Scientific research fueled by the Great Basin Sagebrush Restoration Fund is showing promise in its efforts to improve rehabilitation of rangeland damaged by wildfires, improve mine reclamation and expand habitat for sage grouse.

The fund was established in 2017 by Lithium Nevada Corp. and the University of Nevada, Reno, Foundation. The fund is under the control of co-founder Professor Tamzen Stringham, a rangeland scientist and interim head of the UNR Department of Agriculture, Veterinary and Rangeland Sciences.

Another co-founder is Alexi Zawadzki, president of North American operations for Vancouver-based Lithium Americas Corp. and chief executive officer of Lithium Nevada, which is planning the Thacker Pass lithium mining and manufacturing project in northern Humboldt County.

Were in sagebrush county out there, as is most of Nevada, he said. Its very difficult to reclaim sagebrush.

Zawadzki said if mining companies dont get the land reclamation work done right the first time, they have to go back and do it again and again. This thinking led to his approaching Stringham to discuss creating the sagebrush fund to discover better ways to reclaim land not only for mines, but also for federal agencies after range fires.

A prime example is the restoration work needed after the Martin Fire in 2018 that scorched 432,000 acres, ranging from Humboldt County to near Tuscarora in Elko County.

The sagebrush ecosystem doesnt do well after a fire, Stringham said. The land tends to easily convert to cheatgrass, so we are focused on that component. It gives us an opportunity to work on a fire scar to see if we can improve sagebrush growth.

Researchers helped by the Great Basin Sagebrush Restoration Fund are looking for better ways to grow sagebrush, especially after fires. This photo of sagebrush in the Great Basin is in a presentation on the research.

A recent project update on the Great Basin Sagebrush Restoration Fund states that more than 13 million acres of sagebrush habitat have been lost to fire in the Great Basin over the past 20 years, while efforts to restore habitat have had poor success rates.

Stringham said researchers are testing seed technology in the Great Basin that involves coating seeds for enhancing seed germination and establishment to build sagebrush habitat.

The project update states that across six different test sites, conglomerates (coated seeds) increased the number of established seedlings by 60 percent.

Researchers also are looking at what differences in soil, climate and temperature make in getting sagebrush to grow. For example, she said researchers are collecting sagebrush seeds from the Elko area and planting them in the Winnemucca area, and they are planting seeds gathered from the Elko and Winnemucca areas in both locations.

We are doing this to see if they germinate equally or we see a preference for their home location, Stringham said.

These photographs provided by the Great Basin Sagebrush Restoration Fund illustrate what Wyoming big sagebrush seeds look like before treatment, left, and after conglomeration.

She said a graduate student is collecting sagebrush seeds to plant plots in January and February near Tuscarora and Paradise Valley on land impacted by the Martin Fire.

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has seeded roughly 20 to 25 percent of the Martin Fires total acreage, and the work was partially successful, Stringham said.

A lot of money has been spent in the past on fire reclamation with minimal success, so we are trying to improve that, she said. Restarting native plants into the sagebrush ecosystem has met with 10 percent success. I would be thrilled if we could get to 30 to 40 percent.

BLM used Wyoming big sagebrush and crested wheat seeds, but the coated seeds researchers are testing for better growth success are not available in volume. Commercial growers will be needed once research finds the best coating for seeds.

Were just coating in the labs, Stringham said.

Zawadzki said Lithium Nevada used enhanced seeds at its drilling pads that needed to be reclaimed, and there are very happy plants on our site.

This illustration provided by the Great Basin Sagebrush Restoration Fund shows the test flaming technology used on seeds.

Stringham said coated and uncoated seeds were used on the drill pads, and hands down the coated seeds did much better.

The BLM provided a $125,000 grant this year, and Stringham has applied for an additional $200,000 grant from the agency. Grants dont go into the restoration fund but rather are received at UNR through the Office of Sponsored Projects and administered as federal grants for research.

We have to keep the grants separate, but we use them on the same projects she said.

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Donations average $105,000 a year.

Grants are generally limited to two to four years, but the restoration fund allows researchers to have more time for their work. The fund balance was $125,000 as of Oct. 1.

Sagebrush seed collection, coating and seeding plot instrumentation is just starting for this year, Stringham said.

Along with the BLM and Lithium Nevada, companies donating to the fund include Barrick Gold Corp., Newmont Goldcorp Corp., Hecla Mining Co. and Kinross Gold Corp., but the fund is looking for more contributors, according to the co-founders.

Stringham said the fund is growing in interest and donations.

Stringham and Zawadzki visit mining companies, power companies and the livestock industry in hopes of bringing everyone using rangelands to the table.

The big picture is this. If we continue to lose sagebrush habitat to fire and development, the greater sage grouse will be listed, and their ability to mine or whatever activity will be lost. This is really critical, Stringham said.

A federal judge in Boise in October temporarily blocked the Trump administration from easing rules on mining, drilling and grazing in seven Western states, saying such activities left unchecked were likely to harm the greater sage grouse, according to The Associated Press.

The restraining order means the administration must fall back to the earlier, more stringent rules used under the Obama administration.

Once the restoration fund was organized, Stringham reached out to two experts to be part of her team to develop seed enhancement technologies. They are Matthew Madsen of the Department of Plant and Wildlife Sciences at Brigham Young University and Todd Erickson of the University of Western Australia. They all work with graduate students.

Stringham said Madsen already has obtained patents on seed-coating technologies for BYU.

Erickson is researching restoration of native species in Australia and faces many of the same problems we have here with restoration of native species. However, they have a different suite of native plants, Stringham said.

There is significant mining in Australia, like Nevada. The Australian government requires mines to complete vegetation inventory prior to mining, and once mining is complete, they must restore the native vegetation that was present prior to mining, she said.

This is a tremendous amount of effort, and mines have invested in the University of Australia to answer questions on seed collection and storage, seed coating technologies to enhance germination and establishment and seedbed preparation methodologies, Stringham said.

Research will be open source, so all companies, agencies and ranchers, as well as other countries, will have access once the results are ready for publication.

Our results were really good last year. We had good moisture. We want to test in dry years, Stringham said.

She said with seed coating, the success she is really excited about a 142 percent increase in germination and establishment.

Testing includes adding chemicals to seeds to delay germination to prevent death from winter freezing, coating seeds with chemicals to keep pathogens in the soil from eating the seeds, and coating seeds with activated carbon, which allows herbicides to be applied the same year as sagebrush seeding.

We dont have bad chemicals on the seeds, she said.

They try combinations, as well as seeding methods, including furrowing.

We are seeing good success with carbon coating and furrows combined, Stringham said.

Researchers also are looking at bundling seedlings for easier broadcast from a plane or by drilling to give sagebrush a better chance of breaking through to the surface, and they are seeing success.

