Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A small office building at 54 Sasco Hill Road would be replaced by a mixed-use office and apartment building if a new application wins Town Plan and Zoning Commission approval.

The TPZ began a public hearing on the application filed by Love Where You Live, LLC, on Tuesday night, but the hearing was continued to January.

Raymond Rizzio, the lawyer representing the applicant, said the 2,700-square-foot building, while on largely residential Sasco Hill Road, is in a designed commercial district. "We want to add to the property," he said, and build a mixed-use project.

The new building would be elevated, provide additional parking and comply with Federal Emergency Management Agency standards. The first floor would be office space and the second floor would be an apartment. Both spaces, Rizzio said, are expected to be occupied by the building's owner, Love Where You Live, a local construction company. He said, however, it would be used for office purposes and the property would not house construction equipment.

On one side of the property is a large office building that fronts on the Post Road, and on the other is a private home that uses the driveway at 54 Sasco Hill Road through an easement.

It is expected that the new building would add two more cars to the traffic on Sasco Hill Road during peak hours, according to the applicant.

Landscaper William Kenny said the project calls for marsh area behind the building to be restored, with invasive species and a lawn area removed.

Rizzio said the building would be white-washed brick, clapboard siding and large expanses of glass, taking advantage of the water views of the Mill River. He said while the proposed building would be two and a half stories -- there is a small loft area on the third level and an enclosure for mechanicals -- it would not appear taller than nearby structures because of the lot's low elevation. The first floor would have 3,250 square feet of office space, while the second floor apartment would have 2,819 square feet. The loft area would be comprised of 327 square feet.

The property in question, Rizzio said, sits lower than Sasco Hill Road. "From the street, there's a 7-foot shift in grade," he said.

A mixed-used building, he added, would provide a transition from the abutting commercial district on the Post Road to the residential district on Sasco Hill Road.

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Mixed-use building proposed on Sasco Hill Road

Published: Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013, 3:41a.m. Updated 12 hours ago

An apartment complex for seniors is in development in North Versailles.

Construction of the 40-unit Primrose Apartments is expected to get under way in February or March, with a targeted occupancy date of early 2015, according to developer Hudson Group Inc. of Hermitage.

It's intended to create a community of senior citizens within a building where they live independently in a safe and secure environment, Hudson's director of government services Dana Frankenburg said.

The project is being funded with a $6 million grant, awarded in 2011, from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 202 program for elderly housing.

The Community Action Partnership of Mercer County is the sponsor, and will own the building when it is completed. Frankenberg said the project constitutes good use of federal tax dollars.

There is a high need for this type of housing in the North Versailles area, Frankenburg said.

Allen Wagner, who is code enforcement officer for North Versailles, said he sees the facility as a good fit for the township. Wagner noted that approximately 42,000 seniors live within a five-mile radius of the township's Wal-Mart.

The whole Mon Valley is senior citizen rich, Wagner said.

The three-story apartment building will be built on five acres of the old Fillar estate on Denning Way. It's a location that puts it in close proximity to the Giant Eagle and other businesses along Route 30. Wagner, who through marriage has family ties to the previous owners of the land, said the property sat vacant for years and was thought to be undevelopable because of an abandoned petroleum line crossing the site.

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Developer proposes senior complex in N. Versailles

The Reserve Bank has exempted new homes from its LVR regulation. Photo from NZ Herald.

While welcoming the exemption, the Labour Party criticised Westpac bank's decision yesterday to charge higher interest rates for low-deposit borrowers, claiming the Government had created a ''two-tier home lending market''.

Reserve Bank deputy governor Grant Spencer announced yesterday that the central bank, having consulted the building industry and other banks, would exempt new residential construction loans from the LVR restrictions, which were introduced on October 1.

The LVR sought to keep overall bank mortgage lending to people who had less than a 20% deposit, at 10% of banks' lending portfolios, putting first-home buyers at a further disadvantage.

''While high LVR construction lending is only around 1% of total residential lending, it finances around 12% of residential building activity,'' Mr Spencer said in a statement.

''This exemption means that low deposit lending will fall outside the 10% speed limit if it is financing the construction of a new house or apartment.''

Labour's Housing spokesman Phil Twyford said recent evidence from the Registered Master Builders Federation, that the LVR was putting thousands of new builds at risk, ''blew a hole'' in the Government's policy of trying to increase housing supply.

Warwick Quinn, chief executive of the Registered Master Builders Federation, said he had no doubt it was research from independent consulting company for the building industry, Branz, released late last month, which influenced the policy change.

