Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Denver health officials see Lincoln Park across from the Colorado Capitol as a rat-infested, disease-harboring public danger they need to clean up.

The few dozen people experiencing homelessness, who have been living there in tents, some for weeks, see it as home.

On Wednesday morning the city used its public health authority to shut down the highly trafficked park and clear out a growing encampment lining East 14th Avenue and Broadway. The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment says the extent of the public health hazard is unclear, but that its seen enough concerning conditions and heard enough complaints that the agency felt it needed to take action.

The park is actually owned by the state, but since its in Denver, city officials are handling the closure and cleanup.

Starting about 8 a.m. on Wednesday, police officers and health workers went tent by tent to about a dozen in all informing people they needed to leave and posting notices that the park is being closed. They handed out plastic bags for people to pack up their belongings.

When we have encumbrances and people staying in this park we cannot see whats going on on the surface here, said Ann Cecchine-Williams, deputy executive director of the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. We have to have full access so we can do a deep evaluation of the grounds here and identify all the concerns.

Later in the day, the city posted photos on Twitter showing syringes, propane tanks and blood that they found during their initial cleanup work. Cecchine-Williams said the city has been trying to ensure people living in the park have access to services.

But those camped along the parks periphery said they were shocked by the citys action on Wednesday.

I think this is an excuse to get us homeless people out of here, said Misty Splude, who said she was pregnant and had been living in the park for about three weeks. Where are we going to go now?

Splude said she picked the park to camp at with her partner because its the safest place to be.

You wont get beat up. You wont get robbed. I feel sometimes its safe to be near the cops, she said.

Reiko Nunez said he thought the parks closure was an excuse to evict the people experiencing homeless who have been living there. They have to find us some way to get us up off the property, he said.

Denver public health officials say the park will likely be closed for weeks. Clean-up was expected to begin Wednesday afternoon with power washing. People can still walk along the sidewalks that go through Lincoln Park and around it during the process.

Its not healthy, Cecchine-Williams said. Its not safe and its not humane. As the public health department for the city of Denver, we have a responsibility to address these issues.

She denied that the parks closure was aimed at removing the homeless amid the citys on-again-off-again and now on again enforcement of a camping ban. Thats not whats happening here, she said.

Cecchine-Williams said the city has done two other similar closures and cleanups in the past two years, including one in October 2018 around Catholic Charities downtown and another in April 2019 near the Denver Rescue Mission.

Well reopen the park when we feel that the environment is safe and stable, she said.

This reporting is made possible by our members. You can directly support independent watchdog journalism in Colorado for as little as $5 a month. Start here: coloradosun.com/join

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Where are we going to go now? Denver closes park near Capitol, clears homeless camp citing rats, health hazards - The Colorado Sun

Washing Machine Market 2019: Global Industry Insights by Global Players, Regional Segmentation, Growth, Applications, Major Drivers, Value and Foreseen till 2024

The recent published research report sheds light on critical aspects of the global Washing Machine market such as vendor landscape, competitive strategies, market drivers and challenges along with the regional analysis. The report helps the readers to draw a suitable conclusion and clearly understand the current and future scenario and trends of global Washing Machine market. The research study comes out as a compilation of useful guidelines for players to understand and define their strategies more efficiently in order to keep themselves ahead of their competitors. The report profiles leading companies of the global Washing Machine market along with the emerging new ventures who are creating an impact on the global market with their latest innovations and technologies.

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As a result of the advent of innovative solutions in the laundry sector, the commercial washing machine market is expected to accept a transition. This could push the need for increased automation in laundry services, which is foreseen to prepare a fine ground for the global washing machine market to build on a robust growth. One of the notable revolutions in the laundry sector is the shift from coin laundries to card-based or digital laundry payment services. As a favorable consequence, the demand for smart connected washing machines is foretold to intensify even more with swiftly changing lifestyle of consumers and mushrooming preference for convenience.

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The regional demand in the international washing machine market is predicted to augment with the rising preference for smart connected and fully automatic products in the developing countries of Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. The demand is anticipated to swell further as the populations in these countries falling under the middle-income bracket see a rise. The washing machine market in China could experience a high level of penetration of different types of products, thus allowing the market to increase its growth. In 2015, Asia Pacific took hold of a whopping share in the global washing machine market.

