Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Stevens Tree Service of Pinellas County owner Bob Dixon and his crew worked all day Nov. 27 grinding stumps and removing hazardous branches at Pinellas Hope, a "tent city" for the homeless located near Largo.

The company provided the service free of charge after Pinellas Hope won a hazardous tree removal contest sponsored by the company.

This is the fourth year Stevens Tree Service has provided free tree removal during Thanksgiving, and the first year a contest was held for the company's pro-bono holiday work.

According to Dixon, the shelter was selected as the winner of the contest because it had the greatest need.

"They had many dead, overhanging branches that were looming over tents that could fall and hurt someone," he explained. "They also had a lot of tree stumps along the walkways that were tripping hazards, especially at night because it is not lit."

Stevens Tree Service, 1334 Spalding Road in Dunedin, has been in Pinellas County more than 40 years and currently serves 2,500 customers in the Tampa Bay area, specializing in all aspects of tree care.

Visit stevenstreeservice.com.

Ignite Restaurant Group has opened its newest Brick House Tavern + Tap in Clearwater, the group's third Brick House location in Florida and one of 20 nationwide.

Built on the former site of Romano's Macaroni Grill at 28795 U.S. 19 N, the new 7,928-square-foot restaurant seats about 320 guests.

Read the original:
North Pinellas business digest for Dec. 8

6 hours ago Juniper berries.

Forest Research scientists have collected berries from juniper bushes across Great Britain as part of the UK National Tree Seed Project overseen by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The berries are sent to the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew for conservation and further research. Juniper, one of three conifers native to Britain, is declining due to changes in land use, disease and a long and complicated reproductive cycle.

Scientists from Forest Research, the Forestry Commission's research agency, and volunteers have been scrambling over challenging terrain in nineteen sites across Great Britain from Bulford, Wiltshire to Bitch Craig in the Scottish Borders to collect berries from juniper bushes in a bid to protect them from further decline.

The collection is part of the UK National Tree Seed Project overseen by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The berries are sent to the Millennium Seed Bank at Kew for conservation and further research. The UK National Tree Seed Project and Millennium Seed Bank have been made possible by 100,000 in support from players of People's Postcode Lottery.

Although there is a lot of juniper in the northern hemisphere, it is declining in Great Britain, particularly in southern England. Rabbits like to eat the seedlings and at some sites the bushes are smothered by brambles and bracken. When moors are burned for grouse shooting it also makes it harder for juniper to survive. The berries often contain large numbers of empty seeds, which may be due an inbalance between male and female bushes in local populations.

Dr Shelagh McCartan of Forest Research who led the berry hunt explains the importance of preserving this native tree:

"Although the juniper berries that flavour our gin traditionally do not come from the UK, and it is rather a rather scraggly, unprepossessing bush; it must be preserved as it is an important part of the Great British landscape. It is one of three native conifers and plays host to about forty fungi and insects, which are dependent on juniper for part or all of their life-cycles. Typically only 6 or so juniper seedlings out of 10,000 seeds survive the first year."

In northern England and Scotland, some juniper populations are under threat from a fungus-like pathogen, Phytophthora austrocedrae.

Frances Graham, Wildlife Conservation Officer of Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority says:

"The UK National Tree Seed Project is an opportunity to safe-guard juniper populations against future threats."

Read the original here:
Protecting juniper from a berry uncertain future

241 - K Crestway, Nepean, Ontario - Virtual Tour
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OLEAN After 39 years working at the former Dal-Tile plant on South Clark Street, Kathy Wilcox expected to put in a few more before retiring.

I thought that after I retired, my husband would, too, and we would just enjoy our time off together, Mrs. Wilcox told the Times Herald.

Her dreams were not much different than those held by her 174 former co-workers, many of whom had worked at the facility for decades.

But exactly one year ago, the dream of finishing out her career at the only place she ever worked came to an end.

One year ago today, the tile plant closed for good, marking the end to a century of tile production in Olean.

Its tough. Ill never forget that date 12/12/12, said Mrs. Wilcox, who was president of the plants union. Its still very hard for me to drive past the plant ... I actually drive a different way when Im in that end of town so I dont have to go by it. But if I do drive past it, I just look the other way.

