PDX Carpet Lives On

The already challenging project of replacing the 13 acres of beloved carpet in the Portland International Airport was complicated even further by the Port of Portland’s ambitious "Five Years to Zero Waste" plan which called for waste diversion of 90% or greater. The “zero waste” initiative caused the Port to maintain sustainability requirements at the forefront of the carpet replacement project and in doing so was able to discover enough different outlets of reuse to recycle all 13 acres of the PDX carpet.

With the original plan to send the carpet to a waste to energy (WTE) facility, 5 acres of the carpet ended up being repurposed as furniture upholstery, batting cage turf, flooring in local buildings and a variety of other novelty goods. The remaining 8 acres of carpet were sent to a facility in California that recycled carpet fibers to make carpet pad. Even when installing the new carpet the Port continued to recycle the rest of the project’s waste.

To learn more about the carpet replacement project and how reuse can be incorporated to a construction project of any size click the button below.

PSU Architecture Students Build RBC Trade Show Booth

Videographer, director & editor: Ryan Fruge

The ReBuilding center has teamed up the Portland State University's architecture program to create a new booth for ReBuilding Center to use in trade shows and community events. Much like the interactive kiosks that are being built for ReBuilding Center's Commons launch, the trade show booths too should be visually appealing and functional.  The new design hopes to encourage and build relationships within the community and inspired poeple with reuse ideas. The booth aims to further understanding of ReBuilding Center's mission and all of its component parts. It will showcase our commitment to the reuse of building materials through DeConstruction as well as our Community Outreach Program, volunteer services and information about our warehouse donations and available materials. Margarette Leite is the instructor at PSU to the architecture students involved in the trade show booth project and shared some information on the project.

When the trade show booth was its developing stages, there were many ideas thrown out on what to incorporate; a mini museum, showcasing objects found at DeConstruction sites; a photo gallery displaying photos of homes through the DeConstruction process. The students had to respond to technical challenges such as how to include video aspects like the kiosks or how supply lighting without being reliant on an electrical source. They played with the idea of magnets and incorporated a metal sheet into their design. Students found ways to use both rough and finished pieces to show the range of materials available at the ReBuilding Center. 

To keep the concept fluid throughout, certain guidelines had to be meet. Size constraints were established to be sure the booth was booth mobile and easily transported. Structural integrity had to considered due to the wear and tear, and possible damage over time.

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Day of Service: RBC & AAAH help stem displacement of long-term homeowners in N/NE Portland

The ReBuilding Center in collaboration with the African American Alliance for Homeownership (AAAH) began an inaugural “Day of Service” this last Saturday, June 11th, an event that helps stem displacement of long-term residents of N/NE Portland. Staff from the ReBuilding Center and AAAH as well as dozens of volunteers showed up bright and early on Saturday morning, coffee in hand, to get going on some home repairs for members of their community. We focused on five different projects ranging from cement pouring to yard work to house painting. It was a powerful experience to be able to talk to homeowners and hear their stories, perspective on the development of the area, and about the complexity of issues surrounding gentrification.

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Ruth

Since 1958, Ruth has seen her neighborhood transition through three distinct phases. When she first moved into her home 58 years ago, she remembers the area as a vibrant community where you could find everything you needed from food markets to a 10 cent store. She then witnessed the street experience heightened crime rates due to a stronger gang presence. Now she refers to the streets as “clean” and has seen the area turn into a once again bustling neighborhood. And no, she doesn’t want to sell. Every week she receives offers, people trying to buy her home. How could she leave her beautiful lavender home where she’s raised her kids and grandkids? With age, it has become increasingly difficult to keep up with the house and the garden. Years ago, during an earthquake, the cement stairs leading to Ruth’s home broke and it’s been hard for her to get down the stairs ever since. ReBuilding Center staff and volunteers were happy to lend their skills to fill her new cement stairway.

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Pat

Pat is a real firecracker. Her creative and whimsical design sensibilities show throughout her home and yard. We helped Pat with her backyard, repairing a fence that she hasn’t been able to fix because of her arthritis. Pat loves to walk and reminds us that “it’s just as important to keep your mind as active as your body when you’re older.” Pat’s lived in her house for over 42 years and can count on one hand how many long-term residents still live in her surrounding neighborhood. “Everybody’s been pushed out,” she says, “it’s strange to see how much change has happened in our neighborhood.” A perk of the new development? Pat enjoys frequenting the new restaurants popping up in her area, serving hip and affordable fare during happy hour.

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Elaine & Milhouse 

Elaine & Milhouse bought their home back in 1991 and they have been wanting to touch-up their house paint for a while now. They feel like their home stands amidst the freshly re-done houses popping up next door. Within the last ten years, they say the worst part of the rapidly changing environment is the traffic on their busy street. Several parked cars have been hit. And although they’ve developed relationships with their new neighbors, Elaine says, “it doesn’t make you feel good when you don’t know your [old] neighbors anymore.” With Elaine’s full-time schedule as a care-giver, and both of them getting older, it’s hard for them to keep up with repairs. We were happy to meet some of their needs and get to know our neighbors!