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Most manufacturers in the world washing machine market are counting on the formulation of holistic distribution mediums with a view to widen their clientele base. Some of the interesting strategies adopted by the top vendors in the global market are substantial focus on supply chain management through vital investments and improvement of product assortments. Among others, Electrolux AB, LG Electronics Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Whirlpool Corporation are deemed to be the leading players in the market.

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Some of the Major Highlights of TOC covers in Washing Machine Market Report:

Chapter 1: Methodology & Scope of Washing Machine Market

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Chapter 4: Washing Machine Market, By Region

Chapter 5: Company Profile

And Continue

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Washing Machine Market Tipped to Grow at a Steady Pace Over the Forecast Period, 2017 2025 Dagoretti News - Dagoretti News

The global spend on artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to hit $52billion in the next three years and to double the annual growth rates of major economies in the next 15.Approximately 29 countries have created national AI policies to mitigate thepotential risks, but there are only a handful companies that have openly talkedof doing the same.

Companies will play a significant role in how AI impacts society, saidKay Firth-Butterfield, Head ofArtificial Intelligence at the World Economic Forum. Yet, our research foundthat many executives and investors do not understand the full scope of what AIcan do for them and what parameters they can set to ensure the use of thetechnology is ethical and responsible.

To help boards tackle this challenge, the World Economic Forum workedwith more than 100 companies and technology experts during the course of a yearto develop the Empowering AI Toolkit. Built with the structure of the board meeting in mind, the toolkitaligns 12 learning modules with traditional board committees and workinggroups. It aims to help companies make informed decisions about AI solutionsthat protect the customer and shareholders.

It is the first toolkit to provide common ground for companies worldwideto help prepare board members so they have a clearer understanding of thecurrent landscape. It covers the boards responsibilities specific to themodule in question, and provides resources for further learning as well as abreakdown of oversight tools and case studies.

AI is one of the biggest game changers for businesses, governmentsand society as a whole, and a huge source of opportunities to solve some of ourmost important challenges, said ElenaAlfaro, Global Head of Data and Open Innovation, BBVA. But the powerthat AI brings us has to come with similar take on responsibility from creatorsand users. This is why BBVA has collaborated with World Economic Forum in thedevelopment of this Toolkit, with the hope that it is widely spread andused.

Integrity, Ethics and risk management are boardroom matters whichare directly impacted by AI, said JesusMantas, Senior Managing Partner at IBM and board member at Biogen Inc.Board directors have a duty to provide oversight to the enhancementsrequired to integrity principles, human in the loop policies, and riskmanagement frameworks to include the effect of AI algorithms becoming the normin every operational aspect of corporations. The AI Toolkit is a great way fordirectors to better understand their enhanced responsibilities.

AI experts in collaboration with board members and key stakeholders frommore than 100 companies in six countries designed Empowering AI Toolkit to ensure that it meets the specific needs of business leaders and canlead to practical action and tangible impact.

Artificial intelligence is a tool in a corporate boards toolkit,Firth-Butterfield said. Boards need to know when to deploy it and how italigns with a companys overall strategy. The board, as the custodian of acompanys long-term ethical approach to business and the overseer of strategy,has a critical agenda-setting and oversight role in this area.

The Empowering AI Toolkit was created by the World Economic Forum with Centre for the FourthIndustrial Revolution Network Fellows from Accenture, BBVA, IBM and SuntoryHoldings. Among the many others who contributed to its development were AI4All,Australian Institute of Company Directors, Best Practice AI, Latham &Watkins, Saudi Aramco and Splunk.

Collaborator quotes:

Having such a toolkit is not a luxury, said Nabil Al Nuaim, Chief Digital Officer of Saudi Aramco. Itsa necessity to inform boards of directors of AI and its overarching effects.Using AI responsibly is one of the core tenants of our digital transformationprogram and were keen in partnering with Centre for the Fourth IndustrialRevolution Network to expand the toolkit to guide c-suite level executives intheir journey to plan, implement, and monitor AI in their respectivecompanies.

As business races to capture the opportunities associated with AI andAI-driven tools, management and boards are charged with understanding andoverseeing these transformative technologies and their impact, said Karen Silverman, a Partner at Latham& Watkins LLP. We are pleased to partner with the World Economic ForumsCentre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution on this essential toolkit, whichprovides easy-to-reference resources and strategies to support boards in thiscritical work.

