Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

03/26/2012 16:37 INDONESIA Authorities in Riau cancel building permits for Catholic church already under construction by Mathias Hariyadi The building site was seized on 21 March, and is now surrounded with barbed wire. For Catholics, it is a patent violation of religious freedom since the building committee had all the right papers. Some local Muslim groups claim that signatures were falsified. The local government said it wants to use the site for an agricultural research centre.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Indonesian Catholics are dismayed by the decision of Tokan Hulu Regency (Riau Province) to cancel the building permits for St Ignatius church. The site is now surrounded with barbed wire after it was seized on 21 March. Local Catholics see the decision as a patent violation of the principle of religious freedom, adding that their application to build the church was done by the book. Local authorities have countered that the site will be used for other purposes and that the local Muslim community no longer accepts the presence of a Christian place of worship

On 21 March, dozens of public officials from Rokan Hulu regency invaded the site where the St Ignatius Catholic Church was under construction, in the village of Sukamaju, Rambah Sub district, causing consternation among construction workers and parishioners, who quickly produced the right papers and permits.

In Indonesia, a building permit (Izin Mendirikan Bangunan) is needed for any construction. In case of Christian places of worship, 60 signatures from local Muslim residents are also required.

The St Ignatius Catholic Church was being built in Riau Province, even though it is part of Padang Diocese, in West Sumatra Province.

Fr Kus Aliandu Pr, the bishop's secretary, confirmed that the "building committee had all the right papers," plus "the signatures of 90 local Catholics and 60 non-Christians." On 23 November 2010, the authorities gave construction the green light and the first brick was laid on 19 December 2011.

When the committee could not complete construction within the allotted time of five months, it applied for an extension on 6 August 2011. However, it received a negative answer on 2 January this year.

Now the authorities say the site where the church is under construction is slated for an agricultural research centre.

On 5 October 2011, some Muslim groups raised doubts about the authenticity of some of documents, claiming that some are fakes and that some signatures were falsified.

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03/26/2012 16:37 INDONESIA Authorities in Riau cancel building permits for Catholic church already under construction

By STEVE EIGHINGER Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Union United Methodist Church is receiving a facelift.

"This is the most comprehensive renovation since the church was built in the late 1950s," said the Rev. Bob Morwell, who has been pastor of the church at 1101 State for more than 11 years.

Morwell, who came to Quincy after pastoring a church in Pittsfield, said a bequest will cover the $110,000 project, which is tentatively expected to be completed by late April.

"At that time, we will be rededicating the church," Morwell said.

One of the principal focuses of the project is the replacement of most of the church's sizable windows -- about 100 of them -- that will accent quite a bit of exterior work on the facility. Lawrence Construction of Quincy is the primary contractor on the project.

"We're replacing the old windows with more energy-efficient models," Morwell said.

Much of the work involving the replacement of windows has been in the education wing and office areas.

While the project has been running smoothly for several weeks, there was one hiccup along the way.

"The wrong kind of windows came in for one part of the building, so that delayed things a little, but work was able to continue in other areas," Morwell said.

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Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, SportsUnion United Methodist Church getting big facelift

An apartment with a view of Central Park is one of the most covetedand expensiveprizes of the New York real estate market.

The cheapest condominium at One57, a 90-story luxury apartment building currently under construction, for example,is $7.35 million while its two-floor penthouse is expected to sell for $115 million.

But according to Alexei Barrionuevo of The New York Times, there was a time when an apartment along Central Park was considered undesirable.

In the late 1800s, he writes, most buildings were not more than five stories high (tall building construction didn't hit its peak until 1961).What's more, malaria was widespread in the park at the time, and New Yorkers wanted to stay as far away as possible.

Malaria is, clearly, not a common problem in New York anymore. But theunseasonably warm weather could bring an influx of mosquitoes to the city. Which means that residents along the park should probably invest in some bug spray.

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A Hundred Years Ago, No One Wanted To Live Near Central Park

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New development in New York has soared over the last 10 to 15 years. While this may be good for the citys economy and the overall health of the real estate market, a new study examines one major downside to new construction.

"The report goes through all the new construction in a number of neighborhoods and it shows how many seats the city should have planned for based on the new housing units built. The city should have been building schools all along," says Barbara Denham, the chief economist of Eastern Consolidated.

Unfortunately, it has not. According to Denham's report, the city has not followed its own formula for how many new school seats should be created based on the number of new housing units added.

Her report evaluated the Upper West Side, Midtown West and Lower Manhattan and found the more construction, the more the public schools are being squeezed.

"From West 59th Street to West 77th Street, they have added over 6,000 new housing units and they only have four school buildings right now and all four of them are over-capacity," says Denham. "Enrollment in those four schools has grown by over 700 students from 2006 to 2011. There is a plan to build a new school on Riverside South that will open in 2016 but that school will likely be overcrowded by the time it opens."

