Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

EDITORS NOTE:This piecegrew out of a class at Smith College,Writing about Women and Gender,taught by the journalist and author Susan Faludi.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Gazebo is really customer-focused, so I do everything in relation to how its going to help and impact the people coming through my door each day. I come in, make sure the floor is clean, make sure there are enough pro-fitters on the sales floor... I really try to plan for when someone walks in the door they need a certain size, we have that size. A certain thing? We have it. Every day, theres a favorite story of somebody who comes in and leaves with a swimsuit they feel they can wear in public without feeling like theyll fall out of it or that its indecent. The gratitude that comes from the customers were so lucky to be in a position to do this.

Im from central Connecticut, but Ive lived herefor almost 30 years. I worked for the former owner (Judith Fine) for four years back in the 90s, and I left. I was in the corporate world for a good 25 years or so selling organic skin care, supplementsand herbal products for Dr. Hauschka in Hatfield and New Chapter in Brattleboro. When New Chapter restructured, Judith happened to need someone part-time, and I said, Well, wont that be fun?

Judith opened the store in 1978, and she is an amazing seamstress; she was making things out of vintage lace and had her own line in production. Gazebo (now at 14 Center St.) was originally in Thornes Marketplace. Judith loves to sew, and I think at first it was mostly wedding dressesand incorporating pieces of lace from grandmas gown into her customers gowns. That gradually led into having her own lingerie line, with silks, some antique lace, either trim or full pieces.

This was always my favorite job. I love helping women. I love helping in this environment. And I came back in 2016 and found out that she wanted to sell the store. It was just one of those miracles of the universe. Donna McNeight (a breast cancer survivor who came to Gazebo for its specialty in post-mastectomy fittings), also a former employee, and I partnered up and made it happen.

I dont have a business or marketing background, so thats one of the things Im learning as I go. The thing that I struggle with is that we try to have a really body positive attitude, and its hard when people put themselves down. We put little body positive things in the mirrors and tell people, Hey, be grateful for what you have. We really believe, from the bottom of our hearts, that every body is beautiful. Its true. We just need to see more of it in the media to see models of color, to see size inclusivity. Its also kind of a struggle when someone has a preconceived idea of what they want, like, I only like this kind of bra. Well, if that bra isnt the kind that fits your body best ... we try to guide people to what theyre going to be comfortable in, that will suit their body, that will last. Sometimes people are still like, Well, thats what I want, and thats OK, too.

We sell pleasure objects, aka sex toys. Our customers wouldnt necessarily go to a sex shop, but they trust us with their bodies and their breasts. And we want to offer that because sexual health is important, too. We love Oh My (Sensuality Shop, at 122 Main St.), theyre so great they support us, we support them.

A lot of people just dread going bra shopping, and we take the guesswork out of it. Post-mastectomy fittings are harder and harder to find these days a lot of women choose to have reconstruction after breast surgery, but those who dont, they dont really have any place to go. Theres a couple of medical supply places that you can go to for breast forms and bras, but theyre not bra-fitting experts. Its not like going to a warehouse where somebodys just going to take a box and hand you your breast across the counter were here to fit, and we do insurance billing. Its a lot of work, but its certainly a labor of love. Especially after going through something like that, you want to take care of those women, especially.

We are your personal shoppers. You wont be left thinking, This isnt quite right, but I dont know why, and then wander back out on the sales floor. We are here to guide you every step, and we stand behind what we sell. We do repairs, we can fix things and make them fit better. Oh, yeah, and all of the money that we spend on advertising doesnt compare to word of mouth because so many people come in say, My mother told me, my sister told me, my coworker told me, everyone says this place is awesome, so I had to come down. Thats the best endorsement that I can think of.

We want to make sure that everyone who comes through the door feels welcome regardless of gender identity. We were one of the first stores, like brick and mortar storefronts, to sell binders a garment that is used to safely reduce the appearance of breasts. Most of them are made out of mesh. People take to the internet Im going by a measurement, but I dont know how its going to fit. If they come here, they can try them on, we can help them, we have a seamstress on staff who can alter them. A lot of times, a little nip or tuck can make a big difference. We really fit here its rare we pull out a measuring tape. Most of the time, well just look at a persons back and then bring a size. People think, Oh, its amazing you can do that! If you were here for a couple of weeks, youd be able to do it, too. We just give them the sizes we think are most appropriate and then adjust from there.

Weve expanded that a lot in the last couple of years since Donna and I bought Gazebo because this is a place where people come in, and they feel welcome, and they feel comfortable.

I dont ever want to be the kind of owner whos so far removed from the sales floor that she loses touch with the customers. Actually being here and waiting on people every day is important for me to do.

