Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

When the blue passport books arrive at Connecticut's farm wineries each May, wine lovers begin crisscrossing the state, sipping and swirling chardonnay, cabernet franc and ros in tasting rooms from Sherman to Stonington.

Thirty-seven wineries are participating in the 2017 Passport to Connecticut Farm Wineries program, sponsored by the Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. Between now and Nov. 5, winery visitors will vie to collect as many stamps in their passports as possible for a chance to win big-ticket prizes, including a two-week trip to Benalmadena Costa, Spain. (Participants must at least visit 16 of the represented wineries to be eligible.)

This season, we're providing a guide to what you'll find at these Connecticut wine destinations: signature vintages and special releases, live entertainment, gourmet food options, and a few surprises (wine slushies, anyone?) We will feature a different winery every two weeks.

East Granby's Brignole Vineyards is one of the newer additions to Connecticut's farm winery scene, marking its first anniversary this June.

Winemaking started as a hobby for the Brignole family and evolved into a full-service operation, says owner Tim Brignole, whose four adult children are all involved in the business. Now visitors arrive to find a palatial, California-style tasting room featuring granite bar countertops, ample seating, a cozy fireplace and a large outdoor deck overlooking rows of vines.

FEATURED AND NOTEWORTHY WINES: The winery's top seller is Sunset, a special select red blend of Barbera and Vincent grapes, that Brignole describes as "very comparable to a big cabernet." He likens the White Tip Heron, made from 100 percent Cayuga grapes, to a pinot grigio-style dry white. Estate-grown wines include the Red Tail house red, the Red Dragon vintner's reserve, and Crossbred red blend.

This season, Brignole welcomes several new wines: White Birches; Sweet George moscato, 2017 Red Tail (made from 100 percent Chambourcin grapes); a Marquette Rose and two red and white zinfandels: Red Stone and Lady Lucy. Wine labels feature colorful, nature-themed photographs from the winery property.

Brignole has also made its mark with specialty sangrias, in rotating, seasonal flavors like peach strawberry, apple pear, cucumber watermelon and rosemary cran-apple. In the warm weather, Brignole turns on its slush machines, churning its wine and juice into frosty, refreshing coolers.

WINE PRICING: Wines by the glass are $7 to $9; bottles are $22 to $36. Tastings range from $10 for three whites and two ross to $18 for all 10 wines. Sangria is $9 and wine slushes are $12. Pricing may be subject to change with the addition of new wines.

FOOD OPTIONS: Brignole offers a spread of wine-friendly snacks from its kitchen: charcuterie and cheese ($7 each or $25-35 for boards), panini ($9 to $13), flatbreads ($13 to $18) and quick bites ($9 to $15) like hummus, artichoke dip, prosciutto arugula wraps and pancetta-wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese. Guests are also welcome to bring their own food, but no outside beverages are allowed.

SPECIAL EVENTS: Brignole's second-floor event space with private entrance, private deck and pergola, is available for weddings, showers, birthday parties and fundraisers with room for 120 guests. There's live music on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 5 p.m.

TASTING ROOM HOURS: Closed Monday and Tuesday; open Wednesday through Saturday, 1 to 7 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Summer hours may be extended.

Brignole Vineyards is at 103 Hartford Ave., in East Granby. 860-653-9463, brignolevineyards.com, facebook.com/brignolevineyards.

See more here:
Brignole Vineyards: From Its Signature Sunset To Seasonal ... - Hartford Courant

How do you fancy living in an 18th-century water tower, built by French prisoners and used as an air raid post, now with three bedrooms and impressive Devon views?

The octagonal home, converted from its industrial and military use seven years ago, has just gone on the market with an asking price of 600,000.

The water tower is situated on the site of the former Royal Naval Hospital, now a secure gated community. And if you really love history, shell and shrapnel scarring can still be seen on the walls from when it was used as an air raid post

During its renovation, which was closely monitored by the local conservation office, the 110ft tower was transformed into a three-bedroom home and retains many of its original features, including the old limestone walls.

Other features include the hand-built oak, double splayed staircase, vaulted and beamed ceiling in the living room and porthole windows.

Even the original lead lined, wooden frame for the water tanks has been retained to give useful and accessible store room space.

On the market with Plymouth estate agents Mansbridge Balment, the property, which is set over three floors, also has an extensive kitchen and dining area, a drawing room with a vaulted glazed and beamed feature ceiling, a garden room with floor to ceiling windows, a study/library and even a sauna.

Chris Mervyn, branch and marketing Manager at Mansbridge Balment's Plymouth city office, said the tower was a unique and highly desirable property, steeped in history and a triumph of 18th century engineering.

"The construction is amazingly precise in terms of the masonry and quoins," he said. "The tower is not out of vertical at any point by more than half a centimetre and it tells its own unique story of how water supplies were first brought to the city of Plymouth.

"Its rich history is also very much in evidence in the top gallery of the tower where you can still see shell and shrapnel scarring on the walls from when it was used as an air raid post during World War II."

There is a master bedroom with ensuite shower room on the first floor, with two further bedrooms on the second floor.

