Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

NEW ALBANY The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a ruling that had backed Bradford Realtys claims that the New Albany Historic Preservation Commission didnt properly notify land owners of zoning restrictions.

Last year, Special Judge Daniel Moore ruled in favor of Bradford Realty owner Ron Craig, who was denied a Certificate of Appropriateness request by the HPC after he installed vinyl siding on the building without approval in 2008.

Bradford Realty sits in the Downtown Historic District at its 222 E. Fourth St. location. The business has occupied the spot since 1966. The HPC is charged with overseeing building upgrades and the materials used for repairs as a result of the declaration of the district in 2002.

Craig didnt notify the HPC of the repairs before work commenced, and his use of vinyl siding on the 1910 structure was later rejected by the board. He was ordered to remove the siding from the building, and a court case ensued.

Though a notice of the district was published in The Tribune in 2002, Moore ruled in July that the city and HPC failed to properly notify land owners in the boundary of the change in zoning.

Moore also ruled Craig was not required to seek approval from the HPC before installing the siding.

The HPC did not send information regarding the district and laws pertaining to property in the zone directly to land owners after the boundary was declared.

But in a 2-1 decision released Thursday, the court of appeals ruled Bradford Realty wasnt entitled to direct notice of the historic district, and that Craig was required to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness before replacing original wood siding with vinyl siding.

In her supporting opinion, Judge Patricia Riley wrote the enacting of the historic district was prospective and general in nature and did not fall under due process requirements of the 14th Amendment.

The ordinance purports to regulate only future conduct to be consistent with the provisions of the historic preservation ordinance, Riley wrote in regards to the city legislation establishing the historic district.

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Court sides with New Albany historic group

A Colorado Springs roofing company has paid a $110,000 settlement after allegations that it forged warranties on more than a dozen Air Force Academy roofs in 2007.

Central States Roofing is the oldest commercial roofing company in Colorado Springs, according to its website, and boasts clients such as the World Arena and the Colorado Springs Airport.

The companys owner, Bill Hauschildt, admitted he had forged the warranties and apologized for his actions.

It was me that did it and what I did was wrong and Im paying the price for it and making everything right, he said in an interview with the Gazette Monday. We settled everything and everyone is happy now.

He said he is currently taking an ethics class which will help teach me from not doing that.

According to a complaint filed in federal court on April 18, 2011,Hauschildt originally told investigators that the warranties had been forged by a project manager who he had since fired. The company faced fines up to $10,000 for each warranty that had been forged, according to the complaint.

Central States Roofing received a government contract in 2007 to install roofing systems in more than a dozen buildings on the Air Force Academy. To get final payment, the company had to submit manufacture warranties on the roof shingles, according to the complaint.

Rather than provide valid warranties, which Central States Roofing would have had to pay for, the suit alleges that Hauschildt instead downloaded forms from the internet and forged them to make them look like real warranties and presented the fakes to the academy for payment. The forgeries were discovered when another Air Force contractor contacted the shingles company that had supposedly issued the warranties and discovered that they were fakes.

According to its website, Central States was established in 1924 in the Pueblo area and later expanded into Colorado Springs, where it is now based.

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Springs roofer admits forgeries

TOLEDO, Ohio, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Beginning today, Owens Corning (NYSE: OC - News), through its Roofing and Asphalt business, invites homeowners to take the Shingle Recycling Pledge as a way to show their commitment to keep old roofs out of landfills by working with roofing contractors who practice sustainable building practices.

"According to the Northeast Recycling Center, up to 10 million tons of recyclable shingles are removed from the roofs of U.S. homes and buildings annually," said Barry Hornbacher, Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt Shingle Recycling program manager. "By pledging to work with professionals committed to recycling torn-off shingles into pavement, homeowners are helping to ensure their roofing renovation will have less of an environmental impact."

