SHENANDOAH - In the future, borough properties with trash on porches, high grass or other ordinance violations may receive a citation similar to a parking or speeding ticket.

During Monday's meeting of Shenandoah Borough Council, Borough manager Joseph L. Palubinsky spoke on the possibility of implementing a "Clean Sweep" program in the borough, similar to the City of Allentown's Solid Waste Education and Enforcement Program. Palubinsky became aware of Allentown's program during a recent blight summit held by state Sen. David Argall, R-29.

"There were a number of good things that we heard and were recommended," Palubinsky said with one recommendation being SWEEP.

"Basically, this is a program whereby employees within the borough would be authorized to issue tickets for various ordinance violations, such as littering, high grass, nuisance problems, trash on porches and similar ordinance violations," Palubinsky said. "I think the general sentiment among the members of the council and the mayor is that the fact we want to proceed with this or try to implement this and see what we can do about some of these problem areas."

Councilman Robert Kulpowicz explained, "It's basically going to be like a parking ticket with various offenses on it. There will be fines and penalties. We don't know what the costs will be at this time. People have been getting away with things for too long and it's time to put a stop to it."

"This is a proactive response rather than reactive," council President Leo Pietkiewicz said.

Tickets/citations in this program could be issued by any borough employee so designated and would not be restricted to the code enforcement officer. Tickets would be paid at borough hall, or if not paid or challenged, the matter would go to Magisterial District Judge Anthony J. Kilker.

Mayor Michael Whitecavage suggested that borough officials meet with Kilker about the plan.

"What we need to do first of all is to check our ordinances that we have in place and see what we can adapt," Palubinsky replied. "If some ordinances need to be amended, we'll have to do that, or pass new ordinances."

Palubinsky said warnings can be issued in some cases.

"I really think we can use this to the borough's advantage," Palubinsky said.

No action was taken by the council on the matter. Ordinances will be reviewed by Palubinsky and the council for future establishing of the program.

In other business, the borough council approved a resolution that allows an inter-municipal alcoholic beverage license transfer from Pine Grove to Shenandoah. Isabel Nunez, 2 S. Jardin St., applied for the transfer through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. A public hearing was held on Oct. 17 to receive positive or negative input on the proposed transfer.

"At that public hearing, there was no evidence that (the transfer) would adversely effect the health, welfare and morals of the borough," O'Pake said. "There was a lot of speculation at that time, but nothing concrete was found and there was no evidence presented in that regard."

The vote was 5-0 with two abstentions, council Vice President Brian Conroy and Kulpowicz.

The council approved the following event requests:

- The Polish American Fire Company No. 4 to hold its annual block party from July 6 to 8, which includes closing North West Street from Center to Lloyd streets. There will be no parking from 3 to 10 p.m. July 6 along the 100 and 200 blocks of West Center Street, the unit block of South West Street, and the unit and 100 blocks of South Chestnut Street to park the emergency vehicles participating in the annual truck parade.

- Downtown Shenandoah Inc. to hold the fifth annual Kielbasi Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 19, on the first and 100 blocks of North Main Street.

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Shenandoah considering the 'SWEEP' program

By Jeanne Phillips

Updated: 2012-02-21T18:14:58Z

Q. Dear Abby: My otherwise loving, honest, generous, kind and attentive husband of 10 years feels it’s his right to walk into the bathroom whenever he wants, even when I’m in there. He says it’s coincidence, but I think he does it intentionally. We don’t have locks — or even doors — to shut our master bathroom. We do have other bathrooms in the house.

