Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: How You Can Help Furniture & Architectural Salvage Stay Out of Landfills

On Earth Day, we want to highlight some of the practices you can use in your daily life to help protect the environment! Instead of purchasing a brand new piece of furniture online, consider purchasing a used item or refurbishing a piece already in your home. 

Why?
There are countless benefits to buying second hand and/or repurposing old furniture. First, it is less wasteful. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 80% of the furniture that is discarded each year ends up in a landfill, while only about 0.3% is fully recycled. Second, it helps minimize deforestation. The more furniture that is made from wood, the more trees and forests that will be cut down to meet the demand for that furniture. Deforestation accounts for 15% of global greenhouse emissions, while also contributing to soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and the destruction of local and indigenous communities nearby. Lastly, it helps reduce carbon emissions. If you buy used items locally or restore a piece you already own, you are helping to reduce your carbon footprint because the item does not need to be produced and shipped.

Some new items this week at our Warehouse - including an original 1960s metal kitchen, and 1930s bathroom set in wonderful condition

Some of our recent salvages/saves. The Warehouse team, led by our manager Tom Gazda, work hard to salvage items and encourage everyone to do the same! If you have items you’re replacing and don’t want to see them in the landfill, make sure to email us to see if we can pick them up and find them new homes!

How?
Here are some tips to repurpose your old furniture:

• Before taking out sandpaper or a paintbrush, thoroughly clean the piece to get rid of any dirt or grime.

• Use natural paints and finishes to give the piece a fresh, new appearance. Look for zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints and finishes. They may take longer to dry, but they are much better for both you and the environment.

• Consider using coconut oil as a way to restore the wood’s color naturally. 

• Use a walnut to get rid of scratches.

• Clean and restore the hardware to update its look.

***Getting rid of items? DON’T PUT THEM IN THE TRASH/LANDFILL many organizations (including ourselves and Habitat) have the ability to take these items and find new owners for them. There are also groups like Buy Nothing Albany where you can post a variety of items (including furniture, clothes etc.) to give to others***

Where?
Sometimes, it is hard to know where to begin your project. You may want to start your journey at Historic Albany’s Warehouse. We stock items such as doors, windows, bathroom sets, furniture, mantels, sinks, lamps, and much, much more! Open Fridays 11am-5pm, Saturdays 9-4pm, and by appointment, come check it out to find parts for your historic home or new DIY project.

Another popular place to search for used furniture pieces and to stay local is Facebook Marketplace. Many times you can find beautiful items being sold by people right in your area. You can also try the Habitat for Humanity ReStore on Fuller Road. Finally, once it is safer to have garage or estate sales, poke around for some great finds. 

Enjoy your Earth Day, and try to make eco-friendly decisions in your daily life as much as is financially feasible for you and your family!

By: Olivia Simard

Before (feat. some of our wonderful warehouse volunteers!) and after, refurbished hoosier cabinet

The Renaissance Hotel

The premier hotel atop Wellington Row is the newly renovated Renaissance hotel. The 204-room hotel was reopened to the public in 2015 after a $48 million project completed by Columbia Development. The new hotel is built in the same location as the original DeWitt-Clinton hotel and even sports the classic entrance on the north side of the building. Opened in 1927, the building is nearing 100 years of service to the Albany area.

The hotel came into existence as the Albany area was expanding. The mansions lining State Street were converted into apartments and hotels to accommodate the growing city. Designed by famous Houston architect, Kenneth Franzheim, the hotel sported a Classical Revival and Beaux Art-inspired exterior. The central location and proximity to the capital made the hotel a hot spot for legislative action.

“The Hotel became known as the “Democrat’s Hotel” while the nearby Ten Eyck Hotel on North Pearl Street just a block and half down from the Dewitt was known as the “Republican’s Hotel.” Until the DeWitt closed in 1975 many a political deal was made in the bar and restaurant and rooms that many of them lived in during the legislative years.”

-Don Rittner, Times Union

The DeWitt served as the choice hotel in Albany until the 1970s when the first of the conversions occurred, turning the hotel into an assisted senior living facility. It served this purpose until the 80s when it was again converted to a subsidized housing facility. In 2006 the DeWitt closed its doors until 2014 when Columbia Development bought the property and began the transformation to today.

