Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A city design commission granted final approval Wednesday for a proposed five-story apartment building, although a university planning official said it conflicts with future campus expansion plans.

The proposed 14-unit apartment complex would be located at 202 and 206 N. Brooks St. near UW-Madisons Educational Sciences building and would target student renters.

UW-Madison Facilities Planning and Management Director Gary Brown said the area should be used for academic and research facilities as outlined in the Campus Master Plan, which is a construction planning guide for the university.

In addition, Brown said the design violated guidelines which call for the building to be set at least 10 feet from the street.

Brown also said the university continues to oppose the project because it does not follow the neighborhood plan.

Despite the universitys disapproval, commission members decided the Campus Master Plan includes planning guidelines rather than strict rules for future construction projects.

The commission decided to grant final approval of the project at Wednesdays meeting and said the design would be consistent with other buildings in the neighborhood.

Being this close in vicinity to the campus, I feel like this would be a great project for students, said Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8. I see it fitting into context with the development of the neighborhood its in.

At the same meeting, developers introduced plans for a 65-unit apartment building with a design complimentary to Union South at 1323 W. Dayton St.

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City officials approve Brooks Street apartment proposal

GRADY, AL (WSFA) -

The Massey family from Grady, Alabamawas in the running for a $20,000 dollar home renovation from The Home Depot...as part of a contest for military families.

While they didn't win the grand prize, they still won in the end.

"It's awesome," says Rodney Massey.

Rodney and Tammy Massey received $5,000 dollars as runners-up.

It makes sense they would only receive $5,000 dollars worth of renovations...right?

Weeks later installation on a new front deck, back deck, heating and air unit, shower, toilet, closet, counters, and carpet will soon be complete--all at the hands of company volunteers like James Cannon.

"[We] looked at the list of stuff they had and I brought some of my business partners, installers and contractors and we got everyone excited," says Cannon, an installation executive from The Home Depot.

"It was always kinda hard for me to accept help," says Rodney.

The Massey's have always wanted to renovate their house--ever sinceRodney was hurt serving in the militaryfive years ago. His injuries made it hard to get around the home.

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Family loses contest but wins in the end

Inaki Alday came to visit Iowa State's campus Wednesday night. Alday shared some of his work he has done throughout the years with Aldayjover Architecture and Landscape. He also spoke of some of the roles architects should play and expectations and goals they should have.

Alday said he thinks architects should use the environment when creating projects. He also emphasized the power of communication. When people have an idea he said it is best to communicate it to make sure it meets the desires of the city and that it ecologically fits into its surroundings.

Alday spoke of when he saw his work actually finished.

When you see people using your architecture you feel happy and that you're doing something people care about, he said.

Alday said that some goals an architect should have are to do more energy saving and move towards the integration of multiple scales and logic. Also, he said that architects should create a system of new technology and renovate the older technology.

Alday went over the role an architect should play in society. He said they should manage complexity, widening their range of activities. Also they should take political activity by spreading education.

Architects should do more then create beautiful things they should be relevant, Alday said. He said people should be relevant in society by knowing how to solve problems and help cultural development.

Architects have to be activists through design, it's their social commitment and responsibility, Alday said.

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Alday encourages architects to communicate with the environment

The Owings Mills market can't handle major retail development at the former Solo Cup property and other sites along the Reisterstown Road corridor, according to studies commissioned by the developer planning to revamp the mall.

The market analysis and traffic studies released Wednesday by Kimco Realty come as Baltimore County begins a broad zoning review. As competition builds between developers, Owings Mills revitalization is expected to be among the most controversial topics.

Kimco is planning a $65 million redevelopment of Owings Mills Mall, now more than half-empty. It is one of three major projects in the area. Nearby, a large mixed-use development called Metro Centre is under construction; and at the site of the former Solo Cup factory, the firm Greenberg Gibbons wants to build Foundry Row, a retail development anchored by a Wegmans grocery store.

"This market only will bear so much retail," said Geoffrey Glazer, Kimco's vice president of acquisition and development.

Too much development could lead to "market deterioration," according to Kimco's retail study, conducted by the Bethesda firm Streetsense. It could saturate the market and scatter demand among too many stores and restaurants.

Greenberg Gibbons plans to release its own economic impact study next week.

