Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

COLUMBIA - What is a group of Columbia residents doing that 95 percent of Americans are not?

An intentional community dubbed Terra Nova, which prides itself on ecologically friendly living, found the answer under their feet. Terra Nova uses ground source heating to cover all their heating and cooling needs.

"We can keep the thermostat at any temperature we like year round," Terra Nova member Claire Garden said.

Ground source heating, unlike geothermal heating, does not rely on the Earth's core for heat; instead, it uses groundwater or soil to provide the heating and cooling. The process doesn't just provide heat and air conditioning; it does so efficiently.

"Ground source heat pumps statistically have been documented to probably be the most efficient investment you can make in terms of energy," O2 Geothermal partner Jim Oakley said, who installed ground source heating for his own home.

"Your largest loads in your house for energy usage are heating, air conditioning and heating water and a ground source heat pump can do all those things."

Heat pumps work because heat wants to travel from something that's warm to something that's cold. During installation, a contractor will drill horizontal or vertical loops into the ground. A vertical system, which is used by Garden and Terra Nova, is preferred when there isn't a lot of land to install the loops. The drilling will go 100 to 400 feet deep in a vertical system.

More land is required for workers to install a horizontal system, but it's installed at a shallower depth of five to ten feet and is more cost-effective.

Once installed, the loops are filled with a liquid such as water and ethanol. If the liquid is colder than the surrounding Earth, it will absorb the heat and use it to warm up the home it's serving. The system can be reversed to provide cooling.

Despite upfront costs that may deter potential buyers, ground sourcing heating holds up against the competition.

Originally posted here:
Local Community Goes Green "Underground"

CityCentre, the mixed-use development by Midway Cos. that opened near Beltway 8 and the Katy Freeway in 2009, continues to grow with more office and residential projects.

The CityCentre Three office building, just west of Hotel Sorella, has welcomed its first tenant. Texas A&M University's Mays School of Business has opened in the building, which houses both its Professional and Executive MBA programs. Montco Offshore and LLOG Exploration Co. have also leased space.

Construction of CityCentre Four, another six-story office building that will contain 120,000 square feet, began this summer. Two tenants, ERM and Petrotechnical Data Systems, have signed leases in the building, which is slated for completion next year. The ground floor will have 12,500 square feet of retail and restaurant space. Muoz + Albin, Kirksey and Hoar Construction made up the project team for both office buildings.

On the residential side, Simmons Vedder Partners is developing another multifamily project next to its Domain at CityCentre. It recently broke ground on Icon at CityCentre, a 160-unit project with five stories of rental units above two levels of parking. Steinberg Design Collaborative is the architect, and Kathy Andrews Interiors is providing design services. Opening is planned in 2014.

Recently announced retail and restaurant tenants in CityCentre are: BeHuman Gallery, Charming Charlie, Dryden Kreps men's clothing, ENVI Boutique, Kendra Scott boutique, Muir Fine Art Gallery and Texas de Brazil, a Brazilian steakhouse.

Situated on 37 acres in the Memorial area near the Energy Corridor, CityCentre was planned as an urban-style development in a suburban setting. It combines entertainment, dining, shopping, office, a hotel and conference center and residential components around European-style plazas.

Elsewhere, Midway Cos. recently teamed up with Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds to revitalize the Houston Pavilions office and retail development spanning three blocks downtown.

katherine.feser@chron.com twitter.com/kfeser

The rest is here:
Deal of the Week: Thriving CityCentre adds 2 more projects

1 October 2012 Last updated at 14:55 ET

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George Collier (right) is accused of manslaughter due to gross negligence

A jury trying a builder after a wall he designed collapsed and killed a three-year-old girl has been warned not to "seek revenge" for her death.

Meg Burgess was crushed as she walked home with her mother in Meliden, Denbighshire, in July 2008.

Builder George Collier, 49, from Kinmel Bay, denies manslaughter.

Defence barrister Ronald Walker, QC, said it was a "natural human tendency" to want revenge, but said the case had to be judged according to the evidence.

It was not inevitable, it was the result of human error on behalf of one or more persons

Mold Crown Court has heard that the wall failed after pressure from infill which included soil, clay and builders' rubble.

The prosecution claimed Mr Collier, who had 30 years' experience, should have realised the wall was a retaining wall and needed to be secured to the foundations for added strength.

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'No revenge' plea over wall death

RALEIGH -- The walls of downtowns city-owned parking decks will remain unadorned by commercial displays, a City Council committee ruled last week.

