CIRCULARITY HUBS: A PROPOSAL TO ADVANCE THE CIRCULAR BUILDING 
MATERIAL ECONOMY IN NEW YORK STATE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A Professional Report 
Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School 
of Cornell University 
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of 
Master of Regional Planning 
 
 
 
 
 
 
by 
Penelope Crispin 
May 2023 
© 2023 Penelope Crispin 
 
ABSTRACT 
This professional report analyzes the proposed development of building material 
reuse hub facilities (“Circularity Hubs”) in New York State to advance a circular building 
material economy in the state. The report summarizes the impacts of linear and circular 
economies globally and regionally. Then, it presents profiles of current building material 
reuse establishments in New York and Maryland. It provides recommendations and 
considerations for key aspects of Circularity Hubs such as ownership structure, location, 
and functions. Then it gives a brief analysis of favorable economic and legislative 
conditions in New York for the investment in Circularity Hubs and the circular 
economy. To conclude, there are suggestions for further research and implementation.  
 
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 
Penelope Crispin is a reuse enthusiast. As a daughter of two curators of 
independently owned and operated museums, auctions, flea markets, antique stores, and 
thrift shops were part of growing up. As a hobby, Crispin makes art from wood lathe 
reclaimed from the 1890 building that houses her parents’ museums.  
Originally from Kansas, Crispin worked for youth-serving non-profit 
organizations in Kansas, Illinois, Texas, and New York for 18 years. Most of that time 
was spent working for the Girl Scouts organization, creating and delivering program and 
training for youth and adults to develop leadership skills that would help girls become 
courageous, change-making women of the world. Crispin decided to pursue a Master of 
Regional Planning degree to change the angle from which she works for a just and 
sustainable world, and she found an inspiring community at Cornell University and in 
Ithaca, New York.  
iii 
 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 
I would like to thank, first and foremost, the members of the CR0WD network 
who welcomed me as a curious student and taught me a tremendous amount about 
deconstruction and reuse in a short period of time. Gretchen Worth and Diane Cohen 
especially assisted with the direction and development of this professional report with 
their vast knowledge and experience. I am grateful to all CR0WD members who 
dedicate their time and energy to advancing a more sustainable world and to sharing 
their enthusiasm and wisdom with newcomers like myself. 
I thank the interviewees from Community Forklift, Historic Albany Foundation’s 
Warehouse, ReUse Action, and the Broome County Eco Center who gave their time to 
explain their operations and professional opinions with me. Scott Buga, Tom Patzkowski, 
Kevin Hayes, Debra Smith, and David Ritrovato especially were generous with their 
participation in my research, and gave me insight into the great work they accomplish 
for building material reuse. 
I also want to thank Jennifer Minner and Mildred Warner, whose guidance in the 
research and writing of this report has been invaluable, and whose instruction during 
my Master of Regional Planning program has been inspiring.  
Thank you also to the City and Regional Planning faculty, staff, and peers for the 
experiences that will be my foundation as I launch the next phase of my life. 
  
iv 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ................................................................................................... iii 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ....................................................................................................... iv 
TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................... v 
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................. vi 
LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. vii 
LIST OF MAPS .................................................................................................................... viii 
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................. ix 
PREFACE ................................................................................................................................ x 
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................... 1 
CHAPTER TWO: IMPACTS OF LINEAR ECONOMIES AND BENEFITS OF 
CIRCULAR ECONOMIES ..................................................................................................... 4 
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY .............................................................................. 16 
CHAPTER FOUR: PROFILES OF BUILDING MATERIAL REUSE FACILITIES ........... 19 
CHAPTER FIVE: MODEL FOR CIRCULARITY HUBS .................................................... 43 
CHAPTER SIX: FAVORABLE CONDITIONS OF THE MARKET IN NEW YORK ....... 65 
CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................... 70 
REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................... 73 
APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................ 79 
 
v 
 
LIST OF FIGURES 
 
Figure 1: Environmental impact of timber studwork reuse vii 
Figure 2: Lead dust travel during building demolition     11 
Figure 3: Wages, Taxes, and Jobs Attributed to Recycling    13 
Figure 4: The Community Forklift Warehouse in Edmonston, Maryland   19 
Figure 5: The Reuse Action facility in Buffalo, New York    26 
Figure 6: Broome County Landfill in Binghamton, New York    32 
Figure 7: HAF Architectural Parts Warehouse in Albany, New York   38 
Figure 8: Essential infrastructure for circular building material economy  41 
 
 
vi 
 
LIST OF TABLES 
 
Table 1: CDD Debris Generation by Material and Activity  6 
 
 
vii 
 
LIST OF MAPS 
 
Map 1: Inactive landfills in the state of New York 6 
  
viii 
 
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS 
 
ASRI Architectural Salvage and Reuse Industry 
BRIC Building Resources Innovation Center 
CBPPP Community-Based Public Private Partnership 
CDD Construction and Demolition Debris 
CLCPA Climate Leadership and Consumer Protection Act 
CR0WD Circularity, Reuse, and Zero Waste Development 
DEI Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 
HELP Home Essentials Program 
HAF Historic Albany Foundation 
MSW Municipal Solid Waste 
PPP Public Private Partnership 
ReSET Reuse Skills and Employment Training 
RIC Reuse Innovation Center 
RISSE Refugee and Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus 
SCCCP Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning 
SIB Social Impact Bond 
UGS Used Good Stores 
 
 
 
  
ix 
 
PREFACE 
In Fall of 2021, at the beginning of my Masters of Regional Planning program at 
Cornell University, I learned about CR0WD (Circularity, Reuse, Zero Waste 
Development), a network of individuals and organizations concerned about demolition 
and advocating for building deconstruction as a sustainable alternative and significant 
portion of a circular economy. Interested in reuse and circularity, I attended meetings 
where I learned a tremendous amount about deconstruction and the policy, practice, and 
possibilities of its utilization in the state of New York and across the country. In the 
summer of 2022, I was a summer intern for the Susan Christopherson Center for 
Community Planning (SCCCP), one of the founding organizations of CR0WD, and 
delved deeper into the issues surrounding demolition and deconstruction. In interviews 
with city and county planners, land bank executives, and community members, the 
question of where building materials go when a building is deconstructed emerged 
repeatedly, especially in rural areas where critical infrastructure for a circular building 
material economy is non-existent or severely limited in capacity. Rural landbank 
executives questioned the benefits of utilizing deconstruction, which is typically more 
expensive than demolition, and then paying transportation costs to take materials across 
sometimes multiple counties to a facility or multiple facilities that could receive the 
materials. 
CR0WD, too, was thinking about possibilities and solutions for these problems. 
In 2022, the Draft Scoping Plan created by the New York Climate Action Council for the 
NYS Climate Leadership and Consumer Protection Act (CLCPA) was open for public 
comments. Diane Cohen, Executive Director of Finger Lakes Reuse, Inc., another 
founding member of CR0WD, submitted a public comment with her recommendations 
for clarifying and strengthening the support of reuse in the Draft Scoping Plan. In these 
comments, she described a “Hub & Exchange” model for reuse, with large county 
x 
 
facilities to intake building materials for processing, storage, and return to the market, at 
least partially through movement of materials to reuse retail establishments 
(“Exchanges”). Interested in this concept and how it could provide critical infrastructure 
for the circular economy, as well as what criteria would make facilities successful as 
Hubs for this purpose, I approached Gretchen Worth, Project Director of the SCCCP, 
about producing a professional report for CR0WD. I proposed taking deeper look at this 
recommended system and how it could successfully advance a circular building material 
economy. This report has been created for CR0WD to provide data and analysis about a 
proposed statewide approach to building material reuse that is unprecedented in the 
United States.   
 
xi 
 
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 
Across the United States, local municipalities are striving to address the 
environmental, social, and public health challenges created by demolition. Curtailing the 
construction and demolition debris (CDD) filling landfills, reducing air and water 
pollutants from building demolition, retaining embodied carbon and historical and 
cultural value in building materials, and encouraging an environmentally responsible 
reuse economy are some of the goals in the development of circular economy initiatives 
being moved forward through city incentives and ordinances.  
Deconstruction, according to advocacy network CR0WD, is the “careful and 
systematic dismantling of a part or whole building structure in order to maximize 
recovery of valuable material” (CR0WD, 2022, p 30). In New York State, individuals and 
organizations such as CR0WD are advocating for municipalities to support efforts to 
replace demolition with deconstruction. Multiple precedents across the United States, 
such as Portland, Oregon, Los Altos Hills, California, Nashville, Tennessee, and recently 
San Antonio, Texas, demonstrate how cities’ actions can divert building materials from 
the waste stream and support a circular economy.  
While efforts move forward in New York State to connect and educate 
professionals, students, elected officials, and the general public around the legislative and 
regulatory angles of developing a circular economy, the ecosystem of services needed to 
support this economy is also in focus. Workforce development, transportation and 
1 
 
hauling services, storage and processing of reusable materials, resale establishments, and 
reuse buyers are required for successful implementation of municipal efforts for a 
circular building material economy. In Ithaca NY, where efforts to grow this economy 
are being actively supported by actors across the ecosystem, a facility large enough to 
receive, process, and resell reusable building materials has been identified as a critical 
need to advance the efforts. Such a facility, which may be referred to as a Circularity 
Hub, would increase the amount of materials that could be taken in and provide 
infrastructure for the needed ecosystem of services. In rural counties of New York, 
where there are limited or no building material reuse facilities, deconstruction of 
buildings is seen as less efficient if materials must be transported across multiple 
counties.  
In the Draft Scoping Plan released by the New York State Climate Action Council 
in 2021, investment in waste reduction and building de-construction and materials reuse 
is mentioned in general, but without specific plans (New York State Climate Action 
Council, 2021). In response to this lack of specificity, Diane Cohen, the Executive 
Director of Finger Lakes ReUse, a non-profit organization in Ithaca and one of the 
founding members of CR0WD, submitted a letter during the public comment period 
with detailed recommendations. Included in the recommendations is the state funding of 
“hubs,” large warehouses that meet the requirements of the abovementioned Circularity 
Hub, to receive bulk materials to be processed, refurbished, and redistributed to markets 
(Cohen, 2022). Hubs would be appropriate to absorb both reusable deconstructed 
2 
 
building materials and surplus construction materials, both of which contribute 
significantly to CDD waste. 
The hubs in Cohen’s proposed “Hub and Exchange” model support retailers, non-
profits, and direct buyers of building materials (Cohen, 2022, p. 4). These types of 
facilities have been described in detail by entities such as StopWaste, which published 
their Building Materials Reuse Analysis to propose a Building Resources Innovation 
Center (BRIC) in San Francisco (StopWaste, 2022). Such facilities are critical 
infrastructure in the circular economy.  
In this report I analyze the role of Circularity Hubs in the growth of a circular 
economy in New York State and how public funding for these facilities would provide 
the infrastructure necessary to support building deconstruction at a level that would 
divert significant waste from landfills, lower pollution and public health risks, retain the 
environmental and cultural value of building materials, and grow local economies based 
on reuse. As this particular approach is unprecedented, this report aims to provide data, 
analysis, and recommendations for CR0WD to utilize in its advocacy efforts.  
3 
 
CHAPTER TWO: IMPACTS OF LINEAR ECONOMIES AND BENEFITS OF 
CIRCULAR ECONOMIES 
 
Advocacy for circular economies is taking place internationally, with 
organizations such as the United Nations and Ellen MacArthur Foundation heavily 
contributing to research and strategy development. The disastrous effects of the linear 
economy are well recognized around the globe and increasingly documented in 
academic and professional studies. The self-described global impact organization Circle 
Economy, which measures global circularity has reported in their 2023 Circularity Gap 
Report that the percentage of materials cycled in the economy dropped from 9.1% in its 
first measurement in 2018, to 8.6% in 2020, and is reported at 7.2% in the 2023 report, 
while consumption and resource extraction has risen (Circle Economy, 2023). Their 
annual reports clearly explain the threats linear economies pose to planetary health as 
extraction far outpaces recovery of resources for reuse. “By 2050 material extraction and 
use is expected to double relative to 2015 levels, threatening a total breakdown of Earth’s 
life support systems, which are already at a breaking point. Without material 
management strategies that keep us within planetary boundaries, the UN has warned of 
‘total societal collapse’, driven by concurrent climate change disasters, economic 
vulnerabilities, political instabilities and ecosystem failures” (Circle Economy, 2023, p. 
17).  
4 
 
Despite such heavy warnings, Circle Economy’s reports, and those by the United 
Nations and Ellen MacArthur Foundation, among others, also illustrate how a transition 
to a circular economy provides a path to sustainability and provides a wide range of 
positive impacts in social, economic, environmental, public health, and equity realms. 
Due to the large amount of CDD sent into the waste stream, the extensive extraction of 
natural resources to produce new building materials, and the large percentage of CO2 
emissions embodied in buildings, building materials are a substantial threat to 
sustainability in linear economies and an enormous opportunity in circular economies. 
In this section, I will highlight some of the negative impacts of linear economies and 
positive impacts of circular economies in general and in building material reuse 
specifically.  
 