I have asked him repeatedly not to come in or to make some noise so I know he’s coming. He says he “forgets.” If I’m in the shower or bent over with my head upside down blow-drying my hair and turn around or look up and see another person, I get startled. My adrenaline pumps and I end up yelling at him.I’d prefer to get clean and pretty in peace. My husband thinks I’m overreacting. Am I? — Bothered in the BathroomA. Dear Bothered: Feeling as strongly as you do, it’s surprising that you would move into a house in which the master bedroom and bath are set up this way. And yes, I do think you’re overreacting. However, you have a couple of options: The first would be for you to get clean and pretty in one of the other bathrooms. The second would be to start a remodeling project and have a door (or doors) to your master bath installed so your husband can knock before entering.In-laws can’t break pattern of dramaQ. Dear Abby: I am married to a wonderful and unique man. Despite his privileged upbringing, he is very down-to-earth. His parents’ affluence afforded him many opportunities and still does. Unfortunately, my in-laws are snobbish, self-absorbed and competitive. They are critical of everyone — especially their grown son. They put him and each other down constantly. They cause scenes and can’t enjoy life.My husband is trying to be patient because he knows his parents aren’t going to change at their age. But they consume so much of our energy with their constant, dramatic highs and lows. Any advice for dealing with drama queens (and kings)? They do love us and can be considerate. — Living in the Real World in New JerseyA. Dear Real: It may help you and your husband to understand that people who act the way your in-laws do are usually insecure on some basic level. They put others down to inflate their egos and reassure themselves that they’re “OK” by magnifying (or inventing) flaws in others. When your in-laws start to criticize, be pleasant and make a point of saying something positive about their target. It will short-circuit the rant.Parents, not their dates, pay for baby-sittingQ. Dear Abby: I’m a 40-year-old working mother raising a daughter who is the joy of my life. Once in a great while I’ll accept an invitation to go on a date and hire a baby sitter to watch my daughter.My question is, who should pay for the sitter? The man who asked me out or should I? I have yet to have a suitor offer to pay. Is that just the way it is, or are these men just cheap? — Mom on a Budget A. Dear Mom: Paying for your daughter’s sitter is your responsibility. When you become involved in a steady relationship and the cost of a sitter becomes a financial burden, discuss it then with your boyfriend, who should be willing to share some of the cost.© 2012 Universal Uclick 2/23

Write Dear Abby at http://www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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Dear Abby | Wife wants her bathroom privacy

For long-time members of Shadycrest Baptist Church, the journey to the “Promised Land” also comes with a change of address.

The Church is officially moving into a new Worship and Fellowship building on Sunday, February 26.

Although it is adjacent to their current property on Hamm Road in Pearland, the new “front door” will be on the much more traveled Yost Boulevard.

Shadycrest began as a small congregation about 40 years ago as a mission of First Baptist Church, Pearland.

Then, Gerald Harris, Principal of Shadycrest Elementary School allowed the small congregation to meet at his school.

Come the end of the month, Harris will be among the 600 people who now attend Shadycrest each weekend as he moves into the new building.

The Church had a growth spurt about ten years ago, about the same time as the rest of Pearland.

Although adding a second worship service to allow more to attend each Sunday postponed the need for a new Sanctuary, talk of construction had begun.

“Especially for the people who have been here for a while, this has been on their hearts and minds for a while. You hear some of them talk about ‘We’re entering the Promised Land’ because this is something they have been dreaming about for a decade,” said Senior Pastor Dr. Ryan Jennings.

Jennings arrived in August 2010, well into the planning stages.

The Church broke ground on the new facility last February.

The new sanctuary has room for 600 people.

Next to it is a Fellowship Hall where 350 can have a sit-down meal together.

The $5 million project is about one-third paid for.

“For a lot of the folks who have been faithful and giving, and giving to the Building Fund, this is a real big exciting thing for them,” said Pastor Ryan, as he likes to be called.

The construction team gave also.

Dave Palmer of Palmer Construction Company donated the baptistery.

Jennings said Palmer’s only request was, “All I ask is that you use it a lot.”

On Sunday the 26th, Pastor Ryan will preach from Joshua, chapter 24, verse 15: “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Pastor Ryan is looking forward to preaching in a place with a “new church smell,” and delivering God’s message and an invitation.

“It offers us an opportunity to once again lock arms together and say, ‘Alright, now we have a new challenge before us.’ We worked really hard. God through us build a great loving family and filled up this facility. Now we have room again for many more to come.”

Pastor Ryan gets excited when he says, “We serve a God who is building an eternal family. That is what He is doing through his church. We are honored and privileged to be a part of that.”

The excitement at Shadycrest continues the following week as they host Don Piper, author of “90 Minutes in Heaven” on March 2-4.

While the new Worship Center isn’t Heaven, Jennings hopes for people who attend, it will be a glimpse of the “Promised Land.”

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Shadycrest Church ‘Bound for the Promised Land’

The new St. John the Apostle Catholic Church breaks tradition to make a statement to Leesburg residents, said the Rev. John Mosimann.

The new church, under construction at the intersection of North King Street and Oakcrest Manor Drive, points north-to-south, instead of the customary east-to-west facing of Catholic churches, Mosimann said. When completed this fall, the church’s front doors will face the Town of Leesburg.

“We wanted to open our doors to Leesburg,” Mosimann said.

The community has not always welcomed Catholics in return.