Flash flaming of seeds is also being tested. A joint BYU and University of Australia presentation on research in the Great Basin states that flash flaming burns off fluffy appendages that appear on many wild seeds. The report states flash flaming can reduce seed volume by 44 percent and permit seeds to be treated with a polymer seed coating.

Bluebunch wheatgrass seeds are tested, too.

The research team has one test plot in Oregon, four in Nevada and three in Utah.

Madsen wrote in an update on the use of seed enhancement technologies that sagebrush agglomeration can improve the ballistics and flow properties of sagebrush seed, which allows the seed to be spread further and more consistently.

He stated that the improved efficiency can lower overall seed costs by roughly $11 to $16 per 2.47 acres.

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The Prisma Health Swamp Rabbit Trail in Travelers Rest has a new distinction.

Travelers Rest leaders and others have long credited theSwamp Rabbit Trail for transforming the town from a place where people passed through to one where many desiretostop to eat, shop, workand live.

The city's portion of the 22-mile county-wide multi-use trail now has the only Greenville County designated historic site adjacent to it,according to Kyle Campbell, owner of Preservation South, LLC,an Upstate-based consultant firm that has aided in the restoration of historic homes and buildings throughout South Carolina and Georgia.

The former Spring Park Inn, which was placed on the Greenville County Historic Register last month, also isthe only historic house withinthe Travelers Rest city limits, according to Mayor Brandy Amidon.

The former inn is now known as the Anderson House. It's in the heart of downtown Travelers RestonOld Buncombe Road. It'sowned by Nell Anderson Gibson whose grandfather and father were born there.

The Anderson House, formerly the Spring Park Inn, in Travelers Rest(Photo: Angelia Davis/STAFF)

Anderson Gibson moved there with her parents and brother in the days when the Swamp Rabbit Trail was the railroad trackon which she walked to Travelers Rest High School.

Anderson Gibsonrecalls having lots of friends who enjoyed visiting her homebut said she never thought it would beof interest to anyone else because of its age.

As she got older, Anderson Gibson said her parents expressed their desire to havethe home on the National Register. They worked hard to make it happen but were unsuccessful.

She remembers telling them that "if it were possible, after they were gone, Iwould do my best to see if it could materialize."

Growing population: Travelers Rest population on pace to grow another 14% with new housing units

"Theyhad a lot of information about it but, of course, theinformation they had couldnt be verified because there was no such things as computers, the kinds of things you use today to prove that you knew what you were talking about," Anderson said.

"Fortunately, as the years went by,the historical society was interested," Anderson said. "They were able to prove the information that we had gathered through the years."

Travelers Rest acquired its name, in part, because of the Spring Park Inn. Trains and stage coaches would stop there on their way to and from the mountains and the coast.

Amidondescribed the former inn as "a place withhuge historic significanceof people comingto our city to rest, relax and be a part of a community."

"The main significance is that we are able to preserve, forever, a home that is the cornerstone of our entire city," Amidon said in an email.

Who was Dicey Langston:Here's why she's getting a statue in downtown Travelers Rest

The Anderson Housewas added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.

Originally built as a private residence in the early 1800s, the former inn is atwo-story five-bay frame building, with an exposed end chimney and a full width front porch, according to adescription and narrative posted on the S.C. Historic Properties Record web page.

The house was a "place of respite" from 1852 to 1941," according to a Greenville County resolution.

It began as an outpost for the development of Travelers Rest and served as "the primary hub for the community in the early 20th century," the resolution said.

Historian Judith Bainbridge said, in an archived Greenville News column, that theSwamp Rabbit Railroad, officially the Carolina, Knoxville and Western, made the Anderson House,"a setting for popular outings and political meetings."

Making a change: In a period of growth, this Greenville community has declined. A group wants to change it.

The road where the Spring Park Inn was located, was so named because it was the road to Buncombe County, North Carolina and was part of the extended transportation network that connected Lowcountry planters with the resort communities in the western Carolinas, the web page said.

The Anderson House, formerly the Spring Park Inn, is now on the national and Greenville County historic registers(Photo: Angelia Davis/STAFF)

Later, rail service brought visitors to the Spring Park Inn.

Then owner Robert Anderson conveyed one and a half acres of land in front of his home for the construction of a railroad platform for loading and unloading passengers and freight in 1889. This meant that rail passengers arriving in Travelers Rest were literally delivered to Andersons door, the web page said.

The former innremains on its original site facing east toward Paris Mountain, the web page said.

Nowhere to go: An AnMed patient couldn't walk and had nowhere to go. The hospital called her an Uber.

The Swamp Rabbit Trail in front of the house traces the route of the former rail line and beyond it is the original route of Buncombe Road, now Main Street, the web page said.

Near its front doors of the house hang two plaques noting its placement on historic registers for visitors, and for Anderson Gibson, the desire of her parents fulfilled.

"I was very pleased when it actually happened," she said.

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Historic house on Swamp Rabbit Trail in Travelers Rest added to registry - Greenville News

Staff reports Published 2:48 p.m. CT Dec. 2, 2019

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Step inside beautiful homes filled with the warmth of the holidays and the grace of the bygone eras at the Highland Holiday Home Tour on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 5 to 9 p.m.

A holiday trolleywill transport attendees to the homes in the Highland and Fairfield Historic Districts.

The evening tour will make a stop at a neighborhood landmark where Katharine Hepburn once performed, the studio of a neighborhood artist and a host of bungalows and cottages each decorated for the holiday season.

The former house of former Shreveport Mayor Hazel Beard has been a stop on the Highland Christmas Home Tour in the past.(Photo: Henrietta Wildsmith/The Times)

The decorated trolley will depart from the Womans Department Club, 802 Margaret Place, which will feature a 6 tree with one-of-a-kind ornaments and trinkets. Raffle tickets for the tree are $5 or five for $20. Proceeds from the raffle will fund the upkeep of flowerbeds Highland Restoration Association maintains at Columbia Park. In addition, attendees have the opportunity to win a smart thermostat compliments of SWEPCO.

Other tour stops include:

Advance tickets are $15 and available at C&C Mercantile & Lighting, 2430 Line Ave., Enchanted Garden, 2429 Line Ave., and restorehighland.org. Tickets also will be available at the Womans Department Club throughout the tour for $20.

For more information, contact Highland Restoration Association President Michele Marcotte at (318) 639-0103.

More: Give the gift of art in the 2019 Holiday Art Drive, benefiting the Renzi Education and Art Center

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Go inside historic Highland homes on holiday tour - Shreveport Times

If you strike out on the North Country Trail northwest of Marquette in the Michigamme Highlands, your path winds through dense forests and past million-year-old rock formations in Wilderness Lakes Reserve.

