LRH Behavioral Health Facility | Rendering provided by Lakeland Regional Health

Over the past few months, we have heard so many grand announcements on various developments from office buildings and restaurants to residential dwellings coming to the Lakeland area.

In case youve been busy and havent skimmed over some of this groundbreaking news, heres a quick catch-up session.

Disclaimer: This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all of the developments in the Lakeland region. If there is a development that has been announced in the last 30 days that you feel should be included, please let us know in the comments below.

With all of the development happening across Lakeland, its nearly impossible to keep up with what is opening when, where new businesses are being built, and what companies are coming to town.

If there is a construction project you would like to learn more about let us know in the comments below + well grab our hard hats.

LALtoday team (Jessica + Kaylee)

The rest is here:
Developments coming to Lakeland in 2020 - AVLtoday

Written by Eric Oliver|December 27, 2019|Print|Email

More than 180 ASCs have opened or been announced since January. Here's a breakdown by location:

Alabama

A medical office building is planned for the area where Auburn (Ala.) University is developing a health sciences cluster. The medical office building will include an ASC.

Arizona

Phoenix-based OrthoArizona and Addison, Texas-based United Surgical Partners International moved into a new medical office building and ASC in Gilbert, Ariz.

Scottsdale, Ariz.-based HonorHealth began construction of its Sonoran HonorHealth Medical Center with an ASC as part of a campus expansion.

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Source Healthcare plans to open an ASC, according to founder Tim Davis, MD.

Flagstaff (Ariz.) Bone & Joint is expanding its footprint with the Flagstaff Bone & Joint Ambulatory Surgical Center and medical office building.

Phoenix-based National Cardiovascular Management is developing a medical campus that will feature a multispecialty ASC.

Show Low, Ariz.-based Summit Healthcare held a grand opening ceremony Oct. 5 of its 173,243-square-foot outpatient pavilion.

California

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Source Healthcare plans to open an ASC, according to founder Tim Davis, MD.

UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Calif., opened a children's surgery center.

Industry, Calif.-based IQ Laser Vision opened an ASC April 23.

Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente will open its new Dublin (Calif.) Medical Offices and Cancer Center, a 226,000-square-foot multispecialty complex.

Queen of the Valley Hospital in West Covina, Calif., proposed a multiyear development project that would bring an ASC to the area by 2022.

Colorado

UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center and Steamboat Orthopaedic & Spine Institute, both based in Steamboat Springs, Colo., are collaborating on an orthopedic ASC project.

Centennial, Colo.-based Centura Health acquired 57.81 acres in Colorado Springs, Colo., for $30 million. The health system plans to expand its Colorado Springs presence with a 50-bed acute care hospital and an ASC.

Developers recently placed the last beam on Denver Health Outpatient Medical Center. The center will have a surgery center.

An ASC will occupy space in a new 102,000-square-foot medical office development called Synergy Medical in Colorado.

A new mixed-use medical office development featuring an ASC is coming to Englewood, Colo.

Connecticut

Orthopedic Associates of Hartford (Conn.) opened a $30 million facility in Rocky Hill, Conn.

Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health is accepting patients at its new ASC in Guilford, Conn.

Connecticut Orthopaedic Surgery Center is almost complete.

Delaware

Lewes, Del.-based Beebe Healthcare is building a four-story surgery center in Rehoboth Beach, Del.

Florida

Orlando (Fla.) Health's South Lake Hospital Center for Specialty Surgery in Clermont, Fla., is taking shape. The 28,696-square-foot outpatient surgery center will offer orthopedic, podiatry and pain management procedures.

Casto Southeast Realty Services is developing a $24 million medical office building complex, anchoring a 50-acre, mixed-use commercial project in Lakewood, Fla. The three-story building will have a 13,000-square-foot surgery and imaging center.

The University of Miami Health System is building an outpatient medical facility in North Miami. The UHealth Medical Center at SoL Mia will include ambulatory surgery suites as well as cancer and eye specialists.

Baptist Health South Florida has big plans including ASCs for its soon-to-be affiliate, Boca Raton (Fla.) Regional Hospital.

An ASC project involving Compass Surgical Partners and Joint Implant Surgeons of Florida has wrapped up.

Several physician groups will lease space in a 77,000-square-foot medical office center being built in Sarasota, Fla.

Construction has wrapped up on a $6 million ASC project in Florida. The 9,850-square-foot Outpatient Surgery Center of Central Florida is a hybrid ASC and office built on roughly 4 acres of land.

The Center for Advanced Healthcare at Brownwood-based the Villages, Fla., will feature an ASC and more than 25 outpatient specialties.

The University of Miami (Fla.) Health System plans to build a medical center with outpatient services at Downtown Doral, a mixed-use community in Doral, Fla.

Georgia

Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton is building an ASC as part of a bevy of expansions.

Macon-based Georgia Arrhythmia Consultants and Research Institute wants to build a cardiology-electrophysiology ASC in Warner Robins, Ga.

Southeast Regional Surgery Center is moving forward with a single-specialty ASC in Columbus, Ga.

The Marietta, Ga.-based WellStar Health System will open its multispecialty outpatient surgery center at WellStar Acworth (Ga.) Health Park on July 15.

Atlanta-based Grady Health System is spending $231.3 million to build a medical office building with an ASC and expand an AIDS and HIV treatment center.

Houston ASC in Georgia submitted a letter of intent to the Georgia Department of Community Health for a multispecialty ASC.

Atlanta-based Morehouse School of Medicine applied for a certificate of need to build a $26.5 million ASC on its campus.

Idaho

Lost Rivers Medical Center in Arco, Idaho, is opening a $3.5 million ASC Oct. 29.

Illinois

The joint-venture Champaign (Ill.) Surgery Center will open Feb. 4, replacing the older Champaign SurgiCenter.

Quincy (Ill.) Medical Group is developing a surgery center in the Quincy Mall.

Chicago-based River North Surgery Center is seeking state permission to establish an ASC.

Anderson Healthcare will add an ASC and pediatric clinic to its Edwardsville, Ill., campus in an $8.5 million expansion.

Deerfield, Ill.-based Surgical Care Affiliates recently celebrated the grand opening of a 22,700-square-foot surgery center.

The University of Illinois-Chicago's department of pediatric dentistry received a $10,000 grant that will help fund expanded services at a new ASC.

The University of Illinois at Chicago will soon begin to develop the Bruno and Sallie Pasquinelli Outpatient Surgery Center after the couple donated $10 million to UIC.

Indiana

Muncie-based Central Indiana Orthopedics began building a facility in MedTech Park, a 37-acre business development in Fishers, Ind.

Local leaders broke ground on a $4 million facility in Jeffersonville, Ind., that will primarily house River Ridge Surgical Suites.

IU Health is building a surgical center across the street from Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne.