To take the pledge in markets where recycling is available, homeowners simply visit http://www.roofing.owenscorning.com and select "Recycle Now." In addition to connecting with local contractors committed to shingle recycling, everyone who takes the pledge will also receive a free reusable tote bag while supplies last. Homeowners who do not currently have shingle recycling available in their area can show their interest in shingle recycling by filling out a form on the website, which will help Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt rally support from contractors in their local community. To learn more, simply visit the Sustainable Roofing page on the site.

Established in 2009, in alliance with Heritage Environmental Services and Earth911.com, the Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt Shingle Recycling Program is currently active in 39 markets nationwide. Since its inception, the program has recycled more than 95,000 tons of asphalt shingles at the Heritage affiliate locations, the equivalent of saving 95,000 barrels of oil.

"Today's homeowners are more involved than ever in selecting the materials and building processes used on their home, with a greater emphasis on sustainable solutions," said Hornbacher. "By taking the Shingle Recycling Pledge, homeowners will gain a better understanding about the positive impact recycling shingles has on the environment and learn how they can become more involved in the process in their local community. Homeowners looking for green roofing solutions can now choose recycling to achieve definitive results."

Through a change to Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt's website, homeowners can search for reputable contractors in their area that already participate in the program. Homeowners can also use the site to connect contractors not already involved in the Shingle Recycling Program with a conveniently located recycling facility by selecting "Help Green this Contractor." Additionally, the site features an informational video about shingle recycling, educational resources and tools to help homeowners choose the best roof for their needs and budget once they're ready to replace their roof.

"Owens Corning Roofing & Asphalt is dedicated to providing homeowners with high quality, beautiful roofs, but we are also just as dedicated to keeping as many old shingles out of landfills as possible," said Hornbacher. "We will continue to work with homeowners and contractors to further our commitment to reduce waste and save energy."

For more information about the program and to locate a contractor that recycles in your area, visit http://www.roofing.owenscorning.com.

About Owens Corning

Owens Corning (NYSE: OC - News) is a leading global producer of residential and commercial building materials, glass-fiber reinforcements and engineered materials for composite systems. A Fortune 500 company for 57 consecutive years, Owens Corning is committed to driving sustainability by delivering solutions, transforming markets and enhancing lives. Founded in 1938, Owens Corning is a market-leading innovator of glass-fiber technology with sales of $5.3 billion in 2011 and about 15,000 employees in 28 countries on five continents. Additional information is available at http://www.owenscorning.com.

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Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt Introduces Homeowners to Shingle Recycling Pledge Program

The Major League Baseball season kinda-sorta begins in Japan tomorrow morning at 6:10 am Eastern featuring the Oakland As and Seattle Mariners. I dont think anyone has been able to figure out why the As of all teams were chosen for this marketing excursion, but much like Dick Stocktons hair, sometimes things are better off remaining a mystery. The real season begins on April 4. Why there are no games between the series in Japan and next Wednesday is far beyond me. The guess is Bird Selig and his team of devoted cronies thrive on dishing out blue balls.

To get things started, we respectfully begin with the NL Central and the flukey World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

2011 Record 90-72, 2nd place, wildcard winner Notable Additions Carlos Beltran, Adam Wainwright (missed all of last season), and J.C. Romero. As for Romero, after being traded to Colorado last season, the journeyman lefty pitched 8.1 innings, allowing 12 hits and a run. Hell be 36 in June. Calling him a key addition is beyond a stretch at this point. Now having said that, any time Ive discounted the Cardinals bullpen it has come back to bite me like a starved piranha. So I fully expect Romero to have an outstanding season in the St. Louis bullpen. Thats just how it works. Tragic Losses Albert Pujols and Tony La Russas winning hair and courteous demeanor. Plus, Dave Duncan and his top secret pitching rejuvenation machine are on a leave of absence. These are all major losses. Pujols departing needs no explanation. Its going to be strange seeing him in a different uniform. The absence of La Russa, at least from a comedic standpoint, will be sorely missed. As for Duncan, hes dealing with his wifes illness right now, so I imagine baseball is extremely far from his list of priorities right now. Lets hope for some positive news on that front. Good News They won the World Series last year and they have reasonable fans who wont be expecting anything close to a repeat. In short, this was a great year for Albert to leave. The thirst has been quenched, at least for the time being. Two titles in five years will often do that. A last place finish is perfectly acceptable in this instance. Bad News Alberts gone. Its the end of a fabulous era. Replacing the legend is Carlos Beltran and his hamstrings that are never quite 100%. Worse than that, he offers daily updates on the percentages of said hamstrings. Gonna be a long season in St. Louis. Outlook An even Steven 81 wins and a 3rd place finish. Probable 2012 Anthem Farewell to Tony and especially Albert means the Cards will be signing Carly Simons Youre So Vain all season long.