Your boots will crunch down a section of the trail that passes through a 6,000-acre Nature Conservancy reserveone of the most beautiful and rugged in the state, home to 26 lakes and 1,000 acres of wetlands. Itd be tempting to want to protect it, fence it off, never change a leaf.

Read MyNorth Give for more inspiring nonprofits and ways to give back in Northern Michigan.

The Wilderness Lakes property was privately owned prior to our acquisition, explains Kari Marciniak, director of strategic communication for The Nature Conservancy in Michigan. The opportunity for us to put it into protection was appealing, because theres such an unknown with the timber industry up there.

Since The Nature Conservancy acquired the site in 2017, it has been steadily working to restore the forest by several methods, including one which may surprise: selective harvesting of timber.

Why save it from the timber industry just to head in and do more cutting? To restore diversity and balanceboth in age and speciesto the forest, Marciniak explains. The sugar maple was so highly prized, for example, that it was cultivated and allowed to flourish, but it means many forests have developed a monoculture. The harvesting opens the forest canopy, allowing other species to thrive. People dont want to think about cutting trees, she says, but you walk through after a selective harvest and its hard to tell someones been there.

The Nature Conservancys mission encompasses four distinct areas: protecting land and water; tackling climate change; providing food and water in sustainable ways (such as restoring fisheries and protecting soil); and building healthy cities to provide habitats for wildlife and health for humans.

Wilderness Lakes fulfills many of those missions, beyond just land protection. Forests are the lungs of our natural systems, and we want them to be diverse, healthy and resilient to climate change, Marciniak says. There are big challenges ahead of us. Fortunately weve laid out a road map and we do think a better future is possible.

Learn more at nature.org.

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Rugged Restoration: The Nature Conservancy in Michigan - MyNorth.com

A grist mill dam built in the 1800s has been removed from the Lamington River to reduce erosion and flooding in the region and improve habitat conditions for fish and other aquatic creatures.

The derelict Burnt Mills dam was previously located just east of Tewksbury Township, upstream from the Cowperthwaite-Burnt Mill Road Bridge connecting Bedminster and Branchburg townships.

Its removal was completed in late October by nonprofit organization Raritan Headwaters, which owns an 11-acre nature preserve beside the site.

The project restored the main channel of the Lamington River to its original configuration, which Raritan Headwaters policy director Bill Kibler said had been disrupted by a storm that occurred approximately 60 years ago.

When that happened, the entire stream -- instead of being backed up in the dam and flowing over the dam with the water level -- just went around the dam. So it just created this big artificial, oxbow -- a big horse-shaped bend in the river that wasnt there before, Kibler explained.

The oxbow severely eroded the riverbank near Milnor Road in Bedminster, subsequently increasing flooding in the area and causing neighboring trees to fall into the water.

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Lamington River pre-dam removal

To recover the the rivers original streamlined flow, Raritan Headwaters facilitated the dispersal of sediment that had built up over the years and implemented large boulders as a form of safety relief," according to Kibler.

Now almost all the flow goes right down the original bed, down the stream, where the river used to flow a hundred years ago, Kibler said.

While the dams removal is expected to reduce flooding in the Milnor Road-Cowperthwaite Road neighborhood in Bedminster during storms, Raritan Headwaters has also begun to restore the floodplain to further minimize river overflow.

We (created) what they call roughness in the floodplain -- big trees that are in the forest that are anchored down. And when the floodwater hits it, it slows the water down, Dr. Kristi MacDonald, science director for Raritan Headwaters, explained.

Moreover, vernal pools were added to the floodplain to help capture and slow flood waters and provide breeding habitat for amphibians.

Outside of the floodplain, riffles and pools were added to the river to increase oxygen levels, which had previously been depleted by pooled water formed by the dam as the river heated up in the summertime.

The fish and the bugs that the fish eat (both) need a lot of oxygen. And cold water holds more oxygen than warm water -- a lot more oxygen. So if the warm water is warming up, then a lot of the species that live in the stream that provide food for the fish and other organisms will die off, MacDonald said.

MacDonald added that the feeding ability of aquatic wildlife was also jeopardized by sediment trapped by the concrete dam.

Sediment especially impacts the fish food ... maeflies and stoneflies and catusflies, they cant get under the rocks when theres a lot of sediment in the water. They basically lose their home, MacDonald said.

In an effort to further counteract the negative ecological impact of the dam, this spring Raritan Headwaters will plant a variety of trees along the riverbanks.

Theyll be floodplain trees -- sycamores, and probably silver maple, those are species that like to grow along rivers. The forest right now doesnt have a very good diversity of trees, so we want to kind of increase the diversity and make it a healthier forest, MacDonald said.

Invasive plant species will simultaneously be removed from the area.

Some of (the plants), if you leave them there, will grow to an extent that they crowd out all the native plants and they dont function the same; they dont provide the same wildlife habitat ... (vines) will grow and smother the trees eventually, MacDonald said.

Willow stakes will also be planted in the springtime to improve the forest and help stabilize the riverbanks.

You basically just hammer (willows) into the ground like a tent stake. And willows are great for that because they root pretty easily, pretty quickly, and they have a good root system. So once the willows start growing, the root systems helps hold the new banks in place, Kibler explained.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agricultures Natural Resources Conservation Service partnered with Raritan Headwaters to complete the dams removal, contributing to the projects cumulative cost of approximately $250,000.

New Jersey State Conservationist Carrie Lindig said that as mill dams get older, landowners in the area tend to grow increasingly impatient to have them removed.

(Removal) takes a lot of money, and it usually takes more than one organization to contribute funding to take them out, Lindig said.

Fish and Wildlife Biologist for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Cathy Marion said the project represents a win for both humans and the environment," expressing her desire that similar ecological efforts will be pursued in the area for years to come.

We hope that one day aquatic connectivity is improved in the Raritan Watershed to the extent that migratory species ... will actually be able to return to places like the Lamington River, which they have not been able to access for many years -- probably 100 years," Marion said.

While several dams have been removed along the Raritan River and its tributaries in recent years, the Burnt Mills Dam was the first to be removed by Raritan Headwaters.

According to Kibler, it wont be the last.

There are roughly a dozen or thirteen dams on the South branch of the Raritan River, and theres another eight or ten on the North Branch in our Watershed. Our goal is get as many of those out, and get the river restored, as best as we can, Kibler said.

Caroline Fassett can be reached at cfassett@njadvancemedia.com.

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Lamington River dam removed, pushing forward restoration of Raritan watershed - NJ.com

After expanding our categories to a whopping 47 and receiving over 800 submissions, the 2019 AN Best of Design Awards were our most successful yet. Of course, this made the judging more difficult than ever. Projects came from firms big and small across every corner of the North American continent. While we are always surprised by the breadth and quantity of submissions, we were not surprised by the quality of the design work put forth by these talented architects and designers.

