Clean stacks of lumber, windows and doors, hardware and other architectural wares lay neatly arranged at Lovett Deconstruction's North Portland warehouse on Friday.

The space isn't usually so clean, said Preston Browning, who handles materials sales for Lovett Deconstruction. But Lovett, which specializes in tearing down buildings by hand, is now using the leftover materials to build a new business.

Lovett Deconstruction's warehouse is now open to the public, offering for sale the pieces it recovers from historic homes and small commercial buildings. The store, at 2030 N. Willis Blvd., will be open three days a week to builders and project owners alike.

"In the past, the stuff (Lovett) retains hasn't had a real market," Browning said. But now, he says, "especially in Portland, building green and recycling is very desirable."

As housing prices decline, more homeowners are choosing to stay put and invest in remodeling their current houses. Green building services have also grown with rising energy prices and the market for salvaged building materials is benefiting, with new stores and services opening throughout the Portland metro region.