Exhibit Designer on Board

PBCIP has retained the services of Philadelphia-based UJMN to design the displays for the Sustainability Center.

January 13, 2011 Demolition Continues

Demolition work continued today after yesterday's snow storm. The concrete from the building's foundations has been separated and will be taken to the recycling center.

First Video January 11, 2011

We'll post some video highlights during the construction process. Stay posted!

January 11, 2011 Demolition started!

Today our demolition contractor started to clear the site for the PBCIP Renew Building!  As part of our intention to divert construction and demolition debris from disposal in landfills and incineration facilities, a good portion of the debris will be recycled as re-usable materials for this project and others. This will help in obtaining points towards Credit MR 2 (Construction Waste Management) and Credit MR3 (Materials Reuse) for LEED Certification.

Materials are separated on site during demolition so that they can be recycled.

This brick will be crushed and will become aggregate to manufacture other construction products. Field brick from the facades will be used in the new building!

The metal from pipes and beams will be sold to Camden Iron and Metals as scrap metal. They will be recycled to become something else. Maybe a car part, or a refrigerator!

About 20 trees had to be removed in order to accomodate the project. They will be converted into mulch for gardening!  They weren't in the best of shapes and were not too old. They will be replaced with new trees as part of the landscaping component of the project.

Design Charette

This was the invitation that PBCIP prepared for the Design Charette. A charette is a quick design excercise in which the architects and engineers collaborate with neighbors to envision how the building might look, what matrials could be used etc.

Community Input

During the PBCIP Renew Building design process, the community was invited to participate in meetings to voice their vision and expectations of the building. Neighbors, buisness owners and City Officials participated in various meetings and design charettes.

A Brief History

Parkside, is Neighborhood located in the City of Camden in the State of New Jersey in the United States. After a prosperous 19th and first half of the 20th Century, the city of Camden lost some of its largest industrial and manufacturing resident companies and fell in decay.

You can learn more about the City of Camden here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camden,_New_Jersey

Most of the city's neighborhoods deteriorated. Many residents relocated, leaving behind abandoned homes and empty commercial buildings. The Parkside Neighborhood was no exception. However, with great hopes and an optimistic vision of the future, members of the community have joined forces to revitilize its neighborhood and improve the urban landscape around them.  PBCIP (Parkside Business and Community in Partnership ) was born. A community-based organization committed to build a vibrant neighborhood in Parkside.

Learn about PBCIP here: http://www.pbcip.org/

This project, the PBCIP Renew Building, will serve as a cornerstone for future commercial redevelopment in Parkside along the Haddon Avenue commercial corridor. It will be the first building to be erected in this section of the City in the last 40 years, and it will be designed to demonstrate how sustainable, energy efficient  design and construction practices are viable when a community comes together. And how a building that represents the ambitions and determination of a community can influence the revitalization  of a neighborhood.  Join us in witnessing this incredible process!