Category Archives: Deconstruction

Deconstruction, Reuse Centers

Piece by piece, deconstructed Merc found new uses across Misssoula ~ Missoula Current

Katie Deuel, executive director of Home ReSource in Missoula, said thousands of items from the old Mercantile found their way into homes, schools and offices across the city. (Martin Kidston/Missoula Current)

“One woman had a table made for her husband,” Deuel said. “He had worked at the Merc for 35 years, so she really wanted that. There’s some great human interest stories in there. People recognized the value of it as material that came locally from our ecosystem and stayed in the community.”

Source: Piece by piece, deconstructed Merc found new uses across Misssoula ~ Missoula Current

Deconstruction

5 buildings at Fort Vancouver National Site to be demolished | The Columbian

A sign welcomes visitors to Fort Vancouver National Site as a historical warehouse building, skinny

A sign welcomes visitors to Fort Vancouver National Site as a historical warehouse building, skinny building in background, is seen nearby Thursday morning. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

“As a woman- and Native American-owned small business, RJS Construction, Inc., is beyond excited to be a part of a project that is focused on respect for history and consideration for the environment,” Chris Boring of RJS Construction said in a news release about the demolition. “We look forward to partnering with the National Park Service and Fort Vancouver as they move forward with the removal of buildings and salvage of historic wood.”

Source: 5 buildings at Fort Vancouver National Site to be demolished | The Columbian

Deconstruction

Vancouver-based Unbuilders aims to transform how homes are demolished | Daily Hive Vancouver

Unbuildersconstruction/Instagram

Unbuilders is quickly becoming Canada’s deconstruction industry leader.Over the past year, Unbuilders has saved over 100,000 board feet of lumber and 250 tonnes of garbage from being thrown in landfills.In the most recent unbuild, just 3% of materials from an entire house ended up in the landfill.

Source: Vancouver-based Unbuilders aims to transform how homes are demolished | Daily Hive Vancouver

Deconstruction, Reuse Centers

Mesa nonprofit wants tons of improvement in construction- recycling effort | Life | eastvalleytribune.com

Stardust, a Southeast Valley nonprofit headquartered at 1720 W. Broadway Road in Mesa, is partnering with several Valley companies to divert used building materials at construction sites from the landfill to repurpose and resell.

Stardust, the only building-material reuse nonprofit in metro Phoenix, has created “Starve the Landfill,” focused on sustainability in the construction industry. Starve the Landfill stresses the importance of deconstruction and donating building materials to be reused and repurposed.The goal is to create a strong community of eco-friendly contractors and suppliers that want to reduce their material waste.“One of the amazing benefits is that local companies will be acknowledged for their partnership and commitment to sustainability and the reuse of building materials,” said Karen Jayne, CEO of Stardust.

Source: Mesa nonprofit wants tons of improvement in construction- recycling effort | Life | eastvalleytribune.com

Deconstruction

Deconstruction Niche Attempts to Tackle C&D Waste

Deconstruction1.jpg

In addition, deconstruction can potentially generate jobs around harvesting, processing and selling materials. Arlene Karidis | Sep 20, 2018

“The reuse economy is similar to the recycling industry in that it creates more jobs throughout the value chain than strictly disposing material in a landfill. As the reuse market continues to grow, more jobs will be created downstream, including warehouse operations, retail, value-added manufacturing and job training,” says Blomberg.

Source: Deconstruction Niche Attempts to Tackle C&D Waste

Deconstruction

Power plant parts may be shipped across world – Dubois County Herald

Photos by Sarah Ann Jump/The Herald
Deconstruction is underway at the power plant on 15th Street in Jasper. The company deconstructing the plant anticipates that 90 percent of the building’s material will be reused or recycled.

“We have a tremendous response from farmers, architects, as well as collectors of old memorabilia for most of the items slated for repurposing,” a Green Earth spokeswoman said in an email. She said the company plans to salvage compressors, generators, 60 percent of the beams, electronic switches, metal grading, miscellaneous electronic equipment and the front façade of the building.

Source: Power plant parts may be shipped across world – Dubois County Herald

Deconstruction

WASTE HERITAGE Symposium, Ottawa, Canada Oct 26-27, 2018 – deconstruction, salvage & re-use

The goal of this event is therefore to bring together individuals and organizations active in related areas of heritage conservation, urban, architectural and construction history, critical heritage and discard studies, building deconstruction, sustainable materials and waste management, to address these gaps and possibilities for bridging between these areas as part of projects, policies, research or creative practices.

