Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

May 14, 2012

Remember when Saturday Night in your hometown was a big deal? Everyone came to town to meet up with friends and enjoy visiting, shopping, dancing, eating, and cruising! The Enderlin Historical Society is sponsoring an Old Fashioned Saturday Night in Enderlin on May 19, 2012 as a fundraiser to raise matching funds for the Museum window replacement project. Tune up your classic cars, all vintages welcome, for cruising downtown beginning at 5 p.m., sample foods reminiscent of former Enderlin eating establishments from 5 to 7 p.m. at the TraxSide Cafe and VFW, get your dancing shoes ready for an old-fashioned Record Hop/Sock Hop at the City Auditorium from 7 to 10 p.m. with music for all ages kids through adults or stop by the popcorn stand on the Museum lawn for a tasty snack. The Museum is housed in the historic former Masonic Temple building in downtown Enderlin. It was built in 1927 and today is home to hundreds of artifacts representing early area history. After several years of disrepair, the Historical Society raised $39,000 for a new red steel roof which was installed in 2010. The next most immediate need is replacement of the 37 large original windows (currently 1,970 individual panes)! The replacement windows will be maintenance-free while still maintaining the historic appearance of the majestic brick building. Due to the size of the project, it has been divided into three phases, the first of which is expected to get underway this summer. The Enderlin Community Development Committee has pledged up to $3,000 toward this project as a match to funds raised through the fundraising campaign. Donation displays will be set up at the VFW and at the Auditorium during the dance. The displays will also include information on window sponsorships. A photo display will also be set up featuring photos taken at Kelly Studio in Enderlin in the 1950s. Everyone should check the photo index to see if someone from their family is included in the extensive collection! The Record Hop will run from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Auditorium and is open to everyone; cost will be 25 cents for kids and 50 cents for adults, just like the good old days, or you may wish to make a free will donation to the window project! Get your group together and dress up in clothes from your favorite decade, if you wish! Bring the entire family! The Museum is open Thursday and Friday afternoons from 1 4 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 9 noon, May through September, or by appointment at 701-799-0725, 701-793-9743 or by contacting the Enderlin Municipal Library.

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Old Fashioned Saturday Night in Enderlin

A new survey released by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) shows that common remodeling projects have increased, compared to a similar survey from 2010.

Kitchen and bath projects remain the most popular remodeling jobs with homeowners increasingly upgrading both rooms and making major repairs as they decide to stay in their current homes longer. Nearly 50 percent of remodelers report seeing an increase in the number of homeowners who undertake remodels to avoid moving compared to the 2010 findings.

Both kitchen and bath remodeling projects were up 17 percent from two years ago, with baths cited as a common job by 78 percent of remodelers and kitchens at 69 percent. Since 2009, baths and kitchens have switched places in popularity, with bath remodels moving into the top spot as the most common type of remodeling project.

Repairs and replacements of old components and the desire for upgraded amenities were cited as the top reasons for customers to hire a remodeler. More than 60 percent of remodelers reported increased demand for repairs and replacements of old components in the past two years, while more than half of remodelers said that the desire for upgraded amenities increased. In contrast, more than 20 percent of remodelers said there was a decrease in customers remodeling to increase home values as an investment.

In addition to kitchens and baths, other popular remodeling categories included window/door replacements (44 percent), whole house remodels (35 percent), room additions (33 percent) and handyman services (31 percent).

For complete survey results, click here.

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Kitchens and Baths Remain Top Remodeling Jobs

WATERLOO Is it OK to put a daycare centre beside the regional landfill?

Regional planners are said to be very lukewarm to the idea proposed by developers of the giant Boardwalk shopping complex.

But developers say theres interest from parents who would work in office buildings planned at the complex on Ira Needles Boulevard.

I think its a great use, said Vince Varga, planning adviser for the Boardwalk. There are a lot of people wanting daycare facilities on the west side of Waterloo.

He expects up to 1,500 people could work at offices at the Boardwalk site, plus others who work in banks, restaurants and retail stores.

The massive development is taking shape beside a sometimes-smelly landfill thats expected to operate for at least two more decades.

Monday, developers unveiled plans to expand the Boardwalk by adding just over two hectares, to the north of the cinema complex. It would be home to an office building, one of two to four office adjacent buildings that could be constructed depending on market demand.

The land is zoned for agriculture but planned for industry. It includes a house that would be demolished. A water tower is under construction at the back.

Waterloo council must approve the expansion.

Developers had agreed not to include a daycare in the current complex because of the nearby landfill. They now figure they could install a daycare over 500 metres from the landfill, putting it just outside a zone that excludes sensitive land uses.

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Office building, daycare proposed near landfill

Monday, May 14, 2012 | 1:12 p.m. CDT; updated 4:22 p.m. CDT, Monday, May 14, 2012

COLUMBIA Artist Joel Sager conducted interviews with members of the city's Finance and Community Development departments. As fifth floor tenants of the addition to the Daniel Boone City Building, they will play audience to his artwork.

The Standing Committee on Public Art, a derivative of the Commission on Cultural Affairs, is now seeking public input on the proposed artwork.