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Carly

Carly was the youngest of the bunch but still stood witness to the dramatic changes to the neighborhood. She says, “it’s weird, every time I even drive to the ReBuilding Center, I see new stuff. Things are popping up so fast.” She believes it’s important to keep neighborhoods diverse. She tries to see all the change as positively as she can but wishes that it didn’t mean destroying what was already there. Carly doesn’t want Portland to look like every other city. She grew up in Portland and feels like it breeds a certain kind of nutty person. With affordable housing becoming more and more scarce, she worries about our houseless populations, especially families because of how hard it would be for them to adjust. Working at Kruger Farms and doing all of her own home repairs (using almost solely materials from the ReBuilding Center), Carly’s thought about renting out her house but doesn’t have very many options to choose from. It was a pleasure to help out with a few projects that required specific skill sets, such as cementing and rerouting a drain pipe.

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ShaRee

We also served another long term resident named ShaRee with her backyard. Twelve crew members weed-wacked and trimmed their way through a backyard jungle, yielding impressive results.

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A big thank you to City of Roses Disposal & Recycling for the drop box, Metro for providing paint, brushes, and a voucher for the drop box at Metro Transfer Station, Oregon Deli Co. and Mississippi Pizza Pub for their generous donations to feed all the volunteers and staff, as well as Stormbreaker Brewing, who provided a nice discount for the wrap-up celebration!

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The Day of Service was so successful that we would like to make it a regular event!

If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Dave Lowe at dave@rebuildingcenter.org.

ReBuilding Center x AAAH: Lending a hand to Portland homeowners June 11

AAAH DAY OF SERVICE

SATURDAY, JUNE 11TH

The ReBuilding Center has partnered with the African American Alliance for Homeownership (AAAH) to help current or former AAAH clients who need assistance with minor home repairs. In early May, AAAH mailed out applications for the project to over 800 homeowners living within the North/Northeast corridor area of Portland and in return received multiple repair requests. The requests include projects such as tree trimming, painting a kitchen, clearing a yard, attic insulation repair, fixing a porch railing and an electrical/plumbing project.

All projects are currently being assessed by a ReBuilding Center team to ensure the right materials and skills are available to complete each task. The collaboration will be held during the Village Building Convergence on June 11th from 9am – 5pm. Fun fact: our red cob trees at the front of our building were built during one of the first Village Building Convergence events! 

Staff and volunteers will meet in the morning at the ReBuilding Center and then set out to the separate project sites. With hopes of completing all projects within the day, whatever has not been completed on the designated day of service will be completed by staff and volunteers at a later date.  

More information will be released soon for those of you who would like to participate in the AAAH Day of Service.

To lend a hand to help with these minor repairs or to learn about our varied volunteer services that range from window display design, building in our fully equipped wood shop, working with our newsletter team to working in our warehouse, please sign up to volunteer or contact ReBuilding Center Volunteer Services Manager, Dave Lowe at volunteer@rebuildingcenter.org.

Grand Opening Event: Sons of Haiti Lodge Food Carts

We were once at risk of loosing one of the last African American owned businesses on Mississippi Avenue. Fortunately,  the community banded together and saved The Sons of Haiti Lodge Food Carts! To read more about all the hard work and dedication that went into this effort click the following link:

Please join us and celebrate the grand opening of the

Sons of Haiti Lodge Food Carts
Saturday June 4th,
4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will commence at 5:15 pm. Local Ecliptic Brewing is donating beer, the carts will be showcasing some of their cuisine, and of course no party is complete without cake!

PDC Chairman, Tom Kelly, will attend and make a few comments as well as John Bryant, president of the Sons of Haiti Masonic lodge.

BBYUP Provides Paid Summer Internships for Youth!

The BBYUP Program (Boise Business Youth Employment Program) provides ten low-income, at-risk youth with paid summer internships at Boise neighborhood businesses.

The internships run for six weeks over the summer at 20 hours per week. These young people will not only earn money, but they will gain invaluable work experience to launch their future careers as well as develop a deeper connection to their neighborhood and community.

The program, which is now six years old, is a partnership between the ReBuilding Center and Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC), a non-profit education management organization that also operates the Rosemary Anderson High School for at-risk youth.

Portland OIC recruits and screens applicants as well as providing them training, supervision and mentorship through the process. Portland OIC places youth in Boise Neighborhood businesses. Youth have completed internships at a wide variety of businesses including natural medicine providers, insurance agencies, printers, restaurants, and with us at the ReBuilding Center. You can see a complete list of businesses who participate in the program at BBYUP’s website below.

To ensure that youth are successful in their jobs, Portland OIC first provides training on skills such as conflict resolution and customer service. Youth also attend a once a week lunch at the ReBuilding Center to talk with Portland business leaders on operating small businesses and achieving personal career goals.

Neighborhood businesses, including the ReBuilding Center, donate funding for BBYUP. The program also receives steady funding through proceeds from the annual Mississippi Avenue Street Fair hosted by the Historic Mississippi Business Association. Those donations fund wages and training for the youth, as well as work supplies or clothing necessary for their jobs.

If you are a business interested in donating towards this amazing program, you can find a donation form at BBYUP’s website:

If you are interested in applying for an internship, email or call Program Manager Leigh Rapport at lrappaport@portlandoic.org or 503-797-7222.  You can also download an application from their website: 

Applications are due June 10th

What will you (re)make?

Creative Reuse of Our Community

We want to share a few of the many amazing creative reuse stories from the people of our community. Below you will find five brief tales of how creative reuse ideas came to life.

Submit your own creative reuse ideas for 10% off your next purchase*. 

Vote for your favorite reuse idea below and the winner will receive a $50 gift certificate!