As use of Artificial Intelligence rapidly becomes ubiquitous across theglobal economy, boards must understand the technology, its potential and itsrisks, said Leonard Stein, SVPGlobal Affairs, Splunk Inc. The AI Toolkit provides a means for directors bothto honor their fiduciary duties as well as identify new sources of businessvalue.

Related

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New UNIDO publication on Quality Infrastructure and the SDGs - Modern Diplomacy

Issued on: 20/01/2020 - 05:58Modified: 20/01/2020 - 05:56

Sydney (AFP)

"Apocalyptic" dust storms swept across drought-stricken areas of Australia over the weekend, with thunder and giant hail battering the east coast, as extreme weather patterns collided in the bushfire-fatigued country.

The southern city of Melbourne was lashed by huge hailstones late Sunday and fire-ravaged parts of Victoria state overnight received heavy rainfall, prompting new extreme weather alerts.

Australia has since October been overwhelmed by an unprecedented bushfire season made worse by climate change.

Swathes of the country have burned, hundreds of millions of animals have died, more than 2,000 homes have been destroyed and at least 29 lives have been lost.

Dramatic images captured over the weekend from western New South Wales show a massive wall of dust rolling through outback towns. Locals reported being cast into darkness in the middle of the day.

"We are used to the ritual and rush of bringing in washing, turning air cons off, closing windows and doors, before a big dust storm hits," Ashleigh Hull from the rural town of Dubbo told AFP.

This one was "more spectacular" than the typical dust storm, she added.

"It was honestly like an apocalyptic movie, a huge wave coming towards us, really quite impressive, but I just wish it actually brought a good amount of rain, not dust."

Violent hail storms pelted the capital Canberra Monday, with footage showing the storm ripping branches off trees.

Emergency services were warning people there to "move cars undercover and away from trees and power lines".

The bureau of meteorology told people in the southeast of New South Wales to be "well prepared" for the approaching storm.

"Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging, locally destructive winds, large, possibly giant hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours," the bureau said.

In Victoria, where bushfires continue to smoulder, heavy rainfall overnight was welcomed in fire grounds in the north, but authorities said it also brought with it new dangers.

State Premier Daniel Andrews said the rain meant "much more dangerous conditions" for those operating heavy machinery to get into areas damaged by bushfires, while landslides complicated efforts to open up closed roads.

The wet weather has brought a reprieve for many fire grounds along the east coast, but authorities remain on high alert, warning that the bushfire season still has weeks to run.

2020 AFP

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Dust storms and giant hail batter bushfire-weary Australia - FRANCE 24

A new North Dallas apartment community in the works couldnt have a more high-profile location.

Florida-based developer ZOM is building the six-story, 403-unit rental project next door to the Dallas Galleria at Noel Road and LBJ Freeway.

The developer has filed more than $45 million in building permits to start the project, which is just west of the Dallas Midtown project on the former site of Valley View Mall.

ZOMs Jason Haun said its the last vacant corner on that side of the freeway.

The development location is part of a former automobile dealership site that has already seen construction of a hotel and two apartment communities by developer Mill Creek Residential.

Our project is immediately adjacent to the Mill Creek project that is just finishing up, Haun said.

That area of Dallas and Farmers Branch is one of the hottest current apartment building markets with multiple new projects on the way.

The huge redevelopment of the Valley View property includes more apartments plus office, hotel and retail space.

ZOM is one of the countrys most experienced apartment builders with projects across the U.S.

In the Dallas area, the developer is building a 41-story, 364-unit luxury rental high-rise called Atelier in downtown Dallas Arts District.

We are also just finishing up our 376-unit project in McKinney at State Highway 121 and Lake Forest Drive, Haun said.

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New apartments in the works next to Dallas Galleria - The Dallas Morning News

The long-abandoned New Granada Theater finally seems ready for new life, anchoring a development that could be transformative for the Hill District.

The New Granada Square is a $45 million project, encompassing a city block, says Marimba Milliones, president and CEO of the Hill Community Development Corporation. It includes a historic restoration of the Granada building, a 24,000-square-foot office building, affordable artist-preference apartments and 7,500 square feet of commercial space beneath the apartments, with parking in the rear.

On Thursday, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) voted to convey the land to the Hill Community Development Corporation and Cleveland-based CHN Housing Partners, for the mixed-use development.