Waste Diversion 
The argument for building material reuse is most straightforward as it addresses 
waste reduction. Globally, CDD is the largest component of the waste stream (López 
Ruiz et al., 2020). At more than twice the mass of municipal solid waste (MSW) in the 
United States, CDD debris amounted to 600 million tons in 2018, 90% of which was 
generated by demolition activities, as seen in Table 1 (United States Environmental 
Protection Agency, 2020).  
 
5 
 
Table 1 
CDD Debris Generation by Material and Activity  
 
Note. Quantities in millions of tons. Source of image: United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). 
Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-
11/documents/2018_ff_fact_sheet.pdf, p. 20. Copyright 2020 United States Environmental Protection Agency. 
 
The challenges of managing the mass of waste created by construction and 
demolition are shared across the globe. Countries are enacting policies and legislation to 
reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover CDD, and yet the majority of the waste is still 
directed to landfills (Menegaki & Damigos, 2018). Of the estimated 10 billion tons of 
CDD generated annually around the world, approximately 3.5 billion tons are landfilled 
(K. Chen et al., 2021). This requires significant land consumption. New York State has 
1,901 inactive landfills in the state, shown in Map 1 (New York Department of 
Environmental Conservation, 2021). 
 
Map 1  
Inactive landfills in the state of New York 
6 
 
 
Note. Source of image: New York Department of Environmental Conservation. (2021). New York State Inactive 
Landfill Initiative: Comprehensive Plan to Address Priority Solid Waste Sites for Potential Impacts on Drinking Water 
Quality. https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/materials_minerals_pdf/inactivelandfills2021.pdf, p. 3 
 
Beyond the challenge of the sheer mass of waste countries are struggling to 
landfill, the environmental impacts of the landfilling of CDD are well documented. CDD 
landfills are a cause of significant pollution to air, water, and land due to their 
compositions. CDD usually contain one or more of: heavy metals, pesticides, chlorides, 
solvents, and oil, all of which pose serious risks to air, water, and ground surrounding 
landfills through leaching (K. Chen et al., 2021).  Mitigation measures landfills must 
engage to avoid damage to the surrounding land are often resource- and energy-intense, 
adding to the cost of operations and resource extraction and use (K. Chen et al., 2021).  
7 
 
Building material reuse can divert valuable resources from the waste stream into 
the resource stream. According to the Delta Institute, up to 25% of building materials 
from a deconstructed home can be reused and up to 70% can be recycled (Delta 
Institute, n.d.). With up to 95% of materials suitable for diversion from the waste stream, 
as CR0WD explains in their educational presentations, “It’s not waste. It’s just wasted” 
(Gretchen Worth, 2022, slide 3). Significant reduction in the amount of CDD through 
waste diversion translates to decreased maintenance costs, resource use, land 
consumption, and health and environmental risks. As will be addressed later in the 
report, as CDD is diverted from landfills, the resources and investments are diverted to 
social and environmental benefits in a circular building material economy. 
 
Natural Resource Protection 
Reuse of materials presents an enormous opportunity for the protection of 
environmental resources by reducing landfilling, but also by reducing resource 
extraction. 46% of raw materials extracted globally are used for the construction and 
buildings maintenance industry (BioRegional Consulting, 2018). The results of a study of 
demolition techniques of buildings in Portugal “show a reduction of 76.9% in climate 
change impacts” when full deconstruction, reuse, and recycling are utilized, compared to 
demolition (López Ruiz et al., 2020, section 4.5.1). Reuse is significantly more sustainable 
even than recycling materials, which is often energy- and resource-intensive. Reuse 
retains the highest value of materials without requiring additional processing. For this 
8 
 
reason, reuse has been referred to as the “highest form of recycling” (Essex, J. & Herbert, 
L., n.d., slide 12) and “one of the best waste management practices for the recirculation 
of materials” (López Ruiz et al., 2020, section 4.6.1). A diagram presented by Jonathan 
Essex (BioRegional) and Lewis Herbert (WasteWise) illustrates the stark difference in 
environmental impact between the production of new timber studwork and reuse, seen 
in Figure 1. 
Figure 1 
Environmental impact of timber studwork reuse 
 
Note: “Environmental impact saving by reclaiming and reusing 54,000m of timber studwork.” Source of image: 
BioRegional Consulting. (2018). Build a better future with the Sustainable Development Goals. 
https://www.bioregional.com/resources/build-a-better-future-the-built-environment-and-the-sustainable-
development-goals, p. 6 
 
Figure 1 also refers to sources of public health issues such as air and water 
pollutants that are created in the production of new studwork that are avoided in reuse. 
 
9 
 
Public Health and Environmental Protection 
In addition to resource extraction processes that create pollutants that affect 
public health, landfilling CDD creates public health risks with contaminated air, ground, 
and water, as well as H2S gases emitted as a result of the high gypsum content in CDD 
(Z. Chen et al., 2022). As reported in the New York State Inactive Landfill Initiative 
Comprehensive Plan, almost half of inactive landfills in New York State that were tested 
for groundwater contaminants were found to have levels of specific contaminants 
exceeding New York State maximum contaminant levels and EPA lifetime health 
advisories (New York Department of Environmental Conservation, 2021). Twenty-five 
of the landfills with elevated levels of contaminants were referred to the Department of 
Environmental Remediation for consideration of whether they “pose a significant threat 
to public health or the environment” requiring placement on the list of designated State 
Superfund Sites (New York Department of Environmental Conservation, 2021, p. 14). 
The processes involved in reclaiming and reusing building materials also replace 
building demolitions that are also known to release toxins in the air, ground, and water, 
usually directly within populated neighborhoods. In cases such as San Antonio, these 
pollutants disproportionately affect low-income populations (PlaceEconomics, 2021).  
“Hazardous pollutants such as asbestos, lead, and other particulates can be released on a 
demolition site as a structure is pulverized and churned by heavy machinery” 
(Paruszkiewicz et al., 2016, p. 3). Figure 2 illustrates the extent to which lead dust may 
travel from a demolition site. 
10 
 
 
Figure 2 
Lead dust travel during building demolition 
 
Note. Source of image: PlaceEconomics. (2021). Treasure in the Walls. 
https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/HistoricPreservation/Deconstruction/Treasure%20in%20the%20Walls.pdf
, p. 47. 
 
Green House Gas Emission Reduction 
The built environment is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions 
globally. 40% of energy-related CO2 emissions globally are associated with buildings and 
construction (BioRegional Consulting, 2018, p. 6). Aside from the heating, cooling, and 
operational use of buildings during their functional lifetime, the embodied CO2 from the 
building material extraction, production, transportation, demolition, landfilling, and 
11 
 
incineration “make up an increasing proportion of the total life cycle impacts, often 
more than 50%” (Nußholz et al., 2019, section 1).  
A circular building material economy could lead to a reduction of CO2 emissions 
by 38% in 2050, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2021, p. 32). The Ellen 
MacArthur Foundation identifies the reuse and recycling of building materials as one of 
the top three strategies for reducing emissions from the built environment (Ellen 
MacArthur Foundation, n.d.). “Careful disassembly can facilitate material reuse and 
recycling, which together can prevent 0.6 billion tonnes of CO2 emissions every year” 
(Ellen MacArthur Foundation, n.d.).  
By valuing the embodied carbon of used building materials and extending the 
materials’ lifespans through secondary (or multiple) uses, Circularity Hubs reduce the 
emissions associated with the disposal and replacement of each material. This public 
good, and the principles associated with it, are part of the value proposition of 
Circularity Hubs. 
 
Green Economy Growth 
Sustainability also makes good economic sense. In “quick facts” in the 2018 guide 
“Build a better future with the Sustainable Business Goals,” BioRegional Consulting 
reported that pursuing sustainable and inclusive business models “could unlock 
economic opportunities worth at least US$12 trillion a year by 2030,” and “80% of CEOs 
12 
 
believe that demonstrating a commitment to societal purpose is a differentiator in their 
industry” (2018, p. 6).  
While the United States EPA does not separate recycling and reuse information 
in their reporting, they estimated that in 2012, reuse and recycling of materials 
generated 681,000 jobs, $37.8 billion in wages, and $5.5 billion in tax revenues, and 
conclude that recycling increases economic security (United States Environmental 
Protection Agency, 2020).  Construction and demolition recycling is a major contributor 
to the recycling economy in the United States, seen in Figure 3. 
 
Figure 3 
Wages, Taxes, and Jobs Attributed to Recycling 
 
Note. Recycling construction and demolition (C&D) waste, along with ferrous metals and aluminum utilized for 
building materials, makes up the vast majority of wages, taxes, and jobs attributed to recycling in the United States. 
Source of image: United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). Advancing Sustainable Materials 
13 
 
Management: 2018 Fact Sheet. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/documents/2018_ff_fact_sheet.pdf, p. 
15. 
 
In Chapter Five of this report, Circularity Hubs – as well as building 
deconstruction and building material reuse in general – are presented as pathways to job 
training and certifications and livable wages for people, including those who are 
historically disadvantaged and have barriers to traditional employment. Chapter Six 
provides more details about the economic conditions of the lumber and building 
materials industry, home improvement industry, used goods industry, and demolition 
and wrecking industry in New York State that are favorable to the circular building 
material economy and the establishment of Circularity Hubs.  
  
Social Opportunity 
Building materials circularity is not just good for the environment and the 
economy. Because the industry presents “green collar” training and employment 
opportunities accessible to marginalized populations, it integrates social equity into the 
green jobs market. “[T]he circular economy [is] a powerful tool to cut emissions and 
combat climate breakdown…And if done well, it can work to reduce inequalities in the 
process. It acts as a framework that supports a more resource-smart, people-centric 
future” (Circle Economy, 2022, p. 15).  Deconstruction, compared to demotion, is a 
labor-intensive activity. Utilization of deconstruction creates opportunities for 
workforce development and employment. This worker-focused investment also supports 
14 
 
local economies through “spending induced by the new income of local deconstruction 
crew members,” whereas mechanical demolition-focused investment involves revenue 
“leaking” from the local economy through supply chain purchases (Paruszkiewicz et al., 
2016, p. 20).  
Demolition appears to be more cost-effective than deconstruction because 
“externalities of waste generation and resource extraction are insufficiently internalised 
in prices” (Nußholz et al., 2019). All of society, however, is paying the cost differences 
between unsustainable linear practices and sustainable circular alternatives. Choosing 
building deconstruction over demolition invests in people rather than continuing to 
spend money for resource extraction and waste management processes that degrade the 
environment and public health on multiple levels.  
 
 
 
  
15 
 
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 
 
To analyze the opportunity for the proposed Circularity Hubs and the “Hub and 
Exchange” model to advance the circular building material economy in New York State 
and achieve the positive impacts outlined in Chapter Two, I divided my research into 
three parts. The first part was research of currently operating building material reuse 
facilities, both in and out of markets where deconstruction is currently supported by 
ordinances or incentives. The second part was research of reports and studies by 
governmental, consultant, and academic sources about deconstruction, reuse facilities, 
and the circular building material economy. The third part was a review of industry and 
legislative conditions in New York State relevant to a building material reuse economy. 
The results of this research are divided into the following chapters. 
In Chapter Four, I present profiles of four building material reuse facilities. To 
understand how building material reuse facilities are currently operating within local 
circular economies and to gather data related to their functions, I reached out to 22 
building material reuse establishments across New York and the United States to invite 
representatives to participate in interviews as part of my research. I conducted 
interviews with representatives of four establishments who responded and successfully 
scheduled interview sessions. Three of these facilities are located in New York – one in 
Central New York, one in Western New York, and one in the Capital Region.  These 
16 
 
three establishments operate under three different models: non-profit, for-profit, and 
public ownership. The fourth establishment is a non-profit located in the Washington 
D.C. metropolitan region and was selected for its scale and success of operations and 
involvement in building deconstruction activities. The four establishments are located in 
cities of four different population ranges: Edmonston, Maryland (1,501 town population, 
but located within the DC Metropolitan Region with over 6 million estimated 
population); Buffalo, New York (276,807); Albany, New York (99,224); and Binghamton, 
New York (47,566) (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022).  
The interview questions were decided by Gretchen Worth, Diane Cohen, and 
myself to acquire information most useful for CR0WD’s advocacy work. Interview 
questions (provided in Appendix) asked for information regarding facility location, 
ownership, employment and hiring practices, materials and services in the facility, and 
community involvement and collaborations. Cohen’s “Hub and Exchange” model was 
discussed with interviewees, eliciting insights on how such a model might impact their 
establishments. Interviews were conducted on Zoom. Chapter Four presents a profile for 
each of the four establishments based on information received during interviews and 
information published on the establishments’ websites. 
In Chapter Five, I compile a list of recommendations and considerations for 
Circularity Hubs in New York State. This list is based on analysis of the reuse 
establishment profiles, utilizing a literature review of publications by governmental 
agencies, consultant agencies, and academic research, as well as my own knowledge and 
17 
 
understanding of the needs of the circular building material economy gathered from 
presentations attended, research conducted, and conversations held over the past year 
and a half as a part of CR0WD.  
In Chapter Six, to analyze the market conditions for Circularity Hubs in New 
York, I reviewed reports of four specific industries in New York state: lumber and 
building material establishments, home improvement establishments, used good 
establishments, and demolition and wrecking. I then reviewed the New York Climate 
Council’s Final Scoping Plan for the CLCPA, where strategies listed include funding and 
resource support for reuse market development, workforce development, public 
education, and other services that are proposed in this report to be provided by 
Circularity Hubs. Based on these sources, I provide an analysis of the favorable 
conditions for Circularity Hubs as supportive infrastructure for a circular building 
material economy. 
  
