Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia and Tishman Speyer volunteers begin work on two homes using lumber from the 2011 Rockefeller Center ® Christmas Tree
PHILADELPHIA (May 24, 2012) —Construction began today on two Habitat for Humanity homes in Philadelphia using lumber milled from the 2011 Rockefeller Christmas Tree. Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia was joined by volunteers from Tishman Speyer, the co-owner and manager of Rockefeller Center, to assist in building the homes, helping two Philadelphia families realize the dream of homeownership.
“We are pleased to be a part of this wonderful tradition that delights so many people,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, “and we are grateful to Tishman Speyer for partnering with us so that the Rockefeller Christmas Tree can live on in Habitat homes and be remembered for generations to come.”
The 79th Christmas tree was milled into lumber shortly after the holiday season and was returned to its home state of Pennsylvania to be used in the construction of the homes, which will be situated on Morse and Gratz Streets in Philadelphia.
“Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia is looking forward to hosting the Tishman Speyer team to work on homes that will incorporate lumber from the 2011 Rockefeller Christmas Tree. It’s going to be a great build!” said Frank Monaghan, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. “The homeowner families are equally excited that a portion of the Rockefeller tree will be used in their new homes. It will bring as much joy to them as it did to the visitors of Rockefeller Center.”
Since 2007, Tishman Speyer has donated lumber from the tree to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat has used the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lumber to help build homes in Pascagoula, Miss.; New York City; Stamford, Conn.; and Newburgh, N.Y.
“We are proud to donate the lumber from the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree to Habitat for Humanity once again,” said Keith M. Douglas, managing director sales and marketing of Rockefeller Center. “During the holiday season, thousands of people from around the world come to visit Rockefeller Center to view the tree and we are proud to see this holiday symbol continue to bring joy to a deserving family.”
Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia has built 160 homes since it was founded in 1985. Habitat Philadelphia focuses its efforts on building multiple homes in a community to transform entire neighborhoods one block at a time. Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia’s vision is a city where all Philadelphians live in safe, affordable homes.
About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat’s blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.
About Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia
Since 1985, Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia has completed 160 homes. Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia’s mission is to transform lives and our City by building quality homes in partnership with families in need and by uniting all Philadelphians around the cause of affordable housing. For more information, please visit www.habitatphiladelphia.org.
About Tishman Speyer
Tishman Speyer is the co-owner and manager of Rockefeller Center, the world-famous real estate, shopping and dining complex in the heart of midtown Manhattan. Rockefeller Center is the site of numerous public exhibits and events, including large-scale installations of public art by world-renowned artists including Takashi Murakami, Jeff Koons and Jonathan Borofsky. Tishman Speyer has earned a worldwide reputation for innovative utilization of public art in its signature commercial properties, which include Rockefeller Center and Chrysler Center. Tishman Speyer is committed to the preservation and restoration of Rockefeller Center and the historic Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center, one of New York’s top attractions. Each day an estimated 350,000 people visit the Rockefeller Plaza complex, which during the holidays is home to the most famous Christmas tree in the world.