Its funny how a seemingly inconspicuous moment can forever alter the course of someones future.

Just under a year ago Noemi Perez and her two sons, 12-year-old Ventura and 5-year-old Dominic, were living out of boxes on the floor at the Virginian Apartments.

Last Monday the family finally moved into secure affordable housing, available for at least four years, thanks to a random but growing group of community-minded volunteers looking to revitalize Jacksons small-town feel one household at a time.

As their neighbors at the Virginian were evicted to make way for a renovations last year, Perez scrambled to find a new home in Jackson, fearful that she would have to uproot her family and send her boys back to Mexico to live with their grandmother as she continued to work and save money here.

We had nowhere to go, she said. It was very stressful. I cried enough when we had to send our dog Charlie back to Mexico. I couldnt bear the thought of not having Dominic and Ventura with me.

Their fortunes changed while standing around a folding table dispensing lemonade in Phil Baux Park.

I call it my magic lemonade stand, said Wren Fialka, founder of the Spread the Love Commission, a nonprofit that worked with the Perez family to find them stable housing. When I first started going to some of the meetings about housing, everybody was bumping heads. I said, Lets just go do something and lets see whats possible. The response from the community has been truly amazing. Its been one miracle after another, and it all started with the lemonade stand.

Though Fialka has run the Spread the Love Commission for years, it largely focused on providing goods to homeless communities in larger cities like Denver, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. But during a housing march last July, Fialka heard families speak about their struggles here in Jackson and decided to refocus her efforts closer to home.

Unsure of exactly how to help, Fialka started by hosting a weekly lemonade stand at Phil Baux Park to raise money and awareness for the cause.

While the money helped, what families like the Perezes really needed was a house. As Noemi Perezs search for a new home stretched from days into weeks, she began to consider the possibility of sending her boys back to Mexico.

But I felt in my heart that something good was going to happen, she said. I truly believed it, even during the hard times, because we had such amazing people around us.

The next day, just one day before Ventura and Dominic were scheduled to leave on a bus headed to Mexico, Jackson homeowner Jessica Chambers and her husband, Reed, came to the lemonade stand and mentioned they had an unfinished basement that, with some renovation, could be used to temporarily house the family until the winter. By themselves, however, they were struggling to find the time or money to remodel the space and make it livable.

A lightbulb flashed above Fialkas head.

Immediately she began reaching out to friends in search of volunteers to help in the renovation. Within a couple of days she had a crew of volunteers, a number of businesses willing to donate materials and a plan to move forward.

Though many of the volunteers were far from skilled laborers, everyone did as much or as little as they could.

Jackson Lumber donated drywall and wood flooring. Carpenters volunteered time. Friends painted and sanded. Neighbors offered the use of their trucks. Others donated beds, refrigerators, furniture and clothing. Some simply left a check to help pay for food and other necessities.

This is a win-win for everybody, Chambers said. Were helping the Perez family, but others are helping our family [remodeling our basement]. It takes a village.

In all, Fialka said, 45 people contributed to the cause in some fashion, and two weeks after their meeting at the lemonade stand the Perezes were out of the Virginian Apartments and moved into the Chambers basement.

It was one of the happiest moments of my life, Noemi Perez said. I didnt care where we were or how small it was, just as long as we were able to stay together.

With free labor and cheap materials the Chamberses were able to finish their basement for pennies on the dollar, and, as a result the Perez family was given free rent for the summer.

We manage to manifest all kinds of things for ourselves, even when were not noticing it, Fialka said. If you walk by somebody who looks like theyre having a hard day, ask him how hes doing. Do whatever your comfort level dictates. Buy him a cup of coffee, give him a fist bump, give him a hug. Just start there and that one tiny little thing will create a domino effect.

As word spread, Fialkas list of donators and volunteers grew by the day. One of them, Cindy Budge, initially contacted Fialka to donate appliances. When she came to drop off a refrigerator and saw what was going on, she immediately bought in.

