On Monday, July 2, TRP held a press conference at the site of its first Chicago deconstruction project. The purpose of the conference was to introduce to Chicago the concept of deconstruction and building-materials salvage.

As many of you know, Chicago has several architectural salvage outlets -- seven at last count, including a couple in the suburbs. However, Chicago does not have any outlets or warehouses that sell the more common, non-architectural materials like doors, windows, plumbing and electrical fixtures and lumber. We wanted to demonstrate that more than fireplace surrounds, gargoyles, stained glass windows and garden sculptures could be successfully salvaged and distributed for reuse.

Murco Recycling held an onsite auction the weekend before deconstruction officially started. All the materials remaining after the auction, including doors, windows, oak trim and moldings, cabinets and framing lumber were donated to the Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Elgin, Illinois.

Two weeks before the conference, we sent out a press release announcing this project. This was followed by a press-conference announcement to the same media folks -- four TV stations, NPR, print media and various contacts we have made in the last couple of months.

A press kit was assembled that included a history of the project written by the property owners, backgrounders on OBI Deconstruction (our certified deconstruction contractor in Chicago) and TRP, plus Urban Habitat Chicago and Murco Recycling, both of whom assisted greatly in securing and promoting this project. The kit also included a page of four color photographs showing the various stages of deconstruction and other printed promotional information on the parties involved.

Dave Hampton of Urban Habitat Chicago (UHC) arranged for a sound system, and a table was set up in front of the partially deconstructed home for coffee and additional deconstruction information.

Through the efforts of Claire Woolley at the Chicago Department of Environment, we were able to get Karen Hobbs, First Deputy Director of DOE, to be our keynote speaker. A representative from the office of Chicago's 47th Ward Alderman, Gene Schulter, was on hand as well.

Also attending were the building's owners, John Tapper and Carolyn Bronstein; Claire Woolley of DOE; Kevin Dick of The Delta Institute, TRP's future warehouse partner; Jodi Murphy of Murco Recycling; Dave Hampton and Mike Repkin of UHC; Ken Ortiz, President of OBI Deconstruction; research architect Thomas R. Napier of the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and his associate Steve Cosper; Carole Rosen, TRP's next deconstruction client in the Chicago area; and yours truly.

A great time was had by all, although we were disappointed that not a single person from the media showed up. However, in late June Chicago Public Radio aired a very effective news brief featuring Dave Hampton of UHC, so word of the deconstruction reached many in Chicago at that time.

To hear the CPR interview and view more information on the conference, please use the following links:

audio.wbez.org/cityroom/2007/06/cityroom_20070626_sallee_Home.mp3

www.urbanhabitatchicago.org

Greenbean.typepad.com

Schedule Change! Please Note: The national conference of the USGBC will not be held in Los Angeles in October as previously announced, but will be held in Chicago from November 7 to 9.

West Coast Green will be held Thursday through Saturday, September 20-22 in San Francisco at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. TRP’s booth will be staffed by TRP-certified deconstruction contractors. Ted Reiff is scheduled to present at the conference.

The Oakland warehouse has numerous high-end appliances. Brands include SubZero, GE and Dynasty. In addition, we just received five pallets of used bricks from a San Francisco home.

BIG SALE at the Oakland warehouse! We just received six truckloads of new materials. Prices are again reduced storewide to help us clear out the inventory. Receive 30% off on any purchase through August 15.

TRP is accepting donations of cars, trucks, SUV's, RV's, and motorcycles. Donating a vehicle is a simple process. You just pick up the phone and call. We do the rest. So if you'd like to get rid of an unwanted vehicle, phone now for a pickup. 800-574-0888. Or you can donate your vehicle online at www.vehiclesforcharity.com. Unfortunately, vehicle donations can only be made from the Bay Area counties plus Santa Cruz.

Go to our website www.thereusepeople.org, click on the tab "Opportunities" and look under the heading "Employment Opportunities"

• All materials from a beautiful custom 4,500 sq-ft house in Palo Alto
• All materials from a custom 2,000 sq-ft Menlo Park home
• All materials from a gorgeous 3,100 sq-ft home in Los Altos Hills
• Upgraded fixtures plus dual-pane windows from a 3,500 sq-ft Tiburon home
• Old growth, rough sawn Douglas fir framing from a 100 year old house and garage in San Francisco
• Beautiful oak kitchen cabinets, doors and dual-glazed windows from a custom home in Alamo
• All materials from a 4,000 sq-ft 1950s custom house in Palo Alto, including fabulous pink and green fixtures
• All lumber from a Lafayette garage, including 2x10 rough sawn joists

• All materials from a 1,900 sq-ft house in Culver City
• All materials from a 2,300 sq-ft house in Pacific Palisades
• All materials from a 4,000 sq-ft house in Santa Barbara
• All materials from a 5,400 sq-ft home in Pt. Loma, including beveled glass French doors, steel-frame decking, bookshelves, Jen Air cooktop, Sub Zero, granite vanities and like-new hot tub
• All materials from a 10,000 sq-ft building in La Mesa, including aluminum dance-floor railings, glass blocks, pastry case, hardwood flooring and marble-top vanities
• All materials from a 4,500 sq-ft home in Rancho Santa Fe, including contemporary cabinets, 6-burner Viking range, dual-page wood casement windows and concrete roofing tiles

Earthwise in Seattle will receive:

• Materials from a deconstruction in Ballard, including light fixtures and a free-standing “Darth Vader Helmet” fireplace and a porcelain mop sink.
• Materials from a deconstruction in Bellevue, including knotty pine paneling, locking display case, gas fireplace logs w/cradle, brass entry lights and plumbing fixtures
• Materials from a Redmond cabin, including cabinets and free-standing fireplace

Location and Contact Information

TRP ReUse Bazaar
9235 San Leandro Street
Oakland, CA 94603
(510) 383-1983; toll-free 888-588-9490
Hours: Mon through Fri 10:00 to 6:00; Sat and Sun 10:00 to 4:00

Boulder Warehouse
10500 Isabelle Road
Lafayette, CO 80026
(303) 666-8094
Hours: Thursday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Please visit our partnering warehouses in Los Angeles and Seattle:

Habitat Home Improvement Store
17700 S. Figueroa (corner of 182nd)
Gardena/Carson CA 90248
(310)-323-5665
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6: 00p.m.

Earthwise Building Salvage of Seattle
3447 Fourth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98134
(206) 624-4510
Hours: Open seven days, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.