Indianapolis-based Methodist Sports Medicine gained approval for an orthopedic hospital, surgery center and medical office building Oct. 15.

Kansas

The University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City opened its Indian Creek Ambulatory Surgery Center, a facility with seven operating rooms and two procedure rooms.

Kentucky

TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital is opening a $10 million ASC in partnership with Graves Gilbert Clinic and three physicians.

Lexington (Ky.) Surgery Center's new facility opened near UK HealthCare at Turfland. Lexington Surgery Center is a joint venture between UK HealthCare and Deerfield, Ill.-based Surgical Care Affiliates.

Bowling Green, Ky.-based Graves-Gilbert Clinic held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its ASC.

Work is underway on a 9,650-square-foot ophthalmic ASC in Elizabethtown, Ky.

Baptist Health Lexington (Ky.) is expanding its presence in Hamburg, Ky., by developing an outpatient surgical and medical campus it plans to open in 2023.

Louisiana

New Orleans-based LCMC Health opened Ridgelake Health Center in Metairie, La., as part of a $400 million expansion involving two surgery centers.

A new ASC is in development at the Baton Rouge (La.) General's Center for Health.

Houma, La.-based Cardiovascular Institute of the South broke ground Oct. 18 on an ASC in Gray, La.

Maine

A group of surgeons opened Downeast Surgery Center in Bangor, Maine, April 17.

Maryland

Towson, Md.-based SurgCenter Development formed its 200th ASC partnership with SurgCenter of Clearwater (Fla.).

Massachusetts

Melrose, Mass.-based Melrose-Wakefield Healthcare received state approval to build a $16 million ASC at Medford, Mass.-based Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Worcester, Mass.-based management services organization Reliant Medical Group plans to develop a joint venture ASC in Natick, Mass.

Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston opened its 10th location, an ASC, in Falmouth, Mass.

Michigan

The Hasting Planning Commission approved Hastings, Mich.-based Spectrum Health Pennock Hospital's $12 million surgical center proposal.

Henry Ford Allegiance Health in Jackson, Mich., developed plans for a new outpatient surgery center in Grass Lake, Mich.

Alliance Surgery Center will be SurgCenter Development's fifth location in Michigan when construction wraps up in November.

SurgCenter Development received city plan commission approval to build a surgery center in Boyne City, Mich.

Construction of a new orthopedics-focused ASC began this week in Grand Traverse County, Mich.

The $9 million renovation to transition Charlotte, Mich.-based Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital into the Sparrow Health System is complete.

Work on the joint venture Grass Lake (Mich.) Surgery Center is progressing according to plan. The center is being built by a group of local neuro and orthopedic surgeons, who partnered with Detroit-based Henry Ford Allegiance Health and Brighton, Mich.-based Advanced Orthopedic Specialists.

Minnesota

Northfield (Minn.) Hospital & Clinics has an ASC project in the works

Mississippi

Madison, Miss.-based Capital Ortho's new Flowood, Miss.-based campus houses the Specialty Surgical Center.

Specialty Orthopedic Group opened a 33,000-square-foot practice with an outpatient surgery center in Tupelo, Miss.

Missouri

Medical Facilities Corp. and NueHealth partnered with St. Luke's Hospital in Chesterfield, Mo., to develop an ASC.

Montana

Missoula-based Providence Montana has a multimillion dollar development in the works that will feature an outpatient surgery center.

Bozeman, Mont., city commissioners approved Bozeman Health's $20 million same-day surgery center and clinic project July 1.

Visit link:
State-by-state breakdown of the 183 new ASCs opened or announced in 2019 - Becker's ASC Review

Written by Oscar Holland, CNN

But at the dawn of a new decade, it seems fitting to look ahead at the structures set to shape our cities -- and architecture itself -- in the coming year.

From museums and skyscrapers, to a hotel with a hole in it, these are CNN Style's most anticipated buildings opening or completing in 2020.

Vancouver House, Vancouver, Canada

Twisting from a triangular base to a rectangular top, Vancouver House appears to defy the laws of engineering when viewed from afar.

The pixelated facade, also characteristic of Ingels' work, helps to create deep-set balconies for residents in the 493-foot-tall tower.

Nanjing Zendai Himalayas Center, Nanjing, China

Irregular white fins give the complex's towers the appearance of icy mountains, their flowing lines contributing to what Beijing-born Ma's firm, MAD, describes as a "philosophy of cooperation between humanity and nature." At ground level, six separate plots are connected via man-made streams and footbridges.

Powerhouse Telemark, Porsgrunn, Norway

Located on the banks of the Porsgrunn River, the practice's latest "energy-positive" project, Powerhouse Telemark, has been designed to "set a new standard for the construction of the buildings of tomorrow."

Everything about the sleek structure, which is almost entirely coated in photovoltaic cells, has its carbon footprint in mind, from a diamond shape that maximizes the solar energy it captures, to the use of recycled materials from local demolition projects.

New Museum of Western Australia, Perth, Australia

Peter Bennetts / Hassell / OMA

In designing a museum on a site littered with historic buildings, architecture firms Hassell and OMA faced a delicate task: building a 21st-century museum while preserving the surrounding heritage.

The result is a striking contemporary creation that complements, interacts with and wraps around existing structures -- some of which date back to the mid-19th century -- producing an unlikely synergy of brick, glass and steel.

Perhaps the most striking feature is how the museum's huge upper volume hangs dramatically over Hackett Hall, the State Library's old reading room.

Grand Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt

Mohamed-El-Shahed/AFP/Getty Images

Having said that, 2020 looks sure to be the year it finally does. As well as offering a permanent home to tens of thousands of archeological treasures, including the entire contents of Tutankhamun's tomb, the 5.2-million-square-foot museum symbolizes efforts to repair the country's tourism industry in the wake of the 2011 revolution.

The building's glass-fronted design, first unveiled over 15 years ago, will offer sweeping panoramas of the Great Pyramids and Giza plateau.

Berlin Brandenburg Airport, Berlin, Germany

Gnter Wicker / Flughafen Berlin

Berlin's new Brandenburg airport is, perhaps, less anticipated for its design than for the fact it's almost a decade late.

The terminal building, which sits between two parallel runways, was designed to represent the region's architectural heritage. Official press materials cite the influence of 19th-century Prussian architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel and the celebrated Bauhaus art school.

Opus, Dubai, UAE

Laurian Ghinitoiu / Zaha Hadid Architects

More than three years after her death, Zaha Hadid continues to shape the world's cities with her bold, curvilinear creations.

Opus, which was first proposed by the British-Iraqi architect in 2007, takes the form of a glass-fronted cube punctured with an asymmetric hole that appears to bulge at the seams. Yet, closer inspection reveals that the building is formed from two separate towers joined by a four-story atrium at its base and a footbridge connecting the upper floors.

