Canadian architect Bruce Kuwabara, Officer, Order of Canada. Photo credit: V. Tony Hauser. (CNW Group/Kuwabara

OTTAWA, May 29, 2012 /CNW/ - Last Friday, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, invested Bruce Kuwabara of Toronto, Ontario, as an Officer of the Order of Canada.

"Bruce Kuwabara has shaped our built landscape in lasting ways. A founding partner of KPMB Architects, he has earned public and critical acclaim for such projects of national significance as Canada's National Ballet School, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Bell Lightbox for the Toronto International Film Festival and Manitoba Hydro Place. Committed to raising the profile of Canadian architecture, he has taught at the University of Toronto and at Harvard University. He continues to act as an advocate for excellence in architecture, urbanism and sustainable design." - Office of the Secretary to the Governor General

Bruce Kuwabara is one of Canada's leading architects and a recipient of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Gold Medal. Throughout his career, he has been dedicated to raising Canadian standards in architecture and urbanism by integrating design excellence and innovation, city building and sustainable design. He was the design architect for Manitoba Hydro Place in Winnipeg, the first and only large office tower in Canada to achieve LEED Platinum Certification, to winning design competitions for civic architecture including Kitchener City Hall, Richmond City Hall, the Canadian Embassy in Berlin and Vaughn City Hall.

Kuwabara is a graduate of the University of Toronto. Prior to founding Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects with his partners Thomas Payne, Marianne McKenna and Shirley Blumberg in 1987, he worked for two prominent architects, George Baird and then Barton Myers. He is the first chair of the Waterfront Design Review Panel for Waterfront Toronto, and a member of the board of directors of the Canadian Centre for Architecture in Montreal.

He is currently design architect for the Remai Art Gallery of Saskatchewan, the Departments of Economics and International Initiatives at Princeton University, the new Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, the Global Centre for Pluralism for the Aga Khan Foundation and the Athletes' Village for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games.

Born in Hamilton to Japanese-Canadian parents who were interned in Vancouver during World War II, along with 26,000 people of Japanese descent. Kuwabara has sought meaningful commissions and opportunities to contribute to the communities and institutions which shaped his experience, including the design of the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto and ongoing teaching and fundraising for the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto.

Kuwabara says "The Order of Canada reinforces my commitment to express the unique qualities of Canada through architecture and to contribute to building an open world full of promise for future generations."

Image with caption: "Canadian architect Bruce Kuwabara, Officer, Order of Canada. Photo credit: V. Tony Hauser. (CNW Group/Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120529_C2996_PHOTO_EN_14218.jpg

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BRUCE KUWABARA, FOUNDING PARTNER Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg Architects INVESTED AS OFFICER OF THE ORDER OF CANADA ...

BY KENNYWALTER Staff Writer

The third and final phase of Pier Village, a mixed-use redevelopment along the Long Branch beachfront, is ready for construction.

The Long Branch City Council approved the plan during the May 22 meeting for the development that will include a hotel, retail, residential component and public space, including a play area, concert stage and carousel.

While the conceptual plans have been approved, the Long Branch Planning Board will vote on the site plan and the council then must approve a parking management plan.

We had a meeting yesterday, and we have people working on it as we speak, Business Administrator Howard Woolley Jr. said. Applied Development Co., Hoboken, is the developer for the 7-acre project bounded by Melrose Terrace to the north, Morris Avenue to the south, Ocean Avenue to the east and Ocean Boulevard to the west.

The council approved the preliminary design for the third phase of the project in 2010, and inApril the developers presented modified plans that include an expanded boardwalk and concert stage as new design elements.

At least one business owner gave mixed reviews to the plans during the meeting, expressing concerns about the viability of the project Dan Pinheiro, owner of Stewarts Root Beer in Pier Village, said he doubts the ability of the new phase to bring more people year-round into the area.

I love the concept, but in the past we were promised a lot of things, he said during the public hearing on the project. Ive been there for six, seven years now, and when I first came I was told Id be coming to a year-round community.

I ended up getting stuck with a store that has four months [of business], and there is not much else I can do, he added. It cant just be promised, it just has to be done.

According to landscape architect Tom Bauer, of Melillio and Bauer, the main difference in the plans presented in April is that a beach access point on Morris Avenue would be preserved.

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Final phase of Pier Village approved

Last Updated: May 25, 2012 12:03pm ET

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This is more activity than we have seen in many years in Santa Monica, says Deschaine.

(Save the date: RealShare Apartments comes to the Westin Bonaventure, Los Angeles, October 24.)

SANTA MONICA, CA-With at least eight mixed-use projects combining residential and retail either under construction or in planning stages, the city currently has approximately 500 units of housing in the pipeline. A major impetus for the development is the Expo Light Rail line, which is due for completion in 2015, but factors such as high downtown demand and easily available capital are also fanning the flames, according to Lee & Associates-L.A North/Ventura Inc.

