With sun-drenched rooms and open spaces, the home at 8905 Transue Drive in Bethesda’s Charred Oak Estates community is not your typical 1960s split level.

The four-bedroom, three bath house, which sits on a quiet cul-de-sac, underwent a major makeover that included removing interior walls, adding state-of-the-art appliances and repainting its brick exterior white.

It is on the market for $999,999.

This home’s exterior can be deceiving, as it is much larger on the inside than it appears at first glance. A long driveway past the well-manicured lawn leads to the home’s entrance.

An eye-catching mahogany-and-glass front entry door was custom-designed by Art in Glass and lets guests know they are entering a richly unique residence.

The door opens to reveal a large, dramatic open space that combines the kitchen, dining room and living room. Thanks to the removal of interior walls in this portion of the home, these three spaces blend together, creating an open, inviting main level.

To the right of the entry is an impressive gourmet kitchen that features high-end appliances, including a Viking professional range and stainless steel hood, and a side-by-side refrigerator, dishwasher and wine chiller.

The stainless steel appliances are highlighted by the surrounding maple cabinetry along with marble countertops and a marble backsplash. While recessed lights keep the kitchen and adjoining rooms bright in the evening, two large skylights and ample windows help light up the space during the day.

The cook in the home will appreciate not being left out of conversations because the open floor plan allows for easy interaction among family members and company when entertaining. There’s also a breakfast bar for casual meals.

A long center island is all that divides that kitchen from the nearby living and dining areas. Adding to the sophisticated feel of the home, all of the rooms share new hardwood flooring and have walls painted in a fresh, neutral color.

The kitchen has windows facing the front yard, and the living and dining areas face the rear yard. The private yard is fenced and has a double-sided gate. In the living room, a French door with full-view glass doors opens directly onto a new deck with built-in seating.

There are double French doors in the dining area that lead into a sunroom, which is one of two additions that were built about 12 years ago. This sun-filled room is the ideal retreat and helps bring the outdoors inside year-round.

The sunroom has three walls of windows and sliding glass doors that offer a scenic, panoramic view. Ceramic tile floors and a wood ceiling with skylights add to the outdoorsy feel. The room is made cozy by a fireplace on one of the walls.

On the opposite end of the home is a the second addition, a bright and lavish two-story great room with black tile floors and a wood-burning fireplace. There are several Palladian windows and three sets of French doors in the room that open into the rear yard.

This great room is perfect for entertaining guests or relaxing after a long day’s work. There are two walls of built-ins and a black spiral staircase that leads to the second floor.

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Resale of the week:Opened-up Bethesda split level

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In today's tough economy, home values have plummeted. Our home has suffered the same fate. My wife and I have no intention of moving, so we have found ways to improve our home's comfort and value. Since 2005, we have gradually completed a number of projects that have improved our home's financial value and made it even more comfortable for us to enjoy. In addition, some of the projects have helped us save money on our monthly bills.

Changing back porch to sunroom

We had our first project completed in 2005. We had a run-down screened-in porch in back of the house. The screens had begun to tear, and the floor would flood up to the house level during every heavy rain. In addition, our small house was cluttered and we needed more space. At the time, we could afford only monthly financing, but we had the porch converted into a Florida sunroom with double-insulated glass. We added extra square footage and later had the windows tinted to give extra protection from the summer sun's heat. The room cost us nearly $20,000 thousand, but the new appraisal upon our 2006 refinancing showed that it increased our property value by approximately $40,000 compared to the appraisal we had just before the transformation. We now use that sunroom as much as any other room in the house.

Installing a water conditioner

My parents both passed on in the summer of 2009. We saved some of the inheritance and used some to pay off debt (including the sunroom), but we used part of it to improve our home even more. In 2010 we had an electric water conditioner installed. We paid $1,600 cash for the system, but we do not have monthly payments for the product or the service. The water system removes impurities from our hard water, and it keeps our water-using appliances running more efficiently, saving us on utility bills. Our pipes are cleaner, and they also run more efficiently. We save approximately $5-$10 each month on water use.