See the article here:
Amy Dickinson, co-owner of Gazebo: Finding the perfect fit - GazetteNET

A wedding planner gives newly engaged couples money-saving advice.

I was shaking I was nervous, all I got out was will you marry me. I couldn't get the ring on her finger, my hands were shaking her put it on, Kevina Gray describes the day he proposed to his girlfriend Kenyell Goodson.

When it comes to love stories, Kevin and Kenyell's is more than 10 years in the making.The two have been together since high school, dating long distance while Kevin played basketball overseas.I was excited, it was more like finally, he did it. Finally. It's been some time so, explains Kenyell.

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After she said yes, the two started planning a wedding, with the help of a professional.Like many couples, they wanted to stick a budget. We need all the cash we can save, says Kevin, since theyre trying to save to buy a home.

They sought the help of Lucretia Williams.Your venue takes 40 percent of your budget. you want to book that first. we have amazing venues in Columbus so they book up pretty fast, Williams says.

Williams has been planning events for more than 22 years.She says, we're lucky in Central Ohio because there are a lot of inexpensive venue options.Like the Gazebo at Goodale Park or the beautiful outdoor spaces at Park of Roses. Griggs Boat House in HIliard, its newer, very beautiful, lots of windows overlooks the Scioto Mile River and we have North Bank Park downtown, she says.

Couples should also consider the Metro Parks, state parks and other outdoor venues. Like Lonz Winery on Middle Bass Island, Marbelhead lighthouse on the shores of Lake Erie or Ash Cave at Hocking Hills state park.Some of those only cost a $40 event fee.

But Williams says other costs could add up, especially if you need to rent chairs tables or table clothes.Her advice to save money is to consider not having it on a Saturday. I love Friday Weddings! I love Sunday weddings. For me, people say, well they're not going to come. They love you, they're going to come. It doesn't matter if it's a Tuesday or a Friday, Williams says.

Couples can also have a smaller guest count, which is becoming more popular. A lot of couples want more intimate weddings, you feel the energy and love in the room when it's less people, she says.For this couple, that's not an option, with a big family they plan to have 300 guests.But Williams found them a reasonably priced venue, the Ohio School for the Deaf Alumni Association building.

You don't have to have a grand budget to make a room look fabulous, Williams explains.

And really at the end of the day, it's witnessing true love that people will remember most.I'm a lucky guy, I've realized that from day 1. She stuck by my side through everything, Kevin explains. That's the emotional part of it, we made it through, Kenyell adds.

Continue reading here:
Wedding planner gives advice on budgeting for the big day - 10TV

Destination weddings can be difficult to plan but are worth it for the breathtakingly romantic scenery. With a variety of locations, The Excellence Collection will help you plan the perfect destination wedding with two types of resorts for a wedding: Excellence Resorts and Finest Resorts.

Excellence Resorts are for adults-only Caribbean weddings. Any of the five Excellence Resorts will provide an intimate destination wedding with endless beaches and luxury pampering. The options include Excellence Punta Cana, Excellence El Carmen, Excellence Riviera Cancun, Excellence Oyster Bay and Excellence Playa Mujeres.

These properties offer three wedding packages for engaged couples to choose from: the Excellence Wedding Package, the Excellence of Love Wedding Package or the Gold Excellence Wedding Package.

Finest Resorts are for larger, family-oriented weddings located at the brands all-inclusive luxury resorts. Finest Resorts are perfect for couples who an extravagant beach wedding surrounded by loved ones.

These resorts include Finest Playa Mujeres and an upcoming resort in Punta Cana. Finest Resorts offers the same three wedding packages as Excellence Resorts.

All packages offer couples who book their wedding at any of the aforementioned Excellence Collection resorts the choice of exchanging their vows on a romantic beach venue or in a lovely gazebo overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

The beautiful Caribbean scenery and luxurious amenities offered by The Excellence Collection will make it hard for a newly wedded couple to leave, so the company welcomes couples to spend their honeymoons at any of their luxury resorts right after they say I do.

Whats more romantic than a gorgeous destination wedding? Waking up to breakfast in bed, enjoying a couples massage and toasting over a romantic dinner on the beach in that same magical resort where you exchanged vows.

The Excellence Collection resorts include honeymoon suites that come equipped with secluded hammocks and a private jacuzzi to enjoy when not soaking up the sun on a tranquil Caribbean beach or by one of the resorts pools.

Excellence Resorts are perfect for newlyweds who want an intimate getaway in an adults-only resort. Finest Playa Mujeres, however, still provides that same luxury, service and gourmet dining, but with added activities for guests of all ages to enjoy.

Read the original:
Weddings and Honeymoons the Excellence Way - TravelPulse

Theyre tickled pink!