There were some telling trends, however. First, our interior categories received more and better projects than ever before. This resurgence in architects doing interiors, both residential and commercial, seems to mirror what we see in the field: Simpler, less colorful interiors that put more emphasis on materiality than on playful shapes, as in the past. It was also a good year for exhibition design.

For the Building of the Year, our esteemed jury was fiercely divided between two exemplary but very different projects. The final debate came down to The TWA Hotel by Beyer Blinder Belle and Cooley Monato Studio, and the Anita Rose LGBT Center in Los Angeles by Leong Leong. In the end, the jury decided that the sensitive restoration and reactivation of Saarinens masterpiece merited the Building of the Year award. This selection well illustrates the attitude that this years jury had about the projects that were deliberated. Sensitivity and subtlety were at a premium. Winners were chosen for their contextual, tactical approaches rather than big, bombastic ideas. For example, MQ Architectures small wooden pavilion in Garrison, New York, and Signal Architecture + Researchs Cottonwood Canyon Experience Center are both examples of structures with simple profiles that were carefully cut to make residential-scale architecture that blends into its surroundings.

Perhaps this signals something larger about architecture in 2019, or even the end of the 2010s. Is U.S. architecture becoming more formally muted? Or is 2019 just a quiet year? Is this phenomenon an ongoing reaction to something in the media that has promoted design that is flashier and more figurally exuberant? Or is this just a one-year trend?

Our jury this year was a very savvy group that included old AN friends and some new faces as well. By provoking discussions and offering up new ideas, the jury is essential to the mission of AN. We hope you enjoy this selection of winners, honorable mentions, and editors picks, and we look forward to hearing from you again next year with new projects!

We will be updating this list over the next few days with winner and honorable mention profiles. To see the complete feature, dont miss our 2019 Best of Design Awards Annual issue, out now!

2019 AN Best of Design Awards

FinalistsCottonwood Canyon Experience CenterSignal Architecture + ResearchWasco, Oregon

Anita May Rosenstein Campus, Los Angeles LGBT CenterLeong LeongKillefer Flammang ArchitectsLos Angeles

PublicWinnerAnita May Rosenstein Campus, Los Angeles LGBT CenterLeong LeongKillefer Flammang ArchitectsLos Angeles

Honorable Mentions

Discovery Center, les-de-Boucherville National ParkSmith Vigeant Architectes

Hunters Point Community LibrarySteven Holl Architects

Editors Picks

Tsleil-Waututh Administration and Health CentreLubor Trubka Associates Architects

Louis Armstrong StadiumROSSETTI

Urban DesignWinnerBrooklyn Army Terminal Public RealmWXYBrooklyn, NY

Honorable Mention

City ThreadSPORTS

Honorable Mentions

Ruby CityAdjaye Associates

New York State Equal Rights Heritage CenternARCHITECTS

Editors Pick

The Evans Tree House at Garvan Woodland Gardensmodus studio

Saint Mary Mercy ChapelPLY+

Honorable Mentions

NatureCooper Hewitt Design TriennialStudio Joseph

VENTSTEMPO | Catty Dan Zhang

Editors Picks

Model ProjectionsAgencyAgency

Common Threadsikd

Honorable Mentions

Tree Pittsburgh HeadquartersGBBN

370 Jay Street, New York UniversityMitchell Giurgola

Editors Picks

Marvin Gaye Recreation CenterISTUDIO Architects

Greenport Passive HouseThe Turett Collaborative

Honorable Mentions

CME CenterKrueck + Sexton

277 Mott StreetToshiko Mori Architect

Editors Picks

University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience InstitutePerkins and Will

280 St MarksDXA studio

Young ArchitectsWinnerbld.us

Honorable Mentions

Richmond Water Transit Ferry TerminalMarcy Wong Donn Logan Architects

BART Market Street CanopiesVIA Architecture

Editors Picks

Frances Appleton Pedestrian BridgeRosales + Partners

Northeastern University Pedestrian CrossingPayette

Commercial HospitalityWinnerFurioso VineyardsWaechter ArchitectureDundee, Oregon

Honorable Mentions

McDonalds Chicago FlagshipRoss Barney Architects

The Carpenter HotelSpecht Architects

Editors Picks

HeritageSavvy Studio

Lumen at Beacon ParkTouloukian Touloukian

Commercial RetailWinnerApple Scottsdale Fashion SquareEnnead ArchitectsScottsdale, Arizona

Honorable Mentions

Sunshine and National Retail CenterDake Wells Architecture

Christian DiorMyefski Architects

Editors Pick

Grant GalleryTed Porter Architecture

The Culver StepsEhrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects

Commercial OfficeWinner1000 Maine AvenueKPFFOX ArchitectsWashington, D.C.

Honorable Mentions

901 East SixthThoughtbarnDelineate Studio

Solar CarveStudio Gang

Editors Pick

American Express Sunrise Corporate CenterPerkins and Will

Interior WorkplaceWinnerHUSH Office InteriorInaba WilliamsNew York City

Honorable Mentions

ShareCuseArchitecture Office

Vrbo HeadquartersRios Clementi Hale Studios

Editors Picks

McDonalds HQStudio O+A

Conga HeadquartersDLR Group

Interior InstitutionalWinnerSoutheast Raleigh Magnet High School Great Hall Renovationtonic designRaleigh, North Carolina

Honorable Mentions

The Center for FictionBKSK Architects

The Childrens Library at Concourse HouseMichael K Chen Architecture

Editors Picks

Countryside Community ChurchAlley Poyner Macchietto Architecture

Gordon Chapel Renovation, St. Hildas and St. Hughs SchoolMBB

Interior RetailWinnermaharishi TribecaAbruzzo Bodziak ArchitectsNew York City

Honorable Mentions

Malin+Goetz San FranciscoBernheimer Architecture

Claus Porto New Yorktacklebox architecture

Editors Picks

NotreNorman Kelley

R13 FlagshipLeong Leong

Interior HospitalityWinnerTamarindoStayner ArchitectsSan Clemente, California

Honorable Mentions

All SquareArchitecture Office

ROOST East MarketMorris Adjmi Architects

Editors Picks

Woodlark HotelOFFICEUNTITLED

The Fleur RoomRockwell Group

Honorable Mention

Mount Sinai Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care UnitPerkins Eastman

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Announcing the winners of the 2019 AN Best of Design Awards - The Architect's Newspaper

Business invests more than $2 million to renovate historic property with the support of Downtown Revitalization Initiative

OLEAN Empire State Development (ESD) on Monday announced the substantial completion of renovations on the Old Library Restaurant and event center in Olean, creating a unique regional destination for visitors. The project also includes the future expansion of a day spa in an adjacent Victorian era home, which currently serves as an inn. The $2 million-plus investment is expected to result in the addition of up to 65 employees.

