Structure Reuse

Rehab/reuse project is warming up for old blanket factory

Stan Bullard
Once the home of a leading national maker of horse blankets, the former National Blanket Building on Cleveland’s West Side could be repurposed as affordably priced apartments for families.

“We’re afraid bricks may fall from it,” he said of the three-story factory dating from 1890 that was expanded until it covers a city block. He’s excited, though, because plans to renovate it to new use are taking shape. “It will mean a lot for the neighborhood in terms of morale because it’s the largest building here and it’s been vacant so long,” León said, “in addition to the economic benefit of it being put back into use.”

Source: Rehab/reuse project is warming up for old blanket factory

Deconstruction

Sustainable Missoula: Green building materials can reduce Missoula’s carbon footprint ~ Missoula Current

Deconstruction of the Mercantile in downtown Missoula prior to construction of the Marriott. (Home ReSource)

From an energy perspective, it saves about 95 percent of the energy that would be required to produce the same materials, and it also has major implications for waste reduction, job creation, and historical preservation. The Home Resource-led deconstruction of the Missoula Mercantile building in 2017 is a great example of deconstruction in our community. It diverted hundreds of thousands of board feet of old-growth lumber away from the landfill and reintroduced it into Missoula’s economy.

Source: Sustainable Missoula: Green building materials can reduce Missoula’s carbon footprint ~ Missoula Current

Reuse Design

Do vintage electric guitars really sound better with age? – Guitar.com | All Things Guitar

Dennis Fano with a Serus T in Novo's Nashville workshop

Dennis Fano with a Serus T in Novo’s Nashville workshop

Dennis Fano’s Novo brand builds remarkable electric guitars from tempered and reclaimed timber, and we have never encountered structurally similar guitars with more natural resonance. I’ve also played some recent ultra-high-end Les Paul replicas made from very old wood that already sound like they’re decades old.

Source: Do vintage electric guitars really sound better with age? – Guitar.com | All Things Guitar

Reuse Design

thomas dambo builds 7 giant trolls made from reclaimed wood in belgian forest

images courtesy of thomas dambo

using old shelves, pallets, and branches from fallen trees, dambo has built the giant wooden trolls. the installation marks the 15th anniversary of the electronic festival as a gift to the local community. over 200 volunteers helped to collect the materials needed before dambo and a crew of 15 people spent 25 weeks building the sculptures.

Source: thomas dambo builds 7 giant trolls made from reclaimed wood in belgian forest

Structure Reuse

A Pathway to Puerto Rico’s Recovery | Business | theweeklyjournal.com

K.C. Conway, economist

K.C. Conway offered the keynote speech at the 15th Anniversary of the Puerto Rico Chapter of the CCIM Institute celebrated in La Concha Hotel in San Juan. >Courtesy CCIM

From the start, Conway pointed out that the OZ and the adaptive reuse of old and unused structures could lead to a much-needed investment push that could help the U.S. territory find its way out of recession.

Source: A Pathway to Puerto Rico’s Recovery | Business | theweeklyjournal.com

Structure Reuse

See How This Historic Church Got Its Second Life as a Tattoo Shop | Architectural Digest

church turned tattoo parlor interior with giant organ and stained glass windows

 

“What we hadn’t planned on was the opportunity to not only create a dream space, but to participate in preserving a former church that may have otherwise been knocked down to make way for more heinous condo boxes,” says Mike. For the project, he also won the Grand Jury Award for Adaptive Reuse of an existing building by the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

Source: See How This Historic Church Got Its Second Life as a Tattoo Shop | Architectural Digest

Deconstruction

Design for Deconstruction | Living-Future.org

Ever think about what happens what is going to happen to your building design after 50 years?Well most people don’t, and we would like to change that.With so much existing building demolition happening in Seattle, we will touch on designing for smarter demolition.Join us for the discussion of community and carbon benefits of strategic reuse of deconstructed building materials, and how you can go above and beyond typical demolition recycling practices.