Pink architecture may be more associated with the Art Deco facades of Miami Beach, but New York City has a handful of bubble gum-hued buildings of her own.

Across downtown Manhattan, amid the brownstones and tenement buildings, sit a handful of rosy structures beloved by neighbors and passersby.

Some, like the townhouse at 114 Waverly Place, have been pink for decades, while others, like the West Villages quirky Palazzo Chupi, are more recent additions to the skyline.

A few, highlighted here, have fascinating backstories. Other blushing beauties, like 210 W. 15th St., remain a mystery.

But they all inject a little joy and love into the streetscape.

Pink is our favorite color, says Robert Novogratz, 57, who, with his wife Cortney, 48, became the fourth owners of coral-colored 114 Waverly Place last summer when they bought it for $8.5 million from the estate of late neighborhood fixture Celeste Martin.

The nearly 200-year-old home hadnt been touched in decades, and The Novogratz, as the design duo is known, have embarked on a gut renovation to turn the 5,410-square-foot structure into their family home. (The famed facade is currently hidden under scaffolding.)

Inside, the couple, who have seven kids, found rooms just as whimsical as the facade, cloaked in emerald and mint greens, teal and blush and even red Scalamandre zebra wallpaper. They intend to honor that history. Robert describes their vision as Gucci meets Royal Tenenbaums classic, cool, colorful. Its a very happy house, he adds.

This is our ninth townhouse [renovation] in Manhattan, and its the most special townhouse youve ever seen, says Robert. It also happens to be the couples first project that is landmarked, and, as a result, theyve run into an unexpected complication: the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) wants to do away with the beloved pink and see it painted brown, the original color when the home was built in 1826.

But its been pink for 50 years, and The Novogratz want it to stay that way. Were fighting them to keep it pink, Robert says. Throughout the entire city, its known as the pink house. Were petitioning to keep the pink.

On the Lower East Side, theres another landmarked structure with a pink facade: a five-story loft building with a rounded corner and partial cast-iron facade at the corner of Orchard and Grand streets.

Constructed in 1886 as the Ridley & Sons Department Store, it was occupied by garment manufacturers during the 1930s.

Today, the upper-level lofts are home to artists like Egon Zippel, who lives in a 2,800-square-foot apartment on the fourth floor with his wife Johanna Schwarzbeck.

The pink was a 1990s upgrade, suggested by the previous owners wife.

As Alfred Goldman told The New York Times in 2011, it was just an ugly building, and his wife, feeling inspired from a recent trip to Florida, felt a fresh coat of paint would cheer up the dreary neighborhood.

And while the LPC will likely require the color to change if the building is ever renovated, its safe for now.

In fact, after a fire damaged part of the facade in 2014, that portion was repainted a slightly different shade.

I like the pink, says Zippel, 53, who has enjoyed his live/work space in the building since 2003. I wish they would repaint the whole thing.

The pink facade was an immediate draw when Georgia Nixon, 29, and Jason Kodym, 38, first viewed their apartment at 218 E. Fifth St.

I told all my friends it was a Barbie princess house in New York, says Nixon. The couple moved into a one-bedroom garden unit two years ago, and have only become more enamored with their cotton candy-colored home. I have a ton of photos on my phone of every person who has visited who wants their photo out on our stoop, she says, adding that they often hear passersby exclaiming over the facade. People just love being near the pink house.

218 E. Fifth first got its pink facade in the 1980s, when then-owner Noel Tursi took a cue from his longtime companion Celeste Martin, who had, by that point, already bathed 114 Waverly Place (now owned by The Novogratz, as above) in a rosy hue.

People just love being near the pink house.

And to Joel Gillman and Lindsey Testolin, both 34, who have lived in two different apartments at 218 E. Fifth St. over four years. Ideally, we die in this building, hopefully a long time from now, jokes Gillman.

The couple started in a one-bedroom on the third floor, and moved to a similar unit on the top floor for a better kitchen and more light. The facade does attract Instagrammers, Testolin notes, and even the occasional prom photo shoot. We love hanging out on our stoop, and weve come to realize its a constant situation, she says. But its a small burden. Gillman adds, I kind of like it. It makes me feel fancy.

Both couples agree: The unusual hue makes the building easy to find for cab drivers and visitors. None of my friends know the address, says Kodym. They just look for the pink house.

The signature hue that residents love, though, might be in danger. We currently have an application with the NYC Landmarks Preservation committee to repaint the same pink color in the spring, Leahy tells The Post, but expect to be denied keeping the building pink if we repaint.

