Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Aside from the kitchen, which most homebuyers consider to be the most important room in the house, the bathrooms are considered a key selling point. Thats especially true with the master bathroom or suite area. This is indicated by the trends seen among buyers of new homes.

Our second-favorite room is the bath, said Joan McCloskey, a former Better Homes and Gardens Magazine editor who talked about new-home buyer trends at this years International Builder Show. Even humble folks are pampering themselves with luxurious bathrooms in the master suite. Our bathrooms set the mood for the day and homeowners want it light, comfortable, and cheerful. Toys in this room and the master include heated floors, little refrigerators, steam showers with multiple shower heads, soaking tubs, towel warmers, fireplaces, and coffee nooks.

The National Kitchen and Bath Association says todays bathrooms are more elaborate and luxurious; one emerging trend is adding columns in the bathroom for a roman spa feel.

While there are common preferences among buyers purchasing move-up or luxury homes, the trends tend to trickle down to entry-level homes often in the way of options and upgrades and remodeled homes. Potential homebuyers will take note of the state of your bathrooms, whether its a 1,200-square-foot starter home or roomy executive-style digs.

Go here to see the original:
Remodeling to Sell

The newest designs for CentrePointe, released Oct. 2. CMMIARCHITECTS

An international engineering firm will occupy 21/2 floors of the CentrePointe office building, company and city officials announced Tuesday.

Stantec, which employs 160 people in Lexington, plans to move its offices into the CentrePointe development and add 30 jobs, company officials said.

"Our new downtown office will help fulfill our company purpose: We create communities," Stantec vice president Don Armour said. "We've appreciated the concerted public-private effort that has moved this project to this milestone."

The Webb Companies, CentrePointe's developers, have said a nationally known engineering firm needed to be in the 10-story office building by May 2015. That's why it was so important for construction on the downtown development to begin. The name of the engineering firm was not released until Tuesday.

Crews started initial site work Sunday for the long-delayed project, which is to include an underground parking garage, an office complex, retail space, an apartment building and a hotel. CentrePointe developers have said construction on the 700-space underground parking garage will begin first, followed by the office tower.

Stantec officials said Tuesday that in addition to creating 30 jobs, it will invest more than $2.5 million in its expansion.

Stantec has more than 200 offices across the world, including in Louisville and Cincinnati.

Gov. Steve Beshear praised the firm's expansion in Lexington.

"This expansion will have a positive impact for the community, creating quality jobs in the Lexington area," Beshear said.

Read more:
CentrePointe's big reveal: Engineering firm to be office building's first tenant

(WJBK) -

An old post office in Detroit has been converted to a place of worship, but the city of Detroit still believes it's an abandoned building and sent a bill to the church for more than three thousand dollars.

VIDEO: Click on the video player above to watch the story in a report from Fox 2's Randy Wimbley, or read the story below __________________

"I was told that somebody came in March and they didn't see anything except construction debris. Well, we're renovating the post office. Then I was told they came again on a Sunday in November and did not see any activity."

And Pastor Mike Hanafee of Restore Church in Detroit says that led to this: a "$3361.99 bill that we received last week."

Talk about sticker shock .

Pastor Hanafee says the tax exempt status for the post office-turned church building was good to go.

"We submitted all the official paperwork with all the requirements," Pastor Hanafee says. Then a field inspector claimed to have stopped by.

"Despite all the evidence, we were told that we actually had not been meeting at this building for the last 60 weeks, which is a great surprise to the 125 of us who gather here every Sunday," the pastor says.

Fox 2 found several pictures of church services dating back to October of 2012 and video is from a worship service this past Sunday. So what gives?

Original post:
Detroit church receives abandoned-building bill for more than $3K

The developers of a five-floor residential, office and retail building on Main Street will find out this week if the state will approve its brownfield redevelopment plan.

The Midland City Council added its support Monday for Midland DTH LLCs brownfield plan, which calls for the construction of a $15.3 million building and $5.8 million in environmental cleanup on land at 102, 110, 114, 124 and 128 Main St. and 108 Ashman.

Midland DTH was formed by Saginaw-based SSP Associates to complete the project. It sought approval of a brownfield tax increment financing plan that would pay the company back for the costs of cleaning up heavy metals, petroleum compounds, dry cleaning compounds, asbestos and more at the site. The payback would come by capturing any increase in property taxes paid on the property and redirecting them to the developer for a term of 26 years.

Total costs to be reimbursed are about $8.4 million, which includes about $5.8 million in actual costs and about $2.6 million in interest. The city would reimburse about $5.9 million over 21 years, with the state reimbursing about $2.5 million over 26 years.

Brian Eggers, AKT Peerless principal who represented Midland DTH on Monday, said the project would make the best use of the downtown lots by going vertical and mixing uses. It would eliminate blight, remove contamination, improve city infrastructure, add underground parking for tenants, leverage state investment, invigorate downtown and add a landmark structure on Main Street, Eggers said.

Two properties on the site were previously eyed by Artful Dodger Brewing Co. and later by Better Grounds LLC, but plans stalled for both of those projects.

