The Spring Island River House, designed by Joel Newman of Thomas & Denzinger Architects, is part of the Architects' Tour of Spring Island, set for March 29.

PICASA SUBMITTED PHOTO

A new tour of homes this spring departs from the historic theme so familiar in northern Beaufort County -- this one focuses instead on the modern homes of Spring Island.

The Architects' Tour of Spring Island, by the Beaufort Historic Foundation with help from local architects, was started when the Parish Church of St. Helena decided not to bring back its Spring Tour of Homes, said foundation events coordinator Isabella Reeves.

Marcia Seymour, chairwoman for the church's tour, said the committee couldn't get enough home and plantation owners interested in showcasing their properties.

"It takes money, and it's a lot of hard work to put a good appearance on," she said.

Instead, the committee will retire the tour and search for new fundraising ideas, Seymour said.

Spring Island, a gated community of 410 houses on 3,000-plus acres, blends architecture, history and environmental preservation, Reeves said.

"The homes are definitely not cookie-cutter," she said.

The foundation is working with Frederick and Frederick, Thomas & Denzinger Architects and Allison Ramsey Architects. The tour, set for March 29, will include four homes and an artists studio.

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Architects' Tour of Spring Island planned

At the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) round table held last week, media guests and bloggers witnessed a demonstration straight out of Tomorrowland.

Showcased with much fervor by the esteemed panel of architects was the latest in printing innovation: 3D printers that create scale models of any design in more or less 60 minutes. Present at the event was 3D Systems, a brand that carries a spectrum of printers and scanners that can make small-scale prints as well as large, industrial ones. Their products range from the Cube, a personal printer thats no bigger than a blender, to the herculean ProJet 7000 HD, which is larger than the average person.

The high-tech architect

3D printing is still in its infancy, said Lor Calma & Partners principal architect Ed Calma. Were still testing the limitations of this technology and we see its getting more sophisticated. Its really a matter of making models by hand or by a 3D printer. Thats really where the future is headed, he said.

Small plastic items created by 3D Systems' CubeX during the event.

Other strides on the design front for the 3D printer include furniture prototyping, interior schematics and, more incredibly, the construction of molds for pre-cast concrete products (the facades of houses, for example). Imagine pre-casting sections of your house in a factory then bringing them back to the site for assembly to piece together a jigsaw puzzleits as simple as that.

Realistically speaking, though, it might be a few years before we see 3D printers becoming as common as the laserjet printer.

Though manufacturers have been making the product more accessible to homes in terms of size, speed and user-friendly software, there is still the question of what to use it for.

The output of such 3D printers, at least of the personal use variety, is limited in size (3D Systems CubeX can print items as big as a basketball) and material (they use ABS and PLA plastic, shrewd material similar to that of Legos). So if youre thinking of making the furniture of your dreams into reality, you might want to think again. Plus, the hefty price tag of P90,000 to P185,000 for one machine might be too much for the typical household budget.

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Architects look to 3D printing for design projects

Alan Warren

Britain's Architects of Air experience of Miracoco at Discovery Green on Friday, March 14. The luminarium Miracoco will be at the Jones Lawn at Discovery Green through March 23 in downtown Houston.

Alan Warren

Britain's Architects of Air experience of Miracoco at Britain's Architects of Air experience of Miracoco at Discovery Green on Friday, March 14. The stunning luminarium Miracoco will be at the Jones Lawn at Discovery Green through March 15-23 in downtown Houston.

Alan Warren

Britain's Architects of Air experience of Miracoco at Discovery Green on Friday, March 14. The stunning luminarium Miracoco will be at the Jones Lawn at Discovery Green through March 23 in downtown Houston.

Alan Warren

Britain's Architects of Air experience of Miracoco at Discovery Green on Friday, March 14. The stunning luminarium Miracoco will be at the Jones Lawn at Discovery Green through March 23 in downtown Houston.

Alan Warren

Britain's Architects of Air experience of Miracoco at Discovery Green on Friday, March 14. The stunning luminarium Miracoco will be at the Jones Lawn at Discovery Green through March 23 in downtown Houston.

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Architects of Air returns with Miracoco

One of the main gateways into Arbutus is expected to undergo a major change if a project by Catonsville developer Steve Whalen gets underway.