New Yorks most famous pink building, perhaps, is its newest. Built in 2008 by artist Julian Schnabel, the peculiar condo at 360 W. 11th St. looks like arched Venetian palace was plopped on top of a 20th-century factory building.

Construction was met with protests when it began in 2005, but ultimately Schnabel was able to bring what he as as a 50,000-square-foot piece of art to life.

I built it because I wanted more space, and because I thought I could sell two or three apartments to pay for that space, and I built it because I could, Schnabel told the Times in 2008.

The original three-story warehouse at the base of the Palazzo holds Schnabels studio, as well as a pool, a garage and exhibition space. The palazzo holds five giant units two duplexes, a triplex and two floor-through units. One is occupied by Schnabel himself, another by his art dealer son Vito.

The other apartments sold for between $10.7 million and $12.2 million each, per StreetEasy.

Residents must like it: There have been no resales in the last decade.

Read more here:
Meet the hearty New Yorkers who live in rare pink buildings - New York Post

Damage to the Lucharitos location in Moriches. (Credit: Carl Corry/Greater Moriches)

One of the newest additions to the Lucharitos business empire, a taqueria and tequila bar not yet fully open in Center Moriches, caught fire Saturday night.

According to an Instagram post on the Lucharitos page, owner Marc LaMaina was alerted at 10 p.m. that night to a building fire.

Everyone is safe, the post said. We will be closed at Center Moriches indefinitely as we assess the situation and prepare to move forward.

The business had been operating a food truck on weekends at the site as it waited for permits to restore the restaurant building. The food truck will be on hold indefinitely.

LaMaina said the fire happened in the storage garage behind the main restaurant and was likely caused by an equipment malfunction.

The interior contents were all destroyed, he said. The structure is fine, so we just have to rebuild it.

LaMaina was hoping to turn the storage garage into a prep kitchen.

We had hoped to begin renovations this week. It has been a very long and emotional road for us even before this happened, his post said. Just know we worked really really hard to get the property and product to where it was and are still so excited about whats to come when the actual restaurant opens.

LaMaina said on Tuesday that he is still hoping to have the location open by summer.

The restaurant, with locations in Greenport and Aquebogue, is expected to soon open another location in Mattituck and formally announced plans for a Melville spot last week.

Image Courtesy of Greater Moriches

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Eat Lucharitos Center Moriches location caught fire this weekend One of the newest additions to the - Northforker

A healthy economy and the strengths of Upper Arlington's location and community are being credited for driving one-year local construction above $400 million for the first time in the city's history.

In April 2019, Upper Arlington Schools launched $235 million in projects to rebuild and renovate the district's high school and five elementary buildings.

In June, Crawford Hoying broke ground on a 119-room hotel at 1640 W. Lane Ave. and started construction at the end of the year on eight townhomes at 1690 W. Lane Ave., as well as 133 rental units, a 395-space public-parking garage, a 110-space public-parking lot and an additional 32,000 square feet of office, retail and restaurant space as a mixed-use project that will feature condominiums, professional offices and restaurants.

Two months after that work began, First Community Village broke ground on the largest expansion in its 56-year history.

The estimated $37 million project will yield the construction of a 4-story, 143,622-square-foot apartment complex for independent living.

Those are just three of the projects that brought more than $407 million in construction to Upper Arlington in 2019.

The investments topped the the city's previous high-water mark in one-year construction -- 2016 -- by nearly $300 million. In that year, the city had $111.6 million in building projects, which bested investments of $100.6 million in 2017 and $100.7 million in 2018.

"Year after year, construction values have been impressive -- typically just shy of the $100 million mark -- but 2019 blew away previous years away, at over $407 million," said Steve Schoeny, city manager. "This unprecedented level of investment reflects the major projects for the Upper Arlington Schools, the Lane II hotel and mixed-use project and the Fairfax at First Community Village."

Schoeny noted the record level of construction in Upper Arlington last year included $81 million in new homes and home renovations.

Those projects resulted in the city generating more than $2.24 million in building permit and registration fees.

With the continuation of the projects for Upper Arlington Schools, Crawford Hoying and FCV, as well as the expected redevelopment of the Golden Bear Shopping Center and the planned August groundbreaking of a $100 million, 11-story Arlington Gateway mixed-use development at 1325-97 W. Lane Ave. and 2376 North Star Road, Schoeny said, Upper Arlington's 2020 construction outlook also is positive.

"I am confident that we will continue to see new opportunities, if we continue to plan well and aggressively pursue revenue producing projects," he said.

According to Emma Speight, the city's community-affairs director, the ongoing activity signals the residents' support of the local school district and the appeal of the community to families and businesses.