2011 Record 96-66, 1st place Notable Additions Aramis Ramirez, Alex Gonzalez and Norichika Aoki. Not exactly making you forget Prince Fielder. They also signed Corey Patterson to a minor league deal. Hilarious. Tragic Losses Another heartbreaking story of a beloved portly slugger leaving for a greener bank account. Yes, Prince Fielder is now a Detroit Tiger. His bat will be missed like a heaping Bratwurst, though the absence of his edible glove is certainly a bonus. Also gone is Craig Counsell? Wow. Probably time to hang it up, dude. Good News K-Rods back! That was kind of a shocker given how perturbed he was with his role last season, but Im not so sure if this should be listed under good news or bad news. Bullpen depth is always a plus, so for now his presence will reside in a positive light. However, I dont expect him to be in Milwaukee the entire season. Bad News A slow start by Ryan Braun will feed the media monster and a mountain of questions will follow him around like a centipede. He needs to get off to a decent start for his own sanity. Thankfully, he plays in a market that wont rake him over the coals the second they have the opportunity to do so. Outlook A healthy step back. 85 wins and 2nd place. Probable 2012 Anthem For this resilient bunch? Chumbawambas Tubthumping.

2011 Record 79-83, 3rd place Notable Additions Ryan Ludwick, Ryan Madson, Sean Marshall, and Mat Latos. Losing Francisco Cordero and gaining Madson was more or less a wash when you look at their numbers. That is, if Madson werent done for the year. (Oops.) Adding Latos is a nice plus, as he threw a career high 194.1 innings last year. Hes still just 23 years old. Tragic Losses Edison Volquez, Edgar Renteria, Ramon Hernandez, Jeremy Hermida, and Francisco Cordero. Not exactly weeping over these departures. The Reds should feel pretty good about where they are considering the other big players in the division will be coping with a couple rather large ditches in their respective lineups. Good News Mat Latos is the name well be hearing instead of Edison Volquez? Yes, please. Bad News If the worst distraction they have to deal with is the reminder that Brandon Phillips becomes a free agent after the season, I would say theyre in pretty good shape. Only time will tell to see how Dusty Baker can screw it all up. Speaking of Dusty, Im really hoping he upgraded to hipster glasses similar to what Amare Stoudemire sports on the court. Outlook 89 wins should get them the division crown. Probable 2012 Anthem Last year was a disappointing step back, so well go with Kickstart My Heart.

2011 Record 72-90, 4th place Notable Additions AJ Burnett, Erik Bedard, Clint Barmes. Tragic Losses The Pirates have lost 483 games over the last five seasons. Enough said. Good News Jeff Karstens, Charlie Morton and James McDonald to go along with Bedard and Burnett really isnt all that bad. I thought Burnett would have a pretty decent year without all the pressure and accompanying media horde, but hes already out two to three months with a facial fracture. Perhaps good news doesnt exist for this franchise. Bad News Theyre the Pirates. Even a pretty great start last year still saw the club finish 18 games under .500. They absolutely fell off a cliff and just laid there. This season I expect more falling and laying. Until the Pirates prove me wrong, the Pirates are still the Pirates and will remain the Pirates until the Pirates do something respectable, like not be the Pirates. Winning more than 80 games would be a nice start. Outlook AJ Burnett fouled a ball off his face seconds after becoming a Pirate. Difficult to avoid the usual pessimism. 75 wins, 4th place. Probably 2012 Anthem The End by the Doors, obviously.