The law and public safety panel rejected a plan to sell advertising space inside seven city decks, saying the concept was poorly devised and wouldnt generate enough money to justify the work.

The Downtown Raleigh Alliance had crafted the proposal at the request of the city and projected that it could generate about $25,000 each year to help close a budget gap in the downtown parking fund.

Committee members raised concerns about the potential for maintenance and vandalism. And they said the proposed displays, which would be pasted directly onto the walls using a stick-on material, could end up looking tacky. This seems like a lot of time and trouble for $25,000, said Councilwoman Mary-Ann Baldwin. If I thought we were going to make $100,000 or $200,000, Id say OK.

The money would go toward cleaning the decks and removing graffiti, bringing a new source of revenue to ease pressure on the general fund, which pays for parks, police and firefighters.

It is lamentable, but understandable, said David Diaz, head of the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, wrote in an email. Lamentable I think because the revenue would have been used to clean the garages which get a lot of use on the weekends. Understandable I think because the concerns expressed over the aesthetics of the advertising are important values in our community; the council was reflecting that value in its vote.

Councilman John Odom, who has criticized the citys signage rules as too restrictive, took a different tack this time. He said the proposal was structured to attract national companies instead of locally owned businesses. Im for the local, not any of the others, he said.

The citys parking fund faces a $2 million shortfall, and the problem is only going to get worse, according to city projections, as the deficit rises to $3.7 million and $4.6 million in each of the next two budget years. The city must transfer money from the general fund to plug the gap.

Raleigh officials blame the shortfall on the soft economy, saying decks built in anticipation of future development now suffer from spotty use. Our parking fund is pretty stressed right now, said assistant city manager Dan Howe. We have been working diligently to come up with creative, outside-the-box revenue sources. Every $25,000 really helps.

Dash said the city has no plans to bring back the proposal in a different format. He said advertising in city decks is now a dead deal.

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Raleigh panel rejects plan for ads on parking decks

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Sept. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Suffolk Construction, one of the most successful, privately held building contractors in the country, announces Megan Murphy, Business Development Manager for Suffolk Construction Mid-Atlantic, has been appointed to the Developing Leaders Forum of the NAIOP National Forums. Murphy is one of only 20 candidates nationally to receive this prestigious appointment.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120523/PH12721LOGO-b )

As a member of the Developing Leaders Forum, Murphy will participate in bi-annual meetings comprised of talented industry professionals who are 35 years old and younger. The Forum meetings provide a platform for members to develop long lasting relationships with commercial real estate colleagues while sharing their interests and expertise in specific topic areas. These topic areas typically include, but are not limited to, peer-to-peer learning; exposure to senior industry professionals; leadership training; and structured opportunities for Forum advancement over time. In addition, Forum members present and examine case studies and discuss market conditions impacting their fellow members and organizations across the county.

"We congratulate Megan on this achievement and greatly value her leadership in the Mid-Atlantic region. Participation with the NAIOP Developing Leaders National Forum will provide our company valuable insights on emerging trends in the commercial real estate industry," remarked John Fish, Chairman and CEO of Suffolk Construction.

The first meeting for the NAIOP Developing Leaders National Forum will be held during Development '12: The Annual Meeting for Commercial Real Estate, October 22-23, 2012, in Washington, D.C.

Suffolk Construction Mid-Atlantic is located at 3190 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, Virginia 22042. For more information about Suffolk Construction Mid-Atlantic, please call 703.286.3200 or email at contactmidatlantic@suffolkconstruction.com.

About NAIOP:

NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, is the leading organization for developers, owners and related professionals in office, industrial, retail and mixed-use real estate. NAIOP provides unparalleled industry networking and education, and advocates for effective legislation on behalf of our members. NAIOP advances responsible, sustainable development that creates jobs and benefits the communities in which our members work and live. For more information, visit http://www.naiop.org.

Suffolk Construction Company:

Suffolk Construction is one of the most successful privately-held building contractors in the country, providing preconstruction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting services to clients in the healthcare, science and technology, education, federal government, and commercial sectors. Suffolk is based in Boston, Massachusetts and has a strong national presence with main offices throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and West Coast. Suffolk is committed to delivering its "build smart" approach to construction management on every project. The company's teams provide clients comprehensive planning services, innovative solutions and technologies, and proven processes such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) that allow Suffolk to deliver the most complex building construction projects on schedule and on budget, with minimal risk. Suffolk is a community-conscious organization dedicated to environmentally-friendly and sustainable business practices, and is committed to making a positive impact in its local communities through strong leadership, proactive involvement, and grassroots volunteering. For more information about Suffolk, visit the official website at http://www.suffolkconstruction.com.