1000 Trees, Shanghai, China

Qingyan Zhu / Heatherwick Studio

British designer Thomas Heatherwick has never been short of ambition. And now his seemingly farfetched vision of a tree-covered urban mountain has become a reality.

The 3.2-million-square foot development now occupies a huge stretch of riverside in Shanghai. Structural columns emerge from the structure's mass to hold some of the plants and greenery alluded to in the project's name, 1000 Trees.

More than a piece of architecture, this is, in Heatherwick Studio's own words, "a piece of topography."

M+ Museum, Hong Kong SAR, China

Courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron / West Kowloon Cultural District Authority

Set across a huge swathe of reclaimed land in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour, the West Kowloon Cultural District has been more than 20 years in the making. And of the many theaters and cultural institutions set to eventually open in the development, none are more hotly anticipated than M+.

The museum is expected to have one of the Asian continent's most impressive collections of contemporary visual art. Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron has built a visually arresting design to boot -- a horizontal slab (containing exhibitions spaces) and a vertical one (housing everything else) conjoined into an upside-down "T."

Although the building is set to complete within the next few months, it will be another nine to 12 months before its opened to the public. Nonetheless, it's a major milestone for the long-awaited cultural quarter.

Singapore Pavilion at the Dubai Expo 2020, Dubai, UAE

Singapore Pavilion, Expo 2020 Dubai

But perhaps the most ambitious idea is that of Singapore: to create an oasis in the Arabian desert.

Innovations to that end include solar-powered desalination systems for irrigation and a cantilevered roof to provide shade.

See more here:
The most anticipated buildings set to shape the world in 2020 - CNN

The new year will usher in a new era in Carmel, as it will finally be structured like a second-class city with an expanded council and other changes. The newly elected council features the citys first elected Democrat, and the party wants to make gains on the state and national level in the November elections.

The year also will feature new developments, road construction and changes to Carmel parks and schools.

Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch swears in Carmels elected officials Dec. 18 at the Monon Community Center. (Photo by Ben Stout)

On Jan. 1, Carmel will finally look like a second-class city.

The city council voted in January 2016 to become a second-class city, and it has spent the past several years preparing for the most obvious change: two additional city council positions (one at-large and one representing a district).

New city councilors sworn into office in late December are Miles Nelson, representing the West District; Adam Aasen, representing the Southeast District; and Tim Hannon, representing the city at-large.

Nelson is the first Democrat elected to the council in Carmels history. Brainard, a Republican who has served as Carmels mayor since 1996, said he is eager to work with the new council.

Im anxious to work with everyone who was elected and focus on city issues and continue to try and make Carmel a better place, he said. I like everyone whos been elected, and I look forward to working with them.

Becoming a second-class city also led to the elimination of the clerk-treasurer position. It will be replaced with an elected clerk and appointed city controller. Sue Wolfgang will begin her term as clerk and Ann Bingman will become controller Jan. 1.

The 2020 new year will include elections for state and national offices, and with the presidential race on the ballot, voter turnout is expected to be high.

Brooks

A crowded field has emerged in the race to replace U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks in Indianas 5th District, with multiple candidates running in the Republican and Democratic primaries. Brooks will retire when her term expires at the end of 2020.

Republicans in the race are pastor Micah Beckwith, Indiana State Treasurer Kelly Mitchell, fund accountant Danny Niederberger, former Bureau of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Kent Abernathy, nurse and farmer Beth Henderson, pediatric doctor Chuck Dietzen, accountant and attorney Matthew Hook, and former State Rep. Steve Braun, who has suspended his campaign for health reasons. Democrats are attorney Andy Jacobs, businesswoman Dee Thornton, scientist Jennifer Christie and former State Rep. Christina Hale. Independent Ken Tucker also has announced his candidacy.

Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch swears in Carmels elected officials Dec. 18 at the Monon Community Center. (Photo by Ben Stout)

The City of Carmel originally announced that it expected to select a developer and design plan for Lot One, 1.7 acres on the northeast corner of Main Street and Range Line Road, by June 1, but an announcement had not been made by the end of the year.

The (Carmel Redevelopment Commission) picked one of the developers, and they have been in discussions with that one, Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard said. If they fail with that particular developer, theyll move on to a different one. You dont want to have two or three simultaneous discussion going on at one time.

The CRC received eight responses to its request for proposals for the project. Each proposal included a public/private parking garage, 37,000 to 110,000 square feet of office or retail space and multi-family dwellings.

The new development also will include space for PNC Bank, which is currently on the land and plans to maintain a presence during construction. PNC sold 1.2 acres of the site to Carmel for $2.5 million in December 2018 after Carmel filed a condemnation lawsuit to use eminent domain to acquire the property in August 2018. The city withdrew the lawsuit after the CRC and PNC reached a deal.

Brainard said the city is working to make sure it selects a plan that will best serve Carmel long-term, not one that can be pulled together most quickly.

Its important to get it right and not rush to put a deal together, he said. Those buildings are going to be there for 100 years or more.

The interchange at Keystone Parkway and 96th Street celebrated its substantial completion Dec. 30. (Submitted photo)

After 18 months of construction, the much-anticipated roundabout interchange at 96th Street and Keystone Parkway is substantially complete. The city was set to celebrate the project finishing on time by the end of 2019 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 30.

Some final details will be completed in the winter months and when the weather warms up, such as applying a final layer of asphalt, permanent pavement markings, landscape features and painting of the bridge.

Other road projects planned for 2020 include roundabouts at 116th Street and College Avenue and Guilford Road, 96th Street and Haverstick Road, and 111th Street at Westfield Boulevard and Lexington Drive.

Carmel residents will see their tax bills rise starting Jan. 1.

With the approval of Carmel Clay Schools school safety referendum, residential property taxes will increase by 5 cents per $100 of assessed value. This equates to an additional $65.13 per year for a home valued at $250,000.

The tax will allow CCS to place school resource officers at every school, fund mental health programming and provide additional school safety training for teachers.

All Hamilton County residents will pay a .1 percent increase in the local income tax to fund improvements to the countys 911 communications center.

Hotel Carmichael is set to open in spring 2020. (Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh)

Hotel Carmichael construction is on track for the building to open in spring 2020.

The 106,347-square-foot building will include 122 rooms, a restaurant, outdoor dining space, three bars and the Feinstein Club, a music lounge concept by Michael Feinstein.

Hotel Carmichael is set to open in spring 2020. (Photo by Ann Marie Shambaugh)

Other City Center buildings expected to open in 2020 are the Kent (luxury apartments) and Playfair and Holland (luxury apartments and retail/office space).

Carmel isnt expected to launch its proposed film festival until at least 2021, but planning will be well under way in 2020.

The city council removed $375,000 for the festival from the 2020 budget, but Brainard said that isnt expected to slow down the planning process.

Its just a request from the council to give them more information before we make final commitments, Brainard said. We had some money in this years budget, and well combine that with the money in next years budget and develop the plans to a more detailed level and talk to council again.

