ABOUT TECHWORKS
What once served as the heart and beginning of John Deere’s Waterloo Tractor Works in the early 1920s is now home to TechWorks Campus. Now TechWorks is a hub of economic activity and innovation in the region, with a focus on Manufacturing 4.0 and FinTech. The campus consists of three buildings: TechWorks, the Marriott Courtyard Hotel, and the John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum.
Over the past decade, a substantial private and public investment has been made to the brownfield site to create a vibrant campus that continues to serve as an impetus for further investment and development in central Waterloo. The TechWorks Building, historically known ad the Deere R Building, houses the University of Northern Iowa Foundry 4.0 Center, the Hawkeye Community College Automation and Robotics Center, Cedar Valley Makers, Grow Cedar Valley, Lincoln Savings Bank, Productive Resources, InVision Architecture, and regional nonprofit organizations.
OUR TENANTS & OWNERS
University of Northern Iowa Foundry 4.0 Center
The UNI Foundry 4.0 Center provides direct services targeted towards industry demonstration, education, and consultation with a focus on Manufacturing 4.0. The Center has the capabilities to use special materials and processes that are not yet commercially available. Assistance is provided for industry adoption of new technologies and to move technologies down throughout the supply chain. UNI and its partners, including other university researchers and industry associations, quickly move new technologies from concept to demonstration. Nearly all of the Center’s Industry 4.0 projects are integrated into production methodologies with a focus on Iowa companies. Annually, the Center serves about 100 foundries, foundry suppliers, or manufacturers, with approximately 80 percent of projects dedicated to small or medium enterprises (SMEs). In addition to the Foundry 4.0 Center, UNI’s Metal Casting Center (MCC), located on the UNI campus, focuses on materials research and development for metal manufacturing and serves foundries across Iowa and the industrial Midwest. The academic program offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in advanced manufacturing with an emphasis in metal casting.
Grow Cedar Valley
Grow Cedar Valley is the regional economic development leader. We bring business and community together to grow opportunities for the Cedar Valley. Formerly known as the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, Grow Cedar Valley is your valued business partner. We are the leader in bringing business and community together to grow opportunities for the Cedar Valley. We reduce obstacles to business growth by collaborating with regional economic development partners to advocate for and support Cedar Valley business attraction, retention and expansion efforts. So partner with us to grow your business. Together, we’ll help the Cedar Valley thrive. Goal 1: Grow and diversify the quality and quantity of the Cedar Valley's Workforce. Goal 2: Elevate the Cedar Valley as a place of choice for individuals and businesses. Goal 3: Enhance the diversity of the Cedar Valley economic base. Goal 4: Secure adequate financial and human resources to ensure long-term organizational success.
Lincoln Savings Bank
Lincoln Savings Bank is a full-service Central and Northeast Iowa bank dedicated to our local customers and communities since 1902. As we have grown over the years, we've had the same focus - providing consumers and businesses with exceptional community banking services delivered by people you can trust. Learn about us at MyLSB.com or visit us in person at one of our convenient locations in Adel, Allison, Ankeny, Aplington, Cedar Falls (Main Street), Clive, Des Moines, Garwin, Greene, Grinnell, Hudson, Lincoln, Nashua, Reinbeck, Tama and Waterloo. Member FDIC
Productive Resources
Productive Resources is a full service engineering firm with a range of offerings to support product development, validation, manufacturing and field support. With focused engineering offerings in mechanical, electrical, industrial and manufacturing engineering we serve a wide range of industries offering consultative, project based and contingent type services to meet the unique needs of our clients.
