Charleston building may become welding school after firm leaves

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- Whether a new business moves in to the Gates building or it becomes a jobs training center, it's a win for Mississippi County.

Either outcome beats a vacant building falling into disrepair.

Carlin Bennett, presiding commissioner of Mississippi County, said during Thursday's county commission meeting that he recently heard some good news during an informal meeting with Devin Stephenson, president of Three Rivers College.

"He just stopped in," Bennett said. "He said they feel they are very close to getting the grant money for the welding center."

Shortly after the Gates Rubber Co. announced it would close its plant in Charleston, Bennett began a campaign to establish a jobs training center in the building in conjunction with Three Rivers College.

The college embraced the idea and wants to establish a welding school east of Highway 55, Bennett said, "and we certainly want to get it here."

Wednesday will be the last day of operation for the Gates Rubber Co. at its Charleston plant, he said.

Bennett is now trying to reach the Gates corporate official responsible for downsizing the Charleston plants's workforce to get contact information for an official to discuss the future of the 144,000-square-foot building.

Bennett said he called and spoke with Gates Rubber officials and discovered following Thursday's county commission meeting that he had missed a call from Gates on his cellphone.

If approved for the grant, the college won't be able to wait for too long for a building.

"We need to get a plan B in place," Bennett said.

To house a welding school, a building needs to be have 10,000 square feet, high ceilings, ventilation, plenty of power and at least 50 parking spaces, he said.

Bennett said the old Courtesy Ford building might work although it is probably several thousand square feet under 10,000.

"It's probably not perfect," Bennett said, "but nothing's ever going to be perfect."

Unless, of course, it is custom-built.

Bennett said Charleston city officials want to see a job training center in the city enough to have indicated they would even be willing to put up a new building rather than see it go elsewhere.

While there is a "for sale" sign in front of the Gates plant now, "I just don't believe the building is ever going to sell," he said.

If another company did want it, they have Bennett's blessing. What he doesn't want to see is the facility "rot down" into a dilapidated building as vacant structures are apt to do, he said.