Diverting House Parts on the Front Range
Colorado residents near Boulder and Fort Collins can resource unwanted construction materials and find deals on recycled house parts at ReSource Yard, the waste division of the Center for ReSource Conservation. There are two ReSource Yard’s, one in Boulder and one in Fort Collins, and both are filled with finds like a selection of wood windows, lighting, cabinetry, flooring and lots of other great reusable building materials. The initiative has been in operation for over a decade and racked up quite a few local and national awards for their efforts in waste reduction and diverting materials from landfills. Online at http://resourceyard.org/
The Politics of Demolition in New Orleans
The National Trust New Orleans field office director, Walter Gallas, blogged last week that, indeed, public housing demolitions have begun in three of the four public housing developments slated to be razed. At current, HUD is spending $762 million to tear down over 4,600 public housing subsidized apartments. All at a time when the Gulf Coast, and the nation, is facing one of the worst affordable housing crisis in American history. Read more
Reclaimed Wood Tables by Alan Vogel
Dwellers in Washington state looking for beautiful, handcrafted furniture from reclaimed wood need look no further than the pieces from Alan Vogel. Made from timber salvaged from old barns and farm buildings, Vogel transforms old lumber into timeless tables and benches for home, office and eateries.
Still Saving a ‘modern’ in New Canaan
I’ve been following the fate of the Alice Ball house in New Canaan, one of Philip Johnson’s masterpieces that might be razed before summer rolls around. I was on the East Coast last week and had a brief opportunity to drive by this icon. It is still standing, although the demolition permits are in the hands of the owner.
HGTV Changing the World One Renovation at a Time
HGTV recently announced the winners of the Change the World, Start at Home campaign aimed at revitalizing communities across the country. Several projects within five cities are going to get a helping hand from HGTV, Natural Resources Defense Council, Rebuilding Together and the National Trust for Historic Preservation on energy upgrades, open space improvements, home repairs and more.
Focus on New Orleans, with help from This Old House
New Orleans owns a pretty big piece of my heart and, post-Katrina, my thoughts often turn to the city and the area. I first fell in love with the region on a 2004 trip to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Then again on a two week field study trip up and down the Mississippi River where I learned about Environmental Justice, met community activists fighting for their communities and reaffirmed my love affair with the sights, sounds and smells of the Big Easy.
