Work really hard, play even harder. Flash back Friday to our summer team event. Wishing this could be every Friday, but thankful we get the time to step away from work and get to know each other better, as well as beat our president on the track!
Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow.
Operating in one of the main cities leading the nation in construction is so rewarding, but some of our biggest gratification comes from our partners we’ve had since day 1. On Saturday evening, Unity celebrated 90 years with Foss Home and Village, a healthcare community we have assisted with building, provide all special systems for and treat as our own family. Ranging back to 1994, when our very own President, Wayne Warner, led our team on the new construction of the village, to the remodel of the lobby with General Contractor WG Clark that Unity performed 2 years ago, to the fire alarm and nurse call systems we just upgraded last year, the relationships we hold with decades long Foss team members are the core and principles and we hold for our clients and the work we do in our community.
Pictured left to right: Brad Gehl- Special Project’s Superintendent, Tim Teachman- Foss Maintenance Director, Janessa Pingatore- Special Project’s Project Manager. All photos included are original documents of Foss, dating back to the 1920’s.
This Urban Tree House Is Upping Seattle’s Apartment Game
Unity had a unique and exciting opportunity building the Treehouse at Sitka Apartments in South Lake Union. Partnering with Exxel Pacific, General Contractor and Vulcan Inc, Developer, our new construction and special projects team collaborated with Lead Pencil Studio, Exxel and Vulcan to bring this revolutionary amenity space to life. The space was constructed offsite, transported to the property and then lifted and set on a concrete podium, one of the first amenity spaces of its kind in the Greater Seattle Area. We are so incredibly fortunate for great, long term business partners such as Exxel and Vulcan, who strive for excellence in building great projects for our clients at every phase of the project.
http://www.seattlemag.com/home-garden/urban-tree-house-upping-seattles-apartment-game
ABC’s Night @ the Needle
Unity Electric had a fantastic evening Friday November 2nd at the Space Needle celebrating the Associated Building Contractors 35th Anniversary. Guest speakers included team members from the original construction of the needle, team members from the most recent construction as well as special recognition to outstanding ABC members. Concluding the evening with a private tour of the new observatory deck and glass floor. Unity is honored to be part of a long standing and commendable organization.
left to right: Janessa Pingatore- Project Manager- Unity Electric, Joe Kaiser- President- Herzog Glass & Troy Wallin- Vice-President- Unity Electric
Employee of the Month- August- Austin Camphouse
Unity was excited to announce first year apprentice Austin Camphouse as our August and first ever Employee of the Month!
Austin has shown tremendous growth, punctual and reliable attendance with a diligent work ethic day in and out.
Congratulations Austin, we are happy to have you as a part of our team!
Summer Team Event. August 2018
At Unity Electric- we work hard, we encourage and challenge each other to get better each day. This was a day to celebrate our successes! On Wednesday August 22nd our team took a break from the tools and gathered at the afternoon Mariner’s game for the last days of summer. Thank you to our team members for attending- we’ll look forward to getting together again in the Fall!
The Skilled Trade Path
By: Troy Wallin- Unity Electric Vice-President
I have two high school aged children, a soon to be senior and junior. We’ve spent the last 6 months or so intensely looking at college/career choices (casually looking for years now), and I’ve been continually struck by the lack of any discussion or consideration of young people towards a career in a skilled trade. My experience and opinion is that kids, counselors and academics generally view a skilled trade track as 2nd tier or worse to a collegiate path. The career fair I attended at my kids’ high school was void of any and all skilled trades. The college fair at their high school was dominated by expensive, traditional 4-year colleges, where discussions of financing and debt happens right after seeing pictures of lazy rivers and rock climbing walls.
For some kids, many even, the traditional four-year college is a terrific pathway, gaining them tremendous life experience and diverse, highly valuable education. Armed with a diploma and a strong work ethic and a bit of luck a lucrative job and career path as a white-collar professional is available to many of them. It’s fantastic and in many ways describes the American dream.
This pathway, however, is just not a good fit for many kids right out of high school. I don’t have any interest in criticizing the 4-year college track but instead wish to emphasize the exceptional opportunity skilled trades offer these kids for postsecondary education and training. Due to my own expertise and career I’m going to use becoming an electrician as a comparable to 4-year schools below.
Becoming an electrician has a low barrier to entrance – tools and willingness to learn and work hard is all that’s needed.
- $500 to $1,500 in tools, boots and rugged work clothes
- Pays $16 to $18 an hour to start ($33K to $38K per year) – about 40% higher than minimum wage for a small employer like us and most electrical contractors. Full benefits, no cost for insurance premiums for employee and all dependents and a very good 401K investment/retirement plan for their future.
- Bi-annual reviews with increases in compensation as skills get acquired and grow. Average increases of around $8,000 per year!
- Current salary expectations for (01) licensed electrician in the Seattle market $100K+, plus a top of the line benefits package.
Skilled trade vs. 4-year college institution costs.
- Electrical trade – paid training, zero debt, ~ $100K + in 4 years, full employment market with increasing demand.
- Cost of 4-year college education between $80K and $200K. Varied employment outcome with most students graduating with significant debt.
How to get started: https://unityelectric.com/apprentice-journeymen/
General info: https://www.electriciancareersguide.com/
Stack House Apartments
We are excited to announce the completion of another LEED project that was awarded the highly coveted Platinum level LEED certification. The Stack House Apartments project was split into two buildings, West and South, both of which received a LEED Platinum level on the Homes Mid-Rise Pilot Rating System. Unity was proud to partner with Vulcan Real Estate, Exxel Pacific General Contractors and Runberg Architects on this truly unique project.
The project spans an entire city block, both buildings combine to total 278 units. The project also includes a City of Seattle historic landmark, The Supply Laundry Building, which was in use from 1906-2000, and is now restored to new retail and business space. Portions of the historical site have been salvaged and reused throughout the Stack House project. A prime example is the reconditioning of original tin from the laundry building beautifully accenting fireplaces with its proud history. Unity was also involved in the “Swale on Yale” storm water treatment portion of the project which benefits the South Lake Union basin and contributes to a healthier watershed. The project layout promotes walking, biking and socializing with its open, spacious and beautifully designed courtyard and well thought out recreation areas.
At Unity Electric we greatly appreciate the opportunity to work on a project of this stature and partnering with the progressive, environmentally conscience Stack House team!
