Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga., May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Officials at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport recognized a need for upgrading the parking garage lighting that would optimize energy savings, while continuing to provide a safe and well-lit environment for its passengers. Analyzing multiple products and their performance to find the best solution, they selected LED fixtures from Cooper Lighting, an industry leader committed to delivering innovative products and driving transformational technology in the lighting industry.

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Funded by the City of Atlanta Green Loan Fund, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport officials decided to replace each of the 4,342 210-watt metal-halide fixtures with Cooper Lighting's 80-watt McGraw-Edison Valet LED fixtures in its north and south parking decks. This decision would not only lead to greater energy-efficiency, but also cost savings of almost half a million dollars each year. According to the City of Atlanta's Office of Sustainability, the Airport's financial and environmental partner, the carbon reduction associated with the project is equivalent to taking 500 cars off of the road.

"Replacing parking garage lighting with more energy-efficient options is one of the most practical upgrades a city can make to save energy, reduce costs and lower CO2 emissions," said Mark Eubanks, President, Cooper Lighting. "This project has been a great opportunity to showcase how Cooper's innovative LED products can increase overall efficiencies and performance to provide a safe and well-lit environment, all while helping the City of Atlanta save almost $500,000 each year in energy costs."

Through superior optical control, Cooper's Valet LED fixtures deliver uniform and energy conscious illumination optimized to improve vehicular movement and pedestrian safety in parking structure applications. Cooper's modular LightBAR technology, featuring patented AccuLED Optics system, delivers uniform and energy conscious illumination. Both factors were key to Airport officials who hoped to improve the distribution of the lighting in the Airport parking garages while also optimizing energy savings. The Valet LED fixtures will also reduce maintenance costs as they are designed to last 50,000 hours.

Cooper Lighting has made a significant investment in people, resources and technology to ensure the company provides first-class solutions to its customers' lighting challenges. The Company offers a range of indoor and outdoor LED lighting products and controls, all of which are specifically designed to maximize energy and cost savings. For additional information on Cooper's LED product offering, click here.

About Cooper Lighting Cooper Lighting, a subsidiary of Cooper Industries plc (CBE), is the leading provider of world-class lighting fixtures and controls to commercial, industrial, retail, institutional, residential and utility markets. As lighting technologies have advanced over the years, Cooper Lighting has been at the forefront of the industry in helping businesses and communities leverage the latest technologies to improve efficiency, reduce costs and enrich the quality of the environment. For more information, visit http://www.cooperlighting.com.

About Cooper Industries Cooper Industries plc (CBE) is a global electrical products manufacturer with 2011 revenues of $5.4 billion. Founded in 1833 Cooper's sustained success is attributable to a constant focus on innovation and evolving business practices, while maintaining the highest ethical standards and meeting customer needs. The Company has seven operating divisions with leading market positions and world-class products and brands, including Bussmann electrical and electronic fuses; Crouse-Hinds and CEAG explosion-proof electrical equipment; Halo and Metalux lighting fixtures; and Kyle and McGraw-Edison power systems products. With this broad range of products, Cooper is uniquely positioned for several long-term growth trends including the global infrastructure build-out, the need to improve the reliability and productivity of the electric grid, the demand for higher energy-efficient products and the need for improved electrical safety. In 2011 sixty-two percent of total sales were to customers in the industrial and utility end-markets and forty percent of total sales were to customers outside the United States. Cooper has manufacturing facilities in 23 countries as of 2011. For more information, visit the website at http://www.cooperindustries.com.

Excerpt from:
Cooper Lighting's LED Solutions Boost Long-Term Sustainability at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hui Anne and Stephen's basement is a multifunctional space that does triple duty as office, TV room and playroom. Their family room is spacious, but it had way too much going on, and none of it was working. When you walked in, you just didn't know where to look there were distractions everywhere. The room had become a repository for old, mismatched furniture and storage boxes. But the space had huge potential, and I focused on creating a stylish yet hardworking room, perfect for this young family.

First, I focused on the bulky, broken fireplace. Transforming this eyesore into an eye-catching focal point was as easy as expanding the width and refacing it with gorgeous, 12- by 24-inch natural stone in "wooden beige" color. We popped in a sleek gas insert and flanked the fireplace wall with playful wooden tiles made of oversized jigsaw-puzzle pieces. The black-onyx puzzle pieces provide the perfect backdrop for the fireplace wall, giving it dimension and subtle pattern, and attracting the attention it deserves.

