Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS EXTENDEDTHE* FLOOD ADVISORY FOR...EAST CENTRAL MCDOWELL COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...WEST CENTRAL BURKE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...* UNTIL 1215 PM EDT SUNDAY.* AT 1159 AM EDT, LAKE JAMES REMAINED ABOVE FULL POOL AT 101.25FEET. THE WATER LEVEL WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY FALL, BUT REMAINABOVE FULL POOL THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THEREFORE, A FLOODADVISORY HAS BEEN EXTENDED FOR NUISANCE FLOODING AND WILL REMAININ EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING OR UNTIL THE FLOODWAVE HASPASSED.* ACTION/ADVISORY STAGE: 101.00 FEETMINOR FLOOD STAGE: 102.00 FEETFORECAST: DUKE ENERGY PROJECTS THE POOL TO CONTINUE TO FALL SLOWLYTHROUGH TONIGHT. EXPECT LAKE JAMES TO REMAIN ABOVE FULL POOLTHROUGH AT LEAST TONIGHT.IMPACTS: BETWEEN 101 AND 102 FEET...NUISANCE FLOODING OF LOW-LYINGAREAS ADJACENT TO THE SHORELINE INCLUDING RESIDENTIAL YARDS,CAMPGROUNDS, DOCKS, AND BOAT-LAUNCH AREAS IS ONGOING. LAKEWATERSMAY BE FLOODING MOOSE LODGE CAMPGROUND, MOOSE LODGE CAMPGROUND RD,AND HOUSEBOAT LANE.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...BOATERS, FISHERMEN, KAYAKERS, AND OTHER LAKE USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TOEXERCISE CAUTION DURING ELEVATED LAKE LEVELS AND DOWNSTREAMRELEASES. AVOID AREAS ALONG THE STREAM BELOW DAMS RELEASING WATER.CAMPERS AND OTHER RESIDENTS ALONG THE LAKESHORE MUST BE PREPARED TORETREAT TO HIGHER GROUND IF LAKE LEVELS CONTINUE TO RISE.STAY WEATHER AWARE AND MONITOR LAKE LEVELS CLOSELY.&&

Read more here:
Watch Now: Keeping safe from COVID-19 at the pool this summer, and more virus stories - McDowell News

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG HAS EXTENDEDTHE* FLOOD ADVISORY FOR...SOUTH CENTRAL CALDWELL COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...EAST CENTRAL BURKE COUNTY IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...* UNTIL NOON EDT SUNDAY.* AT 1152 AM EDT, LAKE RHODHISS REMAINED ABOVE FULL POOL AT 101.2FEET. THE WATER LEVEL WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY FALL, BUT REMAINABOVE FULL POOL THROUGH THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THEREFORE, A FLOODADVISORY HAS BEEN EXTENDED FOR NUISANCE FLOODING AND WILL REMAININ EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING OR UNTIL THE FLOODWAVE HAS PASSED.* ACTION/ADVISORY STAGE: 102.00 FEET.MINOR FLOOD STAGE: 104.00 FEET.FORECAST: DUKE ENERGY PROJECTS THE POOL TO GRADUALLY DECLINETHROUGH TONIGHT.IMPACTS: AT 103.0 FEET...ACTION/ADVISORY STAGE. NUISANCE FLOODINGOF LOW-LYING AREAS INCLUDING RESIDENTIAL YARDS, DOCKS, AND BOAT-LAUNCH AREAS IS ONGOING. WATER MAY APPROACH STRUCTURES OFF OFCATAWBA AVE BELOW THE DAM AND OTHER AREAS UPSTREAM OF THE DAM.* FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LAKE LEVELS, PROJECTIONS, OR DAM RELEASES,PEOPLE ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT http://LAKES.DUKE-ENERGY.COM ORCALL 1-800-829-5253.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...BOATERS, FISHERMEN, KAYAKERS, AND OTHER LAKE USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TOEXERCISE CAUTION DURING ELEVATED LAKE LEVELS AND DOWNSTREAMRELEASES. AVOID AREAS ALONG THE STREAM BELOW DAMS RELEASING WATER.CAMPERS AND OTHER RESIDENTS ALONG THE LAKESHORE MUST BE PREPARED TORETREAT TO HIGHER GROUND IF LAKE LEVELS CONTINUE TO RISE.STAY WEATHER AWARE, MONITOR LAKE LEVELS CLOSELY, AND HEED GUIDANCEFROM LOCAL OFFICIALS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.&&

Visit link:
A colorful corner of the city - Morganton News Herald

What happens when it gets really hot and the AC is blasting on full?

