Projects

Seawind Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

Located near the SeaTac Airport, this 30 year old complex required significant repairs due to years of water damage. All siding was removed and replaced; dry rot and structural damages were repaired as needed; new deck coatings and railings were installed with proper flashings integrated to impede further water penetration; and site drainage conditions were improved to prevent flooding into lower level units.
 
The windows in the complex had recently been upgraded to aid in noise reduction. Recognizing that the budget was tight, Charter was able to do the necessary repairs around the existing windows in order to save the owner money.

Charter was involved with the project long before construction began through financing, design and preconstruction services. Its project team worked closely with the owner and architect to deliver a well executed renovation performed professionally and with exceptional service.

Juanita Shores Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

Located on the shore of Juanita Bay on Lake Washington, this 44 unit condominium building was highly exposed to the elements. Extensive water damage was identified, creating the need for the removal and replacement of siding on three elevations. Charter performed rot repairs and re-framed the window openings to install new, full height windows. A new rain screen system was installed beneath a high end, two color Ceraclad siding system. Decks were re-sloped and Westcoat waterproof coatings installed. The railings were replaced with new aluminum and glass.

As the project began during the winter months, full scaffolding was installed around the building with rain barriers to protect it from water and wind. As major structural deficiencies were discovered, Charter worked closely with the structural engineer to create a scope of repairs and estimate the costs. Changes were presented to the owners and negotiated to help remain within their budget. 

Steeple Chase Hill Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

Charter's repair of minor leaks and water damage at this 16-building, 62-unit condominium complex in Renton saved the project from major repairs in the future.

Crews stripped the existing façade and replaced it with new vinyl siding. Additional repairs included new windows and deck coatings.Residents were able to remain in their units while Charter completed the repairs. Crews worked around potentially disruptive deck landing repairs on the upper level by coating just half of the landings at a time and using an accelerant to hasten drying time.

The project was completed on time and under budget, despite an especially wet and cold winter that threatened to interfere with the schedule.

Japanese Presbyterian Church

Exterior repairs to the Japanese Presbyterian Church were a month away from starting when the Rainier Valley house of worship was the victim of arson. Charter was on the scene just hours later, protecting the charred and exposed structure. In an attempt to meet a now expedited schedule, Charter crews worked hand in hand with the insurance company to determine the amount of damage and means of repair.

Partnering with the design team, Charter worked through added design details. The structure's original intricate cedar shingle pattern was preserved and deteriorated siding was replaced. New roof curb flashing was added to prevent further weather damage to the building envelope. Replacement cedar railings and trim work were fabricated on-site to match the church's original design.

Despite the added challenges, Charter brought the project to completion on schedule.

Georgetown Works

Wynn and Associates

Georgetown Works is over 11,000 sq. ft. of Class A office space, utilizing a flexible design which is intended to accommodate the varying needs of creative professionals such as architects, designers, manufacturers’ reps, and engineers. Size, layout, and finish options are all generous, and include the additional option of a mezzanine level.

Inside, tenants enjoy high ceilings and abundant natural light, accentuated by a roll-up overhead door at the rear of each space. Steel cladded roofs and walls add to an overall look and construction quality that takes cues from the industrial character of the historic Georgetown neighborhood.

Motorfreight Building

KDW Architects

Charter juggled numerous challenges to complete this fast-track warehouse project. The job required precise construction of very flat floors to accommodate fast forklift operation, and the complex foundation system called for four-dozen 45-foot-deep auger cast pilings with extensive grade beams. Excavation and underground utility work was completed under a tight schedule to allow time for construction of the complex foundation. Crews had just 85 days to build this 18,000 SF distribution center, but successfully finished the job ahead of schedule.

Metropolitan Park Apartments

Olympic Associates

Extensive decay accelerated by exposure to extreme weather conditions required recladding of the entire apartment building. Charter enclosed the entire 10-story structure in scaffolding to allow access and protect the complex during construction.

Crews replaced all windows, doors, rails and siding; and also installed new Hardiplank and metal corrugated siding with properly integrated flashings and penetration wraps. Additionally, the west end of the building was re-roofed.

Although repairs in some areas required significant access to the units' interiors, Charter was able to allow the tenants to remain by framing up temporary walls and installing extensive interior protection.

Montere Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

Located on Lake Sammamish in Issaquah, WA, Montere Condominiums required extensive waterproofing and structural deficiency repairs. Crews removed all siding and installed a rainscreen system, applied deck coatings and performed structural repairs. New Hardiplank siding was installed along with new deck railings.

Consisting of eight buildings, the project site was large, resulting in an even larger scope of repairs. Units remained occupied during the project’s duration, which required a careful mitigation plan to minimize homeowner disruption. Charter’s team performed special investigations of each unit to ensure every repair was completed as efficiently as possible.

Madrona Refuge

Cohan Architecture

Located in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood, the Madrona Refuge project is a three-story, mixed-use building with a ground floor restaurant of approximately 2,850 sf, and small upper floor offices of approximately 10,000 sf.

The ground level retail/restaurant space incorporates full height storefront operable windows. The exterior envelope is a combination of brick veneer, colored fiber cement panels and concrete with colored metal accent materials.

Office space is located on the second and third levels of the building and will range in sizes from 235 sf to 530 sf. These spaces will be marketed towards independent professionals and artists. The building incorporates a 2,128 sf Green Roof and 433 sf of ground cover area as well as other green-oriented design elements.

University Christian Church

SHKS Architects

Sensitive to the owner’s limited budget, Charter Construction and the design team approached University Christian Church’s renovation and expansion project with a unique combination of value engineering options and innovative construction methods. The owner was able to phase the project, allowing them to achieve their goals and get the most value for their capital fundraising dollars.

A unique shoring system was devised for construction of the elevator’s concrete pit, facilitating excavation. A rooftop elevator vestibule was constructed and sided with copper shingles. The electrical upgrade required a new service entrance, transformers and subpanels, replacing the existing fuse system and providing for future expansion.

Lakewest Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

Homeowners who’ve suffered through water damage don’t want temporary fixes. They want the problem solved—for good. That’s why we installed an innovative rain screen system on this three-building, 48-unit complex that stair-steps up a steep hillside in Seattle’s Westlake neighborhood. Substantial water intrusion and structural problems necessitated a complete strip and reclad. Installing the unique rainscreen created a gap between the siding and the exterior wall, eliminating the possibility of trapped moisture. Also, because the owner wanted to retain the aesthetic of the original siding without reinstalling stucco, we installed new siding using metal clips instead of conventional wood strips.

Work also included new roofs, windows and major structural repairs for all three buildings. The extensive landscaping on-site was carefully protected, with disrupted areas replanted with native vegetation.

Wilson Court Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

The 5-story, 36 unit condominium building in Queen Anne underwent a full strip of the existing vinyl siding and targeted repairs of exterior gypsum sheathing as a result of water damage.  Decks were in poor shape and required extensive structural repairs. Crews installed Hardiplank siding, new vinyl windows, deck coating with integrated flashings and door pans, new aluminum louvered vents, and new fascia mounted aluminum picket deck railing. The existing entry was replaced with a new bronze, anodized storefront system. Two existing wood roof decks were removed at owners’ request and replaced with pressure treated, panelized wood decks that can be easily moved when the roof is replaced in the future.

Located on the corner of a very busy intersection near the Seattle Center, there was little room for material lay down and no room for a job trailer and storage unit. Considerations were made to accommodate the work — dance floor scaffolding was installed over the garage to place materials and debris from demolition, the electrical room was used as an office for the superintendent, and Charter rented two parking places to build a material storage unit/meeting room.

The renovation was completed within schedule and budget. All change orders were a result of owner elected upgrades or additions to the contract; allowances came in under budget and money was given back to the owners.

Seward Park Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

Seward Park Condominiums is a 6 building, 37 unit gated community in Seattle, WA. Problems included heavy water intrusion at windows and doors due to defects in the original construction.  Crews removed and reinstalled windows and sliding glass doors; removed siding at belly bands and installed flashing; removed and replaced penetration blocking; and secured incorrectly installed hose bibs. As this was a targeted remediation, the new materials had to be tied into the existing envelope without removing all of the siding. 

Charter worked closely with the architect to ensure that the details were performed to produce a water tight condition at windows and doors. This project was completed on a short schedule.  Charter worked with subcontractors to maintain sufficient manpower and work progression. The project site was tight with limited lay down and working areas. The units will remain occupied throughout construction.

Interbay Public Golf Course

Jones & Jones Architects

The complexities of building a family golf complex atop an old landfill didn’t keep Charter construction from delivering a first-class facility within an aggressive, five-month timeframe.

The two-story driving range included an attached clubhouse with offices, maintenance shop, snack bar and a substantial retail area. Before construction could begin, Charter had to replace the existing soil with structural fill. Then, crews installed a complex methane extraction system that had to remain in operation during the entire construction process.

Charter turned a complicated project with potential for significant cost overruns into a successful venture that satisfied the owner’s budget and schedule.

General Disposal Building

Galloway Architects

Permit review delays resulted in a later than anticipated start date; however, Charter made sure it was finished on time. General Disposal was able to relocate its entire fleet to the new facility as originally planned, and Charter’s aggressive value engineering practices resulted in considerable savings for the owner.

The fast-track/design-build contract included the remodel of an existing 11,000 SF building with new electrical and mechanical systems as well as construction of a new 6,000 SF maintenance facility for 65 trucks.

Charter also installed a new civil drainage system for the entire 28,000 SF site.Charter kept the project on track and under budget by closely managing the construction process. Crews anticipated change orders and analyzed alternative construction methods, saving the owner five percent of the total construction cost.

Mariner Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

The Mariner Condominium complex in Edmonds, Washington underwent a much needed renovation. Upgrades included new roofing, siding and architecturally enhanced railings. The two buildings were originally sided with outdated 1960’s marble-crete. To increase the value and aesthetics of the property, the material was removed and replaced with an ultra modern design concept that incorporates the elements of the Pacific Northwest with distinct material styling.

