“The Road Home” Aims to Restore Lives One Classic Car at a Time

Bridgewater, NJ (PRWEB) February 16, 2012

The already tough job market is expected to get tougher for veterans, as one million service members will exit the military during the next five years. It is this statistic that led a group of compassionate auto enthusiasts to create “The Road Home,” a not-for-profit organization designed to help veterans return to civilian life through placement in automotive restoration shops.

Serving primarily as a matchmaker, The Road Home puts veterans and restoration shops together through both direct contact on an individual level and a growing self-serve database, which will be hosted at http://www.TheRoadHomeUSA.org. American Collectors Insurance, a specialty provider of collector vehicle and collectibles insurance, will be the program’s charter supporter and play an important role in bringing this very worthwhile project to life.

“When we were brought into the initial discussion about The Road Home, we immediately understood the strong potential link between the growing car hobby and returning veterans,” said American Collectors Insurance’s CEO Jill Bookman. “American Collectors has long been involved with partners serving the U.S. military, and as a result we have many thousands of customers who are active or retired soldiers, sailors, and airmen.”

The Road Home’s mission is to restore lives, one classic car at a time and it’s a mission American Collectors Insurance is dedicated to help accomplish.

For more information on The Road Home, please visit: http://www.TheRoadHomeUSA.org or http://www.facebook.com/theroadhomeusa.

About The Road Home

The Road Home is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing returning veterans with social, training, and employment opportunities in the automotive restoration industry. Founded in 2012 by a group of compassionate automotive enthusiasts, The Road Home has developed a network of restoration shops ready, willing, and able to welcome a veteran into their day-to-day operations. The program’s mission is “restoring lives, one classic car at a time.”

About American Collectors Insurance

American Collectors Insurance is the nation’s leading provider of collector vehicle and collectibles insurance. American Collectors offers products through independent insurance agents, in partnership with several major insurance organizations, and direct to consumers. A wide range of collector vehicles qualify for American Collectors’ program, from “brass and wood” antiques to street rods, exotics, modern classics and more. American Collectors also offers all-risk coverage for a wide range of collections from stamps, coins and comic books to vintage wine, sports memorabilia and beyond.

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Crystal DeCotiis
The Road Home
908-722-9400 15
Email Information

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Not-For-Profit Announces Launch of Program Matching Military Vets and Auto Restoration Shops

Godfrey Roofing Inc. is pleased to announce the completion of a green roofing project at a leading independent school in Ottawa, Ontario. The new environmentally-friendly roof will become one of Canada’s first outdoor classrooms.

Ottawa, ON (PRWEB) February 16, 2012

Ottawa roofing contractor Godfrey Roofing Inc. has recently completed a 4000 sq. ft. green roof project at Ashbury College.

“I am excited that we are able to offer these types of products and systems,” says Mike Godfrey, manager of business development at Godfrey Roofing Inc.

“Green roofing systems can increase the life of a roof system while reducing standard roofing maintenance requirements. Green roofs also offer a multitude of environmental benefits, including an increase in insulation value, a reduction in storm water runoff, and a reduction in the heat island effect. In this case, the new green roof at Ashbury College also provides a functional outdoor learning environment for the students and broader community.”

Established in 1891, Ashbury College is one of Canada’s leading independent schools for boys and girls, grades 4-12. The Ashbury College green roof project was a collaboration between many trades, including Ottawa roofing contractor Godfrey Roofing Inc., engineering firms, a carpentry contractor, school officials and students.

The green roof area is separated by a custom built walkway over four quadrants of the green roof. The four quadrants are made up of a wildflower flower bed, a groundcover flower bed, a grass and fern flower bed, and a vegetable flower bed. This 4000 sq. ft. green roof project will become one of the first outdoor classrooms in Canada and will be maintained and planted by the students. The system installed is a high quality modified bitumen roof system with traditional green roof components built above.