The council budgeted $175,000 for the festival in the 2019 budget and approved $50,000 for it in the 2020 budget. Brainard said a successful festival would have a huge impact on the community and small businesses.

There are a lot of film fests around the country that have not been successful. Weve studied all the ones that are successful, he said. Its a matter of communicating the information thats been gathered and developing a more detailed budget for the council.

The final school year for Orchard Park Elementary will begin in the fall. The school will close after the 2020-21 school year.

Construction is set to begin in 2020 on Carmel Clay Schools two new elementary schools. The district is building a new campus on Clay Center Road, which is proposed to be called Clay Center Elementary School. CCS also is building a new Carmel Elementary building next to the existing one, which will be demolished when the new school is complete.

In the spring, the school board is expected to vote on potential changes to the daily schedule. The changes would extend the day for elementary students and create a later start time for middle and high school students. It also could include twice-a-month late-start days to give teachers more time for professional development.

The Carmel Clay Public Library is planningan expansion that is expected to include morespace for programs and a parking garage. (Submitted rendering)

Construction on an expansion of the Carmel Clay Public Library is expected to begin in the second half of 2020.

The $40 million project will include expanded space for programs, a parking garage and several other upgrades. Duration of the project is dependent on whether a temporary location for the library can be found during construction.

The expansion is expected to add between 10,000 and 30,000 square feet to the librarys 116,000-square-foot building, which was constructed in 1999. Look for project updates at carmel.lib.in.us/nextchapter.

The library will open its first branch, the Joyce Winner West Branch, Jan. 6 at 12770 Horseferry Rd.

The playground at Meadowlark Park is planned to be relocated and replaced. (Submitted rendering)

A new playground is planned at Carey Grove Park. (Submitted rendering)

Thanks to the Clay Township Impact Program, improvements are coming to several Carmel parks this year, leading to their temporary closure.

Upgrades totaling $1.9 million at Flowing Well Park will include bank stabilization, trail rerouting, additional benches, a parking lot expansion, an entrance from 116th Street, well house improvements and restroom facilities.

At Meadowlark Park, CCPR will relocate the playground to the front of the park. The citys first pickleball courts also are expected to be built there. Other improvements in the $3.5 million project include restrooms, a fishing pier and trails.

In Carey Grove, $2 million in upgrades include playground replacement, restrooms, trails and an improved parking lot.

In West Park, the $4.6 million project includes upgrading the playground and splash pad.

Carey Grove, Meadowlark and Flowing Well parks are expected to close for improvements in late winter or early spring. They are anticipated to reopen by the end of the year. The section of West Park to be improved also will be closed, but the newly completed Groves area and some trails will remain open.

(Construction closures) are not going to be fun, CCPR Director Michael Klitzing said. Its like when a roundabout goes in, theres a little bit of disruption.

The Carmel Marathon will celebrate its 10th anniversary in the new year. It will serve as the Road Runners Club of America Central Region Marathon Championship for 2020.

The marathon is set for April 4. Other races during the weekend include a half-marathon, 10K, 5K and marathon relay.

Read the original post:
2020 vision: New city council, completed Keystone intersection ring in new decade - Current in Carmel

As we prepare for a new year, the Record-Courier examines what likely will be some of the top stories across Portage County in 2020. If you experience deja vu reading this list, its because a few of the items, including the Kent and Streetsboro city hall projects, were on last years list.

1. 50th commemoration of May 4, 1970

Kent State University will mark the 50th commemoration of May 4, 1970 with educational events, speakers and arts exhibits, leading up to the annual May 3 candlelight walk and vigil and the traditional noon commemoration on May 4. Expect media local, national and international to be out in full force.

The commemoration, which kicked off when students arrived for the fall semester, marked the first time the university has assumed responsibility for the commemoration since 1975, made official by a Board of Trustees resolution passed in March 2019. The May 4 Task Force organized previous commemorations.

Several events in 2020 are ongoing, including a national call for poems and a global community poem organized by the Wick Poetry Center; the Culture/Counterculture exhibit at the fashion school; an online social media project called @KSUvoices1970; and the "Our Brother Jeff" exhibit which is the final of four exhibits focused on the four students who were killed that day.

On Jan. 24, the Center for the Visual Arts will open a contemporary metals exhibit in honor of the students who were killed that day called "Constructed Answer," and on Feb. 29, the history department will host a research symposium called "New Directions in Scholarship on the Vietnam War."

In March, there will be a philosophy graduate student conference in memory of May 4 and a panel discussion called "Leading through Tragedy" that will bring together representatives from schools touched by campus violence, including Virginia Tech, Chardon High School and Northern Illinois University. Former Kent State President Beverly Warren will moderate.

In April, the Department of Pan-African Studies will hold its fifth biennial Africa and the Global Atlantic World Conference which will focus on the leadership and activism of college students and the militarized violent responses they faced; and Wick Poetry Center David Hassler will debut his play "May 4th Voices: Kent State, 1970" at the Stark Campus. On April 16, Taylor Hall Gallery will open "Witness: The Pivotal Role of Students in Documenting the May 4 Shootings."

2. A need to create space

The county is in the grips of what could be considered a good problem: So many of its industrial facilities are occupied that growth in many cases will require new construction.

However, that means businesses looking to move to the county sometimes have to consider planning and paying for their own building, according to Portage Development Board President Brad Ehrhart.

Both Ehrhart and Streetsboro Mayor Glenn Broska point to a 150,000-square-foot building on Wellman Road in Streetsboro as a potential answer to the business owners question: Where can I move in so I dont have to build my own building?

Broska said he believes that building will be filled this year.

"The outlook is very good for it," he said. "They are talking about some possibilities with a tenant."

Ehrhart said there also are several areas in the county with good industrial sites where companies could build, if necessary, including along Route 43 in Streetsboro on properties owned by Geis Co. and Philipp Parkway.

"There are also big parcels down in Brimfield right behind Maplecrest," he said.

In Ravenna, Springseal is planning to add 30,000-square-foot addition to its existing building, he added. Other businesses building additions include OEM Miller in Aurora, RP Gatta of Aurora.

Aurora Mayor Ann Womer Benjamin said two businesses are moving to Aurora.

"One of them is Atlantic Water Gardens," she said. "Its relocated from Mantua to Aurora and bringing 22 or more employees with it."

Wellsville Carpet Town also is likely to move to an Aurora, said Womer Benjamin.

Ravenna Mayor Frank Seman said he believes there will be more work on the Chestnut Commerce Centers rail extension, which has potential to benefit companies in the neighborhood.

He also said he hopes to open negotiations with Ravenna Township regarding a joint economic development district.

"Im hopeful we can get some very active talks going with the township on the JEDD," he said. "We dont have a lot of ground left."

Ehrhart said the labor force in the area continues to be tight as companies look for more manufacturing workers.

