Per the City of Takoma Park: “Library Renovation construction continues to build momentum! The first few trees have been removed due to spatial limitations on the project site.
In hopes of repurposing the trees, we are working with Treincarnation to appraise, process, and salvage the wood to create furniture to enjoy for years to come in the new facilities! Meanwhile, construction and utility work will continue on the site.”
The trees are expected to be removed in the week of November 20, 2023. We wanted to share and remind everyone of the plan. Summary:
The Library and Community Center Redevelopment Project will result in new, sustainable facilities for all Takoma Park residents to enjoy. This ambitious LEED Gold project is situated on a site definitively bound by its surrounding structures and infrastructure.
- These spatial limitations have necessitated the difficult decision to remove trees from the site before the facilities can be expanded and renovated. These trees include a spruce and three willow oaks. One of the oaks was planted in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., further underscoring the imperative to approach this task with great care and respect.
- Guided by the City’s sustainability values, resourcefulness has been emphasized at every opportunity throughout this design and construction process. This same care and concern has been applied to every facet of the Library and Community Center Redevelopment Project, including–and most significantly– some trees that will need to be cleared from the building site.
- From the initial difficult decision to remove these trees to the question of how they can be repurposed, many experts have weighed in to bring us to where we are today. To that end, we have prepared some information about what factored into the plan.
What is the plan?
We are working with Treincarnation to appraise, process, and reuse the trees.
- To be clear and transparent, there is no way to predetermine if the trees are salvageable.
- Treincarnation cannot guarantee they will be able to use any of the wood from the removal.
- They are experts in salvaging material of this nature and skilled artisans who can create beautiful and enduring furniture.
- The hope is they will be able to salvage the wood to create furniture to enjoy for years to come in the new facilities.
Courtesy of the City of Takoma Park