Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Missouri Baptist Medical Center wants to significantly modify its plan for a new medical office building.

The hospital's new proposal calls for reducing the size of the planned building, and creating an additional medical office building on top of an existing parking garage on the campus at 3015 N. Ballas Road.

Town & Country's Planning and Zoning Commission met on June 27 and unanimously approved recommending the change to the board of aldermen. The issue will next go before the city's architectural review board. The board of aldermen likely won't vote on the matter before August.

The city approved an earlier plan for the north medical office building in 2009. The new plan calls for reducing the building size from 185,000 square feet to about 93,000 square feet. However, the plans would still allow for the building to be built as high as six stories.

The 92,000 square feet of space taken away from that building would remain in the plan. It would take the form of a two-story medical office building on top of a two-story parking garage in the northwestern part of the medical center's almost 65-acre site.

George Stock, with Stock & Associates Consulting Engineers, told the commission the garage was designed to be able to hold additional floors. The change will improve the aesthetics of the area, he said.

The plan for the medical office building is part of an overall development plan approved for the Missouri Baptist campus. The first phase of the plan also included a new west pavilion addition, new parking lots, a vehicle storage building, an Ameren UE substation, the new Clinical Nursing Institute building with parking garage, and a new ring road through the campus. Stock said the medical office building would be part of the second phase of improvements.

Commissioner Rick Kelly told Stock he'd visited the campus before. "The existing parking garage (which the new office building would be atop) is usually packed, so it's tough to find a spot now," Kelly said. "Your plan will increase the number of people who'll be in that building, and I'm afraid patients will be scrambling."

Doug Black, vice president of program and campus development for the hospital, said a new garage on the campus has been underused.

"When our new ring road opens, that garage will be more used, because it wasn't convenient during construction in that area," he said. "We'll move employees there to free up some garage space."

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Missouri Baptist Med Center seeks to modify office building plan

A nice patio is a worthwhile investment. Not only can you utilize the space for wining and dining while you are living in your house, but when it comes time to sell your place, your patio can make your house more appealing.

According to a 2007 survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors, patios were among the top 10 features that buyers want in a new house. More than half of surveyed buyers said that they would be willing to pay a premium for a house with a patio.

Patios add value to your house

Jim Lowenstern, broker and owner of Castles Real Estate in Newton, Mass., says that a well-designed, constructed and maintained patio may make your house more appealing to potential buyers.

"They consider it a bonus living area that will not be taxed heavily, doesn't need to be heated or cooled and is easy to manage all year long with all of its associated benefits," Lowenstern says.

What's so great about a patio?

So you know that building a patio may increase the value of your home, but is it worth the investment? Lowenstern points out that having a patio means your living space transcends the walls of your home. On a nice day, an outdoor sitting area is steps from your door. You can invest in some practical patio furniture or set up lounge chairs and take a break from your busy schedule without going too far.

Patios also allow you to take your cooking out of the kitchen. Throw some burgers on the grill and enjoy a pleasant evening in your backyard.

Peter Wollner, a broker at New Homes and Land Brokers in Torrance, Calif., says that patios are prime places for outdoor entertainment, especially when you can easily supply the music with your smart phone or iPod and a set of speakers.

"You can transform the outdoor patio space to an entertainers lounge, virtually overnight," he says.

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Add Value With A Patio

Northeast Ohio residents are urged to take special precautions during the unusually dry summer weather, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry.

Dried grasses, weeds, leaves and crops are providing fuel for wildfires.

Homeowners, farmers and woodland owners should be especially cautious during this dry period, Gregg Maxfield, northern region supervisor for the ODNR Division of Forestry, said. Much of the small fuels that carry wildfire are tinder dry and will stay this way through the summer unless we have moisture for new growth. High temperatures, low humidity and wind are not in our favor.

Residents can take measures to prevent accidental wildfires. These include avoiding burning trash and debris, keeping grass trimmed, not discarding cigarettes and other smoking materials outside, postponing fireworks and not having open cooking fires or campfires.

The ODNR Division of Forestry works to promote the wise use and sustainable management of Ohios public and private woodlands. To learn more about Ohios woodlands, visit http://www.ohiodnr.com/forestry.

Cuffs and collars

One late spring day, Champaign County Wildlife Officer Jeff Tipton was working sport fishing enforcement at Kiser Lake State Park. He had watched a family fish for a while and then went to check their fishing licenses. Officer Tipton was checking the husband, while the wife and little girl were down the bank.