Construction on the five-story, 40-unit apartment building available to those at or below 80% of the area median income is planned for this summer.

The theater alone is a multi-level, mixed-use project which will provide a range of functions.

Its not a traditional theater, where you just walk in and there are seats and a screen, says Milliones. Its a 3 1/2-story building. It will have commercial, institutional, cultural and community space, including a food hall and a small black box theater, and a multipurpose events space, that can house anything from a concert 926 seats to a conference, to a TED talk, to a large-scale event.

The top floor will be anchored by the University of Pittsburgh Community Engagement Center.

Im super-excited about the (Pitt) Department of African American Poetry & Poetics that will be housed there, as well as a STEAM studio, says Milliones.

The STEAM studio will focus on the intersection of science, technology, entertainment, arts and media, developed in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh.

The New Granada Theater, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was designed by Louis A.S. Bellinger, one of Americas early African-American architects.

This is his last remaining structure, says Milliones. There are lots of interesting architectural components, and it also documents the need for African-American social space. It was designed as a Knights of Pythias temple; this was their fraternal hall. This space is important because it documented life at that time. Furthermore, Duke Ellington was named King of Jazz at New Granada, Louis Armstrong has played there, Earl Hines played there. In jazz culture, the New Granada has substantial importance.

Its a development that has enormous potential for Centre Avenue and the entire Hill District neighborhood.

Theres development, and theres development that really gets at the core of a city or neighborhoods identity, says Milliones. This is one of of those projects thats not only catalytic, but also is a tremendous nod to the history of the Hill District community and its importance to the city of Pittsburgh, historically.

Hill Community Development Corporationhill districtNew Granada Theater

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$45M New Granada Square project moves forward in the Hill District - NEXTpittsburgh

Demolition on the Amazon HQ2 site in Pentagon City is expected to begin soon.

The 2.1 million square foot office-and-retail development along S. Eads Street, the first phase of Amazons permanent second headquarters in Arlington, was approved by the County Board in December.

Now, construction equipment is being staged ahead of demolition of the two-story warehouse building and parking lot currently on the site. According to an off-the-record presentation given to local civic associations earlier this week, a slide from which was obtained by ARLnow, demolition and site preparation is scheduled to start within the next month or two.

Excavation will run from the second quarter of 2020 to the end of the year, while construction of the above-ground portion of the complex is expected to start in the second half of 2021. Construction and interior work is expected to wrap up by the middle of 2023, according to the presentation.

In the meantime, the growing contingent of Amazon employees in Arlington will work out of temporary office space in Crystal City.

Were looking forward to beginning demolition at the Metropolitan Park site in the very near future; some staging activity has already begun, an Amazon spokeswoman told ARLnow. Amazon is already here and were hiring. As the MetPark site takes shape, we will continue to grow the teams in our leased space in Crystal City, where we now have nearly 450 employees.

Its not yet clear whether Amazon will hold a groundbreaking ceremony as work at the Pentagon City site gets underway.

Some local residents, particularly those who live in apartment buildings across the street, have expressed concerns about construction noise from the project. Permitted working hours extend until 9 p.m. on weekdays, were told.

See more here:
Countdown to Construction: Equipment Being Staged at Amazon HQ2 Site - ARLnow

There might be fewer construction cranes downtown, but that doesnt mean the regions apartment frenzy has halted.

Much of 2020s apartment construction will be in neighborhoods outside of downtown San Diego, which has made up the lions share of new rentals the past few years. More building is now occurring in North Park, Hillcrest, Pacific Beach and throughout the county.

There are around 3,500 new apartments planned to open in 2020. Thats down from 4,500 expected at the start of last year, but early numbers show that total was likely not reached. Predicting how many apartments will open at the start of the year can be tricky because delays are frequent and one large project being postponed a few months can skew a yearly total.

Regardless, it appears the San Diego County apartment market is showing little signs of slowing as developers continue to benefit from ever-growing rent. Thats despite concerns over statewide rent control, changes for how developers submit projects downtown and fears of a slowing economy.

The difference this year is a lack of large-scale downtown developments, particularly the massive complexes in East Village and Little Italy that made the last few years seem like downtown was a giant construction site.

One of the downtowns biggest developers, Nat Bosa of Bosa Development, said there isnt a whole lot to read into a slowdown. Bosas Broadway Block apartment complex, with 620 apartments downtown, is set to open in 2021.