Installing new windows and gutters

Later in 2010 I finally decided to replace the worn-out gutters. We now have more attractive gutters that keep the water from leaking onto our front walkway. They look much more attractive, and the backyard gutters go into the ground. The gutters cost us $600, but they are easier to clean and require very little maintenance.

In 2011 we replaced the old windows. Our heating and cooling costs had risen drastically. An analysis showed that our windows had only a single pane of glass, and the seals had worn down. This let cool air out and the heat in during the summer. In winter, our heat escaped, making us run the heater much more. We installed energy-efficient argon-filled windows that block heat far better. The new seals aid in the blocking. We reduced our cooling costs by as much as 25% per month. We spent approximately $2,100 to complete the project, but the savings of $50 per month will continue.

Improvements are investments

We have completed other smaller projects as well. In all, we spent many thousands of dollars. However, the increase in our home's value of over $40,000 has made the investments worthwhile. Should we one day decide to sell, we will receive far more than if we had not made the improvements. Until then, we enjoy the lower monthly utility bills that these projects allow us to have. More importantly, the projects have helped us feel more comfortable and turned our house into a home.

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First Person: We've Added at Least $40,000 Worth of Home Improvement Value in 7 Years

MT. GRETNA - Borough Council on Monday night approved spending up to $15,000 to replace a failed retaining wall on Lancaster Avenue.

One quote has been obtained for $4,800 for materials and $9,800 for the required excavation, according to Bill Care, public works director.

The law requires two more quotes to be obtained before the project may begin, but council members said they are hopeful the project can get under way before the next meeting.

The borough received a $10,000 grant from the county to assist in funding the project. The remainder of the funds will be taken from the liquid fuels fund.

In other business:

As requested by council, Care reported on the cost of a small chipper that could be used to chip brush. The borough currently picks up brush and hauls it to be burned.

Council members said they believe they should move away from open burning, so last month they asked Care to research the cost of a small chipper. Care said it would cost about $8,800 to buy a small chipper similar to one demonstrated recently in the borough.

Council members held off on a decision, asking Care to put together a list of upcoming projects and their costs and have the list ready to study at next month's meeting.

Council members adopted a hazard mitigation resolution plan. Care noted the adoption of the plan would allow the borough to be eligible for grant funds should a disaster occur. Barney Myer and Ed Kosoff were appointed to serve as members of the Mt. Gretna Authority board. In the absence of a representative of the Cornwall Police Department, council President Charles "Chuck" Allwein presented the January police report. Officers spent 44.5 hours and drove 121 miles on borough business during the month, he said.

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Gretna to replace ailing wall

Story Created: Feb 15, 2012 at 5:11 PM EST

Story Updated: Feb 15, 2012 at 5:51 PM EST

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - There is progress for people living in an area that was hit not once, but twice by heavy rain last summer.

Homeowners on Brookline Drive in South Utica are finding comfort in construction crews working along the Sauquoit Creek. Last summer, the waters came up so fast from Tropical Storm Irene that the city had to evacuate dozens of residents in that neighborhood.

The storm was so fierce that even the retaining wall started to break away.

"This new wall is going to protect the whole stream bank and protect this road from eroding," said Todd Kogut, a Construction Inspector said Wednesday. "The retaining wall won't prevent the flooding, but the new retaining wall will stabilize the banks so that we wont lose the road. As you can see, the retaining wall is just a few feet from the road."

Construction on Brookline Drive is expected to be complete by next week, roughly six months since Tropical Storm Irene hit the Mohawk Valley back in August.

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Construction expected to be complete next week in retaining wall following Summer floods

irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 11:24

Rugby: The Ospreys, who are set to lose Ireland international Tommy Bowe in the summer with Ulster a frontrunner to capture his signature, have parted company with head coach Sean Holley. Holley has been with the Ospreys since their inception in 2003, but following discussions with the board it was decided he should leave with immediate effect.

“Professional sport is a fast-moving and ever-changing environment and after nine years in office we feel that the time is now right to freshen things up and look at alternative options,” Ospreys managing director Mike Cuddy said today.

Scott Johnson, director of coaching at the region, will also leave with immediate effect. “After talking through the issues facing the business with the board, we’ve come to a decision that is for the good of the organisation as a whole, which means that I’ll be giving up my post with immediate effect,” the Australian said today.

