RTNO Decon and Salvage Program
Written By: Sean Vissar, Deconstruction and Salvage Program Manager & Marissa Allweiss, PR/Information Officer at the Preservation Salvage Store
A program of the Preservation Resource Center, Rebuilding Together New Orleans (RTNO) has partnered with National Trust for Historic Preservation, City of New Orleans, Mercy Corps, The Louisiana Land Trust, and FEMA, in order to expand and further the efforts of its Deconstruction and Salvage Program. Established in 2008, RTNO’s Deconstruction and Salvage Program has been embraced as a community tool supporting an environmentally conscientious alternative to conventional demolition throughout the city. RTNO utilizes this ground-breaking program to help save, recycle and reuse historic architectural and structural materials from hundreds of blighted homes and buildings left in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
As its primary focus, RTNO’s Deconstruction and Salvage Program strives to reduce the amount of construction and demolition waste entering the region’s landfills by maximizing the reuse of building materials obtained through deconstruction. Deconstruction is the methodical and strategic dismantling of a structure by hand. Through careful deconstruction, structural and historically significant architectural elements can be preserved and reinserted back into the city’s current housing stock. Not only does RTNO strive to reuse salvaged and deconstructed items in its home renovation program for homeowners who are elderly, disabled, or single heads of households, but these reclaimed items are also available to the public for resale at the Preservation Salvage Store. The revenue generated from material sales funds RTNO’s operational expenses, thus creating an earned income strategy for the organization.
In providing affordable, salvaged building materials to the New Orleans community, RTNO’s Deconstruction and Salvage Program, along with the Preservation Salvage Store, protects and maintains this quintessential component of New Orleans’ cultural identity. Many of these reclaimed items are out of production and/or are no longer manufactured. As one Preservation Salvage Store customer states, “I try and use older and more authentic material whenever I can, because the quality is so much more supreme in comparison to newly manufactured items. I live in an old house that was built in the 1860s. It just seems right to put the old material, like your store offers, back into an old house such as mine. And, because a lot of the older material, no matter what it is, has more character and beauty than anything you’re going to find today.”
The benefits resulting from deconstruction and selective salvage don’t just apply to the aesthetic appeal and historical interest of the items gathered, but they also pertain to the environment and the local economy. Through deconstruction, reuse is a viable option for renovating and rebuilding, and also minimizes the need for manufacturing virgin materials. As a result, reusing deconstructed and salvaged items reduces air, water and land pollution, limits the need for new natural resources, such as timber, petroleum, fibers, and other materials. Furthermore, as a 501©3, nonprofit organization, RTNO provides receipts to property owners for all deconstructed materials salvaged or donated.
Playing a crucial role in reducing blighted properties in New Orleans, the Deconstruction and Salvage Program, to date, has performed salvage and deconstruction on 202 properties across the metropolitan area, saving over 869 cubic yards (equivalent to 29 thirty-yard dumpsters) of materials from being discarded.
With the dedication and compassion of only three full-time staff members, five Louisiana Delta Service Corps members, and three AmeriCorps VISTAS, the Deconstruction and Salvage Program has created a positive impact within the community and will continue to progress as each item is salvaged and diverted from landfill.
To learn more about RTNO’s Deconstruction and Salvage Program and the services provided visit http://www.rtno.org/get-involved/deconstruction/.
Buzz Armbruster / Armbruster Construction
I commend you for your efforts to preserve our architectual history one piece at a time. As a restoration contractor who has been working on historical homes and buildsings for over 30 years I know how hard it can be to find the materials and elements to properly restore historical buildings. These materials are tresures that cannot be replaced. Too often it has been considered not cost effective to salvage these materials. Times and atitudes are changing and you guys can take pride in being part of that movement.
Having worked with the PRC as a technical advisor for Operation Comeback and being very famliar with salvaged and reclaimed historical elements and their value I would sugest that you reconsider how you price the items you have. I have tried to purchase items on numerous occations and found the priceing to be unreasonable. You will sell more if you price things fairly. Thanks and Keep up the Good work.