Western New York's Largest Supplier of Reclaimed & Surplus Building Material

Do not wait…

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“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” ~Mother Teresa Though my formal schooling is long behind me, I’m grateful that my hunger for new information, ideas, and skills is still rumbling.  I learn best from doing, so if I were to spend the next year in learning mode, I’d design my year to learn directly from some of my friends that are experts in their respective fields.  I can think of many of this fine folks…friends that are overflowing with information and skills, people whose talent I envy and admire, and individuals that have so much … Read more

It takes OUR village…

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I’m sure you’re heard the proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.”  Today, we’re asking our friends, colleagues, family members, acquaintances, and folks we’re now meeting for the first time, to help us in supporting some youth in our village, right here in Buffalo, NY.    Four weeks ago, ReUse Action, took on the responsibility of apprenticing nine young adults from the Outsource Training Center on the East Side of Buffalo.  They all arrived for their first day of work at the Hotel Lafayette downtown, eager, ready for work, willing to make a change in their lives.  When we … Read more

Re-Training the Queen City — Part 1

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So…i’m getting heat from ReUse Action staff that we are not doing the best job keeping our website up to date of current events and happenings…the problem is we’re so darn busy. This blog post features an update on our latest and greatest project ever…the 468 room salvage at the Hotel Lafayette.  Work began just two weeks ago and we anticipate another 4 weeks on-site.  We’re making progress, keeping tremendous materials out of the landfill and creating employment opportunities here in our fine city… And now, the latest from staff member Megan McNally…more to come… Retraining the Queen City: Part … Read more

Building ReUse Special Forces…

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The building reuse industry is growing, getting more attention, and becoming a more realistic option for developers, architects, and homeowners. Buffalo Deconstruction Contractors, ReUse Action and Buffalo ReUse, shared their expertise and learning experiences yesterday as participants and presenters at the 3rd Annual Deconstruction Summit in Syracuse. While I was serving at Buffalo ReUse, we submitted a bid package to deconstruct eighteen residential structures as part of the Syracuse University School of Environmental Science and Forestry’s (ESF) campus expansion.   While ESF ultimately opted for demolition with a very challenging construction timeline, our involvement and expertise was given praise yesterday by … Read more

why recycle building parts and materials?

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Last Fall, ReUse Action staff deconstructed a barn in Syracuse in collaboration with a new company called D-Build.  We were on site for three days, salvaged tons of antique beams and planks, and almost all of it was distributed to customers in the Syracuse area. D-build created an awesome video of that green demolition…you should check it out if you want to learn more about hybrid deconstruction…i.e. green demolition.  Check it out here… ReUse Action staff can consult with architects, homeowners, companies, and municipalities on how to best reuse building materials, source reused materials for building projects, and remove buildings without adding … Read more

reuse at Livestrong Foundation

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Not only is the Livestrong Foundation fighting to improve the lives of people across the nation and the world living with cancer, their National Headquarters in East Austin, Texas, is an amazing example of reuse in action.  Previously a paper plant built in the 1950’s, this LEED Gold Project now models the tremendous artistic and aesthetic potential of incorporating existing elements and reclaimed materials into design and rehabilitation. In this second photo, you can see how the old manufacturing building was modified and fashioned with a new sawtooth roof.  To accomplish this new design modification, which greatly increases natural lighting … Read more

Super Insulate Your Home…

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It’s amazing to me that it is still acceptable in the building code to insulate homes with fiberglass batt insulation in colder climates.  With cold temperatures for close to half the year and steadily increasing energy costs, there is certainly a need to be more creative about how we design, build, and insulate our living and working spaces. ReUse Action just finished a project on the lower west side using reclaimed rigid foam insulation.  We were hired to insulate the attic space in a standard Buffalo double.  The attic space will be utilized in the future, so we chose to … Read more

reclaiming the queen city: chapter 1

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So a big part of our work at ReUse Action will focus on designing and creating spaces that feature and incorporate both existing components and reclaimed materials.  This is the first chapter in a series of projects that will feature the creative use of reclaimed materials.  Some will be the featured projects of ReUse Action, others the design and invention of other reclaimed folks here in the Queen City, and some will be featured projects from far away lands.  We hope you will find these projects interesting.  Maybe you’ll learn something that you can incorporate into one of your own … Read more

mining for ideas in TO…

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So there’s nothing like a visit to Toronto to stimulate your brain cells and get the ideas flowing.  As I walked through an area called the Junction on Dundas Street in Toronto, I started thinking about the power and potential of entrepreneurship as an economic booster in Buffalo.  Not just plain old profit driven business, but entrepreneurship embraces people and place.   Entrepreneurship that doesn’t just take and consume, but that gives back.  Business that creates a net positive impact for its workers, the environment, and the community in which it operates.  This is what we’re thinking of when we use … Read more

taking the first step…

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When we started ReUse, our initial momentum was fueled by the combination of belief that a better way existed, unyielding determination despite the many obstacles, and passion for the health of our environment and our community.  This is what got me out of bed every morning and kept me up late into the evening. The belief, determination, and passion fueled my fire of action for almost four years.  When I was terminated from ReUse, the fire was completely extinguished, dramatically and without warning.  Even more devastating was the loss of my team, my collaborators, my partners.  I still experience a … Read more

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