Wespac Construction, has rewritten the story of urban lumber at its CVS Shea construction site. As part of an exterior renovation project, eucalyptus and mesquite trees needed to be removed.
Instead of sending these trees to the landfill, Wespac envisioned a new beginning for them. It reached out to Ironwood Mills, a local company renowned for its commitment to rescuing and repurposing urban logs. This collaboration marked the start of a journey that would breathe new life into the fallen trees.
Senior Superintendent Dale Murray led Wespac’s sustainability initiative with a clear vision: to address the problem of tree waste in urban areas. By recognizing the potential of urban hardwood and pioneering alternative uses, Wespac Construction is leading the charge in urban lumber recycling within the construction industry.
“The Founder of Wespac Construction, John Largay, instilled sustainability in our culture here; it was and is very important to divert from our landfills,” Murray said. “It all started with the most basic – trash separation – metal, wood, and, for a while, drywall. Then progressing into millwork and doors going to re-sale companies dealing with a lower income clientele. We collaborate with one of our steel contractors to pick up all jobsite pallets and they re-use for deliveries of their product.”
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Under the guidance of Scott Mills of Ironwood Mills, along with a dedicated Arizona arborist, the team worked tirelessly to salvage the trees. The logs were meticulously milled on-site, transforming them from discarded timber to valuable wood slabs, ready to be crafted into new creations.
The first fruit of this sustainable effort was nothing short of magnificent – a 14-foot conference table, a testament to the artistry and craftsmanship of the Ironwood Mills team. The table, once part of a towering eucalyptus tree, now stands as a symbol of beauty, functionality, and environmental responsibility. The proud owner of the table is Hirschi Masonry of Las Vegas, Nevada.
The birth of the mission started when Mills informed the removal contractors to cut for milling; he had the equipment on-site to load and move these trunks to his yard,” Murray said. “Some were milled on-site; that was cool to do. It was very collaborative with little or no challenges, except for waiting for a Redtail Hawk juvenile to grow up and fly away.”
Through their collaborative efforts, Wespac and Ironwood Mills not only diverted trees from the landfill but also showcased the stunning potential of repurposed wood. Their work is a powerful reminder that even in the midst of urban development, sustainability and beauty can find harmony.
“We rescue logs and repurpose them for function and beauty,” said Mills, echoing the ethos that guided this project from start to finish. “I really enjoy the initial design phase where I’m trying to interpret the wood and try to build something out of it. I also enjoy collaborating with architects and builders; having a good relationship with good, capable people.
“There are lots of gratifying parts of the process. We are sustaining ourselves as we realize that we’re re-using a resource that otherwise would be thrown away. It’s really special. Averting material from a landfill is something we’re enthusiastic about doing,” Mills added.
Murray said Wespac has established the background and collaboration for future old growth recycling. He said he hopes it spreads out to other general contractors in the Valley.
“We keep striving for more inventive ways to recycle; that’s where the trees came in,” Murray said. “It was a shame to let these old growth trees just get ground up and sent to the landfill. First, I thought – can this wood chip be re-used? Then what about furniture? It was a bit of luck hooking up with Scott.
“I remembered a local craftsman made a desk for one of my build-outs, but I didn’t remember the name. I Googled ‘iron,’ ‘wood,’ ‘furniture,’ as that was the craftsman’s forte. Ironwood Mills popped up. It was perfect.”
That was not the craftsman Murray was looking for, he said. As it turned out, it was exactly who he was looking for. Scott called Mills and told him what he had. “He must have Google-mapped me, saw the number of trees, and was on-site in 15 minutes,” Murray recalled. Wespac worked with its removal contractors – Dickens Demo and Caretaker Landscape – who were on board.
“We were saving them time, and more importantly, environmental impact,” Murray said.
