By Mark Jenkins February 25 at 9:55 AM

Blanketed under a few inches of snow, the new rain garden at Tifereth Israel doesnt look like much. Thats partially because the garden borders the side and rear of the Shepherd Park synagogue, not its 16th Street frontage. But its also because the water-loving new plantings havent started to bloom.

Unfortunately, it got put in at the very end of the season. It will be fun to see it burst forth in flower this spring, said Ethan Seidel, the congregations rabbi.

The garden, designed to absorb and filter water that would otherwise go directly to the citys sewer system, is a project of the synagogues environmental committee. Carla Ellern, one of the committees members, said the group has been trying to do a rain garden for a very long time.

Ellern is a landscape architect who works for Montgomery Countys RainScapes program, which has the same basic goals as the Districts RiverSmart initiatives. The program offers incentives to communities, congregations and businesses to take steps to reduce stormwater pollution.

Ellern took courses at the Anacostia Watershed Societys Watershed Stewards Academy, and that connected the dots for me about where I should be putting my energies, she said. It just seemed like a no-brainer that we should be doing something here at the synagogue.

It fits within the ethos of our congregation, which is very much focused on environmental issues, Seidel said.

The project began with a $1,000 grant from Hazon, a nonprofit Jewish organization that supports sustainable communities. The next stop was the D.C. Department of the Environment, which provided a $65,000 grant.

I think were the first synagogue or religious organization, period to do it, Ellern said. The city wanted to do it, but we were kind of the guinea pig.

The three varieties of permeable paving used in the project were more expensive than the committee expected, and working with existing buildings is more complicated than installing rain-capture features in new construction. Ultimately, the synagogue went back to the city for an additional $17,000.

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D.C.s Tifereth Israel waits for new rain garden to bloom

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Dell Hatch has joined Bernardo|Wills Architects as a landscape architect and design coordinator. Hatch was previously with the firm from 2009 to 2013. He has 32 years of experience in landscape architecture, including experience in master planning and design of municipal and state parks, recreational complexes, outdoor sports and athletic facilities, higher-education campuses, K-12 schools, and urban-revitalization streetscapes. He is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and is licensed in Washington, Idaho, Arizona andNevada.

Avista Corp. has named Kevin Christie as

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Dell Hatch has joined Bernardo|Wills Architects as a landscape architect and design coordinator. Hatch was previously with the firm from 2009 to 2013. He has 32 years of experience in landscape architecture, including experience in master planning and design of municipal and state parks, recreational complexes, outdoor sports and athletic facilities, higher-education campuses, K-12 schools, and urban-revitalization streetscapes. He is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects and is licensed in Washington, Idaho, Arizona andNevada.

Avista Corp. has named Kevin Christie as vice president for customer solutions. Christie was previously the senior director of customer solutions and has been with Avista for 10 years. He completed the utility executive cfourse at the University of Idaho and the finance for senior executives program at Harvard BusinessSchool.

River Linguistics has opened at 811 W. Second Ave., Suite 208.This business provides translation, transcription and telephonic interpreting services for businesses and individuals. For more information, call (707) 474-8374 or visit riverlinguistics.com.

Kevin Cook, with Champion Concrete Pumping & Conveying Inc., has been named a recipient of the national 2014 Safe Operator of the Year Award from the American Concrete Pumping Association in recognition of his outstanding work as a concrete pump operator. He received the award at associations World of Concrete 2015 convention in Las Vegas earlier this month. Cook has been with Champion since 1994 and has been certified by the association for 19years.

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Business beat - Sun, 22 Feb 2015 PST

By KATHY STEVENS

kstevens@njherald.com

Nineteen years ago, a greenhouse was built at the Sussex County Fairgrounds, which planted the seed of holding a spring flower and garden show.