The project, Arbutus Station, will bring two commercial buildings near the intersection of Sulphur Spring Road and Waelchli Avenue.

One building will be a 20,000-square-foot mixed-use commercial building with office space on the top floor and retail space on the first floor.

The other building will be an approximately 7,000-square-foot restaurant.

The project is expected to cost between $4.5 and $5 million, Whalen said.

"I can't remember how long it's been since anyone has invested that much into the Arbutus community," Whalen said.

Because there is a tenant on the property whose lease isn't up until December 2014, construction wouldn't begin until April 1, 2015, Whalen said.

Whalen said in an email that the community input meeting on the project had been held in December and the hearing officer's hearing for development plan approval could be scheduled within 90 days.

After that approval, it would take another three or four months to complete final construction plans and have the county issue building permits, according to his email.

The project is expected to take about nine months to complete, which means it wouldn't be finished until late 2015 or early 2016, he said.

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Project could bring new restaurant and retail business to Arbutus

A $20 million development along Miss. Highway 12's frontage area will soon hold a seven-space retail center and a full-service, 117-bed Holiday Inn, Cotton Mill Marketplace Developer Mark Nicholas confirmed Tuesday to aldermen.

The project will transform the area next to the Mill at MSU development, which itself aims to transform the historic E.E. Cooley Building into a conference center and construct a hotel, and complement the project, Nicholas said. It, along with The Mill at MSU project, will completely redevelop the Russell Street-Miss. Highway 12 corridor, a tract of land officials call the front door to the university.

Construction is set to begin immediately. The retail space should be completed by late 2014, Nicholas said, while the hotel will take about a year to build.

Nicholas confirmed three chain restaurants, including Hungry Howie's Pizza, Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches and Salsarita's Fresh Cantina, have committed to the project. He stopped short of identifying other potential retailers but did say at least one boutique clothier would located within the Cotton Mill Marketplace development.

The project is still two retailers short of 100 percent occupancy, Nicholas said, but developers will continue to aggressively market the remaining openings.

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New restaurants, hotel will complement Mill project

INDIANAPOLIS Construction could start in the coming months on a curved 28-story glass tower at the long-vacant site of the former Market Square Arena in downtown Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis City-County Council voted Monday night to approve providing up to $23 million in city financing for the estimated $81 million building with apartments and retail space.

The site on the eastern edge of downtown has been parking lots since the arena was demolished more than a dozen years ago. The tower is to have ground-floor retail space, 300 apartments and a 500-space parking garage.

The council's 18-9 vote to approve the subsidy came after several council members argued that the city had more important needs, such as hiring additional police officers.

"We are taking millions of taxpayers' dollars and handing it over to a developer," Democratic Councilwoman Angela Mansfield said. "If there is such a need for this (project), the market should be driving it."

The development would be backed by a combination of public and private money, with the city agreeing to contribute funding from a bond sale and land for the project appraised at $5.6 million.

Republican Mayor Greg Ballard said the project will help make the city a more attractive to place to live.

"I look forward to signing the proposal passed by the council and getting construction started on this project this summer," Ballard said in a statement.

Deron Kintner, the city's economic development director, said developer Flaherty and Collins would begin preparing for construction immediately.

"They would move as fast as possible, which means breaking ground in a couple months," Kintner said. "They would want to get it started this construction season."

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Indianapolis council backs $23 million tower for ex-Market Square Arena site

INDIANAPOLIS Construction could start in the coming months on a curved 28-story glass tower at the long-vacant site of the former Market Square Arena in downtown Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis City-County Council voted Monday night to approve providing up to $23 million in city financing for the estimated $81 million building with apartments and retail space.

The site on the eastern edge of downtown has been parking lots since the arena was demolished more than a dozen years ago. The tower is to have ground-floor retail space, 300 apartments and a 500-space parking garage.

The councils 18-9 vote to approve the subsidy came after several council members argued that the city had more important needs, such as hiring additional police officers.

We are taking millions of taxpayers dollars and handing it over to a developer, Democratic Councilwoman Angela Mansfield said. If there is such a need for this (project), the market should be driving it.

The development would be backed by a combination of public and private money, with the city agreeing to contribute funding from a bond sale and land for the project appraised at $5.6 million.

