Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Bruce Dachis will install seven apartment units on top of his existing building at 29th & Bryant.

Prefabricated apartment units are coming to the Wedge.

Developer Bruce Dachis is planning to install seven apartment pods atop his three-story commercial building at 29th & Bryant, just south of the Midtown Greenway. The units will be built off site and placed atop the building via crane.

The project will include one studio apartment, five two-bedroom, two-story apartments and a seventh unit in which Dachis will live. It wont displace any of the building tenants, which include Soo Visual Arts Center, Awaken Pilates Studio and R&M Diamonds, among others.

Im basically building this because I want a place to live, Dachis said.

Dachis estimated that the two-bedroom units would cost $2,500 a month. The studio would cost about half of that, he said.

We think were really competitive in that price range, he said.

Dachis will extend the staircases and elevators up to accommodate the addition. The project also will include a two-car parking garage and closing the curb along Bryant Avenue. Residents will park in an outdoor lot already on the property.

The units could be placed on the building as soon as this fall, Dachis said.

Features will include decks that run the length of the units and high-efficiency furnaces and glass, which will contribute to a small energy footprint, Dachis said. His unit will have a aluminum skin, while the remaining unit will have a charcoal color.

Were using industrial material but in a contemporary design, Dachis said. We think this will be a cool art piece.

Dachis is working with St. Paul architecture firm Alchemy, which has built about 50 prefabricated projects since 2002. The weeHouses, as Alchemy calls them, are built in factories and delivered by flatbed truck to the sites. It takes the firm about nine months to complete projects from start to finish.

weeHouses consist of individual pods that are either 14 or 16 feet long and up to 60 feet wide. The pods can function as stand-alone units or can be combined to create large dwellings. Dachis project will include about 15 pods, for example.

Its really a small, efficient, sort of tool box of a structure, Alchemy founder Geoffrey Warner said.

A one-pod unit can include up to three bedrooms and two bathrooms, according to Warner. Two- and three-pod units are typically between 1,200 and 1,600 square feet, while four-pod units run between 1,8000 and 2,400 square feet.

The pods arrive on site between 80 and 90 percent complete and come standard with small porches and all interior plumbing, electrical, cabinetry, hardwood flooring, windows and doors. Heating and cooling systems and garages can be added.

Modular work starts at $80,000 and runs up to $300,000, according to the Alchemy website. Other costs include site work, delivery, unit placement and land. Alchemy charges a 15 percent fee on top of that.

Alchemys website touts the weeHouses as consuming less energy and having fewer greenhouse gas than a standard home. The firm can incorporate sustainability features such as rainwater collection, passive solar heating and solar panels into the projects.

Mary Bujold, president of Golden Valley-based Maxfield Research & Consulting, said there have been several groups trying to encourage more builders to build prefabricated units. She predicted that more developers are going to consider it, in order to save costs.

I think that theyve really improved the whole prefabrication thing, she said.

The Minneapolis Planning Commission on June 26 approved a conditional-use permit for the Dachis project, allowing him to increase the height of the building from four to five stories. It also approved a variance to reduce the setback on the south side of the building.

The Wedge Neighborhood Association board has supported the project, according to Vice President Katie Jones Schmitt.

Read the original here:
Developer to install seven prefabricated apartment units at 29th & Bryant - Southwest Journal

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) The business that provides heating and cooling for most of the buildings in downtown Youngstown is in such bad financial shape, a state agency has stepped in to help.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio voted Friday to provide some help to the Youngstown Thermal Company. The meeting in Columbus lasted a short two and half minutes but created the process for a long-term plan to fix its finances.

In very short order, the PUCO staff conducted a review of Youngstown Thermals finances and determined that the utility is insolvent or in the imminent danger of insolvency, said PUCO Chairman Asim Haque.

The commission voted to ask Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to seek the appointment of a receiver to solve the companys financial problems.

A PUCO investigation showed cash flow problems, utility disconnect notices, missed payroll, and a failure to pay debts.

Youngstown Thermal provides the steam that heats and cools most of downtown Youngstown, including city hall.

I would imagine with this receivership in place, at some point in time, it could be sold, it could be run by somebody else, Haque said.

