CHARLOTTE COUNTY, Fla. Stephen Dukes, one of the owners of HD Custom Homes, has been arrested after several complaints of the company taking money from customers and not finishing jobs.

Stephen Dukes was arrested by Sarasota County deputies.

Matthew Harden is also wanted for building jobs the pair never finished.

Customers said HD Custom Homes took thousands of dollars from them and never finished building their homes.

Harden and Dukes each face 12 counts of misappropriation of construction funds and 1 count of scheme to fraud.

Victims said they have never been repaid for the money that was taken. One victim said she paid $170,000 and her house was only 65 percent complete.

In September 2019, Harden and Dukes claimed they didnt steal money. When Dukes bonded out of jail, he said he is not guilty and some of the victims who claim Dukes duped him, actually owe him money.

Currently, Charlotte County investigators are searching for Harden with an active warrant.

Continued here:
One owner of HD Custom Homes arrested, the other on the run - NBC2 News

From Staff Reports

TRAVERSE CITY An email on Wednesday announced the winners of a virtual tour.

The Home Builders Association of the Grand Traverse Area named the winners of the 2020 Parade of Homes Virtual Tour. The homes were divided into three different categories by home price: Up to $600,000, $600,001-$1.35 million and more than $1.35 million.

According to a release, the public virtually toured the homes at http://www.hbagta.com and voted for their favorites. A panel of industry professionals judged the exterior, interior, kitchen, master suite and craftsmanship for a specific subset of winners as well as an overall winner.

Winners by category were:

Judges Awards: Master Suite CMB Construction Home #1; Interior Design CMB Construction Home #1; Exterior Design Clearwater Builders Home #8; Kitchen CMB Construction Home #1; Craftsmanship CMB Construction Home #1; Judges Overall Award CMB Construction Home #1.

Peoples Choice Award: CMB Construction Home #1

Judges Awards: Master Suite Bay Area Contracting Home #2; Interior Design Bay Area Contracting Home #2; Exterior Design Bay Area Contracting Home #2; Kitchen Moeller Builders Home #5; Craftsmanship Bay Area Contracting Home #2; Judges Overall Award Bay Area Contracting Home #2

Peoples Choice Award: Bay Area Contracting Home #2

Judges Awards: Master Suite Scott Norris Construction Home #3; Interior Design Scott Norris Construction Home #3; Exterior Design MAC Custom Homes Home #9; Kitchen Scott Norris Construction Home #3; Craftsmanship MAC Custom Homes Home #9; Judges Overall Award Scott Norris Construction Home #3

Peoples Choice Award: Scott Norris Construction Home #3

More information on the organization is available at http://www.hbagta.com.

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Parade of Homes winners announced | Business | record-eagle.com - Traverse City Record Eagle

Baltimore County | $825,000A 1937 Tudor house (with a big dash of French eclectic style), with four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, on a 0.27-acre lot

This stucco-and-stone-clad house is in Baltimore County, a few blocks north of the Baltimore city line, which puts it within easy distance of downtown workplaces and cultural activities (the National Aquarium, for instance, is 20 away minutes in light traffic), yet means it is subject to the countys lower tax rate.

It is in the Pinehurst neighborhood, where most houses date from the 1920s to the 1940s, the streets have leafy canopies and the median sale price is about $660,000. Hunt Valley, a business and shopping hub, is about 11 miles north. The sellers have owned the property for 27 years and have made a number of structural interventions. They dug out the basement to increase its height and built a detached garage with a copper roof that stylistically echoes the slate roof on the main house. They also raised the ceiling of a bedroom addition to give it more period character.

Size: 3,868 square feet

Price per square foot: $213

Indoors: The front door leads into a foyer with plaster walls and hardwood floors, which continue throughout the houses original portion. To the left is a living room with a wood-burning fireplace surrounded in brick and topped with a white-painted mantel. A screened porch with fieldstone flooring and a plank ceiling is off to the side.

Straight ahead of the front door is a formal dining room with a cutaway entrance that brings in additional light. The casement windows have been upgraded to double-pane, but retain a period style, and a swinging door leads into a hallway off the eat-in kitchen. The kitchen is wrapped in cherry-wood cabinets with Corian countertops and has a central island.

Beyond the dining room is a family room that is part of a two-story addition built by a previous owner; it has French doors opening to a rear deck and connects to the expanded kitchens breakfast area, with its cherry-colored wainscot. A half bathroom is next to the kitchen.

Upstairs, a door encloses a bedroom at the front of the house along with a hallway closet and bathroom, creating a master suite. A second, skylighted full bathroom and a walk-in closet are in the rear addition. There are four second-floor bedrooms in all.

The finished basement includes a family room or office with a paneled wainscot, ceramic-tile flooring, a niche for a desk, a full bathroom, a laundry room and a boiler room. A door opens to a short exterior staircase leading up to the driveway and the one-car garage.

