Seattle now has a new place where people can find reclaimed wood for building and home projects. The Salvage Lumber Warehouse in SODO is officially open, thanks to a partnership between Seattle Public Utilities, Earthwise Architectural Salvage, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
The warehouse gives old lumber a second life. Instead of sending usable wood to the landfill, crews collect material from remodels, deconstruction projects, and construction offcuts. Staff then clean, sort, and prepare it so contractors, community members, and local makers can purchase it for new projects. This keeps valuable wood in use, lowers disposal costs, and reduces the need to cut and transport new lumber.
The warehouse also helps preserve old‑growth timber that often appears in older Seattle homes. This wood is extremely durable and no longer available through modern forestry. Now it can be reused in projects across the city, from home building to furniture building.
The work happening here supports people as much as it supports the environment. Deconstruction creates more jobs than traditional demolition because it requires careful disassembly and sorting. These roles can offer stable employment for workers entering the construction field and opportunities for companies to hire for green jobs.
Local businesses also benefit. Contractors, woodworkers, artists, and small manufacturers now have a reliable source of reclaimed material, which is a beautiful, high-quality input for buildings and other projects. This warehouse has been several years in the making. In 2023, EPA Region 10 awarded Seattle a four million dollar grant to strengthen recycling and reuse systems. SPU partnered with Earthwise to secure and prepare the SODO site, and early operations began in 2026. The grand opening brings all of that work together in a space designed to serve neighborhoods across Seattle.
The Salvage Lumber Warehouse will continue expanding its services in the coming months. Community members will be able to shop for reclaimed wood, learn more about reuse, and see how salvaged materials can reduce project costs and support local jobs.
By keeping materials in use and creating new opportunities for workers, the warehouse supports a more sustainable and community‑focused future for Seattle.