But even with the PUCO using words like insolvency, Youngstown Thermal CEO Carl Avers said theres no immediate threat of the company closing.

The Public Utility Commissions responsibility is to continue service so there is no concern about the discontinuing of service of any kind, Haque said.

Late Friday afternoon, Avers emailed WKBN a statement, saying Youngstown Thermal has saved businesses $5 million a year in fuel costs for most of the last 35 years:

Some of our managers reactivated coal use with a clean coal technology burning operation at Youngstown Thermal in 1980 when Youngstown Thermal acquired the then fuel oil burning North Avenue Steam Plant from Ohio Edison. From 1979 to 2007 Youngstown Thermal saved the Central Business District approximately $140,000,000 in fuel savings. This reactivation was made possible with the installation of the then state-of-the-art pollution control systems which turned out to be the fore runner of todays most modern coal burning systems. Youngstown State University, City Buildings, County Buildings, YMCA and most of downtowns CBD have been the benefactor of low cost fuels not technically possible without a district steam network. Youngstown Thermal steam rates historically have been among the lowest steam rates in the country and provided an economic incentive for Youngstowns Central Business District. In 2006 it would have cost $5,000,000 more each year if the CBD buildings used natural gas for their fuel source for heating instead of clean coal.Incidentally in about 2008 the combustion/control technology at Youngstown Thermal was adopted as best available technology for theState of Pennsylvania.

Avers said he asked the PUCO to put Youngstown Thermal in receivership, in part because he said four companies which he would not identify owe him a million dollars and he hopes receivership will help him collect the money.

Youngstown Mayor John McNally said the Attorney General will likely begin legal proceedings in a week or so in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

I actually think this is a good thing to happen. I think its something that us here in city hall have quietly been waiting to see happen over the past two years, McNally said.

It isnt yet known if the receivership will be a single person or more than one person. Thats up to the judge.

Visit link:
Company heating, cooling downtown Youngstown in financial trouble - WKBN.com

STEUBENVILLE After receiving an estimate for a new heating, air conditioning and ventilation system for the Ohio Valley Towers building, the Jefferson County commissioners are expected to take a loan for the project.

The commissioners on Thursday received an estimate of more than $2 million to replace the buildings current system. The estimate came from McKinley and Associates of Wheeling, the commissions architectural consultant, which found controls and ductwork must be redesigned and reconfigured to meet the buildings heating and cooling needs.

Commissioner David Maple told his fellow commissioners, Were going to have to go after a loan and probably soon.

Following the meeting, Maple said the buildings existing HVAC system is aging and the commissioners had to bring in an exterior air conditioning unit to cool it. He acknowledged they also face extensive repairs or replacement of the buildings roof.

Maple said the commissioners also might draw on $500,000 remaining from a loan taken for earlier improvements to the building and the demolition of the courthouse annex.

Mark Morelli of Optional Utility Consultants, an energy broker for the county, noted a reduction in energy use since more energy-efficient boilers and lighting were installed at the building. In the near future Morelli is expected to propose the renewal of a three-year contract for the buildings electrical supply.

The Towers building also has helped to save the county money by bringing many of its departments and agencies under one roof.

Commissioner Thomas Graham said the Ohio State University Extension Service and the countys port authority will be moving into the building soon.

The commissioners also granted a request from Mingo Junction for $10,000 from the countys recreation fund to offset the cost for the villages amphitheater project, installation of a non-slip surface for the swimming pools dressing areas and repairs to a shelter house at the park.

Village Administrator Bob Smith said the project had to be redesigned because it would have disturbed a drainage system along the adjacent hillside, but is back on track and expected to be completed this summer.

Money in the recreation fund comes from the countys piggyback tax.

In related business, Island Creek Township trustees advised they used about $2,560 of $4,046 allocated from the fund for the Pleasant Hill ballfield for an emergency measure replacing a collapsing well house supplying water to the park with a submersible pump. The trustees said the remainder of the money was used to reimburse the Pleasant Hill Baseball Association for field mix.