A little bit of slowing down in the apartment sector is not all bad, he said, because there has been a hell of a lot that came on scene. So, we need to absorb all that inventory.

The movement of many smaller apartment projects into San Diegos neighborhoods means higher density where single-family homes have dominated for a half-century.

One of those projects is Kansas Modern, a 24-unit complex in the heart of North Park that takes the place of three older single-family homes. Developer and architect Beri Varol said he is bullish on the apartment market in San Diego, especially in North Park where a lot of young professionals want to live.

Varols plan is to start rent at $2,100 a month for a one-bedroom and up to $3,400 for a two-bedroom. He said he has seen apartments going for the same rate, which he feels are lower quality, in the area.

I dont think well have a problem, honestly, he said of rental rates.

Varols company, BV Architecture + Development, is a boutique developer with smaller-scale projects similar to many of the developers dominating recent apartment construction with 20 to 50-unit apartment projects throughout the county.

As the name would suggest, the apartment is contemporary and likely to appeal to a millennial renter. It will hold a lot more on the site than the three houses that once sat there, including a new Moes Coffee on the ground floor, 17 parking spaces (it is still being decided how spots will be allocated), storage units for all apartments, an outdoor gathering area with a barbecue pit, large balconies for all apartments, and communal bikes (first come, first served ).

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Inside of one of the soon to be completed ground floor apartments at the Kansas Modern apartments on Kansas Street and Howard Avenue in North Park, on Thursday, January 09, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tri)

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Beri Varol, the architect and developer of the Kansas Modern apartments on Kansas Street and Howard Avenue in North Park, in one of the soon to be completed units on Thursday, January 09, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tri)

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Plater crew getting read to work at the soon to be completed 24 unit Kansas Modern apartments on Kansas Street and Howard Avenue in North Park, on Thursday, January 09, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tri)

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Exterior of the at the Kansas Modern apartments on Kansas Street and Howard Avenue in North Park, on Thursday, January 09, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tri)

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Beri Varol, right, the architect and developer of the Kansas Modern apartments on Kansas Street and Howard Avenue in North Park, with Union-Tribune Real Estate reporter Phil Molnar, left, on Thursday, January 09, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tri)

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Drone view of the soon to be completed 24 unit Kansas Modern apartments on Kansas Street and Howard Avenue in North Park, on Thursday, January 09, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tribune)

Kansas Modern, at 4195 Kansas St., will be a short walk to 30th Street near the Vons grocery store. From there, it is quick access on foot to North Parks bars, restaurants and shops. Varol said that is one of the main selling points of the project.

You are in the epicenter of everything that is exciting about North Park, he said.

Varol said he left out certain amenities that he felt werent crucial and, ultimately, meant the costs would not be passed on to renters. There is no elevator in the three-story building and no gym, considering how many there are in the area. The complex includes three rent-restricted apartments for low-income renters.

He said it cost $1.6 million to acquire the land for Kansas Modern, with a total development cost of $9.5 million. It is anticipated to open in early April 2020.

It would hard to find a better location for an apartment than The Collins, a luxury complex in La Jolla that is a short walk from the popular Windansea Beach.

The 15-unit apartment complex from the San Diego-based Murfey Co. is an example of repurposing a building to meet housing demand, albeit on a small scale. The Collins used to be the Nautilus Professional Building, built in 1964, which was mostly used for dental and medical offices.

It took about a year to convert the building, which Murfey Co. calls a sophisticated callback, sort of a contemporary style with retro leanings. The company bought the site, along with an adjacent building, for $9.15 million in June 2018. It declined to say the overall development cost for The Collins, which was designed by San Diego-based H2 Architects.

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Souther side of the Collins luxury apartment complex on La Jolla Blvd. on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tribune)

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L-r, developers Scott Murfey and his brother Russ Murphy inside one of their units at The Collins luxury apartment complex on La Jolla Blvd. on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tribune)

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One of the bedrooms in a two bedroom unit of the Collins luxury apartment complex on La Jolla Blvd. on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tribune)

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Derek Marso, owner of the Valley Farms Market, which is in the lower floor of the Collins luxury apartment complex on La Jolla Blvd., at the meat counter on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tribune)

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Derek Marso, owner of the Valley Farms Market, which is in the lower floor of the Collins luxury apartment complex on La Jolla Blvd., walked towards the produce section on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. (John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tribune)

Russ Murfey, co-owner of Murfey Co., said he must have driven past the site with his brother Scott Murfey (also a co-owner) thousands of times and dreamed about what was possible. He said the building had been an eyesore for 20 years and wasnt serving the community.

