Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

SILVER CITY ---- The Santa Clara Fire Department celebrated the grand opening of its new facility on Friday with a reception and a tour for community members, while dozens of elementary school children climbed in and out of the fire trucks.

Eighty-eight Central Elementary School students and 25 community members attended the event, passing out about as many "thank-you s" and handshakes in recognition of the community s effort in the completion of the new building ---- a project nearly three years in the making.

"It's going to be a great addition to the village," said Santa Clara Mayor Richard Bauch. "It's something we've needed for a long time."

The building features a new conference room, five rooms for storage and cleaning purposes, an empty space for a future second story addition and an 80-by-40 foot garage ---- double the size of the old garage ---- with a drive-through bay.

"The other building, we d have to back the fire trucks in and we had vehicles parked outside," said Fire Chief Frank Ryan.

He said that depending on how far the funding goes, additions to the building will be made in the future, including new lockers, a kitchenette and interior and exterior work like a paint job and new asphalt.

The new facility cost $775,000, according to Bauch, and was paid for by money from the village as well as three funding sources including an initial $160,000 from the state, a $396,000 community development block grant, and another $180,000 from the state that

"We're well represented here in the mining district," Bauch said.

"Everyone pulled together to make sure the funding was there," Morales said. "Everybody put their efforts together to get this done."

The opening kicked off at 10 a.m. with a hands-on fire truck investigation by students from Central Elementary School, all of whom clambered on and around two trucks amidst high-fives, excited screams and blaring horns, before teachers rounded everybody up for a group photo in front of the new station.

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Santa Clara Fire Department celebrates grand opening

To many right now it looks like a parking garage, but Warren County economic officials say it's much more.

"It's really a whole retail and commercial development that's got great parking," said Warren County Economic Development Official Doug Gorman.

Development efforts for the new structure are being divided up into two phases.

"Retail on the first floor, second, third, and fourth floor of office space, class a office space. It's going to be built on the backside of the existing parking structure facing the Hot Rods stadium and coming around to Seventh Street. Phase B will be on College Street and wrapping around the rest of the parking structure," said Gorman.

With all of the downtown development including the Hot Rods and SKyPAC officials see this new project as a one way street forward.

"Of course we had that goal of 150 million dollars to be able to have those TIF funds from the state flow back to Bowling Green, but really is never ending. I think it's a great step, but there is going to me more and more development that happens, and positive growth for Bowling Green and Warren County and things that people can be proud of," said Gorman.

Another part of this new structure is the hope for housing and more people moving downtown.

"This development brings some retail down here that's much needed to go along with the existing retail that's down here. It's just the next piece of the puzzle to get people to relocate, but to live in downtown Bowling Green," said Gorman.

Right now, it's dark and unfinished, but developers hope for more traffic to continue boosting downtown.

Gorman said they're still working out the details on phase B, but you could possibly see retail business in the new structure as early as October of this year.

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Downtown Development is Getting Ready for New Additions

An enjoyable afternoon on Ed and Arlene Andersons porch turned into a frantic emergency phone call after the couple saw smoke pouring out of their neighbors North Side home Friday afternoon.We were just coming out here to sit and enjoy this nice weather, and saw smoke rolling out, Mr. Anderson said. My wife ran over to holler at them, to try and get them out of the house. Then we called the Fire Department while they were getting the dogs and everything out.Six crews responded to 1021 Roosevelt Ave. about 1:20 p.m., as smoke rose out of the two-story green house.I was downstairs in the dining room, playing on my laptop, when my nephew upstairs came down and said I smell smoke, said Ronda Carlson, owner of the home. I thought maybe someone was out burning.He went back upstairs, then came back down and said, Aunt Ronda, there is smoke coming out of the attic and the bathroom.Ms. Carlson, her nephew and a family friend gathered the familys three dogs, grabbed antique guns and evacuated the home. Ms. Carlsons husband and another family friend were not at home at the time.Fire crews battled heavy smoke as firefighters ripped through the roof to gain access to the house. Ms. Carlson said the family had been remodeling sections of the 1800s-era home and had additional renovations planned.We just put on a new roof in July, Ms. Carlson said. Well, like my husband said, now we have a new skylight.Joking about the unfortunate circumstances, other family members and friends comforted the family as the tight-knit neighborhood banned together. Fire Inspector Jason Ziph said older wiring in the attic sparked the fire, causing approximately $80,000 in damage.No injuries were reported.Kristin Hoppa can be reached at kristin.hoppa@newspressnow.com. Follow her on Twitter: @SJNPHoppa. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.blog comments powered by

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Fire damages North Side house

As part of the topping-off ceremony, construction workers guide a cupola into place as it is lowered onto the roof of The Springs mixed-use building on Weibel Avenue in Saratoga Springs. (ERICA MILLER, emiller@saratogian.com)

SARATOGA SPRINGS Bonacio Construction hosted Friday a cupola raising and topping off ceremony at The Springs apartment complex at 60 Weibel Ave., signaling the first phase of the project is moving closer to completion.

