Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

MOLINE The inside of The Historic 5th Avenue Building looks more like a war zone than the future $18 million four-star hotel it will become.

City officials, including Mayor Stephanie Acri, were on hand to take a tour of the building Tuesday evening. The building is located at 1630 5th Ave.

Kirk Whalen, vice president of Heart of America Group, was very excited about the many historic features of the building.

"We have already taken out about 50 dumpsters of material, but the basement was full of a lot of historic fixtures which we saved," Mr. Whalen said. "We are going to repurpose everything we can."

Mr. Whalen said the focus on the project is to get it done correctly.

"Our vision is long term," Mr. Whalen said. "It will be ready to open when it is ready."

Old lamp shades, exit signs and even an exercise bike were among the items found in the building during the demolition work.

What were once offices is now a large, open space with piles of old ceiling tiles, plaster and debris on the floor.

Caleb Rogers, architect for Heart of America Group, said that most hotel brands offer a prototype of what they would want their hotels to look like.

"We provide a better property and more amenities to our guest than those prototype places," Mr. Rogers said. "So even if we did say the specific hotel that will be here, that probably wouldn't give you the exact flavor of the type of space that we are going to have."

Ray Forsythe, planning and development director, said this was one of the most exciting projects that is going to happen in downtown Moline.

"I think it is going to transform where we are today and where we are going to go in the future," Mr. Forsythe said. "They bring people that don't normally live in Moline to Moline."

He also said that hotels are the best uses for buildings because of the tax revenue that will be generated.

Once completed, the hotel will have more than 100 rooms, which will be located on the second through eighth floors.

Mr. Whalen said restoring the building to make it historically accurate and function as a hotel was not going to be an easy task. Nor will it be cheap, as the company estimates spending between $500,000 to $700,000 and at least five months of work just to make the building historically accurate.

The building also needs a new roof, window replacement and elevator housing. New windows will be soundproof, which should deflect the sound of passing trains, Mr. Whalen said.

Visit link:
Moline officials tour future 4-star hotel - Quad-Cities Online

A ductless air conditioner can be the best option for cooling an older home or an addition built without the proper ductwork. Portable and window mounted air conditioners have limits and take up space, but a ductless air conditioner is installed directly on a wall or ceiling and operates as seamlessly as a central air conditioner system.

Retrofitting a home to install central air conditioning can cost thousands of dollars. As you'd expect, a ductless unit is a fraction of that cost. There is no labor involved to run ductwork throughout a home. Instead, a mini-split ductless air conditioner consists of a compressor/condenser that is installed outdoors, but instead of it having a large cooling coil outside, each room is equipped with a small and quiet indoor fan and cooling unit, which is typically installed high on a wall near the ceiling or on the ceiling.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

A small hole is cut through the wall to run the refrigerant lines, condensate drain, power, and control cables to and from the central outdoor unit. Most units are about seven inches deep and can be installed flush into a wall or ceiling.

Gree

A home setup with one of these in units in each room will stay cool throughout the hottest days of summer. Each indoor unit has its own thermostat and can be set to the desired temperature for each room, which is a great advantage over many central air systems. If your kids like to sleep in a toasty room, but you like it cool, everyone is happy with a ductless system.

A remote control is included with a ductless system so there is no reaching up to change any settings on the actual unit, and most come with a variety of settings to maximize energy used and can switch between a fan and air conditioner. Another advantage to a ductless air conditioner is a more effective air filtering system which is located on each unit, instead of one central air filter for a whole system.

Ductless air conditioners are available at your local Home Depot as well as Amazon.

The best single room system come from Pioneer for only $728. If you need to move up to an entire 3 or 4 bedroom home setup, Gree's three-unit system for $2,303 will work well or you can upgrade to Pioneer's four-unit system, starting at $4,195. Gree also builds other unit sizes as well. The one pictured at the top of this post, for example, is part of Gree's $2,000 two-unit system.

