Staff Photo by Cecelia Levine

The sun shines through the pergola at Van Vleck House & Gardens.

The crane that looms high above the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and Valley Road serves as a constant reminder that Montclair isn't what it used to be. But a few blocks away are about six acres of greenery that remain much as they were a century ago: Van Vleck House & Gardens.

When Joseph Van Vleck Sr. moved to Montclair from Brooklyn with his family in 1868, he envisioned a haven tucked away from the clamor of cars and commerce. In 1916 his son, Joseph Van Vleck Jr., designed and built the Mediterranean villa that stands today and in 1939 his son, Howard Van Vleck, took over the property with his wife and four children.

In 1993, after decades of tending to the lands enclosed by the wrought-iron gate of 21 Van Vleck St., Howard Van Vleck left the property to the Montclair Foundation. It has since transformed the house into a center for nonprofit organizations to gather and has tended to every aspect of the property to preserve it as it was presented.

Over the decades, Van Vleck House & Gardens has suffered normal wear and tear. Given a small budget to work with, the Montclair Foundation fixed what it could. In 2008, the organization drew up a Master Plan which would home in on major facets of the property that needed repairs. According to Charles Fischer, executive director of Van Vleck House & Gardens, the plan sought to sustain the property for public enjoyment in accordance with the initial vision of members of the Van Vleck family.

With the help of many donors - who raised a combined $2 million through a capital campaign that was launched in 2008 - and Rodney Robinson Landscape Architects Inc., of Wilmington, Del., Fischer and his team undertook major renovations and minor detailing to maintain the Van Vleck family's former property.

Addendums and reparations include signage around the property; new perennial gardens and planting beds, such as rhododendrons, azaleas and other seasonal flora; a new irrigation system; a revamped barn which became the new Visitors' and Education Center; and a new parking lot.

Renovations to the house include minor detailing, a new North Mountain Avenue entrance, and repairs to stone steps, fountains, and walkways.

Fischer said he and his team will continue to regularly tend to the property and house with the intent to bring back and maintain its former glory.

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Montclair's garden grows

Andrew Bauerschmidt, Evan Michalski, Chris Niepsuj and Alex Freitag recently became the newest Eagle Scouts of Immaculate Conception in East Aurora's Boy Scout Troop 599. They were honored at a special Eagle Scout Court of Honor on June 22.

Congressman Chris Collins, also an Eagle Scout and chairman of the Congressional Scouting Caucus, was the event's guest speaker. He congratulated the scouts on their significant accomplishments and presented each with a certificate of Special Congressional Recognition, a commemorative medallion and a Congressional Eagle Scout uniform patch.

Collins also spoke about the many benefits that scouting provides to our communities and encouraged the boys to remain active in scouting.

Scouting has been good to you as a boy, he said. Be good to scouting as an adult.

To become Eagle Scouts, each scout completed a minimum of 21 merit badges, 13 of which are required. Required badges include camping, cooking, environmental science, first aid, and personal fitness, among others. Non-required or elective badges were as diverse as: archery, astronomy, computers, forestry, shotgun shooting, skiing and small boat sailing. Scouting offers about 150 possible merit badge activities.

Each scout also served in leadership positions in the troop, volunteered many hours in the community and led a major community service project.

Bauerschmidts community service project involved restoration of gardens and grounds, including walkways, at St. Matthias Church.

Michalskis project was to improve drainage on trails at Knox Farm State Park by installing earth fill, drain tile, geo-fabric and five tons of crushed stone.

Niepsujs project was restoration of nature trails at the American Legion post on Center Street, including installation of benches, signposts describing local wildlife and steps to improve the accessibility of steeper sections of the trails.

Finally, Freitags project involved planting 24, 8-foot saplings of various species of trees within Knox Farm State Park.

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Four EA Scouts Achieve Eagle Rank

In response to this weeks Redondo Beach City Council vote in favor of a resolution supporting the new Harbor Village initiative, AES Redondo Beach has taken immediate steps to suspend its application to permit a new power plant with the California Energy Commission (CEC)and has takensimilar steps with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).

