On the heels of YIMBYs reveal of official renderings forProject Commodore, a 1,646-foot supertall project at 175 Park Avenuein Midtown East, weve collected a number ofillustrations that showcase Midtowns future tallest structures impact on the New York skyline. Designed by Skidmore Owings & Merrilland developed by RXR RealtyandTF Cornerstone, the 83-story skyscraper is planned to rise from the site of the Grand Hyatt New York and yield 500 Hyatt hotel rooms on the upper floors spanning 453,000 square feet; 10,000 square feet of retail space on the ground and cellar levels; and 2.1 million square feet of office space.

The black-and-white freehand drawing above shows Project Commodore from the northeast set among the Midtown skyline. The setbacks gradually pull back the massing of the edifice further from the edges of its massive footprint, and the tower culminates in a flat roof parapet with crown featuring a lattice of steel columns wrapped in light-colored panels. The rest of the superstructure will largely be enclosed in floor-to-ceiling glass wedged between vertical columns that run nearly the entire height of the 175 Park Avenue from its intricately designed base, which incorporates a similar lattice pattern that would form columns fanning out from each of the four corners. Other completed supertalls featured in the drawing include the Art Deco Chrysler Building to Project Commodores east, Kohn Pedersen Foxs One Vanderbiltto the west, and 30 Hudson Yards rising on the opposite side of the island.

YIMBY user rgarri4 also recently posted several digital renderings on YIMBYs forum page, showing Project Commodores presence looking north and south as it towers above the Manhattan skyline. The supertall is also joined by nearly every structure currently proposed and under construction. The renderings show the row of new office supertalls along Park Avenue, the Penn District, Manhattan West, Hudson Yards completed first phase, as well as several more towers spread across NoMad and other parts of Midtown. The final rendering is a nighttime view oriented northward with the Chrysler Building and One Vanderbilt illuminated beside it.

Looking north. Rendering by rgarri4

Looking north at the entire Midtown skyline. Rendering by rgarri4

Looking south above Central Park

Looking north at nighttime. Rendering by rgarri4

175 Park Avenue is slated to be completed in 2030 if the anticipated 18-month long demolition of the Grand Hyatt New York and actual construction of SOMs supertall goes according to plan. The next step is approval through the Uniform Land Use Review Process that is set to wrap up by the end of this year, followed by a public review in the spring.

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Illustrating the Impact of Project Commodore, Midtown's Future Tallest Building, on the New York Skyline - New York YIMBY

The COVID-19 pandemic that has stalled office leasing has given Dallas-Fort Worth one of the highest office vacancy rates in the country.

At the end of 2020, D-FW ranked sixth among the countrys highest office vacancy markets, according to the latest survey by commercial property firm Cushman & Wakefield.

More than 21% of the areas office space was empty at the end of the year up from 18.6% at the close of 2019. Those numbers dont include the more than 9 million square feet of empty sublease office space on the market in North Texas.

The countrys highest office vacancy was in Fairfield County, Conn., a suburb of New York. Houston was also near the top of the list with a 24.3% vacancy rate, according to Cushman & Wakefield.

Net office leasing in North Texas declined by almost 5 million square feet in 2020 the biggest drop in decades due to the pandemic, which kept workers at home.

More than 4 million square feet of office space was under construction in D-FW at the end of 2020. That made it the ninth-busiest metro area for office building in the U.S.

While a recent increase in North Texas office leasing has caused some optimism in the market, less than 40% of area employees are back to working in the office.

Real estate analysts are forecasting a slow recovery for the sector. A report by Moodys Analytics is predicting another tough year for office owners, with higher vacancies and lower rents.

The office sector will suffer more in 2021 than it did in 2020, Moodys researchers said in the report released this week. Moodys projects the vacancy rate will rise to 19.4% this year, surpassing the previous high of 17.6% from 2010, then hold steady in 2022.

Office rents nationwide arent expected to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2026.

Though we expect the office sector will suffer more severely in 2021 than it did in 2020, the vaccine rollout brings hope for more in-person business later this year and into 2022, Barbara Denham, senior commercial real estate economist at Moodys Analytics, said in the report.