Our Downtown Revitalization Initiative is creating new opportunities across New York transforming communities, creating jobs, and bringing back a sense of hope and pride, said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. With support from the DRI, Olean is reimagining its future, bringing back historic buildings, and investing in the downtown streetscape to improve safety and walkability for pedestrians and bicyclists. The renovated Old Library Restaurant and Event Center will help to draw more visitors to Olean to support continued economic growth in Cattaraugus County and Western New York.

For more than 100 years the Old Library has been a gathering place for residents, said Daniel and Kathryn DeCerbo, Old Library Restaurant and Inn owners. It will be our pleasure to extend this tradition and attract new visitors to Olean. We are thankful for the support of New York States Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which helped make our unique and inviting renovations possible.

Extensive improvements have been made to the interior and exterior of the former Carnegie Library, an architecturally significant landmark located at 116 South Union Street. The Beaux-Arts style library, listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, was built in 1909 with $40,000 provided by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The interior features a grand stairway and entrance, large rooms and a central atrium. Renovation of the current Old Library Restaurant and adjacent Inn includes improvements to the exterior and interior of restaurant which encompass, but are not limited to, lighting, flooring, atrium, bar/lounge, dining, mezzanine, kitchen and bathroom areas. Exterior improvements include landscaping of both properties and additional renovation of the Inn at 120 South Union to include a future expansion of a float spa.

The success of The Old Library project will be measured by increased bookings of events, banquets, overnight stays and return on investment. In addition to providing jobs, the owners are supporting the local economy by featuring local artists and musicians and purchasing produce and meat from local farms.

Empire State Development Acting Commissioner and President & CEO-designate Eric Gertler said, The Old Librarys new chapter, made possible by the DRI, will contribute to Oleans goal of a vibrant downtown that will make residents proud and introduce visitors to all the region has to offer.

Secretary of State Rossana Rosado said, The completion of the Old Library Project exemplifies how Olean is capitalizing on the Governors DRI program to create a thriving downtown community for residents and visitors to enjoy.

The Old Library received a $719,500 DRI capital grant to expand its business, create jobs and increase tourism to the Olean area. The project supports the following DRI strategies:

Promotes the restoration and adaptive reuse of heritage buildings to accommodate new and expanding businesses.

Establishes a destination restaurant, event center and boutique inn in the heart of the downtown to better support tourism and visitation.

Complements and leverages the planned improvements to Lincoln Park, which is directly across Union Street, and reinforces the area around the Union Street/State Street intersection as the civic and cultural heart of downtown.

Creates up to 65 new employment opportunities in the downtown district.

Leverages adjacent DRI-proposed projects including South Union Streetscape.

Elevates the importance and momentum of downtowns renewal and resurgence and signals this to other potential downtown investors.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo launched the Downtown Revitalization Initiative in 2016, a $100 million effort to improve the vitality of urban centers across New York State. Downtown Olean was selected as a Round Two DRI winner for Western New York, receiving $10 million based on the strength of its vision for downtown renewal. Oleans vision is to make the city vibrant and residents optimistic about opportunities to work, to learn and to thrive in Olean, with a special emphasis on retaining younger and college-educated residents. A renewed commitment by the city and numerous public and private partners to revitalize Olean has resulted in key investments downtown, including the redevelopment of the historic Manny Hanny Building and several other major mixed-use buildings.

WNY Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chair and Buffalo State College President Dr. Katherine Conway-Turner said, The REDC recognizes the vital importance of our Downtown districts to the continued growth and future development of the entire region. Projects such as the Old Library are helping to reinvigorate the heart of Olean. By investing in the character and authenticity of Oleans downtown the DRI is helping the community capitalize on its assets and enhance the urban opportunities for businesses, residents and visitors.

Senator George Borrello said, Today marks another milestone in realizing the transformation of downtown Olean into a thriving cultural destination and economic engine for the region. The states investment of DRI funds, combined with the DeCerbos incredible vision and determination, have given new life to the Old Library a historic gem that was a beloved gathering place for generations. As a restaurant and event center, this beautiful building will bring residents and visitors to the heart of Olean, stimulating the economy and adding a new chapter to the legacy of this proud landmark.

Assemblyman Joseph Giglio said, This is the kind of project that energizes a community, and we look forward to all of the good things that are going to happen as a result. Innovative ideas like this are a key to success for communities. It is wonderful to witness the repurposing of the historic Carnegie Library, which has been a center of activity since it was built in 1909.

City of Olean Mayor William J. Aiello said, We thank Governor Cuomo for selecting Olean as a DRI recipient. We are pleased to attend the ribbon cutting for one of our most dynamic DRI projects. Thanks to the remarkable renovations, this great old building will serve the community as a unique restaurant for years to come.

See more here:
Renovation of Old Library Restaurant and Event Center in Olean complete - Corning Leader

Submitted by: Northwest Straits Foundation, written by Kenneth Clarkson

This past August, myself and a few othervolunteers headed out to do our part to help not only our Southern ResidentKiller Whales (SRKWs), but all denizens of the Salish Sea. We were attendingthe Sucia Island Beach Cleanup. The beach cleanup, orchestrated by the Whatcom Marine ResourcesCommittee and NorthwestStraits Foundation, is just one example of collectiveaction being taken by a broad coalition of organizations, agencies andindividuals in order to protect and restore the Salish Sea.

Getting involved with organizationscompleting boots-on-the-ground restoration work is one of the most importantthings you can do to encourage the survival of our SRKWs. Organizations such asthe Northwest Straits Foundation partner with a variety of private and publicinterests to successfully implement restoration projects throughout theseven-county region of the Northwest Straits.

The work of the Northwest StraitsFoundation includes removing derelict fishing gear that harm and entrap marinelife, restoring shoreline areas to create suitable habitat for forage fish(species our salmon eat), installing rain gardens that prevent the flow ofcontaminants into the Salish Sea, monitoring water quality, mapping habitatsuch as kelp forests and eelgrass beds and more.

To learn more about the Northwest Straits Foundation, including their volunteer opportunities, you can attend the Northwest Straits Foundation Holiday Fundraiser at The Firefly Lounge in Bellingham on Thursday, December 12 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The event will feature live music by theFolk/Americana band Whiskey River Mudflats and presentations by NorthwestStraits Foundation staff. This event is 21+ and there is a $10 cover charge toattend. The $10 cover includes your first drink.

One thing youre certain to hear about arethe successful beach cleanups on Sucia and Lummi Islands. Because of thevolunteer opportunity Northwest Straits Foundation provided, we got to meetsome unsuspecting visitors.

We were almost to Sucia Island when we sawthem. Three majestic orca whales swimming swiftly, looking for food.