In other business, the commissioners:

Agreed to advertise for a contractor to pave a parking lot at the annexs former site. The commissioners said the lot will include about 37 spaces, most of them for residents visiting the courthouse.

Accepted a $14,236 drug law enforcement grant from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services for the countys drug task force, with the task force to provide the 25 percent match from its budget. Its the fifth consecutive year the task force has received the grant.

Received three bids for a bridge replacement project on county Road 75: $829,000 from A.P. OHoro of Youngstown; $816,180 from Shelly and Sands of Rayland; and $747,463 from BOG Construction of Berlin Center. The bids were referred to the county engineer for review.

Approved a proclamation declaring Thursday as Betty Ferron Day in recognition of her 50 years of service as a county employee and volunteer. They noted that in addition to her role as director of the countys director of job and family services, Ferron has volunteered for the Jefferson County Fourth Street Health Center and other causes.

Appointed Todd Phillipson, Dave Lucas, Karla Martin and Rich Gualtire to the Jefferson County Youth Council and Kyle Brown, Karen DAnnibale, Nicholas Cacciacarro, Randy Stillings and Martin to the work force investment board. All will serve three-year terms.

All of the appointments are renewals except for Martin, who is the new coordinator of the Aspire GED program at Eastern Gateway Community College, and Cacciacarro, who is PNC Banks new representative to the work force investment board.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

HAMMONDSVILLE Edison High School will have a new assistant principal when the 2017-18 school year begins, ...

ST. CLAIRSVILLE Through fracking, pipelining, processing, abstracting, manufacturing and other fields, natural ...

Area fireworks Cadiz: Dusk tonight, Sally Buffalo Park Chester: 10 p.m. Tuesday. Steubenville: 9:45 p.m. ...

Two sentenced for related crimes STEUBENVILLE A Steubenville woman and man each were sentenced to two years ...

Read more here:
Commissioners mull loan for HVAC project at the Towers - The Steubenville Herald-Star

Smart windows equipped with controllable glazing can augment lighting, cooling and heating systems by varying their tint, saving up to 40 percent in an average building's energy costs.

These smart windows require power for operation, so they are relatively complicated to install in existing buildings. But by applying a new solar cell technology, researchers at Princeton University have developed a different type of smart window: a self-powered version that promises to be inexpensive and easy to apply to existing windows. This system features solar cells that selectively absorb near-ultraviolet (near-UV) light, so the new windows are completely self-powered.

"Sunlight is a mixture of electromagnetic radiation made up of near-UV rays, visible light, and infrared energy, or heat," said Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, director of the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, and the Theodora D. '78 and William H. Walton III '74 Professor in Engineering. "We wanted the smart window to dynamically control the amount of natural light and heat that can come inside, saving on energy cost and making the space more comfortable."

Graduate student Nicholas Davy holds a sample of the special window glass, whichharvests one portion of the light spectrum to control other parts of the spectrum. Specifically, it uses near-ultraviolet light to generate electricity, which powers chemical reactions that lighten or darken the glass as needed. When darkened, the window can block more than 80 percent of light.

The smart window controls the transmission of visible light and infrared heat into the building, while the new type of solar cell uses near-UV light to power the system.

"This new technology is actually smart management of the entire spectrum of sunlight," said Loo, who is a professor of chemical and biological engineering. Loo is one of the authors of a paper, published June 30, that describes this technology, which was developed in her lab.

Because near-UV light is invisible to the human eye, the researchers set out to harness it for the electrical energy needed to activate the tinting technology.

"Using near-UV light to power these windows means that the solar cells can be transparent and occupy the same footprint of the window without competing for the same spectral range or imposing aesthetic and design constraints," Loo added. "Typical solar cells made of silicon are black because they absorb all visible light and some infrared heat so those would be unsuitable for this application."

In the paper published today in Nature Energy, the researchers described how they used organic semiconductors contorted hexabenzocoronene (cHBC) derivatives for constructing the solar cells. The researchers chose the material because its chemical structure could be modified to absorb a narrow range of wavelengths in this case, near-UV light. To construct the solar cell, the semiconductor molecules are deposited as thin films on glass with the same production methods used by organic light-emitting diode manufacturers. When the solar cell is operational, sunlight excites the cHBC semiconductors to produce electricity.