Outdoor space: The family room walks out to a long stone patio with low stone-and-stucco walls. Beyond is a fenced yard with a basketball court. The garage has a pull-down attic and an adjacent storage area.

Taxes: $7,390 (based on a tax assessment of $618,867)

Contact: Ashley Richardson, Long & Foster Real Estate, 410-868-1474; longandfoster.com

This house is in Sandia Heights South, a neighborhood of custom homes dating mostly from the 1970s to the 1990s, and is designed in a rambling way to allow views of the Sandia Mountains and other natural landscape features to be appreciated from every window and from the 360-degree deck. It is 14 miles northeast of downtown Albuquerque and about three miles southwest of the Sandia Peak Tramway, which takes you up to the 10,378-foot crest.

Size: 3,940 square feet

Price per square foot: $211

Indoors: Irregular walls of adobe brick are interior features, joined by flooring of herringbone brick and pine, timber ceilings with hand-peeled vigas and adobe fireplaces built by local masons. The sunken living and dining room has all of these, plus a wet bar under a free-standing adobe arch and wrought-iron chandeliers. The fireplace wall is adorned with Native American petroglyphs, including one picturing Kokopelli, the fertility god.

The kitchen is through an archway, to the left of the main entry (another entrance is from the dining room). It has clerestory windows, a walk-in pantry, a built-in desk and china cabinet, and a kiva fireplace. Glass doors lead out to a patio with another fireplace.

Four bedrooms are on the main level and include a carpeted master with a fireplace, a picture window and access to a private courtyard with a hot tub. The master bathroom contains a tub sunk into a tiled pedestal, a curvaceous walk-in shower and vanities on opposite walls.

The upper level has multiple seating areas on the large landing, a bonus room and a bathroom trimmed in colorful stone tile, with a steam shower.

Outdoor space: Patios on the east and west sides of the house foster the enjoyment of sunrise and sunset. A deck wraps around the upper level and overlooks a private putting green. The garage can accommodate an RV or boat.

Taxes: $7,128

Contact: Wende Calvert, Coldwell Banker Legacy, 505-452-6934; coldwellbanker.com

Operated as Camp Blueberry Hill by the Girl Scouts from the 1950s to the 2000s, this property in Sullivan County in the Catskills fell into disrepair and was rehabilitated by Avishai M. Adiv, a Brooklyn-based developer who is also the real estate agent. It is zoned for residential or agricultural use, which suggests a possible future life as a family complex or bed-and-breakfast.

The camp is about six miles southeast of the hamlet of Livingston Manor, with its farm-to-table restaurants and sporting outfitters that assist those who wade into the local waters to fly-fish (the area is something of a capital for the sport).

A placard on one cabin pays tribute to Hattie Zalkin, a camp benefactor who persuaded the Girl Scouts of America to remove lard from their cookies and thus achieve kosher certification, Mr. Adiv said.

Size: 1,820 square feet (in the main house)

Price per square foot: $466

Indoors: The two-story main house, or lodge, was renovated from the studs out, and all of its systems were upgraded. The open room on the lower level has a 20-foot ceiling and a vintage wood-burning stove inherited from the Girl Scouts and installed under a metal-and-blown-glass chandelier. The wormy chestnut floorboards were salvaged from a group of old cabins in Ohio. (The buyer will be able to choose the finish.) The corner kitchen has stainless steel appliances, including a Viking stove, Fisher & Paykel refrigerator and Bosch dishwasher. The two first-floor bedrooms are served by a bathroom with a combined tub and shower and star-patterned floor tile. A similar bathroom with floral tile is part of a second-floor bedroom suite.

One of the four cabins was too damaged to restore and was replicated by a local woodworking company. All four received new metal roofs and wood decks and have electricity and Wi-Fi. The bathhouse includes three private bathrooms, a laundry room with stacking appliances, an exterior wash basin left by the Girl Scouts and an outdoor shower.

Outdoor space: A stone chimney with a fireplace stands next to an open pavilion structure. There is also a firepit. Mr. Adivs business partner, Joshua Roth, said a million pounds of red shale were used to repair the quarter-mile driveway that extends from the entrance (where a bridge crosses a trout stream) to the camp buildings.

Taxes: $8,000 (estimated)

Contact: Avishai M. Adiv, Brick Real Estate, 347-645-1333; brickbrooklyn.com

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$850,000 Homes in Maryland, New Mexico and New York - The New York Times

Ontario, Canada, Sept. 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Ontario Home Builders' Association (OHBA) is pleased to announce the 2020 Awards of Distinction (AoD) finalists. Judged by a panel of industry professionals from across Canada, entries were submitted into 42 categories showcasing excellence in building, design, professional renovation, and sales and marketing across Ontario. The complete list of finalists is available online at ohbaaod.ca.