The firm "is very bullish on Owings Mills and is excited by the opportunity to deliver a first-class retail project with Wegmans that will benefit the community," Tom Fitzpatrick, the firm's president and chief operating officer, said in a statement.

"It seems [Kimco's] report was designed to paint a highly negative picture of the Owings Mills retail market. We do not share that view," Fitzpatrick said. "In fact, we believe that Foundry Row will complement other developments planned for the area and that a rising tide will lift all boats."

Glazer and Howard Brown of David S. Brown Enterprises developer of Metro Centre have contended that retail uses at the Solo Cup property would create traffic congestion and too much vacant space in the area.

About 600,000 square feet along Reisterstown Road could be approved for retail use this year, including the Solo Cup site. According to the study, granting those requests would lead to 19 percent more retail space than demand can support.

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Owings Mills Mall builder raises concerns about area market

County Hall, Hertford

By Paul Christian, Reporter Thursday, March 22, 2012 6:25 AM

A ROW has erupted over the replacement of care homes in Welwyn Garden City.

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Plans to build a new home Bericot Way were given the green light by the County Councils cabinet on Monday.

It will replace the existing Hyde Valley House and St Michaels House, both in Welwyn Garden City.

The County Council site will house a 75-bed older persons residential care home; a 15 place day care centre for older people; four supported living units for assessment and re-ablement, for occupancy up to two years; 10 respite units for clients with a physical disability; and one re-enablement flat for older people.

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Row erupts over county council green light to replace OAP care homes in Welwyn Garden City

Februarys International Roofing Expo (IRE) in Orlando raised the sustainability standard for the best and the brightest in the industry, an emphasis that fits right in with the energy-efficient and eco-friendly goals of Gulf Coast Supply & Manufacturing, LLC, (http://www.GulfCoastSupply.com), a leading producer of quality metal roofing in the Southeast since 1996.

Tifton, GA (PRWEB) March 22, 2012

"Sustainable products are a fast-growing segment of the roofing industry," said Lindsay Roberts, Director of the IRE, adding that the pavilion was designed to feature a collection of products and services to help roofing professionals meet the growing demand for sustainability in their operations.

Gulf Coast Supplys newest product line, OceanGuard, fits right in with that goal.

OceanGuard is attractive, durable and energy-efficient, says Ray Bowen, Gulf Coast Supplys Director of Sales and Corporate Development, who has been with the company for 12 years

Bowen notes that OceanGuard, which has a 25-year anti-corrosion warranty, requires no specific setback requirement regarding distance from breaking surf or salt-water shoreline. Plus, OceanGuards coating is Kynar 500, known for its color retention as well as its resistance to corrosion

In addition, as far as sustainability is concerned, Bowen described OceanGuard as environmentally conscious because its 100 percent recyclable, as well as being made from partially recycled material. Bowen added that the new GCS product is cost-effective, long-lasting and has a high wind rating.

Little wonder, then why Gulf Coast Supply has been the metal roofing manufacturer of choice since 1996 for architects, contractors and homeowners throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and the Caribbean.

Last year, the company introduced a revised logo and opened two new facilities. The new logo and locations come at a time when some other companies have been forced to cut back because of a tough economy.

For 16 years, customers across the Southeast have trusted Gulf Coast Supply in Horseshoe Beach as a manufacturer of premium quality metal roofing, said GCS Vice President Jonathan Sherrill. My dad and uncle built Gulf Coast Supply from scratch based on principles of honesty, customer appreciation, premium products and fair prices. These values are in full display in our new locations in Stuart and Alachua.

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Gulf Coast Supply & Manufacturing Joins Roofing Industry in Making ‘Sustainability’ a Key Goal for the Future

A Gainesville man, Joshua Michael Bell, wanted by felony warrants issued by Sherman Police Department and others by Cooke County Sheriffs Office, has been arrested in Florida, and is being held there to be returned to Grayson County Jail.

Bell was one of two men identified as a suspect in a roofing scam that bilked at least two Sherman elderly women of several thousand dollars earlier this year. Sherman police Detectives Rob Ballew and John Phares had been working the case for weeks and obtained the arrest warrants. They learned that Cooke County S.O. investigators also had similar investigations going on, and the two agencies paired up in the investigations. Sgt. Bruce Dawsey said that joining the efforts since have been the U.S. Marshal Service and the Joint North Texas Fugitive Task Force.