“A History of Saint John the Apostle Church, Leesburg, and the Catholic Faith in Loudoun County, Virginia,” a research paper made from historical records by St. John’s parishioners, highlights a negative stigma against the faithful. Colonial laws in the 17th century forbade Catholics to worship openly or seek public office. Even after those laws ended, Virginians were slow to thaw their opinions over the next 200 years.

Where Leesburg Protestants flourished, the Catholics worshiped in private. They relied on itinerant priests on horseback, riding in circuits to give rites to the faithful, according to the research paper. Missionaries did not make sufficient inroads to warrant a Catholic church until after the Civil War. In 1878, Norris & Sons, the firm responsible for much of Leesburg’s post-war construction, built what parishioners now call “the little church” on the corner of North King Street and Union Street for the sum of $2,000, according to the research paper.

That church, the first Catholic church in Northern Virginia, suited the parish’s needs for the next century, but the completion of the Washington Dulles International Airport in 1962 catalyzed Loudoun’s population boom, said Liz Whiting, president of the Loudoun Museum Board of Trustees. Sixty-thousand people lived in the county in 1970, she said. The 2010 U.S. Census listed Loudoun’s population at 310,000. And with more people came more Catholics.

Ken Tschida, the parish’s development director, remembers seeing Union Street lined with cars, bumper-to-bumper, on Sundays in the 2970s. The parish built their Worship Center in 1992, with a seating capacity of about 400, but now the parish has grown to about 2,500 families, Tschida said.

“The little church fits 180 people,” Mosimann said, pausing for effect, “packed like sardines.”

The new church, clad in red brick to match the character of Leesburg’s historic downtown district, will seat 1,100 people, Mosimann said. His parishioners wanted a traditional design, some of them fondly recalling large churches from their hometowns. The new church is certainly large: the vaulted ceiling above the nave reaches 50 feet high, while the bell tower, when finished, will be 120 feet high.

“Height and light are critical in church architecture. They lift the spirit toward God,” Mosimann said.

The height and light come at a price. Tschida estimates the church’s cost at $15.8 million. The parish spent 12 years raising funds, and will take on a loan between $5 million and $6 million to meet the difference, he said. But Tschida is confident the growing parish will meet the financial challenge, and grateful to them for making the church possible.

Leesburg Mayor Kristen Umstattd called the new church a beautiful and dramatic example of the expansion that many other area faiths have seen in recent years.

“ I hope that Leesburg is viewed as a haven for our faith-based community and I hope we will continue to be just that,” Umstattd said.

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St. John’s new church set to be a worship haven

A church's change in plans for a new building at the site of an abandoned mall has neighbors worried. Southland Christian Church wants to create another parcel of land at the site on Richmond Road to either lease or sell. That change would reduce the size of a pond on the property more than was already planned.

This morning the city's Planning Commission reviewed the amendment. People who live near where the new church is being built say the reduction of that pond could increase problems they already have.

"All the storm water drainage in this watershed comes through our neighborhood. From Liberty Road, Richmond Road, Woodhill, it's a massive amount," said James Capley Jr., president of the Idle Hour Neighborhood Association. They oppose the new plan but Southland's construction engineers say the change would take runoff from nearby neighborhoods into account.

The technical committee chose to postpone a decision on the plan so a subcommittee could review it. "They need some more technical information to see if this revision that's proposed is still consistent with that approval that FEMA has given," said Planning Manager Bill Sallee.

The proposal goes to that subcommittee next Thursday. It will then be presented to the full Planning Commission on March 8th.

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Changes to church's construction plans worry neighbors

GYPSUM, Colo., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanessa Holland, owner of Werks Auto & Diesel Repair, located at 695 Lindbergh Dr., recently added U-Haul truck and trailer rentals to the full-service auto repair shop.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090622/LA34860LOGO-b)

Click here to download the photo accompanying this press release.

Families needing the finest in moving services now will have increased convenience and a shorter distance to travel when moving, which not only will make their move easier but also will have the positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. U-Haul partnering with business owners across North America to increase convenience for customers while helping our environment is just one of the programs that support U-Haul Company's Corporate Sustainability initiatives.

Werks Auto & Diesel Repair can now offer its customers a variety of moving equipment and supplies designed specifically for moving household furnishings, including moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, appliance dollies, furniture dollies, tow dollies and auto transports. Werks Auto & Diesel Repair also will offer sales items to protect their customers' belongings and make moving easier, such as heavy-duty boxes, which are made of up to 90 percent recycled content and are available in a variety of sizes.