That is because by the time it opens, an addition 3,000 units will have come on line.

The same goes for Midtown West.

"In Midtown West, they have already added 11,000 new housing units from 1998 to 2011 and the plan is to add 4,000 more. And thats before the plans for Hudson Yards gets underway, which is another 5,000 units," says Denham.

One school there is being replaced with a larger building, but it too will most likely be over-capacity by opening day.

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Apartment Construction Boom Has Packed Local Schools To Over-Capacity

REGINA Prepare to be amazed. And support a good cause, while youre at it.

Think of it as a twofer. In other words, a single event with double benefits.

The Amazing Spaces Home Renovation Tour offers an opportunity to check out a variety of transformed local living spaces. And at the same time, ticket buyers are supporting Hopes Home respite care program, which relies on community donations to operate. Hopes Home provides much-needed evening and overnight care for medically fragile children, so their caregivers can go out occasionally, de-stress, and relax.

Were hoping to raise $40,000 for Hopes Home, said event organizer Holli Appelquist, owner of Holliberries Interiors, who started the annual event in 2010.

The previous two Amazing Spaces events raised $62,000 for the SCEP Centre (Socialization Communication and Education Program), which is an intensive early intervention preschool program supporting the development of children with complex needs.

Every two years, the event will select a different childrens charity to support, Appelquist said.

We want to spread the money a little further for other children in need.

Tickets for this years self-guided home tour which is slated for Sat., May 12 go on sale this weekend at the Regina Spring Home Show, which is produced by the Regina and Region Home Builders Association, and runs from March 29 to April 1 in the Canada Centre Building at Evraz Place. Tickets will also be available at Fries Tallman Lumber, 1737 Dewdney Ave. A total of 600 tickets will be available, at $25 each.

This years tour features 11 homes, including exterior renovations, complete interior guts, additions, and reconfiguration of interior space.

If youre looking for new ideas, youll be greeted with an avalanche of inspiration on the tour! Appelquist said. Theres a real array of different styles and sizes.

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Home reno tour raises funds for Regina children’s charity

CHICAGO (MarketWatch) The recent unseasonably warm weather in many parts of the country has homeowners already contemplating post-winter home repairs and improvements as they begin their spring cleaning.

Some projects should take top priority: Those that will not only make your home safer, but will save you money down the road. In fact, some improvements even will help you shave some bucks off your home-insurance premiums.

Ideally, homeowners should inspect their houses twice a year, once before heavy spring rains and then again in the fall, said Jim Hunt, owner of Hunt Home Remodeling in Omaha, Neb. That way, they can catch small problems before they become overwhelming. In the springtime, many homeowners also have the advantage of having a fresh tax-refund check in hand, and funding repairs is easier.

Its not an exhaustive list, but here are seven spring inspections and repairs homeowners should consider in the weeks ahead.

1. Clean and repair gutters

Taking care of a homes gutters is one of the most requested jobs Hunts company handles this time of year. At about $100 to $150 for an average home, it wont cost that much, he said. But it will prevent plenty of headaches down the road, especially if they werent cleaned in the fall.

Its not [replacing] the gutter thats expensive. Its the water damage that results from neglected gutters, Hunt said.

When gutters arent functioning properly, water may seep into the homes foundation, for example, and make for costly repair bills. Also look for other areas where water is liable to pool near the foundation.

2. Check the roof

After the winter, its a good idea to have your roof checked before spring showers hit, Hunt said. During the inspection, its common to find broken shingles that need to be replaced.

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7 spring home repairs that save you money

UNION CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Finelite Inc., a leading manufacturer ofhigh performance lighting systems, takes home awards in the general ambient and decorative sconce categories with the High Performance Recessed (HPR-LED) collection receiving a special citation for Most Unique Product by Architectural SSL Magazines 2012 PIA judges. Winners were announced in this months issue of the magazine and featured products that show the greatest promise in the solid-state lighting arena. Companies will also be honored at LightFair International 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada this coming May.

Finelites HPR-LED collection received an award in the General Ambient category and a special citation for Most Unique Product noted for expanding lighting design and applications beyond the conventional.

Judges comments for HPR-LED: There are at least four strategies for LED troffers, and this is the only one using mid-power LEDs that are the least expensive and maybe the longest life. Plus theres no heat sink and a 10-year, worry-free warranty is very good.

The HPR-LED design uses mid-power LEDs driven at very low currents, yielding a luminaire that runs extremely cool and has a lifetime of over 100,000 hours (L90 lumen maintenance based on independent testing data). Finelite backs this performance with an industry best 10-year warranty. HPR-LED is the first complete indoor LED recessed troffer family (2x4, 2x2, 1x4, 1x2, 1x1, and wall wash). The collection has also received prestigious recognition in the Illuminating Engineering Societys (IES) 2012 Progress Technical Report.