Bell was arrested at a motel in Lantana, Palm Beach County, Florida, by Lantana police. He currently is in the Palm Beach (Florida) County Jail, awaiting arraignment as of Wednesday afternoon. Dawsey said he has no information yet on whether the suspect has been presented with or signed waiver of extradition, or whether he will fight being returned to Texas. In that case, a Texas Governors warrant will be sought for Bells return, and that could postpone his return for weeks.

Two Sherman victims identified Bell in photo line-ups, police said earlier, and another man is yet unidentified. The court documents used to obtain the arrest warrants described the scams as being almost identical in nature.

Two men would go to the door of an elderly person and represent themselves as being with a roofing company, named in the documents. One man told them, the documents stated, that the warranty on their roofs were about to expire and he was there to check the roof for needed repairs. Then, the documents continue, he would tell them there was a need for repairs, that they would do the repairs, and that the victim would only be responsible for labor costs.

In one incident, the resident paid one man $2,350 cash on a $4,800 bill. The next day, he returned, the documents continued, and threatened to repossess her home if she didnt pay him the balance. The victim took out loans and gave him another $1,000.

Then, a few days later, she received a call from a man proclaiming to be a Sherman police detective who stated, according to the documents, that they were conducting a sting to catch the roofing scam artist. She was to pay him more money, and after he received it, the police would arrest him and return her money. She gave Bell more money, but no police and no arrest. She learned she had been scammed when she called the police station with questions.

A couple of weeks later, two men appeared before another resident with the same story, and stole about $1,200 from her on the original visit and another $2,800 in part two of the scam, the bogus police sting. She, too, called police after realizing she had been deceived. She even had receipts that the person she identified as Bell had given her for the cash.

The three warrants obtained charge Bell with theft between $1,500-$20,000 and with theft of property between $500-$1,500. Dawsey said earlier that Cooke County also has a warrant charging him with theft of a firearm. He also said that the police department have information that there are warrants in place against Bell issued in Louisiana.

Texas Department of Corrections spokesman Jason Clark said that the Texas Board of Pardons & Paroles issued a parole violation warrant for Bells arrest on Feb. 15, after a previous Florida arrest on a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm.

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Roofing scam suspect arrested in Florida

Burlingame, CA (PRWEB) March 22, 2012

San Franciscos door replacement specialist, Alexander Window Company, serving the community since 1971, is excited to announce the addition of Simonton Lumera Fiberglass Hinged Doors to its showroom.

"These beautiful doors are exceptional in quality," Betty Martino of AlexanderWindow Company said. "They are stamped fiberglass doors that are low maintenance, energy efficient and available in ten exterior colors.

The Simonton Lumera Fiberglass Hinged Door system has all the design elements of original handmade doors with virtually none of the maintenance issues. Using fiberglass panels, composite jambs and even cellular PVC trim cuts down on maintenance and provides better thermal performance than wood or vinyl sliding patio doors, ensuring customers save on heating and cooling costs.

Lumera doors also help maximize light, privacy and space with blinds between the glass. They feature beautifully rugged and versatile hardware options in four colors. Privacy glass or grid options are available as well.

Simonton Windows and Doors is a market leader that continues to advance the designs of its windows and doors, while developing new products that meet today's unique economic, environmental and energy-related demands.

For more information about Simonton Lumera Fiberglass Hinged Doors or any of Alexander Window Company's products or services, call 650-373-3900, view the company on the web at http://www.alexanderco.com or visit 1322 Marsten Road in Burlingame.

About Alexander Window Company

Since 1971, Alexander Window Company has provided residents and businesses of the Peninsula and all of the San Francisco Bay Area with the very best in home windows and doors. As a family owned and operated business, Alexander Window Company offers window replacement services, window repairs, window installations, door installations and door replacements. Alexander Window Company carries products from the top window manufacturers in the country, including Anderson Windows and Doors, LBL Windows, Marvin Windows and Doors, Fleetwood, Milgard Windows, Simonton Windows, Pittsburgh-Corning Glass Block, Tru-Frame Garden Windows, and Velux Skylights.

Link:
San Francisco Bay Area Door Replacement Specialist, Alexander Window Company, Announces Availability of Simonton ...

Venus and Jupiter have made a spectacular show in our night sky. Oddly, it is Venus that appears the largest to us because of its closeness to Earth.