"U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Werks Auto & Diesel Repair," exclaimed Justin Frank, president, U-Haul Company of Northern Colorado. "Vanessa is a great example of the type of successful business relationship U-Haul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America."

For more information, or to rent your moving equipment today, call 970-524-2120. Visit http://www.werksauto.com. Business hours of operation are: Mon. – Fri. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sat. 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

About U-Haul

U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."  Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100% biodegradable.  Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the choice for the do-it-yourself mover. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the Company to maintain the largest rental fleet in the do-it-yourself moving industry which includes trucks, trailers and towing devices. U-Haul also offers storage throughout North America. The Company provides industry leading moving and storage boxes and an extended line of packing supplies to protect customer possessions. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket. The Company supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard grills as one of the nation's largest retailers of propane.

Contact:
Joanne Fried
Kelie Hale
U-Haul Public Relations
(602) 263-6194
(602) 263-6772 fax

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Werks Auto & Diesel Repair in Gypsum, Colorado Adds U-Haul Rentals

NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Mark Smith, owner of Ex Treme Auto Repair Services, located at 97 Sussex Ave., recently added U-Haul truck and trailer rentals to the auto-repair and service business.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090622/LA34860LOGO-b)

Click here to download the photo accompanying this press release.

Families needing the finest in moving services now will have increased convenience and a shorter distance to travel when moving, which not only will make their move easier but also will have the positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. U-Haul partnering with business owners across North America to increase convenience for customers while helping our environment is just one of the programs that support U-Haul Company's Corporate Sustainability initiatives.

Ex Treme Auto Repair Services can now offer its customers a variety of moving equipment and supplies designed specifically for moving household furnishings, including moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, appliance dollies, furniture dollies, tow dollies and auto transports.

"U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Ex Treme Auto Repair Services," exclaimed Anthony Paladino, president, U-Haul Company of Northern New Jersey. "Mark is a great example of the type of successful business relationship U-Haul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America."

For more information, or to rent your moving equipment today, call 973-596-8218. Visit http://www.uwebconnect.com/extremeautorepairservice. Business hours of operation are: Mon. – Sat. 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

About U-Haul
U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."  Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100% biodegradable.  Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the choice for the do-it-yourself mover. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the Company to maintain the largest rental fleet in the do-it-yourself moving industry which includes trucks, trailers and towing devices. U-Haul also offers storage throughout North America. The Company provides industry leading moving and storage boxes and an extended line of packing supplies to protect customer possessions. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket. The Company supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard grills as one of the nation's largest retailers of propane.

Contact:
Joanne Fried
Kelie Hale
U-Haul Public Relations
(602) 263-6194
(602) 263-6772 fax

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Ex Treme Auto Repair Services in Newark, New Jersey Adds U-Haul Rentals

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

PartSelect.com, the complete online resource for the do-it-yourself (DIY) repair market and official home of the Instant Repairman, today revealed the cities in America in which people are most likely to tackle their own appliance repair jobs.

Using data collected from millions of customer orders throughout the company’s history, PartSelect.com determined that the top 10 cities most likely to DIY, grouped by Combined Statistical Area, are:

1. Santa Fe-Espanola, N.M.
2. Wausau-Merrill, Wis.
3. Bend-Prineville, Ore.
4. Port St. Lucie-Sebastian-Vero Beach, Fla.
5. Claremont-Lebanon, N.H.-Vt.
6. Sarasota-Bradenton-Punta Gorda, Fla.
7. Hartford-West Hartford-Willimantic, Conn.
8. Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-Md.-Va.-W.Va.
9. Boston-Worcester-Manchester, Maine-R.I.-N.H.
10. Raleigh-Durham-Cary, N.C.

“The Sante Fe-Espanola, N.M. statistical area tops the chart, with people 71 percent more likely to fix their own appliances than the average American,” says Ben Graham, Director of Ecommerce for PartSelect.com. “And yet, people in cities far from there, such as up north to Wausau, Wis., and as southern as Sarasota, Fla., are not far behind that. When we first decided to develop these rankings we thought some interesting geographic patterns might emerge. But now we see that the popularity of DIY is not confined to a specific region. As this top 10 list demonstrates, people all over the United States have the same drive to save money by repairing their own appliances and buying their parts online with a site like PartSelect.com.”

To calculate the rankings, PartSelect.com examined data from the 120 largest statistical areas in the United States and graded them based on the number of appliance repair parts ordered in that area. The company factored in population, number of households, homeownership rates, and number of people per household in each region to rate the relative likelihood of appliance repair and determine the region’s Appliance DIY Score.