But sometimes, the temperature isn't the only thing worth considering. For maximum air movement, this Pioneer ductless AC is rated at 48,000 BTU cooling and 49,500 BTU heating. As bonus, it's also built for a recessed install, making it virtually unnoticeable, but it'll cost you with $3,258 price tag.

Remember: If you need cooling and heating, be sure to look for a ductless air conditioner that includes a heat pump.

Keep cool out there.

Link:
Ductless AC May Be the Best Way to Keep Cool This Summer - Popular Mechanics

June 13, 2017 2:59 PM

This Content Provided By American Vision Windows

Some homeowners will take drastic measures to keep their homes cool. However, it doesnt matter how many fans you set up if all that cold air is leaking out through your windows. Older windows may be poorly insulated, and way too thin to keep the cold in. You may have seen families cover the insides of their windows with big plastic sheets to try and stop the leaks. Other families cover their windows with foil to try and reflect the heat. Others keep their blackout curtains shut all day so that their home is always dark and unwelcoming.

Theres an easier way to keep your home nice and cool this summer. replace your old windows! Technology has come a long way since old, single-pane windows. New energy efficient windows can have everything from triple-pane glass with argon gas insulation to special coatings. High tech coating can filter out 40-70% of the heat that would come through your glassand they still let in the full amount of light.

New windows can also save you money on your bills. The less you have to run your air conditioning to keep your home comfortable, the less you would have to pay! According to the U.S. Department of Energy, New, energy-efficient windows eventually pay for themselves through lower heating and cooling costs. Why continue to let your money leak out of your old windows? Instead, energy efficient windows like vinyl, triple-pane windows can keep your home insulated properly. In fact, replacing single-pane windows with energy efficient windows can save you an average of 2,600 kWh annually. Thats enough energy to watch three straight years of TV.

Many Los Angeles and Orange County residents have already realized that installing new windows can help them save their cold air and their hard-earned money. American Vision Windows, the largest window installation company in California, has already replaced thousands of windows in L.A. and Orange County. The company began over 15 years ago when the owners, Bill and Kathleen, had a terrible window replacement experience. Contractors showed up late or not at all, took months to install the windows, and they even installed the wrong windows. When Bill and Kathleen called the company about the problems, it had already gone out of business and disappeared. After their painful experience, they decided that California needed a decent window installation company and this is how American Vision Windows was born.

Now, American Vision Windows focuses on bringing families what Bill and Kathleen never had: attentive service, happy and experienced employees that care, and top-quality windows. The company has since won several awards for their customer service. They have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau, and have won the Angies List Super Service Award five times.

For more information on how to replace your windows and keep your home cool the summer, contact American Vision Windows.

About Us

Advertise

Business Development

Contact Corporate

Mobile

Connect

CBS Television Public File

CBS Radio Public File

Read the original post:
Trying to Keep Cool This Summer? Take a Look at Your Windows - CBS Los Angeles

VentZone Systems include a heat or energy recovery ventilator and a zone register terminal for each bathroom in the home

Bradenton, FL (PRWEB) June 14, 2017

American Aldes is pleased to announce the newly designed VentZone System, the most advanced and effective home ventilation system on the market today. The system combines zoned bathroom exhaust plus whole-house ventilation with a single heat or energy recovery ventilator. For the homeowner, this means healthy indoor air quality throughout the home with extra boost ventilation in the bathrooms as needed while maximizing energy efficiency.

Traditional systems ventilate a bathroom in one of two ways; individual fans for each bathroom, or an inline bathroom fan connected to all bathrooms. The former is expensive as it requires purchasing, installing, and ducting several fans plus installing a vent in the exterior of the home for each bathroom. The later wastes energy and can over ventilate a home since all bathroom exhaust is either on or off and does not allow the homeowner to operate ventilation in each bathroom independently.

The innovative VentZone System provides centralized, zoned bathroom exhaust plus whole house ventilation with a single heat or energy recovery ventilator. It gives the homeowner the ability to turn on individual bathroom ventilation as needed, yet only requires one ventilator to provide exhaust for all the bathrooms.