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COVID-19 has given Dallas-Fort Worth one of the highest office vacancies in the nation - The Dallas Morning News

The second act of 601 Congress which John Hancocks parent, Manulife Financial, sold at the end of 2020 to lab developer BioMed Realty reflects a striking shift in Bostons commercial real estate world, nearly a year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Developers and sometimes owners of existing buildings are turning away from traditional office towers toward life-sciences space, hoping to capture an industry thats growing fast even as stalwart insurance companies and law firms retreat from big offices.

It really just comes down to fundamentals, said Liz Berthelette, research director at the real estate firm Newmark. Theres more demand in lab market than office at the moment.

Its a trend that reflects the resilience of Bostons economy: Few cities are so well-positioned to capitalize on a wave of investment in drug-making and research, one thats spilling beyond the industrys longtime home in Cambridges Kendall Square to the Seaport, the Fenway, Watertown, and Somerville.

But the surge in devloping space for life-sciences companies also highlights the risks of overbuilding to serve one slice of the regions economy. Catering to the needs of such businesses could alter the fabric of the citys dense business districts: With their focus on equipment over cubicles, lab buildings typically hold about half as many workers as a comparably sized office tower. That means fewer customers for restaurants and stores on the streets below.

The shift also is taking place at a time when the pandemic-forced move toward working from home is causing companies to recalculate how much office space they will need in the long term. The downtown vacancy rate is the highest it has been in a decade. More than 3.5 million square feet the equivalent of several towers is available on the sublease market. The drug industry, however, is booming, with life-sciences firms signing leases at a healthy clip and billions of dollars in venture capital pumping things up even more.

That has some developers rethinking projects long in the works.

Oxford Properties, one of Bostons largest traditional-office landlords, had been planning a 24-story office building on the site of a parking garage at 125 Lincoln St., on the edge of the Leather District. In December, Oxford went back to the Boston Planning & Development Agency with a new idea: Build a shorter building, with 14 stories, aimed at technology and life-sciences companies. That would cut the square footage by a third, and probably reduce the buildings daytime population by even more.

The plan was inspired partly by neighborhood feedback, said Oxford executive vice president Chad Remis. Residents of the Leather District and Chinatown had objected to the idea of a 340-foot tower on the site, which is surrounded by much shorter buildings. But the revision was also inspired by a change in the market for commercial space, he said.

We build buildings that we believe will meet the demands of society for 30 years from now, not demand two years ago, Remis said. And we believe that research and innovation space will always be in demand.

Buildings that house labs and tech space have different design requirements than traditional office buildings. For instance, the new plan for 125 Lincoln includes higher ceilings and vast open floors; the lower floors would jut out over an onramp to the Thomas P. ONeill Jr. Tunnel. Heating, cooling, and power systems would be more sophisticated, to handle the demands of tech and research companies.

This building, per square foot, will cost us significantly more to build, Remis said, though he noted the rents it would command would be higher than for office space.

When retrofitting existing office buildings, the equation gets even more complicated.

BioMed is planning a full overhaul of 601 Congress, said vice president Colleen OConnor, converting all but the top two floors into life-sciences space. That will mean finding room within the existing skeleton for a lot of sophisticated mechanical equipment, a design job that OConnor said is already starting. But BioMed has experience on its side it has turned office buildings into lab space before, mostly in Kendall Square.

OConnor also noted that such renovation has advantages over new construction: chiefly, speed. Permitting and constructing a building from scratch takes years. Swapping out cubicles for lab benches while technically complex can happen a lot faster, and research companies are looking for space now, so the time between renovations being completed and a tenant moving in is relatively short.

We can have this open by the end of 2022, and theres a real hole in the market there that this building can fill, she said. For us, it was kind of a no-brainer.

Yet some people worry that more lab space is in the works than the market really needs.