Earlier that day, as we boarded the boat,I told the crew I had a good feeling about our orca-sighting chances. Littledid I know, said good feeling would become reality. Id called the Puget Soundhome for seven years and had never seen an orca. I was aware of their plight,privy to their situation and intrigued by their paramountcy within the PacificNorthwest.

But when you see one, it all makes sense.You understand why the restoration and protection of orca habitat and foodsources is critical for the survival of a species not only an indicator of thehealth of an entire ecosystem, but of the collective moral of a region.

We left Squalicum Harbor at 8:00 a.m. onthe dot, seven sleepy volunteers and our captain whos used to the earlymornings. In just a few hours we would meet up with the other half of our beachcleanup crew. Two members of our volunteer team had kayaked over the nightbefore, the rest were taking a boat from San Juan Island. For the heartyadventurer, Sucia Island is a good four to five-hour paddle.

It was a dreary day out on the Salish Sea.We all know dreariness is common in the Pacific Northwest, but in August youhope for better weather. Regardless, we were out on the water, and when youreout on the water even the darkest days feel freeing and full of possibility.

Our core group of volunteers was made upof community members, and staff from the Whatcom Marine Resources Committee, SurfriderFoundation and Northwest Straits Foundation. Forsome it was their first time volunteering. Getting to go to one of the mostremote San Juan Islands only accessible by boat? Not a bad firstvolunteer-experience at all.

We headed West toward Sucia Island andpassed a plethora of harbor seals, a few porpoises and a couple sea lions.Underwater forests of bull kelp flanked both sides of the boat. As the cloudsbegan to lift, we could make out houses situated on the sides of the islandsthat surrounded us. The day had rounded a corner, it wasnt going to be rainingas we picked up pounds of trash after all.

Lummi Island now behind us, we inchedcloser and closer to our destination. Thats when it happened. Perhaps it wasbecause I was intent on finding one, but whatever the reason, out in thedistance I saw my first glimpse of an orca. The orca was far away from us,quite close to the Sucia Island shoreline, but sure enough it was there, fromour vantage point I could make out a large black dorsal fin sticking up out ofthe water. I alerted my fellow volunteers and my claims checked out, they toosaw the orca, but that wasnt all, a good 400 feet or so to its left wasanother black dorsal fin bobbing up and down as it fished the waters South ofthe Sucia Island coast.

We pressed on toward our destination, thedock at Fossil Bay. On the way to the dock you must pass through a narrowchannel. From the helm the captain called out and told us to look to our right.I glanced over and there she was, the third orca of the day, the captain saidshe was a younger female. The juvenile was swimming close to the cliffs thatencompassed Fossil Bay, no doubt on her way out to the more open waters of theSalish Sea, a good idea because if she swam any closer toward the island shedbe in the harbor.

Seeing the orcas was a good omen. Not onlythat, but it was a moment none of us on the boat would forget. That memorywouldnt only last during our brief time on Sucia Island, it would stick withus forever.

The unfortunate reality is moments such asthese will become scarcer if we dont make a change. Southern Resident KillerWhales (SRKWs) throughout the Salish Sea are losing both habitat and food, andto ensure their survival and success we need to work together. As inhabitantsof the Salish Sea region its our duty to protect and restore these waters fornot only the orca, but salmon, Dungeness crab and other marine organisms too.

Attend the Northwest Straits Foundation Holiday Party on Dec. 12 at The Firefly Lounge to learn more about how you can help contribute to local marine conservation efforts in Whatcom County.

Featured photo by Abbie Kunch

See the rest here:
Northwest Straits Foundation: Restoring the Salish Sea - whatcomtalk.com

The number of Sussex County residents without power continues to slowly be restored, from nearly 33,000 on Tuesday evening, to just below 16,000 on Wednesday evening.

According to JCP&L, the restoration estimate for the majority of JCP&L customers, 11:30 p.m. today; and Sussex Rural Electric, today and Friday.

During the daytime Wednesday, the number of individuals with and without power alternatively fell and climbed back up, then fell again, according to JCP&L outage figures. On Wednesday afternoon, the total number of JCP&L and Sussex Rural Electric customers without power hovered at approximately 23,000.

On Wednesday, Sussex Rural Electric described its process as slow but positive; with some of the largest outage areas of groups of 200 to 300 residents, the priorities.

Part of the trend of the rise and fall in power outages was contributed to newly-fallen trees, even 36 hours after the snow had stopped. Within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, National Park Service employees are working to clear trees and plow roads in much of the park south of Layton. Old Mine Road from Route 80 North is essentially closed from fallen trees. A park official said that because the ground is not frozen, the weight of the storms snow and ice is causing many more trees to uproot.

Sussex County

Throughout the day Wednesday, Office of Emergency Management representatives, continued to monitor conditions around-the-clock at both the county and municipal levels.

Additionally local and county officials mobilized shelters and charging and warming stations, which will continue to be open as needed today, maintained in conjunction between the Sussex County Sheriffs Office and American Red Cross. The overnight shelter in the Sussex County Technical Schools McNeice Auditorium became a pet-friendly facility on Wednesday, with pets outside of service animals permitted in designated areas.

We want people to know were here for them, said Diane Concannon, American Red Cross communications director.

Concannon said the Red Cross would be serving breakfast for guests, as well as those without power who would like a meal, after 8 a.m. this morning.

The overnight shelter and meals at designated locations will continue today if needed. Concannon also said those who are in need of warmth, coffee, snacks and to charge their devices are invited to come to the McNeice Auditorium.

On Tuesday night, the overnight shelter hosted eight guests; and Concannon anticipated more on Wednesday night.

A shelter in Vernons Senior Center at 21 Church Street, also remained open Wednesday and will continue to be maintained, until no longer necessary.

Andover Borough

With many of the residents without power since 4:30 p.m. Monday, as of Wednesday evening, approximately 25 percent of the borough was without power.

The borough opened its Andover Borough Park/Community Center/Senior Center building located on 8 Tranquility Road as a charging and warming station for area residents, which will remain open as needed.

Andover Township

With more than 83 percent of its residents without power as of Wednesday evening, Andover Township maintained the Hillside House in Hillside Park, across from the Andover Township Police Department on Lake Iliff Road as a warming station. This location will be open as needed. Access is available from Limecrest Road to Lake Iliff Road.

The Andover Township Municipal Building will also remain available as a warming and charging station as needed, during regular business hours at 134 Newton Sparta Road.

Clean up continues on roadways, such as Goodale Road, which was littered with fallen tree limbs and sticks, as well as trees sitting on power lines.

In lieu of a warming station at the Andover Township Firehouse as originally planned, Danielson said Tuesday the municipal building, as well as the Hillside House, were set up as warming locations. Andover Boroughs Senior Center became another warming location that Andover Township residents could also use.

