In an effort to help revitalize downtown Webster City, Legacy Learning Boone River Valley will be holding an eight-week construction skills seminar. The workshop will be taught by Chad Eels.

The seminar will be held on Wednesday nights from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Home Appliance and Repair, 525 Second St. The eight-week seminar will cost $200. There is a limit of six people who will be able to attend. To register, call (515) 835-0497.

“The downtown revitalization we are going to initiate Feb. 8,” said Maureen Seamonds, LLBRV board member. “Chad Eells will be conducting skills building sessions on Wednesday evenings at the high school wood shop to help community members gain the skills they need to rehabilitate downtown buildings.”

Individuals will “build a room inside a room” at Home Appliance and Repair over the span of eight weeks.

“We’re going to basically construct a room within a room so they learn all the skills to really properly rehab the space,” said Seamonds. “They’ll begin with basic tool usage, what clothing to wear, what materials to select, how to recognize load bearing walls, and more.”

The workshop will progress based on the class’s ability to pick up the material. Individuals will be using power tools throughout the workshop.

“They really will come out with real skills. Even those who have experience with wood working, the opportunity to rehab a space is really an interesting application of skills,” said Seamonds.

The space constructed by the completion of the workshop will be used to house an Artist-Residence downtown.

According to Seamonds, the artist has not been selected yet. There are several applicants who have expressed interest in the space.

“Our long-term goal is to encourage some young people to dive in with some sweat equity and rehab a building and create a business or living space and really add to the vibrancy of downtown,” Seamonds said. “Especially with those second story living spaces. Those are available downtown and as we have a housing need develop, those are real untapped resources.”

Webster City Area Chamber of Commerce Director Deb Brown thinks this seminar is a positive way to kick off the downtown revitalization efforts.

“It piggybacks nicely onto the conversations that are happening with the architects with the follow-up to the charrette and other businesses downtown showing a real interest in the community,” Brown said.