18 
 
CHAPTER FOUR: PROFILES OF BUILDING MATERIAL REUSE FACILITIES 
 
Of the 22 facilities that were contacted regarding this research, the following four 
establishments scheduled interviews to answer questions about their operations. The 
profiles below offer insight into their challenges and successes in mission-driven goals of 
diverting waste and returning used building materials to the market. Lessons from their 
experiences contribute to the recommendations and considerations outlined in Chapter 
Five. 
 
Community Forklift 
Information in this profile is sourced from interviews with Scott Buga, Director of 
Marketing and Communications, and Tom Patzkowski, Director of Donations in March 
2023, except where otherwise cited. 
 
Figure 4 
The Community Forklift Warehouse in Edmonston, Maryland 
 
19 
 
 
Note. Source of image: Community Forklift. (n.d.). Hours and Directions. Hours and Directions. Retrieved April 19, 2023, 
from https://communityforklift.org/our-store/hours-directions/  
 
 
About the Organization 
Community Forklift is a nonprofit organization located in the Washington DC 
metropolitan area in Edmonston, Maryland. It was formed for the purposes of diverting 
waste, providing low-cost building materials to the public, supplying free materials to 
nonprofits and individuals in need, and educating the community about reuse (“About 
Us,” 2021).  In 2022, Community Forklift made donations of building materials, 
furniture, appliances, and other items to 65 partner organizations through its 
Community Building Blocks Program (Community Forklift, n.d.-a) and provided 
materials valued at over $69,000 to households with limited incomes through its Home 
Essentials Program (HELP) (Community Forklift, n.d.-b). 
20 
 
Community Forklift has won numerous awards including Washington Post 
Express Readers’ Choice Awards in 2010-2013, Washington City Paper Readers’ Choice 
Awards in 2010-2021, Green Business of the Year Award in 2013, Ebay Shine Awards for 
Small Businesses in 2017, National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s 2019 NARI 
Metro DC Community Service Award, and more (Community Forklift, n.d.-d). The 
organization has also received numerous recognitions and certificates.  
 
Location and Facility 
Community Forklift operates in an adaptively reused building on top of an active 
brownfield site formerly used by Hyattsville Gas and Electric (Brownfields Master 
Inventory, Active, By County, 2021). It is noted, with pride, that the organization has 
transformed a historically polluted site to one that provides economic and social benefit 
to the community.  
 
Ownership and Employment  
The non-profit was founded by construction, design, and architecture 
professionals who saw the waste in their own professions and decided to collect the 
materials to find uses for them. The organization now employs over 30 people and is 
growing, with several positions open (at the time of this writing) that pay over minimum 
wage and include health, dental, vision, and short-term disability insurance. Community 
Forklift works with staffing agencies that work specifically with “returning citizens” 
21 
 
(Community Forklift, n.d.-e) and people who have barriers to traditional employment, 
some of whom Buga specifically highlighted as in managerial positions now. 
Buga states that the organization is “very open to members from all different 
communities” and includes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training for all new 
hires. The specifics of their hiring and employee policies, including references to DEI, 
are currently being rewritten. Buga expects the organization’s “openness” to be more 
fully enshrined in the completed rewrite.  
 
Materials and Services 
Community Forklift, as noted above, began as an endeavor focused on surplus 
and used building materials. Large appliances are also a large part of their focus, due in 
large part to their very successful program HELP that assists people with low incomes in 
attaining essentials like small and large appliances, furniture, and building materials. As 
part of their donation guidelines, building materials donations must be whole, de-nailed, 
free of mortar, or otherwise in an acceptably clean and usable state. No processing of 
building materials is done on-site. Large appliances must be in working condition with 
all included parts. The only items that are repaired on site are light fixtures, if needed, to 
be ready to install.  
Community Forklift conducted a “soft deconstruction” pilot for six months with 
the goals of retrieving additional materials, providing a service offered on a limited basis 
in the area, and creating jobs with trade skills training. Tom Patzkowski described the 
22 
 
potential impact of a deconstruction training program for employees. “If you’re in the 
trades, if you can do the reverse engineering and deconstruction, then you can probably 
translate that into getting a solid job that will in many cases, with the focus on people 
with barriers to employment, could make generational changes in people’s families.” 
Two important lessons learned from the pilot are tied to the organization’s goals to 
provide fair-wage, green job opportunities in line with their economic and social impact 
goals. Patzkowski stated that in the future, hiring will be done in-house rather than 
through sub-contractors, so that Community Forklift has greater control over wages, 
benefits, and fair conditions for employees. However, Community Forklift also faces the 
reality that by providing these employment conditions, other companies that don’t pay 
fair wages or provide benefits regularly underbid them on deconstruction and 
demolition projects.  
The organization currently performs two to five projects soft-stripping easily 
removable structural and architectural components per month. One challenge 
Community Forklift faces is homeowners who want to arrange pick-ups of materials 
when a building is demolished, but sub-contractors perform a “quick smash,” and 
materials are sent into the waste stream before they can be recovered from the site. 
Although focused primarily on building materials and appliances, Community 
Forklift accepts donated items that include limited amounts of housewares and 
occasionally electronics. These and other miscellaneous items are most often donated to 
residents in need or area nonprofits or are resold in the warehouse. The space allotted for 
23 
 
these items is spatially-restricted because “we are bursting at the seams pretty much 
always” with the building materials and appliances inventory. 
 
Community Involvement and Collaborations  
Buga identifies the majority of purchasers from the building materials retail 
operations as small business owners, landlords, and homeowners. New business owners 
purchase materials from Community Forklift to reduce start-up costs. Coffee shops in 
the area have purchased reused building materials to create the specific aesthetic they 
desire with quality materials at low costs. Restoration, upcycling, and crafting 
professionals also purchase materials to create their own inventory, including an artist 
who converts tiles to artistic coasters and a retired man who restores and sells old 
furniture pieces he finds at the Community Forklift warehouse. At one time, a woman 
would restore furniture in the warehouse, but her work became so popular that she 
expanded to her own space outside of the organization. Consignment also provides 
opportunities to collaborate with artists and small businesses in the community, such as 
a company that reconditions donated paints, and Treincarnation, which salvages trees 
from storm damage and development to produce live-edge wooden slabs that are sold in 
the warehouse. There is considerable pride in the impact Community Forklift has on 
local small businesses. 
Community Forklift has a strong community presence through public events, 
workshops, and a slate of programs. They have hosted “First Friday” events (set to 
24 
 
resume in May 2023 after being on pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic) described as a 
reuse party with live music, food, and artisan vendors who get their materials from the 
warehouse. Other programs on pause include free workshops that expand beyond reuse 
to include beekeeping, composting, and other subjects related to environmental 
sustainability. 
 
Circularity Hub Concept  
When asked about the Circularity Hub concept and Community Forklift’s 
potential as part of a Hub and Exchange model, Patzkowski noted some factors that he 
considered important to such a facility’s success: an online marketplace for large 
quantities of materials: a focus on items needed in large quantities like lumber, rather 
than smaller items like drawers and sash windows; strong partnerships with nonprofit 
organizations that can quickly find homes for materials; space for processing and 
cleaning that prepares materials for next use; easily accessible drop-off location(s); and a 
network of value-added services such as artists, repairers, and creative businesses. 
Patzkowski emphasized, “If you’re going to have that volume, it’s got to be figured out 
how you subsidize new businesses, how you donate as much as possible, how you share 
that in different organizations, and ultimately, who pays for the cost for that.” 
 
ReUse Action 
25 
 
Information in this profile is sourced from an interview with Kevin Hayes, Founding 
Manager, in February 2023, except where otherwise cited. 
 
Figure 5 
The Reuse Action facility in Buffalo, New York 
 
 
Note: Source of image: Google. (2022a, May). Google Street View: 980 Northampton Street, Buffalo, New York. Google 
Maps. https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9071673,-
78.8301403,3a,75y,320.65h,104.85t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqSLecyNcGMW9X0DnO-9LTA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192. 
Copyright Google 2023. 
 
About the Organization 
ReUse Action is a for-profit social enterprise founded in 2011 and based in 
Buffalo, New York (ReUse Action, 2016). The founder, Michael Gainer, was one of the 
co-founders, along with Hayes and others, of a non-profit organization called Buffalo 
26 
 
ReUse in 2007. Buffalo ReUse was founded partially as a “proof of concept” project in 
response to the Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown’s plans to demolish thousands of vacant 
houses in the city within five years in the “5 in 5” plan developed in 2007 (Lyons, 2009). 
With a grant from Empire State Development, Buffalo ReUse set out to divert building 
material from the waste stream and return it to the market in Buffalo while providing 
training and employment opportunities. The organization deconstructed ten houses 
before the 2008 recession struck and nearly put the organization out of business. In 2011, 
Gainer and other Buffalo ReUse founders left the organization over differences of 
opinion and formed the social enterprise ReUse Action, with a new business plan. The 
business plan for ReUse Action, which has been adapted over time, is now focused on 
four activities: reclaimed and surplus building materials resale, contractor services 
(primarily carpentry), specialty salvage and soft deconstruction, and small business 
incubator rentals.  
In November 2022, Michael Gainer, Kevin Hayes, and Lorraine Eads were elected 
as the new directors of the nonprofit Buffalo ReUse. In December 2022, Buffalo ReUse 
announced that its retail operations had closed permanently and much of the remaining 
stock was transferred to ReUse Action between January and March 2023 (ONE LAST 
TIME! We Need Your Help! – Buffalo ReUse, 2023). According to Hayes, Buffalo ReUse 
will continue its community education programs, and ReUse Action will continue its 
current operations. 
 
27 
 
Location and Facility 
ReUse Action is located primarily in a 100-year-old, 45,000 square foot, 3-story 
daylight factory building that was used originally by a shoe manufacturer, then also as a 
silk company, printing company, and mixed use. Using only one-and-a-half stories of the 
building for their operations and store (because there is not a functioning elevator to 
make efficient use of more of the upper stories for building materials), they rent out the 
third floor and half of the second floor to approximately 50 tenants as a small business 
incubator for artists, photographers, crafters, and other small businesses. ReUse Action 
has a second facility, previously used as an axle plant for General Motors, with 
approximately 2,000 square feet and high ceilings used for additional storage space for 
rigid insulation and other overflow materials. It is located approximately a mile away 
from the main facility.  
Their total square footage usage for their building materials operations is 
approximately 23,000 square feet, but divided across two buildings and two floors, which 
is not ideal for operations. ReUse Action would prefer to have one contiguous facility 
with more space for retail, but where they could continue to make income from renting 
studio and small business spaces. The real estate market in Buffalo has changed 
significantly in the years since they acquired their two buildings, however. According to 
Hayes, viable commercial, industrial, and residential buildings continue to be torn down, 
making the market worse. There is some discussion about possibly building a pole barn 
28 
 
on open land as a more cost-effective method of attaining a new facility with the flat, 
open space and high ceilings needed for their warehouse and retail operations. 
 