Source: symposium overview – WASTE HERITAGE deconstruction, salvage & re-use

Deconstruction, Reuse Design

Bricks and more, ta: recycling entire buildings – Positive News – Positive News

An architect’s rendering of The Resource Rows

“We keep excavating for new resources to turn into construction materials when we have so many things above ground that are super-accessible. We just need to find the innovations to use them,” says Lendager.

Source: Bricks and more, ta: recycling entire buildings – Positive News – Positive News

Deconstruction

Brick by brick Meridian cotton warehouse dismantled | Local News | meridianstar.com

Devna Bose / The Meridian Star

The old cotton press warehouse structure stretches along a portion of Front Street in downtown Meridian. Part of the building is being dismantled and the rest will be saved and repurposed. Material from the building is being reused in buildings across the street and around Mississippi.

“The pine, it’s being shipped and flooring is being made out of it, and its bricks are being used in buildings all over Mississippi,” Massey said.

Source: Brick by brick Meridian cotton warehouse dismantled | Local News | meridianstar.com

Deconstruction

Taking it apart rather than breaking it | BusinessNorth Exclusives | businessnorth.com

Photo courtesy of J. Breneman/NRRI

Moving forward, Krause states that educating the public about deconstruction as an alternative to demolition is essential.  “Every state has that looming ‘filling-up the-landfills’ problem. This project addresses it directly,” stated Krause.

Source: Taking it apart rather than breaking it | BusinessNorth Exclusives | businessnorth.com

Deconstruction

Crews stripping Burnham Mansion ahead of demolition – Wandtv.com, NewsCenter17, StormCenter17, Central Illinois News-

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) – Burnham Mansion will be demolished soon, but crews are currently stripping the interior detailing from the historic home.

The demolition is being done to make room for the $87.1 million Central High School expansion.

Source: Crews stripping Burnham Mansion ahead of demolition – Wandtv.com, NewsCenter17, StormCenter17, Central Illinois News-

Deconstruction, Deconstruction School, Policy/Regulations/Government

Instead of Razing Buildings, Some Cities Want to Reuse Their Bones | The Pew Charitable Trusts

Debris remains where a demolished rowhouse once stood on one of many blocks slated for demolition in Baltimore. When possible, city officials want to dismantle and salvage materials from buildings rather than demolishing them.
Patrick Semansky/The Associated Press

The two Baltimore enterprises address multiple problems at once. Details Deconstruction takes apart blighted buildings and salvages or recycles materials that are still valuable — a process called deconstruction. Brick and Board processes and sells reclaimed materials, saving them from the landfill. And both hire people with criminal records and prepare them for jobs in the construction industry.

Source: Instead of Razing Buildings, Some Cities Want to Reuse Their Bones | The Pew Charitable Trusts

Deconstruction, Markets

Family says 1800s Crozet home in project’s way shouldn’t be destroyed | County News | dailyprogress.com

Pleasant Green house

The Pleasant Green house in Crozet was built in the 1800s. ZACK WAJSGRAS/THE DAILY PROGRESS

“Instead of just salvaging the [house’s] hickory, could we go a step further and actually save the original log cabin that dates back to these transactions that happened with Jeremiah Wayland,” said Jennie More, a county planning commissioner whose grandmother was born in the home. “Our family would very much like to explore that possibility, but we also understand the property owner has salvage rights and that it may not be possible at all.”

Source: Family says 1800s Crozet home in project’s way shouldn’t be destroyed | County News | dailyprogress.com

Deconstruction

New life for old wood | News | journalpatriot.com

OLD HARDWOOD is salvaged from the 78-year-old former Smithey’s warehouse building in North Wilkesboro as part of a joint venture between building owner Cam Finley and North Wilkesboro-based Revient Reclaimed Wood. Second Street is seen through a hole left by a tornado last fall.

The old Smithey’s warehouse had part of its roof torn off by a tornado that touched down in Wilkes in October 2017. “As soon as I saw what was inside it, I knew it was a great building for us to salvage,” said Shepherd.

