Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Avon, Minnesota (PRWEB) January 23, 2014

Miller Architects & Builders has broke ground on Seitz Stainless Addition in Avon, MN.

Seitz Stainless, owned by Jeff and Janet Haviland, has been in business over 20 yearsbased near St. Cloud, Minnesota in the heart of Minnesotas dairy country. The rough terrain that made crop farming so difficult also transformed the area into one of this countrys major dairy-producing areas, and as such the area has seen more than its share of stainless equipment. Seitz Stainless has capitalized on that infrastructure providing custom and contract fabrication of stainless and high alloy-based tanks, pressure vessels, heat exchangers, and custom equipment for food, dairy, pharmaceutical, beverage, and semiconductor applications. The Havilands are expanding to fill a need in the market, and to handle larger projects.

The new 12,750 square foot addition is a Butler pre-engineered steel building featuring slab-on-grade construction with infloor heat. The addition will house two, five-ton cranes and one, ten-ton crane. The new addition also includes a loading/unloading dock with five doors, new septic system and restroom upgrades to code compliance.

Miller Architects & Builders is extremely proud to have the opportunity to team with the Jeff and Janet Haviland on this exciting project from architectural services through construction.

Established in 1874, Miller Architects & Builders is one of the Midwests premier design/build commercial construction firms specializing in commercial construction. Miller Architects & Builders constructs all its facilities using your local labor. Miller Architects & Builders (http://www.millerab.com) is headquartered in St. Cloud, MN

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Miller Architects & Builders Breaks Ground on Seitz Stainless Addition in Avon, Minnesota

These are proving to be tough times for Chicago hospitals designed by architects who pushed the envelope of modern architecture to explore the design possibilities of the circle.

In the Streeterville neighborhood, Bertrand Goldberg's Prentice Women's Hospital is being dismantled by Northwestern University, which plans to build a new research facility at the site after a long fight with preservationists.

And now in Uptown, a similar fate appears to await the former Cuneo Hospital, designed by a distinguished but lesser-known Chicago architect, Edo Belli. A demolition permit has been issued for the long-shuttered building while a small but determined group of preservationists and neighborhood activists continue efforts to save it.

Like old Prentice, Cuneo's design has both fans and detractors.

Naysayers argue that the demise of the curvilinear structure at Montrose and Clarendon avenues, distinctive but in bad repair, would be no loss to Uptown's skyline. The hospital was operated by the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart until it closed in 1988, then used for some years as a children's shelter.

Yet Preservation Chicago named Cuneo to its list of the seven most noteworthy threatened structures in 2012, praising its "whimsical yet thoughtful approach to hospital design, including a roof line that resembles an artist's palette."

That may matter little because the local alderman, James Cappleman, favors a developer's plan to replace the old hospital with a high-rise development.

Cappleman notes that the building lacks landmark status. Ward Miller, director of Preservation Chicago, acknowledges that is unlikely to change because "the city has been traditionally loath to landmark boarded-up structures that need rehabbing."

The issue is scheduled for a vote Monday by the 46th Ward Zoning and Development Committee, made up of representatives of block clubs and neighborhood organizations. Ultimately, the alderman will make the call.

John Holden, a member of the committee, said Cuneo's fate has gotten less than a "robust hearing." A developer who wanted to offer a plan to renovate and repurpose the building wasn't encouraged, according to Holden.

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Old Cuneo Hospital headed for demolition

Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 23, 2014

When beginning an interior commercial architecture and design project, the initial programming phase has long served to guide the direction of the design. But according to the commercial architects and design professionals at OTJ Architects, becoming increasingly popular and effective is the idea of taking the programming phase one step further by conducting a vision session.

The firms architects and designers have seen first-hand that one of the best ways to learn about an organization and its space needs is through full client interaction; conducting interviews with key personnel is fundamental to obtaining information regarding space usage, projected growth or organizational changes including the following:

And while a program summary details all space requirements, a vision session can help to visually communicate design aesthetics for those same space requirements. The vision session, which showcases photos, drawings and specifications from previous projects, helps to determine various options for the overall look and feel of the new space. This collaborative meeting allows the project team to effectively discuss and target design objectives. Once the priorities of an organizations vision are fully understood, the project team can apply this knowledge to the design and ensure the vision aligns with the overall project goals as well as the established budget.

We use feedback from the vision session to document the projects future direction with keywords and images and also update the programming materials if necessary, said Lance Jaccard, Partner at OTJ Architects. This session gives us a real-world glimpse of what type of space the client is looking for with direct comparisons to previous project work.

Which is just what happened with OTJ client, Analytic Services, Inc. OTJ held a vision session for the group to review images from previous projects exemplifying the following areas of design: transparency, open areas, specialty spaces and company branding.

Staff members tagged each photo with a colored sticky note based on his or her preference - red for dislike, blue for like and yellow for lets discuss leading OTJ to discover that employees enjoyed the concepts of writeable surfaces, subtle finish palettes, a variety of seating types, workstations as communities/enclaves, library workspace and a reception area that doubled as meeting space. This vision session helped the project team understand the design goals of the organizations employees, while also promoting ways to effectively utilize the space and achieve a decrease in square footage.