In much of the United States, the malls and restaurants are reopening to the public. Some of those states get really hot in the summertime. Sarah Goodyear, a writer and host on The War On Cars, posted an interesting tweet:

Recent research indicates that large droplets from sneezing can travel much further than 2 meters, even if there are no air movements. Small particles (

They have been studying the problem in Canada too. Professor Brian Fleck told the National Post that "this has been on peoples radar for quite a while. Somebody on a different floor sneezes The particle can stay airborne long enough to go all the way through the system and then pop out in somebody elses office."

There are various ways that the risk can be lessened, including use of filters that catch a greater number of those particles, and drawing more fresh air into a system... But each of those changes carries a cost. Adding more fresh air can require additional heat or air conditioning. Heavier filters means more energy is needed to push the air through them.

But it doesn't get as hot in Canada as it does in Arizona. Engineer and Professor Ted Kesik told TreeHugger that "we shall be greatly challenged retrofitting our existing buildings to eliminate dilution ventilation systems." This is especially a challenge in the heat of a southern summer, where the difference between inside and outside air can be 40F in Arizona or Texas. In the Southeast, there is also a lot of humidity with the heat. That's why the air is recirculated; the amount of energy needed to condition a mall's worth of outside air would be ridiculously high.

ASHRAE, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers, had a look at the issue of the coronavirus and issued a statement in late April:

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the air is sufficiently likely that airborne exposure to the virus should be controlled. Changes to building operations, including the operation of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems, can reduce airborne exposures.

They issued technical guidelines in a position document on infectious aerosols:

Infectious aerosols can be disseminated through buildings by pathways that include air distribution systems and interzone airflows. Various strategies have been found to be effective at controlling transmission, including optimized airflow patterns, directional airflow, zone pressurization, dilution ventilation, in-room air-cleaning systems, general exhaust ventilation, personalized ventilation, local exhaust ventilation at the source, central system filtration, UVGI, and controlling indoor temperature and relative humidity. Design engineers can make an essential contribution to reducing infectious aerosol transmission through the application of these strategies.

That's fine, the engineers know what to do with new buildings. But what about existing ones? Here, they make some recommendations, and I try to add an explanation in italics.

All of these modifications are expensive, either in equipment or operating costs. All of these building owners and tenants have been bleeding money in the last few months. All of the companies making this equipment are going through the crisis, too. In short, it is probably safe to say it's not gonna happen, at least in the short term.

I have tried to get comments from engineers and experts, but the only one I have received so far is, "Yikes, I think that is a problem." I will add more comments as I receive them.

But I do believe that Sarah Goodyear has raised an interesting point. In my limited experience in Arizona in summer (two weeks in Scottsdale in July), I rarely saw anyone outside. And it's not even summer yet, but as one shopper in Arizona told NBC News after the mall opened, "We hit all the museums and this place because its hot."

See the original post here:
Coronavirus and the air conditioned nightmare - Treehugger

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT So ... what does it takes to re-open a international business in Connecticut that has already been trying to keep its work force of about 500 employed? South Windsor-based TicketNetwork Chief Executive Officer Donald Vaccaro was not shy about sharing the details Friday.

On Tuesday, Vaccaro said, TicketNetwork will begin the reopening process, and the number of employees returning to the South Windsor headquarters will continue to expand "as is prudent."

"TicketNetwork has taken the appropriate steps to control the access to the building to make sure that everyone who enters the building is safe," Vaccaro said.

The building is "ready," Vaccaro said, and here are the highlights of the changes:

(TicketNetwork/Sean Burns)

(TicketNetwork/Sean Burns)

Said Vaccaro, "TicketNetwork is preparing to reopen for its valued staff, most of whom have been working from home since late March, doing their part to help flatten the curve of the Covid-19 pandemic. As part of its reopening plan, company management and its facilities team reviewed a variety of best practices and developed a multi-tiered approach to bringing workers back in the safest fashion possible."