"Thats a trend throughout the Ohio and U.S. 2019 labor force," he said.

Portage Countys potential labor force numbered 87,100 in 2019, and of those 83,600 were employed, said Ehrhart. Another 3,500 are looking for jobs.

He said more stability would help businesses locally, adding slightly fewer businesses reported they are growing this year.

In 2018, he said he visited 165 businesses, and 115 reported they were growing. This year, Ehrhart said hes visited 170 businesses, and about 109 reported they were growing.

"Theres always an issue with regards to uncertainty, and, in this case, thats in regard to tariffs," he said.

3. Downtown businesses

Kent Economic Development Director Tom Wilke said one hotspot in 2020 will be the Mill District, where the Star of the West Mill has been sold and other properties are poised to open to new businesses.

One of those new businesses will likely be the North Water Street Brewery, which Wilke said would be located at 107 Lake Street.

In addition, he said the city is planning a project aimed at providing greater pedestrian safety in the Mill District along N. Mantua Street.

Along Franklin Avenue, two six story buildings are planned, a 46-unit apartment building and a building that would house a restaurant, bakery, wine bar and 16 upscale apartments. Wilke said a ground breaking this spring is likely for at least one of those projects.

Seman said he believes businesses will continue to open in downtown Ravenna in 2020.

"Were optimistic about this coming year," he said. "We think well see some growth in the downtown area with some more businesses coming in. The retail businesses, you know, those are going to come and go."

Broska said more development of the old Shady Lake land on Route 14 is possible this year, and he said hes also hoping Dean Caputos Powerhouse Gym will help attract more business to Market Square Plaza, which has been underutilized since Giant Eagle tied up the anchor tenant lease following its move across the street.

"Im really looking for more interest in Market Square Plaza being developed," said Broska.

4. Streetsboro Fire Station and City Hall project

As plans for the new Streetsboro Fire Station are moving into place, it is clear thatthe City Center Project will not proceed as envisioned, leaving its future and its components undetermined.

In May, Streetsboro voters passed Issue 14, which secured funding for a new fire station and a new service department garage.The building features 10,000 square feet of bay space for equipment and another 15,000 square feet of living space, according to a previous report. Previously, Broska said the station plans include an adequately sized conference room and office space as well as a training tower. The new station will be adjacent to the existing fire station to allow that station to stay open during construction.If all goes well, groundbreaking could happen in late March or early April with construction lasting about a year.

In October, however, plans for a public-private city center that would have included city offices, medical offices and a wellness center, fell apartbecause no development agreement between the city and the Welty Building Co. of Akron had been signed.

Councilman John Hannan said in October that the issues with the project were not due to the failure of one entity, but the failure to communicate. He added that he thinks council members want something to happen with the city hall property and that he wishes to continue working with Welty.

5. More school levies on the ballot

Following Novembers levy defeats, Waterloo again will ask voters for new operating funds, while Rootstown will continue to work on its levy schedule to reduce voter fatigue and have more financial security.

In March, Waterloo voters will see a five-year, 1.5% traditional income tax, which is anticipated to raise about $2.74 million and will keep the district in the black for five years. March will mark the districts third attempt at an income tax and the tenth straight attempt for additional operating funds.

Also in March, Rootstown voters will be asked to renew a 4.4-mill emergency levy that will not increase taxes, but they may see something different on subsequent ballots.

Several times throughout 2019, the Rootstown Board of eEducation met with financial advisor David Conley who suggested reorganizing the levy schedule to decrease the number of times the district is on the ballot. Among various options, the board could ask for renewals but increase the timeframes, combine several levies into one or present an income tax that would take the place of its three active emergency levies.

Conley noted that reorganizing the levy schedule would take years, but the board is continuing discussions and plans to meet with Conley again on Jan. 13 to look at best first steps.

6. Kent State Gateway Plan

Kent State University will undergo several major construction projects in 2020 as it wraps up Phase 1 of its $1 billion, 10-year Gateway Plan. The projects will change the way front campus looks to those passing by on East Main Street.

In June, the university expects to break ground on a new $29 million parking deck located just off Midway Drive that will serve the new College of Business Administration. The parking deck is expected to be open for the fall 2020 semester.

Additionally, the Board of Trustees approved closing Terrace Drive from Main Street and realigning 2,250 feet of roadway to connect to Midway Drive, which will lead to the new parking deck and the new business building. They also approved a $7.3 million addition to Rockwall Hall, housing the School of Fashion, but the groundbreaking is yet to be determined.

In May, renovations are anticipated to begin on the Student Center, including upgraded safety features, new student-centered spaces and updated interior finishes and furniture.

Phase 1 of the Gateway Plan also includes the new College of Administration Building, the Innovation Hub and Dining, additions to the Aeronautics and Technology building and renovations to White Hall, among other projects.

7. Kent City Hall project

As concepts for the building continue to become more defined, the city may be in a position to start bidding its proposed new city hall project by late fall of 2020.

With the completion of a public meeting in November, Kent City Council is anticipated to receive another update on plans around February. Kent Public Services Director Melanie Baker said citizens voiced a desire to see the city use sustainable building materials and solar panels while allowing for future growth if needed. Those comments are being used to hone the plans.

A memo submitted to Kent City Council by Nancy Nozik of Brandstetter Carroll Inc. states the schematics for the proposed project have close to 24,000 square feet of occupied space about 1,000 square feet above the range listed in the conceptual plan. Plans are still being refined, however.

Noziks memo uses estimates of $250 per square-foot and $300 per square-foot cost to estimate potential price ranges for the building. Baker previously said those costs are fairly high, but acknowledged that the company provided conservative numbers. Prices could go down to about $200 per square-foot, she added.

Other things coming our way in the new year.

Bio-Med expands

In January, Bio-Med Science Academy will open applications for the 2020-21 school year, expanding its grade levels down to second grade.

Starting next school year, the Shalersville Campus will house second-, third- and fourth-graders; the Ravenna Campus will have the fifth- and sixth-graders and the Rootstown Campus will have seventh- to 12th-graders.

EdChoice

The Ohio Legislature expanded the EdChoice voucher program in the latest biennium budget, which increased the number of Portage County schools on the list of eligible schools from three in the 2019-20 school year to 18 in 2020-21. School officials across the state are still advocating that there be a higher threshold to be on the list, but any changes to the criteria will have to be made by Feb. 1 when EdChoice scholarship applications open.

Ravenna reconfiguration

On Jan. 6, the Ravenna Board of Education is expected to make a decision about reconfiguring the district from neighborhood elementary schools to grade-level buildings after a year of research and meetings. The most discussed plan has West Park remaining the kindergarten building, turning Willyard into the first- and second-grade building and West Main into the third- and fourth-grade building. Carlin would hold the preschool on the first floor and central offices and special services on the second floor. Fifth grade would be moved to Brown Middle School, which currently houses sixth, seventh and eighth grades.

