Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Prospect Hts. Elementary School Dist. 23 board members in the next two months will likely decide whether or not they will spend money on air conditioning school buildings throughout the district. Another option could see geothermal heating and cooling make its way to the district.

Board members on May 9 reviewed a list of priority maintenance projects that need to be done over the next one to three years along with what it would cost to install standard air conditioning units or a geothermal heating and cooling system.

If the board decides not to install any air conditioning, Dist. 23 estimates priority mechanical replacements will cost approximately $6.22 million. Replacements would include updating electrical mains for current and future loads, replacing various unit vents, replacing boilers at all four schools that have reached their end of life with energy efficient boilers, and replacing existing HVAC systems in a variety of classrooms.

If the board decides to add standard air conditioning to all Dist. 23 schools, the cost increases to approximately $10.54 million.

A third option is to replace all mechanical systems with geothermal heating and cooling for a total of approximately $10.67 million. That expense calls for $2.4 million in architectural items such as ripping up carpeting and tile, and tearing open ceilings to install the system.

If the district goes with geothermal, one room could be cooled while the room directly next door has the heat on. It also includes removing all boilers and unit vents.

In the next two weeks, the district is spending $10,000 to test a single HVAC bore field on the playing field behind MacArthur Middle School. The purpose of a test bore hole is to see how far down in the ground the district must drill to ensure the system works adequately at the right temperature. If the district decides to go with geothermal, another 175 holes would be dug near Eisenhower and MacArthur schools prior to the system being installed.

My recommendation is to go with geothermals because it is a very simple system, its much better for the environment, each teacher will have their own temperature control and energy costs will go down. Business Manager Luann Mathis said.

Mathis said the board would decide what direction they will go in July at the earliest.

Once they give us authority to move forward, we have to get approval to issue bonds to pay for the project, before we even ever go out for bid on the work, Mathis said, who doesnt anticipate going out for bid until January at the earliest.

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Dist. 23 Looks To Cool Down With Air Conditioning Options

If cost is no object when designing or redesigning a kitchen, new must haves include an induction cooktop whose entire surface is a burner, a built-in coffeemaker with its own dedicated plumbing and a steam oven in your gourmet range.

And for the wine connoisseur, there is a wine refrigerator/storage unit with UV protection, microprocessor controlled temperature, alarm system and WiFi key.

But you can create or update a kitchen at many price levels without sacrificing style.

Frank Morris Jr. at Granite State Cabinetry and David Souter at Baron's Major Appliances offered some guidance on kitchen trends in colors, appliances and flooring.

The two companies Granite State Cabinetry in Bedford and Baron's, in Manchester and five other locations are sponsors of the eighth annual Palace Theatre Kitchen Tour Sunday, June 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The June 3 fundraiser includes self-guided tours of three homes in Bedford and three in Manchester, lunch and a late afternoon appetizer and wine tasting with cooking demonstrations by New Hampshire chefs.

Morris said at least 50 percent of the kitchens now have white painted cabinets versus a stained wood. It's a light, clean, refreshing look, said Morris, with the added benefit of making the room look larger.

Glass-front cabinets are also popular, especially for display. Perhaps surprising is a trend to open shelving. We are doing a lot of open shelves, taking the doors off, said Morris. The dishes themselves are the decoration.

It may be called Granite State Cabinetry, but Morris said the company can remove walls, move plumbing, do electrical work in a remodeling project. The trend is to open up space in older homes, sometimes taking down a dining room wall and eliminating the formal dining room.

The goal is one large flowing space. Now we are able to put in a large island, he said, as big as 4 by 6 feet, so there is room for everyone to sit. It's using your space more efficiently, said Morris.

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Kitchen tour features some hot colors and cool appliances

Jim Noonan walked through the cavernous decks of the Keewatin as workers hustled up and down the stairs. The Saugatuck man had spent 15 years as a tour guide on the historic Great Lakes cruise ship docked at the end of Union Street in Douglas.

It feels like theres a little hole in our heart, he said, knowing the ship will soon be towed out of Kalamazoo Lake to return to its home on the Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada. But it will be in a good harbor.

Q: How will the ship be removed from the harbor?

A: The 105-year-old ship is scheduled to be pulled out of its dock Wednesday weather permitting by King Company of Holland.

Huge 5,000-gallon containers that once held vodka will be filled with water. The bladders are in the bow of the ship. While holding the front down, they will raise the back of the ship so its easier to pull through the lake, said Eric Conroy, spokesman for the Canadian owner of the ship.

The 48-foot-wide vessel will be guided through a freshly dredged channel 50 feet wide along the west end of Kalamazoo Lake to the deeper water in front of Coral Gables. From there, the vessels will head out of the channel into Lake Michigan.