The rest is here:
TicketNetwork Outlines What It Takes To Reopen Larger Office - South Windsor, CT Patch

Fueled by existing civil unrest, heated protests involving clashes with the policeand at least one high-profile arresthave erupted in the Albanian capital of Tirana after officials proceeded with the planned demolition of the National Theatre of Albania (Teatri Kombtar). The in-disrepair but culturally revered landmark was completed in 1939 during the Italian occupation. The ongoing protests, which initially involved a few thousand people according to the Associated Press, were held near the Interior Ministry, and in defiance of the countrys lockdown orders during the coronavirus pandemic.

Added to European conservation group Europa Nostras 7 Most Endangered list this past March, the buildings fate has been murky since 2018 when authorities announced in 2018 that the historic theater would be razed and replaced with a new, roughly $33 million theater and cultural complex designed by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). Despite ongoing efforts from a large faction of artists, activists, intellectuals, conservationists, governmental opposition leaders and supporters, and others to preserve and restore the building, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, a former mayor of Tirana, ordered the demolition to proceed so that work on the BIG project could commence. A definite start date, however, has not been established due to funding conflicts.

Per Reuters, demolition work at the site started on May 17 after authorities began dragging away two dozen actors and activists protecting the site, drawing a large crowd chanting shame and dictatorship. As of earlier this week, the protests have reportedly yielded 37 arrests. One police officer was hospitalized following a skirmish with activists, who claim that authorities have been employing unjustified violence and verbal abuse to control the crowds. As reported by Reuters, authorities have disputed any claims of aggressive action on the part of the police.

A rendering of BIGs bow-tie-shaped cultural center to replace the just-razed National Theatre of Albania. (Courtesy BIG)

This is no longer about the theatres demolition but the downfall of democracy and freedom. We are in a dictatorship, Reuters reported one member of the Alliance to Protect the Theatre, the organization leading the charge against the demolition, as saying in a Facebook video.

Now that the theater has been demolished, protestors are calling for current mayor Erion Veliaj to resign and for the Albanian people to start a civil disobedience campaign until Ramas center-left government is overthrown, according to the Associated Press. The opposition party, the center-right Democratic Party, has referred to the demolition as a macabre crime and flagrant violation of the constitution and the law.

More:
Protests erupt over historic theater demolition and BIG's replacement in Albanian capital - The Architect's Newspaper

Interior demolition work is underway at a Mies van der Roheinspired building in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The modernist mid-rise structure, formerly home to the citys Board of Education and central library, will be fully razed in the coming weeks although the fate of the buildings colorful, beloved mosaic murals by prominent local artist, the late Arthur Kraft, remains murky.

Completed in 1960 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017, the building was designed by Edward W. Tanner, an architect who left an indelible mark on Kansas City throughout the 20th century. Although another architect devised the site master plan, Tanner was intimately involved with the design of Country Club Plaza, a sprawling, water feature-studded shopping centerthe first in the world to accommodate car-commandeering shoppersopened by developer J.C. Nichols in 1923. An architectural fantasia leaning heavily on Moorish-inspired design, Country Club Plaza and its collection of Seville, Spain-inspired buildings is one of Kansas Citys most significant (and decidedly peculiar) architectural offerings. Tanner, who eventually established his own firm, also designed thousands of private homes in a variety of styles and numerous landmark buildings around town, most of them, unlike his work at Country Club Plaza, markedly modernist.

The old Board of Education building, per a statement released by Historic Kansas City and shared by local NBC affiliate KSHB, is an outstanding example of the Modern Movement: International Stylespecifically the influence of Miesian design. In 2019, the same year that the building was acquired by local developer Copaken Brooks after a controversial plan to redevelop the site as a hotel property was ultimately yanked by Drury Hotels due to squabbles over the incentive plan offered by the city, Historic KC placed the building on its annual Most Endangered List.

As Historic KC noted: Good public policy should not incentivize the demolition of historic buildings. Another low dollar hotel will add to the already saturated hotel market; threatening existing healthy historic and approved yet/unbuilt new hotels. Further, even if you dont have affection for the modern architecture of the KC Board of ED Building, Drurys proposal was an affront to the monumental civic mall plan across the street, that includes the three iconic art deco designed buildings: City Hall, Municipal Court and County Courthouse.