“I was brought in to a job for the Ospreys, with a particular a remit to help set-up systems that would enable us to bring through home grown talent, coaches and players, and we agree that I’m leaving an organisation that is now better equipped to deal with the challenging times that lie ahead for all the Welsh regions.”

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Ospreys start to clear the decks

H&H Environmental Construction and Consulting has launched a new website focusing on its New Jersey mold removal and flood water remediation services.

(PRWEB) February 15, 2012

H&H Environmental Construction and Consulting has launched a new website focusing on its New Jersey mold removal and flood water remediation services.

"This new site allows H&H Environmental to more effectively market our services to clients in New Jersey," said Kevin Hinchey, owner of H&H Environmental Construction and Consulting. Hinchey also added, "The site allows us to effectively convey our value propositions, our quick response time, and means to contact us in the case of a mold or water emergency."

H&H Environmental has completed hundreds of NJ mold testing and mold remediation jobs. They handle mold removal projects ranging from small residential homes to corporate, commercial and industrial facilities. All of the mold removal products used for testing and remediation are environmentally friendly.

In addition, the company provides New Jersey water removal and flood water remediation services. They off 24-hour emergency water extraction services, with a thirty minute response time.

H&H Environmental provides public insurance adjuster services, including:

The company provides mold and water remediation services to Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Union, Passaic, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, Sussex and Warren County, Ne Jersey.

The website can be found at http://www.njstatemoldremoval.com

About H&H Environmental Construction and Consulting:

Having completed thousands of mold inspections and mold remediation jobs, our professional staff is experienced in handling projects ranging from small residential homes to corporate and industrial facilities. Serving New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. For more information, call 888-250-6653.

###

Kevin Hinchey
H&H Environmental Construction and Consulting
888-250-6653
Email Information

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H&H Environmental Construction and Consulting Launches New Jersey Mold Removal Website

ROCK ISLAND — Rock Island is one step closer to having a finished sewage treatment plant.

On Tuesday, the state Department of Ecology announced that it has recommended awarding the city $1,618,030 to finish the plant. Funding depends on the final state supplemental budget for 2012.

The city’s project ranked sixth out of 100 projects, said Joseph Coppo, state revolving fund planner for the DOE.

“It stands a very good chance of getting through because they rated so highly on the list,” Coppo said, noting that, if funding comes in less than expected, it would affect projects lower down on the priority list.

The state and federal funding also includes a $853,154 loan at 2.3 percent interest for 20 years, Coppo said.

Rock Island Mayor Russell Clark said the funding will allow the city to complete the plant, which, he estimated, is 65 percent finished now. The funding also will allow contractors to install lines to houses from the main line, and will pay for septic system decommissioning.

He said the plant will allow looser restrictions on lot sizes and will eliminate the need for septic systems in a city with gravel soil.

Clark said he hopes the plant will be up and running by late summer. Bills for being on city sewer will run about $70 per month.

Dee Riggs: 664-7147

deeriggs@wenatcheeworld.com

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Rock Island sewage treatment plant gets funding nod

STEUBENVILLE - Work officially began Tuesday on the $2.3 million Pottery Addition sewer project as county, state and local officials held a groundbreaking ceremony.

The county is under an Ohio Environmental Protection Agency mandate to install the sewers because of a faulty community septic system that is allowing raw sewage to be dumped into the Ohio River.

The county received $600,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding obtained through the Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission, $150,000 from the Ohio Public Works Commission, a $817,736 no-interest loan from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and $817,736 grant from the OEPA.

"This is a great day for Jefferson County and Pottery Addition," said Jefferson County Commissioner Thomas Graham. "The EPA did the right thing in mandating this project with raw sewage going into the river. That is unacceptable,"

Graham noted the EPA is forcing the county to do the project but also is proving a bulk of the financing.

Timothy Campbell, OEPA environmental manager with the Southeast District Office, said the state agency is "proud to provide financial assistance to protect human health, while saving Jefferson County $1.6 million over the life of the loan."

Pejmaan Fallah, OEPA division of environmental and financial assistance, said the state agency is there to offer a "spirit of partnership."

"The problems facing Jefferson County is also our problems," Fallah said.