Tugboats from the St. James Marine Co. of Beaver Island will pick up the work from there.

One tug will be pulling from the front and the other guiding from behind, said John Fogg of the towing company. On Friday, he was at the bottom of the grand staircase checking the emergency sensors that will detect any water leakage, fire and heat during the trip to Ontario.

Its shipshape, Fogg said about the Keewatin.

The U.S. Coast Guard gets the final say, according to Cmdr. Mike Farrell, Section Lake Michigan based in Milwaukee. The agency will inspect the ship, make sure its structurally sound, stable and wont pollute the water or be a hazard to other vessels.

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Final preparations keep historic Keewatin in Douglas shipshape

David Eichler Photos / Blockshopper

Built in 1949, this Traditional trilevel in Haskins Estates has been remodeled. It provides more than 3,600 square feet and offers multiple decks.

2104 Forest Ave., Belmont - $1.23 million

The basics: Built in 1949, this Traditional trilevel in Haskins Estates has been remodeled and offers multiple decks with bay, canyon and city views.

The home sits on 0.45 sloping acres and includes a guest house, a spa and a wine cellar for 1,500 bottles. The property has a large, fenced backyard with oak and fruit trees as well as a creek.

There are two master suites, with one on the main level. The lower-level suite offers access to a private deck.

Vaulted ceilings with beams and hardwood floors highlight the formal dining and living rooms, which both open to a wraparound deck. The living room also has a wood-burning stone fireplace.

An eat-in kitchen features tiled flooring and granite countertops.

A second fireplace can be found in the lower-level recreation-media room, which has French doors to a deck with a spa that overlooks the bay. This level includes a separate au-pair or in-law quarters with a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bath.

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Belmont trilevel home features two master suites

With my son playing Babe Ruth Baseball at Guy Smith Park, I have had several opportunities to drive past the location of the new Dream Park on Chestnut Street and would encourage others to drive through this blighted section of Greenville to see where your tax dollars are going. I have to agree with our city leaders that something needs to be done about this run-down area but I am not sure a Dream Park is the answer.

Judging from the large number of people just hanging out on front porches and in the area of the existing park, I would say that what they need help with is jobs.

Helping these residents find meaningful job opportunities is the only lasting solution to the economic plight of this neighborhood. I am afraid a new park will do little to raise the property values in the neighborhood, although I am sure the unemployed and homeless will enjoy having a new half-million dollar park to hang out in instead of the old one they currently enjoy.

I hope the budget for the new park includes money for a plaque recognizing our current mayor and City Council members who voted to spend tax dollars on the new park so we can remember them when we ride through the neighborhood in five years to see how much the area has improved around the Dream Park.

DAVID A. SNEED

Greenville

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Letter: Park not what blighted area needs

Work is well under way on the renovation of the Ipswich Baptist Church near McDonalds. It is being turned into a new community performance space especially for young performers.

David Nielsen

THE much-anticipated transformation of the former Ipswich Baptist Church into a community performance venue is only months away.

The church in the Top of Town section of Brisbane St is next to the 24/7 McDonald's restaurant that opened in December 2009.

As part of its application to build the store, McDonald's pledged to restore the disused church and hand it to the community.

In January 2009 McDonald's added a tasty topping to the deal, pledging $50,000 towards renovating inside the 133-year-old building.

Since then, Ipswich City Council had been able to garner financial support from the Federal Government to help make a dream become reality.

The council said the project was due to be finished in September/October and would be opened shortly afterwards as a state-of-the art performance space especially for use by organisations working with young people.

"The renovation and restoration is being made possible with the assistance of $1.5 million of Federal Government funding under the Better Regions Program. The upgrade includes $500,000 for staging, lighting and sound," councillor Charlie Pisasale said.

"In-kind and cash was contributed by McDonald's.

The rest is here:
Church to be performing arts spot

PERRY, IA. The Rev. Gregg Davison has stood before his fledgling congregation and told them, If we build it, they will come.

Davison is halfway there. More than 300 Pentecostals from across the country traveled to the heart of Iowa last week to build a house of worship for his church.

The building seemed to literally go up overnight as part of the Church in a Day program created by United Pentecostal Church International, headquartered in Missouri. Professional contractors, many of them volunteers, finish the foundation, plumbing and electricity before erecting the building itself in about 24 hours. More than 80 churches have been completed, including now three in Iowa.

The smell of freshly cut wood on Saturday mingled with the clank of hammers and the buzz of saws. A bustle of men, women and children all calling each other brother and sister worked together toward one purpose.

It has been a long journey for Davison, 41, and his wife. They first came to Perry seven years ago, he said, to start a Bible study at the behest of God. It was two years before the first townsperson joined them. Their faith never wavered.