The building also landed placed on the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservations 2018 Places in Peril list.

As reported by Kevin Collison for the Flatland blog, the building has been vacant for four years and has become a magnet for vagrants and vandalism according to Jon Copaken. In addition to serving as headquarters to the Kansas City School District for decades, the building was also the longtime home to Kansas Citys downtown public library branch before it moved into a new, highly Instagrammable location at the old First National Bank building in 2004.

As for the circus-themed glass tile mosaic mural by Kraft, a renowned muralist as well as sculptor and expressionist painter, Copaken has pledged that it wont be reduced to rubble although nothing, at this point, is definite.

I have spent more time on the murals than the demolition itself, he explained to Flatland. We want to preserve them and have them open for public view. He added, however: The mosaics are affixed to a concrete wall. Cutting that out, removing it and preserving it in one piece is really expensive. We continue to work with groups, but we dont have anything worked out with someone who can pay to get it down.

Concludes the statement from Historic KC, penned by its executive director, Lisa Briscoe:

Recent changes to the federal and Missouri historic tax credit programs contributed to thwart several renovation proposals. The historic structure would be demolished in connection with a proposal at 13th and Grand, which thus far remains a proposal. Historic Kansas City recognizes the need for Downtown to evolve and adapt to a changing set of office, retail, and economic circumstances. Circumstances may be changing dramatically even at the present moment. We are not adverse to development but want it to proceed in a manner that reflects the historic and scenic nature of the Civic Mall plan, that includes the three iconic art deco designed buildings, City Hall, Municipal Court and County Courthouse. One of Downtowns strongest cultural attributes. Whatever the future holds for this site, any infill development proposal must be compatible with the Civic Mall plan. Further the colorful historic glass mosaic tile murals should be preserved in consultation with the Kansas City Municipal Art Commission.

View post:
Demolition work begins on NRHP-listed modernist building in Kansas City - The Architect's Newspaper

Contractors are finalizing steps that will lead to the demolition of NOLA's Hard Rock Hotel, which began to collapse in October of 2019. Photo: WWL-TV

NEW ORLEANS - After months of delays, demolition contractors appear to be laying the groundwork for the demolition of the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in New Orleans.

According toWWL-TV, on Thursday afternoon there was little movement at the site, but critical work is being done behind the scenes and at other locations.

This is called the mobilization phase, said UNO engineering professor Norma Jean Mattei. The contractor is mobilizing. He's getting all of his equipment in place.

Large wooden planks, known as cribbing, are being placed across Rampart and Canal streets in preparation to bring in more heavy equipment. The cribbing work appeared to be almost finished late Thursday.

Mattei says the cribbing will soon support massive cranes and other large pieces of machinery.

So what you do is you put down these massive timbers that spreads the load out so the street can safely carry that load, Mattei said. The cranes are a massive payload, and they will be used to bring down massive payloads as they start to bring down pieces of the building.

In order to bring down the main structure, the city granted Hard Rock developer, 1031 Canal, and main demolition contractor, Kolb Grading, emergency approval to tear down three buildings adjacent to the hotel.

The Old Post Office on Iberville was demolished last week. Two buildings on Canal, the former Alamo Theater and a smaller next to it, are scheduled to come down next.

Once those buildings are leveled, activity should start on bringing down the Hard Rock's upper floors, Mattei said.

I think we'll see some of those pancaked section, on the Rampart side, probably start to come down first, she said. They really want to get those pieces that are not stable.

It's likely that the first unsteady piece of the wreckage to come down will be the remnants of the tower crane that hangs over the sidewalk on Canal. The crane was partially brought down by dynamite in November.

Follow this link:
Contractors prepare for demolition of NOLA's partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel - WBRZ

Days after Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that another demolition at a shuttered coal-fired plant in Little Village would temporarily be halted, a group of community activists on Sunday pushed to prevent the building from coming down until COVID-19 passes.

Lightfoots administration gave the go-ahead Thursday to demolish a turbine structure at the site of the former Crawford power plant. But when protesters showed up at Lightfoots Logan Square home that night, she swiftly called off the demolition and said it will not move forward for the next several days.