It was really run down and needed a turnaround, he said. We saw the opportunity to give it a breath of fresh air.

The Collins only recently opened and was entirely pre-leased before doors opened. Rents started at $1,995 for a one-bedroom unit (average 650 square feet) and $2,595 for a two-bedroom apartment (average 1,000 square feet). There is one subsidized unit in the building for a renter earning under 50 percent of the area median income. About half the units have ocean views and the main amenity is its proximity to the beach. Russ Murfey said renters are a mix of young professionals and empty-nesters, and most are from the general area.

The four-story building is mixed-use with the Miller & Calhoon law office on the fourth floor and the Valley Farm Market grocery store on the first floor. It is the second location of the market, which has been in Spring Valley since 1956. The 5,000-square-foot grocery store seems to fit in with the La Jolla crowd, featuring organic produce, fresh seafood and meat without added hormones that is range fed.

The market is run by Derek Marso, grandson to the founders of the East County market, who said hes received hundreds of offers to open a new grocery store somewhere but this is the first time he found a good fit. Valley Farm Market opened in late November, but will likely host its official grand opening in a few weeks.

Rent profits arent what they used to be a few years ago, but it doesnt seem to be stopping developers.

As of the fourth quarter last year, rent was an average $1,850 a month, said real estate tracker CoStar. That was an increase of 3.2 percent in a year, which was down from the past few years when rent was increasing 5 to 7 percent annually.

The rent growth in San Diego County mirrors the economy coming out of the Great Recession. In the fourth quarter of 2010, rent was an average $1,341, and has been going up ever since rising 38 percent as of the end of 2019. CoStar forecasts rent will continue to increase through at least the fourth quarter of 2024.

In its latest multifamily market overview, real estate firm JLL wrote that demand for apartments would remain strong in San Diego County because of job growth and low unemployment. Other factors it noted were a diverse mix of industries, growing population and a substantial millennial population, 27 percent, the third-highest in the nation behind Austin and San Francisco.

Aerial drone view of the Collins luxury apartment complex on La Jolla Blvd. on Tuesday, January 14, 2020.

(John Gibbins/John Gibbins/San Diego Union-Tribune)

Adding to the renter pool is a highly educated population. JLL said 24 percent of residents over 25 years old have a bachelors degree, above the 20 percent national average.

Another potential advantage for apartment developers, JLL noted, was the dropping homeownership rate in the county. Nearly half of the region, 49 percent, are renters. Rapidly increasing home prices, already out of reach for most of the population, are expected to continue this trend.

Large real estate corporations might have reason to seek out the San Diego metro area as opposed to some other markets. San Diego had the ninth-highest rent of the 100 largest metro areas in December, Zumper said, with $1,780 a month for a one-bedroom.

That was more than Miami ($1,710 a month), Denver ($1,520), Chicago ($1,440) and Portland ($1,430).

There are a few things that could disrupt the market as the industry waits to see how everything is going to play out. First, the downtown planning agency Civic San Diego credited by JLL for quickly approving projects has been stripped of power and now it will be the responsibility of the city to handle downtown development. The city is still establishing a downtown staff, which may slow approvals for some time.

Second, there is rent control in San Diego County for the first time as of January. However, the new rent cap law only applies to older buildings (projects more than 15 years old) and increases will be capped at 7.2 percent. Rent never increased that much in a year in San Diego County going back to 2001, according to CoStar data.

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San Diego County: More than 3,000 new apartments coming this year, with most outside of downtown - The San Diego Union-Tribune

The former Sunset School in Utica is nothing more than a pile of rubble.

Excavators and other heavy machinery were moving piles of dirt and debris earlier this week. Due to the warmer than usual weather and clear skies earlier this month, the demolition is ahead of schedule, said Louis Tehan, interim executive director of the Kelberman Center.

The Kelberman Center intends to build a four-story, 60-unit apartment building, which has drawn criticism from nearby residents. Signs in the yards of some homes adjacent to Sunset Avenue in South Utica implore the Kelberman Center to build the development smaller.