Winners of the OHBA 2020 AoD will be announced November 10th via Live Broadcast with comedian and TV personality James Cunningham serving as host. This years Awards of Distinction co-presented by Federated Insurance and Rogers, will be conducted virtually in an interactive portal and includes everything from networking, live streams, tradeshow booths, games, and much more. Registration to the awards is free to all and we look forward to celebrating and showing off Ontarios best of the best when it comes to residential construction, design and marketing.

Live on November 10th, the public can vote online for their favourite project in the 2020 People's Choice Award on our interactive event portal. People's Choice Award contenders are the top finalists in Project of the Year Low-Rise, and Project of the Year High or Mid-Rise awards categories:

Acorn Developments, Lookout on the Knoll, Richmond Hill

Branthaven Homes, Upper West Side Condos, Oakville

Collecdev, Nrdic Condos, Toronto

Geranium, Allegro, Aurora

Metropia, Minto Communities, Union-Village, Markham

Minto Communities, 123 Portland, Toronto

Winners of the Ontario Builder of the Year and Ontario Renovator of the Year will be announced live on November 10th.

Thankyoutooursponsors,forwithoutthem,thiseventwouldnotbepossible.JoinEnbridgeandHostJamesCunninghamforthe AoD red carpet event, followed by the Live AoD ceremony co-presented by Federated andRogers.

"The OHBA Awards of Distinction celebrates innovation and excellence in homebuilding, professional renovation, and sales and marketing in communities across the province," said OHBA President Bob Schickedanz who added, "The quality of entries this year was stellar considering the unique times we are facing, and I congratulate all of the 2020 AoD finalists."

About OHBA:As #homebeliever champions, the Ontario Home Builders Association (OHBA) believes in the great Canadian dream of homeownership by supporting more housing choice and supply across Ontario. OHBA is the voice of the residential construction industry in Ontario, representing 4,000 member companies organized into 27 local associations across the province.www.ohba.ca

The 2020 finalists are (in alphabetical order):

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Production Built Home (One Storey)

Geranium for Courts of Canterbury "The Cavendish" -Port Perry

(credit to: Builder Insight Group Inc., Colours & Concepts Inc., RN Design Ltd.)

Marz Homes for South Coast Village "The Oceanridge" -Crystal Beach

Mountainview Building Group for Saffron Estates "Monroe" -Fonthill

Production Built Home (Two Storeys up to 2500 SF)

Activa Holdings Inc. for The Sandridge - A Minimalist Home for Maximum Style -Kitchener

Marz Homes for South Coast Village "Cape May" -Crystal Beach

Metropia, Minto Communities for Union Village "Aspen Corner - Elevation F" -Markham

(credit to: Montana Steele Advertising, Nak Design Strategies Inc., RN Design Ltd.)

Production Built Home (Two - Three Storeys 2501 SF and over)

Geranium for Allegro "The Forte" -Aurora

(credit to: Builder Insight Group Inc., Hunt Design Associates, The Patton Design Studio)

Geranium for Edgewood "The Elmwood" -Pickering

(credit to: Builder Insight Group Inc., Colours & Concepts Inc., RN Design Ltd.)

Minto Communities for Potter's Key "The Hampton" -Stittsville

(credit to: Tanya Collins Design Inc.)

Attached Multi-Unit Home

Rinaldi Homes (Niagara) Inc. for Unit 1 @ Drapers Creek "Type A" -Welland

Silvergate Homes Ltd. for Legends on the Green "Hazelton 57" -Chippawa

(creditto:AristocratFloorsoftheWorld,ArtcraftKitchens)

TheIronstoneBuildingCompanyforPure"Azul"-London

Custom Home (Up to 3000 SF)

Kawartha Lakes Construction for View Point - Stoney Lake Island Cottage Build -North Kawartha

OakWood for Let the Light in -Ottawa

Oke Woodsmith Building Systems Inc. for Deerfield Estate -Grand Bend

Custom Home (3001-5000 SF)

Built By Bespoke Inc. for The Mayfair Maison -Burlington

David Small Designs, Profile Custom Homes for The Last House -Mississauga

Trademark Homes for Country Gem -Oshawa

Mid-Rise Building (4 - 10 Storeys)

Alterra Group of Companies for 321 Davenport -Toronto

Port Dalhousie Harbour Club Ltd., Valour Group for The Harbour Club -Port Dalhousie

Rosehaven Homes for The Randall Residences -Oakville

(credit to: Ferris Rafauli - Architectural Design Build Group, Richard Wengle Architect Inc.)