Desks of Doors

The new Portland team of Eugene-based tech company, Sheer ID, has a tradition of making desks out of doors, so when the company opened a new location in NW Portland, they naturally had to carry that tradition. Repurposing doors all found at Rebuilding Center, the Portland team was able to create more door desks full of character to make them feel at home in their new space.

Life-Size Lincoln Logs

A recent customer, Gary, was asked to build a play structure for his niece using pre-made plans that were purchased. Once built, Gary realized how plain the structure was and decided to repurpose some materials he found at the Rebuilding Center to give the structure a more customized look, making him a hero to his niece.

Rebuilding Center Facelift

This is one of the latest and greatest daylight basement projects of ReBuilding Center patrons, Ruth and Joe. Using 10+ antique light fixtures, 6 framed doors that matched the original doors (with hardware included), french doors, 3 louvered doors, clear vertical grain for fencing, a pedestal sink, a low-flow toilet, brass door hinges, and more, the pair was able to restore their second home with salvaged materials sourced from the ReBuilding Center warehouse.

Kitchen Table Fit for a Farm

Wendy and Joshua are owners of the Odd Man Inn Animal Refuge in Washougal, Washington, which is home to over 80 cute critters and now a new farmstyle kitchen table that Wendy created entirely from repurposed wood found at the ReBuilding Center.

Father & Son Duo

Mario and Teddy are frequent customers of the lumber yard here at the ReBuilding Center, collecting materials to create beautiful tables out of salvaged wood. Typically the duo sell their masterpieces but word has it they may be donating one of these beauts to the ReBuilding Center soon so keep your eyes peeled!

Get your votes in by July 1st, 2016 and a winner will be awarded a $50 gift certificate*!

Create your own user feedback survey

*Limited to purchases up to $50 - valid through January 2017.

Mississippi Avenue Gives Back to SEI

Mississippi Ave. Giving Day

Tuesday, May 24th

Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) is a non profit organization supporting the needs of at-risk youth in the greater Portland area. Located just two blocks off the commercial street of Mississippi Ave. at N. Kerby, SEI partners with teachers and school administrators to identify the most at risk students to enroll in the program and to then provide those students with everything they need to achieve both personal and academic success.

On Tuesday, May 24th, 55+ businesses on Mississippi Avenue will show their support for the agency by donating 10%  of all sales to SEI. The funds donated will go towards a fundraising campaign that SEI has created called 25 for 25 Giving Campaign which aims to engage 2500 individuals in making a monthly $25 donation for the next three years to directly support SEI's youth and community development programs.

Please join us at the below locations to eat, drink and shop on Mississippi Ave and support SEI on May 24th:

• North Portland Bike Works
• Gumbo Gift Shop
• Another Read Through
• Flutter
• Black Wagon
• Gypsy Chic
• Jennyfer’s Boutique
• Sloan Boutique
• Paxton Gate
• Reading Frenzy
• Mr. Green Beans
• New Vintage Beauty Lounge
• Sunlan Lighting
• Salty’s Dog and Cat Shop
• Control Voltage
• Manifesto shoes
• PDXchange
• Worn Path
• She Bop
• Rebuilding Center
• Optik PDX - Eyeware Boutique
• The Herb Shoppe Pharmacy
• Animal Traffic
• Beacon Sound Record Store
• Ruby Jewel Ice Cream Shop
• Grand Central Baking

• Oregon Deli Company
• Radar Restaurant
• MAC! Mac and Cheesery
• Townshend’s Teahouse
• Spicy Spoon
• Por Qué No Taqueria
• Bar Bar
• Uchu Sushi & Fried Chicken
• Mo-beri Smoothies
• Mississippi Studios
• Stormbreaker Brewery
• Laughing Planet
• North Light
• Little Big Burger
• Tiffin Asha
• Samurai Blue
• Spin Laundry Lounge
• Equinox Restaurant & Lounge
• Mississippi Pizza
• Prost
• Interurban
• Stash Tea
• Blue Sky Wellness
• Trailhead Credit Union
• Kurisu International
• Mississippi Chiropractic

PPS Kids Design Their Own Guitars

May 1st - May 8th was ‪#‎STEMWeekOregon‬, a movement to raise awareness and celebrate activities that involve technology, engineering and math (STEM)!

What better way to celebrate than to open our wood shop doors to over 170+ Portland Public Schools students to build their own three-string guitars?

Over the last two weeks we have hosted two groups of middle school students from West Sylvan and Cesar Chavez, who have engaged in a hands-on learning process. With two more block classes to come, we look forward to the opportunity to show the relevance of their lesson plans in a practical way. Using sustainable materials, the students will learn about design processes that apply to everything from architecture to software development!

Portland Public Schools is teaming up with ReBuilding Center to bring STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) skills to over one-hundred-and-seventy seventh graders over the course of the month. Four groups of Middle School students will design and create their own three string guitar at ReBuilding Center and put new relevance to their lesson plans and put practical meaning to subjects learned in the classroom! If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please email ashley@rebuildingcenter.org.

We'd like to give big thanks to all of our volunteers, teachers, parents, staff, Black Book Guitars, WoodCrafters and Home Depot for all of your support to make this happen!

With Our Own Two Hands

We have a lot to celebrate this year. Although it did not go far enough, the Paris Agreement, within the context of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, was a giant step forward. For the first time ever, a clear international commitment was made to keep a significant portion of remaining hydrocarbons in the ground. Drafted in December 2015, the agreement “opens for signature” on Earth Day—April 22, 2016. 

