TheU.S. State Department has announced aproject toconstruct anannexed office building onthe compound ofthe embassy inMoscow, theembassy announced Monday.

Theseven-story office building will be sited adjacent tothe current eight-story Chancery building atthe "new" embassy compound near theso-called Russian White House.

Thefirst two floors ofthe building will provide consular andvisa services forRussian citizens wishing totravel tothe United States andservices forthe growing number ofAmerican visitors andexpatriates living inRussia.

Theupper floors ofthe new annex will provide office space foragencies working with theRussian government such as theNational Aeronautics andSpace Administration, theCenters forDisease Control, theForeign Commercial Service andthe Foreign Agricultural Service.

Thenew annex was designed tomeet Leadership inEnergy andEnvironmental Design certification standards.The State Department engaged thearchitectural firm ofHOK (formerly Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum) todesign theannex.That firm engaged theRussian architectural firm ofA. R. Vorontsov toparticipate inthis project.

HOK was also selected in2009 todesign aMandarin Oriental Hotel ina historical building onTverskaya Ulitsa, theUnikor development company reported onits website.

Groundbreaking forthe new embassy annex is scheduled forthe summer of2012, andribbon cutting is projected for2015.

Theconstruction ofthe new annex will complete aprogram ofdiplomatic construction inWashington, D.C. andMoscow as envisioned inagreements signed in1969 andamended in1992.

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Embassy Planning Annex

Adam Lapierre

February 28, 2012

A small crew is making a big mess at the Port of Hood River's marina office building.

The mid-1970s structure - home to the Visitors Center and Chamber of Commerce - is receiving a major remodel to upgrade both inside and outside features. Griffin Construction started demolition work last week on the lower floor of the building, with chamber staff working from tight quarters upstairs and the Visitors Center closed for the next couple of months (with a temporary location set up at Cascade Travel's downtown office).

The project will extend the usability of the aging building for the near future, and will keep the chamber at the waterfront location for at least another decade.

"The building really needed to be updated," said Kerry Cobb, chamber director. Several months ago Cobb addressed the port commission, which was debating whether to invest more than a quarter million dollars into the building for repairs or to pursue other options for the prime waterfront property. Cobb said that if the building was not updated, the chamber would likely start looking at other locations for its headquarters.

"We really like the location," she said. "The port is gorgeous and the building is in the right place for a visitors center. The changes are going to make things a lot nicer for our operations."

The port commission approved the upgrade project last year, and the chamber committed to staying in the building by signing a 10-year lease starting in January. The upgrade includes an array of interior work, including a new HVAC system, new restrooms, walls, ceilings and floors and a new layout that will create a much-needed conference room. The major exterior improvement will be a rebuild of the large wood deck overlooking the river, which has degraded over time and is no longer up to code.

"We're crammed cozily on the upper floor until work downstairs is done," Cobb said. "They've already done quite a bit of demolishing; it's exciting. I think the project will move along pretty quickly."

The port hired Griffin Construction for the job at a price tag of just under $300,000. The company expects to have work completed by the middle of April, in time for the chamber and visitors center to settle in before the busy season.

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Chamber kicks off travel to learn in cozy quarters

MANCHESTER, NH--(Marketwire -02/28/12)- Newforma, a project information management (PIM) software company improving building and infrastructure project delivery, today introduced the Newforma Construction Suite, making it easier for design-build firms, general contractors, construction managers and large specialty subcontractors to manage project information to the benefit of their firms and project teams. Select customers have already validated the products by using the new features to deliver live projects. New features include ATM-easy web access for remote users and external consultants; faster, more thorough publishing of handover and closeout information; central management of global contacts; and more.

Barry Gehron, PE, LEED AP, is the chief engineer with John Moriarty & Associates, a Boston-based general contractor validating the new and improved aspects of the software. "The improved web interface is a key component of a more efficient and effective preconstruction bidding process," Gehron said. "It also makes it easier for clients, subcontractors and design team partners to share and coordinate contract documents, RFIs, submittals and other project information. Our consultants and subcontractors enjoy the user-friendly, ATM-style format which makes navigating for project information an easier process."

New and improved Newforma Construction Suite features:

Three new products to improve construction project delivery

The Newforma Construction Suite consists of three products: Newforma Preconstruction, Newforma Project Management, and Newforma Field Management.