Republican Mayor Greg Ballard said the project will help make the city a more attractive place to live.

I look forward to signing the proposal passed by the council and getting construction started on this project this summer, Ballard said in a statement.

Deron Kintner, the citys economic development director, said developer Flaherty and Collins would begin preparing for construction immediately.

They would move as fast as possible, which means breaking ground in a couple months, Kintner said. They would want to get it started this construction season.

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Indy eyes tower for ex-arena site

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Construction could start in the coming months on a curved 28-story glass tower at the long-vacant site of the former Market Square Arena in downtown Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis City-County Council voted Monday night to approve providing up to $23 million in city financing for the estimated $81 million building with apartments and retail space.

The site on the eastern edge of downtown has been parking lots since the arena was demolished more than a dozen years ago. The tower is to have ground-floor retail space, 300 apartments and a 500-space parking garage.

The councils 18-9 vote to approve the subsidy came after several council members argued that the city had more important needs, such as hiring additional police officers.

We are taking millions of taxpayers dollars and handing it over to a developer, Democratic Councilwoman Angela Mansfield said. If there is such a need for this (project), the market should be driving it.

The development would be backed by a combination of public and private money, with the city agreeing to contribute funding from a bond sale and land for the project appraised at $5.6 million.

Republican Mayor Greg Ballard said the project will help make the city a more attractive to place to live.

I look forward to signing the proposal passed by the council and getting construction started on this project this summer, Ballard said in a statement.

Deron Kintner, the citys economic development director, said developer Flaherty and Collins would begin preparing for construction immediately.

They would move as fast as possible, which means breaking ground in a couple months, Kintner said. They would want to get it started this construction season.

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Indianapolis council backs tower for ex-arena site

Published: Tuesday, March 18, 2014, 12:56a.m.

The seed of a future career was planted early in David Hails.

I watered plants on the way home from school every day, said Hails, who as a 9-year-old would walk to his job at Everything Green, a since-closed Greensburg plant store.

An entrepreneur even then, he grew his own plants to sell in the shop.

I grew sensitive plants the ones where you touch them and they'd fold up, he said. They were big in the '70s. I'd sell them for 50 cents each. I had a mother plant at home that would produce the seeds.

His early agrarian efforts have germinated into a flourishing enterprise.

Hails owns three businesses in Washington Township and wants to expand them.

In April, he'll seek approval from the township supervisors to join five parcels along Goodview Drive that he's bought during the years into one 20-acre property, which he intends to name the Everything Green Business Park, after his childhood post.

Cheryl Dickey, Washington Township's planning commission secretary, said Hails is finalizing paperwork and she isn't aware of any no problems related to the proposal.

He's a good business for the township, Dickey said.

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Washington Township businessman wants to grow environmental firms

OTTAWA Jim Flahertys resignation from cabinet Tuesday marks the end of a tumultuous eight years as finance minister and leaves Prime Minister Stephen Harper scrambling to find a replacement in the governments most important portfolio. Harper was expected to name a new finance minister on Wednesday.

The 64-year-old Flaherty made the bombshell announcement Tuesday barely a month after tabling his latest federal budget, which projected the federal government would balance the books in 2015-16.

The resignation comes shortly after Flaherty openly questioned the wisdom of the governments plan to introduce income-splitting for families, a position that placed him at odds with other cabinet ministers and even Harper.

But the man sometimes tagged with the unflattering nickname Deficit Jim wont even be in government to watch the Conservatives get back into black ink. Nor will he be in cabinet to push through legislation enacting his own most recent budget.

His resignation from cabinet is effective immediately, but his office said he will stay on as MP for Whitby-Oshawa for the time being.

Flaherty is the only finance minister the Harper government has ever known; he was appointed to the post when the Conservatives won power in 2006.

He is widely credited by political observers and many economists as the steady economic hand who helped the government fight its way back from the depths of the recession to the verge of a balanced budget.

Yet by the end of the 2014-15 fiscal year, under Flahertys watch, the government will have added $150 billion more to the federal debt than was there at the beginning of the economic downturn in 2008.

Opposition parties have highlighted the mounting deficits and federal debt as examples of how Flahertys economic record isnt nearly as strong as the government trumpets.

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Deficit Jim Flaherty, credited as steady finance minister, resigns