So, what are the results of thoughtfully designed office spaces that take into account the needs and wants of its employees? According to YFS Magazine, when employees enjoy a workplace concept that appeals to their senses and is conducive to smooth operations, they feel proud of working at a company that caters to their needs and values an environment that aids them in successfully accomplishing their work.

So when looking to renovate or re-design your existing office space, consider a vision session as a way to keep employees happy and spirits high the dividends will be seen in increased productivity and improved recruitment and retention.

Contact OTJ Architects to discuss your architectural needs today.

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Commercial Architects at OTJ Share Benefits to Conducting Vision Sessions

Glass media blasting Wildwood log home restoration
http://www.wildwoodloghomerestoration,net wildwoodloghome@gmail.com 425-971-1713 Glass media blasting remove all kinds of stain. This process renews your log to alm...

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Glass media blasting Wildwood log home restoration - Video

By NICOLE CAIRNSJan. 22, 2014, 9:42 p.m.

RAY Dymock has renovated many properties with his wife Joanne in Perth, but it was their dream to restore a heritage property.

RAY Dymock has renovated many properties with his wife Joanne in Perth, but it was their dream to restore a heritage property.

We had friends in Ballarat who told us about this property, so we decided to come over and have a look, but I thought that we couldnt afford that, Mr Dymock said.

We flew down on the Friday and ended up making an offer before we left on the Tuesday.

When we got off the plane arriving home in Perth, I had a message to say it had been accepted.

The couple packed their ute with tools, clothes and a coffee machine and travelled to Ballarat.

Mr Dymock said he and Joanne had spent countless hours trying to recover the history of the grand building on the corner of Eyre and Dawson streets, but with little luck.

We think it was built in the mid-1880s, but we cant find much about it, so thats going from the architecture, he said. Originally it was known as Wandella Mansion.

The building had been a boarding house, as well as a home to large families.

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Heritage restoration a dream project for Perth couple

Bulgaria and Romania need to do more to strengthen their legal systems and fight high-level corruption and organized crime, the European Union said in a report on the European Unions poorest states.

Romania has made progress in many areas and long-awaited legislative changes have remained on track, though concerns about judicial independence remain, European Commission spokesman Mark Gray told reporters in Brussels today. Bulgarias judicial reform progress has not been sufficient and remains fragile, he said.

The two countries that joined the 28-nation bloc in 2007 are judged to be among the EUs most corrupt along with Greece and Italy, according to Berlin-based research organization Transparency International. The Black Sea nations have had with repeated warnings to fight corruption harder to ensure a fair distribution of EU aid. Romania, the bigger of the two, stood to receive 32 billion euros ($43 billion) in EU aid through 2013. Bulgaria got less than 11 billion euros.

For reform to succeed, it needs a consistent and coherent approach based on a broad consensus in Bulgarian society, Gray said about Bulgaria, which was last the subject of a report 18 months ago. The fact that this period included three different governments has not helped to build this consensus, though events have also illustrated a widespread public aspiration for reform.

Bulgaria has been gripped by political turmoil since February, when anti-austerity protests that echoed unrest across Europe forced out Boyko Borissovs administration.

Premier Plamen Oresharskis minority cabinet took power after a May snap election. It survived two no-confidence votes and recurring protests against what demonstrators say is a corrupt political system.

In Bulgaria repeated controversies such as appointments having to be aborted due to integrity issues, the escape from justice of convicted organized crime figures and a succession of revelations about political influence on the judicial system have affected public confidence, the EU said in a statement. There remain very few cases where crimes of corruption or organized crime have been brought to conclusion in court.

Romania is scheduled to hold a presidential election at the end of this year and has been embroiled in a feud between President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Victor Ponta in the past two years over judiciary and taxes.

Pontas coalition, which now holds a two-thirds parliamentary majority, tried unsuccessfully to oust Basescu in 2012. The bickering between Ponta and Basescu was rekindled in late 2013 over changes to a criminal code and some fuel taxes.

Concerns about judicial independence remain in Romania and there are many examples of resistance to integrity and anti-corruption measures, Gray said. The rushed and intransparent amendment of the Criminal Code in December 2013 sparked widespread concern as a challenge to the regime for tackling corruption and promoting integrity.

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EU Urges Romania, Bulgaria to Strengthen Fight Against Graft

(PRWEB) January 23, 2014

RVM Construction Inc., in Orange County, CA is a General Contractor with over 35 years of experience and success building room additions, producing quality remodels, and whole house construction. Like colors and furniture choices, home addition shapes and sizes change in style and form over time and now is certainly the decade of the great room, both inside and out. RVM Construction works with homeowners to design and build great rooms and beautiful outdoor rooms that greatly enhance home value and quality of life. Great rooms and outdoor rooms combine cooking, dining, and living areas where the family congregates day to day and for entertaining.