At the same time, the researchers constructed a smart window consisting of electrochromic polymers, which control the tint, and can be operated solely using power produced by the solar cell. When near-UV light from the sun generates an electrical charge in the solar cell, the charge triggers a reaction in the electrochromic window, causing it to change from clear to dark blue. When darkened, the window can block more than 80 percent of light.

Nicholas Davy, a doctoral student in the chemical and biological engineering department and the paper's lead author, said other researchers have already developed transparent solar cells, but those target infrared energy. However, infrared energy carries heat, so using it to generate electricity can conflict with a smart windows function of controlling the flow of heat in or out of a building. Transparent near-UV solar cells, on the other hand, don't generate as much power as the infrared version, but dont impede the transmission of infrared radiation, so they complement the smart windows task.

Davy said that the Princeton teams aim is to create a flexible version of the solar-powered smart window system that can be applied to existing windows via lamination.

"Someone in their house or apartment could take these wireless smart window laminates which could have a sticky backing that is peeled off and install them on the interior of their windows," said Davy. "Then you could control the sunlight passing into your home using an app on your phone, thereby instantly improving energy efficiency, comfort and privacy.

Joseph Berry, senior research scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, who studies solar cells but was not involved in the research, said the project is interesting because the device scales well and targets a specific part of the solar spectrum.

"Integrating the solar cells into the smart windows makes them more attractive for retrofits and you don't have to deal with wiring power," said Berry. "And the voltage performance is quite good. The voltage they have been able to produce can drive electronic devices directly, which is technologically quite interesting."

Davy and Loo have started a new company, called Andluca Technologies, based on the technology described in the paper, and are already exploring other applications for the transparent solar cells. They explained that the near-UV solar cell technology can also power internet-of-things sensors and other low-power consumer products.

"It does not generate enough power for a car, but it can provide auxiliary power for smaller devices, for example, a fan to cool the car while its parked in the hot sun," Loo said.

Besides Loo and Davy, Melda Sezen-Edmonds, a graduate student in chemical and biological engineering, is the co-author responsible for the electrochromic portion of the paper. Other authors are Jia Gao, a postdoctoral researcher in Loos group then, now with Enablence Technologies in California; Xin Lin, a graduate student in electrical engineering; Amy Liu, an undergraduate in computer science; Nan Yao, director of Princeton's Imaging and Analysis Center; and Antoine Kahn, the Stephen C. Macaleer '63 Professor in Engineering and Applied Science and vice dean of Princeton's School of Engineering and Applied Science. Support for the project was provided in part by the National Science Foundation as well as the Wilke Family Fund administered by the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton.

The rest is here:
Self-powered system makes smart windows smarter - Princeton University

Democrats on a U.S. congressional committee have asked the president of a company that oversaw the maintenance of FEMA trailers issued to victims of Louisiana's historic floods in August whether he wants to change or withdraw testimony he made that absolved his company of knowledge that some of the manufactured homes had malfunctioning thermostats.

One of those malfunctioning thermostats is being blamed in the death of a blind military vet, a flood victim who was found dead inside one of the trailers in Baton Rouge.

The Democratic members of the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform asserted they have obtained documents that contradict statements David Boone made under oath when he claimed that he wasn't aware of any issues with the thermostats until after the death of Everett Wilson.

+8

Congress has ordered a review of FEMA's manufactured housing unit program after a Baton Roug

Boone is the president of Capital Services, formerly called Chicago Bridge & Iron Federal Services. The company was sold Friday to private equity firm Veritas Capital.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency contracted with Capital Services to haul, install and maintain the manufactured housing units issued to residents displaced after the devastating floods.

Liza Kelso, the company's spokeswoman, acknowledged receipt of the letter and said they are reviewing the matter and will provide an appropriate response to committee members.

"However, we strongly disagree with any suggestion that false testimony was proffered by Mr. Boone during that hearing," Kelso said in an email Friday. "Various FEMA officials continue to pay compliments to the Capital Services team for the outstanding work in helping the Baton Rouge community recovery from this disaster."

