Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

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Two of Champlin's city ordinances underwent some housecleaning as the council approved amendments to make allowances for changes in above ground pools and decks on homes.

SWIMMING POOLS

Residents in Champlin looking to add an above ground pool to their summer plans may be heartened to hear the setback regulations will been lessened, offering more flexibility in placement of such a pool.

Champlin's swimming pool ordinance was reviewed extensively in 2010 resulting in changes to the ordinance addressing all aspects of private swimming pools. The 2010 ordinance included establishing a 10-foot setback from buildings for all swimming pools, both above and in-ground.

Since the ordinance was adopted, residents have provided feedback o the city suggesting the increased setback for above ground pools is overly restrictive.

City Planner Scott Schulte discussed details in a report prepared by City Building Official Jerry Hart. Schulte said that after comparing the city's setback regulation to neighboring cities, the discovered several cities didn't require a building setback at all. Those that did required only a 6-foot setback.

The council approved the change allowing for above ground pools to require only a 6-foot setback from buildings.

Schulte reiterated that due to structural considerations accompanied by in-ground pools, the setback for those types of pools will remain at the 10-foot restriction.

DECKS

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Champlin amends ordinances dealing with swimming pools and decks

Mold shuts down wing of Greenville Co. Middle School

Mold located in storage rooms and an in-school suspension room has been identified as stachybotrys, and it has forced the closure of one wing of an Upstate middle school.

The mold was first discovered Monday behind a bookcase in a book storage room at Berea Middle School.

School district maintenance workers, staff members who are certified in indoor air quality and mold remediation and an environmental engineer inspected the school, and said they found stachybotrys in three rooms.

The mold is in a book storage room, a custodial storage room and the in-school suspension room, according to school officials. The rooms are in a section of the building that also includes the band room, the strings room, the chorus room, a custodial office and one other storage room.

A release from the district said: The entire section of the building containing those rooms has been vacated, secured, and isolated from the remainder of the building. Band, strings, and chorus classes have been relocated to another part of the building for the remainder of the year.

In every case, the mold, which has been identified as stachybotrys, was contained within a wall or ceiling, or behind a piece of trim. The mold is not airborne and at no time could students or staff touch or otherwise come into contact with the mold.

The district will continue to follow approved procedures as we address this situation. Cleanup and remediation will begin after the last day of school. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Stachybotrys chartarum (also known by its synonym Stachybotrys atra) is a greenish-black mold. It can grow on material with a high cellulose and low nitrogen content, such as fiberboard, gypsum board, paper, dust, and lint. Growth occurs when there is moisture from water damage, excessive humidity, water leaks, condensation, water infiltration, or flooding. Constant moisture is required for its growth. It does not grow on concrete, linoleum or tile.

The CDC says: Mold exposure does not always present a health problem indoors. However some people are sensitive to molds. These people may experience symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation when exposed to molds. Some people may have more severe reactions to molds. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Immunocompromised persons and persons with chronic lung diseases like COPD are at increased risk for opportunistic infections and may develop fungal infections in their lungs.

Greenville County School officials said: The safety and welfare of students and staff is our top priority. As a precaution, students and staff will not return to spaces in and around the affected area.

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Black mold shuts down wing of school

WESTERLY The Public Works Committee voted unanimously Wednesday in favor of the proposed extension of sewers to a portion of the Misquamicut area, but it suggested that the Town Council consider alternatives that would affect the financing and staging of the project, and give some residents more time to tie into it.

The committees resolution endorsing the project says that the treatment plant on Margin Street has sufficient capacity to handle the wastewater that would be generated by adding the 778 homes and 33 businesses in the project area to the system. That determination was based on reports submitted by Beta Engineering, the towns consulting engineering service.

About 35 property owners attended the meeting, and the committee heard from people who spoke both for and against the project.

Town Manager Steven Hartford and other town officials have proposed a two-phase $24 million project to initially extend the sewer line to Atlantic Avenue, from Maplewood Avenue to Winnapaug Road, and along Winnapaug Road. The second phase covers most of the rest of the Misquamicut Fire District.

The project would be paid for with about $19 million in revenue bonds to be issued by the Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Agency. The bonds would be paid off mostly by businesses and homeowners in the affected area. The businesses will pay for more than 20 percent of the cost of the project.