The First 59 phase of the new, mixed-use development is scheduled to be done by the summer. In this phase, 59 apartments and 12,000 square feet of commercial space are being constructed.

The firm broke ground on the project in fall 2011. When the project is finished, The Springs will house 178 apartments and extensive retail space.

Phase two will add another 70 apartments, and phase three will add 49 apartments and 12,000 square feet of commercial space. The development will have one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.

For information about the project, call Julie Bonacio at 584-9007 or go to http://www.springssaratoga.com.

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Bonacio Construction tops off The Springs mixed-use complex on Weibel Avenue

Nathan Kalaher is all about breaking down barriers ... literally.

Walking into the second floor loft space that he shares with his PLaN Architecture partners, wife Lisa Kalaher and Paul Martin Jr., the first thing you'll notice is the wood which frames the office space.

That, and none of the partners' office is encumbered by walls.

"This is what works best for our business," Kalaher said, explaining the loft's deliberately unfinished look. "I need to be able to communicate with my partners constantly. Walls would just get in the way."

He smiles while leaning into the wood posts that separate his wife's office and the firm's central space.

"Plus with no walls, it's cool to pretend we all have X-ray vision," Kalaher said with a laugh.

Taking what had previously been a building that was home to an auto garage, Kalaher envisioned the 255 Fifth Street offices for PLaN Architecture to be both funky and functional.

The firm's reception area displays a sleek, clean and modern aesthetic while exposed wood and duct work offers an urban, visual pop of energy.

Paintings are on display throughout the office space (even PLaN Architecture's kitchenette and restrooms boast artwork) and furnishings reflect individuality.

Kalaher wants the layout he's devised for his firm to serve as a template for offices designed for many of PLaN's clients.

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No walls, no problem: Breaking down the barriers of architectural design

WEIRTON - The Tri-State Home and Garden Show returned to the area Friday, just in time for the start of spring.

The third-annual event, sponsored this year by DeNoon Lumber, Weirton Medical Center and Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration, will continue today and Sunday at the Serbian-American Cultural Center in Weirton.

It is organized through a cooperative effort between the Weirton Area and Jefferson County chambers of commerce and coordinated by Beyond Marketing of Wheeling.

The activities kicked off Friday, with exhibits opening at 4 p.m. and a combined chamber Business After Hours. The Tri-State Home and Garden Show is free to the public and will be open today from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

"With the predicted weather, we should have a terrific turnout," Lisa Conti, Weirton chamber board member, said, encouraging area residents to check things out this weekend. "It's a wonderful event for the community."

John Cucarese, a member of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce board, agreed, saying in addition to finding tips for home improvement projects and gardening and landscaping, he finds the networking opportunities during trade shows and other local events beneficial.

"I always find them helpful for my business," he said, noting he had a booth set up for his New York Life agency.

With close to 90 vendors registered, organizers and sponsors said they were excited for the public to see what they have to offer.

"This is always a great show," Rob DiCiccio, of Panhandle Cleaning and Restoration, said. "We are honored and pleased to be a major sponsor."

Clay Croskey, of DeNoon Lumber, said the Tri-State Home and Garden Show provides an opportunity for them to meet potential customers and let them see what the business has to offer.

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Tri-State Home and Garden Show kicks off spring

By ERIC G. STARK Staff Writer

Mike Stubljar says Shady Oak Apartments in Mount Joy Township feels like home.

After owning a house in Spencer, Mass. about 60 miles west of Boston for more than 30 years, Stubljar, 64, and his wife, Becky, 59, retired schoolteachers, wanted to escape shoveling snow and be closer to family.

Mike Stubljar's mother lives in Ecumenical Community, Harrisburg. He visits her three times a week, and now the drive is 30 minutes, compared to the more than six hours from Massachusetts.

Becky Stubljar, who grew up in the New Oxford/Hanover area, has a sister in East Petersburg and four brothers in the New Oxford/Hanover area.

Shady Oak, 2053 Shady Oak Drive, has luxury apartments ranging from $850 to $975 per month. Its location five minutes off the Elizabethtown/Rheems exit, close to East Petersburg and Harrisburg, made it ideal for the Stubljars.

"Route 283 is right there, and my wife and her sister are having loads of fun making up for years we have been away," said Mike Stubljar, who likes his first-floor, two-bedroom unit with its view of a pond. He also cited the ample space, closeness to attractions and "excellent accommodations."