Yes, demand is strong now, but the amount of lab and life-sciences space thats on track to open in Greater Boston by mid-decade 3 to 4 million square feet annually is four or five times the amount companies here typically fill in a year, said Bob Richards, head of the life-sciences brokerage at Cushman & Wakefield, a real estate firm. And while office-tower construction at least in Boston doesnt typically start without major tenants signed up, buildings aimed at fast-growing drug makers often are started that way. That creates the potential for a glut of partially completed projects without enough tenants to fill them, threatening what today feels like a solid investment.

There are going to be some winners, and some places that are really going to struggle, Richards said. The pipeline is just stacked.

There also are questions about what the life-sciences real estate surge might mean for the look and feel of neighborhoods. Because the buildings are typically bulkier and less populated than office towers, the areas around them can appear relatively empty at times.

Density of people is important, obviously, said architect David Manfredi, founding principal at the Boston architecture firm Elkus Manfredi. It helps support all the places that make a vibrant city. It makes restaurants work. It makes bars work. It makes live music work.

Manfredi, whose firm has helped the Massachusetts Institute of Technology plan much of its property in Kendall Square and designed many buildings in the Seaport, has been thinking for years about how to make lab districts more lively. He notes that as Kendall Square has developed it has become more of a cultural destination than the strictly-business district it used to be. Other emerging lab districts will evolve along similar lines, he said.

Such evolution is common, Manfredi noted. He said he sees an example every time he crosses the Boston University Bridge into Cambridge and passes a five-story brick building with a distinctive rounded edge on Memorial Drive.

It was built in 1913 by Ford Motor Co. as a vertical assembly plant for Model Ts. After Ford moved Model T production to Somerville, Polaroid moved in and made camera parts there for decades. In the 1990s, MIT converted it into lab space, and today the building is largely occupied by the drug giant Sanofi Genzyme. The company will soon move to a new campus Sanofi is building on old railyards in East Cambridge and some other company will probably move in. Whatll they use it for? Who knows?

Thats the story of this city, Manfredi said. Its still this brick building on the outside, but the inside has been transformed several times. Thats a good thing. Thats the layers of the city, evolving.

Tim Logan can be reached at timothy.logan@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @bytimlogan.

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Bostons in a lab-building boom. What will that mean for the city and its neighborhoods? - BetaBoston

Kansas Citys NorthPoint Development is planning a 96-acre logistics center with up to 900,000 sq. ft. of warehouse and office space at 1701 E. Patapsco St. in Curtis Bay. NorthPoint acquired an assemblage of former industrial properties that are on the Patapsco River and Stonehouse Cove adjacent to CSX train tracks. The development, called Harbor Logistics Center, will eventually have up to four buildings and large parking lots.

NorthPoint told Baltimore Business Journal:

We have been in this business for nearly a decade and know that there has been a lack of development opportunities south of the tunnel, said Brent Miles, a spokesman for NorthPoint, in a statement. We immediately saw the scale and opportunity here with access to the 4th largest [metropolitan statistical area] in the country, proximity and access to CSX rail and the Port of Baltimore. Harbor Logistics Center is going to be the distribution hub here in Baltimore.

NorthPoint, along with its leasing team at Colliers International and JLL, is currently marketing Building 1 which will be approximately 263,580 sq. ft.

Building 1 will be 36 ft. tall and have up to four drive-in doors, 24 to 51 loading dock doors, 250 car parking spaces, 39 trailer parking spaces, and a 60 ft. truck court. It has a delivery date of November 2021.

The brochure also shows Building 2 and Building 3 which would add an approximately additional 441,600 sq. ft. of warehouse and office space to the project.

NorthPoint was founded in 2012 and has developed 84.5 million sq. ft. for tenants such as Chewy.com, Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart, General Motors Inc., and GE.

Harbor Logistics Center is located across Stonehouse Cove and around the corner from a development by Scannell Properties. The development will build 522,675 sq. ft. of warehouse space and 58,075 sq. ft. of office space at 4501 Curtis Ave. and 1701 Benhill Ave. This development, which is designed for distribution uses, will have three buildings built in phases. Demolition is currently underway and construction will soon start on the first building.

NorthPoint is also developing a 950-unit Beyond Self Storage facility in Carroll-Camden.