The existing barrel roof system of the Penthouse unit was replaced using a crane to lift old sections off and install new roof trusses that were assembled on site. Prior to the reinstallation of the siding, the buildings underwent a full wrapping system to make them waterproof and breathable. Proper insulation of walls and re-cabling units was an integral part of upgrading unit energy efficiency.

The new window package yielded a higher rating in heat retention and natural lighting capacity. Mariner Condominiums enjoys an expansive view of Puget Sound and the rugged Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges. Charter Construction provided the condominium owners with a value enhanced, energy efficient property with visual longevity.

Seven Hills Apartments

Donahou Design Group

Seven Hills Apartments was built in the upper Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. The design called for 3 levels of wood framed apartments over a retail podium with post-tensioned concrete. The building features a green roof and a rooftop deck constructed with Trex decking.

The building was built on Queen Anne Avenue and was a very tight site. There were no lay down areas for materials and the high pedestrian traffic had to be carefully managed, all issues that Charter’s team had dealt with many times before and persevered. 

Sunset Park South Condominiums

Soltner Group Architects

Charter’s extensive experience with construction defects repair helped facilitate remediation of this eight-building, 40-unit condominium project.

The owner’s tight budget ruled out the option of hiring an architect directly. Charter saved the owner time and money by hiring the Soltner Group Architects and facilitating weekly site meetings to streamline final design details. Contractor and architect formed an on-the-fly design-build relationship to flesh out final waterproofing details.

Repair work included the complete demolition and replacement of the vinyl siding, new building paper and replacement of wood sheathing and framing damaged by years of water intrusion. All decks received extensive repairs, and the roofs on all eight buildings – which did not meet current fire codes – were removed and replaced.

Charter took a complex project and turned it into a success story, completing the job within a quick five months with zero change orders to the homeowners.

Desimone Bridge Enclosure

James Cutler Architects

All eyes were on Charter when crews constructed a retail space addition at Seattle’s historic and extremely popular Pike Place Market.

Because the Pike Place Market is a historic landmark, great care was taken to ensure that the architectural form and detailing of the addition matched those of the market itself. The addition was built upon the existing bridge deck that spans Western Avenue. Neither traffic on nearby Western Avenue nor retail activity at the market were to be disturbed during construction.

Work included significant cast-in-place concrete and structural steel seismic improvement to the bridge deck, as well as the addition itself.

Paradise Employee Dormitory

Jones & Jones Architects

Heavy traffic or scheduling conflicts are typical reasons for material delivery delays at most jobsites, but it’s rare that a black bear can be blamed for a tardy arrival.

Charter took the hindrance in stride when a black bear in the road slowed a concrete truck on its way to the Paradise Employee Dormitory jobsite in Mt. Rainier National Park. It was just one of many extreme conditions crews faced while building the four-story structure in a remote, snowy location.

The jobsite’s location at 5,770 ft. and at the end of a road was a challenge, and the job itself was taxing as well. The structure included a massive architectural concrete foundation, structural steel and light gauge framing. The structure also featured a steeply sloped, copper-clad double roof system.

Charter answered the National Park Service’s negotiated bid request after the job had been unsuccessfully hard-bid twice. Charter identified more than $300,000 in value engineering options that were critical in keeping the job within the Park Service’s tight budget.

Group Health Credit Union

Galloway Architects

Charter combined old with new when rebuilding this architecturally detailed credit union branch.

The 10,000 SF building was stripped to its original steel frame and completely renovated. Throughout the building, existing structural members were integrated with new, intricately detailed finishes. The existing steel frame was restored as a finish surface while the new teller line was made of a steel beam to match the architectural detail.

A crowded site in a busy part of town made access difficult. Crews carefully planned material deliveries and equipment staging to minimize impact to surrounding neighbors.

Charter kept to a complicated schedule, which included relocating credit union operations and maintaining the computer center in the basement during the renovation.

Mill Creek Court

Work on the 28-unit Mill Creek Court complex involved complete exterior envelope repair, including new vinyl siding, siding underlayment, penetration wraps and flashings. Charter also performed structural upgrades including shear wall nailing, LPT5 wall to floor connectors and roof to wall connections. Crews examined each building for adequate anchor bolt connections to the foundations and also completely replaced the existing roof with a new 40-year roofing system.

Cascade Condominiums

Soltner Group Architects

Unforeseen dry rot in this 32-unit, high-end condominium complex required nearly 3,000 additional man-hours, doubling the amount of work originally anticipated. Charter increased its carpentry crew and kept the project on track, finishing on schedule.

Charter completely opened the building envelope to repair the extensive water damage. The complex received a complete restoration of the exterior finish system, all new windows and atriums, new elastomeric decking and new concrete topping slabs. Crews also replaced the concrete walkways, handrails, soffits and terraced retaining walls.

Charter remained flexible despite repeated discovery of undocumented damage. Crews methodically addressed each area as it was uncovered, completing the job within budget and as promised to the owner.

Bellevue Wedgewood Condominiums

Soltner Group Architects

The 73-unit complex in Bellevue, WA underwent a complete strip of the building envelope; new Hardie siding, windows and doors; deck reframing; structural upgrades including sheer walls, hold downs and anchor bolts; and new concrete entry stairs and railings. Many units had modified decks that had to be treated separately from the others. Charter created individual estimates for each of those decks to be approved by the owners prior to work. Several times larger than the standard deck, most had to be reframed and rebuilt with PT lumber and Trex decking.

Several weeks into the project, the HOA made a decision to change some of the products that had been specified for the project. Charter quickly gathered samples and provided new pricing to help the decision making process move forward. While this was a time consuming and unanticipated process that might have had an impact on schedule, Charter was pleased to have been part of the solution and ultimately give the client what they wanted.

AT&T - Tacoma

KDW Architects

This project involved a complete seismic upgrade of the 71,000 SF AT&T telecommunications building in Tacoma, WA – the primary long distance switch equipment facility for the area.

The building is a five-story cast-in-place concrete structure with face brick veneer. Charter completely demolished the existing hollow clay tile elevator shafts, main stairwell and egress hallways, as well as eight feet of the triple course brick parapet, followed by extensive seismic, structural and architectural upgrades.

All interior structural demolition was performed immediately adjacent to operating phone equipment, which is extremely intolerant to dust. Crews kept a tight schedule and detailed workflow to ensure that AT&T experienced no shutdowns or negative impacts of any kind during the duration of the project.

Manhattan Square

Soltner Group Architects

Charter Construction’s construction defect remediation skills and the flexibility of its crews meant an extensive and difficult job at the Manhattan Square Condominium was able to be completed two months ahead of schedule, leaving the owners plenty of time to prepare for the holiday season. Significant rot and decay in the walls of the complex required new siding and firewall insulation, waterproofing material, new windows and more than a dozen new terraces. The project scope changed drastically well into the job, and the owner asked that the eight month job be finished two months early, requiring Charter to beef up its crew on short notice. Nevertheless, Charter effectively managed a crew of more than 20 craftsmen, plus subcontractors; bringing the job to completion well within the new timeframe with skill and professionalism.

Residences at Fairview

Atelier Jones LLC

The Residences at Fairview has a prime Eastlake waterfront location where it takes in sweeping views of Seattle’s downtown corridor and Lake Union. This will be the first of seven planned buildings and will feature three multi-story high-end townhome units and an exterior roof top view deck. 

The concrete and wood framed structure will take nearly a year to complete and will include high-end interior finishes. The small dense urban project site will take special planning and coordination with subcontractors and suppliers as the fast paced schedule progresses.

Charter’s project team faces several challenges with this project, one of which is the relocation of 1,000 lineal feet of existing power lines. The existing power lines will be moved underground.  Careful coordination with Seattle City Light and project designers will be integral to ensure the utility scope is completed as planned.

Palisades Park

Kilburn Architects

This 74-unit condominium complex located in Dupont, WA required significant repairs due to defective construction. The 12 buildings were completely stripped of the existing vinyl and replaced with Hardi siding. Extensive dry rot repairs were necessary at entries, windows and doors. Crews removed deck sheathing and re-sloped the decks to install new coatings with decorative edge patterning. Roofing repairs included edge flashing, diverters, low sloped pan flashings, gutters and downspouts.

The most challenging aspect of the project involved the attic repairs that consisted of installing draft stop walls between units. With over 20,000 sq. ft. of drywall that had to be brought into the attic spaces, crews set up cat walks to prevent workers from falling through the ceilings, while treading carefully to avoid hitting sprinkler, electrical and plumbing lines.

Units remained occupied for the duration of the project and homeowners were fully apprised of all scheduled work through Charter’s ongoing notification system.

Central Corner

Adams Mohler Ghillino

Building this mixed-use Craftsman-style complex in Seattle’s busy and crowded Capitol Hill neighborhood required a dose of ingenuity by Charter’s crews. Surrounded by existing structures, access from the south was unavailable. Charter framed, sheathed and finished the south wall before carefully tilting it into place.

The project’s location in a pedestrian-heavy neighborhood further challenged Charter to closely schedule material deliveries and implement work plans that accommodated neighbors and the public.

The project, which featured four units of condominiums with office space above and retail space below, used exposed heavy timber framing with a metal roof, cedar shingles and recycled wood floors. Ample glazing takes advantage of downtown Seattle views, and cathedral ceilings provide a feeling of spaciousness throughout the building. The highly detailed design required sophisticated detailing and finishes. 

The Carroll Apartments

Kent Mettler Design

Mother Nature was no match for Charter Construction, whose crews successfully repaired the historic, 33-unit Carroll Apartment complex following the February, 2001 Nisqually Earthquake.

The quake had caused the northwest upper parapet corner of the brick wall to shift two inches. Charter crews repaired the wall and also installed strapping and anchor bolts to protect against future tremors.

Crews went to great lengths to restore the building to its original form. Over the years, many of the buildings historical elements had been covered over. The exterior brick was stripped and the entire system tuckpointed to restore to a historic brick finish. Crews also used old photos of the building to assist in creating a partial cornice similar to the original.

Mid-project, the building’s owner opted for a complete renovation of the interior. Crews transitioned into design-build mode, working closely with the owner and architect ahead of the construction schedule to ensure the project was completed within budget and on time.