As air is removed from the bathrooms through ALDES patented Zone Register Terminals (ZRT), it it passes through an ALDES heat or energy recovery ventilator (also called an air exchanger). As air is being exhausted from the home, fresh air is also being brought in at the same rate. The air exchanger tempers the incoming air using the energy from the outgoing air without the air streams mixing. This provides balanced ventilation, avoids negative pressure on the home, and improves indoor air quality while maximizing energy recovery. The technology built inside the air exchanger does this in the most energy efficient manner possible to avoid losing heating or cooling energy from within the home.

American Aldes VentZone System and Aldes ZRTs are both past recipients of the Innovation Award for Ventilation by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

The company has built upon this already-successful system in several ways.

Ventzone kits are available for homes with 2-5 bathrooms. Each kit includes an ERV or HRV, Zone Register Terminals (ZRTs) and controls for each ZRT.

Forward-thinking builders and HVAC installers have recognized the benefits of VentZone System for years, and homeowners appreciate the energy savings year after year, said Tom Heidel, Residential and Ecommerce Business Development Manager at American Aldes. These improvements take the award-winning Aldes VentZone System even further in terms of healthy indoor air quality, energy savings, and ease of installation.

A demonstration video is available at: http://bit.ly/ventzone

About American ALDES American ALDES is the premier manufacturer of ventilation products and systems for homes, multi-family dwellings, hotels, schools and numerous other commercial applications. Products are designed for superior airflow control, energy-efficient performance, and a healthy indoor environment.

American ALDES is a based in Florida and is a subsidiary of the ALDES Group, an international, family owned group of more than 1,300 employees and 17 subsidiaries in 13 countries. More information on VentZone Systems is available at http://www.aldes.us/ventzone-iaq .

Share article on social media or email:

Read more:
American Aldes Raises the Bar on Home Ventilation with Improved VentZone Systems - PR Web (press release)

Students from all nine of the Hillsborough Township School Districts schools were sent home early this week, as a lack of consistent air conditioning resulted in what officials said were unhealthyconditions.

As the mercury rose to upward of 95 degrees outside, district officials decided to close schools early on Monday and Tuesday, as kids prepare for finals and graduation during the final week before summer break.

According to district officials, all afternoon kindergarten and preschool classes werecanceled and lunches werenot served as a result of the early dismissal.Additionally all after-school activities were canceled, along with after-school care services provided by Catholic Charities.

District Business Administrator Aiman Mahmoud said the decision to close early was made by Superintendent Dr. Jorden Schiff.

As with all early dismissals, the decision was made after consulting with individuals including building principals, district administration, buildings and grounds personnel (and others), he said.

With the school year coming to a close, officials said the district will not be required to make up the lost time.

As a result of the early dismissal this week, students at Hillsborough High School were sent home by noon, Hillsborough Middle School students went home at 12:30 p.m. and Auten Road Intermediate School students left at 1:15 p.m.

Morning kindergarten students at both Amsterdam Elementary School and Triangle Elementary School left at 10:20 a.m. Similarly, morning kindergarten students at Hillsborough Elementary School, SunnymeadElementary School, WoodfernElementary School and Woods RoadElementary School were dismissed at 11 a.m.

The remaining students at Amsterdam and Triangle Elementary Schools left at 11:50 a.m. and the rest of the student body atHillsborough Elementary, Sunnymead, Woodfern and Woods Road were dismissed at 12:30 p.m.

Since the decision to close schools early came at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Monday morning, Mahmoud said parents were alerted to the early dismissal in a number of ways, including the districts SchoolMessenger system, its social media, the educational access channel and a posting on the districts website.

Though there was little notice for parents leading up to that moment, Mahmoud said the district had contingencies in place.

On the first day of school, parents are sent home an emergency dismissal form which they complete and return to their childs school for such instances as today, he said on Monday. The form reminds parents to talk with their children about their emergency plans.