High-Rise Building (11+ Storeys)

Branthaven Homes for Upper West Side Condos -Oakville

(credit to: II By IV Design, Kirkor Architects & Planners)

Minto Communities for 123 Portland -Toronto

(credit to: Blackjet Inc., Nak Design Strategies Inc., Sweeny&Co Architects, U31)

Tridel for Tridel at The Well -Toronto

(credit to: II By IV Design, The Brand Factory, The MBTW Group / W Architect Inc., Wallman Architects)

High or Mid-Rise Condo Suite (4+ Storeys up to 800 SF)

Branthaven Homes for Upper West Side Condos -Oakville

Collecdev for Nrdic Condos -Toronto

(credit to: ADhoc Studio, gh3*, Milborne Group, Montana Steele Advertising)

Minto Communities for 123 Portland -Toronto

(credit to: Nak Design Strategies Inc., Sweeny&Co Architects, U31)

High or Mid-Rise Condo Suite (4+ Storeys 801 SF and over)

Georgian International for Mountain House at Windfall -Town of Blue Mountains

Minto Communities for 123 Portland -Toronto

(credit to: Nak Design Strategies Inc., Sweeney&Co Architects, U31)

Port Dalhousie Harbour Club Ltd., Valour Group for The Harbour Club -Port Dalhousie

Lobby Entrance

Branthaven Homes for Upper West Side Condos -Oakville

Collecdev for Nrdic Condos -Toronto

(credit to: esQape Design, gh3*, Montana Steele Advertising)

Rosehaven Homes for The Randall Residences -Oakville

(credit to: Ferris Rafauli - Architectural Design Build Group)

RENOVATION (HOME OR CONDO)

Home Renovation (Actual Retail Value up to $250,000)

OakWood for Heritage Refresh -Ottawa

OakWood for Modern Luxury -Ottawa

Worton Homes for Clean Slate -Guelph

(credit to: Barber Glass, Ceramic Decor Centre, Core Electric, Patene Building Supplies)

Home Renovation (Actual Retail Value between: $250,001 - $500,000)

Concord Homes for Hilltop Haven -Amherstview

Keystone Ridge Developments Ltd. for Condo in the Sky -Toronto

Trademark Homes for Modern Farmhouse Oasis -Bowmanville

Home Renovation (Actual Retail Value over $500,001)

Kawartha Lakes Construction for Stoney Lake Cottage Remodel -Douro-Dummer

RND Construction Ltd. for 2020 Art Deco -Ottawa

(credit to: Christopher Simmonds Architect Inc.)

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OHBA ANNOUNCES THE 2020 AWARDS OF DISTINCTION FINALISTS - GlobeNewswire

Kevin O'Toole

Sep. 29, 2020Updated: Sep. 29, 2020 5:40p.m.

The weather is getting colder. The days are getting shorter. Are you ready to snuggle up by the fireplace in a new home?

There's nothing like getting cozy by your very own fireplace on a cold fall or winter day, reading, drinking coffee or simply spending time with your loved ones. Make that dream a reality with these five Capital Region homes for sale, each featuring at least one, and in some cases more than one, fireplace.

The selections below include:

For $274,500: A four-bedroom split-level home in Niskayuna featuring THREE gas fireplaces.

For $334,000: A charming and warm colonial in Colonie featuring beautiful views from the front porch and from the custom patio in the backyard.

For $349,000:A beautiful early home in the historic hamlet of Eagleville, near Salem, with direct access to the Battenkill River and featuring two working fireplaces.

For $429,000:A custom California mid-century contemporary in Albany, truly an architectural piece of art.

For $575,000:A chic and inviting dutch modern tucked away on Old Queechy Road in Canaan.

Visit theTimes Union real estate sectionto see more houses for sale in the Capital Region.

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Get cozy: Capital Region homes for sale with warm and inviting fireplaces - Albany Times Union

Wrought iron is a material known for its usage in the construction of most infrastructures during the 19th century but its demand decreased by the 20th century as people discovered steel. Having a custom made metal railing gave an impression of wealth and power as these required intricate processes and carefully done by blacksmiths.

Even if it is not widely used today, people still consider custom metal railings for stairs, fences, and gates. Yet people still confuse other metals for wrought iron just because it was melted and bent to form various figures. Cast iron is often mistaken for wrought iron because of its procedures that include heating. The difference between cast and wrought iron is that the former is metal that is heated and placed in a mold to cool while the latter undergoes the same process, however, is immediately taken out to be hammered into different forms. Moreover, their properties differ much. For instance, cast iron has high brittleness and is not malleable. This meant that bending or stretching it to the desired shape is difficult whereas, with wrought iron, this is done without much effort because of its ductility.

Listed below are the benefits that you can gain when you consider personalizing one for your home.

Wrought iron isnt limited to large houses. Even with traditional one-story homes, wrought iron is a perfect ornament that will certainly give off an exquisite ambiance. It can serve as protective covers for windows as well as provide enhancement to your gates and fences. If you have a mini garden that would require some sort of guard, wrought iron fences are the right decision. Aside from functioning as barriers from unnecessary elements, it helps maintain the care your plants would need.