Wilson, an 84-year-old blind U.S. Air Force veteran, was found on Oct. 25 unresponsive in a bed inside the trailer provided to him by FEMA after the August floods. He died from accidental hyperthermia, or overheating.

The temperature inside the mobile home at the time of his death registered at 124.4 degrees fahrenheit, and air coming out of the vents of the trailer's heating and air unit measured as high as 137.9 degrees, officials said previously.

Wilson's caretaker had made calls to authorities to fix the unit's heating and cooling system.

Boone claimed his company fully complied with all its contracted responsibilities from FEMA during an Oversight Committee hearing April 5.

The letter to Boone rehashes a portion of his testimony in which Boone claimed the company had only received "positive comments and glowing accolades" from FEMA about their performance under the contract.

"These claims are overwhelmingly contradicted by numerous documents obtained by the Committee," the letter states. "These documents leave no doubt that your company received significant criticism from FEMA for failing to meet its contractual maintenance obligations and to properly staff and run the maintenance hotline the lifeline that victims relied on to report problems with their housing units."

The committee's Democrats also claims they obtained documents showing that Capital Services knew from August 2016 that multiple thermostats were malfunctioning in the same manner as Wilson's was in his housing unit.

The letter says members of the committee gave Boone multiple opportunities to revise or retract his statements during the April hearing since some of the documents were obtained prior to his testimony.

"Should you decline to take advantage of this opportunity, we may consider alternative measures," the letter states. "Testifying before Congress is a serious endeavor, and the Committee relies on witnesses to be truthful at all times to assist our oversight efforts and ensure that the American people are well-served."

Follow Terry Jones on Twitter, @tjonesreporter.

Originally posted here:
Democrats on US House committee: How much did company know about thermostat problems in FEMA trailers - The Advocate

BUILDING PERMITS

PMT2017-00201 1141 Pearl St.; $425,000.00; Garbarino LLC; Harrington Stanko Construction; 3119 square feet area of interior, street level, tenant improvements for wine bar (Vinca) use. Scope to include addition of bathroom and grease trap installation in basement space, 813 square feet. Exterior improvements approved through HIS2016-00397 include window and door replacement on facade facing the Pearl Street mall and the alley. Associated MEP's included within the scope of this permit.

PMT2017-01423 4178 Clifton Court; $650,000.00; Hendricks Fine Homes LLC; New three story single-family dwelling with unfinished basement. Five bedrooms (including loft and study), 2.5 bath, and main floor study. Total of 4,399 square feet, 3,275 square feet of finished area, 599 square feet garage, and 880 square feet of decks, patios, and porches. (EDIT 6/2/2017) (hot-tub shown on plans has been removed from scope of work)

PMT2017-01727 1919 14th St. 300; $55,000.00; Wyatt Construction Co., Inc.; Installation of a 730 square-foot patio on the third floor roof, accessed from the fourth floor roof, over the 38-foot height limitation at roughly 43.5 feet to top of railing. See HIS2016-00317 and LUR2016-00097 for previous reviews.

PMT2017-01765 3769 Mountain Laurel Place; $464,660.00; Lezlie Forster; Remodel and addition for a single-family detached dwelling. Addition includes enclosing of existing upper deck for expansion of master bath and addition of balcony. Remodel to include kitchen, the rest of master suite, and finishes in other rooms.

PMT2017-01767 820 38th St.; $132,476.40; Nicholas Meima and Allison Welles; Timber Worx Construction; Addition of 1062 square feet, to include family room on first floor, two bedrooms and bathroom on second floor. Scope of work to include existing kitchen remodel, 228 square feet.

PMT2017-01778 2950 Stanford Ave.; $240,000.00; Mark Strynar; Addition of a single-family residence. Scope of addition includes conversion of 93 square feet of existing garage into habitable space (mudroom), conversion of front porch into entry way, addition to garage on main level along street-facing side (154 square feet), and addition above garage of 478 square feet for master suite on new second level. Scope includes associated MEP. See HIS2017-00132.

PMT2017-01808 2639 Spruce St.; $180,152.96; Namaste Ventures; PG Arnold Construction; Interior tenant remodel of an existing office suite. Scope includes reconfiguration of interior partition walls, and associated MEP changes.

