Deconstruction and Reconstruction of Cleveland

This video features the work of the Urban Lumberjacks of Cleveland (ULOC). Adam Smith, one of the original co-founders of ULOC, describes the deconstruction process. An alternative to demolition, deconstruction involves the dis-assembly of foreclosed or abandoned buildings and the re-purposing of materials for re-use in future building projects. This video eludes to the potential re-use of building materials for urban agriculture applications. In this case, building materials from one of the first house deconstructions by ULOC in 2009 were re-purposed for the construction of a strawbale greenhouse at Vel's Purple Oasis urban farm, located just a few blocks from a deconstruction site. In addition to re-purposing materials, deconstruction creates new job opportunities in deconstruction and construction of new structures. How can we begin to see the abandoned buildings in cities like Cleveland as a reservoir of materials that can be used for a variety of urban agriculture applications: greenhouses, raised beds, cooler facilities, market stands, shade pavilions, or homes for urban farmsteads?