The Stubljars live in one of three finished buildings at Shady Oak. There are three units available in this phase now, and 28 units obtainable later this month.

Brandon Clark, a partner with Shady Oak Associates, said the goal is to have the project, with a total of 112 units, finished by the end of the year. Storage units 14-by-20 and 6-by-6 are available to rent.

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'It feels like home'

Monte Stewart VANCOUVER The Canadian Press Published Friday, Mar. 16, 2012 9:39PM EDT Last updated Saturday, Mar. 17, 2012 11:17AM EDT

The Vancouver Whitecaps are in their second MLS season, but have yet to achieve something that teams usually earn much sooner their first road win.

The Whitecaps will try to make amends for going winless on the road in 2011 when they meets Chivas USA on Saturday in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, Calif. Captain Jay DeMerit said the Whitecaps have to build on the momentum they developed while blanking the Montreal Impact 2-0 in their season opener last weekend.

We had a tough time getting that away monkey off our back last year, DeMerit said. So the mentality is to get that off our back as early as possible this year, so we can just get on with it and focus on one game at a time. If we can continue to keep the same attitude and do the things we did right last week, it should come fairly quickly.

The Whitecaps went 0-12-5 on the road last season and finished last overall with a 6-18-10 mark.

DeMerit and other returnees hoping the new attitude brought by first-year coach Martin Rennie will carry over away from home.

It's a fresh season, so you don't worry about those things too much, but as those things go on, then the pressure seems to mount, DeMerit said.

He said the Whitecaps allowed too many easy goals on the road in last season. Away from home, teams have to play a more compact, defensive-oriented style.

We have to get guys behind the ball and make sure we're solid at the back and as an 11 and then use our quality up front, he said after practice Friday. We know we can, but there's a formula that goes into that, and we didn't get that formula right enough last year.

The Whitecaps squandered leads at times on the road last season, when few of their players had MLS experience. DeMerit the core unit now experienced in the league's intricacies, but the club still has to play smarter.

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Whitecaps still looking for first road win

Conventional wisdom, as it relates to houses, is often too much convention and not enough wisdom.

Every year, somebody publishes a list of whichconventional home improvementswill give you the best (or theworst) return on your remodeling investment.

Remodel abathroom. Replace your siding. Dont build a swimming pool.Paint everything neutral colors.

Sit up straight. Get a haircut. Call your mother.

If return on investment (ROI) is why you bought a home, or why youre remodeling one, you can stop reading now. Because the rest of this article isnt for you.

Three, two, onestill here?

You invest in your home to improve livability first, not value. If you get more value in the process, consider it a bonus, but dont make ROI your prime directive.

Otherwise youll end up like the potential client that came into my office a few years ago with a three-page single-spaced typewritten (as in made with a typewriter) list of things he wanted in his house.

His list included this line: A large dining room, near the kitchen. Although we dont need or want a dining room. Why would he want to build a room he didnt need?

Because hes thinking of things to make the house valuable, instead of things to make it livable.

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Nine Unconventional Ways to Improve Your Home

Alberta Baptist Church, shown Thursday, is expected to be demolished starting this week. The building was one of 22 churches in Tuscaloosa County damaged or destroyed by the April 27 tornado.

TUSCALOOSA | Demolition is expected to begin this week on what remains of Alberta Baptist Church.

The building on University Boulevard was one of 22 churches damaged or destroyed by the April 27 tornado and one of the first to begin working with city planning officials to discuss reconstruction based on new building regulations and zoning requirements.

Church members said there were questions about whether to rebuild at all, relocate or even merge with another congregation. The church has been at 1761 University Blvd. E., a gateway to the Alberta community, for more than 90 years. Prayers and contemplation led to the congregation's decision to stay there.

It became obvious that we needed to be back in Alberta and Alberta needed us to be there, said John Matthews, who heads the church's long-range planning committee. This has been a disaster in every sense of the word, but it is an opportunity for a fresh start.

Although the building was destroyed, the church and its congregation are still strong, said building and grounds committee chairman Dan Turner.

In the days after the tornado, church members helped residents in Alberta find food, clothing and family members. Since then, church members have continued to provide assistance to the community from a trailer and tent in the church parking lot.

The congregation has been meeting at Open Door Baptist on McFarland Boulevard on Sundays.

We've had a wonderful ministry, Turner said. It's been a spiritual blessing to us.

The city's plans to improve the nearby Jaycee Park with an upgraded facility for the Boys and Girls Clubs of West Alabama, a BMX bicycle track, a playground, a baseball diamond and a three-court basketball gym will give the church an opportunity to be involved in those community activities, Matthews said.

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Building demolition will give Alberta church a fresh start