Source: Design for Deconstruction | Living-Future.org

Reuse Design

Eccentric Inventor John Hays Hammond Jr. Built A Castle in Gloucester

The castle’s exterior mixes architectural styles, including 13th-century French Gothic. / Photo by Michele Snow

He scoured Europe for architectural salvage, buying up archways, façades, windows, and wall panels from the rubble of World War I. These centuries-old artifacts were incorporated alongside new construction materials (including wood intentionally weathered with seawater for an old-timey look). The result so impressed John D. Rockefeller, an avid art collector, that the tycoon used it as a model for the Cloisters in New York—the only museum in the United States to exclusively showcase art from the Middle Ages

Source: Eccentric Inventor John Hays Hammond Jr. Built A Castle in Gloucester

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

Palo Alto’s ‘deconstruction’ ordinance will require reuse, recycling of building materials – The Stanford Daily

Since 2016, one-fourth of whole houses that were taken down in Palo Alto were deconstructed instead of demolished. This means workers were required to disassemble structures so materials could be recycled. The new policy intends to bring the successes of deconstruction to a city-wide scale. The ordinance will impact approximately 114 projects annually, according to a City Council Staff Report.

Source: Palo Alto’s ‘deconstruction’ ordinance will require reuse, recycling of building materials – The Stanford Daily

Deconstruction

Lumber from Hahnewald barn in Avon to be sold | VailDaily.com

Everything from lumber to nails is being recycled from Avon’s Hahnewald barn. The barn is being dismantled to make way for a new wastewater treatment facility.
brfBarnWoodSale-VDN-082419

The wood and other materials will be conveyed to Salvage Design Center, which will sell the reclaimed barn material. Given interest from some community members, the district worked with Salvage Design Center to sell the reclaimed barn materials locally at a 50% discount from their Denver showroom prices.

Source: Lumber from Hahnewald barn in Avon to be sold | VailDaily.com

Markets

Old school, new life: Local business repurposes wood from WPA-era construction | News | mcdowellnews.com

Old school, new life: Local business repurposes wood from WPA-era construction

“I was able to make a deal with him to purchase this material,” he said. “With diligent deconstruction efforts, we were able to reclaim approximately 15,000 board feet of beautiful, circle-sawn heart pine lumber.”

Source: Old school, new life: Local business repurposes wood from WPA-era construction | News | mcdowellnews.com

Markets

Sustainable art and design: How Calgary artists, entrepreneurs are repurposing and upcycling – Calgary | Globalnews.ca

Whether sustainability was their main objective or not, Calgarians have come up with a variety of ways to upcycle and repurpose everything from skateboards to skulls.

Whether sustainability was their main objective or not, Calgarians have come up with a variety of ways to upcycle and repurpose everything from skateboards to skulls. Global News

The store’s goal is zero waste: everything produced can be recycled, composted and repurposed while highlighting the local, creative market with people and resources from the community. “It keeps more money in our local economy so we’re more socially responsible, but also it uses [fewer] resources when you’re purchasing local-made stuff as opposed to imports, so better for the environment long term,” Work said.

Source: Sustainable art and design: How Calgary artists, entrepreneurs are repurposing and upcycling – Calgary | Globalnews.ca

Reuse Design

Rare octagon house is one of only a handful left in Minnesota | Star Tribune

Octagon houses were a thing in the 19th century.

They also completely remodeled the kitchen, adding marmoleum flooring, salvaged century-old walnut and birch cabinets, and a unique countertop. “We found a section of bowling alley lane. I edged it in walnut,” Sours said.

Source: Rare octagon house is one of only a handful left in Minnesota | Star Tribune

Reuse Design, Women in Deconstruction

The Paris Researcher Pioneering a New Way to Recycle Building Materials

anna saint pierre granito

Saint Pierre is sourcing her granite material directly from the building site for her prototypes (seen here), which she hopes will be incorporated into the new design. Courtesy Anna Saint Pierre

Acknowledging how large a carbon power the building industry is, Saint Pierre identifies the need for crafting new hybrid building blocks. This imperative has led her to formulate an atomistic understanding of architectonics. In her prototypes, stone slabs are smashed into rubble, then crushed into powders, compacted into terrazzo, or sandwiched into gabion walls.

Source: The Paris Researcher Pioneering a New Way to Recycle Building Materials

Landfill Mining, Waste News

Wind turbine blades being disposed of in Casper landfill | Cowboy State Daily

Decommissioned windmill blades

Windmill fan blades and motor housing components wait for disposal at the Casper Regional Landfill. Some 1,000 pieces from decommissioned wind turbines will be disposed of at the CRL by 2020, bringing an estimated $675,485 in new revenue to the landfill. (Photo courtesy of the Casper Regional Landfill staff)

Researchers at Washington State University are looking for ways to reuse the fiberglass components of aged-out turbines, but no practical commercial applications have yet been found. There is some hope that ground up blades can be used to create building materials, among other things.

