LOS ANGELES -The concept is simple: Make a modern, prefabricated home with the lowest environmental impact -- and price -- possible.

It's called the C6, and it premiered in two locations this month: Palm Springs, where it was part of a Modernism Week prefab showcase open through Sunday, and the TED Conference in Long Beach, Calif., running through March 2.

Starting at $179,000, the C6 prefab from Santa Monica, Calif.-based LivingHomes is half the price of the company's other models. It's the first production home designed to achieve LEED platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, and it's the first to incorporate a range of products certified by Cradle to Cradle, the environmental rating program founded by sustainability gurus William McDonough and Michael Braungart. The cost, $145 per square foot, includes 34 tons of carbon offsets.

"When we started in 2006, we wanted to bring homes to a class of consumers who value design, health and sustainability in the products they buy," said LivingHomes chief executive Steve Glenn, citing Prius-driving, Whole Foods-shopping, iPhone-wielding, Patagonia-wearing consumers as his target. "Production builders haven't historically targeted those people. LivingHomes does."

To accomplish that goal, LivingHomes has devised a formula: Collaborate with architects to create standardized homes that integrate environmental sustainability and use factory production techniques to build homes cheaper and faster than traditional construction, Glenn said. In the case of the C6, the design was inspired by California real estate developer Joseph Eichler, who from 1950 to 1974 built tract homes centered on courtyards accessible through multiple points. In the C6, living spaces at both ends of the house open with sliding glass doors onto a miniature courtyard, aiding air flow and the blending of indoor and outdoor space.

Three modules fit together to make a 1,232-square-foot house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and 9-foot ceilings. It takes less than two months to construct the C6 at the factory and one day to install on-site.

Other benefits besides speed: The paint is VOC-free, and the cabinets and carpet are free of formaldehyde and urea. LED light fixtures and "smart" controls for heating and cooling aid energy efficiency. An abundance of clerestory windows and skylights reduces the need for electric light. (A 4-kilowatt photovoltaic array is part of the zero-energy C6 on tour but is not included in the price.) To save water, the house also has low-flow fixtures and gray water-ready plumbing.

Many of the building materials have recycled content, including Trex decking, Andersen double-pane windows and Caesarstone quartz counters in the kitchen and bathrooms. McDonough designed a 100 percent recycled and recyclable doorknob for the house. His Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute has certified other products used in the C6, including the Owens Corning insulation in the ceiling, floors and walls, and Mosa bathroom tiles.

Distributed by MCT Information Services

Go here to see the original:
Prefab's new eco promise

Alina Keebler's renovated 1915 Arts and Crafts-style home in Morningside includes cabinets from IKEA and low-maintenance Silestone quartz countertops.

The kitchen is the heart of a home, so little wonder it remains one of the nation's most popular remodeling projects. Between cooking, eating, socializing and simply hanging out, it not only gets used (and used and used) but also abused over the years, requiring the occasional upgrade.

Adding fuel to the kitchen renovation fire is the never-ending supply of cool products dished up by designers and manufacturers that promise to make our culinary lives more efficient, more comfortable and more fun. This was demonstrated by several finalists' projects in this year's 2011-12 Renovation Inspiration Contest.

Co-sponsored by the Post-Gazette and Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, the annual competition sets the bar high for homeowners and the older homes they've reimagined. In addition to projects that feature age-appropriate materials and great construction, judges look for practicality and functionality. In short, the updated spaces have to truly work for the families who live in them and not just be showpieces.

The best of the best also ooze with creativity -- in essence, rooms that inspire admiration along with a touch of envy. We want to walk away thinking: "If only I'd thought of that in my kitchen!"

Kevin and Alana Kulesa's remodeled kitchen in Ross, winner in the small category (less than $50,000), was one such project, wowing with its clever mix of repurposed items and unusual finishes. The vintage steel hospital cabinets that jump-started the renovation and mandated its design (everything had to be customized to fit around them) were salvaged from Construction Junction. The island counter is similarly eco-friendly. Mistaken for natural stone, it's actually Eco by Consentino, a manmade surface utilizing 75 percent recycled materials. In the office area, a half-inch-thick piece of tempered glass serves as a desk. Tying it all together is the bright splash of red on a hand-painted glass backsplash above the cooking area.

