X X X
New York City’s most eminent Christmas tree is heading to the afterlife -- as lumber for new homes.
The 8-ton, 72-foot Rockefeller Center tree was set to be milled Saturday into lumber and dried in a kiln so it could be used in the construction of Habitat for Humanity homes in Brooklyn.
This isn’t the first time that the Rockefeller Center tree has been reused to build homes. The 2007 tree was also transformed into lumber, to help build housing for Hurricane Katrina survivors.
Past Rockefeller Center trees have been used to make toys for animals in the Bronx Zoo and as mulch for hiking trails.
Workers building Rockefeller Center began putting up Christmas trees in 1931, during the Depression.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