“By taking all of these factors into account, we can accurately say, for example, that a Bostonian is 19 percent more likely than the average American to repair his or her appliance. Yet, that same person is 44 percent less likely to tackle a DIY repair project than someone living in Sante Fe,” says Graham.

PartSelect.com also uncovered the cities whose residents are least likely to do their own repairs. With the residents of number one being least likely to DIY, those areas are:

1. Brownsville-Harlingen-Raymondville, Texas
2. Lumberton-Laurinburg, N.C.
3. Lubbock-Levelland, Texas
4. Monroe-Bastrop, La.
5. Midland-Odessa, Texas
6. Jackson-Yazoo City, Miss.
7. Columbus-Auburn-Opelika, Ga.-Ala.
8. Fargo-Wahpeton, N.D.-Minn.
9. Youngstown-Warren-East Liverpool, Ohio-Pa.
10. Corpus Christi-Kingsville, Texas

DIY appliance repair has become more accessible with the growing number of online resources such as PartSelect.com’s how-to videos and Instant Repairman. These tools empower more people to take charge of their own appliance repairs, enabling them to save money and increase the life expectancy of their appliances.

A complete ranking of the 120 combined statistical areas most (and least) likely to perform a do-it-yourself appliance repair project is available upon request.

ABOUT PARTSELECT.COM

PartSelect.com is the largest appliance and consumer electronic repair store for the do-it-yourself market, with more than 2 million parts, 30,000 sets of installation instructions, and a growing library of how-to videos. PartSelect.com’s Instant Repairman is the only search engine that lets users self-diagnose their appliance issues and immediately connects them to the parts and instructions needed to fix them. http://www.PartSelect.com.

MEDIA RESOURCES

Website: http://www.partselect.com

Instant Repairman: http://www.partselect.com/Instant-Repairman.htm

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/PartSelect

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PartSelect

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/PartSelect

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PartSelect.com Names the Top 10 Cities Most Likely to DIY

With one apartment building nearing completion, an affordable-housing project going up in downtown Lake Elsinore is on the cusp of accepting its first occupants.

Pottery Court should have its first 15 apartments rented sometime in March among the 113 units that ultimately will be available, said project manager Aruna Doddapeneni of Bridge Housing Corp.

"It's going great. We're actually going to move some people in at the end of the month, and we expect to be completed with construction in June," she said.

The project, which will cater to a broad range of income levels, is expected to provide an economic as well as an aesthetic stimulus to Lake Elsinore's historical downtown district.

Pottery Court is on 4.4 acres framed by Sumner Avenue, Langstaff Street, Pottery Street and Riverwalk, a recently completed pedestrian and bicycle pathway along a creek channel leading to the lake.

The area contains numerous deteriorating homes and cottage complexes catering to low-income households, among which various rejuvenated and well-kept properties are sprinkled.

City officials believe Pottery Court, featuring a sleek design and bright exteriors, will set a vibrant tone as properties there are developed anew.

"Aesthetically, it's going to be very pleasing," Mayor Brian Tisdale said. "There's already been some improvements to that area. ... When you start putting things in a neighborhood that look good, it makes a difference in people's attitudes toward the community. It's really about making it a safe, livable community for people to live in."

Also, officials expect that under the management of Bridge, which specializes in developing and operating affordable housing, the complex will attract responsible, hardworking residents. Applicants are screened to ensure they are law-abiding and drug-free.

"I think we've come a long way with low-income housing," Tisdale said. "In the past, you would have low-income areas where the folks who lived there didn't necessarily have to follow the rules. ...

"When people come (to Pottery Court), they can't be on parole, they can't be on drugs and doing other things that cause other housing projects to fall by the wayside.

"We're trying to make sure that those who need affordable housing have a safe and convenient place to live, and that's what that project offers," Tisdale said. "I think it will be a benefit to the city."

The residents there are expected to boost commerce along the Main Street business corridor a few blocks away.

The $26 million complex is being built in phases, and occupancy will be phased in accordingly as buildings are completed.

In addition to the first nearly finished structure facing Pottery Court, the contractor, San Diego-based Wermers Multi-Family Corp., also is polishing up the complex's community building, including a study room, music practice room, party room and kitchen. The property also will have a pool, barbecues, outdoor play areas and a maintenance building.

The eight residential buildings will offer 20 one-bedroom, 48 two-bedroom and 45 three-bedroom apartments to households ranging in income from about $13,650 to $32,500, according to information from Bridge. Monthly rents will range from the low $300s to mid-$700s.

