Several months ahead of schedule, Talent Maker City is already moving equipment into its new makerspace building slated to open in September.

Located at the corner of Talent Avenue and West Valley View Road, the $4.4-million, 8,000-square-foot building sits where older commercial buildings burned in the 2020 Almeda Fire. The nonprofit will be able to offer more classes and additional disciplines at the new location.

Makerspaces are do-it-yourself places where people can gather to create, learn and share ideas.

“In the 43 years of constructing new buildings, this is close to my record, if not a record, for turning one over early,” said Al Cella, project superintendent for general contractor Outlier Construction. “It was really great subcontractors and heaping portions of good luck.”

A turning point came when the framing subcontractor was able to send more workers to the site when another project was delayed.

“By the time February came around it was clear to see we were going to be months ahead of schedule,” Cella said. Plumbing and electrical subcontractors rearranged their schedules, as well.

“All the stars lined up for us,” said Alli French, TMC executive director. “We just worked with a magical team. It was a great, collaborative group.”

The building plans created by Chris Brown of Ashland’s Arkitek were so good that the contractor didn’t have to keep going back to clarify issues, French said.

TMC staff spent last week working with Outlier to move large pieces of equipment from the group’s current location at 304 E. Main St. into the new space just a little over a block away. “There’s a lot of big tools and equipment to get over there,” French said.

A little bit of work remains, mostly outside, before a certificate of occupancy will be issued.

Operations in the building won’t start until September. That’s because most of the TMC staff is involved in summer camps with the Phoenix-Talent and Eagle Point school districts until mid-August. Usually, some summer sessions are conducted at the TMC site, but that isn’t feasible this year with the move underway.

Because of the move, workshops and other activities at the current space have been closed down for the rest of the summer. A screen-printing workshop for school students Tuesday was the last at the old site.

TMC launched a $2.5-million fundraising campaign in August last year to pay for construction. The drive, which runs through December 2025, has $1.5 million left to raise.

“If we can get everything paid off, it will help keep workshops more affordable (because) we are not carrying that overhead,” French said.

A state grant of $1.8 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act kicked off the effort to build the space and allowed for purchase of the property.

Several large donations have been received. They include $36,000 from the Elizabeth G. Maughan Charitable Foundation, $255,000 from the Roundhouse Foundation, $100,000 from the Oregon Community Foundation and $25,000 from the Harry and Yvonne Lenart Foundation.

The American Red Cross has donated $91,000. Their donation will help support wheelchair workshops held with the Oregon Spinal Cord Injury Connection and Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations, including a wheelchair lift inside the building.

“Red Cross national stepped up in the hope we will be a resiliency hub in case a disaster happens again,” French said.

Local donations include $15,000 from the Carpenter Foundation, $15,000 from the Naumes Foundation and $8,000 from the Chaney Family Foundation.

Most of the subcontractors have donated some materials, French said. Leave Your Mark donated pavers. Timber Products donated plywood for the walls. Valley View Nursery and Plant Oregon donated plants and shrubs.

Green Mountain Woodworks of Talent donated the flooring for the upstairs mezzanine. The TMC staff took a workshop on flooring installation, then handled the project. “It was a good bonding experience for all of us,” French said.

S&S Metals of Medford donated the 70-year-old tin metal with its patina that covers the building’s exterior, Cella said. It came from a mill that had been torn down in Willamina.

The rustic look was chosen to harmonize with much of the architecture in Talent’s downtown district. The new center sits next to the 1924 Malmgren Garage building.

The second-floor mezzanine will provide space for offices. Kilns and metal-working facilities will be located in a courtyard adjacent to the building.

Between the structures and the Malmgren Garage will be a walkway with art on display. Artist Betty LaDuke has already donated pieces for it.

The new site will add a welding studio and metal smithing facilities. Jewelry classes will be offered. Space for technology will be tripled over the current location. Ceramics operations will go from one to two kilns.

A new technology hire is likely. Other staffers, many of whom work 30 hours per week, have asked for more hours. Outside instructors will be brought in for some areas, including jewelry.

Currently, TMC has donations of equipment and materials stored in six different locations. With the move, much of that will be able to be used. They may still retain one storage unit.

More information can be found at talentmakercity.org.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to state that the Elizabeth G. Maughan Charitable Foundation donated $36,000 to Talent Maker City. An earlier version stated an incorrect donation amount.