Thousands of historic Concordia bricks find new homes through community reuse event

The City of Portland's Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS), in partnership with the University of Oregon, Skanska, and 3 Kings Demolition, hosted a public brick giveaway that allowed residents to reclaim reusable bricks salvaged during demolition of Centennial Hall, a former residence hall built in 1947.

View full size image of Free Brick Giveaway Event sign at the deconstruction site.

By the end of the event, 61 households and community groups had collected 2,816 bricks. That is roughly seven tons of material that will now live on in gardens, patios, retaining walls, public art projects, and homes throughout Portland and beyond.

"These bricks tell a story," said Lauren Onstad, Sustainable Building and Deconstruction Specialist. "Instead of becoming waste, they're becoming part of new projects and preserving a piece of Portland's history for decades to come."

The giveaway was made possible because of the unique construction of Centennial Hall. Unlike many modern buildings, its brick exterior served as an outer envelope rather than a structural wall. The bricks were also laid with traditional lime mortar, which is more brittle and easier to separate than the concrete-based mortar commonly used after the 1950s. Together, these characteristics made the building an ideal candidate for brick recovery and reuse.

Older bricks are highly valued for their character, texture, and color variation. Reusing them also conserves the significant energy required to manufacture and transport new brick, keeping valuable building materials in the local community rather than sending them to a landfill.

Brick recovery efforts are gaining momentum across the country as more communities recognize the environmental and historic value of salvaging construction materials. By keeping reusable materials in circulation, communities can reduce waste while preserving pieces of their architectural heritage.

View full size image of Staff, volunteers and participants sifting through the brick giveaway pile.

A community effort

The event transformed a large pile of salvaged brick into a hub of activity. Participants checked in with volunteer safety staff to ensure they had gloves and closed-toe shoes before parking nearby and hand-selecting bricks to take home.

Volunteers helped remove small pieces of metal and glass from the pile throughout the day to ensure the collection area remained safe. Some participants even brought cold chisels to remove the remaining lime mortar from individual bricks before loading them into their vehicles.

The majority of the volunteers came from the Master Recycler program, where residents learn about regional recycling and reuse systems and champion materials savings in our local community.

Preserving memories, one brick at a time

View full size image of Attendees grab bricks from the giveaway pile.

For many attendees, the bricks represented more than reusable building materials, they were tangible connections to a place that shaped their lives. One former Concordia student who later worked on the university's janitorial staff collected bricks after sharing that one of his children also attended the school. Another former employee, who spent 40 years working at Concordia, selected bricks for a future garden project. 

A 1998 graduate arrived wearing her last remaining Concordia sweatshirt and loaded 125 bricks that will become a retaining wall at her home. One attendee gathered a dozen bricks to send to fellow Concordia alumni now living in Wenatchee, Washington, while another simply drove through "for the memories" before taking home a small stack.

Others came with ambitious plans. One participant made two trips, collecting more than 250 bricks to build a greenhouse. Another returned after attending last year's brick giveaway and shared that the reclaimed bricks from a previous event have already transformed her backyard patio.

The event also welcomed neighbors who arrived without vehicles. Fifteen participants came by foot or bicycle, carrying anywhere from a single commemorative brick to 25 bricks using wagons and carts.

New life for historic materials

The reclaimed bricks will soon become part of projects across the region, including garden paths, retaining walls, planters, greenhouse foundations, basement feature walls, public art, and even creative solutions such as filling gaps beneath fences where energetic puppies have been digging.

As redevelopment continues on the former Concordia campus, the brick giveaway demonstrates how thoughtful deconstruction and material reuse can reduce waste while preserving pieces of Portland's history.

Centennial Hall may be gone, but thanks to dozens of community members, its bricks will continue serving Portland neighborhoods for years to come.