The man also had his wifes fishing license. Out of the corner his eye he could see the wife running towards him. When she got to them, she ripped her fishing license out of her husbands hand, pushed it into Officer Tiptons face, and said, I am SO glad that you are checking my fishing license! She explained that she had spent hard earned money on the license and was excited that she got to show it to someone. Officer Tipton explained to her that people arent usually quite so happy to see him.

Busted!

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft participated in Operation Dry Water, a nationwide crackdown to remove impaired boaters from public waterways June 22-24.

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Outdoors Insider, with Dale Sunderlin: ODNR urges burn caution

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR)Dominion Virginia Power said that the outages from weekend storms have created the third-largest restoration effort in the companys history, and the only non-hurricane event in the top five.

Phil Warner lives in south Richmond, near Pony Pasture. Whenever a big storm hits Richmond, Warner practically expects the electricity to go out at his home.

Were usually one of the first to go out and one of the last to come back on, says Warner.

Dominion is calling this weekends storm the worst in company history that was not categorized as a hurricane.

Dominion expects to restore power to the majority of customers that lost it sometime this week. In a media call on Sunday, Dominion said they expect to restore service by Tuesday night for 80-85 percent of customers. They said that 90-95 percent of affected customers should have power by Thursday night and virtually all remaining customers by Saturday night.

In Willow Oaks, some of Warners neighbors living without power have called Dominion to find out why they are in the dark while houses only a few streets over have electricity.

Dominion representatives told them the way the circuits are set up in the area causes outages on one street while the next one over has power.

Theyve got a lot of resources up North, says Charles Hubbard about Dominions response. I feel for them. Theyre doing the best they can.

Hubbard has been without power since Friday. His kids run through a sprinkler to stay cool in the heat while the power is out.

Other people in the area have their own method.

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Neighborhoods dark as third-largest restoration effort continues

RICHMOND, Va., July 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Dominion Virginia Power expects to restore service by Tuesday night for 80-85 percent of customers whose power was disrupted by two days of severe storms at the end of last week. The company expects to restore service to 90-95 percent of affected customers by Thursday night, and virtually all remaining customers by Saturday night. However, it is expected that in areas of the most-severe damage, service may not be restored fully until next Sunday.

The storms last Friday and Saturday resulted in the most significant damage suffered by the company outside of hurricanes. Outages reported are now approaching 1 million of Dominion's 2.4 million electric distribution customers.

The pace of restoration work will vary by region and the extent of storm damage. In parts of Northern Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, where the damage was catastrophic in many cases, the repairs will not be completed until the end of the restoration period. Many poles and cross arms need to be replaced, and other infrastructure needs to be rebuilt.

Help being brought in from 13 states, Canada

Power has been restored to more than half of the customers whose service was disrupted by the storms. About 900,000 customers lost service because of Friday night's storms. An additional 55,000 customers were affected by Saturday night's storms. As of 3 p.m. Sunday, service was restored to about 600,000 customers and 388,000 still were without power.

Dominion has more than 3,000 employees, contractors and retirees working to restore service. Another 1,200 utility workers from 13 states including Kansas, Texas, Wisconsin and Florida and Quebec have arrived or are on their way to assist. The company is seeking additional help, and work will continue around the clock until power is restored to all customers. Most of the outside assistance is being dedicated to the hardest-hit areas. A video update addressing key restoration questions is available at http://youtu.be/RFWLPWHCHPs.

Estimated restoration times for individual customers (ETRs) are not yet available. They will be provided once the damage assessment is complete and the focus of the work shifts to neighborhood-level restoration. An announcement will be made when individual ETRs are available.

Additional significant storm activity could push back completion of the restoration work.

Restoration challenges

"Unlike a hurricane, this storm could not be forecasted well ahead of time by the National Weather Service," said Rodney Blevins, vice president-Electric Distribution Operations. "That is complicating restoration efforts because crews and supplies could not be positioned in advance."

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Dominion Restores Power to Approximately 600,000 Customers, Sets Targets for Completing Restoration Efforts

Relief from the heat is in sight for the elderly residents of the Mary Slaughter Apartments. The Lycoming County Housing Authority will install central air conditioning in the building, but the project will not be completed until later this summer.

The authority on Thursday agreed to award contracts for air conditioning for the building, at 124 Brandon Place, but it probably will not be installed until mid-August, said David A. Frederick, authority director of modernization and development.

A contract was awarded to Spencer Mechanical Inc., of Williamsport, which submitted a low bid of $188,000, Frederick said.

