Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Apartment-dwellers and owners of cramped kitchens rejoice! Space constraints will no long limit style and function in the kitchen. Whirlpool brand has introduced a 30" French Door Bottom Mount refrigerator that will fit into a standard top-mount refrigerator opening.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110404/NY75862LOGO)

This means you don't have to remodel or spend a dime on new cabinets, but can still get that stylish look you've been craving. The new model fits in a space the same width as a traditional top-mount model but is still large enough to hold wide items like party platters and birthday cakes. It's the perfect solution for those who want to upgrade their kitchen without a complete overhaul.

But it's not all about style. This new refrigerator is also functional. It includes Whirlpool's patented Fresh Flow Produce Preserver. The Produce Preserver will extend the freshness of produce for up to four days longer than their lifetime in standard crisper drawers, saving money and trips to the grocery store. And it doesn't just save money. The Energy Star-qualified French door bottom mount uses less energy than a 50-watt light bulb each year. And the Adaptive Defrost will sense and adapt to save 12% more energy, providing improved food preservation by running the defrost cycle only when necessary.

The 30" French Door Bottom Mount refrigerator is available in a variety of models (WRF560SEY, WRF560SMY, WRF560SFY) at retailers nationwide and comes in black, white or stainless steel with an MSRP ranging from $1,499 to $1,799.

The experts at Whirlpool have a few additional tips on how to redefine your kitchen without remodeling:

With 100 years of innovation, Whirlpool Corporation knows a thing or two about making the refrigerator fit the whole family's needs. Visit the Institute of Kitchen Science, an informational hub about everything kitchen that will provide you with simple tips, advice and best practices for your home. To learn more about the Whirlpool brand please visit http://www.whirlpool.com or on our Facebook page.

*This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of Whirlpool Corporation from May 18-20, 2011 among 2,407 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact media@whirlpool.com.

About Whirlpool BrandWhirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2011, 68,000 employees, and 66 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. Whirlpool brand recognizes that consumers lead busy, active lives and continues to create solutions that help consumers optimize productivity and efficiency in the home. In addition to designing appliance solutions based on consumer insight, Whirlpool brand is dedicated to creating ENERGY STAR qualified appliances like the new Duet washer and dryer (model 9750), the industry's most resource efficient laundry pair, overall efficiency based on equal weighting of cycle time and energy usage. Whirlpool is one of Habitat for Humanity's largest corporate partners, donating a refrigerator and range to every new Habitat for Humanity home built in North America.

Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com. For more information on Whirlpool brand please visit http://www.whirlpool.com or find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/whirlpool.

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Capacity That Fits, Freshness That Lasts

SCHERTZ, Texas--Residents living in the Fairhaven subdivision have been asking builder Pulte to buy back their homes for awhile now.

They told News 4 WOAI they are concerned a retaining wall in their neighborhood could come tumbling down. "I feel this is unsafe, the wall is already starting to separate, " said homeowner Bruce Touve.

Neighbors said the cracks and separation along the retaining walls isn't sitting well with them.

"It's just a constant worry, you know what's going to happen when we get a huge storm, or huge down pour, is this all going to come crumbling down?, " said homeowner Priscilla Mendoza.

In a letter to News 4 WOAI, Pulte stated the wall is performing as designed. The letter went on to say "Fairhaven's retaining wall system uses the same design principals as the Texas Department of Transportation." Further more the wall was designed by a licensed professional engineer for that specific location.

Homeowners still don't feel the wall is safe, and want out of their homes.

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Fairhaven residents concerned over neighborhood retaining wall

One area hit particularly hard by the early morning rain was Kaimuki.

The heavy rain turned some streets into streams.

"16th (Avenue) was a river, said Linda Parker. I live on the bottom of 16th. So all the water comes all the way down. And it was, the water was at least to the bottom of everybody's car."

Linda said the heavy rain proved not all vehicles are created equal.

"Geez there must have been about this much water through all of 16th because the cars, the water was up to about here on the tires. And if it was an S.U.V they'd just go right through it, but the poor little mini coopers they had to go real slow, she said.

All the rain was unlike anything Parker had seen before. "In a while that's for sure. We've been here four years on this street, and it's been this bad once before."

Just over the hill an apartment complex on Palani Avenue plagued by frequent flooding in the past is back underwater.

The low lying parking lot sits beside a faulty drain.

The city has planed a fix for the area, but the nearly two million dollar project is still pending.

It wasn't just flooded streets or standing water that folks had to look out for.

Read more:
Rain brings down retaining wall in Kaimuki; home left in precarious spot

Mold is an indicator of unhealthy home environment, as well as a cause of various respiratory problems. Because the mold growing conditions, such as warmth and moisture, will only get better in the next few months, Budget Waterproofing encourages homeowner not to delay the mold inspection.

BALTIMORE, Md. (PRWEB) March 07, 2012

According to the recent CBS21 story, some areas of Pennsylvania and Maryland are still dealing with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Lee that hit East Coast past September. Mold is a common complaint among the flood victims, and because many homeowners didnt have flood insurance, the problem wasnt dealt with properly.