The homeowners of a mid-1800s rowhouse in the Mexican War Streets chose a more subtle color scheme for their sleek new kitchen, opting for creamy white concrete countertops crafted by Outlaw Studios in the Strip District to play off the custom chocolate-brown cabinetry and reclaimed wood floors.

What makes this ultra-modern room designed by architect Heather Wildman Figley of Moss Architects really "pop" is the natural light that floods it through a dramatic glass opening at the rear. Originally a brick wall, the 14-foot-wide expanse of glass effectively blurs the line between inside and out. The major project also included removing a wall between the dining room and kitchen to create one large open space, and a deck with a west-facing pergola that steps down to a small garden.

The challenge in Paul Gould and Lori Boyle's Sewickley kitchen was how to make a small room with four doorways, three windows and a chimney that couldn't be moved into something that didn't just look good but also wouldn't break the bank. Architectural designer (and good friend) Junko Higashibeppu came up with hit on both cylinders. An awkwardly placed center island was removed, along with part of the wall leading into the dining room to allow for more counter and storage space. She also wrapped open shelving around the chimney and replaced a badly deteriorated linoleum floor with radiant heated ceramic tile.

Complementing the white Vermont granite countertops and subway tile backsplash is rift-sawn red oak cabinetry handcrafted by master furniture designer Arthur Reitmeyer, who just happens to be married to Ms. Higashibeppu. Other updates include a radiant-heated porcelain tile floor, recessed LED undercabinet lighting and stainless-steel Bosch appliances, including a new-fangled induction cooktop. The result is a kitchen that feels fresh and modern, but also looks like it's always been there.

Read more:
Renovation Inspiration Contest cooked up tasty kitchen renovations

The historic MacArthur Park building in downtown Palo Alto would be relocated to make way for a new theater and a multi-story office building under an ambitious proposal from philanthropist John Arrillaga.

The plan, which was unveiled in a staff report Thursday and which the Palo Alto City Council is scheduled to discuss for the first time Monday night, would significantly transform a highly visible site next to the downtown Caltrain station -- a site owned by Stanford University that serves as an entryway into downtown Palo Alto. The city and Stanford University have previously flirted with the idea of building a performance center near this location and had even commissioned a study in 2000 to consider whether such a project would be feasible. The company TheatreWorks, which currently rents space in Palo Alto and Mountain View for its performances, also took part in the 2000 study, seeing the project as a possible permanent home in Palo Alto for its theater operations.

Stanford ultimately decided in 2005 to back away from what was then called the Palo Alto/Stanford University Performance Art Initiative and to pursue its own plan for building performing-arts venues.

Now, the two sides are once again looking to bring major changes to the prominent site. The earlier initiative had evaluated as a possible location for performing-arts facilities the Palo Alto side of El Camino Real -- the city's El Camino Park. The new proposal focuses on a location directly east of that land, 27 University Ave.

"The importance of a site in this area is the link between the University and the City of Palo Alto," Deputy City Manager Steve Emslie wrote in a report. "The area provides a direct link to the University Caltrain station, direct vehicular access and public visibility. The prominence of the site enables a theatre to be a community landmark while having a physical association with Stanford."

Arrillaga, a developer and philanthropist who is well-known for his significant contributions to Stanford University, his alma mater, pitched the project, according to Emslie's report. The concept includes "a new multi-story office building fronting El Camino Real, a separate theatre building on approximately 60,000-80,000 square feet, and a three-level underground garage," Emslie wrote.

It would also include improvements to transit, pedestrian and bicycle connections and a relocation of the MacArthur Park building, a state-recognized historical landmark that served as a meeting place for soldiers and their families during World War I. Initially located in Menlo Park, the building was moved to its current location in 1919.

The proposal to build a new office building and theater could receive a major boost from the ongoing expansion of Stanford University Medical Center -- a $5 billion project that the council approved last year after several years of public hearings. As part of the approval, the medical center had agreed to pay the city $2.25 million to design and develop an attractive park space with pedestrian pathways, benches and flower borders near the downtown transit station. The goal is to minimize traffic by encouraging people to walk, bike or ride Caltrain to the expanded hospitals.