Source: New life for old wood | News | journalpatriot.com

Deconstruction

Environmental coalition plans to salvage materials from vacant north St. Louis buildings | KBIA

An environmental collaborative aims to remove vacant properties, plans to salvage materials from 30 buildings in north St. Louis in 2019. Refab, a salvage yard in south St. Louis, is identifying buildings that qualify for deconstruction.
ELI CHEN | ST. LOUIS PUBLIC RADIO

“When you strategically disassemble a structure, there’s more opportunities to find and remediate environmental hazards,” Ginn said. “It would allow us to reduce the amount of waste we’re sending to landfills and you don’t have as much dust spreading through neighborhoods.”

Source: Environmental coalition plans to salvage materials from vacant north St. Louis buildings | KBIA

Deconstruction, Markets

Good Wood, Portland Oregon – Hiring Deconstructionist

GoodWood is hiring a full time Deconstructionist. $20 an hour to start, some construction or deconstruction experience is welcome. You can contact David Greenhill at Talk@GoodWoodportland.com.

GOOD WOOD IS A DECONSTRUCTION & SALVAGE COMPANY LOCATED IN PORTLAND, OREGON. WE PROVIDE DECONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND OFFER AN AFFORDABLE OPTION FOR SALVAGED OLD-GROWTH LUMBER.

Source: Good Wood

Deconstruction

Bidding for Community Building deconstruction to go another round – TamaToledoNews.com 

“It is important to us to use local contractors but also people with experience in deconstruction to help us reach our goal. Since there is local interest, we will reopen the bid process.”

Source: Bidding for Community Building deconstruction to go another round – TamaToledoNews.com | news, information, Iowa, Toledo Chronicle, Tama News-Herald

Deconstruction

The Problems with Deconstruction » Urban Milwaukee

2075 N. Cambridge Ave. Photo by Dave Reid.

“I mean, I thought we were doing something great here. But it’s contingent on, as usual, the private sector, money, fear of hiring ex-offenders.” Bauman called this program a case study in the obstacles confronted by attempts to create jobs. “If every time you try to create jobs for the folks most in need and the folks you want to keep off the street and keep out of the criminal justice system, if there’s a million obstacles put up, we’re sunk. We’ll never solve the problem.”

Source: The Problems with Deconstruction » Urban Milwaukee

Deconstruction, Reuse Centers

Stardust a landfill alternative — recycled building supplies – Glendalestar.com: News

Photo by Darrell Jackson

Pictured is the interior of the Glendale location where Stardust Building Supplies offers a large assortment for sale to the public.

“Our deconstruction service is free and we have a list of questions that we ask to determine if the job is something we can do,” Fulton said. “Due to Environmental Protection Agency rules, we cannot do houses that were built before 1978 due to rules about asbestos and lead paint. A job supervisor will also do site searches to make sure the job is something we can do.”

Source: Stardust a landfill alternative — recycled building supplies – Glendalestar.com: News

Deconstruction

One house into three? House deconstruction team recycles large unwanted homes | Stuff.co.nz

Treena Gowthorpe and Kate Otter-Lowe are setting out to prove that a house can be deconstructed and recycled for the ...

Treena Gowthorpe and Kate Otter-Lowe are setting out to prove that a house can be deconstructed and recycled for the same price as demolition.

“You take a house that isn’t wanted in the community and deconstruct it. You carefully harvest all the materials from the house and then you use those materials and reconstruct it into tiny builds,” she said.

Source: One house into three? House deconstruction team recycles large unwanted homes | Stuff.co.nz

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

First Buildings Deconstructed Under New Law » Urban Milwaukee

2075 N. Cambridge Ave. Photo by Dave Reid.

2075 N. Cambridge Ave. Photo by Dave Reid.

There are a number of city-owned properties that have to be demolished. And using the requirements of its residents preference program, firms going after the deconstruction contracts will have to meet workforce goals and train unemployed or underemployed city residents in this new trade.

Source: First Buildings Deconstructed Under New Law » Urban Milwaukee

Deconstruction, Portland Area

Dismantling Of Historic Hayward Field East Grandstand Begins . News | OPB

 

Workers remove seating planks from the East Grandstand at Hayward Field and take them to a truck for transport Monday, June 11, 2018, in Eugene, Oregon.

Workers remove seating planks from the East Grandstand at Hayward Field and take them to a truck for transport Monday, June 11, 2018, in Eugene, Oregon. Andy Nelson/The Register-Guard

In a first step toward dismantling the 93-year-old grandstand, workers removed original seat boards and placed them in a truck. The salvaged Douglas fir bleacher seats are among numerous items that are to be reused in a modern stadium that is to be built on the same site as Hayward Field in time for the 2021 World Track and Field Championships.