Hawkeye Community College Automation and Robotics Center
Hawkeye’s extensive automation and robotics training focuses on the advanced smart factory, robotics, and mechatronics technologies. Students will begin with basic concepts like robot operation and component adjustment before moving to more advanced topics such as serial device applications and multiple station control. These advanced automation technologies are at the heart of Industry 4.0, mechatronics, industrial maintenance, and STEM. At the center of Hawkeye’s automation training is the Smart Factory training system, which features a multi-station automated manufacturing line that simulates the factory floor environment. This system integrates all major manufacturing technologies, including electrical, mechanical, hydraulics, and pneumatics, plus a wide variety of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) components, smart and autonomous robots, and software for users to learn how Industry 4.0 technologies are applied in industry. All the automation and robotics training systems combine in-depth, comprehensive curriculum with real-world industrial components for hands-on skill building. All training is supported by interactive eLearning that engages the learner and provides them with the training they need to be successful. All eLearning components are available 24/7.
Cedar Valley Makers
The Cedar Valley Makerspace is a physical facility created by volunteers to share, and inspire creativity and innovation. The facility and team support the maker movement with tools, equipment, and guidance for makers and innovators in the Cedar Valley. Mission: To promote collaborative learning, creative design and manufacturing for people of all ages and skill levels. We provide education by giving access to tools, machines and training inside our makerspace and by promoting and planning educational events that can forward scientific thinking, learning and entrepreneurial spirit for all members of our community. CVM has received major support from the McElroy Foundation, Black Hawk Gaming, the Leighty Foundation, as well as support from area business and individual donors. Volunteers have donated time and a lot of effort, leveraging every dime and turning it into at least twice its value. Combined with maker members willing to mentor and answer questions, we now have the space, the equipment, and the knowledge base to facilitate making almost anything. The Fab Lab is available to community and educational groups, and students for free. E-mail info@cedarvalleymakers.org to schedule resources and get the approved access, plan a field trip for your school, or ask about introductory series maker workshops. Subscription Members and donations make our Mission possible by helping keep the doors open and the lights on.
Volunteer Center of the Cedar Valley
We believe in the potential of volunteers to create change in our community. By mobilizing people and resources, we strive to deliver creative solutions to community problems. Our mission is to promote and support effective volunteerism and to serve as the resource and coordination center for volunteers and community partnerships. Everyone has a role to play.
INVISION Architecture
INVISION is a planning, architecture and interiors firm based in Iowa with work that takes us to communities throughout the Midwest. To keep pace with a rapidly changing world, we continue to approach every project with passion and purpose — as we have for over 100 years. At our core, we are a design firm who engages our clients with thoughtful questions to discover and implement innovative and functional building solutions. We believe the spaces we create are as unique as the clients and users we serve and believe our work can impact the world for the better. Our process is defined while our designs know of no limits. We are knowledgeable in various project delivery methods and have extensive experience in all five stages of the design process. We specialize in the education and health and wellness space and our experience spans corporate industrial, cultural and workplace, hospitality, housing, municipal and sports and recreation. Without our clients, our practice wouldn’t be possible. We understand this fundamental idea, which is why we prioritize listening and engaging the user at every phase of the project. We look to collaborate with those who share our values, seek to build a relationship with our team and have a passion for good design. But don’t just take our word for it, our projects speak for themselves.
Cedar River Marina District
The City is underway with the majority of the Phase I public improvements for the marina completed. The trail system is completed to the docking platform.. Kayak chutes will be added later when the inflatable bladder dam is reinflated after construction of the new Park Avenue Bridge. The City is seeking a private developer for the private site investment to provide a mixed use building with both commercial and residential space. Future plans call for adding a add a tower to match those on 4th Street to tie the marina into the Downtown, as well as potential public art pieces, and an additional trail connection to the “peninsula” which helps form the cove for the marina docking area. Funding sources for the marina have included the IRD State designations, the Great Places funding from the State of Iowa, EPA Assessment Grant funding for testing of the site, Waterloo Gaming Association in relation to the Jefferson and Commercial Streetscaping plan leading to the site, as well as federal Metropolitan Planning Organization funds (TAP) for recreational trail connections, water trails, as well as some private funding for the Kayak chutes, and all matched by City of Waterloo funding.