Community members and organizations in Oregon have echoed the sentiment of the Paris Agreement by organizing to apply pressure on decision makers to move away from carbon-based fuels and toward a sustainable future. Thanks to these grassroots efforts, last month landmark victories were achieved to keep new LNG and coal projects out of Oregon.

And there’s been good news even closer to home. In February, Portland’s City Council passed a groundbreaking resolution to make deconstruction mandatory for all homes built more than 100 years ago that are scheduled for demolition (about 33% of single-family demolitions). The process of deconstruction will save millions of pounds of valuable building materials for reuse that would otherwise be put into the landfill. This new ordinance will reduce atmospheric carbon by roughly 800 tons per year while generating 20-25 new living-wage, permanent jobs. The ReBuilding Center is thankful for all who came together to vocalize your support for this resolution. Our DeConstruction Services department is excited to grow, and our store looks forward to offering more materials to the community!

These important policy developments, from the international to the local level, did not take place because politicians decided they were good things to do. They occurred because community members worked for them from the bottom up: we organized; we applied pressure; and, at long last, politicians acted. 

In the work we do and the incredible people we encounter every day at the ReBuilding Center, I am constantly reminded of the words of Desmond Tutu, painted on the front of our building: “Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

We invite you to join us as volunteers at the ReBuilding Center to be part of that change you want to see in the world—only together can we can create a sustainable community, environment, and economy. And so I will close with the lyrics fit for Earth Day from Ben Harper:

I can change the world
with my own two hands…
with our own
with our own two hands

or watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEnfy9qfdaU. If you haven’t heard it, it’s a great tune. Enjoy! 

Stephen Reichard
Executive Director

It’s National Volunteer Week and Earth Day is right around the corner! We’ve got a lot of volunteer opportunities for you in these next two weeks. Here is a list of volunteer opportunities to give back to the community and support environmental protection!

Table at the Fox Tower Sustainability Fair

Fox Tower is coordinating an event for eco-friendly, sustainable and local vendors. This would be a chance for you to spread awareness of the mission and goals of the ReBuilding Center to the business community in Portland and reach a wide range of people. This event will be held in the Fox Tower lobby April 21-22, Thursday and Friday; 11am-1pm.

Get exclusive tickets to events through volunteering with Wave PDX

We are excited to host some volunteers from wave this Thursday. Haven’t heard of them? They incentivize volunteerism through events where the only way to get tickets is by volunteering time in the community. Next month, Revolution Hall hosts Kurt Vile for an exclusive concert!

Glean materials from Metro Central

Work with us to visit the Metro Central Transfer station twice a week in order to keep usable building materials out of the waste stream! Twice weekly, we are organizing volunteer opportunities at the transfer station for those interested in sustainable waste management and getting a "behind the scenes" look at how we can help!

Available on Monday's and Thursdays from noon to 3pm, this project is looking for volunteers that can dedicate multiple trips in a row. Safety training and orientation on-site will be provided for your first shift. 

Spring and Summer Internships now open!

Every year, interns with ReBuilding Center take on amazing projects with our efforts to build communities with greater social and environmental vitality. If you, or someone you know, can benefit from a 3-6 month internship or a prolonged volunteer opportunity, consider working with us! Internship opportunities include: 

• Creative ReUse Library Curator
• Administrative Assistant Intern
• Volunteer Coordinator Intern
• Salvage Specialist Intern
• Volunteer Leader

Don't see anything that interests you? Let us know! We love to create opportunities for those committed to better world. Areas of interest where we have created internships in the past: 

• Community Health
• Social Justice
• DeConstruction
• Film/Photography content management

Monthly Volunteer Event

Thursday, April 14th, 6pm - 8pm

The second Thursday of every month is our after-hours volunteer event! It’s coming up quick, so grab your spot and get together with other volunteers from around the Portland area to enjoy a night of light-hearted material salvage. There’s a happy hour at StormBreaker Brewing to follow. Volunteers receive 25% off!

Help us reign in our Tile Area!

We are looking for a dedicated volunteer to take on our ever-growing tile area. Our wonderful volunteer, Bobby, has moved on to bigger and better things and we're looking for someone to fill her shoes. Check out the video we put together highlighting Bobby and her work with us!

The work done at the ReBuilding Center is all about creating opportunities for our community to become more equitable, vibrant, and sustainable. Volunteers like you are the backbone of our mission. If you have an interest in reducing waste, engaging in your community, and making a better world, come on out and hang with us - we'd love to see you!

Employee Spotlight: Pete Heim!

Pete Heim
Volunteer Site Supervisor

Interviewed by Brendan Fitzpatrick

Employed at the Rebuilding Center 2008- Present (with some time off in between)

Pete was born in Portland and attended school nearby on Interstate and Going St. After graduating from Central Catholic High School he moved to Chicago for what was thought to be a couple year stay. That couple years turned into eighteen before he returned home. His folks owned an antique shop on Killingsworth and Michigan where he was in charge of fixing and gluing furniture. Pete was frequently here at the Rebuilding Center looking for mahogany or oak or any kind of wood pieces. He says he “was down here every day just bugging the people.” One day, Angel was working and she informed Pete that there was a job opening and he should apply because he was “here all the time anyway”. He didn’t at first, but when his folks were in the process of closing down their antique store (and Angel kept asking) he finally put in an application. Two days later Tom, the warehouse manager, called him for an interview. When Pete came down, he sat down with Tom and Angel and they all just started laughing together because they had all known each other for so long. Needless to say, the interview was brief and pretty much started and ended with a “when can you start”. 