This project will succeed where other projects have failed, Eggers said.

The first floor would include retail and restaurant space. The upper floors would include 15 condominium units with two or three bedrooms. Eggers said the building would add 46 new full-time equivalent jobs to downtown and support 400 construction jobs.

The brownfield cleanup poses economic challenges for the developer, so assistance would help put the land to use, said Dave Keenan, Midland assistant city manager.

Keenan said the developer expects to start work in first quarter of 2014, with 2015 being the first year of tax capture.

Read the original post:
Council OKs plan for Main Street building

New Brunswick, NJ (PRWEB) December 18, 2013

Gilbane Building Company is pleased to announce the relocation of the New Jersey office to New Brunswick. The continuing growth of Gilbanes New Jersey office motivated the move into a space and location that will facilitate future expansion so as to better serve multiple clients throughout the state.

With a central location for building activity, Gilbanes move underscores its commitment to New Jersey. The new office allows Gilbane to provide better service and support for local clients. The companys New Jersey team moved into its new location in Albany Street Plaza, 120 Albany Street Suite 301, in early December after a thorough fit-out to accommodate the staff as well as the space necessary for growth.

With this move to Albany Street Plaza, Gilbane gains an office identity that reflects our strong New Jersey presence while accommodating for future growth, said John Fumosa, New Jersey district manager. Both geographically and architecturally this new space supports the companys nearly five decades of commitment to being a top builder in New Jersey.

A major player in New Jersey construction since 1967, Gilbane works with a wide variety of public and private sector clients. Gilbane recently completed the William Paterson University Science Hall Addition and is currently building three schools for the New Jersey Schools Development Authority Oliver Street Elementary School, Public School #20 and Elliott Street School. Gilbane also has a contract with the State of New Jersey Management of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program, and the Landlord Rental Repair Program (LRRP), which helps homeowners affected by Superstorm Sandy. In the private sector, Gilbane is providing Construction Management At-Risk services to several clients in multiple market sectors.

About Gilbane Building Company

Gilbane provides a full slate of construction and facilities-related services from sustainable building to the latest in construction technology for clients across various markets. Founded in 1873 and still a privately held, family-run company, Gilbane has more than 50 office locations around the world. For more information, visit http://www.gilbaneco.com.

In New Jersey since 1967, Gilbane has provided construction and project/program management services to a variety of market segments. Prominent clients in the New Jersey area include the Devils Renaissance, LLC; the New Jersey Economic Development Authority; County of Essex; Becton Dickenson & Co.; Rutgers University; and New Jersey Transit.

Read more here:
Gilbane’s New Jersey Office Moves to New Brunswick

Miami, FL (PRWEB) December 18, 2013

South Florida homeowners are turning to aluminum sunroom additions and screen rooms as covered entryways, mudrooms and personal-sized retreats, says Chris Noe, president of Venetian Builders, Inc., Miami.

Aluminum framing with insulated walls and screening or windows can adapt to a wide range of uses, Noe says. Because of the high technology of the framing systems, the savings in labor, and the low material costs, aluminum additions perform well in smaller applications, not just in bigger projects.

Venetian installs Florida rooms, patio covers and screen swimming pool enclosures throughout South Florida, including West Palm Beach, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miramar, Homestead and the Keys. It also installs retractable canvas awnings and aluminum pergola for shade, and aluminum privacy lattice.

Theres versatility to aluminum framing, Noe says. We can order insulated roof panels that carry power to fans and lights in varying sizes. Wall panels can have outlets, too."

Windows can be fixed or operating, and they can be glass or acrylic and made to size.

All those variables make aluminum additions applicable to more than just traditional uses, Noe said. People often think of aluminum sun rooms as living and dining rooms, and as family rooms, recreation areas and media centers, Noe said. But those major additions arent the only cases where a sunroom works.

He gives these tips to homeowners in need of smaller improvements:

Entryways: There are pockets in South Florida where screen-enclosed entries are popular, Noe said. West Palm Beach is a good example. Aluminum framing is perfect for this. The addition or, in some cases, the insert in a roofed entry can be made to complement the architecture of the home. Doors can be single or double, and high-end models that are piano-hinged are sturdy and quite attractive.

Mudrooms: People who spend time in the garden know just how valuable a mud room can be, Noe said. So do owners of a home along the beach, where the room works more to keep sand rather than mud out of the house. A cozy mudroom may have enough space for hanging hats and storing shoes that are worn into the garden or to the shore, and it likely will have glass to let in ample light, Noe said.

Read the original here:
Tip Sheet from Venetian Builders, Inc., President Chris Noe: Small Screen Rooms and Sunrooms Serve as Entries ...

FREDONIA Roof and road repairs dominated discussions during the meeting of the Fredonia Village Board Monday in Village Hall.

A leak on the side of the roof over the auditorium in the historic 1891 Opera House, which is connected to Village Hall, has been raising concern by dripping water, which is being caught in a bucket. Officials said they are concerned about ongoing damage.

