homeWorks construction continues citywide
Revitalization program impacts 11 high-rises
this summer
SEATTLE—July 20, 2007—The
homeWorks construction project, which is taking on extensive
remodeling activities in more than 20 Seattle Housing Authority
high-rises, is operating to varying degrees in 11 public housing
buildings this summer. Crews are taking advantage of good weather to
tackle exterior work at a number of buildings, and plumbing
replacement work is beginning at two buildings.
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Capitol Park has been the site of window
and shower replacement, which is now winding down. The
window replacement here was complex and time consuming, so
SHA paid for hotel rooms for residents during the most
intense work. In contrast, the replacement of windows at
Queen Anne Heights is being accomplished in one day, and
residents can remain home during the work. |
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Capitol Park window replacement |
homeWorks has also kicked off at
Lake City House, another building with a window replacement project.
Work will start with excavation and paving for the relocation of the
parking lot in August. Subsequent exterior work includes renewing
the deck railings and improving wall insulation. This will require
scaffolding the building for many months, beginning when the earth
work is complete. Unlike most of the homeWorks buildings, plumbing
at Lake City House has already been replaced, so that intrusion is
spared.
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Plumbing replacement is getting
underway at University West and Olympic West. In addition to
plumbing at Olympic West, the decks will be renewed, but from a
swing stage instead of the scaffolding that will surround Lake City.
Cal Mor Circle has been completely
under scaffolding for several months, and the exterior coating work
will continue until the end of the summer. Underneath, the leaky
brick structure is being transformed into a newly insulated,
stucco-coated building that will offer great improvement in terms of
comfort as well as looks.
Center Park, one of the first apartment
buildings in the United States to be constructed
specifically to serve people with physical disabilities,
presents the homeWorks team with some unique challenges.
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Shower installation |
Its work will
involve intense remodeling in every unit. In addition to repainting
and refurbishing, the kitchens will be redone, many with built-in
accessibility features. Residents will temporarily relocate to
specially-designated “hotel units” within the building. For many of
these residents, the key to independent living is a carefully
structured home environment where “everything in its place” has
particular importance.
Mindful of the disruption that a
change of apartments can mean to residents, especially those with
visual impairments, property manager Bill Drummond and his staff
have been working to assess and deal with individual accommodation
needs. Drummond has visited and interviewed each resident one-on-one
to thoroughly understand each resident’s needs. Residents and their
support networks, including service providers and family members,
have been invited to several meetings over the last few months to
help accommodate scheduling conflicts. Construction in units is
planned for mid-September.
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While construction winds down in
the last buildings of Phase I and is in full swing in Phase II, the
start of Phase III is already on the horizon for Barton Place, Ross
Manor, Stewart Manor, University House, Jackson Park House, Center
West and West Town View. Construction will officially begin in early
2008, although the schedule for starting work in each building has
not yet been established. As with the other phases, the first step
is a resident meeting in each building in August. This meeting
provides information and solicits public comments about the Tax
Credit financing process that provides some of the funding for the
remodel.
Please contact the homeWorks info
line at 206-615 3534 for more information, or email
skoehler@seattlehousing.org.
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Cal-Mor circle under yellow wraps |
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