Ive been watching the housing market in Jackson closely going on 15 years saying we have to do something different, she said. Everyone talks about Jackson changing, but Jacksons changed so many times over the years, whos to say enough is enough?

What I miss the most is the community, she said. For people to not be able to find a place to live and have to live in their cars, that is not community. Those people are homeless, and we as a community are saying not my problem.

Despite being as old-time Jackson as it comes, Budge has spurned the idea of no growth and has welcomed change, happy to share this beautiful valley with all who come.

She had been renovating half of her duplex in East Jackson but became sick and had to stop. With volunteer labor, she was able to complete the project and begin to make use of the space. In exchange for the free labor Budge deducted $25 per volunteer hour from the Perez familys rent. As it currently stands the family will get $100 off their rent each month for the next four years.

This is not a charity, Budge said. This is a way of thinking out of the box and trying to come up with some different solutions.

Its a business for me, and I got good value from this, she said, but on the other side of it, money isnt necessarily what drives all of us. Ideally this will motivate other people to think outside of the box to come up with other ways to help out. Until we start addressing the commercial growth going on here with addressing housing, were going to continue to have problems.

Since leaving the Virginian Apartments last September, Perez and her sons have moved three times. Their most recent move, into Budges house, is likely to be the last they will have to endure for years to come.

Its a huge relief, Perez said. I think were all still in shock and havent had a chance to relax and let it sink in. We just feel so lucky to have such amazing people around us. Theyre our angels, and they will always be a part of us. We truly feel a part of this community and like we are valued here. This is my home. Hopefully we can continue doing this for other families.

With the Perez family in secure housing, Fialka and the Spread the Love Commission can focus on building a foundation on which to expand. She has a network of some 70 volunteers and donors from all corners of Jackson, but she needs more.

As a fairly spontaneous creation the Spread the Love Commission had very little outside funding. Fialka basically emptied her savings account including the money she saved for the down payment on a house of her own to see this project through to the end. With nonprofit status she is now focused on building a more fully formed organization to support her efforts supporting others.

This is the only thing I want to do anymore, Fialka said. This is what Ive been searching for my entire life.

For the first time this spring Spread the Love Commission will be part of Old Bills Fun Run for Charities, which will begin collecting donations Aug. 1. Those interested in donating can do so at CFJacksonHole.org/old-bills. Information about the organization can be found at SpreadLoveByGiving.org.

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Family finds a place to live with help of volunteers - Jackson Hole News&Guide

WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP The owner of 1 Bald Eagle Island is making substantial improvements to the property through use of his company, Landucci Homes.

According to Nathan Landucci, the remodel started as a window and siding replacement project with plans to replace interior cabinets, trim and floor coverings. As construction ensued, Landucci said he couldnt ignore the potential of the property and knew that everything in the home deserved replacement.

Stillwater-based Landucci Homes specializes in building and remodeling high-end homes. Its claim to fame is hyper-detailed luxury construction, making the choice clear to perform a full and total remodel/restoration of the home.

The restored home is going to be indistinguishable from a brand new home but even better, due to the robust commercial construction-grade materials, design and over-engineered components in the homes foundation and structure, noted the owner. This home is a real diamond in the rough, but not for long since the completion date is slated for mid-June 2018.

A full restoration of the existing structure is approved and a few changes are currently being proposed, which will add to the functionality of living on the island, he added. On Thursday, July 6, the Town Board is slated to review the following four proposed changes:

An existing basement foundation (south facing) is proposed to add a main floor and a partial upper level above the existing foundation so that it matches the house, also providing a more functional layout.

Three south-facing triangle windows are to be removed and squared off, enhancing the exterior elevation and creating a more usable lower level.

A front entry/stoop on the house is proposed where one previously did not exist.

An addition is proposed to the existing garage on the north side of the island for easier egress to the home from the shore, removing the current steep wooden ramp.