However, activist Raul Montes Jr. fears the demolition is still imminent.

Montes and Blue Island Mayor Domingo Vargas led a news conference Sunday near the site and pushed for a moratorium on any demolitions at the site until October. They were joined by Kenneth Klein, a Little Village resident who believes he developed lung cancer and COPD from living near the plant.

We want transparency, Montes told the Chicago Sun-Times. People were not getting notice of the demolition that was going to occur. Theres no transparency, and we just feel that we want justice for this. Weve gone through enough already

The push for added transparency comes after an April 11 smokestack implosion at the site sent a cloud of dust billowing through Little Village. Local Ald. Mike Rodriguez (22nd) has also voiced his opposition to any immediate demolition work and has called for work crews to leave the site.

Montes worries the dust from the blast exacerbated the conditions of individuals like Klein and others with respiratory illnesses, who are particularly susceptible to COVID-19.

In the wake of the debacle in April, Lightfoot blamed Hilco Redevelopment Partners, slapped the firm with $68,000 in fines and vowed to overhaul a flawed city regulatory system that allowed it to happen. She also ordered a six-month moratorium on implosions at the site a ban that wouldnt have affected the recently delayed demolition.

Nevertheless, Montes believes the citys actions were nothing more than a slap on the wrist to a company that has a lot of money. Meanwhile, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has sued Hilco, MCM Management Corp. and Controlled Demolition Inc. for violating state pollution laws.

In reversing course last week, Lightfoot vowed to engage with the local community to discuss the structurally dangerous condition of that small building. But as far as Montes can tell, that hasnt happened, and he now fears that Lightfoot will simply go ahead with the demolition in the coming days.

Were being stonewalled, said Montes, who is also pushing for an evacuation of the area surrounding the site in the case of an explosion.

Lightfoots office didnt immediately respond to a request for comment.

Go here to read the rest:
Though Lightfoot halted demolition at shuttered Little Village coal plant, activists fear its still imminent - Chicago Sun-Times

Mayor Lori Lightfoot says another demolition must go forward at a shuttered coal-fired power plant in Chicagos Little Village neighborhood, for safetys sake. If thats the case, Hilco Redevelopment Partners and city officials had better get it right this time.

On April 11, three weeks into a stay-at-home order because of the coronavirus, a botched implosion of an old towering smokestack at the site covered the neighborhood in smoke, dirt and dust.

It was yet another slap in the face to a neighborhood that has suffered many blows in recent years.

The latest setbacks for Little Village include the highest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state. More than 2,600 people who live in the neighborhoods 60623 zip code have tested positive for the virus.

And this is happening as a hospital that serves the community, Saint Anthony, struggles to keep its doors open. The state has fallen short with its share of funds since the days of former Gov. Bruce Rauner. Saint Anthony CEO Guy A. Medaglia told me in an email that donations and federal coronavirus relief funds are keeping the hospital going.

This Mexican American community cant catch a break.

The neighborhood is well known for its 26th Street business corridor, one of the citys leading revenue producers with its many Mexican restaurants and shops. After the Great Recession, it took years for 26th Street to regain its vibrancy. But it made a comeback despite the neighborhoods struggles with violence.

Now Little Village faces another tough recovery, one that will be made all the harder because of continued threats of immigration raids by the president and his contempt for people with brown skin.

City Halls decision to allow the April demolition to proceed, at a time when people were stuck at home because of the pandemic, showed callous disregard. After the implosion, the Chicago Fire Department wrote on Twitter: CFD provided support on demolition of stack at the old Crawford power generation plant near the ship canal and Pulaski now being cleared for new development. Occured (sic) at 8 am April 11. No problems.

No problems?

Maybe not at the demolition site. But try telling that to the people forced to breathe in the thick cloud of dust that engulfed the neighborhood.

Since then, city and state officials have tried to do damage control. Theyve gone after Hilco and the demolition company with citations and fines.

But that hasnt made residents of Little Village feel any better.

It was our worst nightmare, but it wasnt too surprising, Antonio Lopez, senior adviser and former executive director of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, said of the implosion. City officials and the developer, he told me, hadnt been forthcoming with information beforehand.

There are so many layers of disrespect, he said.