Roof replacement quotes for the water-filtration building also were also received and a resolution on the work will be considered at the next meeting. Lake Erie Roofing had the lowest local quote, at $7,600.

A sinkhole on Hamlet Street is currently fenced off but has grown to the size larger than a car. Village crews are considering replacing collapsed drainage tile inside the sinkhole near the roadway with 90-inch drainage pipe.

The area is near Canadaway Creek and is used for storm drainage.

Board members agreed all the projects would have to wait until warmer weather.

In other matters:

Board members approved Daniel and Kirk Miller as paid firefighters. They also approved Kevin St. George, Chris Curry, Brian Clukey II and Pamela Clukey as volunteer members of the Lambert Hose Fire Company.

Work on the long-range comprehensive plan is continuing this week with a session during the Planning Board meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday to discuss the Complete Streets proposal as adopted by New York State.

The Festival Fredonia Committee sent a letter to the board members stating they will no longer promote the farmers market. Vendors and local farmers who support the market have requested permission to form their own group to promote the market.

Read more here:
Fredonia Board discusses roof, road repairs

window cleaning services in Phoenix AZ 85024
http://www.signaturewindowcleaning.com window cleaning services in Phoenix AZ 85024 480-268-1115 With more than 15 years of experience, we have been proudly serving...

By: chad okun

Continue reading here:
window cleaning services in Phoenix AZ 85024 - Video

Vancouver, B.C (PRWEB) December 17, 2013

When Men In Kilts began offering franchise opportunities three years ago, expansion across North America was the goal. Each year the window cleaning business has seen several leaps towards this goal and 2013 was no different. Growth in franchise development and sales accompanied by great franchisee feedback in a survey conducted by Franchise Business Review, has helped acknowledge Men In Kilts as a great business franchise opportunity.

Men In Kilts CEO Tressa Wood says, 2013 was a great year for us. Our franchisee satisfaction rating was exceptional and the direction we are heading in for 2014 is exciting. We have worked hard on adding systems and support that will really impact the success and sustainability of our franchises, and help set them up for big growth as well. Improvements in our technical training, productivity tools, metrics and reporting, PR, SEO, social media and customer service were all a major focus as we grew this year and will continue to be moving forward.

In 2013, new locations opened in Boston, Toronto, and Edmonton bringing the Men In Kilts operation to a total of eleven franchisees in nine locations with plans to add ten to fourteen new franchise locations in 2014.

Wood continues, Our system wide revenue grew over 40% in 2013 and we anticipate even bigger growth in 2014. The reception we receive in new markets is amazing. Many markets across the U.S and Canada have heard of us now and prospects interested in buying a franchise have increased since opening some of our bigger markets in Boston and Philadelphia.

The cleaning industry is a multi-billion dollar industry with huge opportunity. Companies who focus on the customer and on building scalable systems will be the ones who lead the industry.

Wood concludes, Running a successful business is about having a vision and a plan, with tight execution. It also has a lot to do with people. Bringing on the right franchise owners who are aligned with our vision and brand, and retaining customers by delivering exceptional customer service is what will drive our brand forward and make us a household name.

To find our more about franchise opportunities and available markets visit http://www.meninkiltsfranchise.com.

About Men In Kilts Men In Kilts was started in 2002 by Nicholas Brand, a Vancouver based Scotsman who fashioned a hand-sewn kilt and put a visual to the otherwise faceless window cleaner.

By 2009, the location had grown to over one million in revenue and caught the attention of Tressa Wood, former VP of Operations from 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. Tressa joined the team as CEO and began the process of franchising the company. Men In Kilts now has locations across North America and plans to expand to every major metro by 2017.

Follow this link:
Men In Kilts Is One Of The Best Franchise Opportunities of 2014 According to Franchise Business Review

Everyone likes to get mail.

Some people may complain about getting too many bills, but in truth, checking the mail is as American as apple pie.

It is part of our daily routine.

To ensure that this service continues, area residents need to keep mailbox and walkways clear of snow and ice so that the letter carrier or other delivery person can safely approach the mailbox or door inserts.

The winter weather has arrived early in the Upper Peninsula and northeastern Wisconsin and the Postal Service asks customers to clear snow and ice from sidewalks, stairs and mailboxes to help letter carriers deliver mail during inclement weather.

"Snow and ice make delivery dangerous," local officials said. "Maintaining a clear path to the mail box - including steps, porches, walkways and street approach - will help letter carriers maintain consistent delivery service."

Customers receiving door delivery should make sure their sidewalks, steps and porches are clear. Customers receiving curbside delivery should remove snow piles left by snow plows to keep access to their mailboxes clear for letter carriers.

Delivery service may be delayed or curtailed whenever streets or walkways present hazardous conditions for letter carriers or when snow is plowed against mailboxes.

The Postal Service curtails delivery only after careful consideration, and only as a last resort. Any curtailed mail is attempted the next delivery day.

Blue collection boxes also need to be kept clear for our customers to deposit their mail and for the Postal Service to collect the mail for delivery.

See the original post here:
Make a path for the mail carrier