"Upper Arlington's strong demographics, proximity to downtown and OSU, etc., the healthy economy both nationally and in the region, services, schools and safety, etc. all contribute to making Upper Arlington a viable community in which to do business," she said. "Home renovations and additions continue to comprise much of the construction value in the residential arena as residents bring their older homes up to today's standards.

"We continue to see a handful of older homes razed and replaced with new homes each year, both by professional builders who know there is a market for new builds in Upper Arlington but also by some homeowners who have concluded that starting from scratch allows them to reap the benefits of designing a new home to best meet their needs."

Speight said officials don't anticipate the city duplicating 2019 levels of construction.

"There are still two significant economic-development projects approved by (the Board of Zoning and Planning) that are yet to begin, namely the Arlington Gateway project on Lane Avenue and the Golden Bear redevelopment, and there's a potential for additional projects to emerge in the coming months," she said.

nellis@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekNate

Continued here:
Upper Arlington enjoys record year of construction; project top $400M in 2019 - ThisWeek Community News

Property transfers

Lula L. Hill to Carlton T. Wingfield Jr. and Phillip M. Wingfield. Lot 14, section 1, Forest Park, Elon District, $57,000

Winthrop K. and Joann B. Holmes to Priscilla McIver. Parcel, fronting Va. 677, 0.284 acres, Elon District, $125,000

J. Mark and Pamela L. Huffins to Jared H. and Danielle R. Roeber. Parcel, Wild Rose Lane, $286,500

Blake E. Isley III to Larry Glenn Sexton Jr. Va. 739, 1.652 acres, Temperance District, $10,000

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of Washington D.C. to Four Fifty-Five LLC. 2464 Richmond Highway, $62,000

Lucille Nuckles to David G. and Angelina B. Austin. Parcel, 12.145 acres, fronting Kentmore Road, Courthouse District, $72,500

AZ Homes LLC to Annett N. Hughes. Lot 30, section 2, Foreston Manor, Elon District, $175,000

Blue Sky-Coffey Partnership to Robert A. and Penelope S. Jurick. Lot 7, Blue Sky Court, Naola Springs, Pedlar District, $31,900

Branch Banking and Trust Company to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Lot 24, section II, Pine Ridge, Elon District, $71,199

Samuel and Virginia Higuchi to Ella J. and Frank P. Deane III. Lot 1, block 1, phase V, unit 101, Royal Gardens, Elon District, $132,500

Sharon K. Bryant and Sheila M. Roper to Joshua Gunn and Kayleigh Alexis Mast. Lots 2 and 3, Babcock Farm Road, $212,000

D & D Land Holdings LLC to Wilfredo and Maureen Bobe. Lot 3, Columbus Road, $232,900

Myrna Doss to Michael Stephen and Krystal Dawn Binder. Lot 3, Town of Appomattox, Confederate Blvd., $189,000

Delbert Beasely to County Waste Southwest Virginia LLC. Lot 23, Bryant Concord Subdivision, Stonewall District, $141,900

BDI Properties LLC to County Waste Southwest Virginia LLC. U.S. 460, near Stage Road, 5.98 acres, Stonewall District, $288,100

Thomas L. Wiley II and Kimberly S. Wiley to Tammy Britt Rental Properties. Lot 4, Coveside Circle, Lakes District, $375,000

Bruce A. Owens and Patty M. Owens to Jason Brent Ream and Kimberly Ann Ream. 2 parcels, Fescue Circle, Lakes District, $279,000

Mark A. Bird and Kimberly C. Bird to David J. and Sheila C. Tindall. Unit 31, phase 3, Mariners Village Condominium, Lakes District, $219,000

Countryside Land Company LC to Robert D. and Kara L. Dickinson. Parcel, Trails End Road, 20.363 acres, Lakes District, $121,800

Naomi B. Johnson to Douglas E. Wyatt and Joyce L. Wyatt. Parcel, Spradlin Road, Blue Ridge District, $108,577

Lowell P. and Annie B. Stovall to Gregory M. Hess and Betty S. Noell. Parcel, Va. 699 on Bore Auger Creek, Blue Ridge District, $102,000

Nathan J. Meadows and Rachel M.W. Cook to Sandy K. Bolt. Parcel, Glove Creek Road, Blue Ridge District, $90,000

Helen L. Bramlett to Roberto A. Machado Lemus. Lot 16, Harvey Creek Acres, Lakes District, $40,000

Matthew E. Kimberly Townley to Thomas E. and Jacquelyn S. Newll. Parcel, Mountain View Acres, Blue Ridge District, $7,235

Thomas E. and Jacquelyn S. Newell to Matthew E. and Kimberly Townley. Lot 14, Mountain View Acres, Blue Ridge District, $7,235