Wedgewood Apartments

ORB Architects

Wedgewood Apartments, located in Seattle, WA was plagued with deficiencies resulting from improper construction.

The scope of repairs included the strip and reclad of fiber cement siding; PVC window and door installations; new weather resistant barrier and flashing systems; installation of deck and roof coatings; trenching and storm drainage; and extensive landscaping. Residents were kept informed of all scheduled work through Charter’s resident liaison. The team worked to minimize the amount of disturbance to the residents and neighbors while providing a safe worksite.

The Seattle Housing Authority has certified Charter as a Section 3 contractor, and much of the work on this project was completed by Charter’s minority workforce at prevailing wage rates.

Belmont Off Broadway

Morrison Hershfield

Located on Capitol Hill in Seattle, WA, the Belmont Condominiums were in desperate need of repair due to structural and dry rot issues as a result of heavy water intrusion. Charter crews removed the existing stucco cladding, performed extensive dry rot and structural repairs, installed Densglass sheathing, new windows, a roof parapet coping and new stucco cladding with a waterproof rainscreen system.

The structural repairs were not originally in the project scope; however, as the building was opened, crews discovered broken headers above windows. The areas were shored and the headers reframed. The window installation proved to be the most challenging aspect of the project as they were a very large, odd shape with an intricate interior wood trim detail. The majority of these repairs were completed during the wet Seattle winter months.

Homeowners remained in their units for the entirety of the project and were kept abreast of all scheduled work through Charter’s ongoing notification and communication system. Charter’s project team worked diligently with the owner, consultant and subcontractors to deliver a quality product that elicits pride among all involved.

Arion Court Apartments

Prior to construction, Charter worked extensively with the owner to finalize the scope of work and performed a budget analysis. The 17 unit apartment building in Seattle received a much needed facelift within a fast track, two month schedule.

Crews demolished interior finishes including flooring, cabinets, electrical, baseboard heaters and replaced with new. Existing common bathrooms were upgraded, one residential unit was converted to an office and door entry and security systems were replaced.

The building was completely occupied except for the units crews were working in. Highly used corridors and stairs were painted and common areas bathrooms were temporarily shut down to perform repairs. Extensive communication with residents was necessary to facilitate the work.

Charter was able to adhere to the original schedule and under the final budget, despite extensive owner driven increases to the scope.

Satomi Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

Repair of the 85-unit Satomi Condominiums in Newport Hills was extensive, requiring complete siding removal and replacement with upgraded waterproofing details. The transmission of vapors through the basement slabs caused high humidity inside the units. Much of the exterior sheathing was replaced and extensive structural upgrades were performed inside and out. Interior flooring was removed to receive a slab sealing compound and waterproofing details were applied to the decks at entries.

Residents remained in their units during the far-reaching work, which involved many different trades. Charter’s homeowner liaison was critical during the construction process, smoothing the path for the homeowners by facilitating communication between the residents and the contractor.

Fairway Lane Townhomes

Kilburn Architects

Driving rain and storms with winds reaching 70 mph were a regular winter occurrence at the Fairway Lane Townhomes jobsite in Snoqualmie, WA. The Homeowners' Association contracted Charter to work through the site's extreme weather conditions to renovate 48 townhomes. Charter's project team completely removed and replaced all siding, installed new windows, roofs and aluminum railings. Crews also performed extensive structural upgrades and framing repairs. 

Roofs had been prone to blowing off in high winds, as a result, Charter expedited the re-roofing work to take advantage of the summer months and avoid any possible catastrophes for homeowners over the winter. The homes remained occupied throughout the construction process, giving Charter a chance to prove its commitment to do “whatever it takes” to make the process as smooth as possible for the homeowners.

Loudeye Technologies

Stock and Associates

Rapidly outgrowing their offices in the historic Times Square Building in downtown Seattle, Loudeye Technologies, Inc. came to Charter for a fast-track, multi-phased expansion project. Four months later, this digital media services company was in its new space, which included a state-of-the-art computer facility that required extensive electrical and HVAC work.

More than 100 tons of new cooling equipment was retrofitted to the Times Square Building without disturbing the historic nature of the structure. Charter began the renovation with the third floor of one building and phased in two additional floors in one building and one floor in a building across the street. Because of the requirements of this rapidly growing digital media services company and its high tech equipment, Charter completed its work not only on a fast track, but also maintained a dust-free environment.

Village Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

The 11 building, 49-unit, 102,000 sq. ft. condominium complex located in Beaverton, OR underwent a full strip and reclad of vinyl siding as a result of severe water intrusion. Selective roofs were replaced, new traffic coatings were installed at decks and attics were treated for microbial growth where necessary.

Charter’s project team performed value engineering at the pre-construction phase in order to fall within the owners’ budget. With all units occupied for the duration of work, residents were kept well- informed of all scheduled repairs. Despite working through one of the worst winters in Portland’s history, crews worked diligently to protect the buildings from the snow and rain and completed the project only one week later than scheduled. Charter came in under budget and was able to give money back to the HOA.

Windward Passage Condominiums

Soltner Group Architects

Despite the abnormal amount of rain and severe wind storms that reached speeds of 114 mph, Charter crews completed work at Windward Passage on time and on budget. Located in Long Beach, Washington, Windward Passage is a 4-story, 36 unit condominium complex that required extensive rot repair. Phase one of the two phase project scope required the removal and residing of the 3 stair towers. However, crews found extensive rot, requiring a complete rebuild of the structure.

During phase two of the building’s remediation, crews completely removed the existing siding on the south elevation and installed new Hardishingle siding.

Seattle Athletic Club

KDW Architects

Charter crews worked 24 hours a day to complete this 10-day, fast-track remodel of the Seattle Athletic Club’s locker room and spa while the club remained open for business.

Charter removed existing plumbing and reinstalled it under a new slab-on-grade, installed 9,000 SF of tile, added new granite vanities and rebuilt the hot tubs, steam rooms and saunas. Crews adjusted schedules and added manpower when extensive rot to the interior walls nearly doubled the size of the project.

The jobsite’s location two floors underground made it impossible to use traditional demolition and concrete pumping methods. Crews manually removed the existing slab-on-grade and mixed and poured concrete for the new slab by hand.

Safety was a key issue. The site is located near Pike Place Market – one of Seattle’s most popular tourist destinations. Materials and equipment had to pass across busy sidewalks, often packed with people. Charter carefully scheduled deliveries and timed ingress and egress to ensure the safety of the public and club guests.

Somerset Park

Kilburn Architects

This 39 unit condominium complex in Everett, WA had been plagued by excessive water damage for years due to poor site drainage though interior concrete slabs. Charter crews faced an added challenge in repairing the slabs as homeowners remained in their units for the duration of the construction project.

Additional repairs included site drainage remediation, roofing repairs and complete siding removal on all buildings to upgrade to a Hardiplank product. Charter worked closely with the homeowners’ association and architect to ensure that the aesthetic look of the buildings was maintained.

Work was performed within a very tight timeframe making communication critical among all parties involved. Charter’s homeowner liaison was the key contact between residents and contractor to ensure a smooth transition from start to finish.

Mikron Industries

Trnka Engineers Co.

Charter completed extensive structural modifications to Mikron’s existing manufacturing facility with a compressed schedule and difficult site conditions. The project included shoring the existing tilt-up walls with 24-foot-deep sheet piling, as well as shoring the existing roof truss system in the 8,000 SF work area. Charter also removed the existing slab, excavated more than 10 feet deep, and built a very complex system of cast-in-place concrete foundations, ascending and descending troughs, and machine bases and hold-downs.

With new manufacturing equipment soon to be delivered, Mikron required that Charter complete this challenging job far ahead of the original schedule. In addition, Charter was required to keep a very clean site so as not to interrupt the operation of a critical manufacturing line adjacent to the project location. The project called for innovative techniques, continuous attention to processes and fast and accurate execution of all phases of construction.

Cascade Gasket and Manufacturing

Trnka Engineers Co.

Cascade Gasket’s growth prompted the aerospace component manufacturer to seek new space. Charter built the company a new, 12,500 SF production facility that also includes new administration offices and training rooms. The facility also incorporates several advanced production systems including hydraulics, water circulation, and electrical distribution.

Charter crews first demolished several large buildings on the new project’s existing site before construction started on the ground-up project. Unstable site conditions required the installation of geo piers to stabilize the soil and provide a suitable bearing for foundations. New water, sewer, and electrical utilities were also brought onto the site.

Lothlorien Apartments

Roger H. Newell, AIA

Lothlorien was an ambitious apartment/office/retail complex aimed at revitalizing the diverse University District in Seattle. This project utilized complex engineering methods due to the compact job site. The need to underpin adjacent buildings for shoring purposes as well as the high density area adjacent to the site made this project challenging, but these are conditions Charter Construction has successfully overcome before. Several buildings were demolished to make way for this impressive new complex, including the Wilsonian Ballroom. Fixtures and other items such as leaded glass were retrieved and incorporated into the final structure.

Lothlorien features 160,000 square feet, including five levels of residential apartments (125 units), one level of office space, one level of retail space (9 units) and two underground levels for parking. Delivering on a tight schedule and a zero lot-line jobsite was difficult, but Charter Construction’s efficient project planning coupled with an impressive project team delivered a successful project to Seattle’s culturally diverse University District.

Carillon Heights

Morrison Hershfield

Faced with severe decay due to water intrusion, these four buildings in the 16-building condominium complex required a complete renovation.

Charter crews had begun removing the decks, façade and roofs of the units when a sudden owner-initiated shift in the exterior design brought construction to a halt. While the design team reworked the buildings' roof overhangs, decks, handrails and exterior skin, Charter shifted its focus to other aspects of the project. When the project got back on track, crews incorporated the far-reaching changes, including the addition of a rain screen, glass hand railings and elevators to the buildings' design.

Access to the tight site was complicated by a winding entry road that also served several occupied residences nearby. A second contractor completing the buildings' interiors was also on site, doubling the number of subcontractors, delivery trucks and materials in the area. Charter alleviated traffic by instituting off-site parking, scheduling deliveries and directing vehicles so residents were inconvenienced as little as possible.