The project was made possible by the city redevelopment agency's $9.7 million loan to Bridge, a strategy put into motion before the state pulled the plug on redevelopment programs.

Although redevelopment ended Feb. 1, agencies throughout the state are still in the process of winding down their activities, and they still have the responsibility for ensuring debts are paid.

Pottery Court's design was created by architect Chris Texter of the national firm KTGY. Texter has said he drew upon the inspiration of renowned, early-20th-century San Diego architect Irving Gill.

The wood-framed buildings have plaster, adobelike exteriors with arches and recessed windows, shaded by awnings and featuring decorative ceramic tiles.

As construction progresses, Texter said, "All the neighbors will be able to see what the finished community is going to be like and what the streetscape feels like."

As with any as-yet-unrealized design, it's difficult for people to envision what the end product will look like, especially when it comes to low-income housing, said Texter, whose has participated in numerous such projects.

"A lot of people don't really grasp the design until the building goes up," he said. "Quite obviously, there's always concern in the neighborhood and community about affordable housing. I think, as in all cases with our projects, they're going to be very pleasantly surprised that it's quite different than what they expected."

Call staff writer Michael J. Williams at 951-676-4315, ext. 2635.

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LAKE ELSINORE: Pottery Court work progressing

DURHAM, N.C., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Crescent Resources, LLC celebrated the start of construction today on a landmark 303-apartment community, Circle Ninth Street. The $47 million apartment project is located on a six-acre site adjacent to Ninth Street and the historic Erwin Mill building.  

The community is being financed by an equity investment from Crescent Resources and financing from Pearlmark Real Estate Partners LLC and U.S. Bank N.A.

"Partnering with solid financiers such as Pearlmark and U.S. Bank that share our commitment to high-quality development will produce an extraordinary multifamily community," said Brian Natwick, president of Crescent's Multifamily Division. "With such an irreplaceable site in close proximity to employers, dining and entertainment options, Circle Ninth Street is poised to offer residents a true work, live and play lifestyle."

"Our investment in Circle Ninth Street is consistent with our strategy, which is focused on proven developers with prime locations in markets with strong growth potential," said Mark Witt, managing director with Pearlmark.

"With the strong market location and the expertise of Crescent's development team, we see great potential for Circle Ninth Street," said Amy Clement, senior vice president of real estate for U.S. Bank.

Several distinct building types, inspired by the existing historic Erwin Mill building and the previous factories and warehouses in the area, will provide a neighborhood feel and context for Circle Ninth Street. The arrangement of the four-story buildings allows for a number of private outdoor amenity areas, including a central lawn, community park, dog park, and pool and fitness courtyard. Highlights of the resident amenities are a wireless cafe, gaming room, demonstration kitchen, lounge, group study library, business center, media room and fitness center. 

A mix of reclaimed industrial materials and clean modern aesthetics will highlight the interior spaces. Circle Ninth Street is designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification requirements from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Cline Design Associates of Raleigh is the project architect and landscape architect. Historical Concepts, based in Atlanta, serves as the design consultant. John R. McAdams of Durham is the land planner and civil engineer, and Vignette Interior Design of Charlotte is the interior designer. State Building Group of Charlotte has been named the general contractor. Kettler Management of McLean, Va., will serve as the property manager.

More information is available at LiveNinthStreet.com.

About Circle

Circle was inspired through extensive review and analysis of current industry trends and marketplace needs. The progressive Circle communities are places where neighbors connect. In addition to presenting a new breed of apartments that people are excited to live in, Circle developments are also infused with the exceptional quality and customer-oriented features that have become Crescent hallmarks.

In addition to Circle Ninth Street, multifamily communities under construction include The Venue at Cool Springs in Nashville, Tenn.; Circle West Campus in Austin, Texas; and Gallery at Cameron Village in Raleigh, N.C. Crescent's planned multifamily communities include Circle SouthPark in Charlotte; and Circle Bayshore in Tampa; and four additional developments planned to start construction in 2012. The company has developed more than 15 multifamily communities throughout the southeast.

About Crescent Resources

Crescent Resources is a real estate development company with interests throughout the southeastern United States. Based in Charlotte and established in 1969, Crescent Resources is known for its single-family, multifamily and resort residential communities. Crescent also develops business and industrial parks and shopping centers. Visit www.crescent-resources.com for more information.

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Crescent Resources Celebrates Groundbreaking at Circle Ninth Street