Tom Hartwig of Malcolm Pirnie, the county's consulting engineer for the project, said Pottery Addition was a long-term pollution problem for people using the Ohio River. He said the OEPA made the project affordable to residents.

Residents will have to pay $3,300 to tap into the sewer system, plus the cost of connecting homes to the sewers.

The county has reached an agreement with Steubenville to treat the sewage.

Domenick Mucci, Jefferson County Regional Planning Commission executive director, said Pottery Addition is one area of the county being eyed for economic development. He said about 18 residents will receive financial assistance to pay for the tap-in fee using CDBG funds.

County Commissioner David Maple said the mandated project is the right thing to do for the area and for the environment. Maple noted the collaboration of many agencies on the project, including Steubenville.

County Commissioner Tom Gentile thanked the work of Shannan Gosbin, county water and sewer department director, and her staff.

"Projects like this just don't fall out of a tree. It takes a lot of hard work," Gentile said.

Gentile also noted the Pottery Addition area is ready for commercial and industrial development but the lack of sewers has hampered efforts.

He said the county will work to attract businesses to the Pottery Addition area and also will work with the Island Creek Township trustees in cleaning up unkempt properties.

Walt Cramer, a Pottery Addition resident, said he thinks the project is great for the area.

"I'm in favor of the project. It has been needed for years," he said.

(Law can be contacted at mlaw@heraldstaronline.com.)

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Sewer project under way

A lot of drinking and heavy thinking can happen on a hot day on a veranda. Two good shows running on Dallas stages right now — The Night of the Iguana at Contemporary Theatre of Dallas and Pluck the Day at Second Thought Theatre — take place on big porches, where characters stand, sit, sweat, loll, fight, eat, dream and, in one play, die. Welcome to the threshold of heaven and hell.

George Wada

Ashley Wood and Cindee Mayfield sweat out their demons in Contemporary Theatre's The Night of the Iguana.

Details

The Night of the Iguana continues through March 4 at Contemporary Theatre of Dallas. Call 214-828-0094. Pluck the Day continues through February 26 at Bryant Hall (next to Kalita Humphreys Theater). Call 866-811-4111.

All who come near the veranda at the Costa Verde hotel in Tennessee Williams' Night of the Iguana are at the end of their ropes, including the giant lizard tied up under the floorboards. Hotel owner Maxine, middle-aged, newly widowed and sexually supercharged, is going mad with worry about money when she's not playing grab-ass with the beautiful Mexican boys who work for her. Defrocked Episcopalian minister T. Lawrence Shannon, who calls himself "a man of God ... on vacation," is reduced to leading Texas Baptist teachers on economy tours. Damp with fever, damned to perdition for bedding a tourist's teenage daughter, he's at the hotel to hide out. Whenever Shannon feels a breakdown brewing, he heads for Maxine's, where her liquor and loose loins help bring him back from the brink. Two other characters, Nonno, the world's oldest poet, and Hannah, his gentle grifter of a granddaughter, appear at the hotel pleading for temporary salvation from the desperate situation they're in.

With every living creature in Iguana in desperate straits, the atmosphere stays highly charged, like lightning crackling ahead of a tropical tempest. The temptation in many productions is to go right to the level of hysteria of that lesser Williams work with similar themes about sex, loneliness and beachside death, Suddenly Last Summer. But at Contemporary, director René Moreno, an expert at challenging actors to be better than they've ever been and at bringing fresh angles to old plays, focuses instead on the humor and humanity in Williams' words and characters. (Moreno's also cut out the pro-Nazi German travelers, who only trespass on this play's central plot.)

Now The Night of the Iguana comes alive as sharp dark comedy, with people darting in and out of the tiny hotel rooms on Rodney Dobbs' sprawling, realistic scenery like confused lovers in a French farce. The play still downshifts, when it has to, into hushed tones, but for once the dialogue's poetic wanderings come back to something comprehensible. This is Tennessee Williams as he should be performed, with highs and lows, with laughter and tears. It's the best production Contemporary has done this season. Maybe one of the best this company has ever done.