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Suffolk Construction Announces Appointment of Megan Murphy to NAIOP Developing Leaders National Forum

Construction is being done in four phases, with framing work being done on phase one while the foundation is being poured on phase four. Construction is scheduled to be complete in late April or early May next year.

"We're moving right along," said Sandra Lewis, executive director of the Day Center.

Construction was originally planned for 2011; however it was delayed until the total $7.1 million for the project was raised.

Hudson Villas is being supported through a combination of private donations from local foundations and grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"We're pretty much building this debt-free," said Brian Darrough, Hudson Villas property manager.

The 36,000 square-foot complex will have 60 apartments, including four one-bedroom units for couples with the rest being single-room units.

"This is designed for people who need extra support to remain in housing," Lewis said.

The building, located in a gated area, will be staffed 24 hours a day and there will be case managers on site to provide assistance to residents and make sure they do what they have to do in order to remain in their apartments.

"Our goal is to do everything we can to help them stay housed," Lewis said. "This is for people who haven't had success in the past because of a lack of support and that's what we're going to provide them."

The complex is designed where anyone can pay market rate for a unit, $355 all bills paid; however, most of the tenants will be selected by the Day Center or recommended to the Day Center by other agencies.

Originally posted here:
Construction begins on apartments for the homeless

TARBORO The Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners will discuss the proposed consolidation of the health and social service departments when it meets at 7 p.m.

The proposed consolidation will, "promote efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of human services and to strengthen the local public health infrastructure by establishing a consolidated human services department," according to a document in the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners agenda.

The board is entertaining the consolidation coincidentally at the same time they are preparing to relocate both departments in the same building in downtown Tarboro.

The state legislature recently passed a bill that would allow the consolidation of the health and social service department statewide. The county board will not take action to pass a resolution to consolidate the departments, but a vote will be made on whether or not to hold public hearing concerning the issue next month at the regularly scheduled meeting.

Tonight's agenda does have two public hearings scheduled. The first is concerning the county's intention to apply for a $250,000 grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce 2012 Small Business and Entrepreneurship Assistance Program. The proposed funds will be used to work with ProClean, a professional power washing, industrial cleaning and parking lot repair company in Conetoe.

The second will be called for a $225,000 N.C. Department of Commerce 2012 Scattered Housing Community Development Block Grant. The grant will be used to to rehab approximately four houses in Edgecombe County.

In other business, the board will entertain Princeville mayor, Priscilla Evertette-Oates regarding the presence of the Local Government Commission in her town.

Because of its poor financial condition, LGC took over the town's books on July 30. T. Vance Holloman, LGC deputy treasurer, attended the county's meeting last month and asked the board to assist Princeville by looking into taking over their water system. The board unanimously approved the motion.

The board could take its first step to take over the system tonight if a $34,125 matching grant from the N.C. Rural Center is approved. The funds would be used to evaluate the water system.

Oates has verbally suggested she was against the county taking over the system.

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Grants, Princeville, public hearings on county's agenda

PROMAN Infrastructure Services Pvt Ltd,manufacturers and suppliers of crushers, screening and grinding systems,launched the Vertical Shaft Grinder (VSG) machine in collaboration with REMco (USA), along with a special screen from Midwestern Screens (USA), for producing fine grade plaster or concrete sand via dry process.Theconsistent quality ofthe manufacturedplaster or concretesand produced with minimum power by the PROMAN-REMco VSG machines are high qualityround or cubical sand, less than 2 mm in size,complying with the IS 383 Zone II/IS 1542standards with best Fineness Modulus (FM), excellent finishing quality, easy pumping, high strength and workability equivalent to natural sand and canbeused directly for all plastering or special concrete mixes.PROMAN-REMco VSGmachines are high-speed grinders that can becustom-engineered to the specific requirements of different fine aggregates.

According to R.S. Raghavan, Managing Director, PromanInfrastructure Services Pvt Ltd,For a decade,PROMANhas been supplying Crushing and Screening systems to produce high quality aggregates and concrete sand.True to our motto of providing innovative crushing solutions at the lowest cost per ton to the customer, we havelaunched the VSG product, which offers 35 % power savings and offers the unique feature of grinding and producing finer grade plaster or concrete sand as per the customized requirements.