The development agreement between the city and Stanford specifies that the $2.25 million must be used for "improvements to enhance the pedestrian and bicycle connection" from the transit center to the intersection of El Camino Real and Quarry Road.

Staff is recommending the city use $250,000 from this account to hire an architect, a site planner and an urban designer to evaluate the new proposal and to launch the necessary environmental analyses, including a traffic study, an arborist report, a storm-water-management plan, a sanitary-sewer study and a storm-drain analysis.

See the original post:
New theater, office building pitched for downtown

Donald J. Trump is chairman and president of the Trump Organization.

Over the past year, I have been outspoken in expressing my love for this country and emphasizing the importance of making America great again. One of the reasons I am proud to be a real estate developer is that, for the past several decades, my company has accomplished what many said was impossible.

From building iconic properties from the ground up (such as New Yorks Trump Tower and Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago), to restoring historic landmarks (including 40 Wall Street, the facade of Grand Central Terminal and the legendary Plaza Hotel), to revitalizing and building communities (exemplified by the redevelopments of the Commodore Hotel and the West Side Yards project), we have continued to challenge ourselves to surpass even our own demanding expectations. All that said, in todays marketplace one of the most important responsibilities and goals that I have as a developer and business operator is to create tens of thousands of jobs and bring beauty and life to key cities across the world. I intend to do just that at the Old Post Office building on Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington.

On Feb. 7, the Trump Organization was selected by the General Services Administration (GSA) for the most sought-after hotel redevelopment opportunity in the country. We will serve as sponsor, developer, brand and operator and will shepherd the Old Post Office building through every stage of concept, redevelopment and operations. We are both humbled and honored to have been chosen for this important job and will bring to bear all of our resources and experience to create something that Washingtonians and D.C. visitors alike will be proud of for decades to come.

We recognize that the greatest assets of this beautiful building are its iconic exterior facade, interior cortile and soaring clock tower, and we intend to meticulously preserve these historic elements. We are confident that the hotel, once completed, will become one of the most visited attractions in the city. The clock tower, with its incredible 360-degree views of the District, will continue to be open to the public, and members of the Washington Ringing Society will be able to continue their tradition of ringing the Congress Bells. Working in conjunction with the National Park Service, our goal is to create a more interactive, educational and comprehensive experience for guests and visitors.

We plan to invest more than $200 million in the building, and our 260 suites and penthouses are designed to be the most luxurious in the city. During the redevelopment process (and beyond), we look forward to working closely with the National Capital Planning Commission, U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, D.C. Historic Preservation Office, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, National Park Service, D.C. government and the GSA to carefully preserve and rehabilitate each of the Old Post Office buildings historic elements while simultaneously positioning the building for success in its new role.

Our expansive banquet facilities, ballroom and meeting spaces, as well as our sprawling spa and indoor and outdoor gardens, will further enhance our guest experience. A curated museum and exhibition gallery are planned to record and celebrate the Old Post Office buildings long and compelling history. Additionally, world-class restaurants, cafes and a bar and lounge will bring energy to the buildings unrivaled location. Spectacular outdoor-dining experiences will be created on the buildings front and back plazas. All of these amenities, and many others, will be open to the public and will bring new vitality to Pennsylvania Avenue and the District.

Importantly, Trump International Hotel, The Old Post Office Building, Washington, D.C., will create approximately 500 jobs during construction and another 500 permanent jobs once the hotel is operational. In addition to finally allowing this great building to achieve its full potential as a world-class hotel, turning the Old Post Office over to the private sector will provide the District economy with a much-needed boost. Our redevelopment plan will bring increased revenue to Washington and will save the American people millions in taxpayer dollars while providing the federal government with a lucrative financial return.

I look forward to preserving and repositioning this treasured landmark for D.C. residents and visitors to enjoy. When the project is completed in 2016, I feel certain that everybody will be proud of our enhancements to this already great building. We are honored by this opportunity, and we thank the GSA for placing their trust in us. We will not let you down.

The writer is chairman and president of the Trump Organization.

The rest is here:
Greatness for the Old Post Office building

The Berkley Board of Selectmen heard an update from the Town Office Building Committee on Wednesday.

Paul Modlowski, executive secretary of the Board of Selectmen and member of the Town Office Building Committee, said the committee has gone over the final concepts for a new Town Office.