Dubbed The Link at Sunset, the apartment complex includes 48 units of market-rate housing and 12 units reserved for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Demolition of the former school at 2507-2513 Sunset Ave. began last December.

Theres been less dust during the demolition due to the cold temperatures, but the building still was sprayed with water as the structure was brought down, Tehan said. With crews expected to complete debris removal by the end of the month, the next step will depend on the weather.

Tehan said its unlikely any construction work will get underway at the site as its too cold for concrete work. Its more likely contractors will pick up the work in April once temperatures begin to warm up, he said.

The Kelberman Center and its contractors hold a construction meeting every Friday, Tehan said.

The transition from demolition to construction should be seamless from an administrative standpoint. Daniel Cozza, the citys chief building inspector, said the Kelberman Centers building permit for the site covered both the tear down and new build in December.

The citys planning board approved the site plan for the Sunset project at its May 17, 2018 meeting, but it garnered attention when Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced $5.2 million in state funds for the project last May. Cuomos announcement highlighted the project, which will include an on-site service office for the Kelberman Center.

South Utica residents concerned with the Kelberman Centers project turned out to several Common Council meetings earlier this year. About 48 residents came to the June 5 Common Council meeting and expressed concern about having 60 units on the 1.4-acre lot.

Changing of the guard

Tehan, the CEO of Upstate Caring Partners, is serving as interim executive director of the Kelberman Center after Dr. Robert Myers stepped away from the position. Upstate Caring Partners is the parent corporation of the Kelberman Center and Upstate Cerebral Palsy.

Tehan, who took over the role Jan. 1, said Myers left the position to focus on consulting work and teaching at Syracuse University. Tehan did not elaborate on the reason behind Myers departure, but cited the grind of the position, including a commute from Syracuse.

Myers and Dr. Michael Kelbermans names appeared on a letter circulated in the weeks prior to the November 2019 elections, which urged recipients to vote for three local political candidates Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente Jr. and Utica Common Council President Michael Galime. Myers and Kelberman denied approving the distribution of the letter or granting permission to use their signatures on the letter, which may have violated federal and state laws prohibiting nonprofits from endorsing political candidates.

The Kelberman Center then issued a statement alleging the letter was sent by Upstate Cerebral Palsy, its sister organization.

Contact reporter Steve Howe at 315-792-5015 or follow him on Twitter (@OD_Howe).

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South Utica housing project presses ahead - Utica Observer Dispatch

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Construction crews work on the new Jefferson High School on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 at the site near North Marion Road and Career Avenue. (Photo: Abigail Dollins / Argus Leader)

Snow and the cold are no match for Sioux Falls construction industry.

Even in the middle of January, with remnants of the most recent winter storm still visible and a bitter wind blowing, one particular work site in northwestern Sioux Falls was bustling.

Jeff Kreiter stopped to let an excavator pass as he made his way back to the trailer for an afternoon meeting. Behind him were a network of towering walls, beams and joists that will eventually coalesce to become Thomas Jefferson High School.

Five years ago we were thinking it might need to happen, said Kreiter, operational services director for the Sioux Falls School District. The population just kept increasing.

Population growth drives development,and for 2019 the high school was the single biggest project approved by the city in another busy year for the Sioux Falls construction industry.

Jefferson High: Final designs could bring Sioux Falls School District under budget

Even with plenty of activityand a few massive projects, numbers released by the city's planning departmentlast week show the combined value of building permits issued in 2019 dropped for the first time in nine years, a break in a run of consecutive record-breaking years for the citys construction industry.

Shifting building trends, a tight workforce, tornado recovery and a few major projects all came into play last year for Sioux Falls contractors.

Some takeaways:

The construction industry continued to hit its stride last year, with hundreds of million of dollars in projects approved by City Hall and thousands of building permits issued.

In fact, the number of building permits issued last year marked a three-year high, with 7,355 permits pulled for projects across the city.

The combined value of those permits was $771.5 million, showing a strong growth rate overall, said Jeff Eckhoff, planning services director for the city.

You talk to the builders, its a very strong economy, a very strong market for them, he said.

The decrease in value from 2018 to 2019 amounted to $15.1 million a 2 percent dip. But the drop is less of a concern when you consider the signs of economic strength apparent from a more detailed look at last years construction data, said Michael Bender, founder and principal of Bender Commercial Real Estate.