Overlook at Juanita Condominiums

J2 Architects

Overlook at Juanita is a 39 unit condominium complex in Kirkland, WA. With excessive rot due to water intrusion. Charter performed a full envelope remediation consisting of new siding (a combination of Hardie Panel and AEP Span Steel), new windows and sliding glass doors, new railings and new deck coatings. The units remained occupied throughout construction, and Charter worked efficiently to minimize time and cost impacts to homeowners. 

As many of the field conditions carried from the building plans, Charter worked with the architect to come up with the most cost effective and aesthetically pleasing solutions. Complex topping slab conditions required close oversight to ensure that the installation was completed per specifications and that compatibility existed with the specified waterproofing membrane at topping slab locations. The courtyard waterproofing was the major milestone on the project, and Charter was able to schedule, manage and deliver a highly technical product.

Knollwood Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

This 30-year old condominium complex in Redmond, WA, plagued with decaying shingles, dry rot and structural problems, was in need of a serious face lift.

Repairs included a complete strip & re-clad with Hardi-plank and vertical metal siding; replacement of aluminum windows and sliding glass doors with vinyl; deck sloping and installation of elastomeric deck coatings; removal and re-installation of steel deck and entry rails; sloped roofing replacement; and dry rot and structural repairs.

With four large buildings and 100 units, careful management and supervision of a large crew of carpenters and multiple trades was necessary. Units remained occupied throughout all stages of construction, requiring ongoing notification with residents of scheduled work.

Charter’s experienced project team worked closely with the architect and client to ensure that design intent, budget and schedule expectations were met.

Brownstone Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

With 26 buildings and 140 units, Brownstone Condominiums was one of the largest construction defect repair cases in Portland.

Charter’s project team provided value engineering solutions during preconstruction, cutting over $1 million of the original budget while still meeting the design intent of the architect.  When seismic repairs were added to the scope, Charter was able to further value engineer other aspects to keep within the owners’ budget.

Scope of repairs included a full strip and reclad of siding; removal and reinstallation of windows; new traffic coating at decks; and dry rot, structural, masonry and concrete repairs.

The HOA’s funding was delayed until mid project. Through careful planning, Charter scaled back construction to avoid exceeding the budget and ramped up when the funding was approved, successfully completing the project within the original 15 month schedule.

Nautica Condominiums

Soltner Group Architects

By the time Charter started repair work on the Nautica Condominiums, the homeowners had endured years of chronic leaks and water intrusion. Residents were anxious to see the problems resolved and were unwilling to vacate the units during construction despite the need for extensive repairs.

Work involved the removal and replacement of siding, sheathing, soffits, concrete decks, deck membranes, roofing systems, handrails and more than 400 windows in the 12 story, 64-unit, high-end complex – all during a wet winter. Rain for 120 days of the project complicated matters, but Charter avoided any interior damage to the units.

In the midst of construction, site conditions required Charter to jack up the south side of the west wing and rebuild the shear wall. Despite the unexpected work, Charter finished the renovation on schedule.

St. Margaret's Thrift Store

Chesmore/Buck Architecture

Charter’s close collaboration with the project team on this job meant the owners got exactly they wanted despite a tight and unwavering budget.

Crews worked closely with the owner and architect to value engineer construction of this 6,000 SF building that serves as the St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church thrift store. Careful consideration was given to the excavation, framing, siding, HVAC, plumbing and electrical aspects of the job. With a fixed price contract and Charter’s review of constructability issues before the project started, the church avoided costly change orders.

Since construction work necessitated the closure of the thrift shop, Charter employed an aggressive construction schedule so that fundraising activities could resume as quickly as possible. The job was completed on time and on budget.

Upon completion of the thrift shop project, the owner hired Charter to renovate and replace the church’s sanctuary and offices on their Bellevue campus.

Pagasus Court Condominiums

Sandler Kilburn Architects

At the completion of this construction defects repair project, Charter Construction was able to return $50,000 in unspent allowances to the owner, despite an expanded scope of work that included unforeseen deck repairs and extensive dry rot. 

The 36-unit condominium complex required removal of stucco and vinyl siding, windows, deck membranes and decayed framing members along with installation of new framing, windows and new metal and hardi-plank siding. In addition, extensive seismic repairs where performed at all shear walls and a new ventilation system was added to all common areas to bring fresh air into once stale corridors. 

Damage to the four-story complex was so severe that one family had been unable to use a master bedroom for more than a year. Despite the severity of the defects, Charter was still able to complete the job on time and within budget.

Verona Apartments

The Berger Partnership

Charter completely demolished and renovated the two-tier, 16,000 SF courtyard of this apartment complex in downtown Bellevue, WA. Working with the architect, Charter developed a design to install architectural concrete slabs rather then poured-in-place concrete slabs.  Planters, stone veneer walls, water features, and a new spa retreat were integrated as well.  Steel canopies topped with glass, welcome tenants and visitors into the space. 

Challenges that Charter faced during this project included working within a tight space (limiting on-site material storage and crew size), water-proofing the two-tier courtyard during historical winter weather and x-raying and coring over 100 drains through the post-tension slabs. Charter lived up to its reputation of doing “whatever it takes” completing a project that elicits pride among everyone involved, while maintaining a 90% occupancy.

Washington Park Condominiums

Forensic Building Consultants

Washington Park Condominiums is a 10-story, 38 unit, concrete framed structure in Portland, OR. Over 40 years old, many of the building materials had reached the end of their useful life. The building envelope was missing the necessary flashings to make it water tight, resulting in dry rot and structural damage.

Crews replaced windows, sliding glass doors, damaged wall and garage ceiling insulation, installed new Synergy (stucco board) and metal cladding, and replaced the metal roof coping.

Due to the long lead time for windows and a very tight schedule, careful planning was required.  Much of the work took place during the winter months, and the building remained occupied throughout construction.

St. Joseph's School

Warren Pollock & Associates Architects

While students of St. Joseph’s were enjoying their summer break, Charter crews were busy performing substantial seismic upgrades to their 80-year-old school.

Charter had much to complete during the nine-week hiatus. Two of the floors were tied to the exterior walls as well as to the core of the building. Six, 40-ft. trusses weighing 65 lbs. per foot were dropped in through the roof.

The aging facility presented numerous challenges. Workers encountered numerous unexpected electrical and plumbing lines that required rerouting, and an existing wall was found to have no foundation support as originally thought. These unforeseen conditions weren’t enough to keep Charter from finishing this project on budget and in time for the students’ return in the fall.

AT&T - Burien

WRMS Engineering, Inc.

This project consisted of the remodel and conversion of a 26,000 SF telephone operator facility to a large switching center with general offices. This involved the demolition of existing finishes, major electrical modifications to both AC and DC systems, construction of partitions and raised access flooring throughout, as well as the installation of a 750KV generator with uninterrupted power source equipment. The existing HVAC system was extensively modified including the addition of an 80 ton chiller unit.

Chestnut Hill Academy

Ross & McClure Architects

When permit delays pinched Chestnut Hill Academy’s already-tight schedule, few thought it possible for the new learning facility to open to students as scheduled. Charter knew it could be done, and employed crews seven days a week to ensure that the new school was ready for students to begin classes.

The project required both site preparation and construction of a private elementary school with associated playgrounds and parking area. As part of the civil work, Charter constructed a 90 ft. by 40 ft. by 8 ft. cast-in-place concrete storm water retention vault.

Charter’s creative problem solving and streamline project management skills helped ensure that the school was completed on budget in less than four months.

Belshaw Brothers Manufacturing Building

George Lucker

In an industry where precision is of utmost importance, Charter’s exacting construction methods and close attention to detail made this project a success.

This job for an automated food services equipment company required construction to extremely close tolerances. Coupled with a tight budget and an aggressive schedule, Charter met the challenge with success, resulting in timely completion within a demanding and tight time frame.

The project consisted of a 27,000 SF manufacturing facility with a CMU and steel frame with a heavy timber mezzanine and lumber subroof system.

The Aspens Townhomes

Sandler Kilburn Architects

Though only five years old, this Bellevue condominium property had extensive water intrusion problems. The 48 three-level townhouses needed some serious intervention.

After removing all the siding and decayed materials, Charter installed new weatherproofing, flashings and reclad it with Hardiboard. All windows and sliding glass doors were removed and replaced in the process. Due to the large sizes of the front picture windows, they were removed completely to allow a total rebuild of the window rough openings.

To address surface water concerns of the homeonwers’ association, Charter also installed new area drains and French drains throughout the complex.

Plum Grove Condominiums

Olympic Associates

This extensive renovation of the nine-building, 54-unit Plum Grove condominium complex required detailed coordination with the residents and homeowners' association. The depth of the upgrades required every homeowner to be relocated during the course of construction, although precise scheduling with subcontractors allowed away-time to be shortened. Homeowners returned to their units ahead of schedule, resulting in considerable savings for the association.

Crews replaced the units' original siding with new siding and trim, and replaced an old single tank hydronic system with an upgraded double tank boiler. Decks were resheathed and recoated and old wooden deck railings were replaced with new fiberglass railings. A new graded trench drain along the front of the decks was installed, eliminating slope from the deck surfaces and allowing residents full use of the spaces.

Galer Gardens Condominiums

Soltner Group Architects

The comfort of the residents and retail tenants of the Galer Gardens Condominiums in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood was at the top of Charter’s list during this extensive remediation and seismic renovation job.

Despite a scope of work that required complex and intrusive repairs, residents were able to stay in the building during construction, and ground floor businesses retained maximum street-level exposure despite considerable scaffolding and tenting of the building.

Charter was contracted to remove and replace the entire exterior cladding system of the 37-unit condominium, which had succumbed to considerable water intrusion and dry rot. Crews also replaced all windows; repaired decks; added new handrails, waterproofing material and flashing; and rehabilitated the main entry canopy. Interior seismic work proved to be even more complex than the exterior repairs. Charter – along with the owner’s structural consultants – carefully assessed the structural components in each unit. In some cases, new shear walls were required on each floor. To keep the occupants from having to relocate, Charter protected and worked around residents’ belongings.