David Wright, of David Wright Landscape Architect LLC, in Branchville; Brian Hautau, of Hautau Landscaping Inc., also of Branchville; and Tony Cerbo, of Cerbo's Nursery, in Hampton, put together the show that was held in the newly constructed greenhouse building during a snowy March weekend.

The greenhouse still had a dirt floor. We hadn't poured the concrete floor yet. And it snowed quite a bit, Wright said. He recalls the show did draw a few visitors.

Wright, director of the Springfest Garden Show for 19 years, said Springfest has grown from its initial one greenhouse building to include the greenhouse, adjoining Conservatory, Farm Fun Building and several tents. The show now spans four days and is a breath of spring for the winter weary. Over the years, in addition to an increased number of flower and garden exhibits, the show has added educational lectures, a cafe and multiple vendors, and is attended by thousands of people.

The show opens at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 12, and is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through March 15 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds on Plains Road in Augusta. Admission is $12 for adults; $9 for seniors 65 and older and free for children under 12 years old.

On Senior day, March 12, admission for those 65 and older is $8. The show is rain, shine or snow, as it is all under cover and indoors.

The area's landscape companies, including Wright's, have been busy all winter designing their displays for the show, forcing flowers from winter dormancy, and building the gardens that will inspire visitors with the latest outdoor-living trends or perhaps a new planting to enhance curb appeal.

For anyone considering an outdoor project, visiting the garden show is a way to meet with representatives of landscape companies, chat with the owners and peruse their portfolios. Landscape architects, such as Wright, can advise how to draw a plan for your garden.

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It might as well be Springfest

Eau Claire (WQOW)- The turf takes a pounding every year, but change is on the horizon for Carson Park's field.

The Eau Claire City Council will vote Tuesday night whether to hire a landscape architect to study replacing the artificial turf at Carson Park. The turf was originally installed in 2004 at a cost of almost $850,000, and it is beginning to show signs of wear and tear.

The city council recognized it needs to be replaced in the future, but it said the investment in Carson Park has paid off and the artificial turf has been a success.

"We've been able to play something like 160 games a year on the turf," Eau Claire Parks and Recreation Director Phil Fieber said. "Where as in the past when Carson Park had the natural turf we could play maybe twenty, so the artificial turf has been a good move for a community that has a shared facility."

The project is estimated to cost anywhere between $400,000 and $500,000. The city is budgeting about $100,000 and Eau Claire School District along with private donations would fund the remaining costs.

Continued here:
Turf likely replaced at Carson Park

WARREN - New York students are back in town, this time joined by Kent State University landscape architect students to work on the Robins Project.

Students sat down with the Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership on Saturday to present ideas to community members about renovating the city, particularly vacant lots in the designated Garden District in downtown Warren.

"Our philosophy is that everything we touch will be resident-driven," Matt Martin, executive director of The Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, said. "Applications from residents will only be approved and successful if residents keep up with the project."

Kent State University's involvement branched from The Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership visiting the campus and finding that landscape architecture students were interested in urban issues such as foreclosed and vacant spaces, Interim Director of Landscape Architecture Charles Frederick said.

"When they showed us a couple neighborhoods that they wanted to work on, I got really excited to start," Frederick said.

Returning are students from the New School in New York, who first visited the long-closed and vacant Robins Theater in downtown Warren a year ago. The students worked on the building and pitched plans that ranged from renovating the theater into a multipurpose building encasing a restaurant, brewery, recording studios, an event hall, or woodshop, among other ideas.

The thought was to make Warren a "cultural hub."

The New School took an interest in the city as a whole rather than just the renovation of The Robins Theater. They call this project the "Integral City."

"Integral means to make it more complete and that's the heart of your city - to make the center stronger makes the community stronger," the Robins Project organizer Melissa Holmes said. "As soon as the theater (space) opens up, downtown will really benefit from having the large entertainment venue."

Elliot Killen, a landscape architecture graduate student at Kent State and Warren native, also sees the benefits of a revitalized downtown area.