2011 Record 71-91, 5th place Notable Additions Theo Epstein. Young Theo gets the lucky task of cleaning up the mess that is the Chicago Cubs. After Theo and his band of Docker-wearing chums, the notable additions are Ian Stewart, Travis Wood, Chris Volstad, Paul Maholm, and David DeJesus. Woah. Thats ugly, but I have full confidence this new regime will have the Cubs back in order, its just difficult to say how quickly that will happen. Probably wise to avoid thinking short term. The best thing for Cubs fans to know is that it will happen under Theos watch. Considering how bleak its looked over the past couple of seasons, that should serve as music to their ears. Tragic Losses Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Pena, Koyie Hill, Sean Marshall, and Carlos Zambrano. Zambrano should have been gone years ago. His welcomed absence is symbolic to the start of a new era, and a sane one. Its like they finally deleted the number of a late night booty call that offered nothing but headaches and regret the following morning. Good for them. Good News See above. Its a cleansing process. The filthy Cubs have finally taken a shower, now they just need to fill the closet with some respectable new clothes. Even better, Wrigleyville remains a wonderful experience regardless of how crappy the Cubs are. Bad News Alfonso Soriano will make $18 million this season, next season and in 2014. That hurts. Unless they plan on eating 80% of that contract, hes not going anywhere. Outlook Wouldnt be surprised to see a similar finish to last season. 72 wins. 5th place it is. Probable 2012 Anthem High Enough by the Damn Yankees. This ones for you, Theo.

2011 Record 56-106, 1st place (lets see if youre paying attention) Notable Additions A new owner in Jim Crane! The dude has even stated that the team will unveil new uniforms for their move to the AL next year. This is great news. The question is, will they go back to the glorious unis from the 1980s or come up with something completely new? I love the idea of returning to the 80s look because its a reminder of a time when the team was relevant and routinely competitive. I also like the idea of the team introducing new uniforms because it gives us something else to discuss and debate other than the actual team theyre currently putting on the field. Its a pointless topic right now. They got rid of Hunter Pence last year along with Michael Bourn. The team is clearly in please look away, were rebuilding mode, so Im happy to oblige and turn my head. My only question is, when do Wandy Rodriguez and Brett Myers get shipped out of town to contenders? Tragic Losses Pride, tradition, self-respect. Good News Drayton McLane is no longer around to drive the franchise further into the abyss. Bad News Its going to be a few years before order is restored. Even worse, Jack Cust was the teams free agent splash. Oh boy. Outlook Uh, can they top last seasons tally of 56 wins? Can they avoid 100 losses? Whatever happens, itll be last place for sure. Probable 2012 Anthem Suicide is Painless, otherwise known as the theme song to MASH.

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2012 MLB Preview: NL Central

WASHINGTON, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Cassidy Turley, a leading commercial real estate services provider in the U.S., announced today that Terrell Place, owned by affiliates of Beacon Capital Partners, LLC and General Electric Pension Trust, has become DC's first trophy office building to be awarded LEED Platinum certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M). Located in DC's Central Business District at 575 7th Street, NW, across from the Verizon Center, the multi-tenant building has 522,000 gross square feet. LEED is the nation's preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

"Beacon Capital Partners and GE Asset Management (advisor to GE Pension Trust) continue to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency by growing the number of LEED certified buildings in their portfolio, and Cassidy Turley is proud to be a partner in their ongoing initiative," commented Evan Tyroler, Vice President of Sustainability Services with Cassidy Turley. "In conjunction with the energy efficiency programs, our team engaged tenant participation to help achieve additional LEED points. In doing so, Terrell Place has become the first LEED EB Platinum building in DC that is not owner occupied, proving that LEED EB Platinum certification can be achieved in a multi-tenant, mixed use office building," he continued.