Beside the fireplace we positioned a big-screen TV on a funky high-gloss gray media cabinet. To provide loads of comfy seating, I selected the mother of all sectionals a mammoth charcoal three-piece sofa that will stand up to the kids while offering space for the adults to entertain downstairs after hours. Wall-to-wall rich espresso-brown carpeting is soft underfoot and grounds the space, while a creamy area rug positioned under the seating area really sets off the sectional. A couple of funky white stools and a two-piece solid wooden coffee table complete the furnishings in the lounge area of the family room.

When they're not relaxing on the comfy sofa, Hui Anne and Stephen can get to work at the other end of the room. A stylish salvaged wooden desk was given new life with some walnut stain, and we installed the same high-gloss gray cabinetry on both sides of the desk, as well as beside the fireplace, to provide plenty of storage and surfaces to display fun accessories and artwork. The entire wall behind the desk is made from a magnetic dry-erase board, making it the one wall the kids are actually encouraged to write on.

To light up this basement family room, we removed the old acoustic-tile ceiling and installed recessed pot lighting. We selected wonderful new ceiling tiles styled to look like white wooden planks, and the effect is marvelous. The new lighting changes the whole mood of the space, and we accented with task lighting at the desk and with lamps on either side of the sofa.

Maximizing the illusion of height at the small windows, we hung floor-length draperies and custom graphic printed shades that truly create the feeling of larger windows and instantly banish that below-ground basement feeling.

Finally, to finish off the wall behind the sectional and give it a personal touch, we selected several different salvaged frames some painted and some raw wood and hung them on the wall empty. Then, we positioned conversation pieces inside the frames we selected large old white keys, an antique bicycle horn and some of the kids' artwork. But you can try this idea at home with any kind of eclectic filler. Have fun and let your imagination run wild.

The basement had huge potential, but it was a diamond in the rough. The broken fireplace was a problem, and the room lacked focus and a focal point. We transformed the fireplace into the centerpiece of the room, and created a stylish and inviting lounge area with lots of seating for family and friends. The couple also has a working office space now, with tons of storage and some fun touches like the whiteboard wall.

Best of all, we banished the basement blues with floor-to-ceiling window treatments that give the illusion of larger windows, and installed more-inviting lighting fixtures that complement the room's funky yet functional style.

Now, all we need to add is the family to make this room really come alive.

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Fireplace becomes an eye-catching focal point for family room

Northwest Portlands Bud Clark Commons is the recipient of a national award for its architectural design.

The American Institute of Architects and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Bud Clark Commons with the 2012 Creating Community Connections Award.

The award is one of four annual awards given out by the two organizations, and the Creative Community Connections Award is given to projects that incorporate housing with other community amenities.

Dave Otte, the lead architect on The Commons construction, accepted the award on May 19 at the American Institute of Architects national convention in Washington, D.C.

In addition to the 130 studio apartments for formerly homeless people, the eight-story Bud Clark Commons, located at the corner of Northwest Broadway and Northwest Hoyt Street in Old Town, has a 90-bed mens shelter on the first floor that includes living, dining and sleeping areas. A day center, open to residents and the public, takes up the second and third floors and provides access to social services, restrooms, laundry facilities, computers and storage for bicycles and pets.

The $46.9 million facility was also given a LEED Platinum certification by the United States Green Building Council for its use of energy efficient lighting, low-flow plumbing and green roofs, among other environmentally friendly attributes.

The Commons was chosen for the award because its layout is inviting and warm, which differs from typical shelters and housing devoted to low-income people, according to a statement on the American Institute of Architects website.

A jury of seven architects, design critics and housing officials were tasked with choosing the winners, and they provided these comments about the Commons: The architect is really trying to say something here, and it is inspiring. The way the shelter addresses the street and the commonsit creates a place of invitation and dignity in a warm, lively kind of way. It invites a wider idea of constructive citizenry.

The building is more than an institution. Considering the homelessness initiativemost homeless projects seem institutionalized and one dimensional, but this is not stigmatized, it is thoughtful and brings a new way of thinking about how these facilities should be done. It is a gorgeous project. This approach should be imitated.

To be considered for the award, the Commons had to be mixed-use and mixed-income building with a diversity of development. The ages, ethnicities, physical abilities and income of the people using the day center and living in the apartments also had to be diverse for the Commons to be considered for the award.

Link:
Northwest Portland's Bud Clark Commons receives national architecture award

WATERTOWN, Mass., May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ --BlueMetal Architects, a leading technology architecture and interactive design firm, announced today that Anthony Gonsalez has joined the company as Technology Director Architect in BlueMetal's Chicago office.

In this role, Mr. Gonsalez will provide architectural guidance and ensure technical excellence across the technical community, as well as assist in building and managing BlueMetal's presence in Chicago and across the Midwest.BlueMetal Architects works with top-tier clients to imagine, define and build innovative technology solutions which positively impact how they run their business with a focus on user experience, big data, application modernization and social platforms.