Koren Delpoplol and Gail J. Rysinski to Kaleb E. Bailey. Parcel, Quarles Road, Peaks District, $127,000

Clarence James and Paula McCarthy Cyrus to Joseph Q. and Samantha C. Dwyer. Amended lot 214, section VI, Terrance View, Jefferson District, $499,900

Darlene E. Gardner to William M. Kirn. Lot 27, Dogwood Haven, Jefferson District, $435,530

Bank of the James to Robert L. and Jann M. Sloper. 3 parcels, Big Island Highway, Peaks District, $160,000

Great Oaks Partners LLC to Pragmatic Infrastructure USA LLC Lot 11, section 3, Great Oaks Subdivision, Jefferson District, $55,000

Stephen P. Nelms to James S. and Kellie C. Woyner. Parcel, Forest Oaks, lot 10A, Jefferson District, $467,000

Scott M. Hawkins and Gregory S. Hudson to Leslie and Caesar Gonzales II. Elk Valley Road, Jefferson District, $65,000

Jedi Construction LLC to William G. and Gloria A. Pulkowski. Lot 43, section II, Governors Hills, $212,000

Eleanor Overstreet to Rebecca C. Clay. Remainder of 2.5 acres and 39.39 acres, 27 Three C Place and additional parcel, $215,000

Boxwood Investments LLC to Steven M. and Annemarie G. Hovis. Lot 9, Robertson Village, $67,000

Richard W. and Patricia S. Lewis to 4D Construction Inc. Lot 11, section L, Powhatan Cox Tract, $30,000

Joyce L. Adkins to Tyler L. Adkins. Lot 29, section 1, Sunny Meade Acres, $125,000

Airy Mont Farm LLC to Havenwoods Farm LLC. Parcels near Brookneal Highway, 198.80 acres, portion of 1429 Covered Bridge Road, and additional parcels, Havenwoods Farm, $1,285,000

Altavista Area/Campbell County Habitat for Humanity Inc. to Gloria Jean Moon. Lot 2, Riverview Dr., Altatvista, $110,000

Altavista Area/Campbell County Habitat for Humanity Inc. to Karen Irene Dalton. Lot 1, Riverview Dr., Altatvista, $110,000

Phoenix1Investment LLC to American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities Inc. Lot 1, section 1, Trents Landing, $49,900

ECP LLC to Dawn A. Arthur. Lot 6, phase 1, section 2, Lighthouse Townhouses, $107,900

RJS Holdings LLC, Central VA Flooring LLC and Premier Investments Group LLC to Mark Andrew and Cammie Lynn Atwater. 660 Bethany Road, $399,900

Catherine M. Ayers to Glenn W. and Frances M. Gilliam. Parcel, Pilot View Road, $48,000

Mark Leafty to Appalachian Management LLC. Parcel, Florida Ave., $2,650

Alicia Antoneete Atkins to Henry Garcia and Olga Beleno. 1713 Fillmore St., $19,000

WBG 1 LLC to Thomas Less Atkins and Carrie Lynn Grabowski. Part of lot 638, Daniels Hills Subdivision, $152,500

John M. and Ashley A. Scholer to Brian N. and Jessica M. Butala. 4620 Locksview Road, $302,000

Thornsbury Properties LLC to Daniel J. and Denise R. Castagna. Part of lots 23-24, block E, Fairmont Addition, $96,900

Concept Design and Development (International) LLC to Ian H. Smith. Parcel, Sedgewick Dr., $18,300

Riverviews to Cynthia Naff Walraven. Unit G5, Riverviews Artspace Condominium, $16,000

Ann A. Hatfield to Nina Davenport. Part of lots 7 and 8, Battery Park Subdivision, $38,000

Carmen R. Pino to HG Properties OI LLC. Lot 4, block 6A, Georgetown Forest Townhouses, $62,000

Siegfried Anthony Schoffer, Siegfried Schoffer and Blanca Schoffer to Thomas W. Seaman and Louise P. Gregory. Lot 40, Heritage at Wyndhurst Subdivision, $221,000

Jeremy L. and Kalee S. Gustafson to PG Investments2 LLC. Lot 44, section III, Willow Bend Subdivision, $209,000

H.T. Guthrie Jr. to Stehen S. and Theresa T. Wilson. 2597 and 2599 Fort Ave., $156,900

Michael L. Mason to Stephen A. and Jessica Joy Zarriello. Lot 2, block 3, section 5, Sandusky Hills Subdivision, $236,000

Storage Equipment Company LLC to Mayflower Oz Fund. LLC. 3301 Mayflower Dr., $1,025,000