Source: Dismantling Of Historic Hayward Field East Grandstand Begins . News | OPB

Deconstruction

Deconstruction Project Recycles Materials from Tax-Forfeited Property | www.WDIO.com

Four workers survey how to pull plaster off one of the walls.

Four workers survey how to pull plaster off one of the walls. Baihly Warfield/WDIO

Better Futures Minnesota is managing the projects, Miigwech Aki is providing labor, and the Natural Resources Research Institute is adding in their expertise. They each believe the extra time involved with deconstructing a building instead of demolishing it is worth it.

Source: Deconstruction Project Recycles Materials from Tax-Forfeited Property | www.WDIO.com

Deconstruction

Pilot program aims to reuse, recycle materials from condemned buildings | Duluth News Tribune

Thomas Adams, president and CEO of Better Futures Minnesota“Oftentimes, when people compare demolition and deconstruction, they compare just the cash outlay right at the beginning. But we don’t believe that’s a fair comparison,” he said. Adams pointed to the legacy of overflowing landfills and the health risks they present. He also noted the increase in jobs and taxes generated by dismantling a building.

 

Thomas Adams, president and CEO of Better Futures Minnesota

Source: Pilot program aims to reuse, recycle materials from condemned buildings | Duluth News Tribune

Deconstruction

Del Norte Prospector | Superintendent explains school repurposing project

© 2018-Del Norte Prospector

“Once the bond passed, we started the repurposing committee that is comprised of school staff and local residents to see if we could actually get some of these buildings off of our hands and save some extra funding to go towards the new school,” explained Burr.

Source: Del Norte Prospector | Superintendent explains school repurposing project

Deconstruction

Bye bye demolition: The future is deconstruction | Features | Construction News

 

New marketplaces, such as Loop, are disrupting the industry and facilitating transparency by enabling asset owners to list and identify reuse opportunities for materials or equipment ahead of demolition. Looking ahead, circular models require cross-industry collaboration – it certainly isn’t just the demolition sector that needs to act.

Source: Bye bye demolition: The future is deconstruction | Features | Construction News

Deconstruction

Domicology Aims To Reuse Deconstruction Materials | WKAR

The domicology movement aims to save materials from demolished buildings, sending less to landfills.
WKAR FILE PHOTO

“Consumers want to be more environmentally sensitive in their consumer purchases,” LaMore says, “so they’re willing to pay a slight markup on a reused or salvaged product if they know that they’re reducing their environmental footprint and supporting a more robust, environmentally sensitive construction economy.”

Source: Domicology Aims To Reuse Deconstruction Materials | WKAR

Deconstruction, Portland Area, Reclamation Administration, Women in Deconstruction

PDX RUST Speakers at ReUse-A-Palooza June 10th Portland, Oregon


DX RUST Speaker Freedom Moreno at

ReUse-Aplooza at the Oregon Public House June 10th

Freedom Moreno is a Certified Deconstructionist with the Building Material Reuse Association. She was in the first building deconstruction certification class for the City of Portland, Oregon. She is also an Alumni of Oregon Tradeswomen Inc.

Freedom pioneered as the first women and woman of color, to be a lumber specialist for Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage.

 

PDX RUST Speaker Simon Love atReUse-Aplooza at the Oregon Public House June 10th

Simon is the reuse and repair specialist at Oregon DEQ, leading the implementation of DEQ’s strategic plan related to extending the lifespan of products through reuse, repair and improvements to product durability.

 

Source: PDX RUST

Deconstruction

Heritage group can have ‘whatever it wants’ from doomed buildings | CBC News

PMV Canada says it will demolish these vacant buildings at 120 and 126 Main Street over the next two weeks. (Google Inc.)

“We could repurpose some of those materials, not see them end up in landfills like other demolitions,” said Janelle Russell, Heritage Saint John’s vice-president.”There’s, of course, the front trim, there’s staircases, banisters. … A lot of the buildings in this area are made out of virgin wood, so they’re very strong, and the wood is still good and solid.