Source: Wind turbine blades being disposed of in Casper landfill | Cowboy State Daily

Markets, Reuse Design, Structure Reuse, Waste News

How much is your building worth in the circular economy, Mr Foster? | Opinion | Architects Journal

9l2a9815

Material passports specify the position, availability and value of the materials in your buildings. They support the circular economy by making it easier to identify and reuse products, tapping into inherent value rather than squandering it and starting from scratch. Instead of ‘crushing buildings into pretty useless rubble,’ as circular economy expert Duncan Baker-Brown of BBM Sustainable Design explains, material passports make beneficial deconstruction, or even keeping a building, more likely.

Source: How much is your building worth in the circular economy, Mr Foster? | Opinion | Architects Journal

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government, Portland Area, Women in Deconstruction

How Women Are Leading the Charge to Recycle Whole Houses | Innovation | Smithsonian

Ruthie Mundell-Community Forklift.jpg

Ruthie Mundell stands among new and vintage chandeliers—all salvaged and ready to find a new home. (Teresa Carey)

“You have a grassroots momentum for something like deconstruction, and you have a massive industry against it,” says Sara Badiali.

The building material reuse consultant thinks regulations are an effective way to make a change. Yet, she has searched the world and “can’t find any place that actually has the words ‘building deconstruction’ in legislation.”

Badiali worked with the city of Portland, Oregon, to create the nation’s first reuse ordinance. Now, Portland homes built before 1916 must be evaluated for deconstruction. Other cities like San Francisco and Milwaukee are drafting their own ordinances.

Source: How Women Are Leading the Charge to Recycle Whole Houses | Innovation | Smithsonian

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

MRA “plays a role” in city’s push for carbon neutrality, zero waste ~ Missoula Current

Most of that material salvaged from the old Mercantile made their way to Home ReSource. Roughly 200,000 board feet of lumber ended up in new projects across Missoula. MRA required deconstruction as part of the Mercantile project. (Martin Kidston/Missoula Current file photo)

Over the past few years, and with sustainability in mind, MRA has given preference to certain building materials. It also encourages deconstruction over demolition when possible, even if doing so costs a little more.“We’re constrained by state law on how we can spend our funds, but if you take the facade improvement program, one of the underpinnings of that is sustainability,” said MRA director Ellen Buchanan. “Our deconstruction policy is also huge. The city can’t require deconstruction, but we can.”

Source: MRA “plays a role” in city’s push for carbon neutrality, zero waste ~ Missoula Current

Deconstruction

Efforts switch to barrel recovery as rickhouse deconstruction nearly complete – The Owensboro Times

Efforts switch to barrel recovery as rickhouse deconstruction nearly complete

“We thank everyone for their hard work. We can breathe a sigh of relief that we no longer have to worry about the rickhouse coming down on its own. Now we can concentrate efforts on our barrel recovery.”

Source: Efforts switch to barrel recovery as rickhouse deconstruction nearly complete – The Owensboro Times

Structure Reuse

Nina Simone’s childhood home is the focus of new preservation campaign – Curbed

Dilapidated house

National Trust for Historic Preservation

After multiple failed preservation attempts, the house has fallen into disrepair—its paint is chipped and its structure in need of work—but thanks to a new crowdfunding effort, it could be restored to its original state.

Source: Nina Simone’s childhood home is the focus of new preservation campaign – Curbed

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

To reduce waste, Palo Alto takes aim at demolition | News | Palo Alto Online |

The demolition sorting operation at Zanker Recycling extracts concrete, sheetrock, asphalt and wood, among other debris, for recyclable markets. Photo by Veronica Weber.

The new deconstruction ordinance is expected to help the city divert 7,930 tons of waste annually (by contrast, the disposable-foodware ordinance that the council adopted at the same meeting would divert 290 tons). The deconstruction ordinance is also expected to reduce the city’s greenhouse-gas emissions by 22,300 metric tons annually (for the foodware ordinance, the number is 470 tons).

Source: To reduce waste, Palo Alto takes aim at demolition | News | Palo Alto Online |

Reuse Design

Atlanta homes: West End industrial bungalow made of salvaged materials

Connolly, who works as a contractor, did all the home designs himself, and after a renovation lasting a year and a half in which he got almost all of the building materials necessary from reclaimed and salvaged sources, the West End bungalow now functions as a guesthouse, home office and extra living space, plus it gives Ross’ and Connolly’s four dogs (and often a foster dog or two) a double backyard in which to run and play.