Photo and renderings from NorthPoint Development

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96-Acre Logistics Center with Up to 900,000 Sq. Ft. of Warehouse Space Planned for Curtis Bay - SouthBMore.com

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) Market to Reach $8.7 Billion by 2027

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) estimated at US$6.7 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$8.7 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.8% over the analysis period 2020-2027.

Automotive, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 3.9% CAGR and reach US$3.2 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After an early analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Building & Construction segment is readjusted to a revised 3.3% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $1.8 Billion, While China is Forecast to Grow at 6.9% CAGR

The EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.8 Billion in the year 2020. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$1.8 Billion by the year 2027 trailing a CAGR of 6.9% over the analysis period 2020 to 2027. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 1.2% and 2.9% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 1.9% CAGR.

Plastics Segment to Record 4.3% CAGR

In the global Plastics segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 3.8% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$701.1 Million in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$907.5 Million by the close of the analysis period.

China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$1.2 Billion by the year 2027, while Latin America will expand at a 5.2% CAGR through the analysis period.

The report presents concise insights into how the pandemic has impacted production and the buy side for 2020 and 2021. A short-term phased recovery by key geography is also addressed.

Key Topics Covered:

I. INTRODUCTION, METHODOLOGY & REPORT SCOPE

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET OVERVIEW

Global Competitor Market Shares

EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide (in %): 2019 & 2025

Impact of Covid-19 and a Looming Global Recession

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

III. MARKET ANALYSIS

GEOGRAPHIC MARKET ANALYSIS

IV. COMPETITION

Total Companies Profiled: 44

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5wgv74

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Global EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) Market Report 2020: Market to Reach $8.7 Billion by 2027 - Focus on Automotive, Building &...

A new year and new rankings for the sustainability efforts in the office sector, where owners continued to invest in energy efficiency and sustainability features, despite their assets laying almost empty for nearly a year. Were opening 2021s LEED-based series with the top LEED-certified buildings in Texas in 2020.

Data from the U.S. Green Building Council shows that 139 projects received the certification from the organizations program in the Lone Star State last year. Combined, these projects represent more than 41.7 million gross square feet of space. Offices continued to lead rankings, followed by educational facilities and warehouses/distribution centers. Take a look at the list below, featuring some of the highest-scoring office projects in the state.

A 600,754-square-foot component of the massive 4.5 million-square-foot office asset located at 9800 Fredericksburg Roadbetter known as USAAs headquartersearned the highest level of LEED certification in February 2020. The award is, in fact, a recertification, following two LEED Gold recognitions received in 2012 and 2019. The remaining square footage of the property was also recertified at the same time, to the gold level, also following two other certifications, in 2013 and 2019, respectively. The McDermott Building is also the largest financial office building in the U.S. to earn Energy Star certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an award it has received every year since 2009.

USAAs commitment to the environment is reflected on multiple levels: Through recycling efforts, the company saves more than 130 million gallons of Edwards Aquifer water every year at its San Antonio corporate office, which is crucial to the region considering it is the source of drinking water for 2 million people and is the primary water supply for agriculture and industry. About 70 million gallons are saved annually, as the company has used recycled water for landscaping since 2004. Nowadays, USAA also uses recycled water for the buildings cooling towers, which conserves another 60 million gallons per year. In fact, USAA Real Estate, the companys real estate investment arm, has instituted an energy and water analytics program that uses metering to measure energy and water consumption and efficiency at 15-minute intervals. Using that data, it benchmarks its properties to detect trends outside normal patterns.

Since 1977, the company has provided employees with the USAA Vanpool Program, which is an affordable ride to and from work. Moreover, the companys members have opted for online document delivery since 2019, which helps reduce paper consumption and overall expenses.

Cousins 470,389-square-foot asset was recertified in April 2020 to the Platinum level, following two LEED Gold awards received in 2018 and 2019. It is also Energy Star labeled.