The early dismissal and cooling issues throughout the entire district are a continued problem for officials that dates back as far as last September, when similar conditionscaused parents and officials to raise an uproar over the lack of air conditioning for students.

At that time, schools were not dismissed early and teachers were left to find solutions for their kids, including moving their classrooms into cooler areas of their respective schools.

During a recent Board of Education meeting, Schiffsaid the district was still working out how it can address its air conditioning problem, even after having contracted an AC provider to install three 25-ton units at ARIS and HMS.

Those three units, two at ARIS and one at HMS, are being used to provide cool air to the gymnasiums at those schools. Once cool, teachers have the option to sign up on an excessive heat schedule with school administration to allow for students to cool off throughout the day. Those options were available to classrooms earlier this week.

Cooling stations and schedules are temporary fixes, Hillsborough Education Association President HenryGoodhue said. Its not completely constructive for learning to move, say, a math class there when there are already literacy classes going on there.

Goodhue said the situation proved to be difficult for teachers and staff, as well as the students.

Were still having issues with maintaining climate controls within our buildings, both heating and cooling. We have elementary schools that do not have adequate cooling zones, hesaid. Theyve taken steps to address this at the middle school and Auten Road, and I appreciate their decision with consideration to the staff and students for today and tomorrow, but there is still a lot of work to be done on our infrastructure.

See the original post here:
HILLSBOROUGH: Hot conditions throughout school district force early dismissals - centraljersey.com

Manteca Unified has added the equivalent of almost another elementary school as part of its modernization effort at five campuses. And it was done by honoring two promises to Measure G voters: No new classrooms would be built for growth and the bond money would be spent in a manner that was efficient and maximized every cent. The remodels at Lincoln, Sequoia, Shasta, Lathrop, and Golden West schools yielded 15 additional classroom spaces. This was accomplished in several ways: uThe five new offices that were positioned to enhance campus security allowed the older offices to be remodeled into classrooms. uThanks to Going Digital, computer labs per se were no longer needed so those classrooms were repurposed as general classrooms. uSpace for pull out programs where students leave a classroom setting for more intense help in smaller groups that were adjacent to other such areas where walls could be removed were remodeled into standard classrooms. uOther space that could be converted for pull out programs such as the old boiler room at Lincoln School that was no longer needed thanks to electric heating and cooling roof units were remodeled freeing up other space for general classrooms. When the dust is settled, there will be a net gain of around 15 classrooms at the five schools to support upwards of 450 more students based on a 30 students per classroom ratio. Given that a classroom can cost around $330,000 apiece when they are built in clusters of eight to 10 rooms, the additional classroom space represents a cost avoidance of just under $5 million. The additional classroom capacity is even more cost effective given that 450 more students could ultimately be housed without the need to secure land for a school site, install infrastructure and build support facilities such as a multi-purpose room, cafeteria kitchen, library, office, parking lots, and other typical campus improvements. Deputy Superintendent Clark Burke said staff looked for any area they could come up with 960 square feet the minimum size required by the state for a first through eighth grade classroom and worked it into the remodel plans. The repurposing of other space for classrooms means the five remodels have maximized facilities. At the same time, Manteca Unified Superintendent Jason Messer noted the condition of each portable classroom was re-evaluated. While the district was hopeful to replace all portables with permanent buildings that have a significantly longer life expectancy and lower maintenance costs when the bond measure was cobbled together, portables that could have significant more life squeezed out of them with a minimal investment were retained. It would have been nice to replace all of the portables but it made no sense to do so with the classroom space needs the district is facing, Messer said. All classrooms whether they involved new construction to replace dilapidated portables, remodeling of aging classrooms, or other space that was converted to general classrooms were brought up to current standards. An example is the original classroom wings at Lincoln School. The wiring was all replaced, new cabinets installed, ceilings replaced, new plumbing for rooms with sinks, as well as new flooring. At Lincoln school, original classroom wings had linoleum flooring removed in hallways and the cement given a polished finish. Not only did that increase durability and reduce maintenance costs but it gave the 60-year-old plus building a modern, updated look.

