Another Awesome Project with RX Lumber

Charlie Vinz, Ken Camden, and Dawn Marie Galtieri used RX lumber for their community project called DESIGN BUILD GROW EAT!

Design Build Grow Eat is a jobs training program for teenagers. Participants, under the instruction of design professionals and seasoned educators are designing, building and developing a sustainability plan for an outdoor classroom/community garden at Monroe Elementary School. Voice of the City, a Logan Square community arts organization, is implementing the program in partnership with Logan Square Neighborhood Association (LSNA), CPS and After School Matters (ASM). The program will serve as a pilot for the Growing School Gardens (GSG) initiative of CPS. The goal of the GSG initiative is that every CPS school has a garden that functions as an outdoor classroom and enhances instruction through activity based learning.

Tweet Home Chicago Bird House Design Competition

Check out these awesome birdhouse made out of reclaimed materials. The ReBuilding Exchange offered a discount on supplies to all participants. Please read the details below and be sure to look at all the entries on the Flicker site!

The Tweet Home team would like to take this opportunity to offer all of you our sincere thanks. Without each and every one of you, the Tweet Home Chicago program would not have been possible. This year's program was a huge success and it's not quite over yet!

- We have 21 houses on display (see below for a list) in the Building Resource center of the Chicago Center for Green Technology (445 N Sacramento). If you've never been to CCGT, please consider stopping by to take a tour and appreciate the wonderful bird houses on display!

- There are currently two houses (see below) on display at the Chicago Architecture Foundation (224 S Michigan). If you happen to be in the Loop, stop by to have a look!

- We are finalizing lists of houses to be installed at the South Shore Cultural Center and in Lincoln Park. As soon as those houses are installed, we will make a list available. Please stay tuned!

- Last but not least, we have created a flickr page with a photo of every house in the competition. Please head to www.flickr.com/people/tweethomechicago to have a look at all of the wonderful entries.

That's it for Tweet Home news. Please stayed tuned for house installation updates and, as always, feel free to email birds@cityofchicago.org with any questions or comments.

Reuse Project -- General Economy Exquisite Exchange

Last month, the Cream Co. artists' collective created a temporary art installation to experiment with an open economy based on neighborly trade and exchange. Architect, friend of the ReBuilding Exchange and savvy user of reclaimed materials, Patrick Thornton, used materials from the ReBuilding Exchange as tabletops, for both displays and work tables! Check 'em out!

For more pictures and information on this neat project, visit http://generaleconomyexquisiteexchange.blogspot.com.

RX Job Training Program

We launched our job training program in March and before the trainees head out into the field to do building deconstruction next month, they're spending time in the warehouse learning about the reuse industry, wood types, reuse applications, warehousing and inventory, and shop skills!

One of the trainee crews just finished their first RX Made furniture project constructed from reclaimed old growth lumber. Stay tuned for more project updates!

Historic Chicago Greystone Initiative at the RX -- June 12th

ReBuilding Exchange Lumber turned bike polo barricade

Check out what Keith Evans and our friends at Chicago Bike Polo did with our reclaimed lumber! You can check out a bike polo game in Garfield Park at 2pm on Sundays and 6pm on Wednesdays. For info go to: http://www.chicagohardcourt.com/ or http://www.facebook.com/chicagobikepolo

Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse
Plant Sale

Saturday, May 15 & Sunday, May 16, 2010


Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse will sell more than 150 varieties of organically grown vegetable, herb and flower seedlings. The annual organic plant sale will take place Saturday, May 15, 10 am – 3 pm & Sunday, May 16, 10 am - 2 pm at 3501 N. Kilbourn Ave., just west of Milwaukee Ave. and south of Addison St. Plant prices range $2 & up. The Kilbourn Park Organic Greenhouse accepts payment for plants by cash only.

“Our large selection of organically grown tomato and pepper seedlings are always a draw, but you'll also find other interesting vegetables, flowers, and herbs,” said greenhouse manager Kirsten Akre. “This year we are asking our patron to help us and the environment by bringing their own tray or box for carrying plants”.

Are you interested in what we are growing? Please visit our blog at kpog.typepad.com for a complete plant sale listing.

On Wednesday, May 19 from 5 – 7:30 pm, the Kilbourn Organic Greenhouse will host their Half-Price Sale and Gardening Basics: Free Question Answer session by the Master Gardeners of Cook County Chicago – University of Illinois Extension. Bring your gardening questions and select from limited quantities of organic seedlings.


Kilbourn Park, home to the Park District’s only organic-teaching greenhouse, offers workshops throughout the year. For questions regarding the organic plant sale, call Kilbourn Park Organic