Month: August 2006

You are going to need a map, because despite being within the Beltway and a short distance from the DC border, this place is in the middle of no where. It is in an industrial district of Edmonston, MD. The chauffeur was kind enough to drive me as it has no sidewalks, it is not pedestrian or bike friendly. You come out here you’re going to need a truck.
The reason why I wanted to come out to Community Forklift relates to my planned renovation. I wanted to see what some of my options were. The non-profit sells building materials that would otherwise wind up in a landfill. Builders, whomever, are encouraged to donate (tax write off!) excess. Community Forklift in turn sells it. It is sort of like a Goodwill for the Home Depot crowd.
There were some things outside of the building to take a look at, such as this big kitchen sink thing. There were a couple of them. There were some bathroom sinks that must have been taken out of a business as they still had signs on them saying that employees must wash their hands. I found the piles and piles of slate roofing tile fascinating.
Inside we found lumber, lumber everywhere. There were these big thick boards, beams I think they are. Modern beams, old school beams, beam-beams. Unfortunately, a fair number of them were short. Not as if they had no use. I was thinking one could make some neat simple rough furniture with these bits. Also in the “lumber” category was flooring. There was enough of the same type to cover a small room. In the flooring but not lumber realm were squares of vinyl and rolls of it too. Next to them were stone/porcelain tiles. Once again, small project stuff or you only need a few and it doesn’t need to be exact.
I didn’t see prices on everything. A few staff members we ran into apologized saying that they were still sort of new and haven’t gotten around to pricing some items. I remember several of the tubs were priced with masking tape at $150 each. Don’t remember the price of the kitchen sink, it might have been $150 too.
How does it compare to places like Brass Knob? Well it’s got the old without the ‘historic’ ant-tiki vibe going for it. Like BK it has interior doors, at $15-$25, exterior doors, french doors, glass door knobs, and old style radiators and radiator covers. Unlike BK, it has old washers and dryers and dishwashers. Old, without the historically true antique prices. Don’t get me wrong, I like Brass Knob and BK is in the TC.
There were a few odd ball things, one I really wanted, but my goal this year is to get rid of stuff. There was this army green stretcher/ cot for $15. It was so cool looking.
So would I recommend Community Forklift? Of course, I may go there if I can replace some of my current radiators with some shorter (there is a height problem in my house) ones AND if the ones at BK are too pricey. Maybe pick up some doors.

All this $16. The most expensive thing were the cherries at $1.99 a pound. The Dupont Circle market tells me that cherries are out of season, so I was suprised to see these at Kangs and at the Mexican fruit stand. I wanted to get fish but this is the end of the week for the fish and it was on the smelly side. Maybe I should go down to the fish market, Not today, but some other time when I’m in the mood to cut and freeze.

1. Less area to cool and heat.
2. I barely keep the 1,000 or so square feet I do have clean. Imagine if I had more rooms to clean!
3. When I lose/ misplace stuff, there are only so many places it could be.
4. Forces me to be creative. Okay, maybe that isn’t always a good thing.
5. Limits the amount of crap I can accumulate. Besides the floor, the garbage seems like a nice new home.

Anyone got anything they want to add? (please keep in line with the comment policy)

Anyone notice the poles going up by the Waltha Daniels Library? By the R St exit of the Shaw metro. I wonder what this means for the homeless summer camp over there. I’m going to take a wild guess that the property is going to be secured to start some construction project that will take several million tax dollars and a few years (maybe decades) to complete.
Also the building formerly known as Dave’s Seafood on the corner of NJ & R is getting a lot of work done and the owner would like to lease it so it is either a coffee shop or a white table cloth eatery. If you know anyone wanting to open either, contact the owner.

Can’t say I didn’t try. Knowing that it would be the most expensive part of my planned rehab, I wanted it anyway. But the headache of trying to find someone to do it and an email from someone else who also investigated the possibility, seem to point to one conclusion, no green roof for me.
My house is too old, too small, and too structurally screwed up. Yes, I did contact DC Greenworks. That’s where the too old part comes in. My roof is not green roof ready and they had no guidance for me. I contacted another resident, Emily, and she was told by a green design company that for small flat roof homes a green roof wasn’t worth it.
Well, that was depressing.
Anyone got any ideas? I guess I will investigate how to make the house more energy efficient with better windows and toilets and appliances. And maybe see if I can make 1/2 of the roof a rooftop garden.
Anyway back to the drawing board.
Update: Welcome Express Readers. Thanks Jimbo for the heads up. And no, I will not be having any prairie chickens on my roof.

Gallery Place and Mt. Vernon Square have reported it here, and here respectively. You have until 2007 before your NY Ave options are hanging with leathery men at the DC Eagle bar or getting trapped in Marrakesh for a couple of hours.