Source: Atlanta homes: West End industrial bungalow made of salvaged materials

Reuse Design

An Uncanny Mountain Monument Is the Focus of an Outsider Artist for Half a Century

The main building on the Mountain Thunder Monument site

Like everything in the complex, the main building — whose lofted archway is the most visible feature from the adjacent highway — is adorned with fragments of architectural salvage and repurposed refuse, and guarded by several statuary works. Some of these are modeled entirely from scratch, while others incorporate found materials that create a commentary on the ways in which American Indians have been displaced within colonial culture.

Source: An Uncanny Mountain Monument Is the Focus of an Outsider Artist for Half a Century

Waste News

Demolition begins on century-old Christian Science church building in Kalamazoo – mlive.com

The building, built in 1913, will be completely torn down and the land will be used as a green space, Historic Preservation Coordinator Sharon Ferraro said.  It is unknown if any of the stained glass inside the church, including the dome ceiling, will be preserved.

Source: Demolition begins on century-old Christian Science church building in Kalamazoo – mlive.com

Structure Reuse, Women in Deconstruction

An Adaptive Reuse Solution in Today’s Overbuilt Environment – GroundBreak Carolinas

Jami Lloyd, Architectural Designer and A M King Blog Author

Scarcity of land; ample building inventory; reinvention of retail; rising construction costs; labor challenges; new regulations; environmental and schedule benefits; and resource-intensive procurement associated with virgin materials builds a strong case for adaptive reuse.

Source: An Adaptive Reuse Solution in Today’s Overbuilt Environment – GroundBreak Carolinas

Structure Reuse

Rust and Shine: New retail shopping venue in Williamsport | Business | northcentralpa.com

RustNShine_Outdoorshot_2019.jpg

Now open, Rust and Shine Unique Shopps, 600 Cemetery Street, Williamsport. Carrie Pauling

Rust and Shine is a delightful and surprising collection of vendor shops in 12,000 square feet of space in the former Raytown factory building attached to the Pajama Factory in Williamsport’s west end.

Source: Rust and Shine: New retail shopping venue in Williamsport | Business | northcentralpa.com

Maritime Deconstruction, Reuse Design

Port salvage beyond peer | The West Australian

Timber salvaged after upgrades at Geraldton Fishing Boat Harbour was turned into a striking board room table by a Geraldton furniture designer.

Timber salvaged after upgrades at Geraldton Fishing Boat Harbour was turned into a striking board room table by a Geraldton furniture designer.Picture: Geraldton Port Authority

Timbers and piles discarded during upgrades to part of Geraldton Fishing Boat Harbour last year have been given a new lease on life and turned into a piece of furniture which will serve as a reminder of Geraldton’s maritime history.

Source: Port salvage beyond peer | The West Australian

Portland Area, Reuse Design

GLEAN Portland

GLEAN, Portland, Oregon

GLEAN exhibit blurs boundaries of “trash,” showcases artists at Lovejoy Square, Aug. 1 – 25

Inspiration often arrives in unexpected packages. See how five local artists – Vanessa Calvert, Jeremy Okai Davis, Asa Mease, Miel-Margarita Paredes and Lauren Prado – transformed a steady stream of the Portland area’s trash into art. Their works will be on display and sale at Lovejoy Square, 1313 NW Kearney St., Portland. Opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1. Gallery hours: noon to 5 p.m. Friday – Sunday. Ends Aug. 25. Wheelchair accessible. Gleanportland.com

Source: GLEAN Portland

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

Palo Alto to require construction crews to deconstruct sites, not demolish by 2020 | abc7news.com

“For too long, we have not done a good job at construction sites and we need to do that,” said Phil Bobel, assistant director for Public Works Palo Alto. Bobel authored the ordinance approved by city council last Monday. “You can’t just smash it and combine everything, so then it’s harder to recycle it or salvage it.”

Source: Palo Alto to require construction crews to deconstruct sites, not demolish by 2020 | abc7news.com

Reuse Design

Brooklyn Children’s Museum installs a rooftop playscape made from reclaimed water tower wood | 6sqft

Nest, tri-lox, playground, design, children's museum

Inspired by the unique nests made by the baya weaver bird, Nest is made from reclaimed NYC water tower wood fashioned into an organic form; the woven landscape has a climbable exterior, circular hammock area and permeable interior space, all designed to foster free play and discovery.