He has a background as both a carpenter and as an antique dealer, which is also an asset as an employee because he can identify anything in the store. He has been using materials from the Rebuilding Center to build all kinds of things himself. Pete says he enjoys building a variety furniture and art projects from materials found at The Rebuilding Center. Some of his projects include book cases, dressers and big trestle tables (before everyone started doing it). He is proud of an 8 foot long table he made for his home built out of oak from cabinet doors that also has eight drawers. He has even sold a small table he made to a woman from Michigan who had it shipped to her home there. Pete says he might be bringing down a couple of art projects to show for the opening of the commons. One project he plans on bringing is a chess set that he has shown here before, and the other he describes as “just a box, but that’s all I’m gonna say. But when you see it…”

He has seen the Rebuilding Center and neighborhood grow over the years not only as an employee but also as a customer and resident. He views sustainability as a way of life and that everything can be reused. Pete reminds us that with just a little imagination you can build anything with materials found here. He likes to let the volunteers know about the fun of reuse and reminds them that the materials also have history as well. When asked if he had any words of wisdom for us today he tells us, “Be aware of where you’re at and what you’re doing because if you start paying attention to what you’re looking at you will see things that you can use”.

Meet Mélanie Duault!

Mélanie Duault, an artist from Vaureal, France, approached us last December with an interest in creating a stop-motion video for the ReBuilding Center. She spent hundreds of hours physically manipulating each shot and then compiling and editing it into a playful three minute piece on how the ReBuilding Center works. 

Mélanie went to school for photography four years which led to a photo assistant internship with her video teacher in Germany. This experience spurred a move to New York where she attended the International Center for Photography and explored her passion for food photography and color studies. Now she’s happy to be living in Portland, doing lots of freelance work and living life!

Mélanie was inspired to volunteer for the ReBuilding Center because back in New York there was a similar organization called Build It Green where she used to spend lots of time getting inspired and picking up repurposed materials for shoots. She was pleased to find us in Portland and was interested in the deconstruction element we provide – repurposing materials that would otherwise be put into the landfill. Her favorite part of the stop-animation process is writing and drawing out her ideas and then realizing the images in her head. This project started with Mélanie wandering around the ReBuilding Center warehouse with a notebook in hand, looking for interesting shapes and colors. For instance, when she found the sink you see in the end of the video, she knew that she wanted to work it into the credits as a little visual surprise. 

Color is a reoccurring theme in her work. She loves creating vibrant environments and exploring what color means to individuals and loves how different people read meaning into different colors. Mélanie was happy to find us to put materials to good use and contribute to a more sustainable environment and community. Her work will be on display on media kiosks for the Commons launch this summer. You can follow her on social media and check out some of her other colorful projects here: 

i: @maaad.ly | t: @maaad_ly | f: maaadly| melanieduault.com

We are so grateful to be a part of an organization that spurs these acts of creative kindness! 

The answer is clear...

(via: www.statesmanjournal.com)

When the people of Oregon were confronted with the choice of using coal or clean energy to power their homes, the answer was clear. In March, Oregon became the first state in history to put a ban on coal-backed electricity generation. With around 30% of state wide electricity originating from coal-fired plants today, the legislature also mandates that renewable sources are used by utilities to generate at least half of their electricity by 2040. 

(via: cascadebusnews.com)

Large utility companies have already begun their own phase out of coal due to the evolving preference of the consumer towards clean energy and this legislature enhances this existing trend.

Window Reuse Ideas

We have all seen old windows up for grabs on our neighborhood forums and in the aisles of The Rebuilding Center. Once you’ve snagged these single pane lead-filled beauties, what next? Here are some ideas of how you can reimagine old or unneeded windows. 

Coat Rack

Supplies Needed

• Window
• Knobs or hooks
• 1"x4” piece of lumber
• Screws to fasten it all together
• Your favorite images

Cut your piece of lumber to size and fasten to the top of your window frame. This will be a shelf for your coat rack. Find your favorite knobs and hook and attach them to the front bottom of your window frame.  Glue or tape your favorite images of your friends and family to the back of the window facing forward.  That is all that this quick DIY project takes. You can always finish the shelf with paint to match your window frame. With the exception of your favorite images, all the items can be found at the Rebuilding Center. 

NOTE: To avoid splitting of the wood, pre-drill smaller holes in your frame before fastening screws. 

Chalkboard

Supplies Needed

• Window 
• Knobs or hooks
• Chalkboard Paint
• Screws to fasten your hardware

This is another simple DIY project. Paint the glass pane with your favorite colored chalkboard paint. Fasten your favorite hardware, keep in mind your needs based on where you will place your chalkboard. If you will have it in your kitchen, it could be cute to hang tea towels or your favorite coffee mug. If you want to hang it in your office or kid's room think about the hardware you will need for your use. Some alternatives to using chalkboard paint are dry erase board paint or magnetic paint. Once the paint is dry, you are ready to go!

Planter

Supplies Needed

• Window frame
• 1"x6” piece of lumber
• Hook screw
• Chain
• Screws to fasten your lumber
• Potted plant

This DIY project is great for an empty window frame or broken window reuse. Carefully remove the glass from your frame. Cut the lumber to the length of your window frame. Ensure that the 1"x6” is wide enough to provide stability to your frame. You can use wider or narrower wood depending on the height of your frame. Fasten the lumber to your frame with screws. Pre-drill a smaller hole and screw your hook in the top of the inside of the frame. Before you add your plant to your pot, drill holes for the chain. We used a metal pot; you may have different requirements depending on the type of pot you use. Ensure that the chain is the right length based on where you want the pot to hang. Connect the pot to the chain, add your favorite plant and hang the chain on the hook. 