Budget Waterproofing, a Maryland mold removal and waterproofing service provider, keeps receiving calls from people with flood-related mold issues. We help many homeowners claim their basements back, and we encourage everyone to examine their houses before it gets too hot and humid outside, says Robert Bollinger, the president of Budget Waterproofing.

Mold needs warmth, humidity, and organic matter to grow, according to the National Institute of Building Sciences. Bollinger also added that mild winter in combination with spring rains and warm temperatures will provide excellent conditions for mold to thrive.

We have provided mold remediation services in Maryland for many years and have developed a checklist to aid our customers in evaluating mold problems, said Bollinger. He pointed out that looking for these signs will help determine if professional mold removal help is needed:

Fogged windows;

Bollinger also noted that mold is usually a symptom of some other problem in your house, such as a leak or poor ventilation, which has to be eliminated to prevent or minimize future mold growth. The recent inspection of a police station in Titusville, Fl., has revealed extensive mold infestation caused by plumbing and insulation issues that yield $600,000 in clean up.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), there is a direct correlation between mold and dampness in living premises and an increase in several respiratory health outcomes. Twenty one percent of current asthma cases in the United States were caused by poor air quality due to mold and elevated humidity.

Some of the mold spices are toxic and can cause serious health issues and even death after a prolonged exposure, according to the Toxic Black Mold Information Center. These molds emit toxins that may get inhaled or ingested resulting in a range of problems from irritation and difficulty breathing to mood swings and internal organ damage.

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Budget Waterproofing Encourages Homeowners to Conduct Spring Mold Inspection

By Jason A. Baguia Cebu Daily News

Toledo City The Catholic faithfuls here are rushing to finish the church of the Blessed Pedro Calungsod before his canonization in the Vatican on Oct. 21 this year.

From a chapel made of wood and tin roof in 2006, the churchgoers are now rushing to finish the Pedro Calungsod church that sits atop a hill with a 360-degree view of the lush mountains of the city.

In 2006, the Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal approved the establishment of the parish church in the name of Calungsod whose origins was traced to the Visayas.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was all praises to the Blessed Pedro Calungsod parishioners during Sundays seventh annual fiesta, which also marks the sixth anniversary of the parish in barangay Cantabaco.

I am glad to see that there have been many improvements in your church since my last visit, Archbishop Palma told a congregation of about 1,000.

He was impressed with the churchs newly tiled floors, stained glass windows depicting the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, and scenes from Calungsods life.

The rectory, flooring, sanctuary finishing, churchyard landscaping and other parts of the church have yet to see completed though.

Palma was the main celebrant of the fiestas concelebrated mass that was participated by Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Antonio Raola, Msgr. Ildebrando Leyson, Msgr. Gerardo Jumao-as.

Monsignor Leyson is one of the lead promoters of the cause for Calungsods canonization. The 94-year-old Monsignor Jumao-as along with Fr. Michael Hisoler persuaded Architect Servillano Mapeso and his wife Josephine to donate the one-hectare land where the hilltop church now sits.

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Community builds Calungsod church

Boston City Councilor Felix Arroyo, who belongs to Roxburys Charles Street AME Church, is joining a growing chorus of politicians calling on the congregations lender not to foreclose on the historic property.

Arroyo, a city councilor at large, has written Boston-based OneUnited Bank to ask the lender to halt plans to seize the church on March 22.

I clearly have a relationship with the church, but its also just the concept (of foreclosing on an historic house of worship) that I oppose, Arroyo told the Herald. This is a church that is very active not just in a moral sense, but also in the life of the city.

Charles Street AME, which dates back to 1818 and has been in Roxbury since 1939, faces foreclosure after failing to make a $1.1 million balloon mortgage payment due last fall.

The church claims it never missed a payment before, but couldnt refinance when the balloon payment came due because of a separate lawsuit OneUnited has filed.

The bank sued Charles Street AME in 2010 over a $3.6 million construction loan taken out to build an adjacent community center.

The bank cut off funding for the project in 2009, leaving construction unfinished.

The church claims thats made it impossible to hold fund-raisers, rent out the center for weddings and do other things the congregation planned to do to generate money.

Local politicians have been rallying to the churchs aid since the Herald last week first reported that OneUnited planned to foreclose.

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and three other city councilors have backed Charles Street AME in recent days.

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Felix Arroyo joins chorus to aid historic church

PASCAGOULA, MS (WLOX) -

It's been 19 months since fire destroyed Greater Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Pascagoula. Out of those ruins, the church is now rebuilding. Members are eager to have a permanent home to worship in again.

Pastor John Davis Sr. and congregation still recall the sadness they felt when fire tore through the Greater Antioch Sanctuary in August 2010.

"My first reaction was my Lord, what has happened," Pastor Davis said.

"I thought they were playing a joke on me," Church deacon Edwin Quave said. "Then when I came down here and saw the church was on fire, I was amazed."

Nineteen months later, Greater Antioch is now being resurrected from the ruins.Tuesday, construction crews were on the Highway 90 property, pouring concrete and putting up steel to make way for a new church.

"I was really rejoicing because we were going to rebuild."