Both floors are accessed via a spiral staircase, which ascends to the top of the tower, where double glazed doors open out onto the turret viewing area.

Outside, the tower offers a lawned garden, as well as a roof garden made up of two terraces finished with artificial grass.

There is also a patio area with hot tub and access to a workshop.

Mr Mervyn added: "The current owners have made countless additional enhancements to the property, including buying additional adjacent land to extend the plot and converting the garage to extend the tower's living accommodation.

"The tower may have stopped supplying water more than 100 years ago, but its future as a highly exceptional and unique residential property is assured."

The water tower is an historic, Grade II* listed building and is thought to date from 1758-1764 and was at the time, one of the first of its type to be constructed.

Under the watchful eye of the local conservation office, the property was painstakingly restored to a high standard throughout seven years ago and converted into a bespoke residence.

Many of the original materials have been retained, with the old limestone walls being in evidence through much of the accommodation, while the original lead lined, wooden water frame for the water tanks has been retained and is below your feet as you wander around the viewing turret at the top of the tower, to sample the breath-taking views that include Drake's Island, Plymouth Sound and Mount Edgcumbe.

In many ways 'matters water' have dominated RNH Stonehouse from the outset and the city well before that. As South West Water come to the end of the most extensive (and expensive) survey of our drains in history following their most welcome recent full adoption of our Georgian system, it is interesting to recall where it all began.

Clean water was the gold of its day, and is how a former mayor Plymouth, Sir Francis Drake, helped to amass his fortune as a land owner, post his world travels, in the days of Elizabeth I and long before the concept of RNH was conceived.

In those days he effectively 'cornered' the first public water supply bringing it off Dartmoor in a leat, or stone ditch, to supply the city which then consisted of three towns, Stonehouse, Plymouth, and Dock (now Devonport).

Of course, like today, this supply was not for free and it was a major engineering undertaking some 400 plus years ago and to provide it thereafter in a sustainable form, ensuring Plymouth's prosperity.

The leat divided into three, and the supply to Stonehouse ran along what is now North Road West over Eldad Hill and then through the Millfields and over to Durnford Street ending in a 'shoot' where washing was permitted. Licensed abstraction could take place up stream of this but no polluting of course and Water bailiffs patrolled constantly to prevent this.

The leat was the main reason for choosing to site RNH midway between the towns and additionally on its own inland half tide creek with a private harbour.

Sometime after the hospital became operational in the early 1760s, complaints were received from the mayor of Stonehouse that the supply was being starved at certain times of day, therefore, the Navy were swiftly obliged to build a reservoir at the highest point of the site, in the form of a water tower, to buffer the demand peaks.

This also provided a head of pressure so that the whole hospital could be supplied through pressured lead pipes.

The single, huge, lead-lined, octagonal tank at the top, with a staircase in the middle, was filled by a continuous leather bucket chain on the west side powered by a donkey walking around a windlass in a manger with a hole in its roof, which is now the drawing room.

Later the donkey was replaced by a steam engine and the buckets it drove and lifted, dipped into and out of the leat which still runs right beneath the house under the oak floor planks in the kitchen.

The leat then goes on through to the main square and under the sundial and in some places a man can walk in its downstream tunnel. Ot was once used as an escape route by press ganged sailors who ended up somewhere near where Princess Yachts is now - and got caught.

The octagonal water tower was built by French prisoners from the Seven Years War and the top gallery of the tower was used as an air raid post in World War II.

The former Royal Naval Hospital was built in 1760 but its main buildings had stood empty since it was hit by a World War Two bomb in 1942.

Intended to be primarily accessible by water with patients landing at Stonehouse Creek, work originally began on the RNH Stonehouse site in 1758.

The design was influential of its time; its pattern of detached wards, arranged so as to minimise spread of infection, foreshadowed the pavilion style of hospital building which was popularised by Florence Nightingale a century later.

The first patients arrived in 1760 and in 1762, more patients were transferred from hospital ship HMS Canterbury and the main hospital buildings were completed.

The hospital housed 1,200 patients in 60 wards, its 10 ward blocks arranged around a courtyard with a central block containing a chapel, dispensary and staff housing.

The hospital went on to serve the Royal Navy for 235 years, providing staff from Trafalgar to the Falklands.

It saw many additions and changes throughout its history of service and the team of surgeons and nurses finally amalgamated with the main hospital at Derriford in Plymouth in March 1995.

The hospital was closed in March 1995 and the Millfields has since been turned into flats and commercial units.

Reporting by plymouthherald

'Drugs hub' for members of organised crime groups in Exeter

A property described by police as ' a hub for members of organised crime groups to use in the supply of controlled drugs' has been shut down. St Davids

Could you handle the 50oz steak challenge at Devon's newest...

Where better to open a steakhouse than the area of Brixham known locally as 'cowtown'? The new family-run restaurant home to the 50oz steak challenge...

Girl, 9, hit by car outside school - after the school's lollipop

A mum is calling for new road safety measures to be introduced after her nine-year-old daughter was struck by a car as she walked home from school after

Can you find a home for a 17-year-old homeless cat?