I admit, this may seem like an unusual step for an energy company to takeespecially when we have come so far in the permitting process and with such positive results, said AES Southlands Eric Pendergraft. According to the SCAQMDs Draft Title V and the CECs Preliminary Staff Assessment, the new plant would comply with all rules and regulations, and was on course forapproval.

But the city and community have been asking us for years to develop a plan that would enable us to close our Redondo Beach plant and revitalize the site in a way that allows us to receive fair value for our property without building a new power plant, said Pendergraft. And we finally found one in the Harbor Village Plan.

The citys support of the Harbor Village initiative confirmed its desire to work together to make this new vision a reality and its important that all of us give it our full attention, said Pendergraft. So we have suspended the licensing process for the new power plant, which also saves the city a significant amount of time and money that can be dedicated to other priorities.

With voter approval of the initiative, the existing power plant would be shut down and removed from the site, and no new power plant would be built. Under the initiatives proposed zoning, the plant could be closed as early as 2019, once the California energy agencies agree it is no longer needed.

By removing the old power plant, views of the harbor and coast would be enhanced, and surrounding property values would increase, said Pendergraft.

In addition, the new uses that the property would provide would bring increased revenue and economic vitality to the city.

The Harbor Village Plan guarantees that at least 10 acres of the site would be used for public open space, such as a neighborhood park, bike paths, an extension of the greenbelt to the coast, tree-lined pedestrian walkways and dramatic new ocean vistas.

The remaining land will include a quiet, attractive, single-family neighborhood, together with a new Harbor front area with ground floor restaurants, retail shops, a hotel, and offices, with residential space above.

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AES Redondo Beach suspends CEC permitting for new power plant

IT'S STILL JUST DIRT - PENNY ESSELTINE

At the end of July, Tillsonburg Horticultural Society members crossed the Canada-U.S. border for an international bus tour taking in the Buffalo National Garden Festival and Garden Walk Buffalo, which included 370 gardens located in clusters within a three mile radius in the city.

Our guide Sally Cunningham said, We are real proud of whats happened in this region. Twenty years ago 16 neighbours said lets do a garden tour and now there are 370 gardens in Buffalo that are now seen by as many as 55,000 people in just one weekend of Garden Walk Buffalo.

Our first Festival stop was Marcia Scullys Hidden Gardens of Eden, in Eden, New York. Sally said this was one of the most respected gardens in the region. Marcia likes to under grow plants under plants, and many, many pots. Marcia said it takes her three hours each day just to water the pots. She has hypertufa (hand-made) pots as well as old fashioned tin washtubs, filled with hosta pots, and even birdbaths pot filled with as many as 12 different kinds of succulents.

For the hardier plants Marcia pulls pots in close to the house in the fall and tips them on their side so the water does not accumulate too much. For the more tender plants in her garden she digs them up and takes them, bare-rooted in pans, all the way to her Florida winter home where she plants them in the garden there.

Tillsonburg Horticultural Society tour organizer Christine Nagy said that in the 15 years shes been touring gardens this is the best she has seen.

The imagination and creativity is amazing, said Nagy.

Smug Creek Gardens in Hamburg, New York was next. Its home to King of the Hosta World Mike and Day Lily Queen Kathy. Mike told us they have four gardens, all in virgin woodland, including four terraces up the hill with plants like day lilies, hydrangea and rudbeckia, a garden of small hostas (up to 12 inches tall) in rockery in the shade, a garden in a bog with raised beds to keep the roots out of the water, and a hosta glen. The deck too is a garden with more than 100 plants in pots. Thirteen acres in total and everything is labelled.

Thursday morning started in a modest income area of central Buffalo where Garden Walk Buffalo began. On 16th Street, Joe and Scotts amazing place has every kind of coleus known to man. One hundred and fifty pots planted with annuals each year.