The company also was awarded a contract to convert the building's boiler system from oil to natural gas. The company bid $10,600 for that work.

Many of the residents of the 27-unit building have air conditioning.

According to Frederick, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which oversees and funds public housing, states that apartments that have only one window cannot have an air-conditioning unit in that window.

That is because the units block an exit that could be needed in the event of a fire, Frederick said. Units also could block emergency responders attempting to rescue a trapped resident.

Eight apartments in the building have only one window, Authority Executive Director MariLyn Severson said.

Residents were told when the authority took ownership of the building last summer that air-conditioning units could not be placed in single-window apartments, she said.

However, during an inspection of the building this spring by a HUD engineer, an air conditioner was seen in a single-window apartment. The engineer said it had to be taken out, Severson said.

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Sweating it out

Got the ugliest kitchen around? It could be a winner in a summer contest from Cedar Mill Group to earn thousands of dollars in home design and remodeling services.

The Webster-based company is accepting contest entries for the "ugliest kitchen" on its Facebook page until Sept. 21. Director of Operations Brett Cusick said the company has already received some competitive contestants.

"They layout of the kitchen or these kitchens could use some serious help," he said. "The material used in these spaces, whether it be the cabinets or the wall coverings, are just outdated. The funny, funky colors of the seventies are no longer in touch."

Cusick said Cedar Mill Group will award $5000 of design services to the winner of the contest, who will then have the option of going forward with the proposed remodel. The winner will also receive a drinking water reverse osmosis system from Capital Well Clean Water Center in Dunbarton.

Other local companies working with Cedar Mill Group on the contest are The Ultimate Bath, Rumford Stone, Vintage Kitchens, Pella Windows and Doors and Baron's Major Brands. Prizes from Cedar Mill Group, Capital Well and The Ultimate Bath will still be awarded even if the contest winner does not chose to go forward with a full remodel.

"The most important thing is that Cedar Mill Group is a full-service design, remodel and build company," Cusick said. "We like to be the go-to for an all-inclusive remodel."

Cusick said the company coordinates all aspects of the home remodel or construction project, from pre-planning the design to partnering with local companies as the design is built.

"Our claim to fame is that not only will we deliver a tremendous product, but the process you go through takes out a lot of the gut-wrenching, stomach-hurting process of a remodel," Cusick said.

Entries can for the Cedar Mill Group contest can be submitted at http://www.facebook.com/cedarmillgroup by posting a picture of an ugly kitchen on the company's page. The deadline for entries is Sept. 21.

For more information, contact Cusick at brettc@cedarmillgroup.com.

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Do you have the ugliest kitchen?

LISBON - The local office of the Cooperative Extension Service is being relocated to the new Columbiana County Government Services Building to help pay off the project's debt.

County Auditor Nancy Milliken said that adding the CES as a rent-paying tenant will provide enough extra money to ensure commissioners have sufficient revenue left in the county's general debt service account to make the construction bond payments on the new government services building.

Milliken's comments came following a meeting last week with commissioners to update them on efforts to put in place a financial package to pay for the construction of the building, which opened in April.

The 76,000-square-foot, two-story building houses the county Department of Job and Family Services, the Board of Elections, One-Stop agency (county unemployment agency) and the Veterans Services Commission.

Rent from the JFS and One-Stop, plus the money commissioners were saving from no longer have to rent space for Veterans Services, was supposed to cover about 80 percent of the annual bond construction payments. The elections board does not pay rent since it is a county agency.

The remaining 20 percent was to be paid with money from the county's general debt service account, which comes from 0.2-mills in property taxes commissioners are allowed by law to collect. The debt service money is used to fund debt payments on construction projects.

The debt service account generates about $300,000 per year, according to Chief Deputy County Auditor John Goempel, and $160,000 of that is currently obligated to meet existing debt payments, leaving $140,000 to cover any new construction debts.

"Anything beyond that we would be in trouble," he said.

County officials determined late last year the county would have difficulty affording its share of the debt because of the way the financing package was structured. The two construction bonds obtained to provide the up-front money to start the project were front-loaded and for shorter terms, which required higher bond repayments over the first 12 years.

Goempel said this required a higher share of money from debt service account beyond the $140,000 that remained uncommitted. "This would have killed us because the general obligation debt was going to require we put up more than we cold afford," he said.

