In 2007, TRP responded to encouragement from both contractors and homeowners by opening a branch office in Illinois to recruit, qualify and train for-profit deconstruction contractors in the greater Chicago area. That office has been so successful, thanks the efforts of Regional Manager Ken Ortiz, that we've needed to open a retail warehouse one year earlier than anticipated.
 Setting up the office was one thing. The typical small office needs a desk, chairs, filing cabinets, computers and telephones. Oh yeah, and a competent manager. No big deal—Ken is more than competent and supplied the rest out of his house.
Setting up the warehouse has been a completely different animal, requiring knowledge of the local market, rent structures, demographics, locations and where/how to obtain operating permits. Then there's shelving, pallet racking, pallet jacks and signage, plus advertising and promotional activities to draw the right customers. It takes bunches of people to organize the stuff (I guess I should stop referring to Ken's great salvaged materials as "stuff"). Most importantly it takes a person with vision who can manage the entire enterprise.
Fortunately, Dave Hampton, a board member of Urban Habitat Chicago and principal at Hampton Avery Architects, referred me to Elise Zelechowski, associate director of the nonprofit Delta Institute. Elise's passion has always been to open a facility that sells and distributes reusable building materials to Chicagoans who eschew home improvement stores in favor of outlets that sell quality used and vintage materials.
The Delta Institute was founded in 1998 to develop and test new ideas for bringing about sustainable communities. In my first meeting with Elise, I explained that we were accumulating thousands of tons of reusable building materials and had nowhere to take them for distribution within the Chicago community. She and Donna Ducharme, the institute's executive director immediately stepped up and agreed to fill that need. Within six months of our meeting, TRP executed a partnership agreement with Delta and the quest for a retail warehouse was on.
By July, 2008, a couple of potential facilities had been located, but neither came to fruition. Then last October I received an e-mail from Elise saying that the search was over and a lease for the new facility would be signed by the end of the year. Once again, Delta delivered. The grand opening will take place on Friday, February 13, complete with speeches, food, drinks, music, and live and silent auctions.
In January, I flew to Chicago to help move the truckloads of materials that Ken has salvaged over the past 18 months and squirreled away in various nooks and crannies around the city. I expected a modest warehouse with minimal heat, electricity and no amenities—typical of what we have in California. Surprise! Surprise! This warehouse is a multistoried brick building, extremely well lighted, heated and maintained. It has three dock doors, an office, and separate restrooms for men and women. Even the concrete floors are painted.
Elise reported that she had put out a call for volunteers to help unload the trucks, set up the pallet racking, stock the shelves and other tasks. "Harrumph," I thought. "Volunteers cost more in management time than they are worth." I arrived Tuesday morning nurturing the belief that rounding up feral cats would be more productive than directing a cadre volunteers. Well, I was wrong, and Elise knew exactly what she was doing.
I lost count of the number of energetic, smart, helpful people who showed up over the next two days. We unloaded over a dozen trucks, installed the pallet racking, unloaded and racked at least 15 units of lumber and hardwood flooring, set up the display for wood trim and moldings, cleaned over two dozen appliances, put hundreds of doors, windows and cabinets in their proper locations and still had time for a couple of meetings and as many meals. However, I do plan to send Elise a bill for the vast quantities of ibuprofen and wine I had to consume to alleviate sore muscles.
The next time I get involved in opening a warehouse, I'm calling Elise! By the way, the Delta Institute has named the retail-warehouse the ReBuilding Exchange and you can see and read more at www.delta-institute.org/rebuildingexchange.
Remember: Friday, February 13, 2009—ReBuilding Exchange Grand Opening
Reuse Contest
Our 2008 reuse contest was so successful that we've decided to sponsor the competition annually. Win TRP gift certificates redeemable for up to $225 worth of building materials at TRP and partner warehouses in Oakland, Pacoima, Chicago and Kansas City. All 2009 entries must be received by August 1. Click here for contest rules: thereusepeople.org/ReUse_Contest. |