This fall, hydro-seeding of low fescue grass and wildflowers will take place on the steep slopes. There are also preliminary plans to replace the septic system within two years due to its noncompliance.

We are excited to put the home back together in a way that is more conducive to the times, Landucci noted. This house is a real beacon; its an important feature of Bald Eagle Lake and the White Bear area; so Im glad we are restoring it the right way.

When asked how he's enjoying island life, Landucci said, It's great; really private with nice views. Watching the sailboats is enjoyable and there's little noise.

He's using a barge to transport materials and trash back and forth to the property. Ramsey County granted permission last month to use an access on West Bald Eagle Boulevard for mooring the floating platform.

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Bald Eagle Island home undergoing major remodel - White Bear Press

Gathering of mosquitoes in Draper test positive for West Nile Virus (File photo: MGN Online)

(KUTV) A group of mosquitoes in Draper have tested positive for West Nile Virus, according to the Salt Lake County Health Department.

In a Facebook post Wednesday, the city of Draper announced the finding and said there were no confirmed cases of West Nile Virus among humans.

This is the first group of mosquitoes to test positive, and the city says more could be infected across the city.

The announcement comes before one of the city's biggest annual outdoor events: Draper Days.

The city is warning residents to be cautious and protect themselves from bugs.

The city will hand out mosquito repellent before most Draper Days events, but also recommends the following steps be taken:

Use a mosquito repellent with DEET, permethrin, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to package directions.

Drain standing water in yards (old tires, potted plant trays, pet dishes, toys, buckets, etc.).

Wear long sleeves and pants after dusk.

Keep roof gutters clear of debris.

Clean swimming pools often or drain them.

Clean and stock garden ponds with mosquito-eating fish or mosquito dunks.

Make sure screen doors and window screens are in good condition so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors.

Keep weeds and tall grass cut short; adult mosquitoes look for these shady places to rest during the hot daylight hours.

Most people infected with the virus will show little to no symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in five, however, will experience "a fever with other symptoms such as headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash."

In extreme cases, patients will need to be treated in a hospital.

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Gathering of mosquitoes in Draper test positive for West Nile Virus - KUTV 2News

GREG LOWER

greg@chanute.com

The closing of Chanutes water slide was because of state legislation that stemmed from a fatal accident in Kansas City last year.

Chanute Parks Director Todd Newman told the Parks Advisory Board at its monthly meeting Thursday evening that the local water slide closed Saturday, along with all others more than 15 feet high in the state.

Gov. Sam Brownback signed the Kansas Amusement Ride Act and the Amusement Ride Insurance Act on June 26. The amendments prohibit an amusement park ride operating without a permit issued by the Kansas Department of Labor, which includes water slides at least 15 feet high that use water to propel patrons through the rides.

In August, the 10-year-old son of a Kansas legislator died in an accident at a Kansas City water slide at Schlitterbahn Amusement Park. That slide has since been torn down.

Newman said the KDOL has not hired an inspector to issue permits. The water slide at Chanutes Maring Aquatic Center is about 20 feet high, he said.

Parks board members also discussed the issue of hypodermic needles that had been found in parks, an issue raised at a recent city commission meeting.

Newman said the parks department has dealt with the issue every day for at least two years, and he has talked about it with Police Chief Raymond Hale.

The problem of needles in parks is random around the city and not confined to particular areas, board members said, and it is not unique to Chanute.

Theres a lot of people using needles, Newman said. Its a scary deal.

Board members agreed it is a matter for police. Although they said they did not want to discourage parents from taking children to the park, nor encourage drug abusers to go to parks, they urged people who find needles to contact the police non-emergency number, (620) 431-5768.

Newman also updated the board about restroom renovations at Santa Fe, Highland and Katy parks. The Highland and Santa Fe park renovations were approved at the last city commission meeting, and the projects are estimated at about $15,000 per park.