"Terrell Place is Beacon's third LEED Platinum certification in the U.S. and is a testament to our commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency," said Fred Seigel, President and Chief Operating Officer of Beacon Capital Partners. "Beyond the environmental impacts, we believe that the LEED program rewards our tenants with better infrastructure, enhanced control of indoor climate conditions, more efficient use of energy and water resources, and more consistent operating expenses."

Over the past three years, Beacon Capital Partners has engaged Cassidy Turley's Sustainability Services to oversee sustainability initiatives throughout their DC metro portfolio. This strategic partnership has led to the LEED certification of 13 multi-tenant office buildings, totaling over 3.8 million square feet, with an additional 2 buildings currently underway. This has allowed for the integration of sustainability best practices throughout the local portfolio, contributing to a healthier environment for building tenants and the larger community.

"Terrell Place's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "The urgency of USGBC's mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Terrell Place serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish."

Cassidy Turley's Sustainability Services team handled the day-to-day project management required to achieve the certification. The LEED Platinum certification of the building was based on modifications to the operations and maintenance procedures that positively impacted the building itself and the broader community. These features include:

About U.S. Green Building CouncilThe Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 155,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.

About LEEDThe U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 32,000 projects are currently participating in the commercial and institutional LEED rating systems, comprising over 9.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation. For more information, visit http://www.usgbc.org.

About Beacon Capital PartnersBeacon Capital Partners, LLC ("Beacon") is a Boston-based real estate investment firm. Beacon and its predecessor companies have been actively involved in the real estate business for over sixty-five years and have an established reputation as a high-quality property owner, operator, and developer of urban office and mixed-use projects across the U.S. Beacon was formed in January 1998, following the merger of the predecessor public company, Beacon Properties Corporation, with Equity Office Properties Trust. Beacon has sponsored seven investment vehicles representing over $11 billion of aggregate equity capital from various endowments, foundations, pension funds, and other institutional investors.

About Cassidy Turley Cassidy Turley is a leading commercial real estate services provider with more than 3,500 professionals in more than 60 offices nationwide. The company represents a wide range of clientsfrom small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, from local non-profits to major institutions. The firm completed transactions valued at $22 billion in 2011, manages 455 million square feet on behalf of institutional, corporate and private clients and supports more than 28,000 domestic corporate services locations. Cassidy Turley serves owners, investors and tenants with a full spectrum of integrated commercial real estate servicesincluding capital markets, tenant representation, corporate services, project leasing, property management, project and development services, and research and consulting. Cassidy Turley enhances its global service delivery outside of North America through a partnership with GVA, giving clients access to commercial real estate professionals across the globe. Please visit http://www.cassidyturley.com for more information about Cassidy Turley.

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Terrell Place Awarded LEED® Platinum Certification

Pre-tax profits at Bennett Construction fall 77% to 122k

By Gordon Deegan

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Pre-tax profits at building firm Bennett Construction last year declined by 77% to 122,202.

Accounts just filed by Bennett (Construction) Ltd to the Companies Office show the firms pre-tax profits dropped from 543,910 to 122,202 in the 12 months to the end of Mar 31 last year.

The Mullingar-based firms revenues declined by 43% from 70.5m to 40.1m, although revenues from its overseas operations increased substantially as the firm responded to the downturn in construction in Ireland.

Revenues from the companys Irish operations more than halved from 69.6m to 32.3m, while the firms revenues from Europe increased from just 840,286 in 2010 to 7.82m last year.

The results for 2011 compare to the firm recording revenues of 180m in 2007 with profits of 4.5m at that time, the firm employed 218.