Now its time to bring it to a vote and begin the process, if possible, said Modlowski.

The 10,000-square-foot building designed to last for 50 years will cost an estimated $3,500,000.

Those estimates are based on a certain type of construction, said Modlowski. If we bring the building in under estimate, that would be wonderful.

This is $3,500,000 max, he added.

If approved by voters at the May Town Elections and the Annual Town Meeting, the project could begin as early as June 5 when requests for proposals (RFPs) would be sent to architects. The building could then be occupied as early as April 2014.

Tax impact

According to Modlowski, the tax impact this building would have on Berkley residents would be $32.87 for a house valued at $100,000.

Modlowski also noted that if the project is completed in 2014, Berkley residents would not have to begin paying back loans until 2015.

See the rest here:
New Berkley Town Office in the works

With a rich home remodeling blog, great deals on home goods, such as kitchen and bathroom fixtures, lighting, home decor and a growing catalog of well priced products, HomeThangs.com opens its doors with a bang.

(PRWEB) March 02, 2012

But the site has other perks, too. The HomeThangs.com blog - http://www.homethangs.com/blog/ - features daily updates on home improvement trends, new products, product reviews, decorating ideas, DIY home improvement tips, as well as seasonal topics. HomeThangs.coms Facebook page and Twitter feed - @HomeThangs offers followers deals and coupons. The site is rich with information about the items it sells, offering consumers detailed overviews of both the item they are looking at and the brand in general on the same page. It also gives consumers the chance to reviews items and reads others reviews. In addition, HomeThangs.com has a physical base in its two showrooms, both located outside of Philadelphia.

2012 will be a big year for HomeThangs.com. The dedicated team behind the site bring in new brands, like Uttermost Home Dcor, Bathroom Vanities by Wyndham Collection, unique exclusive wall art pieces and much more. They also plan to expand the site to sell furniture with which consumers can fill their newly remodeled homes. While expansion will continue throughout the site, there will be particular focus on luxury and designer brands for furniture, lighting, and kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Consumers can expect to be wowed by top-tier products and not feel so bad splurging on a few since HomeThangs.com continues to work diligently to secure better prices on all of its items, bringing discounts and deals to the consumer.

Keep an eye on HomeThangs.com. The site is growing quickly, to the benefit of all consumers looking to spiff up their home with both major and minor improvements.

###

Tanya Tymoshuk HomeThangs Home Improvement Store (267) 670-3883 Email Information

Read the original here:
HomeThangs.com: New Home Goods Store Opens Virtual Doors

FORT MILL, S.C. The owners of an incomplete Fort Mill high-rise are threatening to sue York County if county leaders dont accept their proposal for fixing up the towers exterior and completing renovations.

MorningStar Ministries, which since 2007 has had plans to renovate the 21-story tower into a spiritual retirement community, will present the proposal to York County Council on Monday.

If the county rejects their offer, MorningStar Ministries will sue the county for financial damages related to the project, Rick Joyner, the ministrys CEO and spiritual leader, said Thursday at a news conference in Fort Mill.

But the ministry hopes a lawsuit is unnecessary, Joyner said, and that a new agreement will include a new timeline for completing renovations on the tower.

We have no intentions of ever giving up on this project, he said.

It will take about three years to complete the $35 million tower, including getting the deposits from prospective residents needed to secure a construction loan, and getting the lights on and people in there, Joyner said.

But the ministry thinks the countys demand to immediately fix the exterior to near completion is unreasonable. That would cost $6 million, he said, and the ministry would need to start over given that it lost financial backers.

Joyner blamed the county for spreading false information about the ministry regarding its agreement with the county on how and when the tower would be renovated. That information sabotaged the project, grinding it to a halt, he said.

Built by former televangelist and PTL founder Jim Bakker, the tower was part of Bakker's vision for the Christian vacation destination Heritage USA. The project fell apart and the tower was left incomplete in the late 1980s when Bakker left amid a scandal.

Since 2004 MorningStar has been restoring buildings on the property, including the nearby PTL hotel, where the ministry has been renovating some units. The group runs the MorningStar Fellowship Church, camps, a school and a conference center at the former Heritage USA site off U.S. 21 near the state line.

