Mission

Our Mission Statement: The mission of The ReCONNstruction Center is to promote environmental and social sustainability by salvaging and acquiring building materials and selling them at prices affordable to average wage earners, and to support these activities specifically in urban areas, recognizing those locations as essential to the long term sustainability of the economy and culture.

Founder John Powers inspecting a piece of wood

We continue to contribute back:

…to the environment

Currently, building materials make up the majority of landfill waste. 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 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.

…to the economy

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 ReCONNstruction Center offers a pick-up service that meets the needs of those unable to transport these items to the Center.

The ReCONNstruction Center creates and sustains 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. Come into our store and see for yourself.

…to the neighborhoods

The ReCONNstruction Center is a community resource to many in the community who might otherwise be unable to improve or maintain their housing. New homeowners, renovators, landlords, and contractors take advantage of the ReCONNstruction Center’s discounted building materials, enabling many to maintain or improve the housing stock and the integrity of older or depressed neighborhoods.

…to selected non profit organizations

When store sales permit, The ReCONNstruction Center financially supports community non-profit organizations which provide services to our customer base further extending our impact upon the community. See our giving back page for more details!