In addition to managing email, viewing drawings and searching for information on the company network, Newforma Preconstruction provides means to distribute and coordinate bid documents, and to coordinate models and documents for MEP clash detection.

Newforma Project Management provides an extensive array of functions to manage contracts, submittals, RFIs, change orders, action items and more. It also allows for remote, touch-screen access to project information, whether by smartphone or tablet.

Finally, customers of Newforma Project Management also gain the advantages of Newforma to Newforma, a new technology that enables customer-to-customer connectivity and empowers project teams to deliver more successful projects based on transparency with accountability. For a complete description of Newforma to Newforma and the Newforma Project Network, see the press release, "AEC Firms Say Newforma to Newforma Is Revolutionizing Project Delivery."

Newforma Field Management provides functions to manage punch lists, project images and spatial indices. It includes a tablet app that streamlines the field capture and management of punch list items.

Newforma Chief Executive Officer Ian Howell said, "Many construction companies have asked Newforma to further develop our PIM solution to embrace the role of the contractor. They see that by interacting more efficiently with design firms, they can improve project delivery. We have designed the Newforma Construction Suite to meet these specifications, adding functionality and specially tailoring packaging and pricing of the software. By adopting a project information management strategy that includes Newforma PIM software, construction firms are realizing the benefits of improved project delivery, more connected teams, and easier information-sharing, ultimately satisfying the rising expectations of the owners they serve."

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Newforma Introduces Newforma Construction Suite

Press Release Press Breakfast | Prague, 29 February 2012

IMMOFINANZ Group develops outstanding office building in Prague 1

Ten years after its entry into the Czech Republic as a real estate investor the Austrian-based IMMOFINANZ Group now underscores its commitment to this northern neighbouring market by intensifying its commercial development activities. The first development project will be the refurbishment of a historic building right in the heart of Pragues Old Town, in Jindisk 16. Construction works started recently and are scheduled to be finalised in July 2013. The investment amounts to EUR 24.6 million.

We acquired this building together with Lordship in a 50:50 joint venture from CSOB in January 2006, commented Eduard Zehetner, Chairman of the Executive Board of IMMOFINANZ Group. In order to have clear responsibilities we acquired Lordships share last year. Full control over this development will allow us to realise the project on time and within budget - for the benefit of our investors, Zehetner added, pleased over the future prospects of the project. The full takeover of Jindisk 16 also marks another milestone in the consequent realisation of IMMOFINANZ Groups strategy to develop non-controlling interests into majority holdings or to sell these investments.

Top quality prestigious office building in Pragues City Centre

Jindisk 16 is located in the heart of Pragues city center close to Wenceslas Square near the Jindisk Bell Tower. A prime business location and outstanding accessibility by all three metro lines, several tram lines and Pragues most important train stations are the projects most valuable assets.

The architect of the reconstruction and new extension is the respected Prague-based atelier DaM architects. Jindisk 16 is one of many historic places in Pragues heritage city center that were built at the beginning of the 20th Century but have been neglected for decades. It is a great honour for us to contribute to the revival of this exciting building, said Richard Doleal, partner of DaM architects. Our design work was driven mainly by the idea to create a future-oriented, sustainable office environment that will benefit from the charm of the historic building stock as well as architectural and technological state-of-the art renewals.

The refurbishment design was created in close cooperation with Pragues heritage department and protects all important original architectural elements such as the facade of the building, the inner structure of the historical section, the representative staircases, windows, fittings, etc. Together with the new state-of-the-art structure, these reconstructed genuine parts will give Jindisk 16 a unique character and atmosphere.

After completion Jindisk 16 will offer 6,800 sqm of Class A office and retail space in the historical and the new parts of the property as well as an automatic parking system. The buildings flexible floor plan layout will make it possible to choose between cellular or open-plan offices. Our aim is to develop high-end office and retail space in Jindisk 16, meaning attractiveness does not end with the architectural design. On the contrary: We want to offer our tenants an addressing, comprehensive service package, explained Ralph Bezjak, Head of Developments Commercial of IMMOFINANZ Group, on the companys strategy. We will therefore ensure highest building standards by using top-quality materials and state-of-the-art technologies. A sophisticated building management system will guarantee full transparency of operating costs based on the individual monitoring and metering of all office units and common areas.