Ownership & Employment   
Michael Gainer is the owner of ReUse Action. Several of his co-founders of 
Buffalo ReUse are in leadership positions at ReUse Action now. When asked about the 
differences between functioning as a nonprofit or for-profit, Hayes pointed to one 
significant difference, and one that wasn’t as substantial as they had thought it would be. 
In contrast to their experience in the Buffalo ReUse nonprofit, Gainer now has more 
authority over decision-making and is able to produce profits through the enterprise, 
which was a struggle in the nonprofit. In Hayes’s experience, the lack of tax deduction 
letters as part of the donation process are of little importance to most donors. Not having 
those letters available has not noticeably impacted people’s decisions to donate materials. 
Hayes notes that ReUse Action is located in an area of Buffalo that was hard-hit 
by the razing of vacant homes during the “5 in 5” plan operations, and the neighborhood 
has a high population of people of color. This location was deliberately selected to 
benefit the neighborhood with job opportunities and low-cost building materials. Hayes 
says Gainer comes from a teaching background and has had a goal to run programs for 
out-of-school, out-of-work young adults between the ages of 17-30, and he is very good 
at training and putting this population to work. However, the enterprise’s training 
programs and collaborations with other social organizations to hire employees with 
29 
 
barriers to traditional employment are handled informally due to the lack of staff to 
provide case management-type services to assure successful completion of formal 
programs. 
 
Materials & Services  
ReUse Action’s focus is on reclaimed building materials acquired through 
donation, pick-up, or salvage/soft deconstruction services. In their facility there is a 
workshop for materials processing and value-added services. They have found there’s a 
good market for fireplace mantles made of barn beams for homeowners, and they 
produce and sell them regularly. For architects, designers, and developers, ready-to-use 
joists, beams, flooring, and rigid insulation are in high demand.   
Appliances are also a large part of what they accept and sell. On a much smaller 
scale, specialty art and antiques are sold on a consignment basis and are known to draw 
customers looking for unique items. Recyclable metal is accepted because is profitable, 
but furniture, electronics, general housewares, and appliances that require repairs are 
referred to other organizations in the city. 
 
Community Involvement and Collaborations 
ReUse Action has hosted community events, such as upcycling classes, on a 
limited, ad-hoc basis. Buffalo ReUse historically has run community engagement and 
education programs to inform the public about reuse and circular economies. Now that 
30 
 
the leadership of ReUse Action have been elected as directors of Buffalo ReUse, the 
intention, according to Hayes, is for community outreach to continue to be managed by 
the non-profit Buffalo ReUse, and building material reuse retail will be managed by for-
profit ReUse Action. Historically, Buffalo ReUse’s community engagement has focused 
on the four areas of regenerating neighborhoods, beautification and gardening, young 
adult mentorship, and reuse advocacy (Buffalo ReUse, 2023).  
 
Circularity Hub Concept 
Hayes believes having an enterprise like ReUse Action in every county is a viable 
idea. From personal experience, he stresses the importance of having a facility that either 
has a good elevator, or sufficient space on the ground level, with the ability to drive 
vehicles into the building, and ideally ceilings higher than 12 feet. “Essentially one big 
room,” Hayes says is the ideal building materials retail space. In addition to the industrial 
use buildings that Hayes has worked within, large supermarket/retail buildings also can 
provide sufficient one-level, high square footage space. 
Being selective and specific about accepted materials is crucial to such a facility’s 
success, Hayes said, as is being prepared to dispose of unwanted and unsellable materials. 
As the person who takes the majority of the phone calls and emails for ReUse Action, 
Hayes turns down up to half of the items people offer to donate. “It’s easy to fill up a 
building with stuff you can’t sell,” he said. Part of the downfall of Buffalo ReUse, he told 
me, is that they accepted too many materials they wouldn’t be able to sell, and then 
31 
 
didn’t have arrangements for disposal of unsellable items. Hayes emphasized making 
strong business decisions, saying, “We’re in this business to make money and to survive 
and to employ people, and to have some impact on the flow of materials. Okay, it’s tiny. 
We’ve done a lot of work, but it’s still a very small piece of the action.”  
Hustling is crucial for the business model of reclaimed building materials to 
work, according to Hayes. Knowing where valuable building materials can be reclaimed 
(warehouses and schools are two sources he mentioned specifically) and how and where 
to move inventory out is necessary for viability. A nod to the Hub and Exchange model, 
he added that he would definitely purchase reclaimed flooring from another reuse center 
because he is confident in its demand and profitability in his region. 
 
Broome County Eco Center 
Information in this profile is sourced from an interview with Debra Smith, Broome 
County Landfill Director, in February 2023, except where otherwise cited. 
 
 
 
Figure 6 
Broome County Landfill in Binghamton, New York 
 
32 
 
 
Note. The Eco Center is located at the Broome County Landfill site. Source of image: Broome County Recycles. (2021, 
September 27). Broome County Recycles Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=226769452824151 
 
Introduction 
In 2014, Broome County, New York opened the Eco Center for building material 
reuse at the Broome County Landfill in Binghamton, New York. The Eco Center was 
designed to divert usable building and construction materials from being dumped at the 
landfill. The program aims to incentivize waste diversion by reducing tipping fees for 
those who donate materials rather than dump them. Those diverted materials are made 
available for no cost to Broome County residents, assisting homeowners with resources 
to complete home projects. The facility’s opening was correlated with municipalities like 
the City of Binghamton issuing requests for bids for deconstruction of buildings, and an 
anticipation in an increase of building material reuse in the area. The costs for building 
33 
 
deconstruction being higher than demolition, the practice was determined to not be 
financially feasible and didn’t continue. This meant, unfortunately, that the increase in 
secondary building materials did not materialize for the Eco Center as expected. 
 
Location and Facility 
The Eco Center facility was built specifically for the building material reuse 
program. The building is 3,840 square feet with 14-foot ceilings, located on the property 
of the Broome County Landfill. The landfill is located approximately 12 miles outside of 
Binghamton, New York. The Eco Center is open during normal landfill operating hours. 
Other services on the site include collection of landfill waste, composting material, 
hazardous household waste, and recycling. 
 
Ownership and Employment  
Broome County fully owns and operates the Eco Center. There are no staff 
dedicated specifically to the Eco Center facility or its operations. Staff attendees at the 
Broome County landfill will accompany anyone making donations to the Eco Center to 
supervise the safe unloading of materials into the building, and similarly will accompany 
residents who go to the Eco Center to pick up materials, to supervise safe loading. 
Landfill staff who direct vehicles at the landfill are meant to keep an eye out for suitable 
materials brought in for disposal and suggest they be unloaded into the Eco Center 
instead, diverting materials at the last minute from being dumped in the landfill. 
34 
 
 
Materials and Services 
Donations of building and construction materials in usable condition are 
accepted. As there are no staff designated to the Eco Center, there are no value-added 
services, no processing, and no retail operations, so the facility is strictly for storage 
between donations and pick-ups. Some furniture goes through the facility as well, but on 
a limited basis. No general housewares, books or media, textiles, or electronics are 
accepted. The Eco Center’s guidelines state that any drop-off of materials over 500 
pounds will be subject to a $20 per ton fee, but Smith states that the Eco Center has 
“never come into a situation where we even come close to having to charge anyone.” In 
fact, acquiring materials is the Eco Center’s greatest struggle. “Going into this winter we 
were completely cleaned out,” Smith stated.  
This challenge the Eco Center faces is consistent with research finding that “most 
of the [Construction Demolition Waste] collected from construction and demolition sites 
is mixed or contaminated due to the lack of sorting at source” and once materials leave a 
site, they are less suitable and less likely to be retrieved for recycling or reuse (López 
Ruiz et al., 2020, section 4.4.1). Thus, truckloads of waste arriving at the landfill are 
unlikely to be in a condition to separate or sort useable materials on the spot.  
There is no shortage, however, of people interested in picking up materials when 
they’re available, so materials do not stay long in the facility. When asked about 
potential criticism that giving the materials away for free devalues a reuse market in a 
35 
 
circular economy, Smith responded that the Eco Center does not operate at a scale at 
which this is a concern. She related that if there was a large quantity of material moving 
through the facility, she might consider a possible negative impact, but as circumstances 
currently are, the amount of free materials available to residents doesn’t have a 
significant impact on the building material reuse economy. 
 
Community Involvement and Collaborations 
Broome County creates advertising specifically targeting homeowners to recruit 
them to make donations to the Eco Center rather than pay tip fees to dump materials 
into the landfill. There is also a webpage with information and guidance for property 
owners, managers, and developers on how to reduce waste and expenses by planning for 
recycling and reuse of building and construction materials (Construction & Demolition 
Recycling | Broome County, n.d.).  The Eco Center has engaged in outreach to local 
small businesses, home improvement stores, and contractors to find reclaimed building 
materials, surplus construction materials, or damaged or flawed lumber and building 
material inventory that cannot be sold but still has functional value. Smith stated this is 
an opportunity for significant amounts of building materials to be rerouted into the Eco 
Center. Efforts to divert these materials to the Eco Center have not been fruitful. Large 
box stores like Ace Hardware, Lowes, and Home Depot have stated that insurance and 
liability prevent them from diverting damaged materials away from landfill disposal.  
36 
 
The Eco Center limits who can pick up materials to residents (no businesses are 
allowed to pick up materials for commercial projects), so the majority of materials picked 
up are going to home renovation projects. Smith notes that construction of back-yard 
greenhouses using reclaimed windows is a popular use for the materials.  
Smith cited the facility’s location and the ease and availability of technology used 
to sell and give away used materials as two reasons for the lack of materials at the Eco 
Center. Binghamton has an active community that uses Freecycle, a web-based 
nonprofit that facilitates movement of materials for free to divert waste from landfills. 
Freecycle and other apps and websites such as Craigslist provide the ease of arranging 
pick-up of materials rather than a special trip to make a delivery to an out-of-town 
facility.  
 
Circularity Hub Concept 
Smith did not comment directly on the Circularity Hub concept, but considering 
how the Eco Center operates and the specific conditions the Eco Center is experiencing, 
one could assume that it would not purchase materials from a Circularity Hub in the 
region. However, the Eco Center could potentially accept overflows of certain materials 
that would benefit homeowners in Broome County.   
 
Albany Historical Foundation Architectural Parts Warehouse 
37 
 
Information in this profile is sourced from an interview and emails with David 
Ritrovato, Warehouse Manager, in March 2023, except where otherwise cited. 
 
Figure 7  
HAF Architectural Parts Warehouse in Albany, New York 
 
Note. Source of image: Google. (2022b, June). Google Street View: 83 Lexington Ave, Albany, New York. Google Maps. 
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.6608536,-
73.7660569,3a,51.7y,280.57h,98.98t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1si_VidzVVPMjLsUbpCa4l_w!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetview
pixels-
pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3Di_VidzVVPMjLsUbpCa4l_w%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.g
ps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D101.63907%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192, 
Copyright Google 2023. 
 
Introduction 
The Historic Albany Foundation (HAF) is a non-profit organization created to 
“preserve and protect buildings that have architectural, historic, or civic value” in 
Albany (Historic Albany Foundation, 2023). In 1978, HAF opened its Architectural Parts 
38 
 
Warehouse (Warehouse hereafter) as a repository for historic building materials from 
houses that couldn’t be saved (Historic Albany Foundation, n.d.-c). According to their 
website, the Warehouse is the only non-profit architectural salvage warehouse in New 
York’s capital district (Historic Albany Foundation, n.d.-c) and the “oldest continuously 
operating not-for-profit architectural salvage building in the country” (Historic Albany 
Foundation, n.d.-d). 
 
Location and Facility  
Located near downtown Albany, the Warehouse has been housed since 1996 in 
an adaptively reused historical building that has been used as an auto dealership, an auto 
repair shop, and the Capital Staple Company. The building was donated to HAF after the 
owner had difficulty finding a buyer. The Warehouse has approximately 10,000 square 
feet, 90% of which is estimated to be building materials retail space. However, HAF and 
the Warehouse will be moving soon to a new location – the oldest building in Albany – 
in downtown Albany. The Warehouse will have a smaller amount of space at the new 
location, so staff are making plans for how to prioritize inventory for the move and for 
their retail space thereafter. 
 
Ownership and Employment 
HAF is a non-profit organization which operates with limited employees. There 
are two full-time employees and a few part-time employees (including Ritrovato, the 
39 
 
Warehouse Manager, a retired teacher who started as a volunteer and now works 
approximately 23 hours per week). The rest of the work of the organization is done by 
volunteers and (as of summer 2022, unpaid) interns (Historic Albany Foundation, n.d.-
b).   
 
Materials and Services  
Although there is a preference for pre-1940s architectural parts in the warehouse, 
other high-quality, unique items are accepted at the staff’s discretion. All items in the 
Warehouse have been donated or recovered through salvage and are offered for resale at 
low prices. Homeowners, businesses, contractors, architects, and designers purchase 
materials from the Warehouse. No significant repair, refurbishing, processing, or other 
value-added services are conducted in the Warehouse. 
 