Newman said he talked to Overland Park landscape architect Vance Rzepka, who visited Chanute, about designing new ballfields. Rzepka will have designs by the end of the month and will submit a bid for approval before officials see the plans.

He also updated board members about plans for the Highland Park playground, which will be about 4,000 square feet. Newman said he hopes to keep the Highland Park playground project under $200,000, and hopes to begin work this year and the ball complex the following year.

Board member and city commissioner Jim Chappell raised his concerns about the Chanute Recreation Commissions use of park areas. Board member Jane Brophy presented draft versions of a park brochure.

See more here:
State legislation closes pool's water slide - Chanute Tribune

People gathered at Devils Pool watch a man jump from the rocks above, to the left. (Photo from public YouTube post)

by Emerson Max

On any given hot summer day, scores of people flock to the infamous Devils Pool in Wissahickon Valley Park. While Devils Pool may provide a respite from the blistering heat and humidity of the city, swimming in the pool is illegal, and this is only to ensure the safety of park visitors.

Devils Pool has long been a landmark in the Northwestern region of Philadelphia, but its popularity as a swimming spot has significantly gone up in recent years. Countless people visit the park every day to hike, walk their dogs, or just to enjoy the beautiful natural landscape the park offers, but many are unaware of the hidden swimming hole that so many illegally frequent.

The main reason for prohibiting swimming in Devils Pool is safety. Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW) and Philadelphias Department of Parks and Recreation, who care for the 1,800-acre park, want to encourage visitors to enjoy themselves as long as they are not putting themselves in danger.

Maura McCarthy, executive director of FOW, said that swimming in the pool is extremely unsafe.

There are no lifeguards and it has a rocky stream foundation with loads of buried sediment and debris, she said. That is how a father and son drowned several years ago they became entangled in some immersed debris.

The father and son McCarthy was referring to were Pete Luciano and his 13-year-old son Jordan who drowned in Devils Pool in the Wissahickon Creek. Pete Luciano noticed his son struggling to swim in the creek and jumped in to assist him. Three of Petes other children watched in horror as neither of them surfaced.

Another risk for pool goers is the option to jump from the rocks or the bridge that surround Devils Pool. In 2013, 18-year-old Anthony Cano took a day off from his senior year at Wissahickon High School to visit Devils Pool. Cano decided to be bold and to leap into the water from the bridge that looms more than 50 feet above the pool. Unfortunately, Cano did not land in the right spot, and his bold leap left him almost paralyzed after a month rehabilitating at Einstein Medical Center.

There are much lower areas that people commonly jump from, but this can also prove to be highly dangerous. Water levels at Devils Pool fluctuate, and the pool is often too shallow to safely cushion jumpers falls. There are also jagged rocks and other dangers inside the water, so jumping from any height is an ill-advised decision.

Even casual swimming in Devils Pool can be dangerous.

The water in the Wissahickon Creek is problematic, McCarthy said. It serves as drinking water for the city, but only after it has been treated. In August, when its dry, up to 90 percent of the flow of the Wissahickon can be treated effluent from one of the four upstream treatment plants. At any given time, the water in Devils Pool can be highly polluted and can cause medical complications.

McCarthy also stresses that people should not park on the roads leading up to Devils Pool. This makes it much more difficult for emergency vehicles to get in and out of the park in the event someone needs medical assistance or there is another sort of emergency.

Trash is another major issue for those working to keep Wissahickon Valley Park beautiful and healthy. Ordinarily the park encourages a carry in, carry out policy with trash, but recently there has been a trash crisis at Devils Pool that has even spread to the surrounding areas. The park has been forced to place trash receptacles in this area, which are emptied regularly by a seasonal team of workers who spend about 50 percent of their time dealing with Devils Pool. Were putting a huge amount of effort into the maintenance of the site, McCarthy said, but obviously what we really need is to connect with the users so they are the main participants in maintaining the site.

