Now Reading
Cohasset Beach Lives Again In Six Corners Thanks To Habitat and ReStore
Cohasset Beach Lives Again In Six Corners Thanks To Habitat and ReStore
Published 06-05-07
Submitted by Habitat for Humanity
SPRINGFIELD, MA - June 5, 2007- "There's nothing ‘greener’ than re-harvested lumber," noted Steve Gelling, Executive Director of Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH), "and, thanks to ReStore, we hope to use as much of it as we can when we build our newest Habitat house in Springfield." Mr. Gelling’s comments, however, did not scratch the surface on just how ‘green’ this lumber is. Once part of a 6,000 square foot, waterfront "mansion" in Cohasset that was built in 1919, the house was completely deconstructed over five weeks by ReStore, a non-profit home improvement center in Springfield. ReStore then transported the lumber to Springfield to await a second sunrise.
In a strange twist of irony, it would be some of the agencies and individual charged with re-harvesting Springfield's economy who would bang the first nails into this recycled lumber to help give it a rebirth as a new home for a Habitat family at 6 Chester Street in the City's Six Corners Neighborhood. On June 7th, a joint-crew from the Economic Development Council of Western Mass (EDC) and The Regional Employment Board, along with EDC's affiliates at the Associated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield, , The Regional Technology Corp., the Springfield Business Improvement District, the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, Westover Metropolitan Development Corp. and Westmass Area Development Corp., would replace their annual picnic and instead help rebuild a neighborhood one board at a time.
"We have all been hard at work with the strategizing and planning necessary to rebuild the local economy," noted Allan Blair, President and CEO of the EDC. "Helping to build this house is such a great way to step away from the paper work and actually roll up your sleeves to help rebuild this City." The REB, EDC and its affiliates will contribute two crews comprised of approximately 50 workers.
Turning back to the beach house wood, ReStore's Store Manager John L. Grossman described the unique quality of the wood available for the new Habitat home. "It is quite unusual to find wood of such a high quality today," noted Mr. Grossman. "This is high-quality structural lumber that has stood the test of time and been carefully recovered for reuse. It offers environmental benefits because we don't need to harvest and mill new lumber or to throw this material in a landfill. So deconstruction is a great alternative to demolition, and this a perfect demonstration of that."
Mr. Gelling also noted an additional benefit to this "green build;" using donated, re-harvested lumber reduces the cost of construction and therefore the overall expense to the new homeowner. "While the final numbers will not be compiled until construction is complete, we do anticipate a savings which we hope to pass along to the homeowner," he explained. "Green is nice, but turning it into an affordable home is even nicer!"
The 6 Chester Street home, at the corner of Chester and Central Streets, is part of a five-home parcel being jointly developed by HAP and GSHFH on City of Springfield/SRA land purchased through the City's RFP process. The Center for Ecological Technology and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department also directly supported the construction of this Habitat Home.
Event Description
Event: GSHFH 6 Chester Street "Green" Build Kick Off
Date: Thursday, June 7th
Time: 10 AM "“ 11 AM (crews working throughout the day)
Media is invited
About Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity.
Founded in 1987, Greater Springfield Habitat for Humanity (GSHFH) has a singular goal: to bring people who need decent housing together with people who can help. Since its inception and including the home above, the organization has built thirty-two, owner occupied homes each of which contributes $1,200 in property taxes on average annually. The GSHFH sponsors "theme build" programs intended to attract specific interest groups wishing to take on an entire house build. Plans for 2007-08 include a Women’s Build at an undesignated location, a new home on Fordham Street, two additional projects at locations to be determined, and a Circle of Faith build on Pomona Street in Springfield. GSHFH celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.
About the ReStore Home Improvement Center.
The ReStore Home Improvement Center is an innovative non-profit enterprise with a mission to reuse valuable building materials, make home improvement more affordable, and create local jobs and provide job training. The ReStore sells used and surplus building materials at low cost to help hardworking do-it-yourselfers rebuild their homes, lives and communities. **The ReStore is an engine for environmentally responsible economic development that contributes to the health and vitality of the community, saving more than 20,000 resiÂdents over $1,000,000. In recent good news for the reputation of our City and region, Springfield was rated fourth out of 379 best "green cities" in the country by /Country Home/ magazine and the ReStore was cited by the magazine for its efforts. Since 2001, the entrepreneurial ReStore has grown quickly in response to strong demand, and is able to fund its annual operations through its own revenue generation.