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CES office relocating

KABUL The United States is spending $92 million to build Afghanistan a new Pentagon, a massive five-story military headquarters with domed roofs and a high-tech basement command center that will link Afghan generals with their troops fighting the Taliban across the country.

But when Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak asked for a bigger office in the building a change that would cost about $300,000 he got a firm no in response. These types of changes cost time and money, U.S. military officials said, and in Afghanistan, both are in ever-shorter supply.

We could do them, but were not going to do them, Col. Andrew Backus, the director of engineering for the NATO command in charge of training and equipping the Afghan security forces, said of the Afghans proposed revisions. What were going to do is finish the project with strict change control and turn it over to the Afghans. And if they want to change it, then they can change it.

The military headquarters building is one of the most prominent public symbols of Americas ongoing financial commitment to Afghanistan. Even at this late stage of the war, with American troops beginning their withdrawal, the U.S. government is still working its way through a $10 billion menu of construction projects aimed at bolstering the Afghan security forces. Of the 1,150 buildings planned, more than 600or more than halfhave been completed, with a total value of $4 billion.

In addition to the Defense Ministry headquarters, the United States is building a $54 million Kabul headquarters for the Interior Ministry, which oversees the Afghan police, as well as a $102 million base for the militarys 201st Corps in eastern Afghanistan.

But with strict timelines and eroding domestic support for the war, U.S. military officials say theres little room for revising what remains to be done.

We are taking a firm stance with a set of disciplined business rules on change control, Backus said. Thats our approach.

That policy has already been tested at a high level with Afghanistans Pentagon. Rising amid Kabuls dusty streets, the 516,000-square-foot edifice, still cloaked in scaffolds and cranes, dwarfs other buildings in town.

Once its finished, it will be a permanent and a very significant illustration of the U.S. support for Afghanistan, Wardak, the defense minister, said in an interview. And we needed it.

But Wardak said he asked for two changes to the plan, one involving a conference room and the other his office. The current configuration, with his staff situated in an adjacent room, would require dignitaries to wade through a crowd of people to get to him, he said. I have 100 or something staff. They wanted all of them to be crowded near my office. I didnt want them close, he said. That was one objection.

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US building $92M military HQ for Afghanistan, nixes larger office for defense minister

BUILDING PERMITS

Boulder

Building construction permits over $10,000 in value that were approved in Boulder between June 18 and June 24, 2012.. Listed below are: the case number; address; total project valuation; owner name; contractor (if applicable); and description.

PMT2012-01350; 4621 Sunnyside Place; $325,000; North Boulder; Coast To Coast Residential Development; New single-family residence on Lot 12, Northfield Village, Two-story residence with unfinished basement, two and a half baths, three bedrooms with main level office/bedroom, attached two-car tandem garage.

PMT2012-01646; 2115 Linden Ave.; $600,000; Margaret and Andrew Pemberton; Treeline Homes Inc.; Significant remodel and addition to single-family residence including additions totaling 2,459 square feet, attached 576-square-foot garage. Resulting residence to have four bedrooms, five baths.

PMT2012-01916; 4570 Sprucedale Place; $350,000; Gary Calderon; Revielle Custom Carpentry; Construction of a new single-family dwelling. Main level of 1,324 square feet, upper level of 1,675 square feet, unfinished basement of 1,211 square feet and two-car attached garage.

PMT2012-02390; 1089 13th St.; $75,544; UFC Boulder; Milo Construction Corp.; Tenant remodel of 1,349 square feet to create a Cost Cutters hair salon in the newly renovated Flatirons Theater.

PMT2012-02430; 3136 Ninth St.; $55,405; David Gottlieb; One-and-a-half-story detached two-car garage with unfinished storage above, and associated electrical work. No plumbing or mechanical work in the scope of this permit.

PMT2012-02438; 607 Mapleton Ave.; $150,000; David Morton; Quinn's Carpentry LLC; One-story addition of 209 square feet comprised of a master suite and addition of three-quarter bathroom, remodel of 690 square feet to include remodeled kitchen, removal of solid fuel fireplace replace with a decorative gas fireplace, modified windows and a 15-by-15-foot pergola off the rear of the structure. (See BOZA for setback variance) (See HIS2012-00006 for supplemental information.)

PMT2012-02447; 619 Arapahoe Ave.; $31,753; Graham and Rosalind Timms; Conversion of an existing 260-square-foot garage into a kitchen area and addition of a 144-square-foot front porch. Parking to be satisfied in driveway. See LUR2012-00004 for supplemental information.

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Boulder building permits: July 2, 2012