With 20+ years of IT experience in architectural strategy, program management and software development, Anthony's leadership and cross-team collaboration skills have helped champion new approaches and methods that assure high quality, on-time solution delivery across the organization.

"Tony brings an enormous wealth of technical and delivery skills to establish a strong foundation for our Chicago office", said Todd Bremner, President & Chief Technology Officer for BlueMetal. "Tony is going to have an enormous impact in building a strong delivery team in Chicago and professionalize our delivery capability across all offices."

Prior to joining BlueMetal, Anthony spent 14 years working for Microsoft Corporation. During his tenure he has successfully led several large teams in architecting, designing and implementing some of Microsoft's largest commercial software solutions for many Fortune 50 customers. Most recently Anthony served as Director of Technical Quality Assurance (TQA) focused on improving global services delivery and technical quality across the solution development lifecycle. His team was responsible for providing architectural guidance, delivery methodologies and technical strategies to Microsoft's services organization worldwide.

"The addition of Tony to our Chicago team really showcases the type of world-class technical and business staff we are attracting," said Matt Kestian, Consulting Director for BlueMetal Chicago. "Tony's technical expertise combined with his customer centric approach are both key components of the BlueMetal advantage, and his passion and understanding of the Chicago market is a huge asset to BlueMetal and our customers."

Previously Anthony has held positions at IBM, where he was responsible for the development of NASA's Onboard Shuttle Systems (OSS), and United Airlines as the Lead Architect for a Smithsonian / Computerworld award nominated personal reservation system that later became known as United.com.

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BlueMetal Architects Announces Addition of Anthony Gonsalez in Newly Opened Chicago Office

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Fueled by luxury retailers and discount retailers such as dollar stores, the retail real estate sector is poised to experience increased leasing and improving fundamentals in the second half of 2012.

Thats the take of Hartman Simons, an Atlanta-based national commercial real estate law firm that represents both tenants and landlords in retail leases as well as developers in retail developments. The firms attorneys provided their analysis of the sector as the 2012 ICSC RECon convention got underway in Las Vegas. The convention runs from May 20 through May 23.

The amount of leasing activity were involved in is 10 times what it was a year ago, said Peter Hartman, a partner with the firm. Of course, its all relative. Its not yet close to where it was in 2006 or 07.

Retail real estate is certainly healthier and moving in the right direction, Hartman said. There have been fits and starts, but overall the entire sector from our perspective is greatly improved.

The return of some large and important retailers such as Target to new developments and the growth of discount retailers like Dollar General are two of the trends fueling the sectors increased development and leasing activity, according to Hartman. The firm has recently represented developers in the development of Target-anchored centers in the Southeast.

As for store performance, luxury and discount retailers are thriving, Hartman said. Its the mid-level space that seems to be pretty flat, he added.

Retail developers have grown selectively aggressive in pursuing new opportunities in part because financing has become easier to obtain, Hartman said. And those new opportunities usually incorporate residential and sometimes office uses, he said.

Hartman Simons is representing North American Properties in its development of Avalon, a $600 million, mixed-use project in suburban Atlanta.

About Hartman Simons

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Retail Real Estate Set for Rebound

Last Updated: May 21, 2012 04:12pm ET

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Trademark will work with Victory Park owners to reposition the CRE project's retail component.

DALLAS-Victory Park UST Joint Venture I LP has partnered with Fort Worth-based Trademark Property Co. to freshen up the retail component of the 75-acre, mixed-use Victory Park. VPUST owner Estein & Associates USA Ltd. tapped Trademark to plan and execute the repositioning and redevelopment of its retail holdings in the southern district of Victory Park, located at the edge of Dallas' CBD.

As part of the plan, Trademark will develop and implement a merchandising and leasing strategy for the ground floor retail space and undeveloped land along Victory Park Lane, and the ground floor retail space in The Cirque and One Victory Park. Trademark will also identify and attract key destination retail, restaurant and entertainment tenants to Victory Park that fit the leasing strategy.

Estein & Associates affiliates manage the German real estate investment fund that took over the stake of Victory Park developer Hillwood in 2009. Since becoming sole owner of VPUST and the Victory Park buildings in 2009, we have been working closely with key stakeholders including the City of Dallas, the local retail community, and our other tenants and operators in the district to plan the future of Victory Park and how best to move it forward, said Lance Fair, COO of Orlando, FL-based Estein & Associates and vice president of Victory Park in a press release.