PMT2017-01819 781 Grant Place; $48,077.00; Terry and Jessica Shidner; Home Remodeling Technology; Construction of new pergola over existing walk/entry way on the south side of the existing single-family home. Removing (3) exterior windows on the east facing facade. Installing (2) new window openings on the east facing facade. Installing stucco siding on all elevations.

PMT2017-01821 1810 Hillside Road; $72,000.00; Robert and Kathleen Burgin; San Juan Pools of Colorado; Replacement of existing concrete in-ground pool with fiberglass pool with a powered safety cover that complies with ASTM F 1346. Pool equipment to be replaced in existing location.

PMT2017-02080 949 Marine St.; $150,000.00; House Hill; Anderson-Garcia Construction; Removal and replacement of existing balconies with wood and steel balconies on an existing non-conforming 30 unit apartment building. Scope of work associated with Non-Conforming Use Review LUR2016-00024.

PMT2017-02177 3785 Longwood Ave.; $38,000.00; Bryan and Leigh Bergman; Van Matre Construction LLC; Kitchen remodel and modification to roof over the kitchen. Scope includes associated mechanical and electrical. (no change to setback, building height, coverage, or floor area)

PMT2017-02205 1205 Sumac Ave.; $90,000.00; Maxwell Lawler and Amy Schneider; CDC Development/Porchfront Homes; Addition - Second story addition of approximately 677 square feet above existing attached 3-car garage of a single-family residence. Includes wet bar area and seating area. Includes associated MEP.

PMT2017-02208 3109 28th St.; $96,563.58; Stephen Tebo; PG Arnold Construction; Tenant remodel to include demolition and new finishes of 1145 square feet for PG Arnold Construction

PMT2017-02212 1555 Redwood Ave.; $123,000.00; Jonathan Banis; Mr Pool Inc.; Construction of a new in-ground pool, 18'x32' and an in-ground spa, 8'x10'. Installation of new equipment pad and appurtenance, not to exceed 30" in height. Perimeter fence is existing.

PMT2017-02403 3033 Sterling Circle; $88,481.12; Westland Development; Tenant Remodel - Non-structural, interior/internal expansion of tenant space; 1442 square feet to be added and remodeled. Remodeled space to be converted into open office space and two conference rooms. Associated mechanical and electrical covered within the scope of this permit, including adding cooling units to the conference rooms. No plumbing proposed.

PMT2017-02651 3425 Cayman Place; $46,182.40; Matthew Hardy; Circle Contracting Ltd.; First time basement finish for a single-family detached dwelling. Scope includes one bedroom, one bathroom (on existing rough-ins), and a rec room.

PMT2017-02686 5237 Deer Creek Court; $47,477.76; Bruce Yelen; Blue Sky Remodeling; First time basement finish for a single-family detached dwelling. Scope to include a rec room, a 3/4 bathroom, an office with egress, and associated finishes (843 square feet).

PMT2017-02701 4679 Ingram Court; $19,200.00; Benjamin Greenwood; G Kenny Builders LLC; Demolition of a structural wall, between the kitchen and living room, to be replaced with a structural beam; installation per engineers' specifications. Construction includes wrapping existing furnace vent pipe with a non-structural column and adding a second non-structural column to the other side of the cook top.

PMT2017-02703 3742 Cedarlodge St.; $11,000.00; Lawrence Pevec; Reck Carpentry; Permit to finish a portion of an existing unfinished basement. Scope includes a finished office area and a new bathroom on existing rough-ins. Remaining "studio" portion of basement to be unfinished.

PMT2017-02719 4251 Vinca Court; $15,489.38; Daniel King and Sheila Hanley King; Elton R Construction, LLC; Remodel of master bathroom for a single-family detached dwelling. No change in plumbing fixture count.

PMT2017-02722 1611 Spruce St.; $15,000.00; Unit 1: Remodel of kitchen in one unit of an existing triplex. Scope includes removal of a portion of an interior bearing wall.