A desperate appeal has been launched for the people of Devon to open their hearts to some of the older homeless cats in its care - and provide a home for a

Read this article:
Do you fancy living in an octagonal 18th century water tower ... - Devon Live

It's time to reflect on the 2017 offseason. There are a few stray veterans left in the free-agent pool, and teams could still execute something unexpected if injuries arise, but organizations have mostly closed their checkbooks and built the rosters they're going to take onto the field in September.

Bill Barnwell takes a division-by-division look at how each NFL team fared this offseason.

AFC East NFC East AFC North: Thursday, May 18 NFC North: Friday, May 19 AFC West: Monday, May 22 NFC West: Tuesday, May 23 AFC South: Wednesday, May 24 NFC South: Thursday, May 25

Of course, we can know only so much right now. This time last year, there was no way anybody knew that the Cowboys had drafted a franchise quarterback. Kyle Shanahan was lucky to survive the offseason in Atlanta as an offensive coordinator, let alone be considering head-coaching roles.

At the same time, we can look at what each team's goals were (or should have been) heading into March and gain a sense of whether they did enough to address those concerns. In most cases, we can also plot what they have to do before hitting Week 1.

We'll run division by division over the next two weeks. Let's head to the NFC East, a division that drastically turned things around in 2016 and sent two teams to the postseason for the first time since 2009.

To go directly to your favorite team, click the link below:

Cowboys | Giants | Eagles | Washington

They didn't do anything spectacular and pocketed a bunch of compensatory selections. Given owner Jerry Jones' history, it's always a relief to see the Cowboys have a relatively quiet offseason while avoiding going after players whose names (and salaries) might outstrip their performances. The Cowboys did not consummate their long-standing interest in running back Adrian Peterson, instead allowing the would-be backup to Ezekiel Elliott to head farther south to New Orleans. They re-signed Terrance Williams and Jason Witten in lieu of finding a sexier second weapon in the passing game for quarterback Dak Prescott. They operated like a team in sound shape, which they are.

The Cowboys might very well sign a veteran or two now that the additions won't affect Dallas' standing in the compensatory process. Per the projections at overthecap.com, coach Jason Garrett's team appears set to pocket the maximum of four compensatory picks, including picks in the fourth and sixth rounds to go with a pair of fifth-rounders. If we treat those picks like the average compensatory selections from each of those rounds, the Cowboys are grabbing 6.4 points of draft capital, per Chase Stuart's chart, which is roughly equivalent to the 84th pick in the draft.

They found help for their pass rush. Rod Marinelli has been manufacturing a pass rush out of sheer will the past couple of seasons; the Cowboys sacked Aaron Rodgers three times during their 34-31 loss to the Packers in the playoffs, but it's telling that all three sacks came from defensive backs. At the very least, Dallas needed to try to give Marinelli a pass-rusher with some sort of pedigree to rotate in on the edge, and Jones committed his first-round pick toward an upgrade by drafting Taco Charlton out of Michigan with the 28th selection. Marinelli has a well-earned reputation of getting the most out of defensive linemen who have been anonymous elsewhere within the league; here's his chance to work with a first-round talent. Dallas also spent four draft picks on defensive backs, which will be crucial, given that it lost four of its top six defensive backs from last season's depth chart to free agency.

The Cowboys publicly overplayed their Tony Romo hand. The most likely scenario for the Cowboys and Romo was always that they would end up dumping him after June 1 to spread the $19.6 million cap hit from his release over two seasons, but they turned the negotiations into a farce. Few players have been dangled more publicly in the media than Romo was during February and March, with the Cowboys alternately telling reporters that they would release Romo and insisting that they never had any plans to cut him and would trade him only for a pick. The whole ordeal did nobody any favors.

They didn't draft anybody along the offensive line. The Cowboys possessed the deepest offensive line in football last season, but that depth took a major hit this offseason, when right tackle Doug Free retired and guard Ronald Leary left for the Broncos in free agency. Dallas responded with modest measures. It signed a pair of frustrating players in former Cardinals bust Jonathan Cooper and former Panthers tackle Byron Bell but otherwise left the position untouched. The Cowboys will consider moving left guard La'el Collins to right tackle, but he hasn't been consistent on the interior, and that would open up another hole at Collins' old spot. This wasn't a great draft for offensive linemen, but it probably wouldn't have hurt Dallas to use a mid-round pick on one.

Sign a veteran or two on defense. The Cowboys should be thinking about veteran help, either along the defensive line or in the secondary, particularly at cornerback. They could opt for a big name such as Dwight Freeney, Paul Kruger or Elvis Dumervil to provide competition in camp and push for a meaningful pass-rushing role if he makes the team.

They added weapons for Eli Manning. There were too many moments last season when the Giants were Odell Beckham-or-bust on offense. Some of that could be attributed to a dismal running game, but the Giants needed to upgrade on Victor Cruz and Will Tye in their starting lineup. They pulled off both additions. First, general manager Jerry Reese signed Brandon Marshall to an eminently reasonable two-year deal, with Marshall taking less money to stay in New York after being released by the Jets. On draft night, Reese used his first-round pick on tight end Evan Engram, giving the Giants another excellent athlete to work with in the passing game. Sure, Beckham is still going to create moments of pure magic on his own, but now he and Manning will have more help.