Jindisk 16: A green office oasis in the heart of Prague

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DGAP-News: IMMOFINANZ Group develops outstanding office building in Prague 1

Posted: 11:24 am Tue, February 28, 2012
By American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota 
Tags: Encompass Inc., Howard Noziska, Jerry Theis, Kent Jones, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Theis Construction

At St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, overlooking Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis, rebar and stainless steel ties designed by Encompass Inc. were installed in a difficult retaining wall project. (Submitted photos)

Location: 1917 Logan Ave. S., Minneapolis

Firm: Encompass Inc., Eden Prairie

Completion date: November 2011

Project team: Howard Noziska, Kent Jones, Encompass Inc.; Jerry Theis, Theis Construction

Editor’s note: The Feats of Engineering feature, which runs occasionally in Finance & Commerce, features projects completed by members of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota. The content comes from ACEC and the firms.

Aging, structurally unsound retaining walls are a relatively common problem in Minneapolis. The leaning wall behind St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, holding back the prominent hill overlooking Lake of the Isles on which the landmark church was built, posed extraordinary problems — “a challenge of almost biblical proportions,” said Howard Noziska, president of Encompass Inc., the Eden Prairie-based engineering and forensic analysis firm retained to find a solution.

Noziska describes the steepness of St. Paul’s site as “scary.” But the steepness was only part of the challenge in fixing the collapsing wall and stabilizing the hill. Compounding the problem was an extremely restricted location that not only offered physical barriers — stairs blocking access to the wall — but religious and cultural barriers as well, in the form of the buried cremains of deceased members of the congregation and the integrity of a historic structure that had to be assured.

Conditions were exacerbated by the fact that small trees planted many years ago were now fully grown, with their roots a major part of the problem, and several seasons of record snowfalls and heavy rain had loaded the soil with moisture. Taken together, all of these conditions were increasing both the vertical and lateral loads on the retaining wall itself — a structure a foot thick, 6 feet high and nearly 60 feet long.

“The hill was doing what comes naturally,” said Noziska, “sliding, moving downhill, and putting great pressure on the old retaining wall and related sidewalks and stairways. Uncorrected, it presented a potential danger to churchgoers as well as a threat to the church structure itself.”

Eden Prairie-based Encompass Inc. designed and supervised the installation by Theis Construction of a series of “helical piers” — large screw-like rods, twisted into the soil to provide the counterbalancing forces the retaining wall needed to restrain and stabilize the soil behind the wall.

Any solution had to be affordable for a congregation with limited resources, yet one that would endure for decades. Encompass’ answer was a creative combination of advanced engineering thinking and old-fashioned common sense.

The firm designed and supervised the installation by Theis Construction of a series of “helical piers” — large screw-like rods, twisted into the soil to provide the counterbalancing forces the retaining wall needed to restrain and stabilize the soil behind the wall. This created counterforces to the hillside’s natural inclination to keep sliding and pressuring the wall itself.

A new foot-thick reinforced concrete wall with new buttresses was strengthened by the installation of extensive rebar reinforcing rods.

Because of the accessibility problem, all of the concrete required for construction had to be “bucketed” up the hillside. To reach the difficult work area, temporary bridges were built across the steep stairways, sufficient to provide access to the work area by Bobcat without blocking entry to the church for services.

The result? “A strong new retaining wall that will serve the congregation and protect St. Paul’s historic structure for decades into the future,” Noziska said.

To submit projects for consideration in Feats of Engineering, please email the following information to David Oxley, ACEC/MN executive director, at doxley@acecmn.org: firm name, project name, location and description; projected or actual completion date; firm project team and overall project team; additional details of interest to the architecture, engineering and design community; phone number and email address for a project. High-resolution renderings or photographs (minimum of 1MB) also should be submitted. For more information, call 952-593-5533.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 at 11:24 am and is filed under Feats of Engineering. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Link:
Feats of Engineering – Retaining wall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

The city of Keyser has warned First United Bank, owner of the Grand Central Business Center, that an old retaining wall at the southeast corner of the Business Center's property is failing and in imminent danger of collapsing, posing a threat to children who often play in the area.
Councilman Bill Roy first drew attention to the problem about six months ago. Since then, he reported at the Feb. 22 City Council meeting, cracks in the stone-block wall have widened and the wall has further bowed outward. He said the wall needs to be repaired before someone gets hurt.
“They're going to fool around and get a kid killed,” he said.
Following up on Roy's comments, Mayor Randy Amtower said he had run into the CEO of First United and mentioned the failing wall to him in person. First United is the lien holder to Grand Central Business Center, which was the old Keyser High School. “They've been informed all the way to the top,” Amtower said.
The mayor directed staff to prepare a letter to the bank, and said that if action is not taken soon, the city
will take the matter to another level, implying legal action against the bank.