Deacon Edwin Quave treks to the site every day to watch the new building go up.He said the church, which has been around for more than a quarter century, had becomea true staple in this community.

"We have about 1,500 members, and a lot of them are old now and can't go anyplace else, so we need a place to worship," Quave said.

Pastor Davis said when the church doors reopen; he'll be even better equipped to help the hopeless and hurting across Jackson County.

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Popular Pascagoula church rebuilds after fire

Roxburys Charles Street AME Church has won a key legal round against a bank that plans to foreclose on the historic house of worship this month.

The 194-year-old congregation has convinced an appeals court to reinstate the churchs counter-lawsuit against Boston-based OneUnited Bank.

State Appeals Judge Peter Agnes Jr. reversed a lower courts move to dismiss the churchs claims against OneUnited, which plans to seize Charles Streets property on March 22.

OneUnited has scheduled a foreclosure auction because the congregation failed to pay off a $1.1 million balloon mortgage that came due recently.

The two sides have been feuding since 2009, when OneUnited froze a second $3.6 million construction loan the church got to build a community center.

OneUnited sued Charles Street over that debt a move the church maintains made it impossible to refinance the loan on the church proper.

The congregation originally counter sued, but a lower court dismissed Charles Streets claims for lack of evidence.

However, Agnes found that the church might be able to prove the building loans terms violated state consumer-protection laws.

The judge cited the state Supreme Judicial Courts landmark 2008 Fremont decision, which found that state law prohibits mortgages that banks know from the beginning will likely end in foreclosure.

Considered in its totality, the (churchs) allegations are certainly as egregious as those involved in Fremont, Agnes wrote.

Read more:
Church's suit against OneUnited reinstated

Michael Woods Staff Reporter

Toronto FC is covering new ground Wednesday night: their match against the Los Angeles Galaxy is their first at the Rogers Centre.

The actual ground theyre covering not the stadiums usual baseball turf is also newly-installed: this time last week, the pitch was mere concrete.

It took 25 workers about 36 hours to lay down the soccer playing surface late last week. The temporary lines demarcating the field were painted on Sunday, just in time for Toronto FCs first practice there on Monday.

The whirlwind installation seems like a daunting task. But for Frank Grespan, whos been the director of conversions at the dome since before the stadium was built, its all part of the job.

It takes months and months of planning, actually, he said. The average fan out there doesnt understand the work that goes in.

Rogers Centre has nine full-time workers who operate the hydraulically-powered equipment needed to convert the stadium between sports.

Especially for this match, 16 more temporary workers were brought in to first tape down granulated rubber to the concrete, to soften the playing surface.

(Toronto FCs) coaching staff probably felt that the turf itself was a little bit too hard on the concrete, so they wanted to soften it up a little bit, Grespan said. The surface also features silica sand, which gives the rubber its weight.

Stadium staff then put a stiff layer of plastic on top of the rubber so that they could slide turf rolls on top together perfectly, without any seams between them. The turf surface is made up of 50 separate rolls, which weigh between 8,000 and 11,000 pounds depending on the length.

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Rogers Centre rolls out green carpet for Toronto FC

CORPUS CHRISTI More trees, a boardwalk and a central place for food and retail vendors along the waterfront in downtown are part of a design that could be an economic catalyst for Corpus Christi.

About 250 people had a first look Tuesday night at two design concepts for a 27-acre public site. San Francisco-based firm Hargreaves Associates is leading a team to come up with a master plan for Destination Bayfront a group of local business leaders spearheading an effort to redevelop the city-owned space.

"This is a game-changer for the future of this city," Mayor Joe Adame said at the start of the meeting. "We have to be committed as a community that we are going to get this done."

One option divides the public space into five "rooms" with parking in between and along Shoreline Boulevard for better access. The rooms include a children's play area near McGee Beach, a family area for lawn games, picnics and birthday parties, an open lawn area to host festivals, Sherrill Park and an art plaza near the Corpus Christi Art Center at Coopers Alley.

A second option incorporates the same five areas for public use, but blends them into a continuous space without interruptions for parking areas. Parking for this concept would extend along Shoreline Boulevard on the edge of the park.

Tuesday night was the first of four public meetings during the eight-month planning process, which began in January. It's a chance for the design team to gauge what the public likes and dislikes about the concepts.

"We are still very much in a listening mode," Hargreaves Associates Senior Principal Mary Margaret Jones said.

Hargreaves is working with a team of architects, engineers, economic development analysts, real estate brokers and a public relations firm to write a plan for a public-private partnership of the park space. Their work will include costs for design, building, operating and maintaining the park, and how it could work as an economic spark plug for the city.

Jones has compared Corpus Christi's bayfront to the firm's Discovery Green park, which before it was redeveloped, was an empty 12-acre space in downtown Houston. Discovery Green, which includes water features and retail buildings, cost about $31 million to build.

The first year Discovery Green was open, it attracted more than 1 million visitors, and it has generated about $1 billion in private investment in that area, she said. Local chambers of commerce are planning a visit to the site April 21.

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About 250 residents have first look Tuesday night at two design concepts for Destination Bayfront