Meanwhile, the ordinance’s continued suspension provides more time to develop a market for materials recycled from deconstructed houses. Selling those materials helps reduce the higher cost of deconstruction.
Source: Milwaukee extends freeze on requirement to dismantle old houses
Duplexes at 2075 N. Cambridge Ave. were set for deconstruction last summer. (Photo: Stephanie Morse/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Of nearly 500 city-owned houses slated for demolition, only five were deconstructed in 2018, according to the Department of Neighborhood Services. The department struggled to get reasonable bids from contractors, said Tom Mishefske, neighborhood services commissioner.
Source: Backlog leads Milwaukee to suspend deconstruction rule for old houses
Milwaukee could pause its enforcement of a mandate requiring contractors to deconstruct, rather than demolish, historic homes after a assessment of the policy found that it struggled to get off the ground in 2018.
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.”
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
Recycled Art Contest Details:
Location:
Habitat for Humanity ReStore East – 420 S. 1st, Milwaukee, WI
ReStore’s 9th Annual Recycled Art Contest shines a light on some of Milwaukee’s resourceful repurposers. The contest challenges the public to create works primarily using the donated product found at ReStore. From artwork to repurposed furniture, the only rule of the contest is the majority of materials must be purchased at ReStore. The winners are determined by your vote!
Source: Recycled Art Contest | Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity
(Image courtesy of the Delta Institute via Extracting Value through Deconstruction)
On Jan. 1, the country’s second deconstruction ordinance went into effect in Milwaukee. In short, the ordinance “provides deconstruction requirements for the removal of Milwaukee’s older and more historic primary dwelling structures.” Deconstruction, in contrast to demolition, is the process of systematically dismantling a structure in an environmentally, socially and economically responsible manner, aiming to maximize the recovery of materials for reuse and recycling. The ordinance targets primary-dwelling structures built in 1929 or earlier. This reason for this specification? The likelihood that those structures will contain old-growth lumber and other valuable building materials.
Source: Deconstruction junction: Milwaukee’s reuse future – The Daily Reporter – WI Construction News & Bids
Demolition dumps materials into landfills, boosts carbon emissions and releases asbestos and other harmful matter into the air, says Ald. Bob Bauman.
The Common Council approved the new deconstruction ordinance – which was co-sponsored by Alds. Nik Kovac and Khalif Rainey – Tuesday, and the rule that goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2018, requires deconstruction rather than demolition of most one- to four-family buildings built before 1930 that are scheduled to be razed.
Source: New city law requires deconstruction rather than demolition – OnMilwaukee
City owned home at 2817-19 North 22nd Street. Photo from the City of Milwaukee.
The ordinance will kick in whenever the city is set to demolish a structure or a private contractor seeks a permit to demolish. And there are exceptions to the mandate to deconstruct if there are safety considerations or the salvageable materials have been damaged by something like a fire. While Bauman and Kovac are both historic preservation hawks in Milwaukee, because demolition and deconstruction jobs employ individuals from underserved communities in the city Bauman said “I do see this primarily as a job creation tool.”
Renaissance Book Shop. Photo by Michael Horne
Thoman and her firm are on a mission to “facilitate and educate the world on how to give back to the environment, by thinking past the dumpster.” She is adamantly opposed to what she sees as the waste generated by conventional demolition.
Source: Plenty of Horne: Inside the Renaissance Book Shop » Urban Milwaukee
Construction crew (from left) Marcus Banks, Demetrik Williams and supervisor Steven Teasley listen while Mayor Tom Barrett holds a press conference in front of a home at 2700 block of N. 40th St. Angela Peterson
The city will train unemployed residents of the Sherman Park neighborhood for construction jobs by starting them on crews to disassemble vacant city-owned houses, Mayor Tom Barrett said Wednesday.
Dismantling an abandoned house with a goal of salvaging building materials for reuse and recycling can provide the training and work experience needed for someone to step into a job in the construction industry, he said.