Other proposed funding for the project includes $1.3 million from the town for road restoration work, and $500,000 from an Interceptor Bond Fund grant from the Rhode Island Clean Water Act Environmental Trust Fund.

The Town Council is expected to vote on whether to approve moving the project to the design phase in June. Current cost projections for the sewer extension are based on conceptual plans developed by Beta and by Pare Engineering, another engineering firm.

Under the proposal, businesses and residences would be assessed annual fees based on projected sewer use as opposed to a more traditional assessment method based on lot frontage. The resolution approved by the committee calls the sewer use assessment a more equitable method. The resolution also states that the revenue bonds will not effect the towns bond rating.

The resolution includes five points for the Town Council to consider, including a recommendation to limit use of the sewer fund reserve fund to no more than $900,000. As it is, the plan calls for using about $2 million of the $2.7 million fund, with the money being paid back with money generated by user fees.

The committee also asked the council to consider extending the forbearance period being offered to residents of Misquamicut who have already installed denitrifciation septic systems. Officials have discussed a 10-year forbearance period during which residents with denitrification systems would not be required to hook up to the sewer line.

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Advisers endorse Misquamicut sewer extension

by Dermot Cole/ cole@newsminer.com Fairbanks Daily News Miner

A crew from HC Contractors uncovers the water lines running into Immaculate Conception Church just past the north end of the Cushman Street bridge.

To help protect the church from excessive vibration, electronic monitoring equipment has been set up inside the building that will send an alarm to a structural engineer when the movement reaches 40 percent of the level that a building of that age is able to handle.

Structural engineer Keith Korri, of Anchorage, is keeping close tabs on the building via the equipment that is set up to give him an alert on his mobile phone when the 40 percent level is reached. So far the movement has been below that standard, which he said provides a good margin of safety.

He has also told the church workers to talk to HC Contractors if and when something seems amiss.

Inside the church the first sign that vibration preparations are an issue is the temporary removal of the crucifix from the front of the church.

In addition, the statues of Mary and Joseph have been removed from their elevated perches and placed on the main floor of the church.

Korri has monitored the vibration levels in the church on three previous occasions, going back to the early 1990s.

When the heavy equipment is operating within six feet of a building and right next to a fire hydrant and water pipes, the mechanical arm has to be handled by an operator who knows that every inch counts.

Regarding the vibration inside the church, the industry standard for movement is 0.5 inches per second for a building like ICC, Korri said. The machine he has installed in the crawl space is set to go off when the movement is 0.2 inches per second. He said he wants to solve any problem before it becomes a problem and the 40 percent threshold offers that protection.

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Road work outside historic Fairbanks church requires careful digging

(Credit: Cherri Gregg/KYW Newsradio)

By Cherri Gregg

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) A West Philadelphia nonprofit held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday to mark the completion of the $7.5 million renovation of a historic apartment building. Its one of the first major investment this area has seen in years.

Originally built in 1912, this is the second facelift for the California Mission-style Von Lour Building in the past 20 years.

Were not talking about gentrification here, were just talking about transforming a community, says Marcus Allen, President and CEO of ACHIEVEability, a group that provides affordable housing to low income families. He says the 30-year-old organization used a combination of historic and federal tax credits and banking contributions to fund the multi-million renovation.

It has 24 units. Two of the units are handicap accessible. As part of the construction, we were able to build an elevator for if we have families with disabilities.

Allen says the goal is to help restore the area near 60th Street Station to its former glory.

This community has suffered from the building of the EL; many businesses and affluent people left the community left because of that. I think now we are in a cycle where we can begin to repay the community for the sacrifices they made.

Allen says ACHIEVEability impacted the Haddington and Cobbs Creek communities by increasing property values by more $300 million over the past three decades. The group owns a number of properties in the area and provides social services to formerly homeless single-parent families. For more info on ACHIEVEability, go to http://www.achieveability.org.

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West Philadelphia Nonprofit Unveils $7.5 Million Apartment Building Renovation

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS chats with some of the residents of Vergennes Senior Housing before a ceremony Monday marking the completion of the affordable housing complex on Armory Lane. Independent photo/Trent Campbell

VERGENNES Larry Carlson was on the waiting list for an apartment in the Vergennes Senior Housing building for more than three years. Once construction began, he checked back every week to see if he would get in. Now a resident of the newly opened facility off Armory Lane, he is thrilled with his experience.