To reiterate, Friends of the Wissahickon encourages people to visit the park and to enjoy themselves, but they should do so in a way that is safe for themselves and those around them. Swimming in Devils Pool is illegal, although people do it every day, and it is a highly risky and dangerous decision. There are countless public pools in Philadelphia that people can visit instead. A full list of Philly pools can be found at philaparkandrec.tumblr.com.

. Bookmark the

.

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With temps rising, FOW reminds park users not to swim in Devil's Pool - Chestnut Hill Local

The Dota Majors are "marquee tournament events" that culminate in The International, the big daddy of them all, with a prize pool in excess of $20 million. The series debuted in 2015 with four seasonal events, while the 2016-17 was reduced to three: Boston in December 2016, Kiev in April 2017, and the upcoming International in August. But for the 2017-18 season, Valve announced today, the current Major system is being dropped.

"For the next year we will be taking a more organic approach to growing the competitive ecosystem, working more closely with third-party tournaments. Instead of the previous Major system, we will be selecting many third-party tournaments to directly sponsor," Valve wrote. "Additionally, players competing in these tournaments will earn Qualifying Points which will be the sole factor in determining invites to The International 2018."

Valve-sponsored tournaments will be divided into two tiers, Major and Minors. Majors must have a minimum $500,000 prize pool and will receive an additional $500,000 toward the pool from Valve, while Minors must have a minimum $150,000 prize pool and will be given an additional $150,000. Both Majors and Minors must have at least one qualifier from each primary region (NA, SA, SEA, CN, EU, and CIS), and must have "a LAN finals component to their tournament." Valve will handle scheduling of all tournaments to ensure there are no conflicts.

Roster lock seasons will remain, and players will be allowed to retain their Qualifying Points when switching teams during approved periods. However, "to allow for teams recruiting new entrants to the competitive landscape and to facilitate sometimes necessary roster changes between lock periods," only the top three players on each team will count toward their team's Qualifying Points total.

"To help teams and fans keep track of standings throughout the year, a leaderboard of individual player Qualifying Points and team Qualifying Point Rankings will be available for everyone to follow along with as teams fight their way towards next years International," Valve wrote. "Best of luck to the teams competing in August, and we look forward to the upcoming season once a champion is crowned."

The shift to third-party tournaments is especially interesting in light of our examination of the role the Majors play in the Dota 2 pro scene earlier this year. While they're "mostly a win-win situation," there has been some negative impact on third-party events. These changes will hopefully address at least some of the shortcoming of the Majors system, and lead to a better and more stable circuit for everyone.

This year's International is set to take place on August 12. Get up to speed on everything that's happened so far in our rundown of The road to the International 2017.

Originally posted here:
Valve is eliminating the Dota 2 Majors for the 2017-18 season - PC Gamer

The RIBA Future Trends Workload Index was little changed this month at standing at +23 in May 2017, up marginally from +22 in April.

In terms of geographical analysis, practices in Northern Ireland (balance figure +50), the North of England (+36) and the South of England (+37) were the most optimistic about medium-term workload prospects this month. Continuing the trend of recent months, practices in London (+12) remained by some margin the most cautious about future workloads.

Analysing the May data in terms of practice size, large practices (51+ staff) returned a balance figure of +25. Small practices (1-10 staff), with a balance figure of +23, and medium-sized practices (11-50 staff) also with a balance figure of +23 were just a little less positive, but all size categories of practice on balance anticipate some growth in workloads over the next quarter.

In terms of different work sectors, the private housing sector workload forecast (+22) increased slightly in May 2017, but the commercial sector workload forecast (+7) was down a bit. These continue to be the two most strongly performing of our sector forecasts.

The market for smaller-scale residential projects appears to remain buoyant

The public-sector workload forecast recovered some recently lost ground, rising to -2 but remaining in negative territory. The community sector forecast saw a significant fall, down to zero from +6 in April.

The RIBA Future Trends Staffing Index dipped a little further this month, falling to +7 in May from +9 in March.

