Astoria Times - September 1, 2005

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Re-printed from Astoria Times - September 1, 2005

BIG! A Hit in Astoria

Build It GREEN! (BIG!), launched by Community Environmental Center in February of this year, has quickly become an invaluable community resource and must see destination for do-it-yourselfers and small contractors. A recent partnership with Habitat for Humanity adds to the store’s appeal, which is now officially Habitat for Humanity NYC’s ReStore. NYC’s only building materials reuse center, the ReStore is a greener alternative to bigbox building supply stores, offering surplus and salvaged building materials at 25% to 75% less than retail, and provides tax benefits for donated materials. Proceeds from the Restore will help Habitat-NYC build simple, decent homes for ownership by New Yorkers in need and will help support CEC’s Stuyvesant Cove Park and Environmental Learning Center.

ReStore’s inventory of new and used/reusable building materials includes hundreds of windows, doors, cabinets, sinks and toilets, as well as wood trim and flooring, paint and a host of other materials, all at great prices. Solid core hardwood doors start at $40, new double-hung windows $70, sinks $20, and vintage lighting $25. On any given day, you can also find oddball items such as loom frames from an old sit manufacturer or industrial sized garment racks. Shoppers are encouraged to come often as inventory is always changing and new materials come in every day. For shopping hours and directions to the warehouse visit them online atwww.bignyc.org.

If you have, say, building materials lying around in storage, reusable lumber from the construction site, or light fixtures taking up space in your basement, you can donate them to BIG! for a tax-deduction. You save on disposal costs and/or help reduce your community’s garbage and keep perfectly useful material out of the landfill. Donated materials can be delivered to their warehouse in Astoria during store hours. Limited pick-up is available, and for large quantities or high value items only. To find out more about what is accepted, donors should visit their website or call 118-777-0132.

Justin Green, BIG!’s program director attributes the initial success of BIG! (now the Restore) to the heart of our customers , in some it is thriftiness, others creativity, and some others it is their wanting to do something for the community and the environmental.

Over the next year, BIG! plans to expand its inventory to include new ‘green’ building supplies, like low VOC paint and cellulose insulation, and develop its green construction and waste consultation services. A grant from Empire State development should enable BIG! to become self-sufficient faster, enabling this service to become a familiar sight for interested New Yorkers.

Build It GREEN? is a program of Community Environmental Center (CEC). Build It GREEN! aims to increase the supply and use of affordable building materials for community improvement by redirecting landfill-bound materials into productive use.

Inventory is acquired two ways , by accepting donations. of used and surplus building materials and salvaging materials through deconstruction (dismantling buildings so materials can be reused.) Materials available at BIG! change daily. While not a comprehensive list, materials you may find include doors, flooring, hardware, lumber, paint, plumbing fixtures, shelving, sinks, toilets, and windows. Please note that Build It GREEN! is a non-profit with limited resources. While we can use our vehicles to pick-up certain donations, you will need to provide your own transportation for materials purchased from our warehouse.

Build It GREEN! needs your time and materials. To find out how you can help, by donating, volunteering and/or donating building materials, please contact us at greeninfo@bignyc.org or call us at 718-777-0132.

About Community Environmental Center:

For over ten years, the Community Environmental Center (CEC) has been helping people throughout the New York metro area improve their quality of life, sustainability of housing, and development of local economies through educational and technical assistance services. CEC’s programs generally focus on energy efficiency in low-income housing. CEC’s Stuyvesant Cove Park and Environmental Learning Center (www.cecenter.org/stuycove.php) is located on the Manhattan side of the East River.

For more information about programs and services please contact info@cecenter.org or visit our website at www.cecenter.org.

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