Sharon Ruth Oglesby to WBW Investments LLC. 1196 Wards Ferry Road, $86,000

Ashkor Real Estate LLC to Cierra Fowler. 1108 Buchanan St., $70,000

MDJJ LLC to 2210 12th ST. LLC. Lots 10-13, section F, Park Avenue Addition, 2208 and 2212 12th St., $300,000

Gerard and Adeline Auguste to Malcolm L. Thomas. Lot 52, block N, phase II, Cornerstone Subdivision, $255,000

Ceasor and Rosie Johnson to Victoria E. Bartholomew. 1302 Madison St., $119,500

Bradley/Thornhill LLC to English Construction Company, Incorporated. Lot 7B, First Lynchburg Industrial Park Subdivision, $445,000

Fred Lloyd and Dolores Diggs Fauber to Vanessa E. Yuille. Lots 30-31, block A, Westhaven Subdivision, $169,000

Jeffrey Summerville and Katelyn Sandy to Natalie Moyer and Joseph Gross. Lot 2 and part of lot 1, block K, section 6, Blue Ridge Farms Subdivision, $149,000

Building Permits

Kenneth Bean Jr., 2232 Toll Gate Road, addition for bedroom, $30,000

Larry Roach, 483 Bedford Highway, additions/alterations $70,000

Henry Rowland, 297 Old Pocket Road, accessory building, $60,000

American Lebanese Syrian Associated, 25 Arbor Place, new dwelling, $425,000

Lynchburg Partners LLC, 3412 Waterlick Road, signs, $2,850

Kevin Moorman, 45 Wood Duck Court, additions/alterations, $25,000

Roanoke Valley Holdings LLC, lot 42, Traverse Dr., new dwelling, $168,429

Dale Campbell, lot 6, Holiday Lane, new dwelling, $130,000

Fralin Company of Central Virginia, Carriage Parkway, new dwelling, $169,282

City of Lynchburg, 982 Airport Road, aviation fueling tanks and dispensers, $220,911

Fralin Company of Central Virginia, lot 25, Carriage Parkway, new dwelling, $179,004

Roanoke Valley Holdings LLC, 29 Crystal Lane, new dwelling, $167,244

Dianne Saucedo, 247 Mountain Peak Dr., solar Panels, $12,780

21934 Timberlake LLC, 43 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 37 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 33 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 28 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 25 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 21 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 17 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 26 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

Charles Nausbaum Jr., 184 Arrowhead Dr., renovation, $30,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 30 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 36 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 40 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

21934 Timberlake LLC, 44 Zags Lane, new dwelling/townhouse, $190,000

H & S Holding Properties LLC, 1152 Wheeler Road, new dwelling, $240,000

Daniel Cunningham, 5856 Dearborn Road, pole barn $40,000

William Hall Jr., 6254 Dearborn Road, pole barn, $32,000

David Halfill, 1119 Eighth St., roof solar, $17,000

Moose Lodge #1433, 3463 Lynch Mill Road, ramp/deck, $15,000

Town of Altavista, 1311 Third St., chemical storage building, $289,000

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Your right to know: Latest property transfers and building permits - Lynchburg News and Advance

The Valley Regional Fire Authority Technical Rescue Team along with help from technical rescue specialists from South King Fire and Puget Sound Fire freed a man from the rubble of a collapsed retaining wall, the VRFA tweeted Monday.

Crews responded at 10:33 a.m. to a call of a 40-year-old man who was trapped when a portion of a retaining wall reportedly collapsed.

The man was buried to his waist but conscious and talking when first-responders arrived. Crews shored up the dirt and rock, using cribbing materials, and an excavation operator on site removed a 1,400-pound block that was impeding the rescue.

Following the removal of the block, the patient was placed on a backboard and gently slid out of the trench, the VRFA posted.

King County Medic One Paramedics treated the patient, warmed him to stave off hypothermia and transported him in stable condition to Harborview Medical Center.

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Man rescued from the ruins of a collapsed retaining... - Auburn Reporter

On top of the levee in Bridgeton, the smell of river mud is strong. Canada geese honk over the thrum of traffic on the Interstate 5 Bridge a half-mile downstream.

Life is peaceful in Portland's least populous neighborhoodit has fewer than 1,000 residentsbut that's all about to change.

Tom Hickey is chairman of the Bridgeton Neighborhood Association and, like many of his neighbors, a resident of a floating home. He's fighting what could become the local equivalent of the Berlin Wall.

What worries Hickey: a $158 million federal plan to strengthen 27 miles of levees that keep Portland from being inundated by the Columbia River.

Part of the plan would put a 3-foot retaining wall down the middle of Bridgeton's main street. That street is built directly on top of the levee, a 30-foot earthen berm. Portions of the street and parking spaces to the north are considered unstable and would be walled off under the plan to buttress the levees.