Moreno and his lavishly talented cast take Williams' collection of runaway oddballs and make us care about why they're screwed up. We want Maxine, played with earthy hip thrusts by the fearless Cindee Mayfield, to find love again. We want the Reverend Shannon, portrayed by the handsomely disheveled Ashley Wood, to sober up and stop lusting after jailbait. Hannah, the "Nantucket spinster" who talks Shannon through a panic attack, is an angel in silk kimono wings as played by the ivory-pale Elizabeth Van Winkle. But she's no saintly virgin. Here her near-seduction by bad-boy Shannon is a languorous scene that builds to a heat wave of sexual chemistry. We want them to kiss and when they do, shazam.

Giving remarkable performances in smaller roles are Lorna Woodford as a bossy Baptist determined to get Shannon fired for lousing up their tour, and Jessica Renee Russell as Charlotte, the besotted teenage girl hot on Shannon's heels. Both actresses command attention without gross exaggerations.

In the role of the frail 97-year-old poet called Nonno, Terry Vandivort, a Theatre Three veteran, gives the production its most deeply touching and graceful moments, imbuing his character with an otherworldly gaze and crackly voice. Speaking the lines of "the last and loveliest poem" he's been trying to finish for ages, old Nonno brings the play to its dreamlike end. The final scene is exquisitely staged and acted, making a gorgeous picture lit beautifully by lighting designer Russell K. Dyer. After a stormy night, only the poet and the captured iguana escape the ropes that held them down. The others, though profoundly changed, aren't so lucky.

Dallas playwright and actor Steven Walters isn't yet the new Tennessee Williams, but his fast and funny play Pluck the Day is good enough to make him at least the new James McLure. Or maybe Tracy Letts lite.

Like an all-male version of McLure's comedy Laundry & Bourbon, or some of the lighter scenes in Letts' Bug or Killer Joe, Walters' 90-minute Pluck the Day mines big laughs out of good ol' boys sucking down beers and getting into obtuse, twangy conversations. In this play they do it on the back porch of a rundown house in South Texas. Second Thought Theatre's new home base, the black box Bryant Hall next to Kalita Humphreys Theater, renders that porch in squalid splendor on designer Matthew Gray's set, complete with lumpy couch and ice chest. (Gray also directed.)

It's a hot, dull Sunday and friends Duck (Clay Yocum in his best role in years) and Bill (Chris LaBove, a slim Keanu type) begin to wonder why Fred (Mike Schraeder) hasn't come home after an all-night bender. Is he on a peyote kick again? Fred's fiancée, April (Jenny Ledel), drops by to check on him. A furtive exchange between her and Bill leads Duck to believe there's something going on there, even though Bill is gay ... or says he is.

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Night of the Iguana and Pluck the Day Delve Deep Into Life on the Porch.

POSTED: 4:24 pm EST February 14, 2012
UPDATED: 4:48 pm EST February 14, 2012

OVIEDO, Fla -- A historic Central Florida church on the brink of foreclosure could be saved.Bank of America and the Mission Road Church of God in Oviedo are now working on a possible settlement agreement after the church's pastor said the bank refused to negotiate for almost a month.The church's attorney is now working with the bank's attorney and it will be up to the bank to accept the offer."This is great news. We just have to see if we can come to a final agreement. It's been a nightmare for all of us," said Pastor Larry Perkins.The church has been trying to keep the doors open for its community. The 76-year-old institution faced struggles in 2005 when the general contractor who was a year-and-a-half into construction and renovations suddenly died."Everything stopped and the bank and I talked," Perkins said.Perkins and other members cashed in their 401(k) accounts and raised money to keep the day care, free tutoring sessions, learning center and more up and running."If it closed, I'd have nowhere to take my son. I tried other places and I couldn't get in," said parent Mildred Clarke.Bank of America said the church has been in default since 2008 and currently owes in excess of $1.9 million."It took all the way until December 2011 to get someone to say, 'Hey, I'll finance you,'" Perkins said.A spokesperson for Bank of America said after rounds of extensions, discussions and three foreclosure sale dates, time was up.One of the church's longest standing members, 84-year-old Ollie Bell Davis, said she kept the prayer lines open."I prayed to the Lord every day and every night, and every moment in the day that I could," Davis said.

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Church Facing Foreclosure Could Be Saved