Issaquah Condominiums

Charter’s renovation of 25 condominium buildings in this complex included extensive interior and exterior repair work in 132 units. Inside, Charter re-piped the hot and cold water system with copper piping and installed fire retardant insulation at the party walls to remedy significant water damage from incompatible plastic piping installed during the units’ original construction. On the exterior, crews removed existing siding, repaired decay damage and installed new weatherproof flashings, deck coatings and cement-fiber siding.

Eight of the units had moderate to sever moisture penetration at a full height concrete wall that formed the back wall of the units. These units were vacated for two-and-a-half months while a drain trench with perforated pipe was installed next to the wall under the slab. The entire wall and slab was then covered with a waterproofing coating to prevent subsequent seepage.

Promenade Condominiums

Located on the Oregon Coast in Seaside, this 17-unit building experiences its fair share of stormy weather with high winds, excessive rain and moisture. This coupled with the lack of proper waterproofing led to substantial water intrusion, rust and dry rot. 

Repairs during the 6-month construction schedule included the removal of all vinyl siding and WRB; removal and re-installation of windows at some elevations and replacement at areas badly damaged; installation of new sprinkler system to meet fire codes; installation of new deck waterproofing and new fascia mounted railings; and installation of Hardi-plank and Hardi shingle siding. Extensive dry rot repairs were performed at water damaged beams. 

With the location fairly remote, this project required significant coordination among the Charter team and subcontractors. Many of the units are used as vacation rentals, making ongoing communication with rental companies and owners critical. Charter worked though severe coastal weather despite the fact that many subcontractors were unable to reach the site due to poor road conditions. Durable weather protection shielded the building from the elements until storms subsided.

Value engineering to keep scope items within budget, responsiveness to the concerns of owners and a dedicated project team were instrumental to the successful completion under budget and within schedule.

Puget Power - Olympia Service Center

Waterleaf Architecture

The bulk of Charter’s challenges during construction of this new service truck maintenance facility lay beneath the surface, but Charter’s innovative techniques and can-do attitude resulted in a successful job.

The project itself was fairly typical: a masonry structure supported by a CMU and structural steel system. The foundation system, however, was complicated by a high water table. Moreover, the ground water contained excessive hydrocarbon content that prohibited standard dewatering procedures. Charter designed a system that allowed crews to temporarily dewater the site, remove substandard soils and treat the removed ground water prior to disposal.  Large precast utility vaults were installed to serve as cofferdams after the dewatering procedure was complete. The structural footings and walls were then constructed inside the vault.

Once the foundation system was complete, Charter moved forward with construction of the truck maintenance facility, which included three 40-ton hydraulic vehicle lifts and associated fleet maintenance equipment.

The Herbfarm

Louis Owen, Inc.

When fire destroyed the renowned Herbfarm Restaurant – rated one of the top 50 restaurants in the world – Charter was called upon to recreate the old world charm of the original restaurant in the newly constructed Willows Lodge. Charter employed a demanding, fast-track schedule to ensure the new building would be open in time to honor pre-sold reservations.

The restaurant’s show kitchen features premium commercial equipment customized to match the country provincial style of the dining areas. The dining room features post-and-beam construction with lush colors and details that preserve the exquisite, yet comfortable feeling of a French country home.

A limited budget didn’t keep Charter from delivering the full scope of work; complete with high-end, top quality finishes. Crews implemented extensive value engineering methods and creative financing to ensure the restaurant’s owners received the restaurant they had envisioned.

GTE Redmond Reroof

Roger Fincher Architects

The problem: a continually leaking roof over a building that housed sensitive computer telephone switching equipment serving the majority of the Puget Sound region’s Eastside. The solution: an entirely new roofing system that not only stopped the leaks, but was constructed ahead of schedule and with no disruption to the owner’s activities.

GTE’s 22,000 SF building had a flat roof with a ballasted mono-ply roofing system. Charter answered with construction of a 4/12 hip roof system over the entire existing structure using a steel stud framing system with multiple intermediate light gauge columns. The roof cladding was a raised panel pre-finished metal roofing system.

During construction, Charter constructed an elaborate temporary tenting system to protect the existing roof while the new roof was being built above it. Charter installed more than 200 internal columns without causing one leak. 

The Brix Condominiums

Mithun Architects

Charter Construction was hired to bring this mixed use condominium building back on track. Located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, Brix features 141 residential condominiums and 7,700 SF of retail with underground parking.

With construction costs soaring and the original general contractor unable to provide capable manpower and project management, Charter Construction stepped in. Charter’s skilled management team redeveloped the project’s schedule and costs to ensure the project was completed the way the client had originally envisioned it.

The Mews at North Harbour

Western Architectural

The 32-unit building overlooking the Columbia River in Portland, OR required a full strip and reclad as a result of improper material lapping at vertical wall assemblies that led to significant water intrusion. The primary areas of concern were dry rot at walls and decks and damage at railings due to the lack of waterproofing at stanchions.

Crews removed and replaced all Hardi siding and trim. They replaced all sliding glass doors and windows with properly integrated waterproofing materials. Nearly all of the exterior gypsum had to be removed and replaced at vertical walls due to severe water damage. All concrete and existing deficient waterproofing was removed at walkways and decks and replaced with a new waterproofing system. Residents had to temporarily move out as new concrete was poured at walkways.

The HOA approved scope additions during construction as new areas of concern were identified. Charter repaired the stair towers after discovering significant structural deficiencies and installed new treads and traffic coating during the process.

The building was fully surrounded by scaffolding and the units remained occupied through the majority of construction. Residents were kept fully informed of all scheduled work and temporary relocation details. High winds and a substantial amount of rain required efficient use of weather protection to the building.

As a trade ally with the Energy Trust of Oregon, Charter applied early to ensure that the HOA received incentive money back for energy efficient window upgrades.

Heatherwood Condominiums

J2 Architects

The Heatherwood at Lakeland Condominiums, located in Auburn, WA required a complete envelope remediation as a result of insufficient waterproofing details in the original construction.

The 92-unit complex includes 16 buildings, and repairs were made with a fast track schedule. Scope included the complete strip and reclad of vinyl siding; removal of existing windows, sliding glass doors and swing doors; structural, framing and sheathing repairs; deck repairs and new deck flashings and waterproofing; and vapor barrier primer and paint at all interior of exterior walls.

Challenges included a tight budget and schedule and access issues during the repair of the elevated walkway. Homeowners were alerted to all construction activities via Charter’s notification system.

Narrows East Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

Located in Tacoma, WA, this 4 building, 68-unit complex underwent extensive dry rot repairs and waterproofing measures due to deficiencies discovered in the original construction. Repairs included the removal of the existing stucco cladding via a pump jack scaffolding system. This posed a particular challenge in that one of the buildings is along a steep slope.

Crews added Densglass sheathing and new Hardi siding to replace the stucco. Window openings and entries were reframed and new windows and sliding glass doors installed. Decks were resloped and installed with waterproof coating and new railings. Major structural repairs were needed; this required shoring to be installed from the interior of units in order to make the exterior wall framing repairs. Facing a tight budget and schedule, Charter worked closely with owners, architect and subcontractors to complete the project successfully.

Zeta Psi Fraternity

Paul Aiello

When Charter crews investigated, they discovered a significant amount of rot, requiring repair before the renovation could continue. Charter shifted gears and reworked the schedule to ensure students would be able to occupy the building by the time the school year started.

After crews repaired the decay, they remodeled the living quarters on the upper two floors, including installation of new closets built by Charter’s in-house carpenters. The swimming pool was filled in, new bathrooms added and a lounge and bar constructed.

Sun Plaza Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

Repairing water damage to the Sun Plaza Condominiums in Seattle’s crowded University District neighborhood required significant foresight and planning.

Located between a parking lot and another condominium complex, with the lot line running from the alley to the street, deliveries had to be carefully scheduled to minimize impact on traffic and surrounding neighbors, and materials had to be craned to their final locations.

The mixed use building received new siding and a roof. A unique rainscreen system incorporates a gap between the siding and the exterior wall, eliminating the possibility of trapped moisture.

Units remained occupied for the duration of the project. Homeowners were fully apprised of all scheduled work with Charter’s ongoing notification system.

Cedar River Water & Sewer District

Charter worked within the owner’s tight budget and long-term development plan to deliver two new buildings for the Cedar River Water and Sewer District.

The water district’s new operations center included a 12,000 SF, two-story administration building and a 5,600 SF vehicle maintenance facility. Additional scope involved extensive site improvements such as concrete hardscape, paving, site trellises, water features, site lighting, retaining walls, rockeries and landscaping. Several large timbers and finish lumber materials were logged off the project site during clearing, milled and incorporated into the project. Much of the project was completed in phases, with Charter responsible for final completion of a project that spanned 12 months.

Though the job site was directly adjacent to the water district’s existing facility, Charter coordinated its work to ensure that construction would not interfere with the district’s ongoing operations.

Charter worked within an unbending public works budget, offering far-reaching value engineering early in the process to ensure that the project would not sacrifice the architectural intent or the client’s expectations.

Tapteal Apartments

Cohan Architecture

The remediation project at the 98-unit apartment complex in Richland, WA was split into two phases. The scope of repairs for the first phase included structural upgrades at entries and mansard roof; asphalt parking lot and curb repairs; entry driveway replacement; sidewalk and landscaping repairs; and brick truck pointing. Phase two included demolishing the existing rear decks and rebuilding them to correct structural inefficiencies.

During preconstruction, Charter priced out the project various times and revised the scope in a number of ways to come within the client’s budget. With the site over 200 miles from both Seattle and Portland, bidding the project was a challenge. Much research was done to identify a list of potential subcontractors and multiple trips to the area were required to meet with the subs and perform walk-throughs.

Martin Court Apartments

Geise Architects

Revitalizing a former motel that had gone through a series of past renovations and additions posed a challenge for Charter Construction, but crews worked through the difficulties to deliver an on-time and on-budget housing project for low-income families.

The conversion project involved renovating the 1960s-era Pine City Inn motel into livable housing for the homeless. New features included a common lounge, kitchen facilities, a playground, landscaping and the installation of new windows to meet city weatherization codes.