2019 was not spectacular, it was solid, Bender said.

A view shows the future main entrance of the new Jefferson High School on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 at the site near North Marion Road and Career Avenue. (Photo: Abigail Dollins / Argus Leader)

A drop in construction on new apartments affected the overall numbers

A few big-ticket projects werent enough to make up for a shift in how developers treated multi-family housing.

USD Discovery District: Construction on the first phase set for April

The one area where we were down significantly was in the apartments, Eckhoff said.

A breakdown of building permit totals for last year shows a significant departure from the recent boom years for the construction of new apartment buildings.

Developers flooded the housing market with massive apartment complexes in 2016 and 2017, causing a spike in the number of new rental units added.

The trend reached a breaking point in 2018 and continued to reverse course last year. Construction value on new apartment buildings plummeted from $117.4 million to $65.6 million in a two-year period. The result: The city added nearly half of the number of rental units it added in 2017.

Our demand didnt double, Bender said. Yet, our supply doubled.

Builders across the skilled trades have struggled against Sioux Falls low unemployment for years.

The citys low jobless rate has created a shortage of workers across the industries, and construction is not immune. Contractors in Sioux Falls have been some of the busiest and most vocal in advocating for workforce development initiatives and partnering with Southeast Tech and area public schools.

Building Services Director Jeff Kreiter observes the construction work on the front side of the new Jefferson High School on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 at the site near North Marion Road and Career Avenue. (Photo: Abigail Dollins / Argus Leader)

Bender sees labor as a limiting factor on the industrys activity and he wonders if the numbers for last year would have been better if there had been a better supply of workers.

Construction: Schools top list of Sioux Falls' biggest projects in 2019

He believes the citys yearly construction totals could some day top $1 billion, but only if contractors have enough workers.

The labor market has put pressure on construction interests, Bender said.

Bender and his company host an invite-only economic outlook forum each year, analyzing past real-estate trends and making predictions for the year to come.

Now in its 23rd year, the Bender Market Outlook is slated for Feb. 20 at the Washington Pavillion, and the staff at the Sioux Falls-based firm are already busy preparing.

Despite the decrease in combined permit value last year, Bender notes that commercial projects continue to outpace residential. There was a $30 million uptick in new commercial construction overall, driven by the addition of new strip malls, hotels and restaurants, according to city data.

Thats a good sign, Bender said.

An updated map shows construction progress on the new Jefferson High School on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020 at the site near North Marion Road and Career Avenue.(Photo: Abigail Dollins / Argus Leader)

The reason being that commercial is a larger dollar amount, he said.

Another indicator of economic strength is when there is more new construction than additions or remodels.

In Sioux Falls case, new construction outpaced addition-remodel totals for both commercial and residential projects.

Most people look for reasons not to make a decision, Bender said.

Five massive projects, most of them funded by taxpayers, were responsible for providing the biggest boost in value for the construction industry.

Two new schools contributed significantly to the combined value of permits issued in 2019, along with a project from the city, a local bank and a newcomer to the citys competitive medical services industry. They are:

Combined, they make up one-fifth of the total permit value for last year.

USD Discovery District: LifeScape to build new children's campus

Giant projects like the two schools might seem like outliers, but Bender said its often the norm. Each year there are a small group of significant projects that buoy the combined value of building permits issued.

After overseeing construction on the Avera Specialty Hospital and a few other major projects from recent years, Sioux Falls-based contractor Journey Group continued its dominance of the citys construction industry last year.

Journey filed permits for Jefferson High School and continued its work for Avera, which for 2019 included new permits the Avera Human Performance Center and extensive repairs in the wake of the fall tornadoes.

We believe the majority of our success is built on great relationships and the partnerships we have grown over the years here in Sioux Falls and in the region, Journey President and CEO Randy Knecht said in an emailed statement.

The top contractors for 2019 by permit value were:

Three tornadoes touched down in Sioux Falls this fall, significantly damaging residential and commercial buildings across the city.

Recovering from the devastation meant significant rebuilding by Avera Health and businesses along 41st Street, along with nearby homes affected by damage.

There were nearly 170 building permits issued that mentioned the storm, worth a combined value of $13.7 million.

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Sioux Falls construction for 2019: Values down, permits up and signs of good things ahead - Argus Leader