As soon as the architect first came out, I was over to the offices and signed up. I was here every single week to check and see how the progress was coming, said Carlson.

At an open house Monday morning, Addison County Community Trust (ACCT) Executive Director Terry McKnight said that Carlsons satisfaction with the project was typical.

You can look around and see the faces of the people that now live in that building. If you talk to any of them, theyre really enjoying it, McKnight said.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., joined McKnight and representatives of Housing Vermont, ACCT, and other project contributors to celebrate the opening of Vergennes Senior Housing. The $6.2 million facility will provide 25 affordable and energy-efficient apartments to seniors.

The facility was paid for through a mix of public and private funds, from Peoples United Bank, various Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs, Vermont Housing Finance Agency, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Vermont Community Development Program and Efficiency Vermont.

Sanders secured $380,000 for the project in a HUD grant.

This is exactly the kind of housing we should be building, Sanders said. Not only does it meet the significant need for quality and affordable senior housing , but it does it in a very energy-efficient manner.

Nancy Owens, president of Housing Vermont, acknowledged the importance of creating affordable housing.

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Seniors enjoying new city housing: officials point to project as a model

Syracuse, NY -- An $8.1 million apartment building for homeless veterans is planned to replace the vacant former Jewish Community Center on East Genesee Street in Syracuse.

Housing Visions, a non-profit that builds homes for low-income residents, is teaming up with the Veterans Administration on the project, which will be called VanKeuren Square. It will be at the T-intersection with Fellows Avenue on the city's East Side.

The plans are to demolish the 132,293 square foot brick building and replace it with a two-story structure with 50 apartments, said Ben Lockwood, the non-profit's director of development. The building will have 44 one-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments and total 45,000 square feet.

Housing Visions is funding the project with a mixture of low-income tax credits, state homeless housing assistance and a city loan, Lockwood said. The majority of tenants will be referred by the VA, which will provide 25 housing vouchers lasting 15 years.

Housing Visions is paying more than $100,000 in back taxes and will pay about $25,000 a year in taxes, more than the current tax levy on the property. The taxes will go up slightly each year as rents increase, Lockwood said.

The project is part of the VA's goal to eliminate homelessness among veterans, Lockwood said. The VA will provide services to the veterans to get back on their feet.

Housing Visions has previously built veterans housing on East Fayette Street and at the former Cherry Hill public housing site.

"Absolutely, there's a pretty acute need in the community," Lockwood said.

Housing Visions hopes to close on the property in July from its last owner, an arm of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. It will take about 30 days to clean up asbestos and lead before demolition.

The new project has final planning and zoning approval from the city. Lockwood says he sees no obstacles in getting final approval for the demolition and construction.

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New 50-unit apartment building for homeless veterans planned for East Genesee Street in Syracuse

Nine urban moms may be Illinois most unlikely soybean farmers this year. These Illinois Farm Families Field Moms, Chicago-area moms who have been touring Illinois farms to get their food questions answered, are planting soybeans in their backyards or on their patios today, May 14. Part of the Field Moms Acre project, the backyard beans are a hands-on way for the city moms and their families to learn what it takes to grow one of the states most important agricultural crops. Guiding the Field Moms from planting through harvest are veteran soybean farmers Ron and Deb Moore, Roseville, Ill., who are growing more than 600 acres of soybeans on their family farm this year. One acre of their farmland also will serve as the Field Moms Acre throughout the growing season. The Field Moms are planting their soybeans on the same day as the Moores plant the Field Moms Acre. The city soybeans will be watered only when the Moores farm receives rain. The Moores and the moms will check in with each other through online video chats to compare crop progress on the farm and in the city. Throughout the experiment, the Field Moms also will learn about soil conditions, weather impact, pest control and the cost of raising and marketing the crop including seed, fuel and transportation costs to sell the soybeans. The moms will tour the Field Moms Acre in Roseville on June 9. Moms particularly want to be connected with the food they feed their families. They want to know how its grown and whats in it, Deb Moore says. Most moms and consumers dont realize soybeans are used in thousands of food products and are an important feed for the animals we and other farmers raise on our farms. Once the Field Moms Acre is harvested, the Moores and Field Moms will donate the acres profits to charity. The Moores have been farming for more than three decades. They raise soybeans and corn on 1,000 acres in Warren County, and also have 250 acres of pasture for their feeder cattle. Meanwhile, the Field Moms live in and around Chicagoland. They have been touring Illinois farms during the last year, blogging about their experiences and sharing their new knowledge with their children, family and friends. To learn more about the Moores, their farm and the Field Moms, visit the Illinois Farm Families website, WatchUsGrow.org. Illinois Farm Families are Illinois farmers who support Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Corn Marketing Board, Illinois Soybean Program Operating Board, and Illinois Beef Association through farmer-funded checkoff or membership programs. We are committed to having conversations with consumers, answering their questions about food, farmers and farming, and sharing what really happens on todays Illinois family farms. More than 94 percent of Illinois farms are family owned and operated. We are passionate about showing consumers how we grow safe, healthy food for their families, and ours. We invite you to visit us at http://www.watchusgrow.org.