The motel had been built in five phases over the years, and crews found different existing conditions each time a wall was opened up. To coordinate these changes and create a seamless upgrade, Charter coordinated its work closely with the owner and architect. The project's tight budget meant the team had to work smart to ensure any change orders didn't result in major cost overruns.

Acer Residence

Years of water intrusion in this late-20th century home in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood resulted in invasive mold growth and decay inside and out. Charter rebuilt the home's decks and added key drainage repairs at the exterior. Inside, decayed structural framing was replaced, allowing the owner the opportunity to update the finishes throughout the home.

Charter crews not only simplified, but improved the home's exterior design. Framed curbs were removed,  allowing water to drain freely off the deck edges. Railings on the roof deck were moved to the perimeter in order to reduce penetrations in the new membrane. Windows were reflashed in place, avoiding intrusive removal. Doors received new drainage pans to keep water from entering the home.

The owner remained in the home during both interior and exterior work, requiring crews to install appropriate protections against weather and mold. The tight project site meant Charter had to perform repairs progressively to make the most of the minimal space available.

Citiscape Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

Five stories high, this 60-unit building located in Seattle along Highway 99, required a complete strip and reclad of existing siding and stucco. Crews replaced the cladding with a mix of Hardie and metal, incorporating a more modern look to the building. The scope included installing new windows and sliding glass doors, adding new waterproof deck coatings to all private decks and replacing all stair treads.

Very tight sight conditions with garage access on both ends of an alley resulted in unique, cantilevered scaffolding methods to keep the flow of resident traffic open and access to the parking garage readily available. Limited space for storage required use of the roof and careful coordination of material deliveries.

With well-organized management planning and scheduling, Charter’s project team worked efficiently with the owner and architect to achieve the overall design intent while remaining within budget.

Lochshire Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

This large-scale construction defect repair job involved not only complete siding removal and replacement on 13 buildings, but also the design and construction of a unique drainage system atop the underground parking garage.

Crews found extensive decay in the 100-unit complex, but were able to repair the damage while homeowners remained in their residences, even while crews replaced interior finishes. Charter also replaced the complex’s roofs and repaired leaks in the post-tension slabs.

To create a drainage system that funnels rainwater away from the residences, Charter used a rapid-set topping slab on top of the garage, which also serves as an open plaza for residents. A waterproof membrane system covers the slab, followed by raised concrete pavers. Surface water filters through the pavers and is diverted away from the residences.

55 Bell Loft Tenant Improvement

In the heart of Belltown, Charter converted approximately 2000 sq ft of a university classroom and laboratory space into a high end, live/work loft space. In addition to reconfiguring the existing space to function as a complete, two bedroom, two and a half bathroom living space, upgrades were made to existing systems to conform to new energy codes and requirements.  High end finishes such as custom casework, wood flooring and solid surface countertops were installed at kitchen and bathroom areas.

Working within an existing, functioning facility with both residential and commercial tenants posed a challenge; however, with Charter’s expertise in working in occupied buildings and strong communication protocols in place, the project was completed successfully and to the owner’s satisfaction.

Park at North Creek

Soltner Group Architects

Park at North Creek is an 84 unit condominium complex in Bothell, WA. Charter was hired to install new windows and perform deck repairs. With very tight budget constraints, the project team worked diligently to track, predict and control costs on a weekly basis.

Specific owner upgrades had to be coordinated in advance of work and scheduled with each unit owner who had elected an upgrade.

Whaac All All Building

Shavey McManigal Architects

This building’s name isn’t the only thing unusual about it. Whaac All All – a Salish Indian dialect meaning “build on stilts” – is a tall, four-story structure that uses a variety of construction methods and unique, highly detailed interior finishes.

The building was intended for multiple uses: floor one is a luxury apartment, floor two a commercial office space, floor three is the owner’s art gallery and floor four a luxury condominium. Charter used different construction methods and materials for each floor, beginning with heavy concrete, transitioning to structural steel, and then switching to wood frame.

The building’s narrow site made construction difficult. The 50-degree slope and unstable soils required a combination of vertical and battered auger cast pilings with large grade beams and pile caps.

Polly McArthur and Associates

Stone Design Inc.

Charter’s commitment to Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood continues with the renovation of the former Tacoma Screw building. Charter crews transformed the 5,000 SF retail space into an interior designer’s showroom and office. Work involved complete interior demolition and the removal of two exterior walls. A new metal stud framing stucco exterior and a new roof system completed the transformation. Charter worked with the client and the design team in a modified design-build capacity to ensure the owner remained an integral part of the process throughout planning and construction.

Taylor Lee Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

Located in Seattle, WA, the Taylor Lee Condominiums required extensive remediation due to water intrusion and dry rot. Repairs included complete siding removal and replacement, upgraded to a mix of Hardiplank lap and metal siding; new, properly integrated windows and sliding glass doors; new private deck railings to replace the existing wood framed railings; and new elastomeric waterproof coatings at unit decks.

The existing tile mansard roofing required reframing in order to tie in to the new metal siding. Weather protection at the roof will be a critical challenge during this reconfiguration.All 25 units remained occupied throughout all phases of construction, and homeowners were kept abreast of all work though Charter’s ongoing notification system.

Georgetown Headquarters

SHKS Architects

Located in the heart of historic Georgetown, Charter Construction’s new headquarters building is both sumptuous and utilitarian. The exterior of the 12,000 square foot building is deep red metal siding that blends with the older brick warehouses in the neighborhood. The interior is designed to encourage open collaboration between project teams and takes advantage of open space, high ceilings and extensive windows. Charter saved significantly on construction costs by using time tested, efficient building practices while earning a coveted "Certified" rating throught the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program.

Maxwell Place Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

Charter crews completed an envelope remediation project at Maxwell Place, a 21-unit condominium complex in Redmond, WA. The original siding was stripped and replaced with Hardie. All windows and sliding glass doors were replaced with fully integrated waterproofing materials. Deck railings were replaced and new waterproof deck coatings installed. The flat roof deck was stripped and reinstalled with new coatings, pavers on pedestals and new railings. 

Interior structural upgrades were necessary. Designated walls were stripped to the studs in order to perform the repairs. As all units were occupied, the work required a large amount of interior protection and frequent coordination with residents. The Charter project team worked effectively with the architect, engineer, and HOA to complete the project within the 5 month schedule.

University of Washington Hutchinson Hall Drama Studio

NAC Architects

Charter Construction was hired to decommission the existing indoor pool and locker room areas, and remodel the space to include offices, drama design studios and a lighting lab. All mechanical and plumbing systems were replaced as well as the existing flat and pitched roofs.

Built in 1923 with the addition of the pool a year later, much of the finishes and structure were original. The University wished to leave as much of the original finishes in place and repair only what was necessary.

The building remained occupied throughout construction. Due to the age, asbestos was used in the original construction; crews were careful that proper abatement procedures were carried out and provided notice of scheduled work. With a 25’ foot ceiling height in the pool area and the majority of the HVAC work to be done above the acoustical ceiling, additional measures were taken to make certain that crews, students and faculty remained safe. 

King's Square North

Forensic Building Consultants

King's Square North, a 13-unit condominium complex located in Portland, OR, required great care and attention to the client's needs by Charter. Significant water damage occurred at the decks of these downtown condominiums, requiring the removal of stucco, concrete toppings slabs and rotten deck framing. 

Charter crews removed the building's deck joists and then re-sloped them for proper water drainage. Deck surfaces were re-sheathed and steel deck railings were modified to ensure water-resistance connections. While doors and decks were removed, diverter flashings and drainage pan systems were installed at all roof-to-stucco transitions.

Rebuilding and incorporating new waterproofing systems into a building with special design aesthetics was difficult, but Charter's skilled remediation team delivered while managing tight deadlines and working within firm budgets.

Ace Tank Plant Relocation

Trnka Engineers Co.

Charter hit the ground running on this extensive industrial facility renovation. The former Tacoma Boat Building Company structure had to be ready to accommodate Ace Tank and Equipment in just five short months, and the facility required an overhaul from top to bottom.

All major systems at the Tacoma facility were upgraded, including structural, seismic, foundation, building envelope, water, fire, HVAC and electrical. The addition of new systems, such as compressed air and gas, were added to accommodate the new tenant. New paint and cure buildings along with a new blast building were built, and new semi-gantry and bridge cranes were installed. Once the renovation was complete, all Ace production material, equipment and personnel were relocated to the new facility.

Because of the tight and unmovable schedule, design and construction were occurring simultaneously, further stressing the compressed timeline. Charter sped up the process by providing additional field engineering to augment the work done by the engineering firm.

Bechtoldt Townhomes

Forensic Building Consultants

Plagued with significant dry rot due to water intrusion, this 9 building, 55-unit townhome complex located in Gresham, Oregon required a full building envelope remediation.

Extensive damage beneath front porches required them to be removed and rebuilt. Crews performed structural, firewall and insulation repairs. Access to front entry doors was limited until the repairs were completed and new deck coatings installed. Homeowners were kept notified of all work through Charter’s Homeowner Liaison.

Existing fiber cement siding was removed and replaced with Hardi lap and shingle. Window rough openings were modified to incorporate new waterproofing details. Damaged rear deck framing was repaired and privacy walls rebuilt as necessary. Additional repairs included the replacement of all downspouts, installation of new coping at rooftop parapet locations and roof to wall flashings.

As a qualifying project with increased building energy efficiency, the HOA was rewarded with cash incentives from The Energy Trust of Oregon for the replacement of new entry doors and the installation of new exterior light fixtures. 

Park Place Condominiums

Soltner Group Architects

This 39 unit, mixed use condominium building in Bellevue, WA was renovated to correct a failing EIFS cladding system. With minimal working space and fully occupied units and commercial spaces, the project team carefully executed a plan for material deliveries, increased number of workers and safety.

Crews replaced the existing EIFS stucco with a new cement board stucco system and Hardie panel siding; replaced guardrails; removed and replaced windows and doors; installed new deck coatings; removed and replaced the sloped metal roof; and repaired defects in metal stud framing and concrete in garage.