Godfrey Roofing Inc., an Ottawa flat roofing specialist and a leader in environmental roofing solutions, provides green roofing to local businesses and homeowners. More information about green roofing can be obtained by contacting Godfrey Roofing Inc.

Roofing Ottawa - Godfrey Roofing Inc.

4542 Southclark Place

Ottawa, ON K1T 3V1

(613) 822-7663

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Mike Godfrey
Godfrey Roofing Inc.
(613) 822-7663
Email Information

Original post:
Ottawa Roofing Contractor Godfrey Roofing Inc. Completes School Green Roof Project

The East Bay window installation company, R & M Quality Windows and Doors, now carries Amerimax New Horizon series patio doors, with a built-in pet door.

Newark, CA (PRWEB) February 16, 2012

East Bay replacement windows specialist, R & M Quality Windows and Doors offer many brands of windows and door products to fit all budgets and needs. These needs fit everyone in the family, including those four-legged family members. This is because R & M now carries Amerimax New Horizon series patio doors, with an option for a built-in pet door.

"By purchasing an Amerimax New Horizon series patio door with a built-in pet door, you can leave your home knowing that it is secure and your pet has a way to go potty or escape should the worst happen while you are away," Ron, co-owner of R & M Quality Windows and Doors said.

When compared to other pet doors, this product is a triple threat because it offers safety, security and quality. By allowing the door to close and lock as it was made to, the home will be secure. The pet door comes with an impact resistant security cover with a positive action pin lock. The soft, flexible PVC vinyl flaps with no screens allow easy harm free access for the pets. With extruded frames that won’t fade, crack, break or rust, this is a quality product.

East Bay vinyl windows company, R & M Quality Windows and Doors have been serving cities throughout the East Bay since 1994. Co-owners Ron and Mike have years of experience to bring the best quality materials and unparalleled service when it comes to replacement windows and doors. The company does professional window installation work from vinyl windows to custom designs.

R & M does not use sub-contractors. Each R & M Certified Master Installer is trained and bonded. All installation specialists are employees of R & M Quality Windows and Doors and guarantees quality workmanship.

For more information on R & M Quality Windows and Doors and their services, give them a call at 510-565-7188. Located at 5588 Central Ave. in Newark, R & M can be viewed on the web at http://www.randmqualitywindowsanddoors.com.

About R & M Quality Windows and Doors

R & M Quality Windows and Doors is the Bay Area window and door replacement specialists dedicated to providing an elevated quality of workmanship and unparalleled customer service at the best price. They serve the greater San Francisco Bay Area, including Newark, Fremont, Union City, Hayward, and San Jose.

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Michael Easter
R & M Quality Windows and Doors
(510) 565-7188
Email Information

Continued here:
East Bay Replacement Windows Specialist, R & M Quality Windows and Doors Now Carries Amerimax Patio Doors

For customers who wish to maintain the interior look of wood windows with the performance benefits of vinyl, Champion Window introduces their new TimberBond® line of replacement windows. This new technology fuses a long-lasting and realistic interior wood appearance, in either English oak, dark oak or cherrywood, to Champion’s already energy efficient vinyl window; complete with Champion’s exclusive Comfort 365 Glass®

Cincinnati, OH (PRWEB) February 16, 2012

For customers who wish to maintain the interior look of wood windows with the performance benefits of vinyl, Champion Window introduces their new TimberBond® line of replacement windows. This new technology fuses a long-lasting and realistic interior wood appearance, in either English oak, dark oak or cherrywood, to Champion’s already energy efficient vinyl window; complete with Champion’s exclusive Comfort 365 Glass®.

“Many homeowners cherish the charm of traditional wood windows but not the maintenance associated with them; meanwhile, others have tried windows with wood grain laminates or veneers fixed to the vinyl only to find the laminate or veneer fade, peel or crack over time,” said Denny Manes, Chief Executive Officer of Champion Window. “Champion’s proprietary TimberBond process fuses the wood-grain finish to the vinyl, keeping the color bonded to the surface without the worry of peeling or cracking.”