Officials with Mohawk Industries, the parent company of Dal-Tile International, Inc., announced in October 2012 the plant would stop all operations by mid-December of that year. The decision came after corporate officials rejected a proposal by state and local officials that offered tax breaks and access to low-cost power, among other incentives. But even with that economic assistance, corporate officials said it would cost $10 million annually to keep the facility open.

The plants operations were moved to a sister facility in Gettysburg, Pa., which is now the only Dal-Tile facility in the U.S. producing mosaic tile. The Gettysburg operation is not unionized.

When I found out the plant was closing, I thought it was just a dream, said Barbara Carlson, who worked at the plant for nearly four decades. It took your breath away to hear that news ... It seemed like your whole life was crashing down.

But that news wasnt necessarily a surprise, Mrs. Carlson said.

Read more:
Dal-Tile: One year after its closing

MERIDIAN, Miss.CertainTeed Corp. says work is on track for a July reopening of its Meridian ceiling tile plant the company closed in 2009.

And Graham Thayer, vice president and general manager for CertainTeed Ceilings, tells the Mississippi Business Journal (http://bit.ly/1bU6Hfd) that the settlement of a defective products case will not jeopardize plans to reopen the ceiling materials plant in 2014.

"The settlement regarding our fiber cement siding received preliminary approval after our decision was made to re-open the Meridian facility and in no way will impact the progress we are making to reach our targeted July 1, 2014 re-opening date," Thayer said.

The Valley Forge-Pa. based company says the reopened plant will include $24 million in upgrades and will put more than 100 people to work in the next three years.

The company announced in early November that it would settle a federal class action lawsuit relating to fiber cement siding it manufactured and installed over the last decade. The settlement will cost the company $103 million.

CertainTeed, a subsidiary of French building supply conglomerate Saint-Gobain, stopped its Meridian production in 2009 during a market downturn, laying off 120 workers at the time. The company cited sluggish commercial building in choosing to close one of its two ceiling tile plants. CertainTeed selected Meridian for the shutdown because the plant there is older than the sister plant in L'Anse, Mich.

Thayer said the Meridian structure remained in good condition after its closing.

"So we are focused on installing new equipment and calibrating the production lines and to be fully operationalmanufacturing and shipping our ceiling panel products to customersby July 1."

Ceiling tiles have been manufactured in the Meridian facility since 1941 throughout various stages of ownership. CertainTeed took over the plant in 2005.

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CertainTeed to reopen Meridian plant in 2014

MERIDIAN From staff and AP wire reports

CertainTeed Corp. says work is on track for a July reopening of its Meridian ceiling tile plant the company closed in 2009.

And Graham Thayer, vice president and general manager for CertainTeed Ceilings, tells the Mississippi Business Journal that the settlement of a defective products case will not jeopardize plans to reopen the ceiling materials plant in 2014.

The company announced in early November that it would settle a federal class action lawsuit relating to fiber cement siding it manufactured and installed over the last decade. The settlement will cost the company $103 million.

The Valley Forge-Pa. based company says the reopened plant will include $24 million in upgrades and will put more than 100 people to work in the next three years.

"The settlement regarding our fiber cement siding received preliminary approval after our decision was made to reopen the Meridian facility and in no way will impact the progress we are making to reach our targeted July 1, 2014 re-opening date," Thayer said.

The Mississippi Development Authority is putting in $1.1 million for the project. Lauderdale County is borrowing $700,000 for infrastructure and rail improvements, which it will administer through contracts. The county and city of Meridian will each pay back $350,000 of the loan.

CertainTeed, a subsidiary of French building supply conglomerate Saint-Gobain, stopped its Meridian production in 2009 during a market downturn, laying off 120 workers at the time. The company cited sluggish commercial building in choosing to close one of its two ceiling tile plants.

CertainTeed selected Meridian for the shutdown because the plant there is older than the sister plant in L'Anse, Mich. The company also operates a ceiling tile plant in Plymouth, Wis.

Thayer said the Meridian structure remained in good condition after its closing.

