Birchwood tenants meet with OneRoof and contractors as Phase 2 renovation work begins
The parking lots at the Birchwood Apartments are pretty crowded at the moment. In addition to the cars belonging to residents and visitors, six storage units and a semi-truck occupy the space, all filled with building materials that will soon be used to finish a renovation project that began in 2024.
On March 23, Birchwood tenants met with Dakota Sol from OneRoof Community Housing, Frerichs Construction Senior Project Manager Bob Faulkner, and Aaron Zdon, a carpenter also with Frerichs. OneRoof, along with a group of investors, took possession of the Birchwood Apartments at the end of 2023, and have been spearheading a complete renovation of the 24-units between two buildings that make up Birchwood. Frerichs Construction has been working on the project since it began in 2024.
In 2024, that renovation started with a “stabilization phase,” which replaced unreliable pipes that had caused significant water damage across the buildings, and with the complete gutting and remodeling of five units that had been deemed unlivable. The original plans would have seen the second phase of construction completed over the spring and summer of 2025, but disruptions and delays to access to federal funding sources pushed the work back.
This second phase will include remodeling the remaining units, replacing everything from floors to countertops, bathroom fixtures to appliances, new doors, new windows, and fresh paint on the walls. All of that work will be completed while the units are occupied.
Residents had a chance to ask questions in-person, and speak directly to the people leading the renovation. Those who were able to attend received a folder of information about the renovation schedule, including what to expect for their own units. According to Faulkner and Zdon, each unit will see 15 workdays of labor.
They explained that crews specializing in each piece of the renovation, like fitting cabinets or installing floors, will complete their portion of the work before moving to the next unit. With this system, at the busiest point, 15 units will be under construction simultaneously.
This phase of the rehabilitation has many moving parts, and at the meeting with OneRoof and Frerichs, tenants asked clarifying questions about the upcoming work, like what must be packed and moved, and how best to keep their possessions protected from damage and out of the way for workers.
Faulkner encouraged residents to bring any of their concerns to him or Zdon, or to at least let workers know about issues. He also told them that while the crews try to stick to their scheduled working hours, they are also committed to not “leaving problems behind,” if the work hits a snag. Additionally, he offered crew assistance to residents who might need help with moving large or heavy furniture in their unit in preparation for the renovation.
Zdon told WTIP that for occupied renovations, they aim to complete all of the work in kitchens in a single day. He said that with rooms like kitchens and bathrooms, they make sure that by the end of the day, everything is in working order to minimize the impact on residents.
For those waiting on the work in their units, some expressed excitement about improvements that will be made to fixtures, windows, and the heating system in the building. Several of the residents in attendance live in units that were already renovated during the Phase 1 construction. Those residents reported that they were satisfied with the changes made to their units, and reassured those waiting on renovations that longstanding issues were being addressed through the project.
As Phase 2 ramps up, residents will see major changes to their units, but the project is not limited to individual spaces. Later this spring, tenants will receive new kitchen appliances, and the outside of the buildings will also get some attention. In addition to replacing windows in all of the units, the buildings will be resided with added insulation. Several of the tenants at the meeting said they were excited for those changes, because poor insulation and old, drafty windows had caused difficulties trying to keep buildings heated in the winter.
Work on some of the currently vacant units has already begun. For occupied units, the work is scheduled to begin next week, and the first units to be addressed should be completed by the end of the month. Further site-work will depend, in part, on weather, but is expected to begin in May.
According to the information distributed by Frerichs, the approximate schedule for work on the 19-units that will be renovated during this phase is:
- Day 1: Remove and replace the bathtub and fan. Open kitchen walls for plumbing.
- Day 2: Replace bathroom vanity. Finish drywall at tub and tape.
- Day 3: Remove and replace kitchen cabinets and counters. Start radiant heat.
- Day 4: Finish all radiant heaters.
- Day 5: Drywall all patches and start taping.
- Day 6: Finish all taping and texture.
- Day 7: Start painting.
- Day 8: Finish painting.
- Day 9: Start flooring replacement.
- Day 10: Finish flooring replacement.
- Day 11: Install closet shelving and closet doors.
- Day 12: Remove and replace interior doors and new hardware.
- Day 13: Remove and replace entry door and new hardware.
- Day 14: Misc. and final check.
- Day 15: Clean
Kirsten Wisniewski April 1, 2026
