Old Navy housing appliances find a second life

More than 100 Navy housing units on Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor are being demolished, but instead of shipping the major appliances off to the garbage dump, they are going off to new homes.

American Eagle Communities LLC, which specializes in the privatization of military family housing units, entered into an agreement earlier this year with NBK-Bangor to take over operations of the housing units.

Through the public/private venture, 138 various housing units and five apartments on NBK-Bangor have been identified for demolition, which is expected to begin this month, according to Rick Huling, spokesman for Navy Region Northwest. Construction of 104 new three- and four-bedroom units is expected to begin shortly thereafter and should be completed by summer 2006.

Instead of throwing away the large appliances (refrigerators, stoves and dishwashers) that are in the units set to be demolished, they are being donated to The Salvation Army.

“A couple hundred appliances from Bangor and Naval Air Station Whidbey will be donated,” said Lora Lee of American Eagle Northwest. “Rather than throwing away appliances that still have a good bit of life left in them, American Eagle Communities (in partnership with the Navy) decided to make the best use of them by donating them to The Salvation Army. Eventually we’ll expand to other Navy sites over the next year.”

The appliances will be sold at Salvation Stores throughout the Puget Sound. The proceeds will support The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center in Seattle which helps those overcome

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