At the end of the year, the companys balance sheet remained strong with the firm having accumulated profits and shareholder funds of 16.8m that included 9.3m in cash.

Bennett Construction operates across a broad range of sectors including residential, commercial, industrial, healthcare and pharmaceutical.

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Pre-tax profits at Bennett Construction fall 77% to €122k

The Morgan Building going up at the corner of Spruce and May streets is the latest in a string of activity percolating on the corridor behind St. Patrick Hospital.

Brian Morgan, president of Adventure Life in Missoula, took on the $2.8 million project to build new offices for his travel business. Slated to open in the fall, the building also will have office space for lease and high-end apartments.

The conspicuous construction site is one of several developments that have popped up in the Spruce Street and Toole Avenue neighborhood over the last few years. Safeway rebuilt its grocery store, an apartment complex opened its doors, and more recently, a brewery and climbing gym opened in the neighborhood, too.

To me, it really shows that the area has room for increased development and a sort of rebirth, Morgan said.

Morgan has owned the property for about four years, but he stopped the building project when the economy tanked in 2008. During the last couple of years, he began feeling more confident in the economic recovery, and he decided to move ahead with construction this year.

The building will have four stories plus a sunlight basement. His touring business with roughly 20 employees will move into a Google-esque commercial space on the main floor thats designed specifically with Adventure Life in mind, and hell also lease an estimated 900 square feet of commercial space that fronts Spruce Street.

The three floors above it will be 15 one-bedroom apartments, and Morgan plans to live in one of the units of some 900 square feet. He said Paradigm Architects designed the building, so it works for him economically but also has a more luxurious feel, with big outdoor decks, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

Theyre actually going to be very high-end one-bedroom apartments, and in my opinion, Missoula just lacks that, Morgan said.

The units will rent out for $995 to $1,195. Builders are installing large windows in the bottom floor to let in natural light, and the basement will include storage space for tenants, a conference room for Adventure Life, and more commercial space for lease.

Morgan is most proud of three features: One, that the building offers covered bicycle parking, especially because his own employees like to bike to work and have won some transportation awards; two, that hes including commercial shower space so workers who like to go for a run during the day can come back and shower; and three, that the garbage enclosure was enlarged to easily accommodate all the recycling his office generates.

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Office, apartment building latest development in area behind St. Pat's

Navasota, Texas based company with one-of-a-kind off-site construction technology plans to expand its medical facility and commercial office product offerings.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) March 27, 2012

Building Systems">GroundFORCE Building Systems, the Navasota-based company whose off-site construction technology has been successfully used in schools and medical clinics around Texas, has expanded its market territory with the opening of a new office in Houston.

Vantex Commercial Property Group, a Houston-based company with over 30 years of commercial real estate experience, has joined forces with GroundFORCE to represent its patented construction technology in the growing medical and commercial office market segments, including the Eagle Ford Shale oil boom in southwest Texas.

We believe there is a critical need for the unique GroundFORCE construction process, said Stephen H. Jaggard, President of Vantex. We plan to use the recently opened St. Joseph Health Care Systems Super Clinic in Brenham, Texas, as a showcase of what is possible for the medical market. The same technological advantages are available for general office facilities as well. There is a need for this type of product, which is built off-site then delivered to the site in 125 days or less. Once its finished you cant tell it wasnt site-built.

GroundFORCE technology provides an innovative and structurally sound solution to building medical facilities and commercial structures. The system has been used to build schools, residential housing, offices and medical facilities throughout Texas. GroundFORCE buildings are constructed off-site in a quality-controlled environment and built to national and state codes. They feature a structurally suspended concrete foundation and flooring system designed to be set in shifting soils, which is important in Texas, where shifting soils often lead to costly foundation repairs. Because the GroundFORCE flooring system is not affected by shifting soils, it virtually eliminates foundation damage caused with traditional flooring foundation systems.

The buildings have an expected life span of more than 50 years, compared to less than 10 years for portable buildings. They are environmentally friendly and can be built to LEED standards.