The 20-story office building was completed in 1983 in the central business district, providing easy access to the Texas Capitol, Federal Courthouse, Interstate-35 and MOPAC Expressway. In 1994 and 2008, the property underwent cosmetic renovations, and a$3 millionoutdoor terrace and lounge was added on the 15th floor in 2012. Notable tenants in the building include Nossaman, CohnReznick Capital and Eric Wright & Associates.

The 6,663-square-foot office asset located at 10807 E. Northwest Highway is the headquarters of LORD Green Real Estate Strategies. In May 2020, the property received the LEED Platinum certification for existing buildings. It also holds BREEAM USA-In Use and Energy Stars labels.

The building dates back to 1959 and underwent upgrades in 2006 and 2013. Since 2017, it has been under LORD Green Strategies ownership and improvements have continued. The new owner retrofitted the buildings LED system, installed a weather-based irrigation controller and added secure bicycle storage. Water is preserved through the propertys smart irrigation controller as well as through efficient plumbing fixtures. A waste management program recycles consumables made of metal, paper, plastics and glass, electronics and batteries, and organic material is locally composted. Additional sustainable features include proximity to public transport, operable windows, landscaping with native plants and shade trees, an outdoor space area for employees and a dog park with turfgrass.

This 1.2 million-square-foot building received its third LEED certification in September 2020. Previously, the USGBC had recognized its sustainability commitments in 2010 and 2015, with LEED Silver and LEED Gold certifications, respectively. Trammell Crow Center received Energy Star recognition from 2008 to 2016.

After three years under construction, the 50-story postmodern skyscraper designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill opened in 1985. Its granite facade and black pyramid on top made it one of the most identifiable buildings in the U.S. Since 2011, the tower is owned by JP Morgan Asset Management, according to Commercial Edge data. In 2019, a $140 million, two-year renovation led by HKS and HOK adapted it into a mixed-use property by adding a multifamily component and a hotel. The upgrade also included 1.4 acres of outdoor space with 122 shaded seats, which increased walkability and livability at the property, while also mitigating the heat-island effect. Notable tenants in the building include ORIX, Common Desk, Invesco, Goldman Sachs and FTI Consulting.

Last May, the 1.1 million-square-foot property located at 15301 Dallas Parkway in Addison was recertified to the gold level. Previously, the asset had been LEED-certified at the silver and gold levels in 2010 and 2015, respectively.

Consisting of three towers connected via a three-story, climate-controlled vaulted glass atrium, which includes seating areas, landscaping and water features. The office asset won the BOMA Building of the Year award in 2003 and 2004, and again in 2012 and 2013. Built in 1982,The Colonnade underwent cosmetic renovations in 2007 and 2014. Under the current ownership of Brooklyn-based Fortis Property Groupaccording to Commercial Edgerenovations continued in excess of $32 million. Tenants in the building include RMG Network, Google, Zurich American Insurance, Farmers Insurance and Accounting Principals.

Completed in 2019, the 1.1 million-square-foot,10-story office property at 777 Hidden Ridge has earned the LEED Gold certification in March 2020. KDC developed thefive-building complex as the headquarters for oil and gas company Pioneer Natural Resources. Pioneer has signed a 10-year lease with the owner, PRP Real Estate Investment Management.

The project has been targeting LEED certification from the early stages of development, so its design emphasizes the lands natural surroundings through amenities such as an outdoor fitness terrace, soccer pitch, multisport court, fitness trail and stocked fishing lakes. The original mesquite forests were preserved, which is a bonus to the occupants, as more than 90 percent of the interior areas have direct outside views. During development, 98 percent of construction waste was sorted and recycled, and presently, rainfall and surface runoff water is filtered to improve stormwater quality.

READ ALSO: Managing Megadevelopments: An Insiders View

The two phases of the massive Lincoln Center at 5420 and 5430 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway were completed in 1981 and 1984, respectively. Spanning 664,100 and 602,056 square feet, the office assets are both at their second LEED certification. Prior to the LEED Gold award received in October 2020, Nuveen Real Estates buildings first received a LEED certification to the silver level in 2015. In addition, Lincoln Centre has been an Energy Star-certified building from 2009 to 2018 and a BOMA360-designated building from 2011 until 2017.Notable tenants in the building include MetLife, Societe Generale, Northwestern Mutual, Washington Federal and North Dallas Clinic.