Daytime has been spectacular, too, with temperatures into the 60s. I can't ever remember having daffodils in mid-March. Forsythia, cherries, and magnolias all have big buds and an occasional flower. I hope everything doesn't get blasted by a frost. It seems inevitable and probably "seasonally correct." I wonder if we will have an extra-hot summer as a result of such an early spring.

I came home one day last week to find a huge bouquet of pussy willow branches on my porch, the result of Linda Hearn's annual pruning. They were delivered by Laura Caruso and her daughter, Morgan, here for a few days with Linda and Glenn. The branches are arranged in an ironstone pitcher on a table in our sunroom, in front of windows looking out to, at the moment, a soft lavender sky above the rhododendron hedge that borders our woods. It looks like a Jane Freilicher painting and will probably become a Hermine Hull painting in short order.

We have a new resident in town. Griffin McQuillin Neago was born on March 13 at Martha's Vineyard Hospital. He is the son of Darcy Hodgson Neago and Jason Neago, baby brother of Tristan. Griffin is now at home on Tiasquam Road in the turquoise blue cottage that once belonged to his great-grandmother, Nancy Whiting. It's an easy walk or carriage ride to visit grandpa Tom Hodgson and Christine Gault, just up the now daffodil-lined path. Welcome, Griffin.

"Brava" to Heidi Schultz, who is announcing her new career as a proofreader and editor. As Town Clerk (she retired in 1995) this was part of her job, preparing town reports and other official reports and documents. An avid reader and Scrabble player, she knows about words and usage, so she has decided to offer her skills to budding authors, creative writers, and those who have to prepare reports. Contact her at 508-693-9417. She has a weekly classified ad in both papers under "Services."

I hope that all interested parties will read this in time to attend this afternoon's meeting at 2 pm at the Howes House. It will be a discussion of the up-coming year's school budget and proposed Up-Island School Meals Program. There will be time for questions, answers, and refreshments. Please come to hear their presentation and be informed.

The library will also be hosting a last pre-Annual Town Meeting forum on Monday, March 26, 5:30 pm, at the Howes House. It will give residents and voters an opportunity to see the latest designs for the proposed library addition. Architects, building committee members, trustees, friends, and foundation members will all be on hand. The project must be approved at both Town Meeting and on the ballot.

Another issue at this year's Town Meeting will be whether or not to reinstate dog-walking privileges at Lambert's Cove Beach this summer. The Friends of Lambert's Cove Beach will hold a meeting on this issue downstairs in the Howes House Monday evening following the library's meeting upstairs. It will begin at 7 pm. Pat Gregory will be on hand to moderate a discussion of the pros and cons. I know that people feel strongly about this, so hope everyone who is interested can attend.

Jackie Foster, feta cheese maker at Mermaid Farm, will be the featured speaker at a Slow Food Wine and Cheese gathering at Morning Glory Farm this Friday evening, March 23. She will show slides from her trip to Slow Cheese in Italy and visits with Italian cheese makers, and talk about her plans for the cheese cave she is working on at Mermaid Farm. There will be wines and artisanal cheeses from Italy, France, Spain, and New England. The event begins at 6 pm.

Come to Bee School this weekend, March 24 and 25. An Island-Grown Bees workshop will teach attendees about hive splits, managing swarms, and more. For more information, contact Randi Baird at dune@vineyard.net.

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West Tisbury

All four lanes of Sherbrook Street between Elgin and William avenues will be closed to traffic for at least the next five days, after a retaining wall partially collapsed on Wednesday.

The Health Sciences Centre says the shoring at the site of the new women's hospital gave way at around 6 a.m. CT.

No one was injured, but the collapse damaged the southbound lanes of Sherbrook Street as well as the west sidewalk, according to the City of Winnipeg. As well, the west sidewalk has caved in as a result.

Hospital officials initially closed the two affected lanes to traffic, meaning drivers had only one northbound lane and one southbound lane. But shortly before 5:30 p.m., they announced that all four lanes will be closed for five days.

Officials with PCL, the contracting company working on the site, told reporters that a collapse like this is an extremely rare occurrence that may have been caused by heavy rainfall earlier this week.

Crews noticed on Tuesday that the retaining wall shifted by about 20 centimetres. Contracting officials said a full inspection had been planned for Wednesday.

Motorists are being urged to allow more travel time and to use Balmoral and Arlington streets as alternative routes.

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Collapsed retaining wall closes Winnipeg street