Steal this Idea #2

I also saw this in Sunset Magazine...

The ReBuilding Center



"The ReBuilding Center is a project of Our United Villages, a non-profit community enhancement organization. Developed by dedicated volunteers, The ReBuilding Center is modeled after successful building material reuse centers throughout North America (over 500 in the United States and Canada). The ReBuilding Center opened to the public in 1998 and moved to a 24,000 square foot warehouse in 1999. By 2001, five tons of materials were being kept out of the landfill each day! In 2005 The ReBuilding Center completed its expansion project, adding 40,000 square feet of developed property and the potential to divert nearly ten tons of construction and demolition waste per day by 2008."



The ReBuilding Center operates like a thrift store. You drop off materials and get a tax deduction. They also offer deconstruction services (tearing down structures by hand rather than by wrecking ball). In addition to that, they teach workshops and make furniture out of unused materials.

I know that there is, or used to be, an architectural salvage place downtown and that Memphis Heritage has an architectural auction every other year. This is like the next step. Maybe Memphis Heritage could create something like this that could fund their preservation work year round? Or maybe MIFA? There's a "creating jobs" and "education" aspect already built in.

It just seems so practical!

I hear the Habitat ReStore store on Scott Street is like this, but on a much smaller scale.