More here:
Victory Park Owner Partners with Trademark for Retail Reposition

By Kelvin Wong - 2012-05-21T16:01:00Z

Pedestrians walk past advertising billboards for watches and jewelry in Russell Street in the shopping district of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, China.

Pedestrians walk past advertising billboards for watches and jewelry in Russell Street in the shopping district of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, China. Photographer: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg

Wharf, which runs the 1 million-square-foot Times Square shopping mall opposite Soundwill Plaza, has gained 106 percent since early 2009.

Wharf, which runs the 1 million-square-foot Times Square shopping mall opposite Soundwill Plaza, has gained 106 percent since early 2009. Photographer: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg

The logo of a Hennes & Mauritz AB store is reflected on the hood of a vehicle on Queen's Road in Central district in Hong Kong, China.

The logo of a Hennes & Mauritz AB store is reflected on the hood of a vehicle on Queen's Road in Central district in Hong Kong, China. Photographer: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg

Rent from Soundwill Plaza -- whose ground-floor tenants include watch-sellers Omega and Tag Heuer, and crystal-ornament maker Swarovski, while on the upper floors are high-end spa salons and a yoga studio -- accounted for a quarter of the companys earnings in 2011, said Victor Chan.

Rent from Soundwill Plaza -- whose ground-floor tenants include watch-sellers Omega and Tag Heuer, and crystal-ornament maker Swarovski, while on the upper floors are high-end spa salons and a yoga studio -- accounted for a quarter of the companys earnings in 2011, said Victor Chan. Photographer: Jerome Favre/Bloomberg

Construction work takes place at Hysan Development Co.'s Hysan Place in the shopping district of Causeway Bay in Hong Kong, China. Hysan Development Co., the biggest landlord in Causeway Bay, has risen 168 percent in the period.

View original post here:
Gucci-Crazy Chinese Fuel Soaring Shop Rents in Hong Kong

New speculative retail construction has been virtually nonexistent in the market for the last five years.

It has been too risky.

Developers by and large have shied away from breaking ground on new projects without confirmed tenants, especially when so many retail companies have dramatically slowed or even halted expansion plans.

Instead, national retailers and restaurants that have been expanding have done so in free-standing buildings specifically constructed to match others in their chains.

Think Dollar General and Cheddar's Casual Cafe.

Or, new local businesses have taken advantage of existing, immediately available, and often-discounted space at commercial plazas. There still seems to be plenty of available storefronts.

But Holladay Properties, of South Bend, has taken a leap of faith, so to speak.

It is among the first area developers to construct a completely speculative retail building in quite some time. The building is located immediately south of Heritage Square in Mishawaka.

Holladay doesn't have any signed leases for the 10,000-square-foot building that will expand the Martin's-anchored shopping center near Cleveland and Gumwood roads.

But that does not scare Holladay, or Garrison Investments of New York, the joint owner of the Mishawaka center. Holladay is responsible for leasing, property, construction and asset management.

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Market Basket:New building constructed before tenants are signed

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Development of the long-vacant two-acre property at the southeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Vermont Avenue will begin this week with the groundbreaking of The Vermont, a 464-unit high-rise apartment complex with retail space and dedicated public open space along Wilshire Boulevard. The project is the largest residential development to be built in Los Angeles since the beginning of the latest real estate downturn.

The partnership of Jerome Snyder, Michael Wise and Lew Geyser comprises the backbone of the J.H. Snyder Development Company. Having long believed in this location and the project, they have persisted through the last two years of challenges and hurdles to entitle the project, assemble a nearly $200 million capital stack and now to pull their building permit and proceed to construction.

Given the economic challenges of the past several years, we are thrilled to begin construction on a mixed-use community of this scale and quality, said Jerry Snyder, Senior Partner at J.H. Snyder Company. This is a significant investment that will transform the long vacant two-acre dirt lot into the new heart of one of LAs most energetic neighborhoods. It feels great to move a significant, job-creating project forward at a time when new construction activity of this scale is rare.

Washington Capital Management, which manages investments for union pension funds in Washington State, is the lead equity investor in the $200 million project. Snyder, one of Southern Californias most prolific residential and retail builders, also infused equity into the project. At the end of 2011, JP Morgan closed on a construction loan and Bentall Kennedy closed on a mezzanine loan, clearing the way for the development team to break ground on the project.

We are excited to see The Vermont move forward, especially in light of the difficult lending environment we face today, said Kacy Keys, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at J.H. Snyder Company. It took a very complex financial structure, the ongoing support of Councilman Herb Wesson and the backing of our great partners Washington Capital Management, JP Morgan and Bentall Kennedy to make The Vermont a reality. Their willingness to be a part of The Vermont through the ups and downs of the past year speaks to the quality of this project and the confidence they all have in J.H. Snyder as a developer.

