Mission

The ReCONNstruction Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  Our mission is to promote environmental and social sustainability by salvaging unwanted, but perfectly good building materials, and reselling them at prices affordable to the average wage earner, and to support these activities specifically in urban areas, recognizing these locations as essential to the long term sustainability of the economy and culture.

History

Selling quality pre-owned items is as old as common sense. Yankee frugality and global knowledge came together and spawned the concept of creating a used building materials store here in Connecticut. John Powers, a Connecticut native, had seen building materials being reused all over the U.S. and abroad. Wanting his own community to have the same opportunity, he connected with people who shared his practical vision.  Together, they founded The ReCONNstruction Center in 2003.

The name of the ReCONNstruction Center came to light after thinking about what our goals were and where we were going to be located. The "Re" stands for Reuse and Recycle; CONN is an abbreviation for the state of Connecticut, in which we are incorporated; and "reconstruct" means to construct again. Put it all together, and the term "ReCONNstruction" symbolizes the rebirth of a building that incorporates used materials.

The ReCONNstruction Center functions similarly to a Salvation Army thrift shop, except that instead of accepting clothing and household goods, the Center accepts donations of unwanted, but perfectly usable building materials. These materials are inventoried, priced, and displayed at the store. Each donor receives a receipt with a description of the donated materials that can be used to claim a tax deduction. The ReCONNstruction Center is open to the general public and is staffed by paid employees and volunteers.

Community Benefits
...to the environment:

Currently, reusable materials are routinely being discarded as construction and remodeling projects are undertaken. They are also being discarded when home, tenement, or business owners renovate or clean their properties. These materials either accumulate in the municipal solid waste stream or are disposed with construction and demolition waste in distant landfills. Transporting waste out-of-state contributes to fuel consumption and air pollution.  It also shifts the burden to someone else’s backyard. The ReCONNstruction Center helps our community take responsibility for its own waste.

The ReCONNstruction Center provides a convenient, local, and environmentally responsible opportunity for property owners and contractors to recycle their reusable construction materials at no cost while reducing their overall cost of waste disposal. The Center plans to offer a pick-up service that would meet the needs of those unable to transport these items to the Center.

The ReCONNstruction Center will also create and sustain local jobs. According to the Institute of Local Self-Reliance, reuse operations create 8.7 jobs for every 1000 tons of materials handled. This is 9 times more jobs than traditional recycling facilities and 38 times more jobs than landfills and incinerators.

In keeping with our mission, The ReCONNstruction Center offers perfectly good used building materials at affordable, below retail prices to the average wage earner. This benefits local middle to low income individuals, as well as other non-profit organizations.

Personnel

Board of Directors:

Charles Paonessa, President

Jerilyn K. Nagel, Vice President
Ms. Nagel is semi-retired from a career in human services and currently serves on several Boards, including the Repertory Theatere of New Britain where she also works part-time for the Institute for Community Research, Urban Artists Initiative.

John Powers, Treasurer
Mr. Powers has been in the construction field for 14 years and has recycled building materials in Connecticut, Colorado, Czech Republic, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Washington.  At present, he is devoting time to his children and volunteering for the ReCONNstruction Center.

Doreen Zaback, Secretary
Ms. Zaback is currently employed as the Resource Recovery Project Coordinator for the Town of Wallingford, CT.  Ms. Zaback has been employed in the field of environmental sciences since 1985.

Christopher Widmer, Director

David Sgro, Director

Staff:

Maria Agramonte-Gomez, Director of Operations

Kerry Ann Kowar, Volunteer Coordinator

Jolene Rosequist

Store support, decorator and all around job doer.

Paul Henry, Warehouse

Eduardo Ramos, Warehouse

Committee Members:

KC Alexander
CT DEP Recycling Program

Paula Flack, P.E.
Former manager, presently a big fan

Contact Us

We'd love to hear from you!

The ReCONNstruction Center
230 South Street
New Britain, CT 06051
(860) 597-3390
info@reconnstructioncenter.org