Greetings Reuse Fans,
onmilwaukee.com
While sitting at my desk last week I received an exciting update. A colleague, the Construction Waste Specialist for the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, shared with me that the city of Milwaukee, WI. just passed an ordinance to require deconstruction for all buildings built in 1929 or before. This is similar to one that Portland passed almost a year ago. Since Portland’s ordinance was passed, 75 buildings have been deconstructed, and only 5 did not meet the standard for a safe, effective dismantling.
CJ will be closely watching Milwaukee, because that city looks a lot more like Pittsburgh than Portland does, having a significant number of blighted urban properties in need of demolition. The big question for cities like Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Cleveland and the smaller municipalities outside these urban centers is, who pays the extra cost of deconstruction? As it often falls to the city to pay for demolishing blighted properties, where could the money come from ensure these properties are deconstruction instead? Deconstruction creates jobs, supports reuse organizations, and keeps materials from the landfill, so the benefits are many. But, as we know, municipalities have limited financial resources.
In Portland, deconstruction is supported by the private sector. Owners benefit from the tax deductions they receive when deconstructed materials are donated to nonprofits similar to Construction Junction or Habitat for Humanity Restores, and these tax deductions help offset the additional costs associated with deconstruction.
CJ’s own deconstruction program continues to look for opportunities to work with home owners considering demolition of a property who would like an evaluation for deconstruction. Currently, CJ only does salvage, not the final demolition. We do have lots of experience working not only with the donor, but also with demolition contractors, to create an efficient schedule for salvage and demolition. If you’re interested in our services, please ask our Deconstruction Manger, Brian, for a free consult. You can reach Brian through our webform, via email: deconstruction@cjreuse.org, or by phone 412-243-5025 ext. 31!
As we continue to champion the merits of salvage and reuse, we will be watching with interest to see how the City of Milwaukee’s new ordinance unfolds.
Mike Gable
Executive Director