Said Brent Vandermooren, RVM Construction Superintendent: The one feature that is almost a given now in additions and custom homes is the great room. I think the reason that it has risen in popularity is the flexibility it offers homeowners. More than just a place to make dinner or watch TV, a great room easily rearranges to accommodate everyone for the holidays and other occasions, and gives just about any home that open floor plan feeling so desirable nowadays. The other room that we often build in conjunction with the indoor great room is the outdoor room. These rooms can be situated in the backyard a few yards from the home or the other trend we are seeing is building the outdoor room right next to the indoor great room to create a kind of super indoor/outdoor room. There are so many options and ways to bring the outdoors in, and vice versa, for instance sliding glass doors that slide completely out of the way so that it feels like a wall is removed between the indoor and outdoor spaces.

Those wanting more information about Indoor/outdoor and great room construction can call Ron Vandermooren at 714-632-9420

About RVM Construction: RVM Construction is a Southern California based General Contracting firm specializing in a complete range of all types of residential and commercial construction. Before work begins each project is thoroughly analyzed with the goal to remain on budget and on schedule. RVM proactively identifies potential problems and seeks out the most effective cost-control solutions to fit project requirements.

Clients choose RVM Construction because they value honesty, integrity, and a consistent quality of workmanship. Their proven process provides highly predictable outcomes. The RVM promise is to deliver the finest quality construction within the project budget. RVM employs the best practices available in the engineering and construction industry today.

Their emphasis on quality construction has made RVM one of the most respected construction firms in Orange County.

For more information on RVM construction and a gallery of recent residential projects, visit http://www.rvmconstruction.com.

For more information contact: Bonnie Gullickson 714-632-9420

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RVM Construction, an Orange County CA General Construction Firm, Notes Marked Interest in Great Rooms, Inside and Out

You want to spice up your room? Dont worry, we all do!

I recently took room redecorating to a whole new level by adding a new room in the basement. Its a great way to entertain friends and keep the noise level out of the main part of the house. Drywall or wood is recommended when creating new rooms in the cellar.

My family hired Kevin A. Finnerty, owner/operator of Crosscut Mills, a home remodeling and repair company in Buffalo.

Drywall keeps the moisture out if you get the moisture-resistant drywall, the same product used in bathrooms, Finnerty said. This is cheaper than wood. Wood on the other hand, although more durable, is more expensive. Drywall helps make the room look like a room.

For those of you who are looking to make a change in your room without actually building a new room, you can change things up with wall decor from any fabric store or add some flair with an area rug or a Flokati rug. A Flokati rug is a shag-style rug that comes in many shapes and colors. I picked a teal one for my room. These rugs are not large and a faux version can cost as low as $10.

If you are looking for a bigger change, head to the paint aisle at a local home improvement store. There are many colors and styles to choose from. A very popular technique called accent wall painting is a process that adds style to any room. You simply pick one wall and paint it a different color from the rest. It can be within the same color family or be an opposite color. Its your room, do whatever you want.

There is a wide variety of texture paints as well. They include sandstone, which is a very heavy paint with a sandlike texture. Brushed suede is more of a brushstroke-like texture. If you dont like any of those choices, Martha Stewart Living offers a line of textured paints, including precious metals, potters clay and light strokes.

Before you paint, no matter what you choose, its best to bring a color swatch home to check if thats the right color. You most likely will change your color choice more than once. Many stores offer a small sample of paint to buy. This is a great way to tell if the color will work before buying an entire gallon. Deep colors are popular right now, even in small rooms. I chose a very dark green coupled with a light blue sandstone.

If you love to follow the trends, Emerald Green was the most popular paint color for 2013. Pantone Universes color of the year for 2014 is Radiant Orchid.

Another way to make your room look like new is to reposition your furniture. You can also add a desk or a bookshelf or even a TV. For a slightly whimsical feel, hang some wind chimes. Again, its your room, make it say YOU.

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Time for a change: tips for redecorating a teen’s room

Published: Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014, 9:01p.m. Updated 12 hours ago

Hampton Township School District administrators are exploring the potential for a large-scale remodeling project at the high school.

On Jan. 27, the district administrators and school board members plan to walk through the areas identified for potential remodeling and then host a special public meeting to discuss the need and feasibility for work at the high school.

We've been talking about this for the past year, Superintendent John Hoover said. There are some areas of the high school that need fixed.

Many of the areas of concern include outdated rooms, such as the technology-education area and laboratory rooms.

High school administrators also would like to separate the guidance and administrative departments, which currently share a suite of office space.

Other areas are identified for remodeling to improve security and safety, such as updating the electrical closet, which houses the building's computer equipment and servers.

Installing a closed vestibule at the main entrance also is planned.

Mary Alice Hennessey, chairwoman of the facilities committee, said many of the building issues were pointed out during the preliminary walk-through.

We were comfortable that there were things that need to be addressed, she said.

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Hampton High School remodeling possibility under review

James Hardie Preferred Remodeler South Jersey: SJ Cement Siding Co.
SJ Cement Siding Co. is a James Hardie Preferred Remodeler South Jersey. Visit us: http://sjcementsiding.com or call 856-429-2992 for a free siding or home r...

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James Hardie Preferred Remodeler South Jersey: SJ Cement Siding Co. - Video