Some of the impressive, old-growth timbers used to erect the building will be salvaged as the building is dismantled. Alas, the brick, because it was covered in lead-based paint, won’t likely be saved.
The former Laacke and Joys complex is about to change dramatically.
Source: OnMilwaukee.com Marketplace: Urban Spelunking: Former Laacke & Joys complex
We are bringing back the Wally Schmidt Tavern so that it can catalyze economic investment in the neighborhood, support three new small businesses, create local jobs, and make positive change.
Much of the tavern’s original historic features are still in place, including a patterned hex-tile floor, finished wood molding and millwork, the historic bar, wrought ironwork, and embossed glass in the tavern’s entry door. Exterior features include a terra cotta roof, leaded glass windows, and decorative Mission Revival style piers.
via Reclaiming the Historic Wally Schmidt Tavern | Indiegogo.
On Saturday, April 26th from 10am until 2pm ReStore staff and volunteers will be set up in Macy’s Northeast lot at Mayfair.
ReStore will be collecting donations of resalable as well as recyclable material. In addition to accepting donations of gently used furnishings and home goods, community members can donate clothing, shoes, toys, faulty or outdated electronics and computer equipment. ReStore works in partnership with licensed recycling partners to responsibly break down materials that cannot be resold, like computers. Proceeds from these recyclable materials, just like donations of resalable materials, go towards building homes, community and hope through Habitat for Humanity’s work in Milwaukee. As a bonus, all donors during the drive will receive special thank you gifts from ReStore and participating Mayfair businesses.
via Mayfair Donation Drive | Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity.
Thanks to Ruth Trocolli the archaeologist for the District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office, for this gem of an article.
The Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee.
Maher hopes to put his new skills to work and continue deconstruction work in the area. He has learned that it is possible to efficiently take a structure apart, salvaging valuable materials and greatly reducing what goes to the landfill. As the construction sector of the economy rebounds, the success of the Kinnickinnic River project could encourage less traditional demolition and greater use of deconstruction techniques.
“If things can be reused and we can keep things out of landfill,” Maher says, “why not put the materials to use?”
The Partnership for Working Families, a grantee of the Surdna Foundation, is a national network of leading regional advocacy organizations who support innovative solutions to our nation’s economic and environmental problems.
via Op-Ed: Minimizing Scrap and Creating Jobs in a Milwaukee River Restoration – Next City.
Deconstruction of the 16 floor Northwestern Mutual office building has begun and is expected to be completed by the end of August. Over 75% of all materials will be recycled with some of them being donated to various projects in the area. The office building will be replaced with a new structure that should be completed in 2017.
ReStore just got in a large collection of original artwork and signed prints generously donated. The collection consists of original works by notable artists like: Karel Appel, Sara Strozinsky, & Patrick Farrell, among others.
In April 2013, Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity launched a new Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative strategy. For the next three to five years we will focus our efforts in one neighborhood — Washington Park. We are working together with our partner families and other neighborhood organizations to execute a comprehensive sustainable community plan. Our goal is transform Washington Park into a safe, vibrant neighborhood of choice.
Help us achieve this goal by shopping, donating, and volunteering at either of our two ReStore locations: 3015 N 114th, Wauwatosa & 420 S 1st, Milwaukee. Both locations just stocked works of fine art from the collection, but at these prices, supplies won’t last long. Shop ReStore and get fine art, for less! Both ReStores are open Tuesday-Friday 10-6 & Saturday 10-4. We will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.
via ReStore selling huge donation of valuable artwork | Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity.
Constructed in 2012 on a vacant brownfield site, the 30,370-square-foot office building contains several sustainable attributes, such as daylighting, geothermal wells and reclaimed building materials, and is and now dedicated to wellness of both mind and body. The finished building was recently named one of the Top Ten Green Projects of 2013 by the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on the Environment.
via Milwaukee Office Building Fulfills Its Healing Mission | EarthTechling.