Source: Heritage group can have ‘whatever it wants’ from doomed buildings | CBC News

Deconstruction, Reuse Centers

Saving Through Salvage – Shepherd Express

OffTheCuff_WasteCapGuys.jpg

Pete Brands (left) and Travis Blomberg (right) with WasteCap Resource Solutions

The four departments we plan to offer in the next six months are deconstruction, salvage services, the retail store and Do It Yourself, in which WasteCap partners with Fox 6 News to provide upcycling and reuse tutorials using materials in the warehouse.

Source: Saving Through Salvage – Shepherd Express

Deconstruction, Deconstruction School, Reuse Centers

Who’s (Un)Building Philly: Greg Trainor – Philadelphia Magazine

A guide for the perplexed inside Philly Reclaim. As the books and paintings behind the sign indicate, there’s more on offer here than building materials.

And Philly Reclaim will sell just about anything that anyone brings to it. When I visited the store last fall, the available items included organ pipes that a donor had dropped off, deer skins, a phone booth, a pool table, and even old turntables and vintage vinyl LPs to play on them. There was wood reclaimed from a bowling alley, chalkboards from the old West Philadelphia High School, and a wooden bathtub filled with clawfoot feet for those needing them for their own historic restorations.

Source: Who’s (Un)Building Philly: Greg Trainor – Philadelphia Magazine

Deconstruction, Deconstruction School, Urban Blight to Farms

Program creates jobs, removes blight | News, Sports, Jobs – Tribune Chronicle

Tribune Chronicle / R. Michael Semple TNP worker Racheal Miller, 22, of Newton Falls, boards up a window on a house on Prospect St. in Niles.

The employees are trained to salvage materials from properties scheduled to be demolished as well as doing landscaping and maintenance at properties that already have been demolished.

Source: Program creates jobs, removes blight | News, Sports, Jobs – Tribune Chronicle

Deconstruction, Structure Reuse

Village to upcycle old bridge in beautification project – Keremeos Review

Submitted A picture of the Red Bridge before it was updated in 2005.

The public works crew is going to take timbers and planks from the bridge to make a number of different items including a pergola for above the entry sign near Hilltop Esso. The wood will also be used to build a message board in the pocket park along with perhaps wood guards for trees or other items. “It’s really neat they they are going to use some of this old wood to do these new projects. I’m so glad they had the foresight to hold onto it,” she said.

Source: Village to upcycle old bridge in beautification project – Keremeos Review

Deconstruction, Reuse Design

Reusing electric pylons to design the roof of a train station

Reusing electric pylons to design the roof of a train station

Six high-voltage lines are due to be taken down in Valais canton. Credit: Swissgrid

The approach Desruelle used forms part of a new strand of research in civil engineering: reusing structural elements in their raw form (steel bars and systems, wooden beams etc.) at the end of their service lives, instead of recycling them or scrapping them. Reusing materials in this way reduces the embodied carbon footprint of new buildings, since 71% of their greenhouse gas emissions result from the extraction and production of materials and the construction phase. The approach also reduces the amount of

Source: Reusing electric pylons to design the roof of a train station

Deconstruction

‘There’s a better way’: Vancouver company deconstructs homes by hand, salvages 90% of materials | CTV Vancouver News

 

According to Vancouver bylaws, at least 75 per cent of the material in homes built before 1940 must be recycled. In the case of heritage or character homes, that number is 90 per cent.

Source: ‘There’s a better way’: Vancouver company deconstructs homes by hand, salvages 90% of materials | CTV Vancouver News

Deconstruction, Markets

‘Unbuilding’ Gives New Life To Old Timber | WisContext

Lester Public Library (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Reclaimed wood is stacked outside the Hamilton building in Two Rivers.

Reclaimed wood plays a growing role in Wisconsin economy. For example, one Rhinelander-based company, Enterprise Wood Products, has worked with reclaimed wood since 2010. The company began using reclaimed wood from the deconstruction of a grain elevator in Superior, and now remanufactures recycled wood into flooring, paneling, stair parts, timbers and more. Much of their current reclaimed wood supply comes from the deconstruction of the Hamilton building in Two Rivers, and reclaimed wood represents up to ha

Source: ‘Unbuilding’ Gives New Life To Old Timber | WisContext

Deconstruction, Reuse Centers, Women in Deconstruction

Westmoreland Community Action demolition firm to hire female heads of household | TribLIVE

Dan Speicher – Tribune Review

The American Architectural Salvage Shop, in Mt. Pleasant.