See original here:
Church spars with S.C. county about fixing up old PTL site

BY ROMAN J. USCHAK

Deliberations in the case of the proposed expansion of the St. Mary and St. Mercurius Coptic Church at 125 Academy St. will be extended for at least another month.

Thursday night's meeting of the Belleville Zoning Board of Adjustment was largely reserved for testimony from members of the audience regarding the expansion, which calls for the construction of a large domed parking structure with underground parking, along with a chapel, a Sunday school, and a multipurpose room. The project would also necessitate the demolition of three homes on Academy Street.

Board chairman A.J. Del Guercio said that April's meeting of the zoning board would entail cross-examination of the planners involved in the case.

"Hopefully we can conclude this next month," said Del Guercio of the case, which has been going on since last year.

Several residents of Academy Street and nearby Rutgers Court expressed their dismay with the application, officially labeled ZB-2011-03. They hoped that the board would eventually turn it down, as they believed it would severely impact their quality of life and also their property values.

"This project will result in irreparable harm to the community," said Rutgers Court resident James Jones.

There were also fears that the church congregation would swell in size if the church itself physically expanded, and further complicate perceived traffic and parking difficulties on Academy Street and nearby areas.

"The street doesn't have a parking problem," said Academy Street resident Alex Gasbarro. "The church does."

A youth leader for the church, Mark Tanfit, later said that the church definitely needed additional space.

View post:
Church expansion case to continue for zoning board

You know all those design shows that feature the newest, latest, most marvelous materials for kitchen countertops? Dont look for that here.

When it comes to kitchens, in this area we go for the tried and true.

Sure, well step out once in awhile with a bold move toward butcher block, but mostly we stick with laminate, high-definition laminate, solid surface/Corian or granite and quartz.

There are other surfaces out there that we dont do much with, like concrete, stainless steel and recycled glass, said Judy Mills, kitchen and bath design specialist for Wisconsin Building Supply in La Crosse. We dont have a call for them.

Because its the least expensive, laminate is still in demand in standard colors and edges.

The hot newcomer to the market is high-definition laminate because it does a good job of mimicking the more expensive granite and quartz. It can also come with custom edges and integral sinks.

Butcher block tops are also popular, Mills said, but not usually for the entire kitchen. It may be used on an island or at a chopping station.

Some even do wood countertops, though not so many.

If they can spend a bit more, customers opt for solid surface/Corian. And at the top of the price pyramid are granite and quartz.

With granite, youll always see the seams, Mills said. Because its actual stone, matching wont be perfect.

See the original post:
Homeowners opt for smarter materials in kitchen countertops

OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- The selection of Texas and Mississippi architects to design the new Marine Education Center was announced Thursday in news release from Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.

Lake Flato Architects of San Antonio, Texas, and their local partner, Unabridged Architecture of Bay St. Louis, are to team with University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Coast Research Laboratory staff to create the building, the news release stated.

The new center replaces the J.L. Scott Marine Education Center and Aquarium, which was located at Cadet Point in Biloxi and lost during Hurricane Katrina.

"We want this facility to be a model for building in this region," said Jeff Lotz, interim director of GCRL. "We want to be energy efficient, storm resistant, and appropriate to the landscape."

The new center is to be located on 224 acres at Cedar Point, which has access to marshes, Davis Bayou and the Mississippi Sound.

The Marine Education Center proposal is for a 32,000 square foot complex with a mix of public exhibits, classrooms, laboratories, meeting spaces and administrative offices. A system of trails, boardwalks and outdoor classrooms, already under construction, will take the learning experiences beyond the building to make it a true nature center.

The Thad Cochran Aquaculture Center is located at Cedar Point.

Two key research groups, microbiology and genetics, have moved from GCRL's Halstead Road location to the new Aquaculture Research Building at the site.

Also located at the site is the Aquaculture Visitor Center.

Robert Harris, principal designer for Lake Flato, states, "For over 25 years, Lake Flato has employed practical and thoughtful sustainable strategies that conserve resources, engage nature and promote healthful living. We are excited to work with GCRL to build an environmentally sustainable facility for science education in South Mississippi."

Read the rest here:
Architects selected for GCRL's Marine Education Center