Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

HILLSBORO, Alabama -- Meandering under a lush canopy of kudzu-tangled red oaks, Kara Long walked toward the resting place of three families from the 19th and 20th centuries.

"This is the family cemetery," said Long, curator of the 50-acre Pond Spring, the historic grounds best known for its final residents, the Wheelers. "But he's not buried here."

Long ends her tour of the plantation, commonly referred to as the Gen. Joseph Wheeler home, by noting that the Napoleon-sized soldier -- and later congressman -- is one of only two Confederate generals buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

"He had the honor of being buried there because of his service to the U.S. after the Civil War," said Long, a veritable encyclopedia of everything Pond Spring.

Long is just one of four employees who are elated about the reopening of the Wheeler Home after a three-phase, $2 million restoration effort that forced the group to close the 1870s Victorian-style structure -- Pond Spring's focal point -- 12 years ago.

Although some work continues, such as landscaping and fixing up the gift shop in the neighboring Sherrod home, the staff is ready for visitors to tour the site's 12 historic structures and delve into the museum.

"It's rare for a house museum to have a collection this complete," Long said. "We have everything; furniture, military uniforms, china, books, Victorian dresses.

"From the most monumental to the most insignificant piece of history that belonged to this family, we have it," she said.

Listed as a preserved sites by the Alabama Historical Commission, the Wheeler Home offers much for history enthusiasts.

When the house was donated in 1992 to the state by Gen. Wheeler's granddaughter, most of the family's possessions were included. Trunks containing items such as textiles, ranging from garments from the Victorian era to the Roaring '20s, are constantly being unearthed and catalogued by the staff.

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Historic Pond Spring, Gen. Joe Wheeler Home in Hillsboro open after restoration effort

25-05-2012 14:19 Select styles of Laminate: $2.55/square foot (materials and basic labor) Toscana Hardwood Floors $5.69/square foot, installed (labor and material) Elbrus Wood Flooring $5.39/square foot, installed (labor and materials) 15% off all home remodel projects (Painting, room additions, remodeling) Call today to set up your Free Estimate!

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BTS Floors Remodeling - Video

Dear Angie: Can low-E/argon gas be put in a window when the seal is broken, instead of replacing the entire window? P.T., Philadelphia

Dear P.T.: Let's start by clarifying the purpose of low-E and argon gas.

Low-E, or low-emissivity, coating is applied to window glass to help reflect heat. Adding argon gas between the panes of glass adds increased insulation to the window. Combined, they offer excellent energy efficiency for your home. A seal failure, though, will "oxidize" the low-E coating and argon gas, making the glass appear streaky or foggy.

Technically, yes, gas could be added to the window. However, it might not be the best solution. The process to add the low-E coating and argon gas is an involved process typically done at the factory.

However, some window repair companies have begun offering service at a customer's home to correct a seal failure. These companies typically remove the insulated glass from the sash the section of the window that holds the glass and then reseal the spacer perimeter to prevent it from additional fogging. This is still relatively new technology, so be sure you're going to get a guarantee.

Typically, older double-pane windows consist of two panes of glass held together with caulk. With the glass expanding and contracting due to the weather, the seal would often fail, creating moisture in the windows.

High-quality replacement windows now typically use a glazing bead spacer that helps hold the glass in place, but moves with the glass, which helps eliminate that issue. If a window is equipped with a glazing bead, it is possible to remove the glazing bead, remove the glass, and have it replaced or remade into a new sealed unit that is a low-E/argon combination.

If the window is not equipped with a glazing bead, it's likely the sash was constructed or assembled around the glass. If this is the case, it can be very difficult or altogether impossible to replace the glass.

While it might be possible to replace the glass with a low-E/argon-filled glass, you should consider if the repair is worth the investment. A better option might be replacing the entire window with a newer window that is airtight and already equipped with the low-E/argon glass combination.

If you're set against changing out the entire window, adding a new insulated pane of glass might be the most economical and practical way to go.

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Ask Angie: A broken window seal may be tricky to fix

Updated: May 25, 2012 11:25PM

Designer wins awards

Normandy designer John Long received an Honorable Mention for the Remodeling Excellence Award from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry Greater Chicagoland for a kitchen renovation he completed in Chicago.