Large practices, with a balance figure of +13, and medium-sized practices, also with a balance figure of +13, both remained quite upbeat about future staffing levels. Small practices continued to be a little less confident, with a balance figure of +6.

Commentary received this month from our participating practices continues to suggest a broadly stable market for architectural services and solid ongoing demand for qualified staff.

Overall the picture is one of relatively steady workloads rather than significant growth. The market for smaller-scale residential projects appears to remain buoyant, but some of our practices are reporting a cooling market in the larger-scale commercial sector.

Adrian Dobson is executive director members at the RIBA and the author of 21 Things You Wont Learn in Architecture School. A full copy of the RIBA Future Trends Survey monthly report is available online.

The rest is here:
RIBA report: Private housing sector leads a steady market - Architects' Journal

27200 SW 127th Ave. in Homestead, Fla.

Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corp. acquired a newly constructed 237,756-square-foot industrial building in Homestead, Fla. SunCap Property Group sold the facility in a $38.3 million deal, while an insurance company provided $24.8 million in acquisition financing, public records show.

Located at 27200 SW 127th Ave. on an approximately 50.4-acre site, the Class A distribution center is net-leased for 15 years to FedEx Ground Packaging System Inc. The property features loading docks, drive-in doors, interior van loading positions and more than 8,000 square feet of office space. According to public records, State Farm Insurance Co. originated the acquisition financing that facilitated the transaction. The mortgage is set to mature in July 2032.

Meridian Design Build broke ground on the facility in September 2015, with Ware Malcomb providing architectural services and Langan completing the civil design work. With this acquisition, Monmouth now owns 13 properties in Florida, totaling 1.9 million square feet of strategically placed assets throughout the state.

The Florida economy consistently ranks as one of the fastest growing state economies in our nation. The many Florida ports, including the Port of Miami, are poised to become the most substantial beneficiaries of the recently expanded Panama Canal, said Michael Landy, president & CEO of Monmouth, in prepared remarks.

Image courtesy of SunCap Property Group

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Monmouth Grabs $38M Miami-Area FedEx Distribution Center - Commercial Property Executive

Looking to the future of space exploration, there really is no question that it will involve a growing human presence in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This will include not only successors to the International Space Station, but most likely commercial habitats and facilities. These will not only allow for ventures like space tourism, but will also facilitate missions that take us back to the Moon, to Mars, and even beyond.

With this purpose in mind, an interdisciplinary team of MIT graduate students designed a space habitat known as the Managed, Reconfigurable, In-space Nodal Assembly (MARINA). This module would serve as an privately-owned space station that would be occupied by two anchor-tenants for a period of ten years; a luxury hotel that would provide orbital accommodations, and NASA.

For their invention, the team won first prize in the graduate division of the Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts-Academic Linkage Design Competition Forum (RASC-AL), a yearlong graduate-level competition hosted by NASA. This challenge involved designing a commercial module for use in low Earth orbit that could also serve as a Mars transit vehicle in the future.

In the future, LEO will become home to commercial modules (like the Bigelow Aerospace B330 expandable module, shown here), will become a reality. Credit: Bigelow Aerospace

Since 2002, RASC-AL competitions have sought to engage university students and advisors for the purpose of coming up with ideas that could enhancing future NASA missions. For this years competition, NASA asked teams to develop human spaceflight concepts that focused on operations in cislunar space i.e. in, around, and beyond the Moon that could also facilitate their proposed Journey to Mars by the 2030s.

Specifically, they were tasked with finding ways to leverage innovations and new technologies to improve humanitys ability to work more effectively in microgravity. With this in mind, the themes for this years competition ranged from from the design of more efficient subsystems to the development of architectures that support NASAs goal of extending humanitys reach into space.