With a very tight schedule, close supervision and quality control measures were critical. The new, color integrated stucco system was challenging, and the roof replacement during winter months allowed no room for downtime. Since the building was not built plumb or square, and the floor lines were not in plane, crews took on the tedious process of shimming and grinding to ensure that all finished elevations would look as designed. Charter worked closely with the architect to come up with field solutions to difficult transitions and to work around the complexities of the existing building. The field team stepped up to ensure that quality and performance of the envelope were never compromised. In the end, Charter overcame the challenges and delivered a successful project.

Garden Court Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

Garden Court, located in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood had endured years of water intrusion, creating substantial rot throughout the building. The six story, 38 unit structure underwent a complete transformation, including the construction of a new roof.

Crews removed the building’s existing EIFS and vinyl siding and installed a combination of new fiber cement board and stucco siding with a rainscreen weather resistant barrier. Additional scope included the installation of new windows, deck railings and PVC deck coating membranes. 

The addition of a structural engineer was required after sever structural deficiencies were found during construction. Charter’s project team was able to work through the additional scope, limiting impact to the construction schedule. Access to the tight sight was complicated due to busy urban setting of the project site, but Charter’s team worked together to plan a shuttle system, easing the stress on the busy site.

Courtyard at Queen Anne

JRP Engineering, Inc.

Courtyard at Queen Anne, a 75-unit, four story building, underwent complete demolition of its existing stucco and brick masonry siding. All windows, doors, decks, exterior facade and roof were replaced.  

A team approach between Charter's on-site superintendent, project manager, homeowner liaison and architect helped guide this complex construction defect repair project towards success.

Limited owner resources, an extremely confined job site and a fast-track schedule were a few of the challenges Charter Construction successfully managed during the project.  

Additional scope included the removal and replacement of existing site landscaping and project site drainage improvements. Special care was taken to remove the existing landscaping and reuse it once construction was complete.

Ashford Park

Olympic Associates

Charter beat a fast-paced, 8-month construction schedule to bring this 101-unit condominium recladding project to completion under a tight budget.

Crews demolished the existing siding on Ashford Park’s 33 buildings, removed extensive decay and added new vinyl siding. The compressed schedule required intense collaboration between Charter and the homeowners, who remained in the condos through the duration of the repairs. Charter carefully coordinated its crews and subcontractors during the large project, at times working on six buildings at once.

Crews battled extreme winter weather conditions during construction, encountering snow, hail and freezing temperatures that stopped work for two weeks. Charter reinforced its team, added hours and brought the project to completion as scheduled.

Madrona Plaza

Decker Architects

Charter worked closely with structural engineers to design a system to accommodate sub-floor routing of mechanical and electrical systems; maximizing ceiling heights and allowing the owner to add a third story within height limitations.

The three-story commercial building is constructed over an underground cast-in-place concrete garage with a post-tension slab. The structure above the slab is framed structural steel with metal stud infill. The footprint stretched from lot line to lot line, requiring extra shoring of the foundation.

The project is located in a largely residential neighborhood with an active community council. Charter’s regular project updates kept the local residents well-informed throughout the duration of the project.

Elite Care at Sylvan Park

Mitch Cohan

The Elite Care at Sylvan Park Elder Care Facility is a 48-unit elder care facility that was constructed on a 2.67 acre site consisting of two, two-building complexes. Each 12-unit, three-story building in the complex is connected with a building link—each building link consists of a ground level open area which has a vehicle circulation area and a covered gathering area; the second level link consists of a common lounge; and the third level link has a connecting hallway between buildings. The total square footage for these two building complexes is 53,312 sf. There is also a 1,500 sf greenhouse structure on the site as well as an existing 1,140 sf residence that will be renovated to serve as a Community Greeter Residence.

The project incorporates many “Green” building concepts, such as rainwater collection, zero migration site drainage, superior interior environment, and energy management systems and the project goal is a Platinum LEED rating.

The project was designed to utilize both modular unit construction as well as conventional construction methods. With the modular component, on-site construction time was dramatically reduced.

Pier at Leschi

JRP Engineering

The Pier at Leschi condominiums features 32 units in a single building and is located in the Leschi neighborhood of Seattle. Plagued with leaky windows, there was significant water damage around the windows as well as water build up on the roof. Crews replaced the siding around the windows and replaced portions of the roof. The east elevation of the building extends over Lake Washington and required working off a swing stage.

Alki Bonair Condominiums

The Soltner Group

Overlooking Elliot Bay in Seattle, WA, this 24-unit condominium complex underwent a complete remediation including the replacement of existing stucco and lap wood siding with new Hardi cement and steel siding; new windows and sliding glass doors; new waterproof deck coatings and surfaces; a new roof; and steel stair towers in the poolside courtyard.

Coordinating and protecting the roof work was challenging during the rainy months in the Pacific Northwest, but Charter was well equipped for the task. 

The complex was fully occupied during the rehabilitation work. Added safety precautions were taken to provide residents with full access to units during the construction period. Charter’s homeowner liaison played an active role in managing homeowner concerns and impact during the project.

Waterford Condominiums

Kilburn Architects

This construction defect remediation project located at a condominium complex in Kirkland, WA, required a complete siding removal and replacement that included a combination of Cemplank lap and shingle siding; new windows and sliding glass doors; new entry and deck railings; new elastomeric waterproof coating at unit decks and entries; replacement of new gutters and downspouts; and various site drainage remediation.

Waterproofing the railings and staircases was challenging due to the units being occupied.  Atrium systems were framed in for daily access to the building and units. Weather protection of the newly framed areas was critical to the success of the project as well.

Marine Vista

RMG Company

When the Marine Vista Homeowner Association came to Charter, they had a tall order: perform 10,000 SF of exterior stucco repair under an extremely tight budget and within a short, seven-month timeframe.

Crews not only filled the order, but also facilitated full reimbursement for the homeowners. Charter thoroughly documented the repair process, showing the owners, architects, engineers and insurance company the defects that existed and how they were repaired.

The extent of decay on the job was more than initially expected, requiring extensive repair of the west elevation decks. The deck storage units were completely rebuilt, and in some cases, the structural beam underneath the deck was replaced.

Charter also replaced the building’s roof, added new walkways and built a new entrance, completing the entire job within the original schedule.

Eastbridge Condominiums

Grace Architects

Eastbridge Condominiums, located in Bellevue, WA, consists of 32 building and 124 units. The existing diagonal cedar channel siding had directed water to the downhill corners of the buildings, causing extensive dry rot and damage to those areas. Crews performed a full strip and reclad with Hardie plank siding. New plywood sheathing and insulation was installed throughout as well as new windows and sliding glass doors. New upper decks were constructed with an elastomeric finish, and new Trex decking installed on lower decks. All railings at decks and entries were replaced.

Many unforeseen issues were identified as crews opened up the buildings. The project team was forced to switch gears and rework much of the details. The scope was reduced for budget reasons to accommodate the new solutions. Despite all the changes and the earlier impact to schedule, crews pushed hard at the end to increase manpower and hours to complete the project on time.

Reunion and Willis House

RDH Group

Located in Seattle, WA, the Reunion House is a 35,000 square foot building with 28 residential units. The Willis House is 30,000 square feet with 42 units. Damages from water intrusion resulted in the need for a full envelope repair of both buildings. Crews stripped the existing, failing stucco and replaced it with new Hardie siding. New windows were installed with properly integrated waterproofing and flashing details. Roofs were removed and replaced with a new Siplast roofing system.

Tight, inner city jobsites are challenging for crews and since often occupied predominantly by senior citizenswho will remain in the buildings during construction, the need for frequent communication was critical.

Charter’s resident liaison was vital to the project’s success and was available to address all questions and concerns during the project. Charter employs a specific staff member to handle the social equity reporting required by the Seattle Housing Authority. Trained and well versed in the requirements, she met regularly with subcontractors to ensure that all documents were completed properly.

Southridge High School

Forensic Building Consultants

Charter Construction and Forensic Building Consultants worked closely together to develop and execute a plan to repair the water intrusion damages to the five-year-old Southridge High School, located in the Beaverton School District near Portland, Oregon.

Poor construction carried out by the original contractor when the school was built led to failed sealing along the school’s exterior metal siding panels as well as faulty window and stucco installation. Charter crews had a tight two-month schedule to complete the remediation job. The metal panels were replaced and re-sealed, eliminating future water and mineral leaching problems.

Charter crews removed and reinstalled the existing windows as well. However, when the window repairs began, extensive structural issues near the window framing were found. New framing supports were installed as well as new stainless-steel window pans and caulking joints, eliminating the atrium and roof leaks previously plaguing the building.

Cedar Park Condominiums

Grace Architects

The Redmond condominium complex required a selective strip and reclad of Hardie siding at 11 buildings, totaling 70 units. Additional repairs included the reconstruction of decks, entry landings and stairs; removal, reinstallation and addition of new railings; new downspouts; and the installation of roof flashing.

Structural repairs at the deck and entry landing columns were not included in the initial scope of repairs; however, when massive structural and dry rot issues were identified, the work had to be included into the schedule. The original siding scope was amended to allow for the structural portion to fit within the owner’s budget. Several months of working closely with engineering and architectural teams led to a finalized scope, design and budget.

The Highlands Condominiums

Sandler Kilburn Architects

Charter’s extensive value engineering efforts helped the owners of the Highlands Condominiums achieve a complete functional and aesthetic upgrade while remaining within a tight budget.

New seismic anchors brought the structure back to the intended level of stability, while new Hardiplank/shingle siding and brick veneer replaced aging vinyl siding and stone veneer. The site was regraded to channel water away from the buildings and all roofing and roof sheathing was replaced. Old insulation in the buildings’ attics was removed and new insulation was blown in.

The multi-faceted project – performed within a tight site while the buildings remained occupied – was completed on schedule.

Chinook Manor

Morrison Hershfield

The three building Chinook Manor condominium complex in Seatac, WA underwent an extensive siding upgrade to repair damage caused by years of water intrusion. Despite an extremely tight budget, Charter crews stripped the buildings’ dated siding and installed new hardiplank on all buildings and garages. Decks were updated with new coatings and railings and new vinyl windows were installed.