Without a test, we cant have a testimony, Davison said. We knew if we planted the seed, God said he would bring up a harvest.

Not even the weather has seemed to cooperate. An ice storm hit when the Davisons moved to Perry for good in 2007 to start a home mission.

On Friday, a cold rain pummeled the work site, but the Christians soldiered on. The 20 or so roofers, fed by a steady supply of food and drink by women and children, did not come down until the project was completed. By then the crew had endured several downpours, said Warren Amling, 57, of Dubuque.

The storm dropped hail on parts of central Iowa. The church was sheltered from the pelting, said Amling, who has been in Perry since Tuesday.

It was just one family, one goal. The Lord definitely had his hand in this, Amling said.

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Against all odds, Perry church built in 24 hours

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - City officials hope that building a new Church Street from Monroe Street to Oakwood Avenue will open the area for redevelopment and will offer another convenient route from north Huntsville to downtown.

A major step in those plans took place on Friday in Montgomery when the Alabama Department of Transportation opened bids to build the phase between Pratt and Oakwood avenues.

APAC Mid-South Inc. of Birmingham submitted an apparent low bid of nearly $3.2 million to build the new five-lane street.

It could be several months before work actually begins. The state must verify that APAC's bid meets specifications and draw up a contract for both sides to sign. The contractor also needs time to prepare for the project.

Once started, construction is expected to take more than a year.

The new Church Street between Pratt and Oakwood avenues will follow Orchard Street from Pratt to Pearl Avenue and then shift west and follow Hundley Drive to Oakwood.

The city two years ago bought 40 houses and businesses on Oakwood, Hundley and Orchard and either demolished the buildings or sold them with the requirement that the buyers move them.

The other Church Street phase will be a combination of moving or widening the existing street between Monroe and Pratt. It will include removing a severe curve on Pratt just east of Church, building a new Wheeler Avenue from the new Church to Memorial Parkway and removing Pegram Street. The city's Municipal Justice and Public Safety Center and the Madison County Sheriff's Department offices are both on Wheeler.

A firm construction date for the Monroe to Pratt phase has not been set.

Other DOT bids

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Construction of new Church Street between Pratt and Oakwood avenues moving toward reality

EMMA BAILEY

MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/ Fairfax NZ

ELECTRIFIED: Des, left, with Jim Spillane (with Callum McDonald working in the background) at Sullivan and Spillane.

The business ushered in the age of colour televisions with a waiting list to buy the then modern gadgets - decades later the market is flooded with TVs and the consumer flooded with large retailers to buy them from.

Business reporter Emma Bailey talks to Jim Spillane about Sullivan and Spillane, the electrical business which went back to basics allowing it to survive 40 years.

How did the business start?

Peter Spillane and I worked for Temuka Electrical Services but it was brought by the South Canterbury Power Board in 1972 so we set up Sullivan and Spillane Electrical in Temuka.

We started with two staff but quickly grew to eight as there was a bit of a local boom in Temuka, with building and also farmers still getting subsidies, it was a fools' paradise, really. We started doing a lot of (electrical work on) dairy sheds and irrigation too, the dairy boom was just stirring and lot of farmers were setting up irrigation, it was in its embryonic stage.

We were also doing the (electrical) work for three wool scours, two flour mills and the linen flax mill near Geraldine. They no longer exist.

We went into retailing and had a store in Timaru, Temuka and Pleasant Point and at the peak had 40 staff. We were selling colour TVs and had waiting lists for them as well as automatic washing machines.

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Firm going strong in electrical services

Henrietta rules the roost.

A sturdy redhead, she wasnt above taking out a rival in the early days of sorting out the pecking order.

Big boss woman. She doesnt take any crap from anyone, Dawn Schmeckpeper said.

Shes mellowed with maturity, even taking timid blond Chicken under her wing. But newcomers Zebra and Hawk know whos in charge in this yard when Henrietta struts by.

For the Schmeckpepers, having chickens at their North Side home over the past year hasnt just meant eggs. Its entertainment.

Theyre a hoot to watch, Dawn said. Weve had a blast.

La Crosse began allowing residents to keep up to five hens at home in June 2011. The number of people seeking licenses so far has been small only four, though another three were approved May 10 and four more have applied for consideration in June.

Those who have taken the plunge into raising poultry, however, say theyve been worth the investment, though more pet than livestock.

Tending the flock

The Schmeckpepers got their first chicks in July, including Rhode Island red Henrietta, silky Japanese bantams and a buff Orpington they dubbed Chicken because shes afraid of everything. They added Zebra and tan Hawk this year.

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Number of La Crosse chicken flocks small but growing