Source: Brooklyn Children’s Museum installs a rooftop playscape made from reclaimed water tower wood | 6sqft

Deconstruction

Google’s new circular economy strategy to ‘maximise reuse’ across its operations

A key focus of the strategy is that of the built environment. Image: Google

Landfill diversion from offices currently sits at 78% and Google is focusing on construction and deconstruction to contribute to its circular vision. Google has been implementing interior ‘salvage and reuse’ at the interior building scale since 2012. Last year, the company started work with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to explore the triple bottom line benefits of deconstruction.

Source: Google’s new circular economy strategy to ‘maximise reuse’ across its operations

Structure Reuse

Councilman Squilla introduces bills to make it easier to reuse Philadelphia’s historic buildings

Councilman Squilla introduces bills to make it easier to reuse Philadelphia’s historic buildings

MICHAEL PRONZATO / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Though still months away from being heard — or even enacted — Squilla’s bills mark significant progress for Philadelphia, which, despite having the second-most number of buildings constructed before 1945 in the U.S., has struggled to encourage developers to restore old and interesting buildings.

Source: Councilman Squilla introduces bills to make it easier to reuse Philadelphia’s historic buildings

Deconstruction

Saint John throwing away ‘millions’ through demolition instead of deconstruction, former heritage planner says – New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca

“We have public policies that encourage people to buy a beverage bottle, consume the product, wash it, take it back to the redemption centre and accept half what what they paid for (in deposit) initially,” he began. “We have no such policy for buildings, which are usually the biggest, largest, most important financial investment of anybody’s lifetime.”

Source: Saint John throwing away ‘millions’ through demolition instead of deconstruction, former heritage planner says – New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca

Portland Area, Reuse Design

Dropbox Derby — Lovett Deconstruction – Portland Waterfront Monday September 2

portland_dropbox_derby_2018_mc_shaley_howard_lovett_deconstruction_gia_goodrich_054.jpg

Join us on Labor Day for the Annual Dropbox Derby.

Featuring Revive’s Flea Market Extravaganza! Monday September 2, 2019 10am – 4pm Eastbank Esplanade Parking Lots Between SE Salmon and Madison.

If you are a DIY fanatic, a design junky, or a fan of Portland’s quirky, innovative, and unique talent, then grab your friends and family and head down to the east waterfront on Labor Day for the Annual Dropbox Derby, Portland’s design-build challenge!

Source: Dropbox Derby — Lovett Deconstruction

Deconstruction

Detroit firefighter takes on blight with deconstruction business

Gary Ringer. Photo by Stephen Koss.

Gary Ringer. Photo by Stephen Koss.

In 2013, he founded a company called Eco-Environmental Solutions as a grassroots way to address blight in the Detroit area. The company specializes in deconstruction, the process of taking apart old buildings and salvaging parts of them for reuse. In doing this work, Ringer draws on an understanding of structures he’s gleaned from his time as a firefighter as well as prior job experiences building massive homes in the suburbs of southeast Michigan.

Source: Detroit firefighter takes on blight with deconstruction business

Structure Reuse

‘The house found us’: A peek inside Chicago churches converted to homes, apartments and condos – Chicago Tribune

Synagogue Flats

Built in 1922, the former Agudas Achim Synagogue in Uptown stopped operating as a religious institution in 2008 — a decade later, it was renovated and turned into chic residential housing units. Synagogue Flats opened in March 2019.- Original Credit: Flats (Flats)

The perks of living in a former religious institution range from the aesthetics to the memorable moments. Currey said she still bumps into people who either went to church at her property as kids or attended weddings there.

Source: ‘The house found us’: A peek inside Chicago churches converted to homes, apartments and condos – Chicago Tribune

Structure Reuse

The power and possibility of adaptive reuse | Build Design + Construction

Relative to new construction, renovation generally has a higher proportion of labor expense and a lower proportion of material expense. According to the Green Lab report, historic rehabilitation has a 32-year track record of creating two million jobs and generating $90 billion in private investment. These are by no means small numbers, and they reinforce the value of reusing, rather than tearing down, existing buildings.

Source: |

Reclamation Administration: News and Research on Building Material Waste Prevention