The propertys park-like landscape prompted the management team to hire Banyan Water to calculate and deliver the needed amount of water. As such, more than six years ago, they installed on-site controllers, flow monitors and weather tracking technology that integrated with the propertys existing irrigation system. This translated into a drop of 66 percent in irrigation water use. Moreover, real-time monitoring of water management tracked down leaks, which, once resolved, resulted in more than 500,000 gallons of water preservation per year, in addition to the prevention of leak-related property damage.

READ ALSO: A Deep Dive Into Water Management Strategies

Completed in 1999, Fidelity Investments property received the LEED Gold award last February, upgrading from the LEED Silver certification received in 2014. The asset also held Energy Star designations from 2011 to 2014, excluding 2013.

The Beck Group developed the four-story property on an 83-acre lot. Built of native stone and glass, Fidelity One Destiny Way features three main wings that radiate from a central nucleus and are oriented on the site to maximize views of the surrounding forest, meadows and ponds. Closure to the natural environment is enhanced through hiking trails that run through the naturally wooded campus.

Excerpt from:
Top 10 LEED-Certified Buildings in Texas in 2020 - Commercial Property Executive

Image Credit: Library of Congress

I keep forgetting to post this bit of awesome from The White House Historical Association:

Its hard to imagine the White House at any address other than 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NWbut at the turn of the twentieth century, Washington, D.C. socialite and activist Mary Foote Henderson proposed a new home for the president.

Mary Foote Henderson was the wife of Missouri Senator John B. Henderson. She proudly supported womens suffrage and temperance and was a highly active hostess for upper-class Washingtonians. The couple was extraordinarily wealthy and built a massive Gilded Age mansion on 16th Street, sometimes called Boundary Castle. Meanwhile, Mrs. Henderson hoped that she and her husband would soon welcome a prestigious neighborthe president!

Aware that the Executive Mansion was too small for the first family, Mrs. Henderson worked with architects Paul J. Pelz and Jules T. Crow to propose the construction of a large mansion for the chief executive atop Meridian Hill in 1898. The rendering seen today shows the palatial building proposal, which boasted a grand entrance, massive residence, and expansive grounds. It was approximately twenty blocks from the White House.

In many ways, the design was fit for a king rather than a president, and never came to fruition. Rather than constructing a new palace on Meridian Hill, additional office space in the form of the West Wing was added to the White House during the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt. The area near Boundary Castle instead became Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park.

Excerpt from:
"Mrs. Henderson worked with architects Paul J. Pelz and Jules T. Crow to propose the construction of a large mansion for the chief executive atop...

SPRINGDALE -- The City Council working as a Committee of the Whole on Tuesday passed on for vote an additional $1.5 million for construction of its new municipal campus.

The council will vote on two measures during its meeting Feb. 9.

The council supported the addition of a community room to the south side of the building for $503,089. They also accepted change orders made during construction to support technology needed by the Police Department but balked at paying additional costs to the architect and contractor, who cited delays because of weather and the covid-19 pandemic.

The money will come from the general fund on the 2022 budget, said Mayor Doug Sprouse.

Springdale voters in 2018 approved a $200 million bond project including $42 million for a new city administration building. The campus is being built in two stages. The north side of the building, currently under construction as Phase 1, includes the Police Department and district court and offices. Phase 2 will include offices for staff of city departments and a new council chambers on the south end.

Contingencies for delays were included in the contracts for both the architect and the contractor, but the project has exceeded the time allowed for delays.

The original contract listed 780 days for construction, but the contractors asked for 287 more.

"That's a nine-month delay," said council member Brian Powell.

Roy Decker of Duvall Decker Architects asked for $317,214 in an extension of the architect's contract. He said the architecture firm stays on the project through construction in case problems or changes arise need redesign and engineering.

Sprouse said the architect's contracted costs were paid by a design grant from the Walton Family Foundation.

The contract with Milestone Construction also will increase, not including the cost of the community room.