New Ravenna economic development director

Dennis West has been hired to serve as the new economic development director for Ravenna city and township. He is expected to officially begin his duties on Thursday.

His office will be located in Ravenna City Hall, but he will focus on commercial and industrial retention as well as promotion and expansion for both entities. His $103,000 annually salary will be split between the city, the township and the public-private Core Team.

Record-Courier reporters Bob Gaetjens, Krista Kano, Eileen McClory and Kaitlyn McGarvey contributed to this report.

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7 things to watch in Portage in 2020 - Record-Courier

LOGANVILLE - When Randy Roecker learned that his neighbor, Leon Statz, had died from suicide, all the feelings from his own struggle with depression roaredback.

It was Oct.8, 2018.

In the parking lot at St. Peters Lutheran Church, three of Roecker's friends were discussing whathad happened that day to Statz, whose dairy farm was a few miles from town.

Roecker broke down and cried.

"You guys just don't know what it's like dealing with this," he told them.

Roecker, who is also a dairy farmer, understood the severe depression that Statz experienced when his farm was in trouble. He'dbeen through it himself.

You have this burden that you carry," he said. "I kept feeling all the time that I was a failure, that I had let everybody down.

Some parishioners at St. Peter's, where Statz was a member, knew he was battling depression. But since he was receivingout-patient treatment, they assumed he wasn't at risk of dying from suicide.

Statz had suffered from depression for years. Hefelt deeply responsiblefor keeping his third-generafarm afloat through hard times including the dairy crisis triggered after milk prices collapsed in late 2014.

Leon Statz, a dairy farmer from Loganville, died from suicide caused by severe depression.Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In his mind, difficulties on the farm would quickly slip from bad to catastrophic, said Brenda Statz, his widow and wife of 34 years.

She and Leon hadnt lost their farm, but they had struggled some as they transitioned from dairy to beef and grain farming. For Leon, the change represented a huge failure.

He would say, Im a dairyman, not a grain farmer,'" Brenda recalled.

This year alone, about 800 dairy farmers in Wisconsin quit or were forced out of the business, a rate of more than two per day. Some left in despair, having lost not only their livelihood but the home they grew up in, whichtheir parents or grandparents had built.

"You feel like you are letting down all the previous generations of your family if you don't farm anymore," Roecker said.

At Roecker's Rolling Acres, you'd neverknow anything was amiss. It's a showcaseoperation that hashosted many foreign visitors touring Wisconsin dairy farms.

The 300-cow operation has been in Randy Roecker's family since the 1930s. He's an experienced farmer and board member of Dairy Management Inc., the national organization that promotes dairy products through ad campaigns such as Undeniably Dairy.

Thirteen years ago the farm underwenta major expansion costing about $3 million.

It was aimed at keeping the farm up to date, and tobring Randy's two children, now adults, into the operation as his parents, now in their 80s, ease out.

It's not all gloom and doom in the dairy industry," Roecker said. "But in order to survive, in any business, you have to grow. If you dont, youre falling behind."

Still, the debt, and the recession that followed the expansion, triggered financial stress that became unbearable. The farm was losing up to $30,000 a month, undermining years of hard work and careful planning for the future.

Thats when Roecker's depression kicked in.

I just felt so alone. There was nobody to help me get through all this stuff, he said. Itgot to the point where I wanted to die every day.

He couldn't turn it off at night, either.

"All of this starts playing with your mind," Roecker said. "You try to sleep, and it gets worse because its all going through your head.You feel like everythings spiraling out of control."

And, thats exactly what happened.

One time he found himself in the barn, looking up at some ropes in the hayloft. More than once he had contemplated ending his life by suicide, and it scared him.

"I never had problems with depression before, but when this hit me, it was bad," he said.

How to find help

Farm Aid: The national group, which also provides assistance to families, has a toll-free line 1-800-FARM-AID for farmers and families seeking similar assistance. It's staffed weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern time.

Upcoming workshopsThe Farm Center and University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension are hosting a series of six farm couples weekend workshops around the state from Jan. 18 to April 4. The workshops are free, but limited to 10 couples each session.

Lodging, meals, instruction and materials are provided, and financial assistance for childcare, farm labor or mileage may be available.

For more information, call the Farm Center at 800-942-2474.

Roecker was hospitalized three times for depression. Over a period of about seven yearshe battled it with therapy and antidepressant medications which, as a side-effect, can increase suicidal thoughts.

Some people knew he was struggling but didn't step up to help. His wife of 32 years, overwhelmed with the stress from the farm, filed for divorce.

"I felt like all of my friends just dropped me, that no one wanted anything to do with me," Roecker said."I felt like I was suffering alone in silence. The awareness of depression is out there, but we still have to shed this stigma of not talking about it."

With help from a therapist, he gradually started getting his life back in order. Then the 54-year-old farmer heard about Statz's death.

Dairy farmer Randy Roecker, right, talks with retired dairy farmer Hank Elfers, second from left, at St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Loganville. Roecker helped organize Farm Neighbors Care events to help farmers who need support.Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Itjust put me back where I was, Roecker said. I told my therapist, that since I have gone through this myself, and there is just nobody out there helping farmers deal with this, I feel like its my calling to do something.

Roecker, Brenda Statzand fellow church member Dale Meyer, a retired police detective, organized Farm Neighbors Care events at St. Peters church.

At one of those meetings in early December, farmers talked openly about their struggles with stress, depression and financial hardships.

About 40 people, including some who were not St. Peter's parishioners, met in the church basement for a lunch of turkey sandwiches, soup and cookies served in exchange for a free-will offering.

They chatted about the wet fall harvest and how challenging it had been for farmers to get crops out of the fields. There was a light-hearted, humorous presentation from Ben Bromley, a former Baraboo News Republic columnist.

Then the discussion turned serious, with presentations from farmers, parishioners and public health officials who offered resources for anyone experiencing mental health issues.

"Leon was a member of this church. He was stressed out, but we felt that we didn't do what we should have for him," Meyer said. "And in Randy's situation, people knew about it, but nobody got around him and said 'Randy, how can we help?'"

One of the takeaway messages was that farmers could also help each other because they understood the unique challenges in agriculture, where the weather and global markets, out of a farmer's control, can turn their world upside down.

"We've had low milk prices for five years ... you burn through the equity in your farm because you're borrowing money to keep going," Roecker said. "I tell my friends in town, 'you don't know what it's like. We have no savings, no benefits.'"

The handful of meetings this year have drawn farmers from hours away and have been replicated at other churches in Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota.

"I want other farmers to be able to reach out to me," Roecker said. "I have gotten calls from people in four or five states. The biggest thing is to just listen."

For some, the notion of friends, neighbors and relatives knowing about their mental health issuesis simply too much, even if they would understand. But there are confidential services anyone can turn to for help, and that includes places that understand farmers.

