Reclaiming the Past, Building the Future: A Conversation with Sawkill Lumber’s Alan Solomon
At Irving Yee Architecture, sustainability is more than a design strategy, it’s a commitment to material honesty, local heritage, and environmental responsibility. One of the most inspiring ways we bring this vision to life is through the use of reclaimed wood, a practice that not only reduces waste but also tells a deeper story.
To explore the power of reclaimed materials, we spoke with Alan Solomon, Managing Partner of Sawkill Lumber Co., a Brooklyn-based company known for salvaging historic wood from New York’s architectural past.
Every board tells a story
Can you tell us about your background and how you got into reclaimed lumber?
I was about twelve when I first went to work with my father Mickey on weekends and school vacations at the family scrap yard just outside Boston. Every so often, something was pulled from the flow of scrap metal, brass door knockers or novelty bottle openers, toy molds, copper bowls or dented metal trophies and pewter ware. All of it seemed too curious and well-made for junk.I ended up bringing boxes of these items to the Revere Drive-In Flea Market, adding some stories to the pieces and was amazed at how quickly they sold. Though I worked in scrap recycling, that was my first experience with direct reuse, and the value of the backstories of old objects.
Soon after I arrived in New York City in the late 1990’s, I was hired to research the background of an old building in lower Manhattan at 211 Pearl Street (New Yorker Story). The leaseholder was being pressured to vacate by a large developer on the block. The 1830’s Greek revival warehouse was a surviving piece of the cities first wholesale district, a kind of early World Trade Center. A preservation campaign saved the facade of the structure, but in the demolition process, I noticed that the building joists were being salvaged by the contractor. In following them, I discovered wood reclamation, a very small sector that had not yet evolved into the larger industry it is today. In time, I partnered with a mill operator in Connecticut, Klaas Armster, to start Sawkill Lumber.
Alan Solomon, SawKill, Brooklyn
Why the name “Sawkill”
Sawkill Lumber is named for Mannahatta’s earliest sawmill, built by Dutch settlers in 1633 along the Saw-kill, Dutch for “Sawmill Creek.” Once flowing into the East River in what today is the East 70’s, extending to Central Park. Sawkill Lumber transforms that legacy, not by cutting old growth trees, but by sustainable harvesting and remanufacturing wood from old buildings. Salvaged and re-milled lumber plays a role in a low-carbon future, killing wasteful practices, not forests.
What’s special about the wood you recover?
Salvaged wood from 19th and early 20th century buildings once grew in ancient forests and served generations of New Yorkers. The woods feel essential not just to the past, but to the present and future. Its timelessness depends on how it’s lived with, the care that architects and designers put into its application, and equally, the imagination of those that inhabit the space. In the end, it’s as much about people as it is about the wood.
Beauty – Unique grains, patinas, and textures tell a story about virgin forests and early milling and building that modern materials can’t replicate.
Sustainability – Reusing wood reduces waste, minimizes carbon impact, and supports a circular economy in New York City.
History – Salvaged wood preserves the backstory of a specific lost site, adding depth and meaning to a new space.
Craft – Every board passes through an extensive process of being carefully milled and prepared for its next project.
The Bigger Picture: Designing with Purpose
Alan and his team have collaborated with academic researchers and nonprofits to study and preserve historic timbers. At Irving Yee Architecture, we take a similar approach by:
Designing for deconstruction – planning ahead so materials can be reused
Emphasizing longevity – creating spaces that resist fast trends
Educating clients – on material provenance and sustainable alternatives
Looking Forward
Reclaimed wood is not just a product, it’s a philosophy. It’s about building differently, designing with intent, and honoring the layered history embedded in our cities.
Learn more about Sawkill Lumber at: sawkill.nyc
SawKill, Brooklyn
Salvaged wood from 19th and early 20th century buildings once grew in ancient forests and served generations of New Yorkers.