Its always evolving, something different every year, mostly coleus," said Joe. "I sprinkle Miracle Grow in the hole before I plant.

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Tillsonburg Horticultural Society takes in Buffalo Garden Festival 0

Courtesy of HOK

William Jefferson Clinton Children's Center for Fondation Enfant Jesus is designed to use local materials, have natural ventilation and be independent of Port-Au-Prince utilities, which are not reliable.

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If all goes as planned, the children of Haiti will soon have a small but powerful symbol of hope in the form of a 6,000-sq-ft building. Thanks to the largely volunteer efforts of the U.S. Green Building Council and others, the $1.2-million to $1.5-million William Jefferson Clinton Children's Center of the Fondation Enfant Jesus, which could open by the end of next year, is setting the stage for sustainable, resilient construction in Haiti, which was devastated by a magnitude-7 earthquake on Jan. 12, 2010.

"We really wanted to do something to promote sustainable design that also honors the country's culture and we wanted to empower an existing organization to carry out their mission," says Roger Limoges, vice president of organizational design for the the U.S. Green Building Council and USGBC's project manager for the children's center, which is slated to be built in Port-Au-Prince.

According to Haiti government estimates, the temblor killed 316,000 people, injured 300,000, displaced 1.3 million, destroyed 97,295 houses and damaged 188,383 in the Port-Au-Prince area and in much of southern Haiti, says the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Fondation Enfant Jesus, a nongovernment, nondenominational, apolitical charity, says there are hundreds of thousands of orphans in Haiti. FEJ's Project Haiti, of which the new center is part, provides health care and other services and offers children a pathway to adoption. The new building will replace an FEJ orphanage destroyed by the quake.

The idea for the sustainable center, which will serve 25 to 30 children at a time, belongs to Rick Fedrizzi, the USGBC's president, CEO and founding chairman. At Greenbuild 2010, USGBC announced the project. Last year, it named the center in recognition of the Clinton Global Initiative's work in both sustainability and in Haiti.

Funding is from several sources, including USGBC member companies. Donations of money, sweat equity and materials are welcome.

As designed, the main, three-story structure, which includes living space, is an L in plan with a courtyard. Kitchen and dining areas and a corner stair tower will provide safe spaces during storms. A separate tower contains training and office space. There is also a ground-level safe zone for refuge during an earthquake.

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U.S. Green Building Council and HOK Create Model for Sustainable Building in Haiti

HAMILTONLast November, long-time resident Donna Reid opened what many in Steeltown might find a really tough sell a store celebrating all the great things past, present and future about Hamilton.

Id never lived in a city before where people seemed more focused on what wed lost, rather than what we have, says Reid, who moved to Hamilton 16 years ago after stints in Toronto, Quebec City and Calgary.

Her wonderfully eclectic James St. N. shop, The Hamilton Store, is just 600 square feet. But almost every inch of its walls are lined with photos, maps, artwork, books and memorabilia chronicling a city with a rich industrial past and a rapidly evolving future.

So its somewhat ironic that the store is just a short drive or about a 12-block walk down the street from sprawling waterfront parking lots and old warehouses that could soon become the heart of some of the biggest transformations Hamilton has seen in decades.

Of course, thats assuming city officials can finally turn years of talk into action, and that developers dont do what theyve done so often in the past here, says Reid tear down the old to make way for the new, only to later abandon their grand plans, leaving yet more empty lots and broken dreams in their wake.

Hamilton is almost a laboratory of urban renewal right now, says local architect David Premi. Were in a bona fide boom.

There are many, many condominium projects on the table. We have a new GO Train station coming next year in time for the Pan Am Games. There are a lot of pieces being put into place that are really capturing the attention of developers, both inside and outside Hamilton.

The waterfront is a critical part of that.

The City of Hamilton is now in the final stages of preparing one of the last major stretches of urban waterfront in Southern Ontario more than 18 hectares over two sprawling sites for redevelopment.