What the district was able to do at Lathrop School Of all the campus modernizations done so far using Measure G funds, perhaps none were as transformative as Lathrop School. Prior to Measure G work the campus front along Fifth Street was a major hazard. There were no curbs, gutters, or sidewalks. Parking and drop off areas were blurred. The office was away from the entrance. Portable buildings were placed in such a manner that securing the campus that is bounded on three sides by streets was difficult at best. Some interior hallways had a dingy, cramped feel to them due to a hodge podge of additions over the years. The $10.4 million Measure G infusion provided Lathrop School with 10 new classrooms to replace the worst portables. The front has been cleaned up with sidewalks, streets, and curbs along with separated parking and drop off zones. There is a new main entrance with wrought iron fencing and gates along with a new office that allows the staff to monitor those who enter during the school day and after hours. The smaller of the original multi-purpose rooms was converted into an expansive library that takes advantage of natural lighting. Drainage and slope issues were addressed on the playground to deal with run-off effectively and to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. And it was done were care to save massive, sturdy heritage trees. Just like with modernizations at other campuses, there were unique touches that reflect Lathrop School. Given the schools long involvement with student gardens, 10 elevated garden tubs were put in place. Not only are they ADA compliant but each have their own water faucet. The finishing touch was covering the surrounding area with decomposed granite. It means the garden area will be easier to prevent weed growth and for students to work. There is also a separate drop-off area by the multi-purpose room that can be opened and closed with new gates. Clarke noted that once the multipurpose room is painted, the campus will have a cohesive look.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com

Go here to read the rest:
Remodeling produces more classroom space - Manteca Bulletin

Foster Remodeling Solutions is a full-service remodeler and maintains a 3,270-square-foot design and selection showroom at its headquarters in Lorton. On Oct. 4, Dory Clemens will be leading a seminar in Kitchen and Bath Design. Call 703-550-1371 or visit http://www.fosterremodel....

Kevin and Priscilla Kelleher have occupied their 5,200-square-foot Springfield home since 1992 when they bought it new. At the time, the builder provided an array of finish work choices. The couple selected the Corian kitchen counter surfaces, a food preparation island of their preferred size and style. The flooring, cabinet-facings, window styles were all a testament to personal taste.

Situated on nearly an acre that backs into the woods, this is the spacious home where the couple raised two daughters who have subsequently fled the nest.

Great memories.

But 18 years is a long time to be regularly re-assessing the same floor plan, contemplating the same unyielding look.

It was when the appliances started failing that we thought seriously about remodeling our kitchen, said Kevin Kelleher who retired from the Army several years ago and now works in government. My wife eventually decided she really didn't like the Corian countertops. There was a wasted space and dead corners; yet not enough storage. We also wanted more natural light, and better views of our pretty wooded setting.

Of course, such observations typically describe the beginning of a process that entails much research, a regime of decisions. But, more importantly: where do you turn for ideas that will give definition and focus to a collage of emerging preferences, images and wish-lists?

It was easy for the Kellehers, who turned to David Foster.

Foster, president of Foster Remodeling Solutions in Lorton, had finished the Kellehers 1,500-square-foot basement in 2003. The positive experience had left the couple with the sense that they had found their go to guy for home improvements; better yet, Foster's process had actually gotten easier to implement in the intervening years.

Fifteen years ago, we were offered sketches of designs for the lower level, Kelleher said. Today, Foster's designers model three dimensional space on CADD system software. This allows you to instantly assess different views of the room you're remodeling so you can clearly visualize how each perspective will affect the whole. It's a great tool for space planning.

Which combined with a wholly new interior design scheme was exactly kind of the improvements the Kellehers were seeking.

In fact, the footprint of the kitchen, breakfast nook, family room, foyer and, even, the grand stairs at the entrance retain their existing measurements down to the centimeter. It's only the positioning of key components, their design, their storage capacity and their aesthetics that have changed and dramatically.