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Sager, curator of Perlow-Stevens Gallery, was selected in March to create interior art for the addition as a part of the Percent for Art program, which allocates 1 percent of the cost of eligible city construction projects to site-specific artwork.

In a slideshow proposal, Sager said much of the fifth floor traffic consisted of contractors, architects and business owners. Among them, he found a collective "aesthetic appreciation for the craftsmanship of traditional and classic architecture."

With that in mind, he suggested a three-painting series of buildings that represent fine architecture as well as Columbia's civic, commercial and cultural characteristics. These include the Boone County Courthouse,Central Dairy andThe Blue Note.

Sager will use his usual media of collage, tar, oil paint and varnish for the project. The result is a "highly textural" quality for which his work has become known.

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Office of Cultural Affairs seeks public input on artwork for Daniel Boone City Building addition

SUN-TIMES MEDIA WIRE May 14, 2012 3:06PM

A consumer fraud lawsuit was filed Monday alleging a north suburban construction company scammed an elderly couple rebuilding a porch on an apartment building on the South Side.

The Cook County States Attorneys office filed the suit against George Zachary, the owner of Upscale Design Corp. and Value Built Construction with offices in Lincolnwood and Deerfield, according to a release from the states attorneys office.

Zachary failed to refund down payments made by the couple for porch repairs on the building they owned even after the states attorneys office demanded him.

The victims, 74 and 75 years old, hired Zachary in April 2011 to rebuild a two-story porch on an apartment building they owned on Chicagos South Side, the release said. He met with the couple, who paid Zachary two deposits totaling $3,200 for the project that was estimated at $7,000. Zachary was to obtain required permits, start the job within 30 days and complete construction within 7 days.

Zachary arrived at the victims property two and a half months later with a work crew to demolish the porch, the release said. He never returned to deliver materials or start construction of the porch.

The couple repeatedly called Zachary during the next several weeks to find out when he would begin building the porch, the suit said. He did not answer any of their calls except when the couple called on a payphone from a different phone number. He then gave numerous excuses, claimed to have been out of town on a family emergency and that he was experiencing personal financial difficulties.

City building inspectors fined the couple $250 in August 2011 and placed a stop work order on the project because their porch had been demolished without a permit, the release said. The couple went to pay the $250 fine as well as $200 for the permit and the citys building department told them that Zachary had applied for the permit but never paid the fee. They were also told that the Zacharys license had expired.

The couple then contacted the Cook County States Attorneys Consumer Fraud Unit. The suit seeks a permanent injunction against Zachary for fraudulent and unlawful business practices, refunds for the consumers, civil penalties of up to $50,000 and an additional $10,000 in civil penalties for each violation committed against a person 65 or older.

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Construction firm accused of scamming elderly couple

BUILDING PERMITS

Boulder

Building construction permits over $10,000 in value that were approved in Boulder between April 30 and May 6, 2012. Listed below are: the case number; address; total project valuation; owner name; contractor (if applicable); and description.

PMT2012-01193; 1803 Mapleton Ave.; $136,000; Robert and Laura Cory; Melton Construction Inc.; Addition/remodel of an existing single-family dwelling -- modification of roof elements to create new floor area inside of existing east wall, relocate the south wall (8 feet by 4 inches) to create an office area on main level and bedroom above. Dismantle existing staircase -- rebuild new stairway, add gas fireplace, add second floor bathroom, remodel bathrooms -- relocate fixtures.

PMT2012-00139; 1350 Meadow Ave.; $450,000; Jamie and Susan Doucet; Master suite addition of 125 square feet, remodel of 2,794 square feet on all levels of house (including 690 square feet of basement) and a basement finish of 1,224 square feet to an existing residence. 598 square feet in new decks and porches. New decorative gas fireplace -- convert baseboard hydronic heat to in-floor hydronic. Install evaporative cooler. Add full bathroom, and a three-quarter bathroom and a powder room.

PMT2012-01606; 2065 Alpine Drive; $47,593.53; Hansen Rada; Field West Construction LLC; Addition of 25-square-foot front entry and 72-square-foot mud room, remodel main floor including vaulting the ceilings, bathroom remodel, new front porch.

PMT2012-01685; 3110 29th St.; $42,927.36; Braun Construction Inc.; Addition of a 32-square-foot riser room and modification of 1432 square feet to the ceiling of a garden level garage -- fire tap and piping to/within riser room by separate permit. Sprinkler system modifications by separate permit. See ADR2012-00069 for supplemental information. Separate permits for similar work on 3060 29th and 3080 29th on same set of plans. See PMT2012-01700 for ROW and Utility fees.

PMT2010-03160; 5317 Desert Mountain Court; $28,800; Darwin and Coleen Pruisner; R.A. Spencer Construction Inc.; Addition of 360-square-foot single-car garage on south side of property.

PMT2012-01681; 3060 29th St.; $42,927.36; MBY Development; Braun Construction Inc.; Addition of a 32-square-foot riser room and modification of 1,432 square feet to the ceiling of a garden-level garage -- fire tap and piping to/within riser room by separate permit. Sprinkler system modifications by separate permit. See ADR2012-00069 for supplemental information. Separate permits for similar work on 3080 29th St. and 3110 29th St. on same set of plans. See PMT2012-01700 for Utility and ROW fees.