Watch a video about TimberBond Here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Championwindows

TimberBond utilizes the same technology that high-end automobile manufacturers use to create wood finishes in their cars. This state-of-the-art transfer process bonds the woodgrain pigment to the vinyl, creating an authentic looking and long-lasting wood appearance.

“By providing this technology, a first-of-its-kind in the window industry, Champion enhances its position as an industry leader providing customers with innovative, high-quality home improvement options for their window, siding, and patio room needs,” added Manes.

TimberBond vinyl replacement windows feature a real wood look in the interior with a choice of white, tan or any of Champion’s ColorBond™ Window colors to add an architectural element to the exterior of a home, that will increase its value and curb appeal while saving energy and maintenance.

The new TimberBond line is designed to be just as energy efficient as every replacement window manufactured by Champion; all are ENERGY STAR® rated, have earned the Good Housekeeping seal and carry the AAMA gold label. Plus, every Champion replacement window features Champion’s exclusive Comfort 365® glass, a superior glass that ensures a home will be energy efficient and that carpet, drapes and furniture will resist fading.

Started in 1953, Champion Window is one of the nation’s leading home improvement companies. Champion manufactures, sells and installs vinyl replacement windows, entry doors and patio rooms. It also sells and installs siding. More than 40,000 homeowners join the ranks of customers on an annual basis. Champion’s energy-efficient products help consumers save money on their utility bills year-round. Champion's control over every aspect of manufacturing, distribution, installation and servicing provides a single source of accountability for its customers, removing all concerns about who is responsible for their home improvement project. The company operates factories in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Denver, Colo.

For more information on Champion Window, please visit http://www.ChampionFactoryDirect.com

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Beckerman PR
socialmedia@beckermanpr.com
201-465-8007
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Champion's New TimberBond Line of Replacement Windows Fuses Look of Wood with Performance and Cost Benefits of Vinyl

Notable new construction projects in 2010 included the Hilton Garden Inn, the Johnson County Public Works Office Building, a major addition to the Johnson County Adult Detention Center

Olathe, KS - infoZine - The City's Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) is currently being updated and a series of public input development workshops will kick off this month. The UDO implements PlanOlathe, which was adopted in 2010. The UDO will include new standards for zoning, building design, site planning, infrastructure, landscaping, parking, nonconformities and vested rights, and uses (such as home occupations, cell towers, etc.). It will also update the process for approving new development.

Public input is critical to the UDO update process and the implementation of the City's new comprehensive plan. A public forum is scheduled for Wednesday, February 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Olathe City Hall, 100 East Santa Fe. The session will begin with a 20-minute presentation, followed by an open discussion and comments. A public workshop is also scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on February 29. Lead consultant Mark White of White & Smith, LLC, will facilitate the forum. Mr. White is preparing an analysis of the existing UDO and an outline that we will use as a blueprint for the new draft. Public input will help shape these products and the City's new UDO.

Interested participants can RSVP by contacting Sharyn Mueller at (913) 971-8750 or

smueller at olatheks.org. 2011 Development Year In Review Now Available

The City of Olathe 2011 Year In Review provides detailed statistics on the permitting and development activity that occurred during 2011.

Notable new construction projects in 2010 included the Hilton Garden Inn, the Johnson County Public Works Office Building, a major addition to the Johnson County Adult Detention Center in downtown Olathe, and a number of major church and school additions. Residential unit figures totaled 322 in 2011, down from 364 in 2010, but up from 306 in 2009. The average value per unit for single-family residential has increased from $272,924 per unit in 2010 to $288,907 per unit it 2011.

Related Olathe 2011 Year In Review Link
http://www.OlatheKS.org/Development/LongRange/DandD

Continued here:
Olathe Development Workshops & Year in Review

Thursday, February 16, 2012

AFTER 11 years, the Mandaue City Government finally finished the construction of a three-storey building that now houses the Department of Education Mandaue City Division Office.

The City formally turned over the building to the division office last Tuesday.