The recognition was in the Residential Kitchen $30,000 to $60,000 category.

Long allowed the kitchen to be completely transformed in a contemporary way the clients didnt believe seemed possible at first, based on the original structural layout and perceived limitations of the home. In addition to the NARI recognition, Long also received a First Place award in the same competition for an exterior renovation he completed in Glen Ellyn.

Normandy Remodeling of Hinsdale, formerly known as Normandy Builders, is a design/build remodeling firm. It has earned the title of Remodeler of the Year by Professional Remodeler Magazine, as well as the distinction of GuildQuality Guildmaster Award in 2008-12.

Long has more than 30 years of professional experience, knowledge of architectural style and construction. He attended Eastern Illinois and Indiana universities, and the University of Notre Dame, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in technology education. In addition, he is National Kitchen & Bath Association-trained.

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News Brief

New plans for a large hotel and office building at San Antonio shopping center were met with more shock than support in a planning commission meeting last week.

"To realize we're potentially constructing the tallest structures in Mountain View, I was pretty surprised by that," said Environmental Planning Commissioner Chris Clark.

Developer Merlone Geier has proposed a 12-story, 167-foot-tall office building and parking garage as part of phase 2 of its redevelopment of San Antonio shopping center, an area that encompasses Beverages & More, Ross and Jo-Ann fabrics. To put that in perspective, the city's tallest building at 444 Castro St. is 145 feet tall.

The project also includes a 150- to 200-room hotel, 2,858 parking spaces and 66,000 square feet of ground floor retail facing a park along the Hetch-Hetchy right of way. Merlone Geier is already under construction on phase 1 of the project just south of the site, including a new Safeway, three apartment buildings and dozens of new retail spaces.

Residents packed the council chambers and expressed concern about the project's size and design and about several small businesses, including the Milk Pail Market, at the corner of San Antonio Road and California Street on property that Merlone Geier hopes to buy. The businesses face the possibility of having tall buildings towering in the background.

"I would trade the Milk Pail for this whole development," said resident Stephen Freiberg. "It's much more important to my family and the people that I know."

Merlone Geier's Mike Grehl said the 741,000 square feet of office space were necessary to subsidize the construction cost of the hotel, noting the city's longtime desire to have a full-service hotel and how the need for a $30 million city subsidy killed efforts to put one next to Google's headquarters several years ago. The developer says several hotel operators are already interested in operating the "high-quality, four-star hotel."

"A building that would be the tallest in Mountain View is, quite frankly, an equivalent gulp moment to a $30 million subsidy," said commissioner Todd Fernandez.

Commissioner Clark said he'd support heights up to seven stories, but "I think this is just over the top in terms of heights that are acceptable," echoing the sentiments of other commissioners. "This just doesn't seem like Mountain View."

He later added that the proposed uses would be "a good mix."

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San Antonio center to include Mountain View's tallest building?

Mold infests fire station

Brown, Roxanne

CLERMONT

ROXANNE BROWN | Staff Writer

roxannebrown@dailycommercial.com

Eight Clermont firefighters and EMS technicians are bedding down elsewhere after mold was discovered inside Fire Station 3, which was opened two years ago, city officials said Wednesday.

"Immediately, when we became aware of the problem, the city had the firefighters moved," said Barbara Hollerand, assistant to the city manager.

Three of the station's five firefighters are sharing a $69 room at the neighboring Hampton Inn hotel, while the rest of the personnel, including three EMS techs, are sleeping at Fire Station 1, which is located at 439 W. Highway 50, Fire Chief Carle Bishop said.

"The rest of the time, they are going about their daily duties in their assigned area and essentially, nothing else has changed," Bishop said, adding that the station has been deemed safe to work out of and is still being used during the day, with the exception of the bathrooms and a sleeping area.

The mold was found when some heavy furniture was moved in order to clean some rugs. According to information obtained from the city manager's office, the company that built the firehouse hired a firm to look a into the problem.