PMT2012-01684; 3080 29th St.; $42,927.36; Braun Construction Inc.; Addition of a 32-square-foot riser room and modification of 1,432 square feet to the ceiling of a garden level garage -- fire tap and piping to/within riser room by separate permit. Sprinkler system modifications by separate permit. See ADR2012-00069 for supplemental information. Separate permits for similar work on 3060 29th St. and 3110 29th St. on same set of plans. See PMT2012-01700 for utility and ROW fees.

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Boulder building permits: May 14, 2012

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) -- A Dubuque man has been accused of injuring his dog by tossing it off an 11-foot-high retaining wall.

The Dubuque Telegraph Herald says 40-year-old Matthew Duve is charged with a misdemeanor.

Court records say a neighbor told police that Duve grabbed a female Weimaraner named Calli by the collar and threw her off the wall onto a sidewalk below. The neighbor reported hearing what sounded like the dog hitting the pavement three times.

A vet says the dog had lacerations on her tail and front legs and had some back stiffness.

Court records say Duve denied any abuse and said the dog "came home in its present condition."

A public phone listing for Duve could not be found. Online court records don't yet list the case.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Dubuque man accused of tossing dog off wall

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

THE collapse of the retaining wall of a subdivision in Barangay Talamban, Cebu City that resulted to the death of two people is an example of how blame-throwing cant be directed at one sector alone. One can consider the accident a confluence of inaction and glossing over of safety concerns by the people concerned.

The obvious target would be the developer of Casa del Rio subdivision, Commonwealth Estate Inc., as talks have swirled that the riprap that collapsed lacked metal reinforcement. Reports that cracks had surfaced on the structure do not speak well of the construction quality.

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This begs the question of whether officials of Barangay Talamban and the Office of the Building Official (OBO) had checked the construction site or not. Did reports of the cracks reach them and, if so, what were the steps taken to ensure the safety of nearby residents?

Consider that this is not the first collapse of a similar type of structure this year. Just last month, a portion of the retaining wall in the project site of Taft Property Venture Development Corp. in Sitio Sta. Teresita, Barangay Cogon-Ramos collapsed, threatening the safety of the surrounding houses.

These incidents have correctly invited concerns about the failure to strictly implement provisions of the National Building Code.

In the accident involving Commonwealth Estate, however, there is the added aspect of the houses that bore the brunt of the collapse of the retaining wall and soil being within what has been considered a dangerous zone. These were built below the riprap and on the riverbank.

Talamban Barangay Captain Jesus Remedio Jr. now claims that they had asked the residents to evacuate the area, but they obviously lacked the political will to force them to leave. This may have contributed to the failure to act on the threat of the ripraps collapse.

One resident noted that when they complained to barangay officials about the cracks in the riprap, they were instead threatened with the demolition of their houses.

Originally posted here:
Editorial: Inaction and lack of concern

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.The state Coastal Resources Management Council has reversed an earlier decision and is now allowing South Kingstown to build a retaining wall along Matunuck Beach Road to protect it from beach erosion.

The Providence Journal reports ( http://bit.ly/JROyut) the council voted 9-0 Tuesday night in favor of the wall, a month after rejecting the proposal on a 7-2 vote amid opposition from environmental groups.

Plans call for a sheet-metal wall running 200 feet along the ocean side of Matunuck Beach Road. Town officials say the wall is needed to protect the road and an underground water pipe serving nearly 1,700 customers.

Town Manager Stephen Alfred asked the council to reconsider its first vote. The council's executive director endorsed the request and said the road was in imminent danger from erosion.

Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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RI council reverses course, allows Matunuck wall

By Jhunnex Napallacan Inquirer Visayas

CEBU CITYTwo persons were killed while five children were injured on Tuesday when a portion of the retaining wall of a subdivision project collapsed on four houses in Sitio Kadahuan, Barangay Talamban, this city.

Rescuers from the Cebu City fire department and Philippine Air Force found the body of Alan Oporto, 40, past 9 p.m. Tuesday and Nestor Tapdasan, past 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

The injured children were brought to the North General Hospital here for treatment.

The victims houses were among at least 60 built along a creek in the area outside Casa Del Rio, a subdivision project of the Commonwealth Estate Inc. (CEI).

Jonji Gonzales, CEI spokesperson, said hairline cracks were found on the retaining wall by an inspection team commissioned by the company after the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that shook Cebu and other areas in the Visayas on Feb. 6. The cracks were being repaired when the wall collapse occurred.

Gonzales said in a text message that CEI would shoulder all medical expenses of the victims.

The company would also provide financial assistance to the family of the two fatalities, he added.

We are extending our deepest sympathy to the family of the two fatalities. We are praying for the quick recovery of those in the hospital, Gonzales said in his text message.

Talamban Barangay Captain Jesus Remedio Jr. said the 80 families living below the subdivisions retaining wall and along the riverbank would be asked to relocate as their homes would have to be demolished.

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Wall collapse kills 2, hurts 5 in Cebu City