BALTIMORE — Keeping useful items out of landfills and giving back to the community.
That’s the goal of a first-of-its-kind program with the Frederick Douglass Tunnel construction project.
When Amtrak razed rowhouses last year to make way for the new tunnel, the railroad went the extra mile, salvaging usable items from the 100-year-old homes.
Take a tour through the salvage center
“We were only technically obligated to provide the historic materials,” says Alexis Hightower, Amtrak capital construction manager. “As they had a chance to go in and inspect each property, they brought it to our attention, hey there are some other valuable items, some still fairly new.”
So, they opened a salvage center at the old Atlas Storage building off Edmondson Avenue. They have everything here, including – you guessed it – kitchen sinks.
“Understanding that a lot of these materials have a lot of historic value, a lot of memories soaked into these materials,” Hightower says. “We did want to dedicate and give those back to the community, as opposed to destroying them or sending them to the landfill as waste.”
And they're available for free to the people who live in this area, like Maurice Spencer.
“They had all kinds of refrigerators, stoves, heating systems, condensers, anything that a house would take to survive,” he says.
Maurice lives a couple of blocks away from the homes where these items came from. He was one of the first in line when the salvage center opened June 2. He snagged a condenser and a water heater.
“The one I had started leaking,” he says. “This was right on time.”
Residents, businesses and community groups can shop for what they need. They even have free delivery.
“We have a community organization here that is looking to build an amphitheater in a former park,” Hightower says. “They would like the marble steps to use as benches. Projects like that are certainly things we want to hear more about and certainly things that we are open to see how we can help.”
And not everything is old.
They have stainless steel appliances, high-end doors and cabinets, and some furnishings like this bathroom vanity Hightower dusted off.
“First day they found this very unique, looks like a bathroom sink,” she says. “I don't think you can find this anywhere. It's made of very quality material. This may be a marble top on this. But this is just an example.”
Maurice says he'll be back.
“I saw some doors in there that I really like,” he says. “They have wood bannisters, doors, windows. If anyone interested in doing a little work to your home, this would be the place to start looking for something if you don’t have the money to purchase the things.”
To shop here, you must live in the Midtown Edmondson or Greater Rosemont neighborhoods, and they are verifying that your address is within these zones.
It’s open Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and by appointment on Saturdays.
The address is 2150 Harlem Avenue.