Czerpak said he will work closely with the demolition manager to evaluate potential projects based on store inventory needs or popular items. Waltenbaugh said 75 percent of people hired for the team will be female heads of household, those struggling with addiction and others who might have difficulty finding jobs. The employees will be trained.“We’re excited to get that up and running,” he said.

Source: Westmoreland Community Action demolition firm to hire female heads of household | TribLIVE

Deconstruction

Reclaiming old growth timber in Saskatchewan | Wood Business

Photos courtesy of Wood-Mizer

“After high school, I started tree planting in Western Canada and could see the logging clear cuts, which disturbed me,” Lincoln says. “I have a love of nature and wondered what I could do to help the forest in addition to planting trees.”

Source: Reclaiming old growth timber in Saskatchewan | Wood Business

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government, Portland Area

City council refines and tightens some demolition rules | Hollywood Star: Northeast & North Portland Neighborhood News

Portland city council has voted to strengthen procedures for demolishing older neighborhood homes, while tabling plans to extend a deconstruction mandate for homes built after 1916. (City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability)

“Originally, the goal was to begin at 1916 in Phase I, then move to 1926 as a next step and eventually include housing built before 1940 by the year 2019.” Wood said the advisory group realized that it would be “bad timing” to increase the number of structures covered too quickly, so the 1916 date will hold firm for the foreseeable future, as demolition procedures are tightened.

Source: City council refines and tightens some demolition rules | Hollywood Star: Northeast & North Portland Neighborhood News

Deconstruction

Signing Off: Dallas man on a mission to salvage the last vestiges of the recently demolished Bartow Motel

Bass said he has no idea what the sign’s dimensions are. Eyeing the billboard, he guesstimated it was somewhere between 7 feet and 10 feet tall (not counting its cement base) and perhaps about as wide as a sedan. And since the sign is made out of thick metal, he supposes the whole thing has to weigh at least a ton, if not several of them.

Source: Signing Off: Dallas man on a mission to salvage the last vestiges of the recently demolished Bartow Motel

Deconstruction, Markets, Policy/Regulations/Government, Waste News

Centuries Old Tradition Of Recycling Bricks Finally Gets Certified — Danish Company Is World’s First Supplier | CleanTechnica

bricks1

Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s hammer some bricks!

It is a genuinely comforting thought, that when you look at a brick building any one of those bricks can originate from many different places. Apart from the green-tech-recycling aspect, this makes buildings ooze of history — even if they are brand new.

Source: Centuries Old Tradition Of Recycling Bricks Finally Gets Certified — Danish Company Is World’s First Supplier | CleanTechnica

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

Derelict Building Grant applications due April 4 | News | communitynewspapergroup.com

The grant program was instituted by state legislation to help rural communities with populations of 5,000 or less to deconstruct or renovate abandoned commercial and public structures.

The program emphasizes reuse and recycling of building items, helps improve street appearance and commercial development, and alleviates the environmental concern these buildings can pose. Financial assistance includes asbestos removal, building deconstruction and renovation, and other environmental services.

Source: Derelict Building Grant applications due April 4 | News | communitynewspapergroup.com

Deconstruction, Landfill Mining

UIX: Turning trash into money is going to take a community effort

The South Kent Landfill, image courtesy Kent County.

“There are a lot of building materials and resources that are winding up in landfills,” Wieland says. “People are actually talking about deconstructing things instead of just demolishing them. We’re looking at all the waste materials that come out of the building industry and reusing them is one of the ways to reduce that waste.”

Source: UIX: Turning trash into money is going to take a community effort

Deconstruction

Otter Tail County landmark to be preserved in Fergus Falls | Perham Focus

The historic Regional Treatment Center tower, close to the county government services center in northwest Fergus Falls, will be preserved while other sections of the RTC complex will be part of deconstruction. Tom Hintgen/Otter Tail County Correspondent.

The city of Fergus Falls is seeking $8.9 million from the state legislature to complete deconstruction on remaining sections of the RTC campus which includes 550,000 square feet of space on the northside of Fergus Falls. The Regional Treatment Center was originally built in 1890 by the state of Minnesota to house 3,500 patients with mental illness. During the 1950s and 1960s that number was reduced to close to 2,000 residents, cared for by 500 state employees.

Source: Otter Tail County landmark to be preserved in Fergus Falls | Perham Focus