Cabinet

Supplies Needed

• Lumber 
• Screws
• Hinges
• Knob

This DIY project requires more cutting and fastening than the above projects and could be a nice day project. The dimensions of your cabinet will depend on the size of your window. For this one I used 1"x2", 1"x6", and 1"x8" pieces of lumber for the sides and the back. I also used two rows of 1"x2" for the shelves. Your window will be the door. I measured the length of my window and added an additional 5". I added 2" to the bottom so the door doesn’t drag on the ground and I added 3" to the top so I can have an exterior shelf. Fasten three sides of your cabinet together using a 1"x2" strip for the rear and 2"x2" for the sides which also doubled as what will hold my shelving in place. So ensure the placement of the 2"x2"s on the sides match. Also make sure all the lumber is even height to avoid any teetering that might occur. Next cut the shelving and place it on the 2"x2" strips. You can fasten it in place but there is really no need. I found it easiest to place the cabinet on its back to install the door (window). Placing your hinges strait and at the same depth is important for the door to swing open with ease. Add your hardware and you are ready to go!

NOTE: The window I used was very heavy so when the cabinet was open it would tilt forward. This standing cabinet will have to be mounted to the wall to use.  

Vanport Mosaic is hosting a film festival in May

The desire to come together to preserve & discuss the memories & stories surrounding the story of Vanport, as well as, learn how they’ve impacted us today is truly inspiring. Read on to see how tragedy can be a learning experience and a chance at community growth and understanding.

Talk about the building of community! “The Vanport Mosaic initiative is a response to a growing desire to honor the legacy of the Vanport community and the 1948 flood, which started an overwhelmingly homogeneous Portland and Oregon down the path toward interracial progress.” The initiative aims to document and tell the stories of those connected to Vanport.

This last month, the ReBuilding Center hosted Laura Lo Forti of the Vanport Mosaic. She led the workshop in discussion as they shared skillsets around oral history, storytelling and spoke about ethical issues that occur when telling other people's stories. They also worked on interviewing skills and video shooting. With these developed skillsets they are now ready to go out and capture the stories of Vanport.

In May, The Vanport Mosaic project will bring together many of these stories, as well as, others at Vanport Mosaic Festival 2016. This event will be held at the site in commemoration of the 68th anniversary of the flood that took place in 1948. The festival will include music, dance, theater, film, poetry, lectures, tours, an historical exhibit, and dance.

One participant in the recent workshop, Todd Fadel, summed up the experience with this statement,

“This project symbolizes and encapsulates something I’ve been trying to articulate for a decade - how can a portlander model consideration for the discarded voices of our community in a way that inspires a new thought process far from blame and guilt?”

Want to join in the discussion regarding Vanport and the Vanport Mosaic initiative? Check out their website vanportmosaic.org

Salvage Works Reuses Vintage Lumber from Deconstructed Buildings to Make Beautiful Furniture

- by Whitney Laucks

Salvage Works is owned and operated by brother and sister team Preston and Rachel Browning.  They opened their doors in 2010, and in 2015 were able to upgrade to a 25,000 square foot facility in the historic Kenton neighborhood.  Inspired by their mother, who was an architect that practiced green building techniques even before such customs had been given a name, these siblings decided to follow in her footsteps and reuse local, vintage lumber and turnit into something new and beautiful.  

All lumber that Salvage Works uses is reclaimed from deconstructed barns and houses.  Even though these historic monuments may be falling apart as is, by recycling their invaluable material the Prestons are able to keep Oregon history alive. This is wood that is simply unavailable otherwise, and this crew knows the story behind every incredible piece of furniture that they create.  For instance the beautiful bar from Swift and Union seen in the picture below was made out of the lumber from this barn in Canby originally constructed in the 1920’s. 

Everything is made by hand with skilled craftsmanship and a great of team people who committed, not only to reuse, but to the preservation of Oregon History.  Every Third Thursday of the month Salvage Works hosts a celebration of this kind of carpentry and sculptural work, usually accompanied by live local music and libations.

2024 N ARGYLE ST
PORTLAND, OR 97217
INFO@SALVAGEWORKSPDX.COM
503-899-0052
MON-SAT 9-6, SUN 11-4
MONTHLY THIRD THURSDAY ART CELEBRATION COMMENCES AT 6PM

Camp SCRAP informs children about Creative Reuse

At Camp SCRAP kids from first through sixth grade are given the opportunity to explore the vast opportunities of creative reuse. Each day participants are educated about the fun and inventive ways recycled materials can be used in new and interesting ways.  For instance, one child took an old CD case and turned it into a bird feeder.  There are portions of the day dedicated to scheduled activities lead by staff members. There is also always allotted time for free building to allow the campers to let their individual creativity run loose with access to a craft supply wall that has loads of materials to reuse. Areas that are predominately showcased are Collage/Assemblage, Sculpture, Drawing/Painting, and Sewing.

SCRAP also offers many other educational creative reuse opportunities. Preschoolers to College students can schedule field trips to SCRAP for a unique and hands on experience with reducing excess by reusing materials.  Students will take away an informed vocabulary of this concept as well a true understanding of how important these practices are and how fun and creative this process can be.  These trips are easily customizable based on age group, number of kids, special needs or any other additional requirements. If a field trip is not possible to organize SCRAP will happily visit classrooms to give a one hour tutorial on the amazing benefits of reusability.