The restoration was focused on returning the hotel to its historic roots. Local artisans and skilled craftsmen worked to restore the wood and paint finishes of the lobby, elevator area, and arcade, even the original terrazzo flooring was able to be restored to its original look. The public spaces on the second floor were restored to mimic their historic role, rooms to overlook the lobby were rebuilt while the bar soffit and DJ booth were removed. The residential areas on floors 3-11 were reconfigured to maintain the 204 rooms.

Something interesting to note, the first to sign the registry of the hotel was then Governor Al Smith, however, the first overnight guest was a feral black and white cat nicknamed DeWitt Clinton jr.

The Renaissance fully restored still sits on the corner of State and Eagle street slowly but surely regaining its role as one of the top hotels in the Albany Area

By: Ethan Niles

Further Readings:

https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/New-Renaissance-Albany-hotel-opens-with-a-nod-to-6579502.php

https://blog.timesunion.com/rittner/welcome-to-albanys-renaissance-hotel/5018/

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

View fullsize

Meet our Wine Experts- Joe Armstrong & Krysta Dennis

This year for #StationaryFeast2021 we are hosting virtual wine tasting via zoom. Guests will pick up their wine for the tasting (along with apps and dessert) from the Renaissance Hotel in Albany (144 State St, Albany, NY 12207) from 4-5.30pm. Wine tasting will start at 6pm, with wine tasting cards provided.

We are extremely excited to announce that we have TWO wonderful wine experts who will be leading the tasting: Joe Armstrong & Krysta Dennis.

Joe Armstrong
Joe's entire life has been dedicated to the world of wine, food and hospitality. He grew up in his family’s restaurants serving espresso and sandwiches then fine tuning his skills in all aspects of the restaurant business as a young adult for some of the top chef's in Albany and NYC. Realizing his passion for the grape during this time, it turned out to be his true calling in life. He has spent the last 25 years working for a fine wine distributor as a consultant and educator.

Krysta Dennis
Dr. Krysta Dennis, Producer of Creative Arts at Siena College, works as a theatre director and playwright in the US and internationally. Krysta holds a dual PhD from the University of Kent in the UK and the Sorbonne in Paris, and trained as a performer at L’Ecole Jacques Lecoq. While researching her PhD, Krysta worked for a London wine merchant, and studied with the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, earning her certification. Krysta is one of the founding members of the nascent Siena College Beverage Institute, the founder and organizer of the Ten Broeck Mansion Wine Club, and a vocal advocate for New York State wines. She is the author of three plays, Votes for Women, The Burden of the Ballot, and Dutch. Krysta enjoys experimenting with theatre technology in her work including video mapping, augmented reality and virtual reality. Recent directing credits include: The Turn of the Screw (Creative License), An Ideal Husband (NorthEast Theatre Ensemble), A Streetcar Named Desire (NETE), Marjorie Prime (Theatre Voices), Aleda (chamber opera premiere, Musicians of Ma'alwyck), Arcadia (Siena College), The Little Foxes (NETE), Blithe Spirit (Theatre Voices), Through the Grapevine, A Performed Wine Tasting (Lumley Theatre and Canterbury Festival). She has published with Contemporary Theatre Review, Interdisciplinary Network, Routledge, and the Pirandello Society of America.

The Story of a House Activity

Recycling Houses

Author Miki Conn joined us for a live reading of her fabulous book, The Story of A House. We loved how the house was loved and grew so much we created a fun craft to go with it.

Here’s what you’ll need:

How to do it:

1. Pick your recycled item.

2. Wrap it with construction paper and tape it on.

3. Draw on doors, windows, and any details you like: porches, stoops, lintels, cornices (our. ABCs of architecture posts might give you some ornamental ideas)

4. Make an easy gabled roof by folding the paper in half and putting it on top. Or get fancy and make a hipped roof by starting with a square piece of paper, fold it in half to make a triangle. Unfold, and refold making a triangle in the other direction. When unfolded, you’ll have an X on your paper. This little shape with four triangles is.a hipped roof. The roof can be taken on from underneath or just sit on top.

5. Fun details! Make your house prettier by adding details out of cut paper like shutters or maybe shingles on the roof. The sky is the limit how much detail you can add to your houses.

6. Use other recycling to make other blocks that can be added to your house. A cider bottle can become a porch. A paper towel tube can be a Victorian turret, berry boxes can make a stoop when stacked up. Toilet paper tubes can be chimneys.

7. Put all of your house parts together to see how your house can grow and change!

Make you’re house along with Cara in this how to video.