Read this article:
Boulder Building Permits, July 3, 2017 - Boulder Daily Camera

Denver Business Journal

Sneak peek: The view from downtown Denver's 40-story office tower ... Denver Business Journal The tallest office tower to be built in decades in Denver will reach its tallest point in mid-July, stretching 40 stories into the air at 15th and Lawrence streets. and more »

Visit link:
Sneak peek: The view from downtown Denver's 40-story office tower ... - Denver Business Journal

By Pamela Johnson

Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

Robbie Hoff, 3, plays in the dirt with a shovel Thursday after a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Larimer County Building in Loveland. Robbie is the son of Kevin Hoff, project manager for Haselden, the contractor constructing the new building. (Jenny Sparks / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

In the empty field where a two-story Larimer County office building will be constructed over the next year, county commissioner Steve Johnson described "a facility that works for today and for tomorrow."

Larimer County and Loveland officials gathered at First Street and Denver Avenue for an official groundbreaking for the $19.5 million county office building in Loveland, a project on which construction will begin Wednesday.

"This represents an opportunity for folks in the south part of the county to receive the same level of service as folks in the north part of the county, the county seat," said Tom Donnelly, commissioner who lives in Loveland and who pushed for the new building.

He and other county and city officials lauded the staff that provides human services, health department and clerk and recorder services out of an "inadequate" facility at Sixth Street and Cleveland Avenue. They said that with the new office, the building will match the "superb service" already provided.

"Our community is growing," said Johnson. "The facility on Sixth Street was probably pretty great when it opened, but we have mothers sitting on the staircase with children as they wait for service.

"This new building is going to be pretty great."

The two-story, 46,000-square-foot building will house all of those existing services as well as the Workforce Center, the elections department and a southern hub of the Larimer County Sheriff's Office. The parking lot will hold 229 vehicles, and the 8.9 acres offers room to grow.

Though there were some issues to work through in the planning and the decision of where to build, Johnson, Donnelly and Loveland Mayor Cecil Gutierrez said construction would not be happening without cooperation between the city and county. Together, they celebrated the new building that they described as a great addition for all residents of South Larimer County.

The $19.5 million project is being paid out of money the county saved from a previous voter-approved sales tax along with a $1 million grant from the Department of Local Affairs and about $700,000 in fee waivers from the city of Loveland. Donnelly touted the fact that the county planned ahead and saved for the project and is not taking on debt to build the new facility.

"It's going to be paid for entirely with cash," said Donnelly.

Recently, Donnelly looked back over citizen surveys from the 1980s and one of the top priorities, even 30 years ago, was upgrading the facilities in Loveland. He joked about the wheels of government turning slowly, then stressed the excitement that this project has become a reality through tenacity and several years worth of planning and work.

The tax money was initially earmarked to upgrade the existing building, but in 2013, voters agreed to let the county use the money for a new building instead, leading to the search for a site. The county bought the land at First and Denver in 2016.

The design by the Architect Studio looked to current and future needs, and the site is large enough for future expansion, Donnelly noted. Plus, the county and city will continue to work on phase two, a future expansion of probation facilities at the Loveland Police and Courts Building.

Haselden Construction will begin work on the building at First and Denver on Wednesday, and the offices are expected to be complete late summer or early fall of next year.

Gutierrez said he, as a Loveland resident, looks forward to having the new facility open for those who live in the south end of the county.

"Having this building down here in southern Larimer County will be very, very crucial to meeting the needs of our citizens," said Gutierrez.

Pamela Johnson: 970-699-5405, johnsonp@reporter-herald.com, http://www.twitter.com/RHPamelaJ.

Continue reading here:
Ground breaks on Larimer County offices in Loveland - Loveland Reporter-Herald

Dive Brief:

Kansas City is not the only municipality to look at its underutilized waterfront and see significant investment opportunity. Tampa, FL,developers recently announced details of their plans to build a $3 billion, mixed-use project on the city's downtown waterfront along Garrison Channel, which is one of the Port of Tampa waterways.

The project, a joint venture between Bill Gates' Cascade Investment and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, will take up 57 acres 9 million square feet and feature a combination of 1,400 condominiums and apartments, hotels,retail and a University of South Florida's medical facility. The project will also bring downtown Tampa its first office building in 25 years.