In all, the city will spend about $39 million to transform two bayfront sites, some $13 million of that just in roads, sidewalks, sewers and other infrastructure to make the so-called West Harbour area in the citys once-busy shipping port shovel-ready, says Chris Phillips, head of waterfront redevelopment for the city.

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Hamilton looks to its waterfront as next great frontier

As the algae bloom in Lake Erie continues to grow, so does the debate on who's really to blame.

A report released by Environmental Defence, an environmental and health organization, Wednesday morning suggested a four-point plan to fix the bothersome bloom.

We are seeing increasing intensity, increasing frequency in algal blooms on the Great Lakes obviously what we're doing so far is not enough, said Nancy Goucher, water program manager for the organization.

The plan outlines four key points that will fix the algae issue, including harnessing market forces to help farmers cut down on nutrient runoff, building water smart cities, improving scientific understanding of the blooms and forming a policy framework that pushes for action.

A press release from the organization stated:

The Ontario government should evaluate the applicability of market mechanisms such as tax shifting, pollution taxes and nutrient trading to transfer money from undesirable acts like polluting to desirable ones that reward farmers for 'doing the right thing.'

It's this kind of statement that raises questions from agriculture experts like Ivan O'Halloran, an associate professor at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus who studies nutrient use and soil fertility.

What they're saying is reasonable, he said. The only concern I have is that when you write it that way they did it sort of implies that farmers are doing the wrong things now and I don't believe that is the case for all farmers.

O'Halloran has been fielding questions about farmers and phosphorous for years.

He's encountered all sorts of explanations and studies and while he admits that farmers play a role in adding phosphorous to Lake Erie he said the issue isn't that simple.

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Algal blooms on Lake Erie. Who's to blame?

As the algae bloom in Lake Erie continues to grow, so does the debate on who's really to blame.

A report released by Environmental Defence, an environmental and health organization, Wednesday morning suggested a four-point plan to fix the bothersome bloom.

We are seeing increasing intensity, increasing frequency in algal blooms on the Great Lakes obviously what we're doing so far is not enough, said Nancy Goucher, water program manager for the organization.

The plan outlines four key points that will fix the algae issue, including harnessing market forces to help farmers cut down on nutrient runoff, building water smart cities, improving scientific understanding of the blooms and forming a policy framework that pushes for action.

A press release from the organization stated:

The Ontario government should evaluate the applicability of market mechanisms such as tax shifting, pollution taxes and nutrient trading to transfer money from undesirable acts like polluting to desirable ones that reward farmers for 'doing the right thing.'

It's this kind of statement that raises questions from agriculture experts like Ivan O'Halloran, an associate professor at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus who studies nutrient use and soil fertility.

What they're saying is reasonable, he said. The only concern I have is that when you write it that way they did it sort of implies that farmers are doing the wrong things now and I don't believe that is the case for all farmers.

O'Halloran has been fielding questions about farmers and phosphorous for years.

He's encountered all sorts of explanations and studies and while he admits that farmers play a role in adding phosphorous to Lake Erie he said the issue isn't that simple.

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Algal blooms on Lake Erie. Who's to blame? 0

Leesburg Concrete Company, Incorporated (LCCI) is preparing to manufacture the precast concrete boardwalk treads known as PermaTrak. PermaTrak North America provides environmentally friendly precast concrete boardwalk and elevated greenway systems which are virtually maintenance free. Leesburg Concrete produces precast concrete components for PermaTrak.