Every year SCRAP partners up with one local school that is lacking in art funding to donate reused material and crafts.  They also offer education and insight on projects and activities.  In turn each year’s highlighted school documents their artistic endeavors to further inspire education in the arts and in creative reuse.  Previous schools that have been involved in this program include Rigler Elementary, Whitman Elementary and The Ivy School.

In 1998 a group of teachers were desperate to find a way to avoid throwing away leftover classroom materials each year and decided to incept SCRAP. They originally brought these items to a Portland Public School’s resource space, A Teacher’s Space, for other teachers and administrators to use.  This didn’t prove to be impactful enough, so in 1999 Joan Grimm and group of her peers applied for and received a grant from the Department of Environmental Quality to open a resuse center for the whole community.  We, the ReBuilding Center, were the first to donate a space for them to operate in.  In 2013 SCRAP PDX redirected over 140 tons of usable material from the waste stream.  In other words, SCRAP not only rules, but they are the arts and crafts equivalent to ReBuilding Center!

For more information or to sign up for Camp SCRAP or to learn more about SCRAP’s vision and educational opportunities please visit srcappdx.org

Decon '16 - Notes From A Conference

Decon '16 - Notes From A Conference
- written by Stephen Reichard, Executive Director

"Wow! For those of you who have met me, and those I have not yet met, I am a novice - a babe in the woods; a colt; a cub; a fledgling – to the world of deconstruction, reuse, reclaim, and repurpose. So it was with considerable anticipation and trepidation that I approached my first BMRA (Building Materials Reuse Association) Deconstruction conference in Raleigh this week.

Where to begin? Let’s start in Savannah, GA where, in 2009, Emergent Structures took down 200 units of housing built in 1943 for shipbuilders as part of the war effort. Following the war, these homes became public housing and, like so much other public housing in the United States, eventually a blighted neighborhood, a haven for crime, and drug use – a place that terrified the very people who lived there. Emergent Structures inventoried the site, creating a three dimensional shopping market on-line that described the materials that were to come out of these 200 units. And they put the materials on line – so that contractors hired to redevelop the site could pre-order materials on-line.

As I came to discover, Heart Pine is to the East Coast as Doug Fir is to the Pacific Northwest. You can’t reuse studs, right? So Emergent Structures worked with a manufacturer and turned those Heart Pine studs into trusses. Reclaimed materials on site were turned into construction materials for the redevelopment of the public housing project. This created happy, healthy homes for the folks who were living in this once blighted community.

Beautiful heart pine trusses, made from salvaged heart pine 2x4s, can be seen here.

There are 230,000 public housing units in the United States that need to come down. How can we transform lives and communities through an ethic of reuse and repurpose?

In Springfield, MA, Pam Howland, 70 years young, refurbishes windows from abandoned factories being repurposed for loft living, removing the windows, stripping and repairing the wood, removing the caulk, refinishing them and replacing the glass, before returning the windows to the repurposed factory, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars and preventing the construction of 900 windows – and the consequent carbon footprint arising from their manufacture – in one building alone.

Pam teaches young, single mothers how to do this work. A single, large window generates up to $650 in revenue. Three windows a week is not out of the question, providing a living wage to a single mother who might otherwise struggle in this depressed rust-belt city.

In Philadelphia, PA, Greg Trainor (Philadelphia Community Corps) has bootstrapped a deconstruction business into a job training business. And while their measured output is jobs, they generate materials and rejuvenate neighborhoods in blighted North Philly.

And in Vermont, three friends have come together to create a workers’ cooperative that promises ownership in the business to hired workers within six months to a year of employment, helping the underemployed to gain job skills and capital as they seek to build a future for themselves by reclaiming materials. 

For-profit or not-profit, and beyond the ethic of repurpose, reuse and reclaim, every organization in attendance seemed to hold as a fundamental principle the concept of justice: livable wages with benefits; hiring ex-cons, women, POC. Like no other industry in which I’ve ever worked, there is at its core the understanding that sustainability is not just about the environment; it’s about human systems interacting with our environment in a way that enables both the humans and the environment to thrive. I love this place! "

In a nutshell...

Stephen attended the Decon '16 Conference February 29th - March 2nd in Raleigh, NC.

The untold story of the only black man on the Lewis & Clark Expedition-York comes to Portland on March 12 and 13

The ReBuilding Center and the Native American Youth and Family Center invite you to attend York, a powerful one-man play about the only black man on the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

David Casteal plays York as “a whirlwind, a force of nature, a vital, laughing, raging bundle of muscle and brain” (Jim Kershner, The Spokesman-Review).

Proceeds benefit NAYA’s Early College Academy and the ReBuilding Center’s Community Outreach Program. Each performance is preceded by spoken word by Native American students in the Early College Academy.

Showtimes: 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 12 & 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 13 –  short Q&A panel to follow

Location:     Jefferson High School Auditorium (5210 N Kerby Ave.)

Tickets:        Purchase advance tickets at www.rebuildingcenter.org/york ($7.00 for students and $12.00 for adults or $15.00 at the door). To inquire about group ticket sales, please email info@rebuildingcenter.org.

SCHEDULE

March 12th
Saturday Evening

6:30 p.m. - doors
7:00 p.m.