The development team plans to begin construction this week, with an estimated completion date in 2014. When complete, the LEED-certified project will be comprised of a mix of residential, retail and recreational uses. Features will include two high-rise towers surrounding a quarter-acre central courtyard; approximately 40,000 square feet for ground floor retailers including restaurants, a grocer, bank, dry cleaner and coffee house; as well as public underground parking. Residents of The Vermont will also have access to a full-service concierge, shared lounge-style workspace, a pool, high-end gym and spa exclusively for their use.

There is a strong and growing need for high-quality apartment homes and retail in the Mid-Wilshire area, and we hope to be able to meet some of that pent up demand with The Vermont, said Michael Wise, Senior Partner, J.H. Snyder Company. This project has been a long time coming, so we are excited to be moving to the next stage in the development process and to be that much closer to injecting new life into this already vibrant community.

The groundbreaking comes a year after the Los Angeles City Council and Community Redevelopment Committee voted unanimously to approve The Vermont, praising the project teams outstanding effort to incorporate the local community into the planning process and deliver a generous community benefits package.

The investment is expected to create more than 1,800 union construction jobs at a time when the industry is hurting. As part of the project build-out, J.H. Snyder Company will make a $1 million contribution to help fund a community center in the area and contribute efforts towards the creation of 96 affordable housing units elsewhere in Koreatown. The firm has partnered with Korean Churches for Community Development and AMCAL housing to begin identifying sites for affordable housing. The Vermont will also feature 77 non-reserved public parking spaces in the garage as well as 12,000 square feet of public open space along Wilshire Boulevard.

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J.H. Snyder Company Breaks Ground on The Vermont, a $200 Million Mixed-Use Destination in Mid-Wilshire District

PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division and a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, announces a new community college best practice program to enhance the effort to revitalize manufacturing throughout the United States. The program, developed in conjunction with Iowa Western Community College (IWCC), provides resources to interested community colleges and local manufacturers including a recommended associates degree curriculum, a guide for obtaining in-kind software grants to provide the technology needed for implementation, and a detailed white paper, titled Community Colleges Revitalize Manufacturing, outlining the process for building a successful academic, government and business partnership for the programs execution.

It is estimated that within five to 15 years the retirement of skilled baby boomers will create a workforce shortage of 10 million additional workers by 2020. Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) job growth is projected to rise at twice the rate of the economy by 2018. The shortage of engineers in 2010 totaled 750,000 worldwide. With this in mind, manufacturers are finding it increasingly difficult to fill open positions with individuals who have advanced technology skills.

Jane Oates, assistant secretary for employment and training at the U.S. Department of Labor, stressed the importance of partnerships and the critical need for STEM education in her keynote address at the 2012 Siemens PLM Connection Americas User Conference earlier this month.

Strong partnerships between employers, training providers, and all levels of government are crucial to ensure our workforce has the skills and experience to remain a global manufacturing leader, said Oates. By focusing attention on specific training needs in areas like data management and high-tech manufacturing, these partnerships are helping community colleges expand into community career centers -- places that teach people skills that businesses are looking for right now -- and thats a model the President and I fully support. (President Obama referenced this topic during his 2012 State of the Union address.)

Siemens PLM Software and Iowa Western Community College

In February 2011, Siemens PLM Software announced the largest in-kind corporate contribution ever received by IWCC that enabled the college to successfully launch a design technology program. The program prepares graduates to enter the workforce in a high-demand career field or transfer to a four-year institution to complete a bachelors degree.

Through the successful IWCC and Siemens PLM Software partnership, the new community college best practice program has been implemented. The program provides a two-year, fast-track curriculum, developed by an advisory board of academia and industry, with an emphasis on upgrading incumbent worker skills as well as training dislocated and minority-categorized workers. The curriculum introduces individuals to product design and development software technology used by many of the worlds leading manufacturing, architectural and construction companies.

Now community colleges around the nation have a proven blueprint to meet the needs of local employers and prepare local students for high-paying careers in design technology, said Dr. Dan Kinney, president, IWCC.

As the baby boom generation retires and product complexity continues to grow, students who are able to use PLM technology are expected to be highly recruited, said Bill Boswell, senior director, Partner Strategy, Siemens PLM Software. We are delighted to have had Assistant Secretary Oates present with us at our Americas User Conference to reinforce the need for STEM education and the importance of practical industry, academic, government partnerships.

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Siemens PLM Software Launches New Community College Best Practice Program to Revitalize U.S. Manufacturing