Branchville

Four percent of Branchville residents were without power, according to JCP&L, on Wednesday evening, one of the municipalities with the fewest number of residents left without power.

Byram

The Byram Township Municipal Building meeting room will remain open around the clock as a warming and charging station, until it is no longer needed, according to a Nixle alert sent by the township on Wednesday afternoon.

The township has remained in constant communications with the residents via Nixle, with updates.

Byram dropped to 3 percent of its residents without power, as of Wednesday evening.

Frankford

Slightly more than 10 percent of Frankford residents who are JCP&L customers, were without power on Wednesday evening. This is a decline from Tuesday night when the municipality was at 22 percent. Frankford Township shared on its Facebook Page on Wednesday afternoon that Longbridge Road was the only one that remained closed as of Wednesday and commended the efforts of its DPW.

As of Wednesday evening, there were 65 Sussex Rural Electric members from Frankford without power, which was a slight increase from 63 on Tuesday evening.

The Sussex County Main Library was open as a charging and warming station, as well as an internet location on Wednesday, at 125 Morris Turnpike. The library hours today are from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Franklin

Franklin has experienced a drop from more than 42 percent without power on Tuesday night, to slightly less than 15 percent on Wednesday evening.

Franklins library was originally set as a warming station on Wednesday, but was without power. The Franklin Fire Department at 137 Buckwheat Road is open as needed for a warming and charging location, where individuals can call ahead if they need a place to warm up.

Fredon

As of Wednesday evening, slightly over 36 percent of Fredons residents were without power - a drop from Tuesday night when 81 percent of the 1,352 residents were without power.

On Wednesday, the township reminded residents on its website and via email blast that if a power line detaches from a pole, JCP&L will repair it, but if the line detaches from a home, it is up to a resident to have an electrician repair the line, before power can be restored.

Fredons school was open on Wednesday for families to warm up, charge their devices, use the guest Wi-Fi and for children to enjoy a movie.

The school called a two-hour delay on Wednesday evening.

Green

After the majority of Green was without power on Tuesday evening, that number dropped to slightly over 37 percent on Wednesday evening.

Earlier in the day, OEM Coordinator Mike Rose said that the efforts were directed to working on restoring power at the Green Hills School, which was without power and has no back-up generator system.

Rose said Wednesday evening that the power in the school was restored in the afternoon, though it was lost again for three hours, but then was back on. He said that it would take approximately eight hours to re-heat the building.

Dependent on directives from interim superintendent Lydia Furnari and if the power is maintained, Rose said the school may or may not be reopened today.

It will also be dependent on road closures, though many of the main roadways have been reopened, he said. While Route 517 between Kennedy Road and Old Hackettstown Road is still closed due to a downed pole; and between Airport Road and Lakeview Terrace because of multiple wires, Rose said the clean-up is moving quickly.

Rose said it is yet to be determined if the warming and charging center will be re-opened today at the Green Township Fire Department, though he said he believes it will be unlikely, based on the amount of power restorations.

Hamburg

As of Wednesday evening, the majority of Hamburg JCP&L customers were restored, with slightly over 7 percent without power. On Tuesday evening, over 50 percent of the residents were without electricity.

Hampton

The restoration process continued in Hampton, with slightly over 17 percent of the residents without power on Wednesday evening, versus 55 percent on Tuesday.

Hardyston

There were two warming stations in Hardyston on Wednesday, which will be maintained if needed. The first was at the Sussex County YMCA at 15 Wits End Road - those who enter over the age of 18, will be required to provide government-issued identification.

The other warming station was the Hardyston Township Municipal Building at 149 Wheatsworth Road which will be open until 4:30 p.m. as a warming and charging location, if needed.

Hardyston residents without power has declined from 34 percent on Tuesday evening to 12 percent on Wednesday evening. There were 135 Sussex Rural Electric members still without power in Hardyston on Wednesday evening.

Hopatcong

Only 28 residents of the close to 6,700 in Hopatcong remain without power, with expected full restoration by 6 p.m. today, according to JCP&L Wednesday evening.

For residents who needed heat and device charging, as well as internet, the The E. Louise Childs Library on 21 Stanhope Sparta Road was open. The location will reopen today from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Lafayette

Close to half of Lafayettes JCP&L customers were without power, including Lafayettes Municipal Building as of Wednesday night. According to Township Committeeman Rick Hughes, JCP&L incorrectly identified the building as having its power restored on Wednesday.

If power is restored overnight, Hughes said the building will reopen today. On Wednesday, Hughes said employees were in the building for a brief period; and temporary heaters were set up in the building.

Hughes also said he was on the phone with the townships JCP&L representative with a priority medical need with a resident, who was without power; and cannot stay in a shelter.

Beaver Run Road and the end of Morris Farm Road by Route 94 were still closed as of Wednesday evening, Hughes said.

In Lafayette, 220 Sussex Rural Electric members were without power on Wednesday evening.

Montague

Montague experienced a dramatic rise in power restoration, with less than 7 percent of customers requiring restoration on Wednesday night. On Tuesday night, close to all of the JCP&L customers were without power.

Only one Sussex Rural Electric member remained without power on Wednesday evening.

Newton

Slightly over 17 percent of Newton residents were remaining without power on Wednesday night.

The Newton Town Hall at 39 Trinity St. will be open today until 5 p.m. as a warming and charging location; and individuals can additionally use the buildings WiFi. The town hall and Dennis Library, which has remained a warming station, were also used on Wednesday. The library, located at 101 Main Street, will be open again from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Ogdensburg

Ogdensburg made strides in power restoration on Wednesday evening, with over 53 percent of residents without power. On Tuesday, there were 99 percent of the residents.

According to the boroughs Facebook Page on Wednesday night, some power outages may occur again, as power is continually restored.

Sandyston

Sandyston has additionally experienced progress with only 54 percent of the residents remaining without power on Wednesday evening, versus nearly all of the residents on Tuesday evening.

Sparta

As the power restorations climbed and then fell again, about 37 percent of Sparta residents were still without power as of Wednesday night.

Sparta maintained its warming centers into the night on Wednesday at the Police Department, as well as the library and Senior Center. Sparta High School also opened a warming center with showers available, as well as microwaves, to residents.

The shelter set up by the Red Cross and Sussex County Sheriffs Office is at the Sussex County Technical School in Sparta, located at 105 North Church Road.

Further updates will be made available on the Sparta Police Facebook Page at: http://www.facebook.com/sparta.police/ and Sparta Municipal Facebook Page at: http://www.facebook.com/SpartaTownship/.

Stanhope

Less than five Stanhope residents remained without power on Wednesday night.

Stillwater

Stillwater made progress in its power restoration, with approximately 39 percent of the residents without power on Wednesday evening, versus more than 93 percent on Tuesday.