The projects represent a combination of redevelopments and ground-up projects with a majority of the residential component consisting of rental apartments along with some condominiums. Each project will contain approximately 50 to 100 units of residences.

This is more activity than we have seen in many years in Santa Monica, says Christine Deschaine, a principal of Lee & Associates, who is preleasing one of the projects underway and advising on another. It is being fueled by several factors: high demand for apartments in the Santa Monica downtown core and the availability of financing mostly from private-equity firms and construction lenders.

Deschaine is representing SeventhandArizona LLC in the leasing of the retail portion of a mixed-use project at Arizona Ave. and 7th St. The project, which has not yet broken ground, is slated to open in late 2013. She has also been advising Century West Partners in Los Angeles, a joint venture formed by real estate heavyweights Steve Fifield, head of Fifield Cos. in Chicago, and Michael Sorochinsky, founder of locally based Cypress Equity Investments, on another project here. The joint venture has additional projects in the planning stages here.

Santa Monica has long been an outstanding trade area for retailers because of its demographics, tourism and the critical mass of stores located there, says Sorochinsky, whose company strategy is to acquire assets in value-add space throughout Southern California and to develop class-A multifamily and mixed-use property in strong infill locations. Now, with a renewed focus on housing, it is going to be even more attractive to retailers.

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Eight Mixed-Use Projects Will Add 500 Housing Units

VERNON HILLS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

CDW LLC (CDW), a leading provider of technology solutions to business, government, education and healthcare, announced today that it received Cisco Partner Summit award for Global Partner of the Year Americas. CDW also received national and theater awards for Americas Partner of the Year Commercial and Public Sector, U.S. Public Sector Partner of the Year, U.S. Nationals Architectural Excellence Collaboration, U.S./Canada Central Area Partner of the Year, U.S./Canada Central Cisco Capital Partner of the Year, U.S./Canada East Commercial Partner of the Year, and U.S./Canada West Architectural Excellence Borderless Networks. Cisco announced the winners at its annual Partner Summit on April 17 in San Diego, Calif.

Cisco Partner Summit global awards are designed to recognize exemplary channel partners who demonstrate best-in-class business practices and serve as a model to the industry. Areas of consideration include innovative practices, applications successes, unique programs problem-solving and sales approaches. All winners are selected by a group of Cisco worldwide channels and regional executives.

Cisco is privileged to work with some of the best channel partners around the world, and it is my honor to recognize CDW as a Cisco Partner Summit global award recipient, said Edison Peres, senior vice president, Worldwide Channels at Cisco. The awards presented to CDW recognize its outstanding achievement as a Cisco channel partner in 2011.

Each of the nine Cisco Partner of the Year awards, reinforced by our Cisco Master Certifications in Unified Communications, Managed Services and Security, recognize CDW and Ciscos hard work and dedication to deliver industry-leading technology and solutions to our customers, said Thomas E. Richards, president and chief executive officer of CDW. Our strong partnership with Cisco enables us to successfully support our customers needs across all of our markets with powerful collaboration, communications and data center technology.

Cisco Partner Summit awards are presented at three levels: global, geo and theater. Cisco Partner Summit awards reflect the top-performing channel partners within a specific technology market across several geographic regions.

About CDW

CDW is a leading provider of technology solutions for business, government, education and healthcare. Ranked No. 32 on Forbes list of Americas Largest Private Companies and No. 270 on the FORTUNE 500, CDW features dedicated account managers who help customers choose the right technology products and services to meet their needs. The companys solution architects offer expertise in designing customized solutions, while its advanced technology engineers assist customers with the implementation and long-term management of those solutions. Areas of focus include software, network communications, notebooks/mobile devices, data storage, video monitors, desktops, printers and solutions such as virtualization, collaboration, security, mobility, data center optimization and cloud computing. CDW was founded in 1984 and employs more than 6,800 coworkers. For the trailing twelve months ended March 31, 2012, the company generated net sales of $9.8 billion. For more information, visit http://www.CDW.com.

Cisco, the Cisco logo, and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems Inc. in the United States and certain other countries.

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CDW Wins Nine Cisco Awards at Cisco Partner Summit 2012

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

With a clean look and superior light quality, the new TruGroove lineup of LED and fluorescent recessed luminaires are high performance solutions for a variety of applications. Not only does TruGroove allow lighting designers to deliver aesthetic impact with optimum light levels at energy densities well below industry guidelines, its sophisticated style, exceptional color rendering and reduced energy consumption are an ideal fit for applications where color, ambience and structure are key.

TruGroove features an innovative optical design, patented MesoOptics technology. This allows TruGroove to make spaces more visually comfortable by optimally blending light and color, controlling high angle glare and creating a precisely-controlled batwing distribution. Its 3 narrow aperture lens provides full end-to-end luminance without socket shadows, which is ideal for commercial applications such as offices, classrooms, libraries, retail spaces and healthcare environments.