Community Involvement and Collaborations  
Historic Albany Foundation coordinates a variety of community events and 
workshops, a tool lending library, guided tours, and other engagement activities. In 
response to a need for craftsmen with preservation skills in New York, and through a 
partnership with the New York State Historic Preservation Office and Workforce 
Development at Hudson Valley Community College, HAF offers a Historic Trades 
Certificate Program that includes courses such as historic carpentry, historic plastering, 
masonry, and window restoration (Historic Albany Foundation, n.d.-a). Workshops for 
40 
 
community members include electrical wiring, gardening and soil preparation, and basic 
carpentry.  
Loyal followers, patrons, and experts are regulars at the Warehouse and offer 
their expertise and advice to volunteers, customers, and one another. Ritrovato has seen 
business increase post-pandemic as New York City residents have moved upstate and are 
performing renovations. First-time home buyers are also frequent customers as they look 
to save money while restoring older homes. Ritrovato said that in general, the “vibe of 
‘reuse’ is really gaining momentum.”  
HAF and the Warehouse work closely with other non-profit organizations in the 
area. They donate tools to the S.T.E.A.M. Garden (a nonprofit with live/work space 
focused on business incubation, innovation, co-working, and training), and work 
regularly with the Refugee and Immigrant Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE) program 
to donate furniture and other basic goods needed by refugees relocating into Albany.  
 
Circularity Hub Concept  
Having accepted only donated and salvaged (and predominantly pre-1940s) 
materials since the Warehouse’s opening, and facing a move in the near future where 
downsizing will be necessary, Ritrovato could not foresee interacting with a Circularity 
Hub in the region in the near future. How they might interact in a more distant future is 
unclear, but Ritrovato viewed the concept positively.   
 
41 
 
  
42 
 
CHAPTER FIVE: MODEL FOR CIRCULARITY HUBS 
 
Utilizing the profiles of building materials reuse establishments in this report and 
the research and recommendations made for similar facilities in reports by governmental 
agencies, consulting agencies, and academic research, in this chapter I outline important 
guidelines and recommendations for a model of a Circularity Hub that could support the 
growth of the building material circular economy in New York. This chapter begins 
with clarification of the concept and purpose of Circularity Hubs, followed by sections 
on location, agglomeration economy and reuse ecosystem, ownership and funding, 
facility specifications, and then the functions and services of transportation and hauling, 
salvage and deconstruction, material processing and value-added services, workforce 
development, online marketplace, and community engagement and education. 
 
Concept 
Cohen, of Fingerlakes Reuse, defines her recommended Hubs as “large 
warehouses with high ceilings and multiple loading docks where bulk materials can be 
absorbed, processed, refurbished, and redistributed to appropriate markets, and larger 
scale building materials can be effectively sorted and displayed for purchase” (Cohen, 
2022). In correlation to these Hubs, Cohen defines exchanges as “convenient and visible 
43 
 
retail outlets that double as donation drop-off points” and says, “a minimum of one hub 
and multiple exchanges per County is a recommended starting scale” (2022).  
In the Building Materials Reuse Analysis report, StopWaste defines the 
advantages of a potential BRIC, a concept similar to that of the Circularity Hubs but with 
a focus on commercial building materials as: 
• Developing a regional solution that reinvests in the local economy, 
reducing impacts from supply chain uncertainty and reducing 
transportation costs and related energy use. 
• Providing materials storage space and an escrow model to smooth out 
lumpiness inherent in re-used commercial building material supply and 
helping align that with construction schedules. 
• Adding resiliency to the existing global building product ecosystem by 
offering a local network node for material reuse collection and 
redistribution, extended the useful life of these products. 
• Engaging the local community through building industry education 
programs, workforce development, and community partnerships. 
(StopWaste, 2022, p. 4) 
 
Circularity Hubs, as proposed and described in this report, serve the same 
purposes described by StopWaste above. The Circularity Hub model has potential to 
provide the infrastructure and range of services that support the growth of a circular 
44 
 
building material economy ecosystem. These additional services include transportation 
and hauling, salvage and deconstruction, material processing and value-added services, 
workforce development, an online marketplace, and community engagement and 
education. As seen in Figure 8, most of these services are identified as essential 
infrastructure for a circular building material economy. 
 
Figure 8 
Essential infrastructure for circular building material economy 
 
45 
 
Note. Image created by Wyeth Augustine-Marceil, Just Places Lab for CR0WD. (2023). Toward Building Sustainable 
Communities and Circular Economies: A Local Government Policy Guide to Alternatives to Demolition through 
Deconstruction and Building Reuse. 
 
Location  
Cohen’s recommendation of the establishment of a Circularity Hub in each 
county creates a network and economy of scale. Further, locating Circularity Hubs near 
cities or city centers within each county provides proximity to material sources and 
buyers, a workforce, other circular economy ecosystem businesses and nonprofits (or 
prime location for their formation), and communities within which an audience can be 
engaged with outreach and educational efforts. 
 Proximity to suppliers and buyers of reused building materials reduces the costs 
and environmental impacts of transporting materials long distances. The costs of 
transporting materials may hinder material acquisition efforts on the part of the 
Circularity Hub, or it may deter contractors or other buyers from using reclaimed 
materials if new materials cost less to procure. Transportation of materials over long 
distances can also counteract the environmental benefits of material reuse. “Transport 
processes are one of the most influential elements in environmental impacts and 
condition the application of recovery alternatives” (López Ruiz et al., 2020, section 
4.4.2). Minimizing transport distances is crucial for reaching goals of greenhouse gas 
emission reduction. 
46 
 
From the profiles of building materials reuse facilities in this report, the location 
within a county for collecting donations of materials is critical. The Broome County Eco 
Center has struggled with procurement of materials due to the distance from the nearest 
city, especially given that it relies completely upon drop-off donations. Whether donors 
are individual homeowners or contractors for construction or demolition, the time and 
costs of transportation to unload materials may be a disincentive. While other remedies 
could assist in overcoming this obstacle to acquiring materials (e.g. active procurement 
methods such as pick-ups and salvage activities, dedicated employees, etc.), a convenient 
location in a populated area where special trips for donation aren’t required is an 
influential variable in the attraction of donors and acquisition of inventory.  
Proximity to a large potential workforce is also important for Circularity Hubs’ 
functions, not only for the ease of recruiting employees, but also for the ease of 
employees to access the work site. Accessibility is a key factor in providing training and 
employment opportunities to populations that have been marginalized and historically 
disadvantaged. Reducing times and costs of commutes and, if possible, taking advantage 
of public transportation options will help Circularity Hubs reach goals of employing 
people with barriers to traditional employment in “green collar” jobs. Additionally, rural 
communities often see workforce development efforts result in the newly trained 
workforce seeking higher wage jobs in nearby urban centers. Siting Circularity Hubs in 
cities assures continuous access to new employees and training program participants. 
47 
 
Cities also provide advantages for small business incubation and the development 
and support of a reuse ecosystem. A location that appeals to artisans, crafters, carpenters, 
retailers, and other reuse-adjacent entrepreneurs will affect the success of business 
incubation and partnerships. Start-ups and small businesses will seek to control costs and 
improve access to customers. Low costs (both in dollars and greenhouse gas emissions) of 
transportation between beneficiary nonprofits and potential reuse “exchange” 
establishments can have considerable impact long-term. 
A location in or near a city center is likely also an influential factor in community 
engagement. It’s not possible to compare the Eco Center’s isolated location impact on 
this matter with the other profiled facilities’ successes since community events and 
involvement are not a goal of operations. However, it is likely that the collaborations 
within the reuse and waste reduction ecosystem impact the success and breadth of 
opportunities available to conduct educational and engaging community events that 
develop a broader understanding and appreciation of reuse and circular economy 
principles. 
 
Agglomeration, Local Industry Clusters, and the Reuse Ecosystem 
Where advocacy for deconstruction requirements through statewide policies or 
adaption of new municipal ordinances and incentives advances in New York State, siting 
of Circularity Hubs shows great potential for large impact in creating a local circular 
economy. The infrastructure provided by Circularity Hubs supports an increase in 
48 
 
quality and quantity of materials to support operations at scales that affect the circular 
economy ecosystem. Where building material reuse is successfully established, an 
economy of procurement, processing, distribution, resale, refurbishing, and reuse 
emerges. Agglomeration occurs when there can be cost savings by locating businesses 
close to a trained workforce, source materials, or other shared resources. Local industry 
clusters are related industries that arise to support one another, such as the variety of 
services required to support a circular building economy.  
A city’s deconstruction requirement, Willingham et al. (2017) say: 
would very quickly increase the number of required deconstructions for a 
very small local industry… much like the birth of new markets that follows 
deregulation in other industries, the city’s requirement would potentially 
spur development of a unique cluster of businesses surrounding building 
removal and salvage material resale, including the growth of a labor market 
that both overlaps that of the area’s extremely tight construction market 
and has the potential to improve economic opportunity for small businesses 
and the industries workers. (p. 3) 
The circular building material economy both requires and supports an ecosystem 
of services that span design, construction trades, transportation, retail, storage, and 
material manufacturers. At a large scale, this ecosystem also incorporates workforce 
development, small business innovation, non-profit organizations, hazardous material 
abatement, and more. Building materials salvaged from the waste stream support 
49 
 
repair/refurbishing services, added-value artisans and tradespeople, and in the long-
view, innovative design and production of materials purposed for multiple uses and 
iterations before being recycled or otherwise transformed. This variety of services may 
create a local industry cluster of businesses that contribute to or rely upon building 
material reuse, or an agglomeration of similar businesses such as those producing 
refurbished furniture or architectural components. 
The Reuse Innovation Center (RIC) model championed by Dave Bennink, CEO of 
Reuse Consulting, capitalizes on the agglomeration or cluster of reuse-related services 
that surface in proximity to building material reuse operations. The RIC model rallies 
stakeholders to identify and develop elements of a reuse economy, including retail, 
specialty businesses, repair/refurbishing, education/training, public spaces, and storage 
(Ulster ReUse Innovation Center Stakeholder Meeting, 2023).  
The CR0WDSource guide Deconstruction: A Guide for Local Government 
provides a directory of services within New York state that are adjacent to building 
material reuse in the six categories of Demolition/Deconstruction, Hazard Management, 
Salvage Retailers, Trade Courses, Transport/Hauling, and Waste Handling/Diversion 
(CR0WD, 2022). This surface-level inventory of service providers lists 118 
establishments, including some that specialize in building material reuse, and some 
whose general services can or do support a circular building material economy and 
ecosystem. Although far from exhaustive in its depth or scope, the directory illustrates 
the range of services and specializations across non-profits, for-profits, and educational 
50 
 
institutions that exist as part of the current, underdeveloped circular building material 
economy in New York state.  
With no deconstruction ordinances currently in place in the state, the ecosystem 
is currently a niche market supported largely by conscientious actors. However, 
municipal actions that incentivize or require building deconstructions (policies such as 
this are increasingly being presented to city officials across New York state) or state 
regulations will require economic (in addition to conscientious) solutions in all steps of 
the circular building material economy. Economic solutions will include new business 
development to fill gaps in needed services and capitalize on new opportunities. 
 