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“It’s better late than never,” Mayor Jonas Cortes said, speaking to reporters. The construction of the building, he said, was hampered by some issues the City had to settle with the Commission on Audit.

Though it had been left unfinished for some years, engineers have assured the building is safe, said the mayor.

Benjamin Tiongzon, Mandaue City Division administrative officer, said the cost of constructing the building was P12 million.

A portion of the amount was taken from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Sens. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Franklin Drilon.

“We’ve waited for more than a decade. We cannot wait for another year,” he told reporters at the turnover ceremony.

Also last Tuesday, the Aboitiz Foundation turned over 12 computer units and 300 armchairs to the Canduman National High School.

Tiongzon said a portion of the old building of the division office will be demolished in favor of a parking lot. They moved to the new building last Feb. 2.

The office’s frontline transactions, he said, are done in the building’s ground floor.

The building also has a training center equipped with an audio-visual room.

The city engineering office and DepEd officials in the city recently inspected school buildings following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu and Negros last Feb. 6.
The inspection team recommended that a school building in Umapad Elementary School and another one in Opao Elementary School be abandoned after large cracks were found on these buildings.

Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on February 16, 2012.

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Mandaue, DepEd inaugurate new 3-storey building

sydnia yu From Friday's Globe and Mail Published Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 6:34PM EST Last updated Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 6:36PM EST

31 HOLLOWAY RD., TORONTO

ASKING PRICE $1,099,000

SELLING PRICE $1,075,000

PREVIOUS SELLING PRICE $621,000 (2003); $412,000 (1996)

TAXES $4,888 (2011)

DAYS ON THE MARKET seven

LISTING AGENT Barbara Polson, Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd.

THE ACTION: About 20 buyers secured private showings for this two-storey, storybook house in Etobicoke, while nearly three dozen couples were comfortable waiting for impromptu tours at two open houses.

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WHAT THEY GOT: Several different owners renovated this more than 70 year-old residence, so it provides much more space than expected, including a living room and separate dining and family rooms with fireplaces, as well as a new sunroom addition and an eat-in kitchen with walkouts to the patio and manicured, south-facing garden.

There is a more casual feel in the basement, which was recently finished with an open recreation area with wood floors and halogen lights.

Skylights illuminate in the second floor office and two out of three bedrooms, which each have access to a private or semi-private bathroom. The master suite also has a walk-in closet with built-in storage.

Conveniences include a total of four full bathrooms, interior access to the garage and a shed for equipment to maintain the 50- by 160-foot grounds.

THE AGENT’S TAKE: “It was totally updated and very charming,” says agent Barbara Polson, who cities decorative details like rich wood trims and wainscoting. “What was unique is [the sellers] had done a new Florida room for summer lifestyle living with a wood burning fireplace and a TV.”

The choice of high-calibre changes was also a sign that the previous owner intended to staying longer in the home and community. “It’s part of the old Islington Village, so it’s very quaint with lots of tall trees,” Ms. Polson adds.

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Expanded Etobicoke house catches buyers' eyes

WASHINGTON - Construction of multifamily units will lead the U.S. building industry again this year, allowing housing to contribute to growth for the first time in seven years, according to economists Michelle Meyer and Celia Chen.

Work will begin on about 260,000 apartment buildings and townhouse developments in 2012, up 45 percent from last year and the most since 2008, according to Meyer, a senior economist at Bank of America Corp. in New York. Chen, an economist at Moody’s Analytics Inc. in West Chester, Pa., is even more optimistic, projecting a record 74 percent jump to 310,000.

Home ownership rates, which have declined to the lowest levels since 1998, may keep dropping as the foreclosure crisis turns more Americans into renters. In addition, household formation will probably accelerate as an improving economy and growing employment embolden more people to stop sharing residences and strike out on their own.

“Given the ongoing shift from owning to renting, there is increasing demand for multifamily construction,” Meyer said in an interview. “Foreclosures are transitioning people out of ownership.”

