Bufftree Bldg. celebrates opening of 91,000 s/f Devens Recycling Ctr.

General contractor Bufftree Building Co. along with project partners cut the ribbon on one of the largest recycling plants in the country. Massachusetts is the home of a hungry, green-colored monster with a huge green footprint. The 91,000 s/f Devens Recycling Center, at the former Fort Devens military base, will recycle construction and demolition (C&D) debris generated by building projects from around the state. The $9 million steel building supports state regulations that require more than 75% of construction and demolition materials to be recycled and prohibit disposal of such materials in state landfills. According to Mass Development, building projects in the state produce five million tons of C&D waste annually. The metal building consists of a 475-foot-long main structure with a clear span of 160 feet, an attached two-story office space and a train shed for a railroad spur. Six doors allow trucks to access the 80,000 s/f sorting floor and scales to weigh the trucks as they enter and leave the facility, reducing waiting time for drivers. Construction debris is also brought to the site by railroad cars by a Boston and Maine line of the Guilford Rail System. "The sheer size of this project alone has made it a special experience for the Bufftree team," said senior project manager Tony DiGiantommaso. W.K. Macnamara is the owner of the recycling plant. MassDevelopment assisted with planning and construction financing, and RESCOM Architectural provided the design.