TruGroove can create balanced luminous environments to deliver efficacies as high as 69lm/W in LED fixtures and efficiencies as high as 83 percent in fluorescent luminaires. Unlike other narrow aperture recessed products, TruGroove also features a unique cable-cinch procedure, which allows contractors to join fixtures below a drywall ceiling and raise them up to finish installation.

Its challenging to develop a product that is not only beautiful and energy efficient, but also functions without any compromise to light quality or performance, said Don Jacklin, general manager for Philips Ledalite. This new TruGroove family of products is a true winner on all fronts an exceptional LED narrow aperture product, easy installation for contractors, and a wide variety of choices that will give our customers the flexibility they need to create the right solution for their application.

TruGroove fixtures are available in 2, 4, and 8 standalone lengths, and continuous runs in virtually any length. The luminaires can be integrated into both t-grid and drywall ceilings to accommodate a diverse set of spaces. In addition, both LED and fluorescent versions of the product are available in symmetric and asymmetric distributions, in multiple lumen packages, color temperatures, and lens options.

TruGroove integrates Philips Ledalites Response daylight harvesting sensors, which can reduce energy savings by upto an additional 35 percent. To further reduce energy consumption, the system can also be integrated with the companys Airwave wireless, battery-free, solar and kinetically powered controls. All Philips Ledalite LED luminaires feature an easy plug-and-play installation that simplifies maintenance and upgrades.

For more information on these products or Philips Ledalite, please visit http://www.ledalite.com.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving peoples lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of sense and simplicity. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 122,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 22.6 billion in 2011, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at http://www.philips.com/newscenter.

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Philips Introduces TruGroove Family of High Performance Linear LED Solutions for Interior Architectural Applications

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF)- During heavy rain from tropical systems, or even severe thunderstorms, all the water can cause problems around a home.

Danny Isaac with restoration company A & I Fire and Water Restoration said he sees the aftermath of those problems regularly, and fortunately many of the problems could be avoided or reduced.

Homeowner Terry Dresser just repaired damage from one of the most common rain-related problems. Her gutters were leaking water into the framing of her roof.

"We found that some of the water was flowing backwards thereby getting under the shingles and causing the damage," she explained.

Gutter specialist Eddie McCreery with the Seamless Myrtle Beach company said there are usually two issues with gutters.

"You want to make sure they're pitched in the right direction so that they're draining properly that way," McCreery said. "You also want to make sure they're cleaned out of any debris that may cause them to back up and overflow."

There are two pretty easy ways to figure out if gutters are working properly, McCreery said. First, when it is raining, check out the spout and make sure there is water coming out of there. Second, look for any patches that are dirtier that the rest of the gutter. That will likely indicate where water is flowing over the gutter in that area. Homeowners can get up on a ladder and check for clogged gutters themselves, or they can hire a professional will likely check for a few more issues.

"We'll check the pitch, check the level on it, make sure the water's flowing like it's supposed to," McCreery said.

Lots of rain can also saturate the ground, so check for trees that may fall over. Isaac said debris can also clog ditches and drains. So watch for anything that could cause flooding in your yard.

"If you have an open ditch or even a stormwater culvert, make sure the debris doesn't have your drains covered up," Isaac said.

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Homeowners advised to check for rain-related problems

Credit: Rebecca Ryan

Togerson Avenue in North Charleston, just one of the locations seeing storm damage from Tropical Depression Beryl.Two cars outside home damaged from storm debris.

A tree fell on a North Charleston home damaging the home and two cars parked in front of it.

Debris also blew into roads around the Lowcountry leaving crews to clean up the mess in the early morning hours Wednesday.

Tropical Depression Beryl barreled through the Lowcountry overnight causing power ourages, as well. According to SCE&G, several locations in the Tri-County area are experiencing power outages at this time:

Reevesville near Bryant Rd 20-200 affected Est. Restoration Time: 7:30 AM on Wednesday, May 30

Near Town of Dorchester on School House Rd (2 locations) 20-200 affected Est. Restoration Time: 9:00 AM on Wednesday, May 30

Summerville near Hazeltine Bend 20-200 affected Est. Restoration Time: 7:00 AM on Wednesday, May 30

Summerville near Tulip St. Less than 20 affected Est. Restoration Time: 7:00 AM on Wednesday, May 30

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Tropical Depression Beryl and power outages

A second former executive for a disaster-recovery firm that landed numerous public contracts in and around New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina has been indicted on securities-fraud charges. Brian Marshall, 48, of Tampa, Fla., a former vice president of Home Solutions of America, on Tuesday morning pleaded not guilty to the charges in a Dallas courtroom, according to the office of Sarah Saldana, the U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Saldana's office has already charged Frank Fradella, 56, of Covington, Home Solutions' former chief executive, with similar crimes. Fradella has been linked to the grand jury investigation of former Mayor Ray Nagin that is being overseen by U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office, although the Fradella and Marshall indictments do not appear to be directly connected to the Nagin probe.

