May 9, 2008 - The ReStore Home Improvement Center announced today that it has just completed dismantling a 1,900-sq.-ft. home in Weston, Mass., which is part of the project that will be featured this fall on the Emmy-winning PBS television series This Old House.
In a press conference today at the ReStore’s Albany Street retail store, Mayor Domenic Sarno, ReStore representatives and a collection of local leaders were on hand to welcome members of the This Old House cast and crew to Springfield.
"We are proud to have the ReStore here in Springfield," said Sarno. "The ReStore is doing innovative work in disassembling homes to recover useful materials and selling them at low cost to help people improve their homes, lives and communities. This is good news for Springfield and the region, and this national attention is another example of how Springfield is embracing the new Green Economy," he said.
The town of Weston, about 20 miles west of Boston, is the site of the next This Old House project where the show is building a new timberframe home for the Favat family. Despite being located on a main thoroughfare, the family loves their property, with its active wildlife and bubbling brook. In recent years, however, Pete, Amy, and their children, 15-year-old Cian and 12-year-old Juliette, have found themselves outgrowing their modest 1970’s-era home. After a year of trying to donate the existing house to charity, there were no takers, so the next best solution for them was to deconstruct their old house to make way for the new timberframe home.
The deconstruction work began on April 17 and continued through May 6. The ReStore’s professional Deconstruction crew carefully dismantled the house using hand tools and small equipment, salvaging more than 85 percent of the home for reuse or recycling.
"I have seen first hand what it takes to deconstruct a house, and it's really amazing what a large amount of materials the ReStore was able to recover from the Favat’s home," said Kevin O’Connor, host of This Old House. "I think many of our viewers will be excited to learn about such an interesting process."
"We're honored and excited to be featured on such a well-known and highly regarded show as This Old House," said John Majercak, ReStore Director. "This is nice recognition for our efforts to strengthen our community, economy and environment," Majercak continued. "I think it's good for Springfield, too, to get some national recognition as the home for our innovative green work as part of the City's overall green efforts that are underway," he said.
Many of the materials recovered from the Favat’s home, including lumber, flooring, doors and insulation, will be used over the coming months in the construction of a Habitat for Humanity home. The remaining materials will be sold at low cost at the ReStore's retail location at 250 Albany Street.
"These materials, and the home we are building, will change the lives of a local family in need," said Jennifer Schimmel, executive director, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity. "For us, this project is really special. Not only will the Habitat house be filled with life and love, it will be also be filled with living history."
The ReStore’s deconstruction work will be featured in episodes of the This Old House Weston project, which premieres nationally on PBS and locally on WGBY this October. Scenes also will include footage shot today at the ReStore, as well as segments to be filmed later this summer at the Habitat for Humanity home. The ReStore will also make photos of the deconstruction available next month on its website www.restoreonline.org.
"WGBY public television for Springfield and western New England is proud to partner with the ReStore to help promote the upcoming series and future events with This Old House," said WGBY General Manager Russell J. Peotter.
"As part of our mission to connect the people of our region with ideas, events and each other we are pleased to have this opportunity to inform viewers about building green and the ReStore's important work in this area," he added. "We are currently working with the This Old House crew and the ReStore on an event to further increase awareness of green practices in building."
According to Majercak, green building is becoming an increasingly popular trend, and homeowners are looking for ways to make their building and remodeling projects environmentally friendly.