Ownership and funding 
The profiled facilities in this report are examples of public, private non-profit, 
and private for-profit ownership. Nationally and internationally, non-profit and for-
profit enterprises successfully contribute to the reuse economy through the sale of 
reclaimed building materials. However, achieving a true circular economy will require 
upfront costs and investments to increase the scale to profitability and compete with the 
current practices that ignore the invisible costs of social and environmental degradation. 
Negative externalities produced by the current market system for building materials and 
construction are unsustainable. Organic market corrections are not spontaneously 
emerging, and even deconstruction pilot programs (such as those by Community Forklift 
51 
 
and City of Binghamton) fail because of the established incentives of time and cost 
savings using the existing infrastructure of a linear take-and-waste economy.  
The circular building material economy must be scaled up with governmental 
support that will correct the market failures. The necessary services involved (e.g. 
workforce training, transportation, processing, reselling) overreach the typical scope of 
publicly owned enterprises, but governmental support of Circularity Hubs is crucial to 
maximize the social, economic, and environmental impacts of the building material 
reuse and circular economy in New York State.  Support from public sources would not 
only invest in more sustainable local economies and the reduction of waste and 
environmental degradation, but position the cities, counties, and New York State as 
leaders in sustainability. 
Cohen’s recommendations in her public comments on the  CLCPA include seed 
money for independently operated reuse centers (Cohen, 2022). This funding could 
support acquisition of property for a facility and operational expenses. “By investing in 
larger-scale Hubs in each County, this will give a meaningful starting point to effectively 
provide the necessary infrastructure to absorb, process and stage building materials from 
deconstruction and surplus from construction projects” (Cohen, 2022, p. 4). This support 
is in line with the strategies listed in the New York State Climate Action Council 
Scoping Plan. A list of references to the specific objectives, most of which involve 
funding, that align with the functions of Circularity Hubs is provided in Chapter Six of 
this report. 
52 
 
Public private partnerships (PPPs) present opportunities for a more collaborative 
approach. Waste Management divisions of counties or cities could contract services for 
construction and demolition waste diversion via Circularity Hubs. The effectiveness of 
PPPs in strategic planning for circular economies in Australia and Sweden is 
documented in a recent study. “Findings from the City of Malmö reflect a tradition of 
more collaborative governance… most sustainable development initiatives were public-
private partnerships in Sweden” (Bolger & Doyon, 2019, p. 2200). In the United States, 
Community-Based Public Private Partnerships (CBPPPs) are being established for green 
infrastructure projects that prioritize community health and sustainability and provide 
flexible options for the quick delivery of much-needed climate change mitigation and 
resilience (US EPA, 2015). The CBPPP model could be utilized as an approach to 
addressing the substantial and immediate environmental threat posed by the linear 
economy. 
An additional funding option is the use of performance-based Social Impact 
Bonds (SIBs) for outcomes related to waste diversion, workforce development, and social 
supports through programs like Community Forklift’s HELP program or ReUse Action’s 
donations to the RISSE refugee program in Albany. The functions of Circularity Hubs 
provide a variety of easily quantifiable data on which benchmarks for pay-outs can be 
established. This option allows governmental agencies to reduce their risk in funding 
innovative circular economy initiatives and to measure and verify cost-saving and/or 
public good-serving results before making certain pay-outs. This option also attracts 
53 
 
private investment dollars to Circularity Hub start-ups. SIBs are already being used to 
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and finance renewable energy projects. 
Grant funding, PPPs, and SIBS are opportunities for funding to catalyze the 
circular economy to produce a scale at which additional services in the ecosystem can 
organically develop. As deconstruction incentives and ordinances emerge across New 
York state, Circularity Hubs and adjacent services will provide the infrastructure for 
their success.  
 
Facility Specifications 
Circularity Hubs must be sized to house a larger scale of inventory than a typical 
reuse retail establishment and services beyond retail (e.g., workforce development, 
transportation, processing). In order to expand the circular building material economy in 
New York, Circularity Hubs must include retail space with high square footage, open 
(undivided) space, ability to drive in and out of the facility and/or loading docks, and 
high ceilings. While some uncovered space may be acceptable for storage of limited 
types of materials, the majority of the space should be sheltered from weather. Adaptive 
reuse of large commercial, manufacturing, and retail spaces can provide these amenities, 
but representatives from both the Broome County Eco Center and ReUse Action 
mentioned large pole buildings or barns as inexpensive options that provide the 
essentials. 
54 
 
To expand beyond the customer base of homeowners doing do-it-yourself 
projects and small businesses purchasing low-cost materials and to reach the small- and 
medium-sized design and construction firms, Circularity Hubs must acquire and store 
large enough quantities to meet their needs.  “In a [Circular Economy] context, the 
materials used for projects should be sourced from recycled or reused material providers 
rather than raw materials… [E]nsuring material availability is highly dependent on the 
market maturity. However, researchers claim that regional shortages of recycled or 
reused materials are still common in practice” (Q. Chen et al., 2022, section 5.1).  
“To obtain large quantities of reclaimed materials can take months to build up 
stock, especially for large projects requiring large quantities of materials… Provision of 
space on site, or close to site, to store reclaimed materials as they become available will 
overcome this problem and enable storage of one-off reclaimed opportunities” 
(BioRegional Consulting, 2018, p. 10).  Examples of one-off reclaim opportunities that 
require a large storage space include the opportunities that have arisen for the Reuse 
Innovation Center based out of Bellingham, Washington, to do salvage and 
deconstruction of an elementary school and a high school, where 125,000 pounds of 
materials were diverted from waste, and over 25 types of building materials reclaimed 
(Ulster ReUse Innovation Center Stakeholder Meeting, 2023). Another example is that of 
Community Forklift partnering with a 450-unit hotel to divert materials (Tom 
Patzkowski, personal communication, March 14, 2023).  Circularity Hubs with 
substantial square footage will have the ability to absorb large quantities of materials and 
55 
 
redirect them to the sales floor, to local nonprofits, to other reused building material 
retail establishments (“exchanges”), or to other specific and appropriate locations for 
their reuse. Typical reuse retail establishments would be challenged to handle frequent 
large quantities of materials, like three of the four establishments profiled that report to 
be nearly always at capacity. 
The study of economic activity resulting from the deconstruction ordinance in 
Portland, Oregon is explicit in the matter of the need for square footage to scale up the 
building material reuse economy. According to this study: 
On the supply side, the largest barriers to potential resale outlets include the 
difficulty and expense of transporting, storing, and processing bulky 
materials. Furthermore, given the somewhat niche nature of reused 
materials, it is not clear that modestly-sized (i.e. numerous) outlets could 
generate profitable sales volumes, with the important exception of boutique 
selections of high-grade or artistically-desirable items. For general use 
materials such as framing lumber and other items, a fairly strong case for 
economies of scale points to larger, logistically-intense operations… First, 
increasing the reliability of the stock would likely attract more regular 
consumers – constant, well-organized stock, clean presentation, and fully-
prepared lumber would appeal to both casual and professional buyers. 
(Willingham et al., 2017, p. 13) 
56 
 
The StopWaste guide presents detailed options for layouts of the proposed BRIC 
for commercial building materials, with diagrams and cost estimates for half-acre, one-
acre, and one-and-a-half-acre site options (StopWaste, 2022). The layouts include 
estimates for functional areas including space for training and workforce development, 
workspace, offices, events, and the most significant amounts of space dedicated to 
material storage and retail (StopWaste, 2022).  
 
Transportation and hauling 
Until the time (and possibly beyond) that contractors are required to divert a 
percentage of materials from building demolitions from landfills, the responsibility of 
pick-ups and hauling of reusable building materials will fall to some degree on 
Circularity Hubs. Although donations and limited salvage can easily fill the HAF’s 
Warehouse’s 9,000 square feet with specialized materials, transportation services can 
secure larger quantities of materials of value. As evidenced by the challenges of 
acquiring materials in the Broome County Eco Center, and Hayes’s emphasis on “hustle” 
as critical to the business model of ReUse Action, Circularity Hubs should expect the 
active pursuit of building materials to be essential to their success, especially where 
deconstruction ordinances, incentives, or requirements are not yet in place. The ability 
to perform transportation and hauling also creates opportunity for the establishment of 
convenient drop-off and donation stations in strategically accessible and convenient 
locations for additional ease of acquiring materials. 
57 
 
Should local ordinances or state requirements be introduced that require 
demolition contractors to divert building materials from the waste stream, the 
contractors may want to sub-contract the pick-up and hauling of materials to Circularity 
Hubs, which would cover the Hubs’ costs of the transportation services. Given the 
importance of on-site sorting in maximizing the quality and quantity of salvaged 
building materials (López Ruiz et al., 2020, section 4.4.1), on-site collection containers 
provided and collected by Circularity Hubs would greatly impact the efficiency of 
acquiring materials at deconstruction or demolition sites. 
 
Salvage and deconstruction services 
Especially in coordination with transportation services and workforce 
development, salvage and deconstruction services can increase the acquisition of 
valuable building materials and provide training opportunities. Salvaging or soft 
deconstruction activities can be completed before buildings are demolished, reducing the 
landfill tipping fees for demolition contractors and allowing property owners to make 
donations to help build a more sustainable circular economy. Both Community Forklift 
and ReUse Action utilize salvage, soft-stripping, and limited deconstruction services to 
boost their inventory and acquire especially valuable materials that are in demand in 
their markets. Full deconstruction services, especially when incentivized by local 
governments, expand the social, environmental, and economic value. 
 
58 
 
Material processing and value-added services 
Whereas Community Forklift requires that building materials be processed before 
being donated, they also attest to the popularity and value of refurbished materials. 
ReUse Action has identified and capitalized on profitable value-added projects such as 
the fireplace mantles made with barn wood. Especially when acquiring building 
materials at larger scales, the ability to process, refurbish, and refinish inventory gives 
the facility greater capacity to secure large quantities of high-demand items. These 
activities may create higher labor costs, but these abilities will also increase the value 
and desirability of materials. Construction contractors, designers, and architects who 
would purchase larger quantities of materials prefer they be in ready-to-install 
condition. 
 
Workforce development 
Workforce development in building material reuse facilities provides green jobs 
with low barriers to entry and living wages to people who have been traditionally 
marginalized or disadvantaged, and/or have barriers to employment. Deconstruction 
certification and training programs offered at Circularity Hubs in New York state would 
amplify the economic effects of the circular building material economy not just by 
preparing workers for deconstruction jobs, but by providing a pathway into general 
construction occupations, truck driving, point of sale operation, repair and 
refurbishment, and more (Alphonse, J. et al., 2022). 
59 
 
Workforce training and certification programs support the capacity of Circularity 
Hubs to perform soft or full deconstruction and situate the Hubs and their employees to 
provide in-demand services if future ordinances require deconstruction training or 
certification for deconstruction of buildings. In Portland, Oregon, after the 
deconstruction ordinance was passed, a study of the resulting economic activity found 
that a workforce trained in deconstruction added to efficiency for contractors and 
lowered the labor costs (Willingham et al., 2017). Several contractors indicated their 
plans to hire additional trained staff in the near future, “indicating the potential for 
unmet labor demand in the sector” (Willingham et al., 2017, p. 11). 
As deconstruction ordinances and incentives are increasingly introduced across 
the United States, formal training and certification programs also are emerging. Build 
Reuse is a nonprofit organization focusing on the development of deconstruction 
workforce development programs. Portland, Oregon’s deconstruction ordinance requires 
that contractors who perform deconstruction must be certified by one of the trainers in 
Build Reuse’s National Registry of Deconstruction Trainers (Deconstruction Ordinance, 
2016). San Antonio, Texas requires deconstruction contractors to be certified through a 
training program conducted by the city’s Office of Historic Preservation (Deconstruction 
Ordinance, 2022), which contracted their first ever deconstruction training program 
through The ReUse People, Inc., whose founder, Ted Reiff, is on Build Reuse’s National 
Registry of Deconstruction Trainers (Contractor Training at the Pooley House, n.d.). 
Reiff also provided guidance in the development of a Pathways in Domicology: 
60 
 
Deconstruction Workforce Development: A Curriculum Building Template published by 
the Michigan State University Center for Community and Economic Development 
(Hooper, 2019). The ReUse People specifically publicize on their website that their 
training programs are opportunities for people with barriers to additional employment 
by listing “ex-offenders” and “community-corrections enrollees” as previous trainees in 
their Deconstruction Worker Certification program (Deconstruction Training | The 
ReUse People, n.d.). 
Dave Bennink, who has presented at multiple events in Central New York and 
the Capital Region, and is consulting for the development of a Reuse Innovation Center 
in Ulster County, New York, is also on Build Reuse’s national registry. Bennink is well-
known by members of CR0WD and many advocates for deconstruction in the state of 
New York, and his involvement in New York efforts has provided invaluable support.  
Utilizing resources such as those available through Build Reuse, certification and 
training standards could be developed to be recognized by individual cities or counties as 
is being done in San Antonio, Texas. Alternatively, a statewide standard could be 
adopted, such as that overseen by the Oregon Construction Contractors Board. In both 
of these cases, the governmental agencies relied upon experts in deconstruction and 
training to guide official requirements. Establishment of official deconstruction training 
programs in Circularity Hubs across the state of New York could similarly prepare local 
experts to guide certification and training requirement conversations in local and state 
deconstruction legislation. 
61 
 
A study of the Architectural Salvage and Reuse Industry (ASRI) in the U.S. 
affirms that the industry employment pool includes a large number of people fighting 
recidivism or coming from African-American communities (Alphonse, J. et al., 2022), 
and that training and employment programs such as the ones utilized by Second Chance 
Reuse, based in Baltimore, provide “an opportunity to upskills themselves and make a 
livable wage” in green jobs (Alphonse, J. et al., 2022, p. 28). Finger Lakes Reuse, in 
Ithaca, delivers a Reuse Skills and Employment Training (ReSET) program to provide 
basic employment and reuse skills to disadvantaged populations (Finger Lakes ReUse, 
n.d.).  
 
