Our History
Construction Junction has been driving reuse since 1999
We’re western Pennsylvania’s first nonprofit used/surplus building material retailer
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History
It all started under the 62nd Street Bridge
In November of 1999, the Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC) founded Construction Junction (CJ) – a nonprofit that would serve the Pittsburgh region as a facility for collecting secondhand materials that were destined for landfills and making them available for sale to the general public. PRC, the oldest grass roots environmental organization in the state, developed the idea for a nonprofit building material reuse organization and retailer together with Green Building Alliance and Conservation Consultants, Inc. (now Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh). The original store, located in a warehouse beneath the 62nd Street Bridge in the furthest recess of Upper Lawrenceville, opened for the first day of business on November 12, 1999.
A neighborhood success
By 2001 we had outgrown that space, and we opened in our current location in the East End neighborhood of Point Breeze North in June of 2002, where we have operated a larger retail store, material receiving and processing space, plus building subtenant spaces.
Due to the amazing support of the Pittsburgh area community, we have experienced years of ever growing numbers of donors, customers, and the amount of material diverted from landfill!
A Pittsburgh phenomenon to fill the funding gap
Reuse on a large scale creates many overhead costs, from Worker’s Compensation Insurance to rent to supplies. The revenue from sales of donated items is only enough to pay for around 90% of the bills we have to pay to keep the store and warehouse going. In order to raise money to support the other 10% of our core running costs, we needed a fundraising idea. In 2007, at the former Sharp Edge Beer Emporium location in Friendship (if you know, you know), a group of CJ supporters came up with the answer – and the Steel City Big Pour® was born. The Big Pour is a fantastic event, featuring tastes of the finest foods and craft beers from the Pittsburgh area, and live art by local artists.
We organize and run the Big Pour ourselves – it’s our only fundraiser – and it’s held once a year here at CJ. The Big Pour generates enough revenue to cover that other 10% of our running costs, and is so successful that funds raised have also allowed us to make occasional improvements and undertake partnerships and community programming.
But don’t just take our word for it!
Construction Junction was featured in Rick Sebak’s 25 Things I Like About Pittsburgh – The Steel City Big Pour was number 7 and Construction Junction itself was number 8! You can buy the DVDs from WQED, too.