Its truly a revolutionary process and the perfect solution for many applications, said Kenneth Neatherlin, GroundFORCE President and CEO. With GroundFORCE, construction time is reduced, but the buildings are of the highest quality, and were the only company offering this type of product.

Vantex (formerly Vantage Houston) and its team was a logical choice to help us grow by approaching a different user base than we had been working, he said. They understand the commercial market and have a solid reputation because of their successes. Their contacts and relationships with the brokerage community will add a new dimension for us.

Construction on the St. Joseph Super Clinic began the day after Thanksgiving 2011, and clinic doctors were seeing patients on February 25, 2012. The new 9400 square-foot Super Clinic incorporates three medical services: a family medicine practice, a St. Joseph Express walk-in clinic, and a diagnostic/imaging center.

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GroundFORCE Building Systems Opens Houston Office

Monday, 26 March 2012 19:48

Another dimension for watching baseball games at South Alabama has been added to Stanky Field.

During spring break, South Alabama unveiled three new party decks in Right Field of Stanky Field, known as Jaguar Alley. These decks are free to students, and allow for several new things to do during game that were not previously available.

The decks are located in the outfield of Stanky Field, directly behind the Right Fielder, and provide a perfect view of the game from above the outfield fence. Fans can choose to watch the game from one of two levels on each deck, or from the ground and watch the game through the fence. Combined, the decks can hold 75 to 100 people.

Students are allowed to bring food, drinks, grills, chairs, tables, or whatever they want to the decks. They are also allowed to bring alcohol to games, as long as they are kept in a cup.

Fans may drive their vehicle carrying their supplies into the area behind Jaguar Alley and drop off their things before being asked to park in the Gamma parking lot behind the stadium. There will be shuttles that will bring you to the only gate that accesses Jaguar Alley, which is located behind the center field wall.

Athletic Director Dr. Joel Erdmann said that the decks were made with the students in mind, hoping the students will come out and bring a home-field advantage to Stanky Field that has lacked in previous years. Dr. Erdmann also talked of the possibility of adding additional parking to the Gamma cut-through.

The decks are in popular demand by different student associates, as they are available to be reserved for games. However, there will always be at least one deck open to the public. Space on the deck is on a first come, first serve basis. The decks are open rain or shine, and re-entry is allowed if you keep your ticket stub.

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Deck addition equals home advantage

STATE COLLEGE A local church will get an expedited answer to its request to hook up to the public sewer in Harris Township, after a vote Monday night by Centre Region elected officials.

The Council of Governments General Forum voted 4-2 to allow Calvary Baptist Church to begin, out of sequence, the process of seeking approval to receive public sewer service at a new development planned for the churchs Harvest Fields site near the Boalsburg Technology Park.

The COG typically hears such requests, required when a development will exist outside the regions boundary for sewer service, in February and September. While the process to determine the impact of extending the sewer line can begin at another time in an emergency, the process does not define emergency.

Regional planning Director Jim May said the church developers want to begin construction this year.

Paul Rittenhouse, of Harris Township, explained that the church first submitted the request a year ago, but resubmitted based on various township requests. The home township must approve the sewer extension before it advances to the COG.

I think thats the urgency, Rittenhouse said of the initial delay.

College, Halfmoon, Harris and Patton townships approved an expedited process. Ferguson opposed, and State College officials tied, resulting in a no vote. Some officials said allowing the

impact process to take place outside the agreed-upon timeline will become overly burdensome for staff.

As for this project, I think its unfortunate that the developers have been delayed for a number of reasons, said Cathy Dauler, of State College. But I also think its important that we stick with the plan we have now.

Jeff Luck, of Patton Township, said that, when the process was initially developed, officials chose to review projects twice a year because they tend to be rather lengthy and contentious. He suggested reconsidering the entire process.

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Centre Region COG puts church request to extend growth boundary on fast track