Japan Contracts

Japan’s economy shrank an annualized 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter, more than economists estimated, as slumping exports undermined a recovery from last year’s record earthquake, other data showed Feb. 13.

The projected increases in U.S. multifamily construction extend gains in that began with a 6.8 percent increase in 2010 and a 54 percent surge last year to 178,300 units, according to figures from the Commerce Department. That portion of the market reached a record-low of 108,900 units in 2009 after declining for four consecutive years.

By contrast, starts on single-family homes fell last year to 428,600, the fewest in five decades of data. Bank of America’s Meyer projects single-family construction will grow 5 percent this year.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke last week highlighted the weakness in housing as limiting the economic expansion that began in June 2009.

Bernanke’s View

“The state of the housing sector has been a key impediment to a faster recovery,” Bernanke told the annual convention of homebuilders in Orlando, Florida, on Feb. 10. “Homebuilding remains depressed in most areas,” he said. “In contrast to the situation for owner-occupied homes, rental markets around the country have strengthened somewhat. Rents have been increasing and the construction of apartment buildings has picked up.”

A lack of investment in residential real estate subtracted 0.03 percentage point from economic growth last year, the smallest decline since the industry last expanded in 2005.

A report later this week may show housing starts opened the year on a positive note. Builders broke ground on 675,000 houses in January, up 2.7 percent from the prior month, according to the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News before Commerce Department data on Feb. 16.

One reason why multifamily units may rebound faster than single-family houses is the drop in demand. The homeownership rate fell in the fourth quarter to 66 percent, according to Commerce Department data. It peaked at 69.2 percent in the second quarter of 2004 and fell to a 13-year low of 65.9 percent in the second quarter of 2011.

More Foreclosures

An increase in foreclosures may push the rate down even more. Lenders had slowed the pace of home seizures as they negotiated with attorneys general in all 50 states for more than a year over allegations of faulty and fraudulent paperwork used to repossess homes. That delayed the clearing of the market necessary to any recovery and increased demand for rental units.

The rental vacancy rate fell to 9.4 percent in the last three months of 2011 from 9.8 percent in the previous three months, according to data from the Census Bureau. It reached a nine-year low of 9.2 percent from April through June of last year.

Rental payments climbed 2.5 percent in 2011, the biggest gain since 2008, Labor Department figures showed.

Apartment real estate investment trusts such as AvalonBay Communities Inc. have profited from the turn to rentals. It’s up 235 percent since its recession low on March 2, 2009, through Feb. 10. During the same period, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index is up 92 percent.

Strengthening Demand

“Apartments should benefit once again in 2012 from a combination of gradually improving labor market, a weak for-sale market, favorable demographics and modest levels of new supply,” Tim Naughton, chief executive officer at AvalonBay, said on a Feb. 2 earnings call. “We expect that demand will outpace supply again this year, which would propel operating performance and result in another strong year for AvalonBay.”

The jobless rate dropped to 8.3 in January, the lowest level in three years, and employers in the world’s largest economy add 243,000 workers to payrolls, according to a Labor Department report this month.

The improvement will contribute to an increase in the number of households being formed, further stoking demand for rental housing, according to economists like Patrick Newport at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Mass.

“We will see a surge in household formation because of pent-up demand as people move away from their parents,” Newport said. “We will see a pickup in housing where there is a much stronger pickup in multifamily.”

IHS forecasts 1.5 million households will be formed in the 12 months through March 2013 from an estimated 972,000 in the year through March 2012.

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Multifamily buildings to lead U.S. construction gains

Tuesday, February 14, 2012    Last updated: Wednesday February 15, 2012, 10:47 AM

Hackensack officials are right to be extra careful about making sure the city's many parking garages are not in danger of falling down.

After the collapse of a parking garage at a high-rise apartment building on Prospect Street a year and a half ago, officials asked operators of 64 similar garages in the city to inspect their facilities and to document the structural integrity of their garages through an engineer's report. The owners of an office building at 5 Summit Ave. responded with a letter from an architect, not an engineer, that said all was well.