Inches really count when youre renovating a kitchen floorplan, said Dory Clemens, the Foster architect who designed the project. This was largely about making better use of existing space while introducing a whole new interior design style.

For instance:

Removing a mostly unused desk built-in an interior wall elevation and shortening the wall by 9 inches freed-up 32 square feet of floor space, allowing designers to nearly double the size of the kitchen's food prep island and dining counter.

Space-wasting counter surfaces on two walls were replaced with a curvilinear design that emphasizes the easy-flowing circulation of the new plan. Wider, taller (42-inch) cabinets increased storage capacity by 40 percent.

A seldom-open casement window was replaced with a 4.5-foot-by-4.5-foot divided light picture window that dramatically improves available light while offering spot-on views of the leafy backyard.

GRADUALLY, THE KITCHEN'S INTERIOR design evolved into a transitional-style scheme emphasizing contrasting lights and darks.

To create greater visual cohesion to first level living spaces, the wood flooring in the foyer and the white mosaic tiles in the kitchen were replaced with a wood grain porcelain tiling imported from Italy.

A comparatively new flooring material, the wood pattern is ink-jetted into the tile, offering the warmth of wood but with much greater durability.

Meanwhile, ceilings and cabinet facings are bright white; the wall a color that West Pointer Kelleher describes as Cadet Grey. Throughout the play of lights and darks is further developed like a three-dimensional checkerboard.

The island base is a resonant walnut-color; the quartz surfaces are vanilla-hued Cambria Berwin finished with an OGE edge.

To create visual rhythm, Clemens designed a quintessenza backsplash that combines gray (genesei) with white (bianco). The traditional raised-panel cabinet facings, in turn, lend a crisp linearity amid muted tones.

In the foyer the game of contrast continues. The staircase balustrade and all risers and treads are bright white, but there are now black iron spindles in place of their wooden predecessors.

Since the staircase and living room rise two levels, the Kellehers wanted to reduce the monotonous crush of white walls disappearing up into a distant ceiling.

We wanted more definition around the stairway, and in what one generally sees looking up in a big room.

To this request, Clemens introduce a shadow box effect by adding white picture frame molding to walls that have been re-painted grey. While it's formality vaguely recalls 19th century decorum, it fundamentally provides a much better definition of the planes, angles and forms that tend to get washed-out in a solidly white wall treatment.

It draws your eyes up, said Kevin Kelleher, which makes the space feel more proportional and balanced. He added: Foster's lead carpenter, Brian, is really a master at this kind of detailing. It's hard to see how anyone else could have done as well.

John Byrd (byrdmatx@gmail.com) has been writing about home improvement for 30 years.

Read this article:
Remodeling a Home in Stages - Virginia Connection Newspapers

Plans for a new four-story office building downtown at the intersection of North and Sixth streets have been shelved for now, after bids for the projectwhich was to have been a joint venture of the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors and Louisiana Associated General Contractorscame in significantly over budget.

The two entities decided to team up on the project last year and began clearing land for the 28,000-square-foot building in December.

As originally envisioned, LAGC would donate the landa vacant parcel adjacent to the organizations existing downtown headquarters buildingand LSLBC was to develop the building, which the two organizations would share.

But the three bids submitted earlier this year in an invitation-only bid process came in nearly 50% higher than the $6.5 million originally budgeted for the project, according to LAGC CEO Ken Naquin.

Consequently, LSLBC is considering whether to rebid a scaled-down version of the project, or hang on to the property for the time being.

Right now were looking at whether to be rebid it or to hold it as an asset for a short period of time or look for other opportunities with it, LSLBC Executive Director Michael McDuff says.

As a result, the terms of the deal have changed. LAGC is no longer a part of the project and has sold the parcel to LSLBC for $2.25 million. It plans to renovate the existing, brick building that has served as its headquarters for years.

The easiest thing was just to cut off the fourth floor, Naquin says. So were out of it, and were going to renovate the building were in.