They failed to address a dismal offensive line. For the second season in a row, the Giants' offense was rendered irrelevant at times by a porous offensive line. Inexplicably, for the second year in a row, Reese did close to nothing to address the issue. New York lost another regular in Marshall Newhouse, and the reinforcements Reese brought in are underwhelming. Free-agent signee D.J. Fluker failed at tackle before settling in as a mediocre guard in San Diego, and the first and only draft selection Reese used on a lineman was a sixth-round pick on Adam Bisnowaty. After a season in which the Giants ranked 26th in rushing DVOA and averaged just 3.5 yards per rush attempt, you would think Reese would have put more of an emphasis on re-signing offensive linemen.

They re-signed Jason Pierre-Paul to an exorbitant deal and let Jonathan Hankins leave. While 2016 was arguably JPP's best season as a run-defender and a major upgrade on the player he was during a limited 2015 campaign, Pierre-Paul is now 28 years old and already has back surgery and the effects of that traumatic fireworks disaster on his medical history. It's reasonable for the Giants to want him around, but it seemed irresponsible to throw a staggering $40 million in guarantees at a player with two double-digit-sack campaigns as a pro, especially in a year when the draft was full of edge rushers and defensive linemen.

As for the situation on the interior, it's debatable whether the Giants should have brought Hankins back at the three-year, $27 million rate he picked up from the Colts. Even for the Giants, committing to Hankins would have been devoting too many resources to the defensive line, given that Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon and Damon Harrison are on all massive deals. It was surprising, though, to see the Giants nominally replace Hankins by drafting Alabama nose tackle Dalvin Tomlinson in the second round. He profiles, essentially, as Harrison: a two-down, interior run-stopper who is limited as a pass-rusher. Having one of those guys is good. But two? Not so much.

Re-sign Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg. As bad as the Giants' offensive line is, it would get significantly worse if Reese were to allow his two best linemen to leave in free agency next offseason. Locking Pugh up before the guard market took a huge leap forward this offseason would have been prudent, given his ability to step outside and play right tackle.

Richburg, who has been overshadowed by the presence of Travis Frederick in the same division, should also attract upper-echelon-center money if he hits the free-agent market after his rookie deal expires this season. The Giants already have $156 million committed to their 2018 cap before signing Pugh or Richburg, and they have to lock up Beckham, who will be a free agent in 2019. Given those factors, they might not have long-term deals for the offense's two competent linemen in their plans.

They're suddenly deep at wide receiver. Eagles fans who grew ill at the sight of Nelson Agholor and Dorial Green-Beckham taking regular reps last season probably won't have to reach for the Pepto-Bismol in 2017. The Eagles bought low on Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, adding a pair of veterans who still have considerable upside. The one-year, $9.5 million deal Jeffery took to rebuild his value in Philadelphia, in particular, is a steal of criminal proportions.

The new additions, along with fourth-round size-speed freak Mack Hollins, should provide QB Carson Wentz opportunities to create big plays downfield. Wentz has the arm strength and instincts to chuck the ball wherever he wants, but he struggled to impress on deeper passes last season, whether because of a lack of suitable weapons or a conservative scheme that coach Doug Pederson installed for him as a rookie. Wentz's average pass traveled just 7.3 yards in the air, which ranked 26th in the league. When Wentz did throw deep (16-plus yards in the air), he was 24th in QBR and 26th in passer rating.

To be fair, 4.3 percent of Wentz's deep passes were dropped in 2016, the seventh-highest rate in the league. His overall drop rate of 5.1 percent ranked fifth-highest. Jeffery has played in only 21 of 32 games the past two seasons, but he has dropped just two of the 188 passes thrown in his direction by the likes of Jay Cutler and Brian Hoyer in that span. At the very least, Jeffery should be a safe pair of hands for his new quarterback.

They added more pieces to their defensive line. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz loves to build his units around a strong front four, preferring to get pressure without blitzing. Blessed with one of the league's most promising young defensive lines, Schwartz stayed true to form during his first year in Philly. The Eagles blitzed on only 19 percent of opposing pass plays, the fifth-lowest rate in the league, but they created pressure 30.2 percent of the time, which was the fifth-highest rate last season.

General manager Howie Roseman didn't rest on his line's laurels, though. Philly released veteran Connor Barwin, who didn't take particularly well to the team's new scheme, and allowed nose tackle Bennie Logan to leave. Roseman refreshed his line by swapping third-round picks in a deal for Ravens tackle Tim Jernigan, a useful interior disruptor who will rotate with run-stopper Beau Allen. Chris Long was brought in to serve as the veteran end playing alongside Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham, and the Eagles went further by using their first-round pick on Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett. In a league in which even anonymous pass-rushers are picking up significant sums of money in free agency, the Eagles go four-deep with defensive ends who could be relative bargains in 2017.