The construction budget still includes $552,581. Additional money of $222,463 will come from the general fund in the 2022 budget, as will the community room, Sprouse said.

Colby Fulfer, assistant to the mayor, told the council the undesignated money for such projects sits at $12.2 million.

"That's what that money is there for, to return services to the citizens," Sprouse said.

The pandemic caused delays as various subcontractors would have to quarantine entire crews when one worker tested positive, said Wyman Morgan, the city's director of administration and finance.

Most days, about 100 people worked on the construction of the building, but some days, only 25 were there, Morgan said.

"We also had an unusual disruption of the supply chain," Roy Decker of Duvall Decker architects told the council.

He said the factory producing the concrete panels making up the outer walls was closed for a time during the pandemic. The panels were six months late, he said.

"But construction can't finish on the interior without the exterior being up," Decker continued.

Greg Ferus of Milestone Construction said the project also faced 80 days of inclement weather, especially at the beginning of the project as dirt work for the site began.

The city also requested several changes in the building design and engineering as construction moved forward, Decker said.

"When is the bleeding going to stop? We're not even to Phase 2," asked Randall Harriman.

Decker said he foresees no other delays or cost overages. "We're 65% complete, and this end of the building will be easier. This end's an office building."

Laurinda Joenks can be reached by email at ljoenks@nwadg.com or on Twitter @NWALaurinda.

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Springdale council to consider votes to spend $1.5 million more for city hall project - Arkansas Online

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the fifth round of awards from the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative, which will provide $30 million annually to fund support services and operating costs for at least 1,200 units of supportive housing for homeless persons with special needs, conditions or other challenges. The 179 conditional awards will help 104 community providers create housing opportunities in 41 counties across New York. The conditionalawardsprovideserviceand operating fundingforpermanentsupportive housing units. The awards will allow applicants to secure separate capital funding to finance the development and construction of their housing projects. The conditional awards can be found listed by region and countyhere.

"All New Yorkers, especially our state's most vulnerable, should have access to the services they need in the communities of their choice, and the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative delivers on that commitment during a time when they need more support than ever,"Governor Cuomo said."Through these five rounds of awards, we're providing New Yorkers with a range of specialized housing optionsand support services, while helping community organizations finance construction, operate buildings and provide those critical services throughout the state."

The awards announced today will be used to provide rental assistance and services to eligible target populations to ensure their housing stability. ESSHI has provided for the construction of more than 5,000 units of supportive housing for vulnerable populations, including veterans, victims of domestic violence, frail or disabled senior citizens, young adults with histories of incarceration, homelessness or foster care, chronically homeless individuals and families, as well as individuals with health, mental health and/or substance use disorders.

In total, New York has financed the new construction and preservation of more than 7,000 units of supportive housing, putting the State well on its way to meeting the Governor's goal of creating or preserving 20,000 units of supportive housing over 15 years. The Executive Budget includes $250 million in additional capital funding to help meet that goal.

The conditional awards follow the Governor's 2021 State of the State proposal to create new supportive housing by allowing commercial property owners to convert underutilized office buildings and hotels in New York to residential use, includingaffordable and supportive housing. Governor Cuomo also demonstrated his commitment to supportive housing in his 2021-22 Executive Budget proposal, which continues his $20 billion, comprehensive five-year investment in affordable and supportive housing and services to provide New Yorkers with safe and secure homes.

Although the New York State Office of Mental Health serves as the lead procurement agency for ESSHI, the program is a multi-agency effort, with a workgroup that includes representatives from the Department of Health, New York State Homes and Community Renewal, the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, the Office of Children and Family Services, the Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, and Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.

New York State is a national leader in the development and ongoing support of housing for families and individuals living with mental illness and other special needs. Supportive housing has been shown to provide stability, safety and the opportunity for individuals and families to live in their own homes and communities as they make their way on the road to recovery. Housing with support services also reduces the need for costly emergency department visits and inpatient hospital stays.