If you are not much on the complicated designs of ironwork, you can opt for the simple vertical placement of the metal for the embellishment of your stairs. Its simplistic and professional touch contributes to the minimalistic appeal of your area. In addition, wrought iron railings can match the neutral tones and components of the modernized take to your home without overpowering other elements.

You are given the freedom to mix and match materials. Wanting to go for an elemental vibe? Incorporating wood with metal is a perfect strategy to kickstart the earthy mood for your home. You can also manage to work out a rustic-themed environment when you merge large logs from old trees to your metal works. Dont refrain from testing combinations of materials and just be sure that it supports metal.

True to its earliest usage during the Victorian era, wrought iron is highly demanded because of the elegant and sophisticated feel it offers once customized into the interiors of most mansions and castles. Today, these styles are followed to achieve the formal and glamorous atmosphere without having to visit old castles and royal mansions.

Stair railings arent the only places in your house where wrought iron can be applied. Boost the appearance of your porches, balconies, and terraces by integrating it with wrought iron. Choose the appropriate design for your ironwork to best complement the aura your visitors want to experience once they plan to hang out and spend time in your area.

Wrought iron is vulnerable to corrosion and other hazards if their surfaces are exposed bare especially when there is a presence of direct sunlight or oxygen. This may become a problem since it is not similar to other metal types that produce protective coatings. Wrought iron forms rust and starts to flake.

To resolve this, placing protective coatings would effectively cover the surface and avoid elements that would attempt to ruin it. There are different types of coatings that can be used and are very essential when you decide to have custom made iron railings. Paint is the most common coating type wherein several paint types have been created to retain the metals hardness and other properties. Additionally, it keeps surfaces neat because it prevents small debris or elements to scatter all over your space.

The other type of coating is powder wherein it is made from a mixture of finely ground particles of pigment and resin. This is applied to the metal through an electrostatic spray so that it is evenly spread on the surfaces. The particles from the spray are charged and are combined to the electrically-grounded area for heating. The heated particles are merged into a smooth coating inside a curing oven. The output is a durable, neat, and excellent finish. Nowadays, many industries adopt powder coating as their main finishing application for their metal works as these are durable, environmental-friendly, affordable, have lesser health hazards, and much neater when used.

Regardless of what type of coating you prefer, it is vital that you take care of your ironworks. Proper care is required for your metal even if they dont need extra monitoring. If there are minimal rusted spots, use a chisel or sandpaper to get rid of it. It is not advisable to immediately apply any coating over rusted areas. You have to make sure the area is clean and check if the coating is appropriate for the type of before putting anything.

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5 Benefits of Wrought Iron at Home - Big Easy Magazine

First Carbon Neutral Safe SuperStructure & 5D BIM Software Redefines Building Standards.

Wildfires, hurricanes and tornadoes continue to devastate entire communities, leaving multitudes of homeowners and businesses at complete loss of pride possessions and valuable documents. While we cannot control mother natures fury, we can make a change in the faulty and inefficient building materials that only continue to be burned, flooded and wind-swept time and time again. This wasteful cycle signals an immediate need for change with a Safe SuperStructurethat offer the technology and software for ultimate durability, sustainability, safety, and peace-of-mind for the future.

Studio RMA CEO Robert Mechielsenhas raised the industry standard with his development of the First US Carbon Neutral Safe SuperStructurefor construction and architectural industries, corporations, and residential and commercial properties. Defying the odds of natural disaster with impressive aesthetic appeal, these Patent-Pending Inventions that are unique and exclusive to Safe SuperStructure will last for generations, leaving a legacy for families, future thinkers and celebrities building the city of the future, today:

* 100% Allergy Free * 3-Hour Burn Rating * Made from Non-Toxic Recyclable Materials * No Mold/Mildew * Low Maintenance * No Termites * Bullet-Resistant * Cost-Efficient * Supreme Insulation with R50 Rating Signifcant Energy & Cost Savings

Robert Mechielsenbrings his masterful ingenuity to life by applying his European influence, originating in Holland, to modern aesthetics that are as powerful in design as they are resistant to the impact of climate conditions. Hands-on and with precise vision for the end-result, he seamlessly works alongside local architects and contractors on each project toward the impressive development of Smart Safe SuperStructure for Urban communities. In fact, he is also well-known for some of the private homes of Hollywoods elite families and stars of James Bond films!