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Mold infests fire station

25-05-2012 10:34 A recent fatwa issued by a Wahhabi mufti calls for destruction of all churches in the Arabian Peninsula. He issued the fatwa in late March 2012 in response to a Kuwaiti lawmaker who asked if Kuwait could ban church construction in Kuwait. The fatwa paves the way for adding an article to the new Kuwaiti constitution that forbids building of new churches. Ahl al-Bait assembly condemns the fatwa saying that it is contrary to both Shia and Sunni traditions, and has no precedence in Islamic jurisprudential schools. The assembly also slams the "deadly silence" of Muslim scholars in the face of such fatwa that distort the image of Islam. It also criticizes international human right organizations as well as Western and Christian governments for their support of Saudi regime and Wahhabi doctrine. The chairman of a group of European Catholic Bishops slams the Saudi Mufti by saying that his fatwa "shows no respect for the religious freedom and free co-existence of religions". This week's Islam and Life asks: What is the view of Islam on building Christian churches in Muslim lands? Watch this video on our Website: Follow our Facebook on: Follow our Twitter on:

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What is view of Islam on building Christian churches in Muslim lands?-Islam and Life-05-24-2012 - Video

25-05-2012 12:48 Professional grade personal 2-way radios are now available for church, construction, hospital, manufacturing, retail and school users with prices starting at under $150. This new generation of micro-sized communicators are available in both VHF and UHF versions. One model even offers a long range headset or speaker-microphone option with a range of up to 30 feet away from the radio !

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On-Site Personal 2-Way Radios - Video

PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- According to building permits that have been issued from January 2011 through this month from the Jackson County Planning Department, as well as from planners from the surrounding municipalities, there are few church constructions under way.

The newest church building going up in the county is The Greater Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Pascagoula.

Antioch's sanctuary burned to the ground on Aug. 26, 2010. The smoke could be seen for miles around. The fire apparently started in a storage area on the north end of the building.

In November 2011, a groundbreaking for a new sanctuary was held at 1028 Denny Ave., the original site of the church.

Architect Dennis Cowart of Ocean Springs, who designed the new metal building, said the two-story sanctuary will feature stadium seating and be wired for up-to-date technology.

The new construction will include 10 Sunday school classrooms, two fellowship halls, meeting rooms, a board room and a choir rehearsal room.

The new building will cost about $3 million and is being constructed by TCM Construction of Long Beach.

In the city of Ocean Springs, aside from small additions to a few churches, there are no new churches being built.

In the city of Moss Point, a building permit was issued in September 2011 for the construction of Greater First Baptist Church on 6313 Plymouth St.

In the city of Gautier, "there are no churches under construction at this time," said Babs Logan, a planning technician with the city.

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Outlook: Greater Antioch's new church rising in Pascagoula

POSTED: 5:09 pm MDT May 25, 2012 UPDATED: 6:30 pm MDT May 25, 2012 AFTON, Wyo. -- The LDS Church announced the site for its Star Valley Wyoming Temple on Friday.The temple will be east of U.S. Highway 89 on the Haderlie Farm property south of Afton.Our (Latter-day Saint) community members are elated at the prospects of a temple in our valley, said Afton Mayor Loni Hillyard in a news release from the church. I view the temple as an asset and am certain it will have a positive effect on our entire community. We look forward to working with the architect and Church representatives as they move forward on this project.The temple was announced at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conference in October 2011.The church said Friday that temple construction is expected to take two years. When built, the temple will serve church members in western Wyoming. Members now travel to Idaho Falls and Rexburg to attend the temple.We truly believe this new temple will be a great asset not only to members of the Church but also to the people of the surrounding community, who will benefit from the peace and beauty a temple brings, said Jerry Hansen, local spokesman for the church. Temples are where members participate in the highest sacraments of our faith where we make and renew promises to God and to our families.The church has 137 temples, with 29 planned or under construction.LDS leaders haven't supplied details on the building itself yet. Doug Anderson with the LDS Church Media Department told the station earlier this month that he doesn't know if it will be built as a full-size version like the ones in Idaho Falls and Rexburg or on a smaller scale. View the discussion thread.blog comments powered by

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LDS Church Announces Star Valley Temple Site