After a decade of success withPROMAN-REMco Vertical Shaft Impactors (VSI) machines, the launch ofPROMANREMco VSG adds to the complete bouquet of crushing products to produce concrete or plaster sand with the wet process (PROMAN-ORTNER) or through the Dry process (Midwestern screens), affirming PROMAN as the total innovative crushing solutions provider in India.

PROMANhas a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Bangalore, for manufacturing Crushing, Screening and Sand Washing machines to supply to quarry and minerals sectors.

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Just as we change our wardrobes from season to season, we should also change our homes. Watch as videographer Leeanna McLean and interior decorator Tracey McDonell Reid help you transition your home from summer to fall with five helpful tips. Not to worry, these tips are hassle free and cost-effective.

First up, we have accessories on Monday. Tuesday is favourite fall colours. Wednesday Tracey and Leeanna discuss fabrics. Thursday is bathroom renovation day with a special look at tiles. Last but not least, we explore wallpaper on Saturday.

We all lead busy lives and we at Metroland Media Group's Durham Region Division want to help make yours a little more enjoyable. Your Life will present a daily one-minute quick tip to make the day a little easier.

You'll find nutrition and fitness ideas, cooking tips, wine selections, finance tips and more. Make Your Life your first stop every morning.

We have gathered several experts from across Durham Region to help make your life a little bit easier.

Our experts are :

- Bill Bath -- golf instructor, http://www.golfyoda.com

- Melissa Boyd -- owner/fitness instructor of Mindful Balance, http://www.mindful-balance.com

- Cathy Brown -- chef, http://www.heritagehousecatering.ca

- Chuck Byers -- wine consultant, http://www.chuckbyers.com

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Decorating Week: Five helpful videos on home decorating

CHICAGO, Oct. 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FLOR, Inc., creator of beautiful, responsible modular floorcovering, announced today the opening of its newest retail location in Scottsdale. To be located at 15323 N. Scottsdale Road in the Scottsdale Quarter, where some of the most compelling home and fashion stores reside, the FLOR store will offer consumers a chance to experience the beauty and flexibility of this premium design system up close and in person. FLOR is excited to add a store location in the Southwest, where discerning design enthusiasts and a strong and loyal customer base can be found.

"Scottsdale is one of the fastest growing cities in America and we are fortunate to have established a design-savvy customer base here," says Greg Colando, president of FLOR. "We are thrilled to be a part of the exuberant growth in this area and enthusiastic about planting some roots in this great city."

GRAND OPENING

FLOR will host a grand opening event at the FLOR Store on Thursday, October 4, from 6:00-8:00pm. To RSVP for this event, visit http://www.flor.com/scottsdale-grand-opening.

With the opening of the 1,700-square-foot Scottsdale store in the Kierland Mall, FLOR will mark its 15th national retail store -- joining their flagship store in SoHo as well as locations in other major markets including Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco - moving them closer toward delivering the FLOR brand experience to design admirers all across the country.

Visitors to the Scottsdale store will be able to interact with the full range of inspiring colors, patterns and textures available in FLOR's innovative system of 50cm (19.7-inch) carpet squares. Customers are invited to experience just how easy it is to redefine any space by mixing and matching FLOR styles to create custom rugs, runners and wall-to-wall designs of any length, size or shape.

THE FLOR EXPERIENCE

FLOR's Scottsdale store is designed to motivate, educate and inspire visitors to explore how the beauty and adaptability of the FLOR premium design collection can enhance their decor. Customers are encouraged to actively participate in the creation of their FLOR rug by using a specially-designed grid on the floor that allows them get a sense of the size and scale of their rug concept. Pages from the FLOR catalog are brought to life on the walls to help visitors visualize how FLOR can fit any decor.

For those desiring more assistance, the store will have a team of experienced FLOR design consultants available -- either in-store or in-home through specially-scheduled appointments -- to help choose styles, coordinate colors and answer questions on care or assembly. Customers may also take advantage of FLOR's Professional Installation Services program and have a preferred professional installer visit their home to help assemble their rug, runner or wall-to-wall installation.

"We want visitors to our Scottsdale store to immerse themselves in FLOR's world of design," says Chip DeGrace, vice president of creative strategy at FLOR. "They will get a chance to interact with the product, view the expansive color palette and create a truly unique and customized design for their home."

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FLOR Store to Open Its Doors in Scottsdale