Safety & Security Safe SuperStructure can be hooked into utilities or totally off the grid, making its own or both If the concrete cracks, scientific formula makes it self-repair Hurricane- and wind-resistant to at least 200 mph rating with glass of the same ratings Known to withstand 6.25 Earthquake without any damage, not even a crack Withstood Category 4 Hurricane with 140 mph winds, with only $1500 in cosmetic damage while the city endured complete devastation

Superior Design & Construction First carbon neutral home and buildings in US, meaning Zero energy building design Rating to build up to 7 Stories Large, open-span windows High-end European style from magnificent homes and resorts to Habitat for Humanity Commercial mixed use buildings, hotels and building/rebuilding wineries to include Napa Valley Monolithic entails the roof being equally strong, as part of the Safe SuperStructure Design can accommodate 14' high ceilings 26,000 gallon rain catcher that is purified with a stage on top Concert Hall with superior acoustics Cantilever Deck As strong as 8 of cement

Ultimate Disrupter in the Construction Industry Robert Mechielseningenuity is comprehensive from construction to technology and software! Vertikaal user-friendly 5D BIM Software takes Smart Urban Development to the next level for green building systems, making it easy to design and build multi-stories, commercial buildings and custom homes, effectively disrupting the construction industry The Future Is Now! Reduction of carbon footprint Cuts construction cost up to 38% Time savings for those involved in building blueprints ready for permitting from 2 months to 1 hour Auto-generation of a new site in seconds Final design can be visualized in 3D The software uses both heuristic based AI and physics based AI

Learn more by visiting http://www.StudioRMA.com

Press Links Robert Mechielsen is the Founder with 30 yrs Design & Construction experience CO2 Neutral and Green Design with Studio RMA Software - BIM - Engineering

NY Times Feature Total devastation except 1 house after Mexico Beach Florida Hurricane Michael The Mexico Beach Florida house with no real style same building system, had only $1500 worth of cosmetic damage from Hurricane Michael: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/14/us/hurricane-michael-florida-mexico-beach-house.html

Habitat Magazine Feature Magnificent 2 family home and event center with spa. Designed to include essentials for birth to hospice for generations, like European countries. For this SuperStructure, he also designed 3 acres of native tropical plants:

Studio RMA’s Hi’ilani EcoHouse is America’s First Carbon-Neutral Concrete Structure, and it’s Volcano-Adjacent!

Projects Underway Robert Mechielsen is building a 4000 bottle wine cave along with a $35 million winery in Napa covering 3 acres. There are 30 wineries burned down on the street where he is building a 3 acre, $35 million winery that sits on 40 acres. Vertikaal Website: http://govertikaal.com

Media ContactCompany Name: ICTContact Person: Holly DavidsonEmail: Send EmailPhone: 760 809 9390City: Los AngelesCountry: United StatesWebsite: http://www.iconnectyou.today

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Disrupting the Industry with Homes of the Future - Press Release - Digital Journal

Georgia and New Hampshire Ave, NW

From a press release:

The first-ever modular apartment building in Washington, DC is taking shape just steps from the Georgia Avenue-Petworth Metro Station. In just eight days, 44 custom designed modular boxes shipped from Pennsylvania have been lifted into place by crane to create 16 of Modos 17 three-bedroom apartments.

Modo is designed to appeal to the young twenty-somethings of Generation Z.

The Gen Z market is very environmentally conscious and communal; they generally prefer having roommates to living alone, said Grant Epstein, President of Community Three. They are just starting out on their careers and need quality housing at a reasonable cost, but also value great design and useable outdoor space. Modos purposeful configuration responds to this need by mitigating the high cost of living in a sought-after A neighborhood in DC. Modos site at 3701 New Hampshire Avenue is well-known locally as the former home of Sweet Mango restaurant.

The development team was first intrigued by the idea of modular construction several years ago. We were looking for more efficient and environmentally-friendly alternatives to typical construction types, Epstein went on. Modular construction can reduce construction time by almost one-third, while generating far less onsite construction waste. Construction components typically exposed to the elements such as windows and wood framing are built with higher quality because they are assembled indoors. As a result, these modular units offer superior insulation, weather barriers, sound attenuation, and indoor finishes compared with those constructed traditionally.

Community Three is partnering with Washington, DC-based Rooney Properties on the project. The team worked with the Modular Mobilization Coalition to select Philadelphia-based VBC Construction as modular contractor. VBC in turn partnered with Scranton, PA-based Simplex Homes as the modular fabricator. The manufacturing team worked closely with DC-based project architect Eric Colbert & Associates to ensure seamless integration of market focus and construction methodology.

Modos modules arrived onsite 80 percent finished. Each three-bedroom Modo apartment features built-in custom closets, shelving, and desks to facilitate remote working. The spacious living room has a pre-installed jumbo flat-screen TV.

The design is both trendy and environmentally conscious, noted Dave Yampolsky, Community Threes Senior Vice President, including high-efficiency appliances and HVAC for lower utility costs, LED lighting, reclaimed wood flooring, and eco-friendly subway tile. An automated entry system will allow tenants to use a smartphone app to access both the building and their apartments.