LSLBC has cost engineered a smaller, three-story building but hasnt decided yet whether to rebid it. The LSLBC board meets Thursday and will discuss how to proceed. McDuff could not say for sure whether the board will make a final decision then.

In the meantime, the vacant lot adjacent to LAGCs brick headquarters building is a partially cleared construction site. Naquin says the LSLBC plans to put up a construction fence to hide the debris and weeds from view.

We used to call DPW about the weeds, he says. Now, we call the licensing board.

Stephanie Riegel

Visit link:
New downtown Baton Rouge office building put on hold amid cost ... - Greater Baton Rouge Business Report

3 Bethesda Metro Center has received WiredScore's Wired Certification for its top-notch infrastructure, connectivity and technological capacity.(Courtesy Brookfield Properties)

WASHINGTON A Bethesda office building has become the 100th building in the D.C. region to receive WiredScores Wired Certification, a designation given to buildings with the highest standards for the infrastructure, connectivity and technological capacity of commercial buildings.

Brookfield Properties 16-story 3 Bethesda Metro Center, built in 1985 directly above the Bethesda Metro station, was given Wired Certified Platinum, the highest rating for the international connectivity standard for commercial buildings.

WiredScore launched Wired Certification in 2013 in partnership with the City of New York. It is equivalent to LEED certification for green building construction.

D.C. is the second-largest market for Wired Certification in the United States, with 30 million square feet of Wired Certified office space.

WiredScore rates buildings through a rigorous certification process, which includes building audits by teams of technicians that evaluate the number of available internet service providers, infrastructure redundancy, connection access points and a propertys readiness to improve connectivity.

Whether a building was built in this century or the last, its current and future technological capabilities must be of the utmost importance to landlords, said Arie Barendrecht, founder and CEO of WiredScore.

Real estate professionals must provide tenants with this imperative aspect of modern building design, and look to Brookfield and other industry leaders, that exemplify the creation of connectivity infrastructure as a mainstay of the tenant experience.

Editors note: This story has been updated to remove the word wireless from the headline.

Like WTOP on Facebook and follow @WTOP on Twitter to engage in conversation about this article and others.

2017 WTOP. All Rights Reserved.

Go here to see the original:
Bethesda building becomes 100th in DC area with top internet connectivity rating - WTOP

(11:59 a.m. EDT) -- Scenic might not be as familiar to North Americans as other luxury river cruise lines such as Uniworld or Tauck; Crystal also entered the higher end of the river cruise market last year with built-in name recognition.

But make no mistake, Scenic has a worldwide fan base that has been steadily gaining American and Canadian converts. Part of Australian Glen Moroney's Scenic Tours empire (later renamed Scenic), Scenic jumped into river cruising in 2008 with its space ships, all-inclusive vessels featuring signature cabins with sun rooms that turn into partial outdoor spaces with the push of a button.

After a few days on Scenic Diamond, sailing the line's Bordeaux itinerary, we can see the appeal. There's a refreshing casualness onboard that belies the price tag; while service is still professional and prompt, the crew and their management are not afraid to talk to passengers (perhaps that's the Australian influence -- our cruise, which is about three-fourths full, is dominated by travelers from Down Under).

The result is you're more likely to get the kind of vacation you want. Fancy a small nosh in your sunroom? Your butler will bring it to you. Want to skip the guided tour and get a massage instead? Scenic's Tailormade devices (portable GPS locators with commentary) give you the highlights, so you can explore on your own and your cruise director will make sure you have a pass to get into the castle. A fleet of e-bikes make it easier for even the less fit to take them out for a spin.

This season, two of Scenic's space ships in France -- Scenic Diamond and Scenic Sapphire -- received refurbishments to make them more in line with the newer vessels in the fleet. Capacity has been reduced from 167 to 155, while keeping the staff levels the same. Two 506-square-foot Royal Owners Suites were added, as well as a host of other features outlined below.