Lopez sees failures all around, from the building and health departments that allowed the work to proceed to new Ald. Mike Rodriguez, who knew a week ahead of time about the implosion but didnt warn people for days. Rodriguez, who tried in vain to delay the demolition, has apologized.

Rodriguez told me Wednesday that officials are making a compelling case about another buildings instability and the need for another round of demolition. The hideous structure looks perilous as you drive past it on Pulaski Road. The city has narrowed northbound traffic to one lane, citing a potential danger.

Lopez has little confidence that the city and developer would get the next demolition done right.

The Little Village Environmental Justice Organization led a 12-year grass-roots effort to close the coal plant that spewed pollutants. It shuttered in 2012 under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

The environmental group participated in a redevelopment task force for the site until Hilco got hold of it, Lopez said.

This seems like a good time to mention that in 2015 Hilco gave the Chicago for Rahm Emanuel campaign committee a $50,000 contribution. That no doubt helped to smooth the way for the Northbrook-based company.

Redevelopment plans call for a logistics and distribution center to be built. Diesel-powered trucks will come and go. Lopez and others arent happy about it because it will mean more pollution.

It could have been such a different story, a shining example of how we build healthier and safer neighborhoods, Lopez said.

I spoke to Rodriguez, the alderman, about the repeated knockdowns Little Village has endured. He emphasized the neighborhoods resilience.

But everyone has a breaking point.

Marlen Garcia is a member of the Sun-Times Editorial Board.

Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.

Read the original:
Yet another demolition will test the mettle of Little Village - Chicago Sun-Times

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) As it has on almost everything else, the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed parts of the plan to rid downtown Norfolk of aging public housing complexes and replace them with mixed-income communities.

The Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority told residents in a letter last month that because of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the redevelopment plans are being delayed.

There is no requirement that you look for alternate housing, move, or use any relocation services during the next six months, the notice read.

Meaning: It is unknown when exactly the visual effects of the multimillion-dollar transformation project may actually be seen.

When residents living in nearly 200 units of the Tidewater Gardens community learned in August 2018 that theyd be among the first to have to relocate, a rough timeline estimated demolition would begin in mid-2020.

However, then the longest government shutdown in modern U.S. history closed the federal Housing and Urban Development office, a lawsuit was filed by residents claiming the redevelopment plans are racist and now a worldwide pandemic has restricted peoples movement.

We have had a few bumps in the road, said Councilwoman Angelia Graves Williams, who represents all three St. Pauls public housing communities as part of her superward. Certainly we werent going to force people to move during a pandemic. HUD put a freeze on rent and collections and things of that nature anyway. So, this really isnt that big of a hiccup in terms of how we move forward. We are still working.

Last year,HUD awarded NRHA $30 million as part of its Choice Neighborhood Initiativegrants, to tear down the 618-unit Tidewater Gardens. To prepare, residents must move. A resident can either choose to relocate to another NRHAproperty or take a voucher and live in privately-owned section8 housing.

Currently, 30 percent of the community is already vacant, with Williams Graves saying many people left on their own.

As part of an agreement made in court, demolition could proceed with several buildings in the phase 1 plan if residents voluntarily move out.

We will continue to work with residents with People First to make all transitions, Williams Graves said.

People First is an effort launched by the city and run by St. Louis basedUrban Strategies, Inc. to aid in the relocation of 1,700 families.

In January 2018,Norfolk City Council votedto have the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority move aheadwith plans to eventually levelthe Tidewater Gardens,Young Terrace and Calvert Square public housing complexes and replace them with mixed-income communities. The goal is to increase the quality of life for residents and leave behind the neighborhoods poverty-stricken past.

But the program will not be able to use $1.8 million it originally was going to have this coming year.

On Tuesday night, Norfolk City Council voted to transfer the money to help cover operating costs. The city forecasted a $40 million shortfall due to COVID-19.

It is a part of a sacrifice that everybody in the city has had to make in order to work through, Williams Graves said.

She explained because of saving from other parts of the People First operation, the level of service shouldnt change.

Just know, it is only one year of delayed funds.

Read the rest here:
Mandatory move-outs halted, but Norfolk leaders say demolition of public housing could still move forward this year - WAVY.com