The Wisconsin Farm Center, part of the state agriculture department, has a staff very familiar with farming. The Madison-based agency offers awide range of free servicesincluding help sorting out farm finances. They offer vouchers that farmers and their families can use to get counseling at clinics across the state.

"We want farmers to feel like they're being understood. You'd be surprised at how much just spending an hour with someone can help," said Angie Sullivan, the Farm Center's agriculture program manager.

The agency has a mediation service that can give farmers some relief from creditors. Also, there's help available for settling family disputes, like when different generations disagree on their farm's path forward.

Lets talk about some ways you can manage this really difficult time in your life, Sullivan said. "We can sit at your kitchen table as many times as you need us, to go over your financial picture or your transition plan."

Some of the agency's staff are ex-farmers or are still farming. Some have 30 years' experience in agricultural banking and other areas of agribusiness.

What we're seeing, unfortunately, is many farmers have not been able to pay back their operating loans for the last couple of years. Many are stressed to the limit credit-wise," Sullivan said.

The group Farm Aid offers similar assistance. Its (800) FARM-AID crisis line provides services to farm families, and its Farmer Resource Networkconnects farmers to organizations across the country.

In the last two yearswe have seen a pretty drastic increase in the number of calls, as well as the number of calls that have a crisis component, said Madeline Lutkewitte, manager of the Farm Aid crisis linebased in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

We have had a lot of calls from people in dairy farming who just havent been able to keep up with their bills and can't get loans for the remainder of the year and next spring," she said.

This winter, Wisconsin farm couples can attend workshops in Mineral Point, Wausau, Appleton, Waupun, Eau Claire and Rice Lake, aimed at helping them manage stress associated with financial problems.

The workshops, sponsored by the state agriculture department and University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, will include a segment on how to talk with children about problems on the farm, and decision-making when the farm may have to shut down.

Our mission is to keep people farming but sometimes there are no options except to leave, so we want to do whatever we can to help people be prepared for that, and to make it through that time as a couple and a family, Sullivan said.

Leon Statzs identity was in being a dairy farmer, and it showed in everything he did.

Year after year, he won awards from his cooperative,Foremost Farms, for producing high-quality milk. His wife, Brenda, displayed those awards at his funeral, thinking Leon would have liked that.

His pride was in producing a quality product, she said.

And he lived for the challenge.

So when Leon's depression became so bad that he hadnt worked in months, he sank in despair.

"His philosophy was, if you werent working, you werent worth anything," Brenda said.

He would try to help out a neighbor on their farm but would be overcome with anxiety that he might do something wrong, that some machinery might break while he was operating it.

He would leave me notes and say I am trying to do the best I can, Brenda said.

Since Leons death, she has become an advocate for farmer mental health and suicide prevention.

There aren't many reliable statistics on farmer suicide rates, but experts say that dairy farmers are especially vulnerable because theirlives are inseparable from their work cows must be milked two or three times a day, 365 days a year.

"We only went on one vacation, ever, with our kids when they were little," Brenda said.

Often, farmers experiencing depression will isolate themselves. They don't visit with neighbors as much as they used to, or they may spend more time in the barn alone. Some will make their death look like an accident.

Farmers are private people, and if they reach out for help, you had better take it seriously, Brenda said.

At the Farm Neighbors Care meetingat St. Peter's church in Loganville, ex-dairy farmer Steven Rynkowski opened up about his story and delivered a heartfelt rendition of the song"Take Heart My Friend."

For much of his adult life he had experienced episodes of depression. Then, his farm ran into trouble following an expansion that pushed him into financial difficulties.

He overdosed on alcohol and pills, maybe not a suicide attempt, but it sent him to the hospital.

Three years after his overdose, and 30 years after he started dairy farming right out of high school, Rynkowski quit the business.

"It was very hard on me because farming was my way of life," he said.

He's since helped other farmers face the end of their career.

I dont wish what I went through on anybody. But because I went through it, I am a different person, a better person. ... It's not going to be an easy road out of it, but there is life after dairy farming," Rynkowski said.

He added: My faith has a lot to do with it. You are a child of God, and you have worth well beyond farming or whatever it is you do for a living.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, at (800) 273-8255, for immediate help.

Email him at rick.barrett@jrn.com and follow him on Twitter: @rbarrettJS.

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'You have this burden that you carry': For dairy farmers struggling to hold on, depression can take hold - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Wildcat Glades Friends Group, a nonprofit that helps maintain Wildcat Park and the surrounding chert glades habitat, reported to police earlier this week the theft of items from its maintenance shed.

The entrance to the shed was destroyed sometime between Saturday night and Monday morning, with items including trail maintenance equipment, Shoal Creek Water Festival materials, a lawn mower, a chain saw, a tree trimmer, brooms and rakes stolen, said Robin Standridge, the group's executive director.

Staff with the Joplin Parks and Recreation Department replaced the shed's door and wall to secure the building, but the shed was broken into a second time sometime Monday night or early Tuesday, Standridge said.

"The items stolen were items donated to keep this park beautiful for the community," she said in a statement posted to the Wildcat Glades Friends Group's Facebook page. "This should outrage all of our supporters. We are a not-for-profit. We maintain this area out of love and respect for our community and for the beautiful habitat Joplin has been gifted."

Capt. Nick Jimenez, with the Joplin Police Department, said the theft was first reported to the department on Monday. A door to the maintenance shed had been pried open; the incident report lists items that were stolen, including two leaf blowers, two saws, a trimmer, an ice chest, tents and tools, he said.

Standridge said some of the stolen items have "Wildcat Glades" written on them. Those items, if spotted, should be reported to the Joplin Police Department, she said. The group will press for criminal charges if any suspects are identified, she said.

"We're really grateful for the outpouring of support," Standridge said in an interview with the Globe. "We're asking that people keep their eyes and ears open."

The friends group has since installed motion-sensor lights and three cameras around the old ballfields at Wildcat Park, where the shed is located, Standridge said. As an additional safety measure, it also has removed some barrier walls to make the shed a little more visible to the nearby road, she said.

"We'll just assess if those are going to be adequate," she said.

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Thief steals donated tools from Wildcat Glades shed - Joplin Globe

To protect wintering big-game animals and sage grouse species, the collection of shed antlers on all public lands west of Interstate 25 is prohibited from Wednesday through April 30.

The closures reduce disturbance of wintering wildlife during the time of year they are most vulnerable. Big-game and sage grouse species live in a basic survival mode during the winter when food is scarce. If forced to move and burn calories unnecessarily, wildlife can lose the energy they need to make it through the winter.

Additional special regulations are also in place for the Gunnison Basin. In Game Management Units 54, 55, 66, 67 and 551, it is illegal to search for or possess antlers and horns on public lands between legal sunset and 10 a.m. from May 1 through May 15.

