Salvaged Highlights of 2019!

Greetings Reuse Fans,

At the beginning of this new year, we thought we’d do a retrospective of some of the highlights of 2019. Partly because there were some great stories, but also because we all took some time off and weren’t here to prepare the usual up-to-the-minute email for you! We hope you got to spend time away from the hustle of daily life too.

April 5, 2019: Engineering History Becomes Architectural Salvage Through Our Michael Baker Jr. House Deconstruction

A future President and a King visited this house before CJ!

In June 2017 I received a call from a partner at Third Street Beaver Associates, LLC, whose three members had acquired the Michael Baker Jr. House. The tone in his voice carried the expectation that I would recognize the house name. I did not, but we scheduled a time for CJ’s deconstruction manager to walk the property. Upon his return, I inspected his photos, and with dropped jaw, I googled the Michael Baker Jr. house… Read more here

May 31, 2019: Out From Under The Bridge: The Big CJ Move To North Lexington Street

As many of you know, 2019 is the 20^th year of CJ working to support the reuse of building materials. In May of this year ,we marked the 17^th anniversary of the opening of CJ in our current location in North Point Breeze. In the two decades that I have been involved with CJ, this is the single best decision the organization has made – with the notable exception of opening in the first place. Read more here.

*The original CJ box truck outside of 214 North Lexington Street. (Photo from a story on the opening of our new location in the Pittsburgh City Paper.)*

May 24, 2019: Salvaged Gothic Revival Pieces From Our Deconstruction Crew

Construction Junction’s Deconstruction operation has been busy in 2019, and the impact for our organization, our mission, and the circular economy cannot be understated!

One of our larger jobs has brought in some really stunning Gothic revival style materials now featured in the store. While many preservationists will undoubtedly shed a tear, the story is one altogether too familiar to us. A building that was subject to too many years of neglect had fallen into disrepair.

While unable to be saved as a whole, we were fortunate to be granted access to assist in the deconstruction of this early 1900s structure. At Construction Junction, our hope is that we can continue to play a vital role in historical preservation through architectural salvage. Read more here.

November 8, 2019: Reflecting on 20 Years of Reuse with Construction Junction

On November 12, 2019, Construction Junction celebrated 20 years of store operations. For better or worse (depends on who you ask, of course), I have been the Executive Director of Construction Junction for every one of those 20 years. When I was hired by the Pennsylvania Resources Council in late 1998 to work on Construction Junction (CJ), it was as an independent contractor with the specific task of finding a location for the operation. I had strong doubts that this gig would extend beyond my task of diligently wading through Pittsburgh’s stock of vacant warehouse buildings to find a suitable launching pad for this idea. I did not have construction or retail experience, so how far could I go with this? The answer is 20 years so far… and still counting! Read more here.