The ReUse People  -  JUNE 2004 NEWSLETTER

New Vs. Used

Recently I read an article about the loss of the old Anderson Hotel to the proverbial wrecking ball. The Pink Palace as it was known by the locals in Benicia, California, was a 1920s hotel famous for its lavish tea parties, meals and wedding receptions. It was originally built in 1880, but was rebuilt in 1921 after an extensive fire.

The demise of such a grand old building is truly a shame. Unfortunately, most developers and city planners think only in terms of the two extremes: preservation or demolition. Deconstruction and salvage of the components would have been a palatable alternative to most preservationists and would have allowed the local residents of Benicia the opportunity to acquire a little bit of history.

A couple of years ago, TRP participated in the partial deconstruction of a home in the Mission Hills area of San Diego. The home was an excellent example of colonial revival architecture and the historical society wanted to preserve the front facade. We salvaged all the other components of the home, leaving intact the front wall with its magnificent front door, shiplap redwood siding, columns, and eight windows.

On a recent project in Truckee, California, TRP proposed holding a silent auction to disperse the components of the well-known building that we were scheduled to deconstruct. The proceeds of the auction would have been donated to charities. The owners and developer only allowed four weeks to deconstruct this 22,000 square foot building, so the auction did not take place. However, all the major components of the building were salvaged.

In the fight between developers, preservationists and city planners, it appears that all sides have staked their positions so firmly in ideology that they have not allowed themselves, or their constituents, the flexibility to search for alternatives.

All of us at TRP would rather have historic buildings preserved, but we also understand the economics of preservation. For the owner, the cost of bringing an older building up to code can be daunting, and continuing maintenance a nightmare. For the local citizenry, maybe the planned shopping center would better suit their needs and improve their daily lives than a hotel. With a new development city officials envision an increase in property value, which means increased revenues from both real estate taxes and sales taxes. When all these factors are considered, the deconstruction alternative makes real sense.

Special of the Month

This month we are featuring our huge inventory of lumber. Throughout the month of June, receive 10% off on your choice of lumber from the ReUse Bazaar warehouse, with an additional 15% off on lumber selections shorter than stud length.

New Inventory

We just received three 45-foot trailer loads of high grade glu-lams. (A glu-lam is an engineered beam, or support member, made of specific sizes of dimensional lumber glued together.) These beauties measure from 3x12x12 feet long to 6 1/2x23 1/2 x 21 feet long. All are in great shape and ready for installation.

Friends of TRP

Join the Friends of TRP at either the Oak ($25 annually) or the Mahogany ($100 annually) level. In addition to helping TRP achieve its mission, you'll receive discounts on used building materials and other benefits. Click here to access the TRP membership form. Print the form and mail it to TRP with your donation. Thank you!

Deconstruction Update

Bay Area
The Larkspur converted barn-to-house project is tentatively on schedule for July 5, barring additional planning department glitches. We will be holding a job site sale there.

All the materials from the 100 year-old house in Belvedere have been taken to our warehouse. Of special interest are old bricks and clinker bricks.

Lumber from a partial deconstruction in Woodside has been brought in to the warehouse.

Truckee
For those of you who need great heavy duty structural components, we have just received three semi loads of glu-lams from our clock tower project at North Star village.

Mammoth
We are taking down the Ski Surgeon and the Village Market on Mineret Road in Mammoth Lakes, California. Those of you who live close to Mammoth can stop by and get a great discount by purchasing from the job site.

Santa Cruz
Unfortunately, the owners decided not to have a job site sale here, but we are bringing the material to our warehouse in Alameda this week and next.

San Diego
The 19,000 sq. ft. estate home in La Jolla has been delayed by the owners. We will keep you informed.

Note: You can learn more about these projects and view photos at our web site by clicking here:
     http://thereusepeople.org/inside.cfm?p=JobSiteSales.