These included new designs for a Lightweight Exercise Suite, Airlock Design, concepts for a Commercially Enabled LEO/Mars Habitable Module, and concepts for a new Logistics Delivery System. As Pat Troutman, the Human Exploration Strategic Analysis lead at NASAs Langley Research Center, said in a NASA press statement:

We are carefully examining what it will take to establish a presence beyond low-Earth orbit, where astronauts will build and begin testing the systems needed for challenging missions to distant destinations, including Mars. The 2017 RASC-AL university teams have developed exciting concepts with supporting engineering analysis that may influence how future deep space infrastructure will look and operate.

Members of the MIT team (from left to right): Caitlin Mueller (faculty advisor), Matthew Moraguez, George Lordos, and Valentina Sumini. Credit: MIT/MARINA team

Led by Matthew Moraguez, a graduate student at MITs Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) and a member of the Strategic Engineering Research Group(SERG), the MIT team focused on the theme of creating a Commercially Enabled LEO Habitat Module. Their concept, which incorporates lessons that have been learned from the ISS, was designed with the needs of both the private and public space sectors in mind.

As George Lordos a graduate fellow in the MIT System Design and Management(SDM) Program, and a team member of both MARINA and SERG explained:

Just like a yacht marina, MARINA can provide all essential services, including safe harbor, reliable power, clean water and air, and efficient logistics and maintenance. This will facilitate design simplicity and savings in construction and operating costs of customer-owned modules. It will also incent customers to lease space inside and outside MARINAs node modules and make MARINA a self-funded entity that is attractive to investors.

To meet their goals for the competition , the team came up with a modular design for MARINA that featured several key innovations. These included extensions to theInternational Docking System Standard (IDSS) interface (used aboard the ISS), modular architecture, and a distribution of subsystem functions throughout these modules. As Moraguez explained, their design will allow for some wide-ranging opportunities.

Modularized service racks connect any point on MARINA to any other point via the extended IDSS interface, he said. This enables companies of all sizes to provide products and services in space to other companies, based on terms determined by the open market. Together these decisions provide scalability, reliability, and efficient technology development benefits to MARINA and NASA.

Another important benefit comes in the form of cost-savings. According to NASA estimates, the recurring cost of MARINA will be about $360 million per year, which represents a significant reduction over the current costs of maintaining and operating the ISS. In total, it would offer NASA a savings of about $3 billion per year, which is approximately 16% of the agencys annual budget.

But what is perhaps most interesting about the MARINA concept is the fact that it could serve as the worlds first space hotel. According to Valentina Suminia, a postdoc at MIT who contributed to the architectural concept, the space hotel will be a luxury Earth-facing eight-room space hotel complete with bar, restaurant, and gym, will make orbital space holidays a reality.

Other commercial features include serviced berths that would be rented out to accommodate customer-owned modules. This goes for the stations interior modularized rack space as well, where smaller companies that provide contract services to on-board occupants would be able to rent out space. Would it be too much to ask that it also has robot butlers?

The RASCAL competition began in August of 2016 in Cocoa Beach, Florida, and concluded on June 2nd, 2017. The top overall honors were awarded to the teams from Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland for their space habitat concepts, known as Project Theseus and Ultima Thule, respectively.

Further Reading: MIT, NASA

By Matt Williams - Matt Williams is the Curator of Universe Today's Guide to Space. He is also a freelance writer, a science fiction author and a Taekwon-Do instructor. He lives with his family on Vancouver Island in beautiful British Columbia.