Finelites sleek MURO LED luminaire wins in the decorative/wall wash category with seamless integration of LED T8 lamp technology and provides clean accent illumination for vertical surfaces. The MURO comes in three slim luminaire styles and multiple lengths.

Judges comments for MURO: Very nice design. Small with flair. Made in USA is very popular even in other countries.

About Architectural SSL Product Innovation Awards (PIA)

TheArchitectural SSL Product Innovation Awards (PIA) determine and honor the most innovative LED/ solid-state luminaires and fixtures on the market, while also recognizing the companies behind the components that make up these light sources.The PIA program also recognizes leaders in categories ranging from those conducting cutting-edge R+D, to those helping in the development of standards as well as those pushing to make solid-state lighting a truly sustainable technology. Construction Business Media, headquartered in Chicago, is publisher of Architectural Products, Illuminate and Architectural SSL magazines. The company also operates the ArchLED Conference, markets and partners in TheContinuingArchitect.com educational platform, and maintains websites and electronic extensions of its print publications.

About Finelite

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Finelite Wins Three Product Innovation Awards (PIA) from Architectural SSL Magazine

Allied Realty is building an $80 million apartment project in Denver's Jefferson Park neighborhood.

The 332-unit complex will sit on 4.5 acres just west of Interstate 25 on Speer Boulevard. It also will include 10,800 square feet of retail space facing Speer and two levels of underground parking.

The project's amenities will include an outdoor patio with grilling facilities; resort-style lap pool; a kitchen in the club room; a Bocce ball court; and fitness center. Apartments will include balconies; full-size washers and dryers; walk-in closets; and granite countertops.

Units will range in size from a 600-square-foot one bedroom, one-bath to a 1,300-square-foot two-bedroom, two bath apartment. Rents will range from $1,300 a month to $2,300 a month.

Demolition of the existing buildings on the site will begin next week, said Lauren Brockman, principal of Allied. The project is expcted to be completed in July 2014.

Amstar is Allied's equity partner. The project is being designed by Houston-based architect Meeks & Partners and built by Swinerton Builders Colorado.

Because its location is not in the middle of a neighborhood filled with single-family homes, the project isn't likely to draw the opposition that a proposed147-unit project in the West Highland neighborhood has, Brockman said.

"The neighborhood has been supportive of this because it meets their comp(rehensive) plan," he said.

While there are a number of apartment projects under construction in the nearby Highland neighborhood, nothing suggests that the area is in danger of being overbuilt, said Ryan McMaken, spokesman for the Colorado Division of Housing.

The downtown vacancy rate is 4.4 percent and the vacancy rate for northwest Denver is 5.5 percent.

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Jefferson Park apartment project to include 332 units, retail space

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 roofing company pays $110,000 settlement to U.S.

The race to land office tenants is heating up in Charlotte, and two of the citys top office markets uptown and Ballantyne increasingly look like competitors, some say.

Ballantyne Corporate Park, which 15 years ago was pasture, is building the largest speculative office building in the country. In December it landed the corporate headquarters of Infinisource, an employee-benefits firm thats moving here from Michigan and is adding more than 160 jobs.

Uptown notched a big win in November when it landed the corporate headquarters for Chiquita Brands International, which Ballantyne had also been courting.

Most real estate brokers downplay the idea of competition between uptown and Ballantyne, saying the entire area benefits if new companies come or existing ones add space.

But the two markets, which once attracted different types of tenants, may find themselves wooing the same companies more often.

Heres why: As banks have shrunk their real estate footprint, uptown finds itself with more available space than five years ago. In Ballantyne, rents have recovered faster than elsewhere in the city, narrowing the price gap with uptown. Meanwhile, the pool of potential tenants relocating from elsewhere is still smaller than before the recession.

It used to be fairly easy for the Charlotte Chamber to direct inbound deals (to one market or another), said consultant and commercial real estate broker John Culbertson of Cardinal Real Estate Partners LLC. Now, there is more of a gentlemans tug-of-war that occurs when a large deal like Chiquita comes in.

Such competition can be good for the economy because it increases the chance that an outside company moves to Charlotte, experts say.

A healthy office market is important because it drives developers to build, which in turn fuels construction spending and creates jobs. Profitable commercial buildings are more valuable, boosting the commercial tax base.

In contrast, empty office towers weigh on an economy, scaring away prospective tenants. Low occupancy translates into fewer workers to support restaurants and other services. Property values fall.

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Ballantyne, uptown Charlotte race to land office tenants