illinois and Madison, Wisconsin.  To learn more about Stenstrom General Construction, visit www.rstenstrom.com or call David Dingas at (815) 398-2420.

About Fehr-Graham & Associates

Fehr-Graham & Associates is an engineering and science consulting firm.  Their professional team provides environmental, health and safety, civil engineering, land surveying, structural engineering, and information technology.  The firm is a Midwest leader in Brownfield assessments and remediation programs.    Fehr-Graham specializes in the preparation of grant and loan applications for private and public clients, generating more than $21,000,000 in the last five years.  With offices in Freeport, Rockford, Rochelle, Springfield, and Monroe, Wisconsin, Fehr-Graham employs over 100 professionals.  To learn more about Fehr-Graham & Associates, visit www.fehr-graham.com or call Mick Gronewold at (815) 562-9087.

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