Cornerback is a mess, at least in the short term. Cornerback might have been as big a need for the Eagles on defense as wide receiver was for them on offense. With Philadelphia pressing up against the cap heading into the offseason, they weren't able to adequately address their weakness on the defensive side of the ball. The Eagles swapped out Leodis McKelvin, who was often overmatched last season, for the frequently disappointing Patrick Robinson. Dwayne Gratz, who never launched in Jacksonville, was brought into the fold. Roseman then used second- and third-round picks on cornerbacks, but his top selection was cornerback Sidney Jones, who tore his Achilles during Washington's pro day. He is unlikely to make much of an impact this year, which means the Eagles will be relying on their pass rush and a strong set of safeties in Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod to keep their cornerback problems at bay.

They never addressed their need for a bigger back. Reports heading into the offseason suggested that the Eagles would replace Ryan Mathews, a perennial injury risk and one of the few holdovers remaining from Chip Kelly's spending spree. With a deep pool of free-agent backs and a highly regarded crop of rushers available in the draft, it seemed logical for the Eagles to bring in a back to rotate with Darren Sproles and Wendell Smallwood.

The draft has come and gone, and with most of the free agents off the market, the only back the Eagles have added is fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey, a 169-pound back whose skill set suggests he'll be the long-term replacement for Sproles. Mathews, who is due to make a base salary of $4 million this year, is still on the roster. And the Eagles didn't bother to go after any of the other backs who might have fit. It was a genuine surprise to see them pass on Jamaal Charles, who played under Pederson in Kansas City and signed a one-year deal for smaller money than Mathews to suit up with the Broncos. They could still target LeGarrette Blount, but otherwise, the Eagles will be hoping that Mathews can stay on the field in 2017.

Make a definitive decision on Jordan Matthews. Nominally the Eagles' top wideout over the past couple of years, Matthews is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is likely to attract plenty of attention in free agency next year. A 6-foot-3 slot receiver, he has flashed at times during his tenure with the team but has yet to take a big leap forward, and the Eagles might prefer to pay Jeffery the eight-figure annual salary Matthews will receive on the market.

With that in mind, the Eagles should make their call on Matthews now. If they feel like Matthews is a big part of their future, they should lock him up, using the leverage of that bargain rookie deal while Matthews is still a year from free agency. If he isn't in their long-term plans, the Eagles are probably better off trading Matthews now than waiting a year. The Eagles would get a compensatory draft pick if Matthews left in free agency, but that pick wouldn't arrive until 2019, and it would come only if the Eagles were to stay out of the free-agent market. Getting a third-round selection for Matthews would lock in what amounts to a top-level comp pick, and it would probably come in the 2018 draft.

Washington massively upgraded its defensive front. Despite firing general manager Scot McCloughan (more on that in a minute), Washington basically conducted much of its offseason as if McCloughan were still in charge. The team generally avoided big splashes in free agency and built a deeper, stronger defensive line. It was 25th in rush defense DVOA and 27th in yards per carry allowed, so you can understand its need for help up front.

Free agency brought Terrell McClain over from the Cowboys, but more notably, the quietly effective Stacy McGee left the Raiders to head East and play nose tackle. While McGee has struggled to stay healthy as a pro, he has been an impact run-defender and beat the far more expensive Dan Williams for a job in Oakland last year.

Washington followed those moves by happily taking Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen when he fell to the 17th pick of the first round. Teams leaked concerns about Allen's shoulders, and there are organizations around the league that believe Alabama products are beat up from the grind of playing under coach Nick Saban, but nobody can argue with Allen's ability or production on the field. This isn't a risk-free proposition -- Washington could be in serious trouble if Allen and McGee struggle to stay on the field -- but the upside is a suddenly effective defensive line imported overnight.

They bought low on a couple of high-upside free agents. For years, owner Daniel Snyder set and reset the top end of the market on free agents, paying premiums to sign disappointments such as Adam Archuleta and Albert Haynesworth. Washington's cap was often bloated, and the team was stuck paying dead money to erase mistakes from years past.

Besides signing Josh Norman last year, Washington mostly avoided those pitfalls under McCloughan. After firing its general manager, it wouldn't have been a surprise to see Washington return to its former largesse. Instead, the team pieced together a coherent plan and gave short-term deals to players with limited but excellent track records. The key additions were Terrelle Pryor and Zach Brown, each of whom played at a Pro Bowl level in relatively new positions last year. Pryor excelled as a wide receiver in Cleveland. Brown was signed off the scrap heap by the Bills after struggling in Tennessee, he moved to inside linebacker, and suddenly he looked like a star. Washington waited out their respective markets and signed both to one-year deals. If Brown and Pryor can reproduce their 2016 form in the NFC East, they'll be bargains.

They fired McCloughan. An embarrassing power struggle played out in the media and led McCloughan to leave town. McCloughan's battle with alcoholism was a matter of public record heading into his time with Washington, and it certainly appears that the organization used his struggle as a pretense to fire him with cause at the first possible opportunity.