Shed-antler collecting has become very popular over the last decade. Commercial collectors, who sell sheds for decorations, have led to a substantial increase of people searching for antlers and horns in sensitive wildlife areas. The seasonal prohibition applies to commercial and recreational collectors.

Violations may be reported at the nearest CPW office or Operation Game Thief at (877) 265-6648.

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Restrictions on shed-antler collecting begin Wednesday - The Durango Herald

The so-called retail apocalypse appears to have rocked British retail in 2019.

According to the Centre for Retail Research, more than 140,000 U.K. retail jobs, or 2,750 jobs a week, were slashed over the course of 2019.

This is the highest rate of job cuts in 25 years on high-traffic British shopping areas, known as high streets, and marks an increase of more than 20% year-over-year, compared to the 117,400 jobs that were shed in 2018, the report said.

The CRR also noted an increase in store closures. This year, 16,073 U.K. shops (about 61 per day) were shuttered, up from 14,583 total closures the previous year. About 38,100 jobs were lost due to stores going bust, including Karen Millen and Coast, but the majority of job cuts (roughly 78,600) occurred as retailers made adjustments to cut costs.

As 2020 begins, the CRR predicts further job cuts and store closings, barring government intervention. High business taxation rates are one cause for the U.K. retail sectors struggles, explains the CRR, along with high fixed costs, slow sales growth, heavy price competition and the rise of e-commerce.

Over the past decade, e-commerce has undergone a sizable expansion. According to the U.K.s Office for National Statistics, online sales now account for 21.5% of retail sales in the state. In January 2010, e-commerce made up just 7% of the U.K.s total retail sales.

As digital disruption has transformed shopping this decade, store closures and layoffs have followed for traditional retailers internationally. Retailers that failed to adjust to the new climate this decade often faced bankruptcy or complete shutdown. The 2010s saw the end of several high-profile American shoe stores, including Payless, Sports Authority and Bakers Footwear Group.

Brick-and-mortar closures arent always the hallmark of a retail apocalypse, experts say, explaining that shuttering outposts can be a sign of efficiency. Retail analysts say that shrinking store counts can lead to improved profitability at remaining locations as well as lower overall costs, as retailers adjust to the new climate.

Whether due to efficiency or not, the number of U.S. store closures jumped in 2019, according to Coresight Research. The research and advisory firm estimates reports that more than 9,200 doors closed this year as of late November, compared with just 5,800 in 2018. American retail employment, meanwhile, is expected to fall by 2% between 2018 and 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, due to the rise of online sales.

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Over 140,000 UK Retail Jobs Were Shed in 2019 As Retail Apocalypse Hits Britain - Footwear News

Banksys Scar of Bethlehem at the Walled Off Hotel (photo courtesy Bisher Qassis)

Week in Reviewis a weekly collection of news, developments, and stirrings in the art world.Subscribeto receive these posts as a weekly newsletter.

Hyperallergic broke the news that Stephen M. Ross, the Hudson Yards developer who wasscolded for his ties with President Trump, has quietly stepped down from the Sheds board of directors. The Shed confirmed Rosss resignation and said that he decidedto focus on his other philanthropic activities.

More in Hudson Yards news: In a deal with US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the Vessel in Hudson Yards has agreed to install a specialplatform lift that willincrease accessibility for people with disabilities. The new elevator will provide access to the Hudson Yard structures upper floors, which are currently inaccessible for people with disabilities

New York City is paying more attention to small cultural nonprofits. The citys Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) has awarded $51.3 million in grants to 985 cultural organizations. The DCLA said that funding was set aside for nonprofits that directly support individual artists, collectives, and smaller cultural organizationsthroughout the city. A group of12 nonprofits including Harlem Stage, BRIC, and Bronx River Art Center will have their energy expenses paid for this year. The grants come from the citys record-breaking $212 million arts and culture budget for the 2020 fiscal year.

In Mexico City, workers of the Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (INBAL), the national organization responsible for Mexicos major museums, staged a protest against the long delays of theirwages.A group of around 40 employees quietly entered the Palace of Fine Arts during an event. They silently held up their placards as many in the audience cheered and yelled contrato digno a call for dignified contracts.

As the anti-corruption protests in Lebanon continue, authorities in Beirut removed a sculpture from a central square in the city after a viral photo showed that from a certain top-angle, the statue evokes the shape of the Star of David. The sculpture was removedfollowing claims that it had been placed at the square to propagate Zionism and normalization with Israel. The artist and gallery behind the sculpture denied the allegations.

In Bethlehem, in the Occupied West Bank, Jesuss city of birth, Christians celebrated the holiday behind walls and checkpoints. To underscore this grim reality, British street artistBanksy created a modified nativity set titled theScar of Bethlehem. The new artwork reinterprets the biblicalmanger scene as occurring against the backdrop of Israels concrete barrier, which appears punctured with a blast that created the shape of a star. This is one of many projects and artworks Banksy has created in the Occupied West Bank since 2005.

The German parliament voted that trade workers in 12 professions will once again need a Meisterpflicht, or master craftsperson certificate, to start a business. Tilers, organ builders, makers of wooden toys, coopers, signmakers, parquet flooring installers, interior designers, and glass refiners will have to obtain the certificate designation before they can branch out on their own.

Libertad Guerra, formerly thedirector and chief curator of the Loisaida Center, was named executive director ofthe Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center (The Clemente) in New York Citys Lower East Side. | via email announcement

Eric Shiner, who in the past served as director of the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and a senior vice president of Sothebys, will lead theBrooklyn-based venue Pioneer Works after a year-long stint as an artistic advisor at White Cube gallery in London. | artnet

Kristen Windmuller-Luna, who wasappointed as aconsulting curator for African Arts at the Brooklyn Museum in 2018, which sparked protests and criticism, will move on to theCleveland Museum of Art to serve as curator of African arts.| Cleveland.com

Abigail Rapoport was appointedCurator of Judaica at the Jewish Museum in New York. | via email announcement

Doug Harrell has been named deputy director for finance and administration at the New Orleans Museum of Art. | Artnews

Almine Rech now represents painter Ewa Juszkiewicz | Artnews

Artists Theaster Gates and Lynette Wallworth were named 2020 Crystal Award Winners by the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland. | World Economic Forum

May Stevens (1924-2019), artist and activist | NYT

Kate Figes (1957-2019), Feminist writer | NYT

Allee Willis (1947-2019), songwriter | NPR

Emanuel Ungaro (1933-2019), fashion designer | NYT

Elizabeth Spencer (1921-2019), novelist | NYT

Johanna Lindsey (1952-2019), best-selling romance novelist | NYT

Mama Cax (1989-2019), amputee model and disability activist | NYT

Abbey Simon (1920-2019), pianist | NYT

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Week in Review: Stephen Ross Leaves The Shed's Board; Banksy Modifies a Nativity Set - Hyperallergic