Hunting for Treasure at The Demolition Depot

Hunting for Architectural Jewels at The Demolition Depot

It's Open House at this Architectural Ornament Paradise

It’s an “only in New York,” “IYKYK” kind of place, and owner Evan Blum invites you to explore and discover what's inside. For interior designers and architects, set designers and prop stylists, this is paradise. Gleaned from grand estates — Vanderbilt, Whitney, Rockefeller, and Hearst, to name a few — and from major corporate and public buildings, restaurants, and hotels are some 500 fireplace mantels, 50,000 square feet of historic lighting, 40,000 square feet of antique and vintage plumbing, 15,000 doors of every style and material, and 100 complete rooms of paneling, including rare woods like chestnut and rosewood that are no longer obtainable. You’ll find windows, shutters, railings, gates, grilles, and tons of unique elements. From churches, cathedrals, and synagogues in the United States and across Europe, Blum has reclaimed exquisite stained-glass windows, statuary, murals, pews, chandeliers, and sconces, often bought for use in private chapels, movie sets, and as replacements in existing churches.

Beginning October 16th through the end of the month, The Demolition Depot is holding an open house, with Evan Blum and team on hand from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday–Friday, to guide, consult, and advise. Blum says, “We are offering attractive deals on everything in our 6-story showroom, with quick transactions and fast worldwide insured delivery services available.”

The open house is prompted by the upcoming temporary closing — actual date yet to be determined — of the company's retail division before its relocation, because the entire block will be redeveloped for residential use. The deconstruction division and online sales will remain active. Blum says they’re currently looking for the right place in the city to relocate. Still, in the interim, he has a second monumental location in Norwich, Connecticut and a third in Essex, Connecticut: a mind-blowing space the size of 25 football fields, holding the overflow from his 53 years of deconstructing and preserving objects and ornaments from the past and recent past. The entire collection occupies two million square feet. “I could fill Brimfield,” he quips.

Blum’s enthusiasm, knowledge, and resources for reclaiming and reusing the material are seemingly limitless. Three generations of his family were deeply entrenched in the arts and related fields, including artisans, builders, manufacturers, and architects, and he absorbed lessons from all of them. He’s been at it since 1973, when the idea of preserving and reusing historic parts was in its infancy. Want ideas on how to incorporate historic architectural ornament in interiors? Blum is an accomplished artist and can offer plenty of suggestions, and he has the craftsmen to reconstruct the pieces. In fact, he’s published a book, Irreplaceable Artifacts: Decorating the Home with Architectural Ornament, with examples using finds from his collection. Need additional lighting fixtures to match what you have? Blum can make them for you. What about lighting for the exterior or entry of a landmarked building? Show Blum a photo, and he will point you to some choices to present. He has over 400 original styles to copy from, and assures us that it will be approved; he worked for the Landmarks Commission and knows the territory.

In addition to using reclaimed architectural pieces to add character and history in residential interiors, the company has provided appointments for all sorts of commercial settings: period display cases for bakeries and boutiques; a complete barber shop; architectural artifacts and period plumbing fixtures for boutique hotels; statues and fountains for major cultural events; sets for countless TV shows, movies, and photo shoots. “We’re the largest prop house in the United States,” Blum asserts. He has some amusing anecdotes, revealing that Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick are absolutely gaga over vintage bath fixtures, and wry observations: “I pulled plenty of material out of Vanderbilt mansions, and now, I’m selling it back to them!” (Anderson Cooper is a customer.)

Mr. Blum hopes reusing the materials he’s saved from landfills will inspire greater appreciation for their superior craftsmanship, remarkable beauty, and the soul, depth, and narrative they bring to a space.