Ignore the fact that McCloughan is regarded as an excellent talent evaluator around the league, got rave reviews from players and went 17-14-1 with a team that had gone 7-25 the two seasons before his arrival. Imagine you're a hotshot personnel executive in line for general manager interviews. Why would you want to go work for a team that ran a successful executive out of town and dragged his name through the mud? How would a job with that organization ever be appealing to you, unless you had no other way to become a general manager? It's not a surprise that Washington still hasn't hired a GM and expects to restructure its organization from within.

They punted the Kirk Cousins situation. McCloughan wasn't able to sign Cousins to a long-term deal last offseason, and though that seemed like a prudent move, given Cousins' relative lack of professional success before 2015, Cousins doubled down with another impressive season in 2016. It's clear he's worth big money now, but feeling insulted by Washington's reticence to offer him such a deal last offseason, he seems hesitant to agree to a long-term extension.

After franchising Cousins twice, Washington is 12 months from what could be a franchise-altering offseason. It will be cost-prohibitive to franchise Cousins a third time, and Washington will have to pay a staggering sum to keep him from hitting the free-agent market, where teams such as the 49ers and Browns will be willing to hit new heights to get a franchise quarterback without having to give up multiple draft picks or develop a quarterback. Cousins' leverage -- and the chances that Washington loses its starting quarterback while getting no more than a compensatory third-round pick in return -- grows with each passing day. By this time next year, Washington might have lost the two most important pieces of its organization.

Signing Cousins. It's going to take an exorbitant, Joe Flacco-esque contract, but Washington doesn't have much of a choice.

See the rest here:
Barnwell's offseason report cards on Dallas, NY Giants, Philly, Washington - ESPN

Chris Solari, Detroit Free Press Published 5:29 p.m. ET May 16, 2017 | Updated 14 hours ago

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said he thinks Detroit could potentially be a host for a conference men's basketball tournament.(Photo: Chris Solari/DFP)

ROSEMONT, Ill. Commissioner Jim Delany showed the college sports world that the Big Ten is willing to take its mens basketball tournament away from its Midwest roots.

And Delany said Tuesday that Detroit could have a chance to bring it back within the leagues footprint.

I think that Detroit and Minneapolis and other cities should aspire, Delany said during the Big Ten joint meetings at league headquarters. That will be the decision of the universities and the athletic directors, but were a conference that is blessed by great sports fans, great cities. I cant tell you it will happen, but I would encourage interested parties to seek it.

Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis said he believes the soon-to-open Little Caesars Arena and The District Detroit will be a contender for Big Ten and NCAA events. The new home of the Detroit Pistons and Red Wings will host the Division I mens basketball first and second rounds in 2018 and 2021, as well as the 2020 Frozen Four in hockey and 2021 Division I wrestling championships.

MORE BIG TEN:

Mark Hollis concedes troubles have taken toll on Michigan State community

Big Ten conference, high schools discuss conflicts with Friday night games

Theres no reason why it shouldnt be considered for Big Ten championships, theres no reason why it shouldnt be considered a site for the NCAA regionals, Hollis said. I know weve got two years of first-second rounds (2018 and 2021, and I think its going to be proven to be just a world-class experience for people to play there. Im excited about it.

Before I walked through it, I was excited about it. But after seeing what theyve developed there and what the building looks like and how it flows and how theyve thought about most everything, its going to be one of the top hockey and basketball venues in the country. Very tight, tight sightlines, very well thought-out. I commend them for that and I will help them in any way to make sure that we can get Detroit rocking.

The Big Ten tourney debuted at Verizon Center in Washington this year and will move up a week in 2018 so it can shift to New Yorks Madison Square Garden. That has been part of the conferences mission to capture two of the nations largest media markets, in conjunction with the additions of Maryland and Rutgers in 2014.

The Big Ten will return the mens basketball tournament to Chicago in 2019 and 2021, and it will be held in Indianapolis in 2020 and 2022.

That decision is off a little bit in the future, but probably not too far, Delany said. Were a conference that goes from Colorado to the East Coast, that encompasses great cities with great arenas. We started off in Chicago exclusively, then we built out to Indianapolis. Recently, we went to D.C., were going to go to New York.

We have obviously, by going to D.C. and New York, demonstrated that we are a conference that has got to serve a lot of different geographies.

Delany said there has not been any discussions about moving the Big Ten Football Championship Game, which has been anchored at Indianapolis Lucas Oil Stadium since its inception in 2011. He called the venue a turn-key operation and says the city is really quite good at doing what they do.

He stopped short of calling Indianapolis a permanent home and said it should remain competitively engaged to have that event, but later called the city a stable football championship home.

We felt that, since it was a new event for us, that we have to control some variables. The variables are the centrality of the location and the temperature of the location, he said. We didnt think that it would be smart to try and grow an event in the snow.

Maybe someday, but not this day.

Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@chrissolari.

Original post:
Detroit could be a landing spot for Big Ten men's hoops tourney, Jim Delany says - Lansing State Journal

0 of 6

NFL careers are painfully short, especially at certain positions. Teams need high-end production from their top draft picks, and they need it now.

Patience is at a premium. So while a steady progression is nice, the preferred result in a high pick's second season is playing at a Pro Bowl level.

The second-year leap is critical for the player and the employment of coaches and front-office personnel who brought him aboard.

