Construction – Page 4 – Sequim Daily Photo

More of the new PUD building

The new Clallam County PUD office building has interesting angles, including these timber posts at the entrance. They are a striking feature at a distance or closer, as shown here.

Smaller timbers support awnings over windows on the north and south sides of the building. The building is 29,496 square feet and houses about 120 employees. Customers can pay their bills here or at small satellite offices in Port Angeles (Jim’s Pharmacy) or Sequim (Clallam Co-Op). There is also an after hours drop in the parking lot. The new street address is 104 Hooker Road, Sequim.

The new PUD building

The Clallam County Public Utility District (PUD) moved into its new headquarters in the Carlsborg area last month. This view of the building is across Highway 101 and shows most of the new $8 million main office. The building is on land next to the old Costco building off Hooker Road. That building is now a PUD warehouse.

The old PUD office in Port Angeles was built in the 1960s. Expanding it and bringing it up to current code was estimated to cost as much as constructing a new building. The PUD decided to locate this new building closer to its expanding customer base. I’ll share a couple more shots tomorrow.

The new span

Last winter floodwaters and accompanying debris on the Dungeness River undermined and collapsed part of the Railroad Bridge. The historic trestle survived without damage but the western portion of the span required replacement. A new prefabricated deck has recently been placed on new foundations. This is the portion on the right, above, that does not have tall vertical timbers above the deck.

Here’s a view from the other side, looking westward along the side of the bridge. A fence at the west end of the trestle makes it hard to get a good shot of the new deck.

This property belongs to the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. The Tribe has partnered with a variety of entities to rebuild the bridge. The good news is that the new portion of the bridge was engineered to reduce the number of pilings in the river and removed old ones that had been treated with creosote. This improves salmon habitat and allow a less impeded river flow.

Boomin’

The economy was in deep doldrums when we moved to Sequim. Though it didn’t stop completely, new construction seemed to slow to a crawl. Or maybe slower.

As summer drew to a close this year it seemed like there were new buildings going up all over the place. Big, small. You name it.

Unlike California, builders work pretty much year round here. They make hay whether the sun shines or not.

Bridge work

Early this year floodwaters of the Dungeness River caused pileups of water and logs that undermined part of the railroad bridge across the Dungeness River at Railroad Bridge Park. The historic trestle was not damaged but the west side of the bridge partly collapsed.

Rebuilding began earlier this month. The old section which had been supported with creosote beams has been removed and will be replaced with fewer supports. The new design will have fewer impediments to water flow and salmon migration. A coalition of many groups, led by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, which owns the bridge and Railroad Bridge Park, will pay for the design, demolition, and reconstruction.

Timing of the work has been tricky as crews try to complete work without impeding salmon runs. Click here for more information about the project.

Progress report

It’s time for another look at the new Sequim Civic Center. It’s definitely coming along. Now with paneling applied to the exterior walls, it’s easier to visualize its eventual scale.

You can see here the obvious progress since the last shot that I posted in September from a similar perspective.

Here’s another view from what I think is the back of the building.

Moving house

This house used to be on a knoll overlooking Highway 101. If I remember correctly, I think it was a real estate office that closed a few years back. Then one day not long ago it was parked not far off Highway 101 and Kitchen Dick Road. And next it made its way north on Kitchen Dick to this location near Bon Jovi. It’s been parked there long enough that it looks as if it might stay. And I’ve thought that packing up and moving house was a lot of work. This gives it a whole new meaning.