That would normally seem to be good enough.

But in the aftermath of a major garage collapse, it wasn't.

After doing its own inspection, the city shut down the two-story garage underneath the two-story office building at the corner of Summit Avenue and Essex Street. A sign this week across an entrance said simply, "Offices open, parking lot under construction."

Building manager Marjorie Reilly was dismayed, telling The Record last week that she was "baffled" by the city's actions, adding, "We had an engineer come in, and he said there were no unsafe conditions.''

Not necessarily, say city officials, who said their inspection found cracked concrete walls and rotting support beams. In fact, the city says one beam was so weak that an engineer was able to put his hand right through the steel.

The city was able to take the action it did at 5 Summit through an ordinance adopted last November. That measure did a number of things, including giving the city the power to take building owners to court if they didn't repair and maintain their parking garages. In this case, the inspection and subsequent closing of the garage came after the city issued the building management a summons.

The parking garage collapse at the 18-story Prospect Towers on July 16, 2010, occurred when a 20-foot-long steel and plexiglass canopy near the building's entrance fell and two floors of the garage caved in. It was amazing and fortunate that no one was injured. Still, more than 300 residents were displaced for months, not moving back in until December of that year.

That collapse spurred the city to have owners routinely inspect their parking garages. Not surprisingly, some owners complained about the cost, but the case at hand proves the city was right. Its methods have closed an unsound garage until it can be repaired. That is an inconvenience, to be sure, to employees and customers of 5 Summit Ave., but another garage collapse would be much worse.

Original post:
The Record: Structural integrity

Hoping to amend the city's new ban on smoking for on and around outdoor patios, smokers, bar owners and their supporters have gathered 1,083 signatures to give to the City Council this evening.

After seeing the council's close 4-3 vote in favor of the new ban, regular Molly McGee's patron and cigar smoker Jim Neal was inspired to circulate the petition in the city's bars. He hopes to sway at least one member of the City Council this evening to amend the ordinance during its required second reading.

If the council votes to approve the ordinance for a second time this evening, the new ban goes into effect in 90 days and prohibits smoking within 25 feet of outdoor patios, windows or doors of workplaces, restaurants and any publicly accessible building where smoking is already banned. That covers wide swaths of the city, including most of Castro Street, where smoking would only be allowed for those walking from one destination to another. Neal said he wants the city continue to allow smoking in outdoor patios attached to bars.

Neal and signers of the petition argue that the ban will force bar patrons to go out into the street or dark parking lots to smoke, which could be dangerous for female smokers, while increasing cigarette litter and the likelihood that smokers would get cited by police for being drunk in public.

"You got adults only, 21 years old, and plus, at night time," said Rob Graham, co-owner of Sports Page, a bar on North Shoreline Boulevard. "These people are not going to stop smoking."

Graham is convinced that he will lose business that comes from visitors to local tech companies from locales where smoking is more acceptable, citing a study in Beverly Hills where smoking bans reduced customer traffic to businesses frequented by tourists. He says he has a 6,000-square-foot patio that will be completely off-limits to smokers, even though portions are more than 25 feet from the building.

"There's nothing here that will reduce exposure to second-hand smoke," Graham said, echoing Neal's assertions. "The reason most people have patios in first place is the 1998 ordinance which prohibited smoking in restaurants. All it does is move people from existing outdoor smoking areas."

While council member Jac Siegel said he based his decision to approve the ban on the effects of second-hand smoke on the employees of business, whom he said had little choice. But Graham claims that his employees do not have to go out into his patio to breathe second-hand smoke, and his customers don't either.

Neal claims that 47 percent of his petition signers were non-smokers, and 37 percent of the bar employees who signed it were non-smokers. The petition was circulated at St. Stephen Green, Fred's Place, Bert's Alibi bar, Francesca's, Sports Page and Molly McGee's.

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Tonight: smokers hope to overturn smoking ban for bar patios