PermaTrak has secured a portion of the contract for the Upper Tampa Bay Trail, Phase IV which is a seven mile stretch of regional multi-use trail which will run from Peterson Road to Lutz-Lake Fern Road in Hillsborough County, Florida. LCCI will produce 134 x 3 precast panels with sandblast finish for PermaTrak to install 3 separate sections of elevated greenway covering an approximate total of 2500 feet. When completed the Upper Tampa Bay Trail will connect to the North Suncoast Trail and will offer recreational opportunities and transportation alternatives to residents and visitors of West Central Florida. (Photo illustrates the surface that was selected for Upper Tampa Bay Trail, Phase IV)

Leesburg Concrete Company, Incorporated

Family owned and operated since 1983, Leesburg Concrete Company, Incorporated was first a leading manufacturer of precast concrete steps decks, walkways, landings, and ADA compliant modular precast concrete wheelchair ramps, with steel guard rails, and handrails. They also manufacture Easi-Set Buildings, Easi-Span field assembled large and ultra-large buildings and Easi-Set restrooms, feature a patented post-tensioning system in the roof and floor, architectural precast cladding panels and precast concrete stairs. LCCI also offers a wide array of custom precast product options. We've never had a job that we couldn't handle, stated Kirk Rouse, Vice President of LCCI. This American, family-owned company demonstrates a philosophy of quality and innovation.

Leesburg Concrete Company, Incorporated is an NPCA Certified Plant, focused on meeting the needs of commercial building construction and renovation projects. Their experienced staff provides turnkey service, and it only takes one call to find the solution to your building needs. For more information visit their website at http://www.leesburgconcrete.com, (800) 882-4177, or KRouse@leesburgconcrete.com.

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Leesburg Concrete Company, Inc. Set to Produce Precast Concrete "Boardwalk" for ...

Naples, FL (PRWEB) August 11, 2014

Fiddlers Creek announced that the move-in-ready Washington model is now available at Chiasso, a village of 59 single-family residences within the luxury, master-planned community.

Offered by D.R. Horton, Chiasso is a sanctuary of peace and the pinnacle of luxury living. Intertwined with waterways, the village features five individual floor plans, ranging from 2,583 air-conditioned square feet to 3,522 air-conditioned square feet, most with stunning lake views.

The Washington is a one-story, move-in ready home offering 2,788 air-conditioned square feet. This lakefront residence features three bedrooms, three and a half baths, a den, as well as a centrally located great room and kitchen with caf and walk-in pantry. The home also has a large entrance foyer that leads to the dining room, great room and den, plus a two-car garage.

Upgrades in the Washington home include maple espresso cabinets in the kitchen and cherry java in the baths. The home also features Petra floor tile laid in a diagonal pattern in all living area and wood floors in the master bedroom as well the den. The home features a mixture of quartz and granite countertops and brushed nickel celling fans throughout.

The Washington model features a variety of upgrades that showcase the many options currently available in the Chiasso series, including the optional outdoor kitchen and pool and spa complete with glass tiles. The base price for the Washington is currently $581,990, plus lot premium. The move-in-ready Washington model home is currently available for $699,969.

In addition to the Washington, one other move-in-ready home is currently open for viewing.

The Madison luxury model offers 3,246 air-conditioned square feet. This one-story residence features three bedrooms, four baths, and a private den located just steps off the outdoor living area, plus two-car garage. There also is a central living room with adjacent dining room, kitchen and entry foyer with coffered ceiling. The base price of the Madison is currently $599,990, plus lot premium. The move-in-ready Madison model home is currently available for $709,234.

Each residence in the village of Chiasso is built of structurally engineered reinforced concrete block wall construction with high profile concrete roof tiles. Each home also has brick paver driveways, walkways and lanais. Interior design features include a luxury kitchen with granite countertops and 42-inch cabinets with decorative finishes; exquisite baths with designer bath fixtures and granite countertops; ceramic tile flooring; and energy saving features throughout.

Located just off Collier Boulevard between Naples and Marco Island, Fiddlers Creek is an award-winning community that has been selected by the readers of the Naples Daily News and Bonita Daily News as Best Community in the Southwest Florida Readers Choice Awards. The community also received the 2013 CBIA Sand Dollar Award for Community of the Year.

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Fiddlers Creek Offers Move-in-Ready Washington Model by D.R. Horton