potrero view

The wall behind this concrete fish pond is made of scrap styrofoam and stucco.

July 2009

Reuse Oasis on Edge of Potrero Hill

By Mary Purpura and Silvano Purpura-Pontoniere

For those of us trying to live as ecologically as we can, it can sometimes feel that it’d be much simpler if we didn’t live in an urban area.  In rural communities there’s more space to grow food or install wind turbines; it’s easier to envision a grey water system; and there are fewer laws restricting the keeping of small, cloven-hoofed livestock.  But there’s one advantage city dwellers have over our rural counterparts: we can find a used version of almost anything we need or want.

Just off of Cargo Way, at Third Street, is an unusual place filled with used treasures.  Building Resources (BR) opened in 1995 as a place to recycle and reuse donated building materials, lighting and plumbing fixtures, and all kinds of paraphernalia – such as drawer pulls and doorknobs – that go into the making of a house.  Building Resources is chockfull of doors and windows, toilets and ducting, tumbled, recycled glass sorted by color, sinks and PVC piping. The nonprofit doesn’t accept anything toxic or not re-useable, or materials – such as particleboard or medium-density fiberboard – which would suffer as a result of outdoor storage.  Over the years, BR has received and sold a hand-carved, chalice-shaped, black oak pulpit from 1895; a 1905 Chinese wedding chair with poles; and a group of chandeliers, each one eight feet across and weighing 1,700 pounds.

In BR’s yard an iron fish rests on an iron bar in a rectangular concrete tub.  Pipe coils around the fish, ending near its mouth, where water bubbles up. Potted succulents surround the tub. Kale, cactuses, bamboo, and various trees grow in all sorts of containers, including an old bathtub, a planter made from old doors, and an old concrete sink. Nearby, a tall wall that looks like a giant sandcastle backs a concrete pond full of goldfish and water plants. A winged gargoyle looks out from atop the wall.

“I made that wall from scrap Styrofoam and stucco with a couple of local artists,” said Matthew Levesque, who has served as Building Resources’ program manager since the organization was founded. “We don’t build anything here unless it’s 100 percent re-used.”

“The planters and sculptures are here to serve as inspiration for what you can do with all these materials,” said Phil Mitchell, who has worked at Building Resources for three years. “Simple shapes can add a lot to the garden. People might not think of how interesting an old radiator might look in their own yard. But if they see it here, and they like the way it looks, it gets them thinking about other possibilities.”

BR is organized and relatively tidy. “I want to dispel that junkyard feeling,” said Levesque. “The pond, fountain, and gardens soften that feeling. Keeping everything grouped and easy to find does, too.  We’re customer oriented and community oriented, and we are entirely about making re-use as normal as possible,” he explained. “This is not about being hip or an artist. I want everybody’s mother to feel comfortable here.”  While large property owners and small contractors make up a sizeable portion of Building Resource’s clientele, roughly half of BR’s client base is regular homeowners and renters who want to take on a small project, or replace something that’s worn or broken.

“You can’t have a culture that re-uses materials without helping people to understand the principles behind re-use,” Levesque said.  To that end, one of Building Resources’ missions is to educate.  Four classes are typically offered each season – there will be a break from classes until the end of the summer – on topics ranging from how to re-wire a lamp, hang a door, or hand cast stepping stones from scrap glass and plaster. BR staffers are willing to help novice do-it-yourselfers figure out how to realize a particular project.

Levesque points out that patience is necessary for those dedicated to re-use. “Let’s say someone is looking for something specific, like a door. I may not have your door today, but I might have it on Tuesday.  When somebody is working on a project, I’d like them to think, ‘I should check out the re-used store first.’”

Building Resources diverts from 1,000 to 1,200 tons of material from landfill each year. Even though BR’s materials are priced well below retail, sales contribute roughly 85 percent of the nonprofit’s annual operating budget, according to Ed Dunn, executive director of San Francisco Community Recyclers, BR’s parent organization. The San Francisco Department of the Environment makes up the balance.

Building Resources, at 701 Amador Way, is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.  With advance arrangements, BR will use its 24-foot, biodiesel-powered truck to pick up large donations of materials from within city limits.

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