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City puts Grand Central on notice for deteriorating wall

New Level Partners, training and development design experts, converted the Dental Decks Part II (the flashcard company) to a digital flash card tool used by Dental students around the globe.

Princeton, New Jersey (PRWEB) February 28, 2012

New Level Partners, a Princeton, New Jersey based Learning and Development Solutions provider, created a digital solution for the Dental Decks Part II product. The transformation enables dental students to prepare for their Dental Board Exams by accessing the study cards via laptop browser or iPad tablet.

“Dental Decks has successfully launched our new digital study cards for our Decks Part II product. We were looking for a digital solution, and New Level Partners’ experience and technical expertise was a great match for Decks. We recently released the interactive, online Decks Part II, and the immediate adoption and student feedback has been extremely positive,” states James R. Lozier, D.D.S. President of Dental Decks, Inc., the flashcard company.

The Dental Decks Flashcards were launched in 1992 and are considered to be one of the simplest and most effective study methods available. The original and long standing paper product includes over 1400 comprehensive flashcards. New Level Partners converted the cards along with high resolution graphics to enhance study recognition, word search capability and book marking for ease of use.

“The New Level Partners development team created a dynamic, portable option for students to study for their Dental Boards. The portability of the digital Decks II enables students to study anywhere at any time from either their laptop or tablet. Dr. Lozier has an outstanding product with proven success. The benefits of the new digital decks and the instant online purchasing capabilities bring the Deck’s business into this age of online learning technology,” states Nancy M. Langton, President of New Level Partners, LLC.

About New Level Partners

New Level Partners (NLP), founded in 2001, specializes in training solutions for the Property and Casualty Insurance Industry. NLP designs, develops and delivers customized and interactive training programs, both instructor-led and web-based. A wide range of instructional design tools and technologies ensure NLP’s programs are the most interactive and effective on the market.

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Dana Johnston
New Level Partners
(703) 609-6440
Email Information

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New Level Partners LLC Transforms Dental Decks Flash Cards to a Digital Version

Local Broward County plumbing company, John’s Plumbing, has been in business for over 27 years and continues to work closely with clients to ensure projects are finished properly, quickly, and affordably. A fully licensed and insured plumbing contractor, John’s Plumbing treats every project with respect, professionalism, and efficiency. These Fort Lauderdale Plumbers provide residential and commercial services, fully guarantee their work, and are available 24/7, and now also have recently increased their vehicle supply to ensure more availability and faster service.

Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) February 28, 2012

John’s Plumbing is a reliable and professional company that has been providing quick and efficient bathroom repair and other Fort Lauderdale plumbers services to clients throughout Broward County for over two decades. Their fully licensed and insured team of technicians provide residential and commercial plumbing services ranging anywhere from water heater installation, kitchen sink repairs, and dishwasher repairs, to bathroom remodeling, and toilet and shower repairs and installation. John’s Plumbing also specializes in underground leak detection, leak repair, and works closely with insurance companies. They claim they “really can do it all.”

When using John’s Plumbing, customers can expect a licensed Fort Lauderdale Plumber from the company to arrive promptly, assess the situation, fully explain what the repair will entail, answer any questions, and then put it all down in writing. They even encourage their clients to compare their prices to those of other local plumbing services, to see that they truly do offer the best deals and reliable service. And even more importantly, if the customer happens to find a lower quote, John’s Plumbing will not only match the price, but they will beat it! It is with services such as these that they can so strongly pride themselves on creating personal relationships with their clients. John’s Plumbing also takes pride in their quick response time, their competency, and their availability. Not only do they fully guarantee their work, but they are available 24 hours a day, with an always open “Emergency Service Line” contact line.