Northpoint Construction, Community Threes onsite construction team, started building Modos concrete-and-steel podium in April. The podium supports the modular apartment units above it. The ground floor indoor space will house the buildings lobby and a 3,000 SF street-level retail space that can provide over 100 outdoor caf seats. The lobby will be furnished with a seating area for relaxing, meeting, or remote working.

With the four levels of apartment modules now in place, construction has begun on the buildings green roof deck with seating and grilling areas. A single penthouse apartment with a private outdoor terrace also is being built on the roof level.

The decision to use modular construction was not undertaken lightly, Epstein explained. It took more than a year of analysis requiring acute attention and extensive understanding of new processes. Working closely with the District of Columbia government to coordinate an inspections process for this type of construction was paramount.

Urban Pace will begin pre-leasing the apartments in March, 2021. Project financing has been provided by EagleBank.

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More Info on "The first-ever modular apartment building in Washington, DC" coming to the former Sweet Mango spot in Petworth - PoPville

By Prashant Gopal| Bloomberg News

The U.S. housing market, which has been a bright spot in the pandemic-battered economy, is running out of fuel.

With buyers eager to take advantage of low mortgage rates, the inventory of homes to buy is scarce. That's driving up prices and threatening to derail the boom by pushing homeownership out of reach for many Americans. For homebuilders, the huge demand for housing is an opportunity to crank up construction and solve the inventory crisis. Instead, some are deliberately slowing things down as they grapple with supply shortages, surging lumber costs and intense competition for labor and land.

"It's smart business," said Gene Myers, chief executive officer of Thrive Home Builders in Denver. "But that means continued shortages and higher prices."

After the Covid-19 lockdowns in March brought sky-high unemployment, most builders expected a crash. What they got was a brief pause followed by a crush of buyers armed with the lowest interest rates on record and a burning desire for more space in the suburbs.

Inventory Shortage

There was pent-up demand for housing when the pandemic hit, after a decade when builders mostly focused on the higher-end of the market, constructing fewer, more expensive homes. Recently, they'd shifted focus to cheaper properties for the massive millennial generation now aging into homeownership. But with higher costs eating into profit margins, builders may once again chase the wealthy who want bigger homes with backyards and home offices. That comes as the inventory shortage has gotten even more acute. The supply of existing homes, shrinking for years, is at an all-time low.

At August's sales pace, it would take a little more than three months to run out of new homes for sale, the lowest level on record, according to government data dating back to 1963. That's down from almost six months in February. New home construction this year will hold steady at just under 900,000, about the same pace as in 2019, according to a projection by the National Association of Home Builders. For 2021, the industry group forecasts that starts will increase slightly but will be held back by the cost and availability of building materials.

Lumber Spike

The trouble for builders is that vacant land takes about two years to be developed, a process slowed by local government regulations. Meanwhile, lumber prices are expected to add $16,000 to the cost of a typical house, according to the NAHB. They've risen because producers idled saw mills in the U.S. and Canada in March and still face timber shortages resulting from a beetle infestation and wildfires, said Joshua Zaret, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence. Homebuilders aren't the only ones bidding up the price of wood. Quarantined families have been especially busy remodeling during the pandemic.

This summer's hurricanes and wildfires will also add to demand once the insurance checks start coming in.

Slowing Sales

Builders can keep raising prices to stay ahead of costs, to a point, said John Burns, an Irvine-based real estate consultant. But some are raising them by as much as 2% a month, he said.

"If that went on for two or three years, we'd be very concerned about affordability," Burns said. "Every time prices go up, it's great for homeowners and bad for the renter who aspires to be a homeowner."

Stocks of homebuilders have climbed in recent months as orders for new homes surge. The looming issue is that the demand for housing is outstripping supply at a time when construction has gotten more expensive. Lennar Corp., the biggest builder by revenue, said it's intentionally limiting sales to homes already under construction to avoid buying lumber at today's high prices. The company says it's trying to be patient, betting it can continue to hike prices to help offset the higher costs.

"Sales could have been stronger with a singular focus on volume," Stuart Miller, the company's chairman, said on an Sept. 15 earnings call. "It is challenging at best to materially ramp production in this labor-constrained market, and it's even more challenging to replace entitled land."

Wood Shortage

Alan Gerbus, a second-generation Cincinnati custom builder, is already in the hole on a house before he's even started. He submitted a contract to his buyer in late June for an $800,000 house but his costs just for wood products jumped $25,000 by the time it was signed 40 days later.

"The lumber supplier said he can't honor that price," Gerbus said. "I'm praying for the lumber prices to start falling by the time I'm ready for delivery."