Young players are both the future and the present, and they're leaned on heavily. Sometimes a torch is being passed, as is the case with the Los Angeles Chargers between tight ends Antonio Gates and Hunter Henry. Other times, they're being relied on to step up after a great rookie season and fill a void, which is what the New Orleans Saints are asking of wide receiver Michael Thomas.

Let's take a look at some of the sophomores most likely to soar in 2017.

1 of 6

The San Francisco 49ers have used a first-round pick on a defensive lineman in three consecutive drafts, which is a little curious considering two of those three picks were on the roster in 2016 (defensive ends Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner), and the 49ers still gave up 165.9 rushing yards per game.

The 2017 draft additions of defensive tackle Solomon Thomas and linebacker Reuben Foster should greatly improve that feeble run defense. And Buckner will likely leap forward as one of the league's best young 3-4 defensive ends.

It feels like Buckner's solid rookie season was a little overlooked. That tends to happen when you play on a team that won only two games and fired its head coach at the end of the year.

But Buckner was indeed one of the few bright spots among the 49ers' 2016 rubble. The seventh-overall pick came into the league out of Oregon known for his impressive burst and athleticism at his size (6'7" and 300 lbs). He quickly put those tools to work and became a consistently disruptive pass rusher.

Buckner finished his rookie season with six sacks, and that only tells a partial story. The best pass-rushers create chaos even when they don't reach the quarterback. Buckner did that by generating 48 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, which ranked fourth at his position.

His ceiling was always high, and in 2017 Buckner should be even more effective now that opposing offensive lines have to worry about Thomas as well.

2 of 6

Chicago Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd was the shining young star in 2016 on a football team that otherwise resembled a raging tire fire.

But he didn't get a full season to show the height of his talent.

Floyd missed four games due to injury. That's a quarter of his rookie season gone. But that didn't stop Floyd from making life generally unpleasant for anyone trying to block him when he was healthy.

Floyd needed only 12 games to record seven sacks. Around midseason, he was especially sizzling. One three-game stretch saw the 24-year-old log 4.5 sacks.

It was all more than enough to make you wonder how high his production would have ballooned during an injury-free season. That curiosity grows when you rewind Floyd's film and see him consistently penetrating deep into the backfield while generating 35 pressures, per PFF.

An eruption should be coming in 2017.

3 of 6

At a glance, Hunter Henry's rookie season was just solid. But with proper context is applied, his numbers start to shine.

The Los Angeles Chargers tight end narrowly missed being a first-round pick in 2016, falling to No. 35. It was assumed his speed up the seam would fit well with quarterback Philip Rivers' deep arm. But it was also assumed that a lid would be put on Henry's rookie-season contributions due to the presence of legendary veteran tight end Antonio Gates.

And in theory, that should have been true, as Henry was only a part-time player. But his lack of playing time didn't matter at all.

Henry finished his first NFL season with 478 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, doing it all on only 36 receptions. That's an average of 13.3 yards per catch, which placed him tied for fourth among tight ends. It's also an average of a touchdown catch once every 4.5 receptions, which shows Henry's reliability in the red zone.

He put together that season while being on the field for only58.2percentof the Chargers' offensive snaps in 2016. The soon-to-be 37-year-old Gates is still around, but Henry's role should grow along with his production.

4 of 6

It can be argued New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas shouldn't be on this list because he already broke out in 2016. But making that argument means he's not capable of surpassing his rookie output.

And that's simply not true, given his talent and increased role in a loaded Saints offense.

Thomas finished his first year with 1,137 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 92 receptions. He was among the top 10 in all three of those receiving categories, and did it while also recording two games with 130-plus yards.

Now he can ascend to another tier in a Saints offense needing to replace the targets that went away when wide receiver Brandin Cooks was traded to the New England Patriots.

Over the past five years, quarterback Drew Brees has attempted 650-plus passes four times. In 2016, he let it fly a career-high 673 times, and 121 of those throws were directed at Cooks.

Many more of those targets will now come Thomas' way, putting him in a prime position to explode in only his second season.

5 of 6

Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey received Defensive Rookie of the Year votes in 2016. And in 2017, he might rise another rung and be considered for the Defensive Player of the Year.

Ramsey needed a bit of time early in 2016 to ease in and find his role. But once he did, the standout from Florida State sealed off half the field.

Ramsey allowed only 52.9 percent of the balls thrown into his coverage to be completed, per PFF, which ranked sixth among all cornerbacks. He also gave up a passer rating of just 76.6. Both of those rookie results become are impressive considering Ramsey was the third most targeted cornerback, with 102 balls thrown his direction.

He did all that at the young age of 22, which means Ramsey isn't even close to his peak.

6 of 6

Sterling Shepard's second-year rise may be somewhat limited by the presence of Brandon Marshall in the New York Giants' wide-receiver room. The Giants also used a first-round pick on tight end Evan Engram in the 2017 draft, which gives quarterback Eli Manning plenty of targets to spread around.

But Shepard should still take a leap because of his ability to thrive in a specific role.