Intros
Spoken word performance
Play begins

8:40 p.m. - Play wraps

10 minute intermission

8:50 p.m. - Q & A

9:15 p.m. - Close
 

March 13th
Sunday Matinee

1:30 p.m. - doors
2:00 p.m.

Intros
Spoken word performance
Play begins

2:40 p.m. - Play wraps

10 minute intermission

2:50 p.m. - Q & A

3:15 p.m. - Close

York tells the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the eyes of York, William Clark’s childhood companion and slave. The RBC and NAYA are proud to share this story of people of colors' contributions to this iconic event in Pacific Northwest history. It’s a slice of American history rarely told, from a perspective rarely heard.

Directed by Susan Hardie, York was conceived by two Spokane-based talents, actor and African drummer David Casteal and playwright Bryan Harnetiaux. York has been performed across the Northwest to packed houses and standing ovations. In a stirring performance, Casteal weaves the story of York’s challenges and accomplishments, blending gripping first-person narration with energetic, live African drumming and traditional Native American drum recordings. Although York proved an important participant in the Expedition, he was not recognized as a member of the Corps of Discovery until nearly 200 years after the Expedition. In 2001, President Clinton posthumously awarded York the rank of Honorary Sergeant in the Corps of Discovery.

Cast

David Casteal, actor: Casteal is a sixth-grade teacher and expert African drummer. He has a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology.

Susan Hardie, director: Hardie directed the original 2005 production of York in Spokane. She acts and directs throughout the Northwest.

Bryan Harnetiaux, playwrite: Harnetiaux has been Playwright-in Residence at Spokane Civic Theatre since 1982. He has written over 40 plays.

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THE EVENT

Ron Craig, master of ceremonies: Craig is a filmmaker and author with a 17-year history with York, beginning with a documentary in 1999, “Who Was York? A New Look at the Lewis and Clark Expedition.”

For the Q&A Panel, David Casteal and Bryan Harnetiaux will be joined by:

Se-ah-dom Edmo, panelist, is coordinator of the Indigenous Ways of Knowing program at Lewis & Clark College. Her published works include Tribal Equity Toolkit: Tribal Resolutions and Codes to Support Two Spirit & LGBT Justice in Indian Country, Identity Wars: A Comparative Ethical Critique of the Debate Over Indian Identity, and a book entitled American Indian Identity: Citizenship, Membership, and Blood. Her tribal affiliations are Shoshone-Bannock, Yakama, and Nez Perce. 

Roger Wendlick, panelist, is a nationally recognized Lewis & Clark historian and author. He compiled the most significant collection of Lewis and Clark literature anywhere in the world, donatedhis materials to Lewis & Clark College and wrote a memoir about his collecting days.

Spoken Word Performance
ECA Student Poet Group: Rebels on Stage

Manuel Jackson (Klamath Modoc), Aaron Lilly (Navajo), J’Laina Grimm (Kickapoo Winnebago), Paulina Gutierrez (Inupiaq), Talise Mendoza-Green (Klamath)

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Resources

Want more historical background on York?

To learn more about the fascinating tale the unofficial member of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, watch this half-hour documentary: Oregon Experience: Searching for York, produced by OPB.

Article provided by the Oregon Historical Society:

York of the Corps of Discovery: Interpretations of York’s Character and His Role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition

BY DARRELL M. MILLNER
FALL 2003, 104:3

Take a Stand for Deconstruction!

TAKE A STAND FOR DECONSTRUCTION!

Wednesday, February 17th
City Hall
1221 SW 4th Ave.

sign up to testify by 1:30
hearing starts at 2:30

In 2015, 337 homes in Portland came down. Of those, only about 30 were deconstructed. The cost to our community, and to our planet, in terms of waste to the landfill, increased atmospheric carbon, not to mention the loss of valuable materials (that could have helped build a sustainable Portland) are calculable.

·      4,800 tons of materials sent to the dump

·      7,200 tons of CO2 released into the atmosphere

·      720,000 gallons of water wasted

·      4,800 tons of materials with a market value of more than $5,000,000 that could have been re-used or re-purposed to build a more sustainable Portland

In addition, the opportunity to create dozens of meaningful jobs with good pay and good benefits is lost.  

via ReBuildingCenter.org/Deconstruction-Services

On February 17the Portland City Council will consider a resolution that will mandate that all homes built more than 100 years ago must be deconstructed. The hearing begins at 2:30PM.

“The resolution would direct BPS to develop code language that:

Requires projects seeking a demolition permit for a one or two-family structure (house or duplex) to fully deconstruct that structure if:

1. The structure was built in 1916 or earlier; or
2. The structure is a designated historic resource.”

Demo permits per year built.

Examples of Portland Homes built before 1916

Examples of Portland Homes built before 1916

Examples of Portland Homes built before 1916

Examples of Portland Homes built before 1916

Examples of Portland Homes built before 1916

Examples of Portland Homes built before 1916

Individuals who would like to testify should arrive no later than 1:30PM to sign up. Testimony will be limited to no more than three minutes, possibly two minutes depending upon the number of people who would like to testify. In an effort to testify within time limits, it is recommended that those who would like to testify should limit their remarks to just one topic.

I hope to see many of you there! Join us for happy hour drinks around the corner and deconstruct the Deconstruction hearing afterwards.

Stephen Reichard
Executive Director
The ReBuilding Center

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Check the links below for more info:

Habitat for Humanity article, "Decon Incentives to be Evaluated"

The City of Portland's Bureau of Planning & Sustainability "Proposed Deconstruction Requirement Recommendation"