High Point Buildings Recycled

A community model for unique conservation

SEATTLE—September 15, 2003—A local African-American owned construction company is leading an innovative conservation effort called deconstruction at West Seattle’s High Point community. Knights Construction and Development Firms, Inc. is deconstructing 20 housing units by preserving old building materials for reuse and saving them from demolition and transport to landfill.  

Deconstruction is a means of recycling building structures by systematically taking them apart and salvaging materials for reuse. 

High Point offers a wealth of quality materials from the past 60 years of development, including doors, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, appliances, old growth lumber from the flooring and walls, bricks, windows, vinyl and cedar siding layers, and in one case, even a complete tool shed structure.

The team is headed by 25 year-old Elmore Williams, founder of Knights Construction, who has hired three High Point community residents to work on his crew of fifteen. Williams started his company two years ago and although he had never worked on a deconstruction contract before, his newly trained crew can now take down up to two buildings in only five or six days. 

According to consultant Jim Prindahl, the High Point crew is “one of the best” he’s ever worked with.

Recycling the deconstructed buildings is estimated to save up to 80% of the materials over disposing of them in the landfill. Organized piles of materials have been collecting around the High Point deconstruction project area since July, and two old housing structures have been gutted to help store many of materials until they are resold.

An inside (left) and outside look at the High Point structures near the end of the deconstruction process. Crew members start from the outside and work their way in through each layer of materials.

The materials require meticulous care in not only separating them from the old buildings but in preparations for resale.  For example, nails are removed from each piece of lumber before the wood is cleaned, stacked and packaged for resale. 

Recycling is a highly respected means of environmental conservation in the Puget Sound region, however, it isn’t widely practiced yet in construction and demolition projects. According to program manager Tom Phillips, “There’s never even been a HUD redevelopment project using deconstruction before.”

"The industry is new," Phillips says. "There are still numerous concerns ranging from the retail sales price, labor costs and finding a retail outlet for the materials."

The cost effectiveness prevents the rest of the High Point structures in Phase I from also being deconstructed, however, the Seattle Housing Authority is committed to supporting sustainability and increasing deconstruction practices in the region.

Williams and his crew are scheduled to finish deconstruction of the 20 High Point housing units by the beginning of October in 2003. For more information on availability of High Point’s deconstructed materials, contact Knights Construction at  (425) 227-6077 or (425) 531-1722.

Background

The High Point housing development in West Seattle is Seattle Housing Authority’s largest site. It is a HOPE VI project, which will eventually house 1,600 families and include a library, stores, a community health clinic and parks. Seattle Housing Authority’s commitment to sustainability includes implementing the deconstruction technique, as well as developing a soft drainage system and creating environmentally healthier homes in the High Point redevelopment.

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