Whether you are searching for licensed Fort Lauderdale plumbers for new remodeling, renovations, a tiny leak, or 24 hour emergency service, John’s Plumbing is the answer. They offer free, no obligation estimates, and tackle on a plethora of types of projects including bathroom repairs, video inspections, kitchen faucet replacement, sink drain issues, water heater repairs, supply and drain lines, backflow prevention, and many, many more. Whatever the situation, a certified plumber in Fort Lauderdale from John’s Plumbing is sure to handle it, and get it done right and on time, with no hidden costs or fees. And now, with more vehicles, their success and effectiveness can only increase. Perfect timing for the upcoming “World Plumbing Day” celebration on March 11!

Contact:

Louis Rivera

John's Plumbing

Phone: 954-639-9405

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Louis Rivera
Johns Plumbing
954-639-9405
Email Information

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John’s Plumbing Expands their Fleet of Vehicles to Provide Faster Fort Lauderdale Plumbers Services to all of Broward ...

28-02-2012 07:47 Sunday, February 26, 2012 Sermon Highlights: "Faith Under Construction" Scriptures: Judges 16:21-31 and Jude 1:20 God has given every man a measure of faith. Now you must build upon that measure of faith intentionally, not by accident. You must build strategically so that you won't forget any area. Faith is not built only by coming to church. Faith comes by hearing the Word of GOD and also by fellowship. Hebrews 10:23-25 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Faith is built through your challenges. It is the bridge between where you've been and where you're going. We have to activate our faith and trust that GOD is bigger than our circumstances. Hebrews 11:1 11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. God's grace is painted on the canvas of dispair, heartache, disappointment, and hopelessness. Psalm 34:19 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. Please join us on Sundays for Sunday School at 8:30 AM and for Worship Service at 9:30 AM and on Wednesdays for Bible Study at 7:00 PM. Pastor Walter Gillespie Pastors Walter and Sandra Gillespie CHOSEN TABERNACLE MINISTRIES 4310 South Champlain Avenue Chicago, IL 60653

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Faith Under Construction Sermon by Pastor Walter Gillespie - Video

By Beth Healy, Globe Staff

More than a year into a legal battle with a famous black Boston church,OneUnited Bank is taking steps to foreclose on the Charles Street African Methodist Episcopal Church, its customer of several years.

OneUnited last week ran a notice in a Boston newspaper announcing that it plans to auction off the historic Roxbury church. That was how the church learned of the bank’s intentions, said the Rev. Gregory G. Groover Sr., in an interview.

“It’s unfortunate that they had to resort to that,’’ Groover said today. “This is clearly a result of their anger around the litigation. Or maybe it was simply to humiliate and embarrass us.”

Rev. Dr. Gregory G. Groover. Globe file photo.

Groover vowed that the church would find an answer and would not allow the foreclosure to go forward. The battle between OneUnited -- a minority-owned bank that built its business lending to churches and other community institutions – and the Charles Street AME erupted in public in 2010, when the bank sued the church for failing to repay a $4 million construction loan. The church was building a nearby Roxbury Renaissance Center, to host community events, and fell behind on its payments during the recession.

As bad timing would have it, OneUnited ran into trouble at the same time. The bank lost millions of dollars on investments in 2008 amid the financial crisis and sought a $12 million government bailout, which it has yet to repay. The bank has been coming down hard on commercial customers like the Charles Street AME as it’s tried to shore up its balance sheet.

OneUnited, in a statement, said, “We applaud the important role that Charles Street A.M.E. Church plays in our community. As a Community Development Financial Institution focused on serving low-to-moderate income neighborhoods of greater Boston, OneUnited Bank recognizes the impact the economy is having on our small businesses and not-for-profits.” Bank spokespeople did not comment specifically on the foreclosure proceedings. The statement also said, “We are flexible in our efforts to assist borrowers, while remaining consistent with the safe and sound banking practices. We continue to be hopeful that our efforts will result in a stronger community.”

Groover said the bank has refused to take calls from church officials or their lawyer for months. Meanwhile, the church has continued to make monthly payments on the commercial loan (which is separate from the Renaissance Center construction loan) he said.

“This church, without fail, never missed a payment,’’ Groover said. But in December, the bank returned a payment to the church, in yet another sign of the unraveling relationship. “It’s senseless. It really is.”

Groover said he was confident the church would not lose it’s property. “We’re confident,’’ he said.

Beth Healy can be reached at bhealy@globe.com.

Excerpt from:
One United Bank takes steps to foreclose on Roxbury church