Today’s site visit takes me to the northern suburbs
of Philadelphia, an area that is showing many of the signs of industrial
decline but is also rapidly sowing the seeds of a comeback.
Greg Trainor, Executive Director of Philly Reclaim learned how to deconstruct buildings in 2006 as an AmeriCorps Member, even traveling with his tools on the bus to salvage projects.
With Philadelphia facing a fluctuating population
and large numbers of abandoned properties, Greg was inspired by the Buzz Bissinger book “A Prayer for the
City”, describing the unique lengths taken by its mayor to fight back against
the decline of the city.
With a focus on efforts to revitalize blighted
neighbourhoods by deconstructing abandoned buildings, Philadelphia Community
Corps was founded in 2011 to provide career training programs that empower
underserved citizens to revitalize blighted neighborhoods by deconstructing
vacant buildings and salvaging materials for reuse.
As the organisation has grown, job
training, obtaining tax benefits for property owners and the Philly Reclaim
retail store were added to grow the organisation.
Working in this space isn’t easy with the
organisation having to move three times in seven years to increasingly bigger
premises with them now occupying an 1800 square metre warehouse in Tacony, Philadelphia.
Covid has stressed the organisation a flourishing training programme that would
typically consist of 10-15 people is currently stalled.
Nonetheless, Philly Reclaim has found a niche in
dealing with some otherwise tricky materials. Greg’s wide contacts with
deconstruction contractors provides a steady supply of original timbers from residential
deconstruction. The strong demand for these timbers creates a reliable income
with indications that there are dealers stock piling timber for later resale at
higher prices.
For the deconstruction contractors, it enables them
to provide tax deductible donation to their clients although Greg indicates this
isn’t what they would instinctively do with mechanical deconstruction still a preferred
option
“Deconstruction is the medicine they wouldn’t
otherwise choose to take”
But with a tax deduction of between $US60,000 and $US100,000
available the owner of the building, it is financially compelling to
deconstruct rather than smash it up.
We often hear the argument that some materials have
little or no prospects for recovery or reuse. Along with old timber, bricks have
gained popularity as a decorative material across the US.
Greg has also tapped into niche markets like brick
tiles where old bricks are sliced lengthways and then applied like tiles to
create a realistic looking brick wall without all the weight or work to build
it. The look of old brick walls is popular and demand for these tiles is high.
It is however somewhat dependant on getting the supply of bricks and they need
to be whole and only have sustained a small amount of damage in deconstruction and transport to
their yard.
Brick tiles are used in commercial interiors to give a brick effect with the ease of applying tiles
The Philly Reclaim store stocks a large range of deconstruction fixtures, fittings and building materials. The store receives a large number of tools as donations and the store operates a tool library for local residents
These are without doubt challenging times for
organisations like Philadelphia Community Corps who are focused on making
change. But by focusing on active markets for in demand materials Philadelphia Community
Corps are continuing carrying on the dream in Buzz Bissinger’s book.
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