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Chicago-Area Moms to Moonlight as Soybean Farmers in New Illinois Farm Families® Initiative

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - Demonstrators protesting electricity outages in Myanmar clashed with police Thursday, and several were arrested. The spreading protests are a test of the tolerance of a reformist civilian government after decades of military rule.

Parliament member Win Myint said demonstrators in his constituency resisted when they thought police were going to arrest their leaders and the six people detained were released later. He represents Pyay, 260 kilometers (160 miles) northwest of Yangon.

"The police tried to take some leaders and people tried to stop them," said one witness in Pyay. "The police beat the protesters with rubber and bamboo sticks to disperse them. They beat them on their heads, backs and legs. But no one was seriously injured."

The witness asked not to be named so as not to attract the attention of the authorities.

Protests over chronic power outages began Sunday in the central city Mandalay and have spread to at least four other locations, challenging the new government of President Thein Sein, who has promised political reform.

The previous military regime, in which Thein Sein also served, sought to tightly restrict street protests, fearing they could evolve into a broader challenge to authority. In 2007, small-scale protests snowballed into a general revolt led by Buddhist monks that was quashed only through the use of armed force.

Myanmar has suffered from power shortages for more than a decade. It has plentiful natural gas supplies, but a poor power distribution infrastructure, which has lagged even more as the economy has grown.

About 100 people marched and held a candlelight vigil Wednesday and Thursday nights in downtown Yangon, about double the number of the first day, Tuesday. The number of onlookers increased as well, as dozens of police stood watch.

Protests in Pyay began on Monday with a small group of people and have grown to more than 1,000.

Win Myint, a member of the ruling pro-military Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), said nervous police sought to negotiate with the leaders on the fourth day of protests, but people misunderstood that they sought to arrest them. He said the situation turned chaotic and police ended up arresting six people.

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Myanmar power-cut protesters clash with police

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) A New Jersey mans game with his little boy nearly turned tragic at a Camden Laundromat.

Surveillance video shows the father putting his 1-year-old son in a washing machine while reportedly playing a game of Peek-A-Boo.

Somehow, the door locked and the machine started running and filling with water.

Witnesses were shocked that a father would do such a thing.

Who does that? Who puts a child in a washing machine, like not even for a joke, witness Tiffany Stallmacher said.

The child was tossed around for about a minute until quick-thinking Laundromat worker, Kong Enh,cut the power, allowing the door to the machine to open.

Enh started moving tables to get to a circuit breaker, quickly flipping all the switches until the machine finally stopped, CBS 2 reported.

They very scared. Somebody start the machine already they didnt know that, Enh said. I wait for machine to unlock and I pull baby out.

Enh said the father had been playing with his son in the dryer earlier, and that he was very apologetic but grateful he saved his babys life. I feel good because I saw the baby still alive when he called me. I [was] very scared. When I saw [the] baby alive, I [was] very happy, Enh said.

Im very proud of my worker, saidLaurie Chou, owner of Federal Laundromat. Hes been with me eight years. I couldnt find anyone better.

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Video Shows Father Putting Toddler In Washing Machine At Camden Laundromat