Even if builders wanted to plow ahead, it's hard to get wood these days. Robert Pool, co-owner of Main Street Lumber, a family business in Denison, Texas that sells products to builders, said he had to turn down some new customers early in the lumber supply crisis because he wanted to be sure he'd have wood for his existing customers. His price for oriented strand board, widely used for roofs and siding, more than doubled to $24 a sheet in March, he said.

"It hurts when you have to tell somebody no," he said.

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Housing boom in U.S. threatened by shortage of available homes - Gainesville Sun

New commercial

OFFICE BUILDING: 117 E. Broussard Road, Lafayette; Asim Baloch, owner; Weiser Realty, applicant; Keith Bates Construction LLC, contractor; $241,000.

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APARTMENTS: 3600 E. Simcoe St., Lafayette; Riverside at Oakridge Apartments, owner; description, reroof; Abshire Roofing, applicant and contractor; $166,901.

GENERAL RETAIL: 600 Lamar St., Lafayette; Doralene Mary Heber Derenthal, owner; William Yeats, applicant; $0.

HOSPITAL: 4811 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, 401 Lafayette; Park Place Surgical Hospital, owner and applicant; description, neurology suite alteration; Carolyn Stansbury Interiors, contractor; $8,500.

HOSPITAL: 4811 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, 401A, Lafayette; Park Place Surgical Hospital, owner; description, pulmonary suite alteration, fourth floor; Pulmonary LPG Specialty Clinic, applicant; Carolyn Stansbury Interiors, contractor; $31,180.

STORAGE BUILDING: 2300 E. Main St., Broussard; Mike's Marine and ATV, $34,766

New houses

2725 Gendarme Road, Carencro; Manuel Builders; $193,500.

206 Gable Crest Drive, Lafayette; Manuel Builders; $229,500.

310 Stanwell Ave., Lafayette Parish; DSLD LLC; $171,000.

328 Woodrich Lane, Lafayette; Savoski Scott; $274,500.

117 Millie Park Drive, Lafayette; South Louisiana Custom Homes LLC; $193,500.

115 Millie Park Drive, Lafayette; South Louisiana Custom Homes LLC; $193,500.

113 Millie Park Drive, Lafayette; South Louisiana Custom Homes LLC; $193,500.

112 Millie Park Drive, Lafayette; South Louisiana Custom Homes LLC; $193,500.

113 Wild Cherry Lane, Lafayette; DSLD LLC; $319,500.

115 Wild Cherry Lane, Lafayette; DSLD LLC; $216,000.

125 Sparrowhawk St., Broussard; DSLD LLC; $220,500.

128 Sparrowhawk St., Broussard; DSLD LLC; $220,500.

409 Atmos Energy Drive, Lafayette; DSLD LLC; $225,000.

413 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $225,000.

411 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $207,000.

409 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $243,000.

403 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $216,000.

402 Begnaud Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $247,500.

421 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $171,000.

419 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $225,000.

415 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $306,000.

416 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $216,000.

418 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $225,000.

420 Starlight Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $270,000.

109 Woodhollow Drive, Lafayette; Shivers Brothers Construction; $256,500.

201 Woodhollow Drive, Lafayette; Shivers Brothers Construction; $283,500.

401 Norman Drive, Lafayette; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $198,000.

101 New Trails Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $301,500.

109 New Trails Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $310,500.

229 Hapsburg Lane, Lafayette; Manuel Builders; $189,000.

105 New Trails Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $270,000.

107 New Trails Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $270,000.

201 New Trails Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $342,000.

119 Deer Lake Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $252,000.

117 Deer Lake Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $270,000.

115 Deer Lake Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $211,500.

113 Deer Lake Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $279,000.

111 Deer Lake Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $234,000.

107 Deer Lake Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $310,500.

105 Deer Lake Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $342,000.

103 Deer Lake Lane, Youngsville; D R Horton Inc. Gulf Coast; $301,500.

902 North Larrivere, Broussard; AM Design Inc.; $246,450.

302 Habitat Ridge, Broussard; Acadiana Dream Homes LLC; $258,162.

625 Easy Rock Landing, Broussard; Hart Homes LLC; $227,479.

104 Snapping Lane, Broussard; E.J. Rock Construction; $316,145.

The Lafayette Police and Fire departments are conducting random checks of area businesses for compliance with coronavirus safety guidelines.

Blue Dog Caf has closed its doors after 20 years of serving Cajun plates in a restaurant that showcased the artwork of George Rodrigue.

Kara Castille is co-owner of Thee Heavenly Donut, which as two locations in Baton Rouge and will soon open a location in Henderson near the Ca

Fenstermaker has promoted Hannah Link to human resource manager.

Judge Jules Edwards, who has served in the 15th Judicial District Court for 27 years and is a candidate for Lafayette City Court judge in Nove

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Who's building where in Acadiana? Here are the building permits issued June 22-26 - The Advocate