"It's a death knell to the culture of the people who live in the community," Hickey says. "We're looking at a loss of access to the water and a major loss of property value."

Countless words have been penned about the potentially catastrophic effects of a Cascadian subduction zone earthquake on Portland. Far less attention has been devoted to the threat of Columbia River floodswhich happen far more frequently and are a danger accelerated by a warming planet.

Last month, the federal government released its latest plan to deal with that threat. It's a project that would change the face of this city. Yet Portlanders remain deeply divided over what that project should look like.

"Sure, there are a lot of questions," says Corky Collier, executive director of the Columbia Corridor Association, which represents hundreds of businesses protected by the levees. "But can we afford not to do it?"

Torrential flooding in Pendleton and surrounding areas this week took one life and changed others irreparably. It's a reminder of the destructive power of rising water.

Portland has its own memories of that force. Vanport, just southwest of Bridgeton, was completely wiped out in 1948, when the Columbia spilled over the levee Bridgeton is built on, causing 15 deaths and the displacement of 18,000 people.

That was one of Portland's five "100-year floods" in the past 125 years. After the catastrophic flooding from Hurricanes Katrina in 2005 and Sandy in 2012, the feds investigated other key levee systems around the country. Few systems are more economically important.

Portland's levees, which stretch from the BNSF railroad bridge across the Columbia to the mouth of the Sandy River, date from 1917. They protect an enormous range of assets, including the homes of 7,500 people, the region's largest concentration of industrial and warehouse jobs, sections of three interstate highways, and Portland International Airport.

In January, after three years of investigation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which maintains federally regulated levees, produced a range of five options for Portland's levees, from doing nothing to spending $158 million to shore up earthen walls, raise the height of existing barriers, and replace decrepit pumps to bring the entire system into compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency standards.

The benefits would be twofold: protecting assets from what even the Corps of Engineers says is likely to be more frequent and destructive flooding because of climate change, and allowing property owners protected by the levees to continue to qualify for federally subsidized flood insurance.

Collier is excited about the plan.

"The way it's set up, the feds pay two-thirdsthat's a great deal," he says. Collier acknowledges the plan would require local cleanup of polluted lands before the Corps does its part. But he says that's long overdue.

"The CCA's been working on brownfield cleanup for 15 years and it's really frustrating," Collier says. "Let's get on with it."

Bob Sallinger, conservation director of the Audubon Society of Portland, takes a different view. Sallinger says the Corps' plan, which he calls "a train wreck," would result in the loss of trees and other habitat and doesn't give sufficient consideration to natural solutions like returning large swaths of floodplain to wetlands.

"This looks like a document written 25 years ago," Sallinger says. "They just want to build larger, taller walls without regard to the health of the environment."

Valerie Ringold, chief planner for the Corps, insists that's not the case. She says the Corps evaluated letting a major portion of the land protected by the levees return to natural floodplain and determined it wouldn't lessen flood risks. The Corps, she adds, would replace any vegetation it destroys and mitigate any damage to wetlands.

Michael Jordan, director of the city of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services, has monitored the Corps' investigation closely. He says the city wants to ensure the levee fix accomplishes as many goals as possiblesafety, environmental and recreationaland adds he's confident that can happen.

"The risks people have identified are manageable," Jordan says. "There are greater risks of not doing the project."

Hickey is hopeful as well. He met with Corps project manager Laura Hicks last week to discuss a retaining wall design that has been used elsewhere: one with removable sections that could be stored until water approaching Portland rises, then snapped into place.

His suggestion will be among many public comments the Corps receives in a process that is open through Feb. 14.

"Climate change is real and we agree the levees need to be improved," Hickey says. "The battle is whether they suffocate our neighborhood, or enhance it.

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Federal Officials Fear Devastating Floods Along the Columbia River. Residents Fear a Wall Through Their Neighborhood. - Willamette Week

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The on-ramp from Ming Avenue to northbound Highway 99 will be closed next week.

The closure will take place from Tuesday through Thursday between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. each night. Northbound motorists can enter the 99 from the on-ramp at Wible Road. The closure is needed for retaining wall construction in the vicinity of the Ming Avenue on-ramp.

Storm drain improvements are also under construction in the vicinity of the northbound Highway 99-to-eastbound Highway 58 connector ramp. This work requires reverse traffic control on Wible Road between Stockdale Highway and Belle Terrace through the end of the month.

Flagging personnel may need to stop traffic for up to five minutes between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes or allow sufficient time to reach their destination if they must use Wible Road during this time period.

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Ming Avenue on-ramp to northbound Hwy. 99 to be closed next week - KGET 17