It showed 5000 new houses, not the previously estimated 3000, could be jeopardised by applying LVRs to new house construction.

''The information the banks keep on how much lending they do on new house construction is not great,'' Mr Quinn said.

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LVR exemption for building welcomed

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December 12th, 2013 12:15 pm by Katherine Scoggins

Rogersville natives Kenneth Richards, Sr., and his wife Pauline started East Tennessee Pest Control on the corner of Main and Brownlow streets approximately 41 years ago.

What started in a small trailer is now a thriving family business that can handle all of your pest control needs.

My brother, Kenneth Richards, Jr., is vice president and has worked here ever since he was old enough to work, said Pam Manis, daughter and general manager. My dad has turned the day-to-day operations over to us. Both my sisters have worked here. Tina Johnson is focusing on raising her family and Tammy Keirsey is in charge of data processing.

The 13 experienced technicians on staff must pass rigorous certification before they can administer termite and pest control treatments. As a QualityPro Company, East Tennessee Pest Control runs background checks on technicians. Employees must have a clean driving record and pass ongoing drug and alcohol screenings.

As members of the Tennessee, Virginia and National Pest Management Associations, East Tennessee Pest Control is required to have general liability insurance and must keep up with changing laws and regulations, pesticide labeling, and chemical application practices in Virginia and Tennessee.

They offer free inspections for businesses, schools, restaurants and residential customers. If action is necessary, they will present treatment plan options and give you a price for eliminating your problem. You can also elect to have a service contract or renewal for maintaining a pest-free environment once your nuisance is eradicated.

We service some clients that have been with us from the beginning, because of our high quality of work, Manis added. Some of our clients dont have a roach, ant or termite problem, and we service them because they dont want one, they want peace of mind.

East Tennessee Pest Control does a combination of baiting and spraying for termite and pest control. They can do a conventional treatment including drilling the slab and block and applying termiticide and also put a baiting system around the structure that helps them determine if there are termites in the area. If there are, they put in a bait cartridge in the monitor that attracts them. It can kill an entire colony of termites. For rodent control, they will use glue traps in areas where they cant apply chemicals or pellets.

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East Tennessee Pest Control will work to make the new year safe and healthy for your family

Work has continued over the weekend to support floodvictims inDenbighshire.

So far the council has found emergency accommodation for 49 people plus five people who are staying in a residential care setting but these figures can change daily as people's circumstances change.

The council's records estimate around 130 properties were flooded.

The clean up operation is continuing and Denbighshire councilhas had two teams in the affected area power washing driveways and paths leading up to the front and rear doors of houses over the weekend.

Environmental Services Staff been out ensuring residents know plans for dealing with the flood damaged goods. From Monday and every day this week, Denbighshire will have a refuse vehicle on site permanently to remove any sodden items (not white goods) and a team will assist residents with removal of damaged items between 8am and 4pm until further notice.

The council will only remove goods that are placed on the footway which will indicate to us that the insurance or the owners have given permission for the goods to be removed. A skip will be on the site for the disposal of white goods only. The intention is to avoid having large numbers of skips in the area although we have three skips as back up in our depot if needed.

All footways and carriageways in the affected area have been cleaned and power washed. All the drainage gullies will have been cleaned and Welsh Water contractors have been cleaning out the main sewers.

Street Lighting Columns will have preparatory work carried out to accommodate the temporary CCTV cameras for North Wales Police to provide residents with added reassurance.

DVSC has set up a virtual warehouse for donations to help people to obtain goods on the website at http://www.b2cwales.co.uk/initiatives/b2c-give or contact B2C in Rhyl on 01745 353110.

Work will continue to ensure we have identified and are in contact with all vulnerable people and we will make sure there is appropriate support available for people throughout the Christmas period.

Link:
Denbighshire council update on floods

Cleaning (like your Netflix queue) requires prioritization. Kelly Reynolds, an environmental biologist at the University of Arizonas Zuckerman College of Public Health in Tucson, explains where to focus your energyand the sanitizing spray.

Kitchen Sponge/Dish Rag Youve heard this before, and yet the item used to clean dishes and countertops is still the filthiest thing in most homes, Reynolds said. Residential sponges and cloths routinely test positive for illness-causing bacteria, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus, as well as the influenza virus; the damp material is also a breeding ground for mold. With every swipe, you could be spreading that gunk all over the place. No wonder the FDA has banned spongeswhich tend to be more hazardous than quicker-drying ragsfrom commercial kitchens.