Featured, human space exploration, In-space Nodal Assembly (MARINA), Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Managed, mission to mars, Reconfigurable, Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts-Academic Linkage (RASC-AL), the moon

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I Wonder if it has Room Service? Here's the Space Hotel that Won a ... - Universe Today

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Passaic County: Allwood, Awosting, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cozy Lake, Cupsaw Lake, Delawanna, Dundee, Erskine, Erskin Lakes, Gordon Lakes, Great Notch, Green Pond, Greenwood Lake, Haledon, Haskell, Hawthorn, Hewitt, Hillcrest, Jefferson, Lake Swannanoa, Lionshead Lake, Little Falls, Main Avenue Station, Midvale, Mountain View, Newfoundland, North Haledon, Oak Ridge, Packanack Lake, Passaic, Passaic Park, Paterson, Peoples Park, Pine Cliff Lake, Pines Lake, Pompton Falls, Pompton Lakes, Preakness, Prospect Park, Ringwood, Shady Lake, Singac, Skyline Lakes, South Paterson, Totowa, Upper Greenwood Lake, Wanaque, Wayne, West Milford, West Milford Lakes, West Paterson, Woodland Park

Essex County: Belleville, Bloomfield, Brookdale, Caldwell, Cedar Grove, East Orange, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Grove, Irvington, Livingston, Maplecrest, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair, Newark, North Caldwell, Nutley, Orange, Overbrook, Roseland, Short Hills, South Orange, Upper Montclair, Verona, West Caldwell, West Orange,

Morris County: Boonton, Brookside, Budd Lake, Butler, Cedar Knolls, Chatham, Chester, Convent Station, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Fayson Lakes, Flanders, Florham Park, Gillette, Green Village, Greystone Park, Hiberia, HighCrest, Ironia, Kenvil, Kinnelon, Lake Hiawatha, Lake Hopatcong, Lake Intervale, Landing, Ledgewood, Lincoln Park, Lindy Lake, Long Valley, Lower Montville, , Lyonsville, Madison, Mendham, Meriden, Millington, Mine Hill, Montville, Morris Plains, Morristown, Mount Arlington, Mount Freedom, Mount Olive, Mount Tabor, Mountain Lakes, Netcong, New Vernon, Parsippany, Parsippany Troy Hills, Pequannock, Picatinny, Pine Brook, Pompton Jumction, Pompton Plains, Powerville, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway, Rockaway Valley, Roxbury, Schooleys Mountain, Stirling, Succasunna, Tabor, Taylortown, Towaco, Troy Hills, Victory Gardens, Wharton, Whippany

Hudson County:Bayonne,Jersey City:Bergen-Lafayette:Beacon,Bergen Hill,Communipaw,The Junction,Jackson Hill,The Heights:Chelsea,Sparrow Hill,Washington Village,WesternSlope,HistoricDowntown:GroveStreet,HamiltonPark,Harsimus,BoylePlaza,VanVorstPark,TheVillage,WestEnd(historic),HudsonWaterfront: Exchange Place,Harborside Financial Center,Newport,Paulus Hook,Powerhouse Arts District, formerly known as "WALDO",Greenville:Curries Woods,Port Liberte Claremont,Journal Square:Bergen Square,Five Corners,The Hilltop,India Square,The Island,Marion,McGinley Square,West Side:Hackensack Riverfront,Country Village,Croxton,Droyer's Point,Lincoln Park/West Bergen,Riverbend,Society HillHoboken,Union City,West New York, Greenville, Guttenberg,Secaucus,Kearny,Harrison,East Newark,North Bergen,Weehawken

UnionCounty:BerkeleyHeights,Clark,Cranford,Elizabeth,Fanwood,Garwood,Hillside,Kenilworth,Linden,Mountainside,NewProvidence,Plainfield,Rahway,Roselle, Roselle Park,Scotch Plains,Springfield,Summit,Union,Vauxhall,Westfield

Somerset County:Basking Ridge,Bedminster,Belle Mead,Bernardsville,Blawenburg,Bound Brook,Bridgewater,Dunellen,Far Hills,Flagtown,Franklin Park,Gladstone,Hillsborough,Liberty Corner,Lyons,Manville,Martinsville,Neshanic Station,Peapack,Pluckemin,Raritan,Rocky Hill,Skillman,Somerset,Somerville,South Bound Brook,Warren,Watchung,Zarephath

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North Jersey Pro Builders - ADDITION - general contractor ...