Office of Mental Health CommissionerDr. Ann Sullivansaid,"The Governor's ESSHI program has provided stable housing and supportive services to thousands of people and families, allowing them to live successfully in their own homes. Supportive housing enables many individuals living with mental illness to have full and productive lives while receiving the services they need. ESSHI has been a great success, and I'm proud of the role OMH has played to further its goals."

Homes and Community Renewal CommissionerRuthAnneVisnauskas said, "This $30 million in ESSHI awards is another leap forward in Governor Cuomo's unwavering commitment to ending homelessness and housing insecurity in New York State. With supportive services, we can help New Yorkers achieve stability, improve health outcomes and regain their independence in a nurturing and affordable living environment. The latest round of awards will support 104 organizations and create at least 1,200 supportive homes across every region of the state. By caring for our most vulnerable, we are building stronger and more equitable communities for all."

Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said,"Without first securing stable housing, it is nearly impossible for New Yorkers to address other conditions that threaten their health and well-being. Governor Cuomo's Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative is improving public health for all New Yorkers by expanding affordable and supportive housing to help people live in their own homes and communities while making their way toward recovery."

Office of Children and Family Services CommissionerSheila J. Poole said,"Stable housing is foundational to young adults' success, whether they are aging out of the foster care system, previously homeless or returning to the community following a juvenile justice placement. At home, they can pursue education, employment or a vocational opportunity that will lead them to further accomplishments and maintain their place in their community. I commend Governor Cuomo for his commitment to continued support for these vulnerable New Yorkers as they attain thestabilitythey need to focus on building successful futures."

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance CommissionerMike Hein said,"Supportive housing is the most effective tool we have in addressing homelessness as it provides not just a place to live, but access to support services that can help New Yorkers address the issues that may have contributed to them experiencing homelessness in the first place. OTDA is proud to play a critical role in the success of this initiative, which is making a real difference in the lives of some of our most vulnerable residents."

Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Executive DirectorKelli Owenssaid, "Safe, affordable housing is too often the reason DV survivors and their families can't escape abusive relationships. ESSHI's announcement of building even more pathways to safe, stable housing for some of our most vulnerable community members couldn't be more timely or important, especially as the need for a safe home is heightened during the pandemic. We value our partnership with ESSHI in this critical work and thank them for their leadership in expanding affordable, permanent housing throughout NYS."

Office for PeopleWithDevelopmental Disabilities CommissionerTheodore Kastner, MD, MS,said,"OPWDD strives to help New Yorkers with developmental disabilities achieve independence so that they may live and thrive in their communities of choice. Affordable, supportive housing provided through the Governor's Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative provides the foundation for integrated, community living and opens up a world of possibility for people with developmental disabilities who want to live independently and take part in their community while receiving the right supports."

Senator SamraBrouk, Chair of the Senate Committee on Mental Health, said,"Providing homes for more New Yorkers addressing mental health difficulties will help save lives. I am glad to see this investment being made, and I will work with my colleagues in government to ensure our state provides high quality services and support to those battling mental health disorders and issues."

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Governor Cuomo Announces $30 Million in Awards to Finance Construction and Services for 1200 Supportive Housing Units - ny.gov

Weiss/Manfredi has broken ground on a new chancery building for the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India. The long-term project will also include a new office building, a support annex, and a unifying landscape that will provide a secure campus.

A tree-lined promenade will link all the new and existing buildings on the campus, connect functional zones, and introduce reciprocal relationships between buildings and gardens. A series of cast stone screens, canopies, reflecting pools, and garden walls will introduce a resilient, integrated design language.

Our goal is to create an open, unified campus that is safe and secure, said architects Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi, in a release. To do that, we drew upon traditional Indian garden elements such as walls, screens, moats, and reflecting pools that provide not only a level of security, but also a connection to the great legacy of Indian architecture. The new embassy buildings and gardens reference Edward Durell Stones historic chancery, introduce a resilient design language and transform the campus to meet the needs of twenty-first century diplomacy.

Weiss/Manfredi Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism was selected as the design architect by the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations in 2015. The completion of the entire campus is expected in fall 2027.

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U.S. Embassy in New Delhi breaks ground on expansion - Building Design + Construction