Charter teamed closely with the homeowners’ association from financing to finish. The project team worked with the HOA members in helping them to obtain a loan, and then worked to craft a realistic budget while still maintaining the architect’s requirements.

Bellevue Condominiums

JRP Engineering

Constructed in 1996, this 99 unit Bellevue condominium property had extensive water intrusion problems. Charter completely stripped off the old vinyl siding, removed decayed materials and then installed new weatherproofing paper and new flashings. All windows and sliding glass doors were removed and re-installed in the process of the re-construction. 

In addition, at least half of the decks on the 13 buildings were completely stripped and replaced, this time with a slight slope for proper drainage. Since the decks comprise the roofs of the living space below, and none of the residents moved out during construction, Charter built temporary canopies to protect the space from the elements.

Broadmoor Golf Club

Ivary & Associates / Otak

Construction of two new buildings and a 13 million gallon irrigation lake at Seattle 's Broadmoor Golf Club required two architects, two excavation subcontractors and considerable coordination among the project team.

Charter crews demolished the site's existing buildings before constructing a 13,000 SF pre-engineered metal frame building and a 3,000 SF wood frame building at the club. Both structures were value-engineered to meet budget restrictions.

Crews built a 26-ft.-tall MSE wall as part of the water containment lake, and installed a one-mile long primary power line to serve the maintenance facilities. During the project, special care was taken to control erosion around the nearby Seattle Arboretum.

The varied types of work that was performed required separate design teams and specialty subcontractors to meet the owner's specifications. Charter successfully coordinated two architecture teams, two geotechnical design teams and two excavation contractors to bring the project to completion.

Seward Park Professional Building

Byron Barnes

Unpredictable soil conditions at the site of this new high-end office building required flexibility and ingenuity on the part of Charter crews during construction.

Soft ground discovered once mass excavation started proved unable to support the Seward Park Professional Building structure as originally designed. Charter switched gears quickly, coordinating a new foundation design while moving ahead with construction in order to keep to an unbending schedule. Charter was also challenged to be responsible for all aspect of coordination, as no architect was retained for the construction portion of the job.

The three-story, wood-framed building above a concrete parking garage was delivered ahead of schedule to a happy owner.

Overton Townhomes

Forensic Building Consultants

Located in Portland, Oregon, this 6 building, 12-unit high-end townhome condominium complex required extensive repairs as a result of moisture and water intrusion problems.

Repairs included the removal and replacement of lap siding and brick veneer with new materials; installation of proper flashing and waterproofing drainage systems; re-routing of gutters and downspouts; modification of roof cricket framing; correction of inadequate deck slopes; and rebuilding of decks where extensive dry rot was identified.

Rather than the standard flanged window that was anticipated and priced, Charter encountered a significant challenge in the window design. The interior trim surround was attached to the vinyl window assembly. Charter and the consultant worked together to create a custom waterproofing solution to accommodate this unforeseen condition.

Throughout the tight, 6-month schedule, Charter’s project team worked closely with the architect and Homeowners’ Association to ensure a well executed project that exceeded expectations. Homeowners were kept apprised of all scheduled work and received Charter’s commitment to exceptional service.

NW Federal Credit Union

Galloway Architects

Charter knew a tight site and an even tighter budget would make the NW Federal Credit Union VA Branch job a challenge, but crews stepped up to the plate, even when a substantial delay threatened to throw the project off track.

Located on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Hospital in Seattle, the new branch involved site work and construction of a freestanding wood-frame building with two drive through lanes. During initial excavation, Charter discovered hazardous materials on the site, which resulted in a 30-day delay in the work. Despite this potential setback, Charter rose to the challenge, finishing the job ahead of schedule and under the original budget estimate.

Bloedel Reserve Education Center

James Cutler Architects

Construction of this weekend retreat and educational center engaged the full spectrum of Charter’s skills. From hoisting massive architectural grade timbers to building a detailed stone fireplace by hand, crews fulfilled the owner’s request for an awe-inspiring facility rich in craftsmanship. The complex heavy timber structure uses Douglas fir timber, evoking visions of a traditional Japanese temple.

Because the structure was located in the middle of a functioning horticulture reserve, Charter was unable to expand its work area to more than five feet beyond the building line. Despite the stringent site limitations, Charter still delivered the project on time and under budget, garnering numerous local and national industry awards for construction excellence in the process.

23rd & Main Condominiums

Soltner Group Architects

Charter performed targeted vinyl siding and deck repairs at this multi-use condominium complex located in Seattle, WA. Crews removed and reinstalled siding at windows and sliding glass doors to properly install flashings and tie into the weather resistive barrier on all five stories.

Charter’s solution to access the building using boson chairs and swing stage allowed the commercial spaces below to remain open and unobstructed during the entire repair process. With safety and security of the tight, in-city site a primary concern to homeowners, Charter kept access through units to a minimum.

With a skilled remediation team in force, Charter completed the project on schedule and under budget.

One Central Park

JRP Engineering

Charter completely demolished the vinyl siding of this 99 unit complex, then re-nailed all the shear walls of each building and installed new vinyl siding. There were many technical challenges in the job, including extensive decay to unit decks, a complete roofing strip and reclad, and many homeowner-requested upgrades. The project manager and on-site superintendent worked closely together to complete the project with minimal changes to the schedule.

Seattle Waldorf School

In 1997, the Seattle Waldorf School developed a master plan for the renovation and expansion of its school facilities. Charter Construction provided program management along with estimating and scheduling services to divide the work into three phases. In summer 2000, Charter constructed the first phase – the new classroom addition.

The school is set at the base of a hillside, which required a substantial amount of civil work and environmental sensitivity. Water redirected from the site was incorporated into a pond and a stream, which flows through the school grounds to the salmon-bearing Thornton Creek. Charter completed the civil work and the addition during the three-month summer holiday with minimal impact on the school schedule.

Point Nautica Condominiums

Soltner Group Architects

Charter’s extensive experience with construction defects repair helped facilitate remediation of this eight-building, 40-unit condominium project.

The owner’s tight budget ruled out the option of hiring an architect directly. Charter saved the owner time and money by hiring the Soltner Group Architects and facilitating weekly site meetings to streamline final design details. Contractor and architect formed an on-the-fly design-build relationship to flesh out final waterproofing details.

Repair work included the complete demolition and replacement of the vinyl siding, new building paper and replacement of wood sheathing and framing damaged by years of water intrusion. All decks received extensive repairs, and the roofs on all eight buildings – which did not meet current fire codes – were removed and replaced.

Charter took a complex project and turned it into a success story, completing the job within a quick five months with zero change orders to the homeowners.

Promenade at Bethany Village

Morrison Hershfield

Water damage that pervaded the decks of this three-building, 102-unit condominium complex in Northwest Portland required the removal of adjacent siding, deck doors, concrete topping slabs and damaged framing. Charter crews repaired the damaged framing and installed a new deck waterproofing system that included new concrete topping slabs. The rain screen system incorporated at the deck fascia and columns allows future water to drain freely out and away from the decks.

Charter worked closely with both the homeowners’ association and the architect to balance the need for improving the waterproofing performance of these buildings while maintaining the existing aesthetics of the deck towers. Extensive mockups and frequent site meetings ensured the goal was met successfully.

Zoka Coffee

SHKS Architects

Charter Construction completed an extensive addition to this popular University Village neighborhood coffee house while the shop remained open and fully functioning. The 1,200 SF addition included extensive finish carpentry work that matched the materials in the existing facility.

Charter started construction well before the design was complete, requiring a close working relationship with the designers. Charter also coordinated a number of complex code issues with city representatives and still finished the addition within the owner’s original schedule.

Esplanade Condominiums

Water intrusion led to extensive dry rot of the decks at the 7 building, 41 unit condominium complex in Kirkland, WA. Scope of repairs included targeted removal and replacement of siding, removal and replacement of deck sheathing, repairs to damaged framing, removal and replacement of sliding glass and storage doors, installation of new deck fascia and new aluminum guardrails.

Interior access was not available during construction. Work completed at Esplanade was done from the exterior of the 3-story buildings. With significant structural damage to the decks, the amount of work was significant, but Charter completed the project on time and on schedule.

IP Resources

E. Cobb Architects

Crews transformed an old and modest looking building into a high end, state of the art, commercial office space. Crews performed a complete demolition of all interior elements at the one story (plus mezzanine), 4,000 square feet shell. The build out includes seven offices, five open work stations, a conference room and bathrooms.

The space had had multiple uses since it was originally constructed. Ensuring that the shell was structurally secure and free of any hazardous material was a major concern at the onset of the project.

Existing building elements were integrated into the new design. The structural slab was rehabilitated and reused as the new finish floor. A cast in place concrete table was installed in the central gathering area, complete with integral electric heating.

Junction Tower

Denny & Svetlik Architects

When an onsite forensic investigation for water intrusion at the Junction Tower Condominiums revealed the need for additional work, Charter stepped up to the plate and incorporated the changes without an increase in general costs.

Crews demolished the building’s exterior stucco siding and also performed extensive framing repairs.

The condominium remained occupied while repairs were made, and crews took special care to minimize disruption to the homeowners. Limited site access required unique staging methods and carefully monitored material deliveries.

Avalon Condominiums

Morrison Hershfield

This 13 building, 78-unit condominium complex located in Beaverton, Oregon was in need of a complete building envelope repair as a result of deficiencies in the original construction. Repairs included the removal of all siding to add a weather resistive barrier system and new vinyl siding to all buildings; replacement of roofing as necessary to waterproof roof-to-wall transitions; removal and re-installation all existing windows with properly sequenced flashings; installation of new deck coatings and flashings to private decks; and miscellaneous attic repairs to meet fire code ratings. All wood trim was installed over a drainage mat providing the highest quality of building envelope.

Charter responded to the concerns of limited street parking by renting an off-site lot for subcontractors and crews. Once the project had begun, it was identified that many units has severe microbial growth in the attics, requiring budget reallocation and extensive coordination for access to units. All construction was performed while the units were occupied, and homeowners were notified in advance of all scheduled work. 

Solid project management, collaboration with the architect, and onsite quality control and scheduling contributed to the success of the project and allowed it to be completed under the owners’ allowance budget.