Online marketplace 
An online marketplace for building material reuse is a critical piece of 
infrastructure for the circular building material economy. To increase the scale at which 
materials are reused in new construction projects, the current difficulty in sourcing 
specific quantities and types of materials needed must be addressed. While individual 
establishments’ online marketplaces increase the visibility and accessibility of materials, 
an online marketplace that connects all New York state Circularity Hubs simplifies the 
process for buyers and sellers and optimizes the sourcing of needed materials.  
Rather than each individual hub creating and maintaining its own online 
marketplace, one can manage the site for all Hubs, which contribute their listings 
individually. In the case of a Circularity Hub in each county of New York, the online 
62 
 
marketplace will provide outstanding visibility of and access to materials. “It will be 
necessary for contractors to engage with additional new suppliers to source reclaimed 
materials. Reclaimed suppliers mainly supply locally. Many work together as a network, 
especially for larger orders” (BioRegional Consulting, 2018, p. 10). This saves time 
especially for architects, designers, and contracts who need to secure specific quantities 
of specific items. This across-network collaboration increases the scale of projects for 
which materials can be sourced and the appeal to contractors, which is a largely 
untapped business opportunity for building material reuse retail. “There is an 
opportunity for growth in the business-to-business customer segment. The commercial 
customers only result in 3% of the overall industry revenue” (Alphonse, J. et al., 2022, p. 
25). 
 
Community engagement and education 
Building deconstruction and circular building material economy are concepts that 
are slowly gaining attention but are largely still not understood by general populations 
in the United States. Community outreach and events are needed to widen the support 
and advocacy for a more sustainable approach to building material and CDD waste. 
Additional services specific to the needs of the community in which a Circularity Hub is 
located can be incorporated into their services, such as a tool library, maker space, or 
creators’ workshop space to support social cohesion. In the 2019 study of Malmö’s local 
government’s strategic planning efforts in recycling and reuse, the authors find, “[t]he 
63 
 
vision for Malmö as a socially sustainable city is strongly associated with sustainable 
environmental and economic development. The Comprehensive Plan for Malmö asserts 
that ‘ecological sustainability efforts can serve as a motor for social sustainability’” 
(Bolger & Doyon, 2019, p. 2197). 
Educational efforts are critical for the success of a new economy in New York. 
For potential buyers to choose secondary materials over virgin materials, they must 
know information such as what is available, where it can be sourced, and how it can be 
used. Before deconstruction ordinances are in place, potential donors must also know 
what materials are reusable and how and where to donate them. Reuse education and 
engagement catalyzes changes in behavior that support a circular economy over the 
status quo. Engaging a variety of stakeholders across different levels of the reuse 
ecosystem increases buy-in and successful strategic inroads. 
HAF, Buffalo ReUse, and Community Forklift have engaged in a wide variety of 
community engagement activities to increase awareness of reuse and the circular 
economy, host celebration and education events, conduct workshops for skill-
development, and interact with community members in meaningful, positive ways. 
Their engagements have extended beyond building material reuse and focused on 
composting, beekeeping, historical tours, and much more. These activities center these 
facilities as social, economic, and environmental hubs within their communities, and 
strengthen the social bonds while increasing awareness and sustainable choices. 
  
64 
 
CHAPTER SIX: FAVORABLE CONDITIONS OF THE MARKET IN NEW YORK 
 
IBISWorld Market Reports 
IBISWorld provides high-quality market research reports for over 700 U.S. 
industries, accessible online (Cory Tucker, 2006). Since a specific building material reuse 
industry is not included on the list, I utilized reports on the lumber and building 
material industry, home improvement industry, used goods stores industry, and the 
demolition and wrecking industry to understand current and future industry conditions. 
I then analyze how these conditions may provide favorable conditions for Circularity 
Hubs. 
The industry research report done by IBISWorld on lumber and building material 
stores in the state of New York indicates that the number of establishments in New York 
decreased during the period of 2017-2022 and is expected to continue to decrease 2022-
2027 (2022c). Revenue generated in total by these establishments in New York, 
however, has been above the national average for the same five-year period and is 
projected to continue to grow in the coming five years (IBISWorld, 2022c). Home 
improvement establishments are following the same trend in New York – the number of 
establishments has been decreasing and is expected to continue to decrease, while 
revenue has increased (IBISWorld, 2022b). 
65 
 
These trends indicate that although lumber and building materials and home 
improvement supplies and services are growing in demand, the accessibility to these 
establishments in the state of New York is decreasing. This presents an opportunity for 
Circularity Hubs to meet the needs of those who want to shop locally for low-cost 
materials. County-by-county locations reduce transportation costs for buyers who 
otherwise would have limited or no local options as lumber and building material and 
home improvement establishments continue to decline in number in the near future. 
Key external drivers of the reduction lumber and building material stores in New 
York include lower housing starts, lower consumer confidence, and lower private 
spending on home improvements (IBISWorld, 2022c), all of which could also reasonably 
be assumed to increase purchase of reused materials at lower costs. New York state is 
also a suitable location for reuse-related workforce development. The state is ranked 4th 
in the U.S. for the number of Used Good Stores (UGS), with 88,672 establishments, and 
the average wage of New York UGS employees is 49.2% above the national average 
(IBISWorld, 2022d). This supports the argument for reuse jobs as “green collar” jobs that 
can earn livable wages in the state of New York.  
The demolition and wrecking industry in New York is expected to do well in the 
next five years, suggesting that opportunities for deconstruction and salvage will also be 
increasing. Revenue, employment, and wages are projected to outpace the national 
average for the time period of 2022-2027, along with an increase in demolition and 
wrecking establishments (IBISWorld, 2022a). 
66 
 
The combination of the demand for demolition services increasing and the 
advocacy efforts in support of deconstruction incentives and ordinances by 
municipalities presents the possibility of a new, large market opportunity for 
deconstruction contractors and services. Circularity Hubs would be primely positioned 
to provide the necessary infrastructure, training, workforce, and mission-driven 
operations to meet this need across New York state. 
 
 
New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Scoping Plan 
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) was signed into 
law in New York State in 2019. The law “requires New York to reduce economy-wide 
greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030 and no less than 85 percent by 2050 from 
1990 levels” (New York’s Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act - New 
York’s Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act, n.d.). The Climate Action 
Council developed a Scoping Plan to provide the framework for the achievement of 
these goals, and released the Draft Scoping Plan for public comment in 2021 (Scoping 
Plan, n.d.). Comments by Cohen, which I have referred to throughout this report, were 
submitted as public comment during the open comment period. The Final Scoping Plan 
was released by the Climate Action Council on January 1, 2023 (Scoping Plan, n.d.). 
In the Final Scoping Plan, the New York State Climate Action Council has stated 
explicitly that now is the time for public investment in market development of climate-
67 
 
smart solutions. The Plan prioritizes financial and strategic support for the activities 
performed by a Circularity Hub, stating the state and its agencies should: 
• “[C]reate a revolving loan fund for building decarbonization and the reuse 
of buildings and building materials” (New York State Climate Action 
Council, 2022, p. 202) 
• “[I]nclude workforce skills and broad public awareness and engagement 
that motivates behavioral change in areas of focus for market development 
and innovation” (p. 206) 
• “[E]ncourage the use of materials exchanges and sharing platforms 
through development of resources and facilitate the development of 
avenues for material reuse” (p. 326) 
• “[E]stablish a targeted grant funding program to support reuse” (p. 327) 
• “[S]upport policy approaches that increase the capture and use of building 
deconstruction materials and recovered aggregate” (p. 327) 
• “[P]rovide financial support from new funding provided to implement the 
Climate Act and other sources, for local reuse centers, material exchanges, 
and repair shops” (p. 327) 
• “[S]upport workforce development, job training, and trade skills in repair, 
refurbishment, remanufacturing, recycling, and innovative materials 
reuse” (p. 327)  
68 
 
• “[I]mplement new and expand existing statewide campaigns for reduction, 
reuse, and recycling targeting New York residents and businesses” (p. 327) 
 
All of these initiatives are included in the functions of Circularity Hubs as 
outlined in Chapter Five. As outlined in Chapter One of this report, a circular building 
material economy has enormous impacts on the environment, public health, social 
justice, and local economies. These sources of information about the industry 
performance and projections in New York and the agenda of the New York Climate 
Action Council suggest two-fold favorable conditions: strategic investment from state 
agencies and market conditions that position Circularity Hubs to address the market 
conditions projected. 
  
69 
 
CONCLUSION 
 
 
As the review of governmental, professional, and academic research shows, 
circular economy principles are necessary for a sustainable future. The construction and 
demolition industries are producing unmanageable environmental harms to land, water, 
and public health. The devastating impacts of a linear economy, however, present vast 
opportunities for circular economies. Building material reuse is one phase of the circular 
building material economy, and its practice is gaining attention and support around the 
globe. 
Due to market economies’ failure thus far to incorporate “invisible” costs of 
environmental harm, social injustice, and waste management, the circular building 
material economy has not yet proven financially viable. Despite this, advocacy has 
pushed forward policy and incentives to further develop the reuse economy and redirect 
dollars from the negative externalities of a take-and-waste approach toward a people-
centered, principled, and sustainable alternative. 
Initiatives to advance the circular building material economy in the United States 
and New York are gaining traction and attracting attention from practitioners, 
academics, and policymakers. Now is the ideal time for considering a state-wide 
approach to securing the infrastructure necessary to support this new economy and to 
maximize its most positive impacts. Circularity Hubs across the state present greater 
70 
 
opportunities than piece-meal or patchwork tactics and can expedite the materialization 
of positive outcomes.  
Members of the CR0WD network, including Gretchen Worth, are currently 
analyzing vacant school buildings across the state for their potential to be revived as 
functional pillars of community activity as Circularity Hubs. The opportunity may exist 
to transform 62 vacant buildings in 62 counties into a network of building material 
reuse. School buildings, commercial or industrial buildings, supermarket or retail spaces, 
and other facilities all contain potential for future sites.  
Members of CR0WD, and Cohen of Finger Lakes Reuse particularly, are hoping 
to be involved in a pilot program as a “proof of concept” of Circularity Hubs, either in an 
advisory role or active participation. Future research can assist with identifying 
appropriate locations and services for specific Circularity Hubs. The following are some 
areas where further study and data analysis may be useful for determining optimal 
“proof of concept” projects. 
Analyzing concentrations and spatial patterns of demolitions and construction 
projects within the area can assist in estimating the potential material flow to determine 
the size of buildings and scale of services required. Climate and economic justice 
overlays can be used to identify communities that could most benefit from the green job 
training and employment opportunities. Saturation of existing reuse establishments and 
services could indicate favorable conditions for agglomeration of compatible reuse-
71 
 
adjacent business opportunities and small business incubation. Areas where access to 
virgin building materials is limited may be studied for possible market opportunities.  
Mildred Warner, Professor at Cornell and a researcher specializing in economic 
development, recommends further research into various actors in the reuse ecosystem, 
such as potential buyers of reclaimed materials, to clarify the market demands in an area 
where a Circularity Hub may be potentially sited (Warner, M., 2023). The increase in 
scale of materials for larger projects being a goal in the establishment of Circularity 
Hubs, a study of which contractors’ needs within the building services industry are not 
being met or could be met more economically or efficiently should be conducted. 
Education and information-sharing with these actors will be critical in establishing a 
successful market. 
This report provides suggestions and considerations as the Circularity Hub 
concept and circular building material economy move forward. As advocacy efforts 
advance and CR0WD seeks to provide guidance in policy and recommendations for 
infrastructure to support the circular economy in New York State, this report can serve 
to support the proposal of a statewide approach of Circularity Hub facilities. 
  