Earlier this month, the San Diego Unified Port District board and Chula Vista (CA) City Council announced they had signed a developer agreement for a $1 billion resort hotel and convention center for the Chula Vista waterfront. Houston-based RIDA Development will build a 1,450-room Gaylord Hotel and 275,000 square feet of convention space, which officials said will generate 3,100 construction jobs and $390 million in annual economic benefit for the local area.

Gramor Development also announced this month that it had secured a $42.5 million construction loan allowing work to move forward on a $1 billion waterfront project along the Columbia River in Vancouver. WA. The company said it completed necessary infrastructure work, and next up is a seven-story office building and a 63-unit, luxury apartment building, both of which will have ground floor restaurants and retail. Ultimately, the project will deliver 3,300 residential units and 1.3 million square feet of office space, along with additional retail, a hotel and dining space.

Read more from the original source:
Kansas City, MO officials reveal riverfront development plans - Construction Dive

A $100 million-plus project developing the old Brea hospital property is gaining momentum nearly five years after it was approved.

Central Park Village, a 15-acre, mix-use development at the former site of the Brea Community Hospital has completed a small portion of the townhouses slated for the site and recently began construction on the apartment and medical office buildings.

JH Real Estate Partners project, which will also include a 1-acre privately managed park, parking garage and commercial space, was approved by the City Council in 2012. The hospital was demolished in 2006.

The economic markets ups and downs slowed the progress of the project, Community Development Director David Crabtree said.

I would have certainly thought that it would had been implemented earlier than now, he said. Thats the part that is out of the citys hands.

Central Park Village, a 15-acre mix-use development at the old Brea Community Hospital site has completed a small portion of the townhouses slated for the site and recently began construction on the apartment and medical office building. (Anthony Mendoza, Staff)

Construction continues at the Central Park Village, a 15-acre mix-use development at the Old Brea Community Hospital site. (Anthony Mendoza, Staff)

A portion of the townhouses at the Central Park Village in Brea have been completed. The site is a 15-acre mix-use development at the old Brea Community Hospital site. (Anthony Mendoza, Staff)

Central Park Village, a 15-acre mix-use development at the old Brea Community Hospital site has completed a small portion of the townhouses slated for the site and recently began construction on the apartment and medical office building. (Anthony Mendoza, Staff)

A community area near the townhouses at the Central Park Village in Brea overlooks construction that continues at the site of the old Brea Community Hospital. (Anthony Mendoza, Staff)

Construction continues at the Central Park Village, a 15-acre mix-use development at the Old Brea Community Hospital site. (Anthony Mendoza, Staff)

Central Park Village, a 15-acre mix-use development at the old Brea Community Hospital site has completed a small portion of the townhouses slated for the site and recently began construction on the apartment and medical office building. (Anthony Mendoza, Staff)

Central Park Village, a 15-acre mix-use development at the old Brea Community Hospital site has completed a small portion of the townhouses slated for the site and recently began construction on the apartment and medical office building. (Anthony Mendoza, Staff)

Completed are about 25 of the proposed 100 townhouses, which are now occupied, Crabtree said. The other townhouses are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Construction of the three-story medical office building, the apartment complex and the parking garage the buildings will share has broken ground. Crabtree expects those structures to be completed by the end of 2018.

JH Real Estate Partners officials could not be reached for comment.

Folks are finally seeing stuff happening out there. Things are coming out of the ground, which is always exciting, Crabtree said.Its been a bit unusual since it was entitled in 2012, but its taken this long. People move in and out of town and there was a buzz back in 2012, but that buzz has faded over the years.

The commercial space, which is about 30,000 square feet, is looking for an anchor tenant, Crabtree said. A Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market was once planned, but the European grocer that rapidly grew into the western United States began closing all of its U.S. stores in 2013 and filed for bankruptcy two years later.

Crabtree said the city and developer have met to revisit the plans. Office buildings at the site of where the commercial space is intended will remain in place until a new anchor tenant is planned and construction begins.

See more here:
Construction on Central Park Village to develop old Brea hospital gains momentum - OCRegister