The Stillwater School announced a delayed opening for Thursday morning.

Sussex

Sussex Borough had a slight increase in residents without power on Wednesday evening, at over 12 percent, versus slightly more than 7 percent on Tuesday night.

Vernon

Vernon Township has made strides in its power restoration, with 465 JCP&L customers left on Wednesday evening, versus 995 on Tuesday. There were 2,215 Sussex Rural Electric members on Wednesday evening, versus 4,519 on Tuesday.

In addition to the shelter at the Senior Center on Wednesday, Mayor Harry Shortway said a water buffalo is in place behind the municipal building, available 24 around the clock for residents.

Walpack

Nearly 95 percent of Walpack has remained without power, with full restoration expected by 11:30 tonight.

Wantage

Wantage had 17 percent of its JCP&L customers without power on Wednesday evening and 884 from Sussex Rural Electric.

Sussex-Wantage Regional Schools announced on Wednesday evening it would have a delayed opening.

Read more:
Town by Town recovery updates - Times Herald-Record

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percentPlayed = Math.round(currentTime / duration * 100); for (percent = _i = 0; _i = percent && __indexOf.call(playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'], percent) 0) { playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'].push(percent); } } } }); //player.off('ended'); player.on('ended', function(){ console.log("ended"); playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; WVM.sendbeacon("complete", true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }else{ console.log("Playlist complete (no more videos)"); } }); //player.off('adserror'); player.on('adserror', function(e){ //$('#ima-ad-container').remove(); WVM.lastAdRequest = new Date().getTime() / 1000; console.log(e); console.log("ads error"); var errMessage = e['data']['AdError']['l']; playerState.AD_IS_PLAYING = false; playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; // && errMessage == 'The VAST response document is empty.' if(!playerState.AD_ERROR){ var dTime = new Date().getTime(); WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = WVM.getFirstPrerollUrl(); console.log("calling backup ad tag url: " + WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl); WVM.activePlayer.ima.changeAdTag(WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl + "?" + dTime); WVM.activePlayer.ima.requestAds(); //WVM.activePlayer.src({ // src: masterSrc, // type: 'video/mp4' //}); //WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = ""; } playerState.AD_ERROR = true; }); //player.off('error'); player.on('error', function(event) { if (player.error().code === 4) { player.error(null); // clear out the old error player.options().sources.shift(); // drop the highest precedence source console.log("now doing src"); console.log(player.options().sources[0]); player.src(player.options().sources[0]); // retry return; } }); //player.off('volumechange'); player.on('volumechange', function(event) { console.log(event); var theHeight = $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .vjs-volume-level').css('height'); var cssVolume = 0; if(theHeight){ cssVolume = parseInt(theHeight.replace('%', '')); } var theVolume = player.volume(); if(theVolume > 0.0 || cssVolume > 0){ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'none'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'block'); } }); WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); setInterval(function(){ WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }, 2000); } if(!WVM.rawCompleteEvent){ WVM.rawCompleteEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state110141']; console.log("firing raw event due to all other events failing"); var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } }; } if(!WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent){ WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state110141']; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + playerState['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); var fullCurrent = rawVideoElem.currentTime * 1000; var fullDuration = rawVideoElem.duration * 1000; var current_time = Math.floor(rawVideoElem.currentTime); console.log("raw timeupdate: " + fullCurrent + " out of " + fullDuration); if ( current_time > 0 && ( fullCurrent >= (fullDuration - 50) )){ var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); if(newMediaId){ console.log("loading new video from rawtimeupdate"); WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } } if(!$('.vjs-loading-spinner').hasClass('badspinner')){ $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner') } }; } WVM.reinitRawEvents = function(playerId){ var playerState = WVM['player_state' + playerId]; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + WVM['player_state' + playerId]['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); //COMPLETE EENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); //TIME UPDATE EVENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT = true; WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT = true; };

SOUTH BEND, Ind.Construction is continuing on a new mixed-use building on South Bends East Bank even as winter arrives.

Developer and Founder of Matthews LLC, David Matthews, said that the crews of mostly local carpenters will continue working through cold and wet weather, though on windy days the crane is not able to operate.

Theyre laying between 40 to 60 yards of concrete per day, Matthews said.

The $45 million development project at 300 E. LaSalle Ave. is not slated for completion until spring of 2021 but Matthews is already sharing his big plans for the space.

Its a mid-rise development in downtown South Bend with a grocery store, a parking garage, some Class A office space and 144 apartments, Matthews said.

The 144 apartments will be a mix of one, two and three bedroom units. Most units will feature a balcony with gas hookups for grills.

On the first floor of the 10-story building, 15,000-20,000 square feet of retail space will be primarily occupied by a grocery store. Unused retail space left following the grocery stores construction process will open up the opportunity for additional retail establishments.

A couple of hundred parking spots will be available in the buildings parking garage and about a hundred more spots will be included in a surface lot.

Matthews said the decision to build the development on LaSalle was simple.

Were trying to build up downtown South Bend, Matthews said. In order to have more customers for shops, for parks, for restaurants, we need more people living downtown in walking distance.

Multiple city parks are within a 20 minute walking distance from the new development, including the newly renovated Howard Park.

Matthews has not shared what grocery store will live in the building, but he did say that the development will be more than just a place for the community to shop and live.

Its not just giving the people who live here a spot to go. Its helping reinforce the urban fabric of downtown so when you visit or take a stroll along the East Race, theres more people, theres more restaurants, theres more activity that makes downtown South Bend feel like a city we want to visit, Matthews said.

Next door to 300 E. LaSalle, in the Atrium of the Commerce Center, another project of Matthews is headed to fruition.

Weve had a lot of people who visit and say I want to open a restaurant but they lack the financial means to do a restaurant buildout, Matthews said. How do you take someone who is driven and competent but doesnt have the financial backing yet or the reputation to do a full fledge restaurant? Our approach is weve created three of these small restaurant incubators.

Comparing it to the new ramen noodle bar inside of the Emporium building, Matthews explained that the three completed stalls will serve as venues of experimentation for those who want to give their culinary business ideas a test-run with month-to-month leases.

The idea is that within two years, or even sooner, the pop-up restaurants will have evolved to where they can afford and attain their own, more permanent, spaces, Matthews explained.

Were just trying to create that pathway for people to have a shot, Matthews said.

One of the stalls is waiting for the first pop-up restaurant operator to set up shop while the other two await completion.

Down the hallway from the restaurant incubator, the local farmer-owned River Valley Farmers Market, which opened to the public in October, is already making big expansion plans.

Theyll be tripling in size in the beginning of 2020, Matthews said.

Read more:
Construction continues into winter months for new mixed-use building on E. LaSalle - ABC 57 News