Fradella is due to stand trial in Dallas in September.

Both Fradella and Marshall are accused of artificially inflating Home Solutions' stock by trumpeting new contracts and revenue that they knew to be phony.

Marshall was president of Fireline Restoration, a Tampa-based subsidiary of Home Solutions. On several occasions, according to the indictment, Fireline issued press releases announcing new contracts it had landed, when the contracts were actually with other entities he controlled. The bogus releases were intended to goose Home Solutions' stock price, according to prosecutors.

Marshall is also accused of ordering employees to create and backdate phony contracts and invoices as part of the scheme.

Fradella is charged with making millions in profits from selling shares of Home Solutions stock after it jumped in the wake of similar bogus announcements. Home Solutions was eventually delisted from the NASDAQ exchange.

Businessman Aaron Bennett, who recently pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges, sold one of his companies to Home Solutions in 2006, and he has said he introduced Nagin to Fradella in January 2007. The introduction came during a trip the three made to Chicago to see the NFC championship game between the Saints and the Bears.

At the time, Home Solutions had deals with Home Depot stores to install granite countertops at customers' homes, and Bennett has said he introduced Nagin to Fradella specifically to help the Nagin family firm get a similar deal with the retailing giant. The Nagins' company, Stone Age, inked a contract with Home Depot a few months later. Among other items, the federal probe into Nagin is examining whether Fradella helped the Nagin family land that deal.

The feds are also investigating the claims of a Florida businessman who says Fradella raided his granite yard and sent some of the assets to Stone Age.

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2nd exec from firm that landed millions in restoration work is indicted on fraud charge

Credit: Rebecca Ryan

Togerson Avenue in North Charleston, just one of the locations seeing storm damage from Tropical Depression Beryl.Two cars outside home damaged from storm debris.

A tree fell on a North Charleston home damaging the home and two cars parked in front of it.

Debris also blew into roads around the Lowcountry leaving crews to clean up the mess in the early morning hours Wednesday.

Tropical Depression Beryl barreled through the Lowcountry overnight causing power ourages, as well. According to SCE&G, several locations in the Tri-County area are experiencing power outages at this time:

Reevesville near Bryant Rd 20-200 affected Est. Restoration Time: 7:30 AM on Wednesday, May 30

Near Town of Dorchester on School House Rd (2 locations) 20-200 affected Est. Restoration Time: 9:00 AM on Wednesday, May 30

Summerville near Hazeltine Bend 20-200 affected Est. Restoration Time: 7:00 AM on Wednesday, May 30

Summerville near Tulip St. Less than 20 affected Est. Restoration Time: 7:00 AM on Wednesday, May 30

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Tropical Depression Beryl and power outages, damage

CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Hendrick Construction completed a $5.7 million expansion of the R. Eugene Johnson Detention Center in Laurens County, S.C.

The 20,000-square-foot expansion features eight housing units on two floors, adding room for up to 128 more inmates. The new space is flexible, allowing corrections officers to easily sort inmates based on gender and alleged crime.

"Without this design, the sheriff's office would need larger housing units with more beds to accommodate the broad inmate population," said Dennis Ashley of DA Architects, LLC, the project's architect.

The smaller housing units each can hold up to 16 inmates give the detention center greater flexibility than a more traditional layout of two 64-bed dorms. Additionally, the layout is more cost-effective for Laurens County.

"The expansion was needed to alleviate periodic overcrowding, and it provides a safer and more secure facility for our officers and staff," said Laurens County Director of Public Works Scott Holland. "It's safer for the inmates as well."

The units were built with precast concrete in a semi-circle around a main control room. The control room is located between the two floors, allowing corrections officers to see into each dorm. State-of-the-art electronic equipment in the control room also allows guards to monitor cameras throughout the jail.

The project included upgrades to the security system as well as a new video conferencing system that allows inmates to speak with visitors and court officials without leaving the dorm area. In addition to the expansion, Hendrick is remodeling the existing jail space to add medical facilities, an administrative area and a visitor center.

"We're proud to build this much-needed expansion for Laurens County," said Roger Hendrick, president of Hendrick Construction. "They now have a more secure detention center with flexible space to help them deal with overcrowding issues."

Hendrick Construction, Inc. is a Charlotte, N.C.-based general contractor that provides commercial construction services throughout the Southeast. The company's portfolio includes facilities for corporate headquarters, manufacturing, industrial, health care and bio-tech companies, as well as schools, government buildings, entertainment venues and restaurants. Visit http://www.hendrickconstruction.com.

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Hendrick Construction Completes South Carolina Jail