Re:Purpose Savannah has announced they have officially begun deconstructing 414 MLK Blvd (also known as the former B&B Paint Shop). The deconstruction phase of this project is expected to take approximately three months. 

In March of this year, the Savannah City Council approved the demolition of the building under the conditions that the building must be documented per MPC Policy for Documenting Buildings and that rather than traditional demolition, the building will be purposefully deconstructed and the materials salvaged for reuse.

”I am excited to work with Re:Purpose Savannah, an organization dedicated to preserving building materials and the stories associated with them,” stated Stephen Friedman of Hallex Holdings, LLC, the developer of the project. 

As part of its mission, Re:Purpose Savannah connects best practices for structural removal with historic preservation, emphasizing research and documentation to preserve our community's diverse histories. As Re:Purpose deconstructs the structure, all materials will be researched and documented.

The Savannah City Council's decision was a significant step in sustainable deconstruction, as it is one of the largest projects in Downtown Savannah ordered to be deconstructed and salvaged for future use.

Kaite Fitzhugh, Director of Deconstruction noted, “This is quite a historic project for Re:Purpose Savannah and for Savannah as a whole. The required deconstruction for reuse on this size project is a first for the area and a great step forward in saving materials for reuse and keeping out of landfills.”

All reusable materials (wood, brick, fixtures, etc.) will be saved, and all recyclable materials (metal, concrete, etc.) will be recycled. Minimal materials will be sent to the landfill—only when absolutely necessary or unavoidable. Salvaged materials will be processed and made available for public purchase at the Re:Purpose Savannah lumber yard on East Gwinnett Street.

Re:Purpose Savannah will also be documenting the process and invites the public to follow along through their social media platforms and on repurposesavannah.org/bbpaint