72 
 
REFERENCES 
 
About Us. (2021, April 8). Community Forklift. https://communityforklift.org/who-we-are/ 
Alphonse, J., Dillon, L., Droukas, S., Eagan, S., & Hazzard, R. (2022). Reuse Businesses: A 
North Star for the Architectural Salvage & Reuse Industry. Temple University Fox 
School of Business. 
BioRegional Consulting. (2018). Build a better future with the Sustainable Development 
Goals. https://www.bioregional.com/resources/build-a-better-future-the-built-
environment-and-the-sustainable-development-goals 
Bolger, K., & Doyon, A. (2019). Circular cities: Exploring local government strategies to 
facilitate a circular economy. European Planning Studies, 27(11), 2184–2205. 
https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2019.1642854 
Broome County Recycles. (2021, September 27). Broome County Recycles Facebook. 
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=226769452824151&set=pb.1000647329
31264.-2207520000.&type=3 
Brownfields Master Inventory, Active, By County. (2021, January 15). 
https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/LAND/MarylandBrownfieldVCP/Documents/B
MI_Active_1-15-2021.pdf 
Buffalo ReUse. (2023). Buffalo ReUse – community. Jobs. Resources. 
https://www.buffaloreuse.org/ 
Chen, K., Wang, J., Yu, B., Wu, H., & Zhang, J. (2021). Critical evaluation of construction 
and demolition waste and associated environmental impacts: A scientometric 
analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 287, 125071. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125071 
Chen, Q., Feng, H., & Garcia de Soto, B. (2022). Revamping construction supply chain 
processes with circular economy strategies: A systematic literature review. Journal 
of Cleaner Production, 335, 130240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.130240 
Chen, Z., Feng, Q., Yue, R., Chen, Z., Moselhi, O., Soliman, A., Hammad, A., & An, C. 
(2022). Construction, renovation, and demolition waste in landfill: A review of waste 
characteristics, environmental impacts, and mitigation measures. Environmental 
Science and Pollution Research, 29(31), 46509–46526. 
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20479-5 
73 
 
Circle Economy. (2022). The circularity gap report 2022. Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NMAUtZcoSLwmHt_r5TLWwB28QJDghi6Q/view
?usp=embed_facebook 
Circle Economy. (2023). The circularity gap report 2023. Amsterdam: Circle Economy. 
https://www.circularity-gap.world/2023 
Cohen, D. (2022). CLCPA Comments—2022 0701 Finger Lakes ReUse. 
https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Project/Climate/Files/2022-Comments/CLCPA-
Comments-2022-0701-Finger-Lakes-ReUse 
Community Forklift. (n.d.-a). 2022 Community Building Blocks Program Factsheet. 
Retrieved April 26, 2023, from https://communityforklift.org/wp-
content/uploads/2023/01/CF_CBBFactsheet_2022-INTERACTIVE.pdf 
Community Forklift. (n.d.-b). 2022 Home Essentials Program Factsheet. Retrieved April 
26, 2023, from https://communityforklift.org/wp-
content/uploads/2023/01/CF_HELPFactsheet_2022.pdf 
Community Forklift. (n.d.-c). Hours and Directions. Hours and Directions. Retrieved April 
19, 2023, from https://communityforklift.org/our-store/hours-directions/ 
Community Forklift. (n.d.-d). Our Awards. Community Forklift. Retrieved April 7, 2023, 
from https://communityforklift.org/about-us/our-awards/ 
Community Forklift. (n.d.-e). Our Programs. Community Forklift. Retrieved April 26, 
2023, from https://communityforklift.org/our-programs/ 
Construction & Demolition Recycling | Broome County. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2023, 
from https://www.gobroomecounty.com/solidwaste/condebris-recycling 
Contractor Training at the Pooley House. (n.d.). San Antonio Reuse. Retrieved April 12, 
2023, from https://www.sareuse.com/blog/2019/training 
Cory Tucker, J. (2006). IBISWorld. Reference Reviews, 20(6), 30–31. 
https://doi.org/10.1108/09504120610687218 
CR0WD. (2022). Deconstruction: A Guide for Local Government. 
https://www.cr0wd.org/_files/ugd/52fa8e_aa6c6c9e141d4f79ad5b7fc9e46a0c62.pdf 
CR0WD. (2023). Toward Building Sustainable Communities and Circular Economies: A 
Local Government Policy Guide to Alternatives to Demolition through 
Deconstruction and Building Reuse. Just Places Lab and CR0WD. 
74 
 
Deconstruction Training | The ReUse People. (n.d.). Classroom and Field Training. 
Retrieved April 12, 2023, from https://thereusepeople.org/deconstruction-training/ 
Delta Institute. (n.d.). Delta Institute. Retrieved August 2, 2022, from https://delta-
institute.org/ 
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (n.d.). Building a world free from waste and pollution. 
Retrieved April 6, 2023, from https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/articles/building-
a-world-free-from-waste-and-pollution 
Ellen MacArthur Foundation. (2021). Completing the Picture—How the circular economy 
tackles climate change. https://www.solvay.com/sites/g/files/srpend221/files/2022-
10/Completing%20the%20Picture%20-
%20How%20the%20circular%20economy%20tackles%20climate%20change.pdf 
Essex, J. & Herbert, L. (n.d.). Building Material Reuse Centres Business Plan—
Presentation. Retrieved May 2, 2022, from 
https://library.uniteddiversity.coop/Business_Plans/Building_Material_Reuse_Centre
s_Business_Plan-Presentation.pdf 
Finger Lakes ReUse. (n.d.). Training (ReSET) | Finger Lakes ReUse. Retrieved April 16, 
2023, from https://ithacareuse.org/reset/ 
Google. (2022, May). Google Street View: 980 Northampton Street, Buffalo, New York. 
Google Maps. https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9071673,-
78.8301403,3a,75y,320.65h,104.85t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqSLecyNcGMW9X0Dn
O-9LTA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 
Gretchen Worth. (2022, June 16). Join the CR0WD. NYS Reuse Summit. 
https://www.cr0wd.org/_files/ugd/52fa8e_2c88f9c27a9b4d2a91764905004fae2d.pdf 
Historic Albany Foundation. (n.d.-a). Historic Trades Program. Historic Albany 
Foundation. Retrieved April 11, 2023, from https://www.historic-albany.org/new-
historic-trades-program 
Historic Albany Foundation. (n.d.-b). Volunteer. Historic Albany Foundation. Retrieved 
April 24, 2023, from https://www.historic-albany.org/volunteer 
Historic Albany Foundation. (n.d.-c). Warehouse. Historic Albany Foundation. Retrieved 
April 11, 2023, from https://www.historic-albany.org/warehouse 
Historic Albany Foundation. (n.d.-d). What We Do. Historic Albany Foundation. Retrieved 
April 24, 2023, from https://www.historic-albany.org/what-we-do-haf 
75 
 
Historic Albany Foundation. (2023, April 7). Historic Albany Foundation. Historic Albany 
Foundation. https://www.historic-albany.org 
Hooper, N. (2019). Pathways in Domicology: Deconstruction Workforce Development. 
https://domicology.msu.edu/upload/Pathways%20in%20Domicology%20Deconstruc
tion%20Workforce%20Development.pdf 
IBISWorld. (2022a). NY23891B Demolition & Wrecking in New York Industry Report.pdf 
(No. NY23891B). 
IBISWorld. (2022b). NY44411 Home Improvement Stores in New York Industry Report.pdf 
(No. NY44411). 
IBISWorld. (2022c). NY44419 Lumber & Building Material Stores in New York Industry 
Report.pdf (No. NY44419). 
IBISWorld. (2022d). NY45331 Used Goods Stores in New York Industry Report.pdf (No. 
NY45331). 
López Ruiz, L. A., Roca Ramón, X., & Gassó Domingo, S. (2020). The circular economy in 
the construction and demolition waste sector – A review and an integrative model 
approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 248, 119238. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119238 
Lyons, S. (2009). Buffalo’s Demolition Strategy. Partnership for the Public Good. 
https://ppgbuffalo.org/files/documents/housing_neighborhoods/housing_conditions_
and_repairs/housingneighborhoods-_buffalos_demolition_strategy.pdf 
Menegaki, M., & Damigos, D. (2018). A review on current situation and challenges of 
construction and demolition waste management. Current Opinion in Green and 
Sustainable Chemistry, 13, 8–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2018.02.010 
New York Department of Environmental Conservation. (2021). New York State Inactive 
Landfill Initiative: Comprehensive Plan to Address Priority Solid Waste Sites for 
Potential Impacts on Drinking Water Quality. 
https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/materials_minerals_pdf/inactivelandfills2021.pdf 
New York State Climate Action Council. (2022). NYS Climate Action Council Final 
Scoping Plan 2022. https://climate.ny.gov/Resources/Scoping-Plan 
New York State Climate Action Council. (2021, December 30). New York State Climate 
Action Council Draft Scoping Plan. https://climate.ny.gov/-
/media/project/climate/files/Draft-Scoping-Plan.pdf 
76 
 
New York’s Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act—New York’s Climate 
Leadership & Community Protection Act. (n.d.). NYSERDA. Retrieved April 20, 
2023, from https://climate.ny.gov/ 
Nußholz, J. L. K., Nygaard Rasmussen, F., & Milios, L. (2019). Circular building materials: 
Carbon saving potential and the role of business model innovation and public policy. 
Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 141, 308–316. 
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.10.036 
ONE LAST TIME! We Need Your Help! – Buffalo ReUse. (2023, March 4). 
https://www.buffaloreuse.org/2023/03/we-need-your-help/ 
Paruszkiewicz, M., Liu, J. H., Hanes, R., Hoffman, E., Hulseman, P., & Willingham, E. 
(2016). The Economics of Residential Building Deconstruction in Portland, OR. 
Northwest Economic Research Center. 
PlaceEconomics. (2021). Treasure in the Walls. 
https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/HistoricPreservation/Deconstruction/Tre
asure%20in%20the%20Walls.pdf 
Portland Deconstruction Ordinance No. 187876. (2016). City of Portland. 
https://www.portland.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/deconstruction-ordexhibit-a.pdf 
ReUse Action. (2016, March 31). Our Story—ReUse Action - reclaim. restore. renew. - 
Western New York’s Largest Supplier of Reclaimed & Surplus Building Material. 
https://www.reuseaction.com/aboutcontact/history/ 
San Antonio Deconstruction Ordinance 2022-09-08-0668. (2022). City of San Antonio. 
https://sanantonio.primegov.com/Portal/viewer?id=188151&type=2 
Scoping Plan—New York’s Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act. (n.d.). 
NYSERDA. Retrieved April 20, 2023, from 
https://climate.ny.gov/resources/scoping-plan/ 
StopWaste. (2022). Building Materials Reuse Analysis Report. 
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1raLChNXi2Sj_IYueYYmWcUd35NeA5fMc/view?u
sp=embed_facebook 
Tom Patzkowski. (2023, March 14). Community Forklift Interview [Personal 
communication]. 
Ulster ReUse Innovation Center Stakeholder Meeting. (2023, February 7). Ulster ReUse 
Innovation Center Stakeholder Meeting. 
77 
 
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2020). Advancing Sustainable Materials 
Management: 2018 Fact Sheet. https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-
11/documents/2018_ff_fact_sheet.pdf 
U.S. Census Bureau. (2022). Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: 
Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021 (SUB-
EST2021). https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-
cities-and-towns.html 
US EPA, R. 03. (2015, November 2). Financing Green Infrastructure—Is a Community-
Based Public-Private Partnerships (CBP3) Right for You? [Overviews and 
Factsheets]. https://www.epa.gov/G3/financing-green-infrastructure-community-
based-public-private-partnerships-cbp3-right-you 
Warner, M. (2023, May 5). Comments at Circularity Hubs: A Proposal to Advance the 
Circular Building Material Economy in New York State. by Penny Crispin. [Personal 
communication]. 
Willingham, E., Hulseman, P., & Paruszkiewicz, M. (2017). Deconstruction in Portland: 
Summary of Activity. Northwest Economic Research Center Publications and 
Reports, 20. 
 
  
78 
 
APPENDIX 
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 
 
1. Organization Name: 
2. Your Name and Title 
3. Is your facility an adaptive reuse of a pre-existing building, such as a school or 
warehouse? If yes, what is the building’s original use? 
4. What is the ownership structure of your reuse operation? 
5. What materials are handled in the facility? 
a. Furniture 
b. Building materials 
c. Textiles 
d. Housewares 
e. Books/media 
f. Computers/electronics 
g. Appliances 
6. What services/programs are included in your facility operations? 
a. Deconstruction training/certification 
b. Other trade training 
c. Other workforce development 
d. Appliance repair 
e. Other repair/fix-it 
f. Building materials processing for resale (de-nailing, etc.) 
g. Value-added/up-cycling/production creation 
h. Retail 
i. Hazard abatement 
j. Textile bailing 
k. Materials recycling 
l. Compost/organic waste diversion 
m. Workshop/studio/maker space 
n. Community engagement/events 
o. Small business incubator 
7. How many full-time equivalent employees are in the organization? 
79 
 
8. Do hiring policies include Diversity/Equity/Inclusion language, or do hiring 
practices help people overcome employment barriers (marginalized populations, 
previously incarcerated, single parents, etc.)? 
9. What collaborations exist with other entities for workforce development, 
supply/demand, or other critical operational purposes? 
10. [After explanation of Circularity Hubs concept] How do you think your 
establishment would interact with a Circularity Hub if one were located in your 
region? 
80