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Students join in renovating city

Tait Moring hillside garden of artistic levels |Central Texas Gardener
Landscape Architect Tait Moring is into recycling. From native stones to ashe juniper branches, he frames his rocky hilltop home with respect for the earth. ...

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Tait Moring hillside garden of artistic levels |Central Texas Gardener - Video

Jens Jensen: The Living Green - Trailer
http://www.thevideoproject.com/jensjensen.html Jens Jensen: The Living Green profiles the unsung pioneer landscape architect who became one of the nation #39;s most influential urban designers...

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Jens Jensen: The Living Green - Trailer - Video

First published in News Last updated by Matt Oliver, Reporter covering North Oxford, Jericho and Summertown. Call me on 01865 425498

A FLYING balcony bridge connecting the planned boatyard in Jericho with Rewley Road has been suggested by an Oxford business owner.

Landscape architect John Keyes said the design would remove the need for a swing bridge that is part of plans to redevelop the Castle Mill boatyard.

The swing bridges position has divided community groups and the Canal & River Trust, which raised concerns about safety.

But Mr Keyes, a boater and owner of Walton Bridge Moorings, off Walton Well Road, said: This idea would join the bridge with the rest of the development and bring more people into it.

The 20m boatyard redevelopment, approved earlier this month by councillors, would see a public square created between St Barnabas Church and the Oxford Canal. It would be bordered on its north side by a community centre and boatyard, which Mr Keyes said could be linked with a fixed bridge.

His idea, detailed in a CGI video, involves building a bridge from Rewley Road across Castle Mill Stream and the canal.

It would join with the community centres first floor and include a ramp to Canal Street for disabled access, not provided by an existing temporary bridge next to the site.

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Mr Keyes, an architect of 17 years, said: It would make the bridge part of the community centre and the boatyard and open up a new space.

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Is a flying balcony bridge the answer at the Castle Mill boatyard? Watch the video

First published in News Last updated by Matt Oliver, Reporter covering North Oxford, Jericho and Summertown. Call me on 01865 425498

A FLYING balcony bridge connecting the planned boatyard in Jericho with Rewley Road has been suggested by an Oxford business owner.

Landscape architect John Keyes said the design would remove the need for a swing bridge that is part of plans to redevelop the Castle Mill boatyard.

The swing bridges position has divided community groups and the Canal & River Trust, which raised concerns about safety.

But Mr Keyes, a boater and owner of Walton Bridge Moorings, off Walton Well Road, said: This idea would join the bridge with the rest of the development and bring more people into it.

The 20m boatyard redevelopment, approved earlier this month by councillors, would see a public square created between St Barnabas Church and the Oxford Canal. It would be bordered on its north side by a community centre and boatyard, which Mr Keyes said could be linked with a fixed bridge.

His idea, detailed in a CGI video, involves building a bridge from Rewley Road across Castle Mill Stream and the canal.

It would join with the community centres first floor and include a ramp to Canal Street for disabled access, not provided by an existing temporary bridge next to the site.

Our top stories

Mr Keyes, an architect of 17 years, said: It would make the bridge part of the community centre and the boatyard and open up a new space.

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Is a flying balcony bridge the answer at the Castle Mill boatyard?

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.

Action News is talking one-on-one with the architect behind the aggressive plan to transform the Shipyards.

Bill Stindt is one of the architects behind Pittsburgh's booming riverfront neighborhood called the North Shore.

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Stindt sees a lot of similarities between Jacksonville and the North Shore, including a riverfront NFL stadium.

He hopes Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan's vision will bring the same kind of success.

It brings beautiful landscape, it brings paths, walkways that are lighted, its inviting; you feel safe there. A big part of these developments is just feeling safe and comfortable, Stindt said.

Stindt is also the mastermind behind the Pittsburgh Steelers' Heinz Stadium expansion.

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Architect behind Shipyards plans wants visitors to feel 'safe and comfortable'