Continued here:
CertainTeed reopening on track

December 12, 2013 - By Flavia Potenza

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICIA COLVIG

The stove in Patricia Colvigs kitchen stands as testimony to the skill and artistry of Harris and the Malibu Ceramic Works production team.

Nowadays, that is keeping the lost art of handmade California tile of the early 20th century and its cultural richness alive and prospering.

In 1979, Harris worked in the film industry and knew nothing about tile. But when a friend moved out of Topanga, Harris bought his collection of Malibu Tile that was produced by Malibu Potteries from 1926-1932.

I liked them and would give them away as Christmas presents, says Harris.

Little did he know that 30 years later, he would be regarded as the founding father of Malibu Tile and other decorative art tiles of the early 20th century because he was able to recreate the formulas that had been lost to history.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PATRICIA COLVIG

The sink in Patricia Colvig's house shows the same mastery and attention to detail that is the mark of the workmanship of Malibu Tile Works.

Read the rest here:
Bob Harris’ Malibu Ceramic Works

By Laith Agha Marin Independent Journal

You have to paint the glue on.

Pick up a piece of the broken tile, and apply the glue. Then place the tile back exactly in place.

And work in small sections otherwise, it is too difficult to remember which pieces have been glued and which haven't.

This was the first instruction artist Erin Sorensen gave to her audience of 17 Kent Middle School sixth-graders, who on Wednesday had their first chance at getting their hands on the school's yearlong art project.

When it's all done, just about every Kent student, from fifth to eighth grade, will have had some role in creating the 340-square-foot mosaic mural, to be displayed at the front of the school.

An art student assembles broken tile in a mosaic class at Kent Middle School on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, in Kentfield, Calif. The eighth graders use the pieces to construct what will be a 47-foot- long mosaic mural that will be placed in front of the school next year. (Frankie Frost/Marin Independent Journal) Frankie Frost

"We're celebrating 100 years of Kent Middle School," said eighth-grader Malory Wakida. "And to celebrate, we're creating this mural."

Designed by Sorensen, the mural serves as a timeline, with four scenes of the area and the school. It begins, on the far left, depicting Miwok Indian stick homes and a railroad track. Moving right, each of the next three images represents a phase in the school's history, including its first incarnation as Ross Landing School, in a different location than where the school sits now.

"It's cool to contribute something for the whole school," Malory said.

See original here:
Kent Middle School mural celebrates 'Kentennial'

Published: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at 9:13 a.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 at 5:51 p.m.

An initial phase, under way this week, will include installing new travertine tile, upgraded furnishings, fresh landscaping and new fountains and lighting.

The facelift is the preface for a larger revamp that will transform the mall into more of a lifestyle center, with outdoor dining and other entertainment.

Westfield, which unveiled plans for renovation in May, intends to start the bulk of the work at the mall that will be renamed "Westfield Siesta Key" next year.

In addition to the renovation, Australia-based owner Westfield Group will add 46,000 square feet of space in a parking lot facing Tamiami Trail, creating an outdoor "street-like" feel with stone cobbled walkways and open-area, covered paths.

While Westfield won't reveal details or new retailers until sometime in 2014, the renovation is the first phase in a "multi-million dollar investment" in the property, said Sam Davidson, a Westfield district marketing director for Florida.

"It's Westfield's philosophy to continually invest and reinvest in our properties," Davidson said. "The plan for Westfield Southgate is the perfect model of that commitment.

"We're taking a very strong shopping center and adding new elements and energy to enhance its appeal for Gulf coast residents, the many domestic and international visitors as well as for our retail partners that cater to these shoppers," Davidson added. "Retailer interest in this project remains very high."

The renovation comes less than a year before Southgate is slated to lose blue-chip anchor Saks Fifth Avenue and other merchants to the Mall at University Center, a nearly 900,000-square-foot enclosed retail hub slated to open in October that has captured the region's retail buzz in recent months.

That $315 million mall, also to be anchored by Macy's and Dillard's department stores, may entice other current Southgate merchants to University Parkway and Interstate 75.

Continued here:
Southgate Mall renovations begin

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