The most heralded addition to the French ships is Scenic Culinaire, a series of cooking demonstrations available at no extra charge while the ship is sailing between ports. Located in the dining room (where it's used as an omelet/crepe making station during meals), Scenic Culinaire is essentially a large cooking island, where up to 10 passengers can sit and watch the chef make French dishes like merveilles provencales (beignets) with strawberries and dry apricot jam or coq au vin. There's a TV monitor, and eventually the line plans to broadcast the classes into the cabins.

We attended the beignets session. The ship's French chef, Jerome, is fast-talking, and we enjoyed watching him at work. At times, though, the experience felt dry. It's not immersive; unlike similar classes we've taken on Uniworld or Viking Ocean where you actually fill a samosa or chop some veggies, you mainly sit there and watch. Two Australian ladies next to us whispered that they would have liked to have tasted some of the more unusual ingredients the chef was using.

That being said, Scenic Culinaire sessions fill up quickly and since they are the primary enrichment activity on the ship during sea days, it's a worthwhile diversion for those who love to cook -- and eat (you do get a sample at the end).

One of the most welcome trends in river cruising is the chance to be more active and get away from the standard coach-and-walking-tour excursion. We found Scenic to be ahead of the curve with its active options, particularly when it comes to cycling. The ship has a fleet of electronic bikes, and employed them in nearly every port as a guided option (you can also take them out on your own, if you wish).

Our first tour, a bike ride to a wine chateau in Medoc, has been one of the highlights of the trip so far. The guide stopped several times to explain the region's terroir, and history, as well as take photos. Support crew were along to block traffic when necessary and fix bikes if there was a problem. After the winery visit, passengers who had biked were given the option to return on the coach or bike back; the ease of using the e-bikes ensued that almost everyone took the latter option (we noticed a decided increase in the electronic assist on the way back).

There are two more bike tours to come, and we've signed up for them all. While these simple e-bike excursions shouldn't be confused with the larger cycling partnership Scenic has with Trek Travel -- those are fully chartered, bike-intensive trips on the Danube and Rhine -- we love the chance to cover more ground and work off a teeny amount of the French wine and cheese we've consumed.

Another of the biggest changes to the ship is the expansion of the spa and addition of a gym and wellness facility on the bottom deck. There's a check-in desk (unmanned) as you walk down the stairs, as well as a table with herbal teas and flavored water.

Unlike some river ships where the spa is simply a darkened cabin, Scenic Diamond's new facility is larger (two cabins were taken out for it) and more high-tech. There's a sofa in the sign-in area, a shower for full body treatments and two tables in case passengers want a couples' massage. We enjoyed the space, although found our massage a bit uncomfy, as the attendant took a decidedly European approach to privacy (as in he didn't turn around when we were undressing and dressing). Spa treatments are not included in the fare, although they are more reasonable than what you'd find in an European hotel or resort; our 50-minute massage cost 72 euro, tip inclusive.

Across the hall from the spa room, the new gym will definitely please those who want to stay fit when they travel. It's a little bigger than most fitness rooms you see on river ships, with four aerobic machines and some weights. Light streams in from the windows, making it feel open.

We're not quite sure what to make of the Salt Room. While it's truly beautiful -- the walls are lined with bricks made from golden Himalayan salt, and there's salt spread on the floor surrounding the room's three loungers -- there's no aromatherapy or other component to the experience. All in all, it seems to take up a lot of space while not adding a lot of tangible benefit. We were told it was good for allergies and your skin, but we didn't notice anything after our 45 minutes there. It's also a bit noisy, as it's across the hall from the hairdressing salon.

The Vitality Pool on the sun deck is more of a whirlpool/hot tub than a real pool to swim in. Still, it's a decent size for the ship, seating six. We've found bar service on the top deck to be prompt, so if you're the kind of person who likes to soak after a day of touring -- perhaps with a glass of Champagne in hand -- you'll enjoy this new feature.

--By Chris Gray Faust, Senior Editor

Read more:
Live from Scenic Diamond: What's New Onboard? - Cruise Critic