Clean up: After each use, rinse the sponge or cloth in hot water, wring it out, and let it dry in a ventilated soap dish or spread out over a towel bar. At the end of the day, and after every raw-meat encounter, sterilize a wet sponge by popping it in the microwave for one minute (emphasis on weta dry sponge could catch fire); toss rags in the laundry. Clean countertops daily with a disinfecting spray and switch to a new sponge every couple of weeks.

Related: Everyday Health Dilemmas Solved

Kitchen Sink This area typically harbors more than 500,000 bacteriaten times the amount found on the average toilet seat, Reynolds said. Blame the fact that most people clean the commode regularly, but the basin where raw produce is rinsed? Not so much. Uncooked fruits and vegetables and knives and cutting boards that have come in contact with raw meat are loaded with potential pathogens. Add moisture and scraps of food, which encourage germ growth, and suddenly you have a population the size of Seattle in your sink.

Clean up: A couple of times a week, and after you prepare raw food, wet the sink and scour with a scrub brush to get rid of any bacteria adhered to the surface, Reynolds said. Pay particular attention to the germ hotspots around the drain and garbage disposal. Spray the faucet, basin, and your brush with a solution of cup of chlorine bleach and one quart of water or full-strength hydrogen peroxide. Or, try a natural antibacterial product, like Seventh Generation Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner. Let sit for ten minutes, then rinse.

Related: How to Keep Things in Moderation

Toothbrushes You deposit germs from your mouth onto your toothbrush daily. Then you leave it to dry in a damp bathroom, possibly across from the toilet, where the bristles can become contaminated with the airborne bacteria released with every flushheard enough?

You can get sick from using your own toothbrush and you can keep reinfecting yourself, Reynolds said, noting that bugs such as E. coli, Listeria, and Strepnot to mention moldmay be lurking between the bristles.

Clean up: Allow toothbrushes to air-dry in an upright holder (away from the toilet, if possible). You can also significantly reduce the number of germs wafting through the bathroom by closing the lid when you flush. Once a week, run toothbrushesand the holder if its safethrough the dishwashers sanitizing cycle to kill bacteria. Replace brushes every three months or after youve been ill.

Read more here:
The 8 germiest items in your home

Death of an Interior Decorator
Originally by Death Cab for Cutie Cover by Evan Thomas McFadden 12/5/2013.

By: Evan Mcfadden

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Death of an Interior Decorator - Video

BT Vancouver: Great Gifts For The Design-Obsessed On Your List
From home dcor junkies to fashion enthusiasts, interior decorator and all around style guru Alykhan Velji shows you great gifts for the design-obsessed on y...

By: citytvofficial

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BT Vancouver: Great Gifts For The Design-Obsessed On Your List - Video

Dec. 10, 2013, 4:10 a.m.

Bulli mum Pinky Makaude has developed a product range designed to provide simple, inexpensive ways for people to easily create more inspirational spaces for work, living or leisure.

Pinky Makaude, of Bulli, with some of the product range from her business, Festoon Creative Spaces. Picture: GREG ELLIS

Bulli mum Pinky Makaude has developed a product range designed to provide simple, inexpensive ways for people to easily create more inspirational spaces for work, living or leisure.

Mrs Makaude started thinking more about her dream while she was on maternity leave with her son for 12 months.

During that year, she decided to further investigate turning her idea into a business reality.

So she contacted the Illawarra Business Enterprise Centre at Illawarra ITeC and undertook a basic business course.

That dream became reality and Festoon Creative Spaces was born a few months ago.

Mrs Makaude's vision was to design, source and market unique decorator products.

Festoon Creative Spaces is initially operating as an online retail store with its base in Bulli.

Read the rest here:
Mum's interior design business set up to inspire

Don't worry if you can't afford it, just paint it instead...

10:42am Tuesday 10th December 2013 in News By Tara Russell, Feature Writer

Chris Smart

AT first glance its the home that has it all.

Theres a dream motor parked in the garage, a rolling English country garden and woodland birds in a rainbow of colours perched in his baby girls nursery.

But take a closer look and youll find its all actually a clever illusion.

Meet Chris Smart, the man who has created an ideal world for his family using nothing more than a paintbrush.

When Chris pictures his perfect surroundings, he doesnt let the fact he cant afford his wish list get in the way.

The 34-year-old does what any artist would do spends hundreds of hours creating it instead.

I see nice things that inspire me, anything that takes my eye, and I know I can try and create my own version.

Link:
'I have painted a dream world for my family'