The 24-year-old was used primarily as a slot receiver in 2016, seeing 86.1 percent of his targets from there. Shepard'sabruptness as a route-runner immediately translated to the NFL level when hecaught eight passes for 117 yards in only his second NFL game.

That ignited a season when Shepard recorded 636 receiving yards from the slot, which ranked a solid seventh, per PFF. Even better, his eight touchdown catches ranked first among slot receivers.

Shepard will draw many looks as a chain-moving slot option who gains separation with ease. And when he does, a quick jump in production will follow.

Continued here:
Predicting NFL's Best Sophomore Seasons for 2017 | Bleacher Report - Bleacher Report

Two people signed in to vote at the Amagansett School on Tuesday afternoon. David E. Rattray

School budget votes and board elections results have begun rolling in, with voters approving budgets in East Hampton, Amagansett, Montauk, Bridgehampton, Sagaponack, and Wainscott, whose polls all closed 8 p.m.

Polls in Springs and Sag Harbor closed at 9 p.m.

East Hampton

The East Hampton School District's $68.3 million budget proposal, a slight increase over last year but still under the state's cap on tax levy increases, was approved by a vote of 291 to 53.

Voters also approved, in a vote of 241 to 96, a proposition allowing East Hampton to establish a capital reserve fund for future districtwide improvements related to growing enrollment, property acquisition, and the replacement of technology and telecommunications equipment, infrastructure, and software. Spending for specific projects will be subject to voter approval.

Jacqueline Lowey and John J. Ryan Sr., who were running uncontested to keep their seats on the school board, got 278 and 302 votes, respectively.

Amagansett

In Amagansett, where interest in the budget and the school board race intensified in the last week, voters approved the nearly $10.7 million budget for the 2017-18 school year. The budget was approved, 146 to 59.

With three board seats available and only three candidates on the ballot, the race for school board was business as usual until last week, when two more candidates announced that they would mount write-in races.

Patrick Bistrian III and Dawn Rana-Brophy were running to keep their seats, and Anna Bernasek was seeking a seat for the first time. Mary A. Eames and Claudia L. Quintana announced after a school board meeting last week that they, too, would like to take seats at the table.

Mr. Bistrianand Ms. Quintana were the top two vote getters, with 122 and 115 votes, respectively. Each will get three-year terms on the board. The next highest vote getter, Ms. Rana-Brophy, got 111 votes and will serve for a one-year term.

Voters also approved a proposition authorizing the expenditure of $400,000 from the 2015 renovations and upgrades capital reserve fund for a new gym ceiling. The vote was 179 to 25.

Montauk

There were no surprises in Montauk, where the $18.8 million budget for next year was approved by a vote of 115 to 8, and Kelly White, an incumbent running for her third five-year term, won it with 112 votes.

The budget is down more than $155,000 from this year's.

Bridgehampton

Bridgehampton's $14.36 million budget sailed through with 102 voting for it and 74 voting no. The budget is up $578,024 over this year.

On the Bridgehampton School Board, Kathleen McCleland, an incumbent, was returned to the board with 136 votes, and Markanthony Verzosa, a newcomer, received 116 votes to take the other seat. The races were not contested.

Also approved Tuesday was a proposition allowing the district to redistribute the balance of a previously approved capital reserve fund to install and maintain a geothermal heating and cooling system as part of a planned school addition. Taxpayers will not incur any additional costs as a result. The vote was 84 to 41.

Sagaponack

Sagaponack voters unanimously passed the school's $1.7 million budget proposal, with 19 votes for and none against.

Sagaponack voters also approved a one-year contract with East Hampton and Sag Harbor School Districts for instruction services for fourth through sixth grades. The district already has a five-year contract with both of these districts for 7th through 12th grades.

Brian Villante, the school board president, was re-elected with 19 votes. There were no challengers.

Wainscott

The Wainscott School District's $2.95 million budget for the 2017-18 school year was approved with 31 votes in favor and none against. It is lower than this year's budget.

David Eagan, the incumbent school board president, who ran unopposed, was re-elected with 29 votes. One vote was cast for someone else, and one ballot was left blank.

View original post here:
Yes to School Budgets in Six Districts - East Hampton Star

Renovation (also called remodeling) is the process of improving a broken, damaged, or outdated structure. Renovations are typically either commercial or residential.[citation needed] Additionally, renovation can refer to making something new, or bringing something back to life and can apply in social contexts. For example, a community can be renovated if it is strengthened and revived.[1]

The renovation process can usually be broken down into several processes:

Technology has had a meaningful impact on the renovation process, increasing the significance and strength of the planning stage. The availability of free online design tools has improved visualization of the changes, at a fraction of the cost of hiring a professional interior designer. The decision regarding changes is also influenced by the purpose of renovation. In case of a fix and flip objective, an ROI (return on investment) can result from changes to fix a structural issue or design flow yield[2] or to use light and color to make rooms appear more spacious.

Many people renovate homes to create a new appearance for their home, or so another person can live in the residence.[3] Builders often renovate homes because it is a stable source of income.[4]

Wood is versatile and flexible, making it the easiest construction material for renovations, and wood buildings can be redesigned to suit changing needs. Few homeowners or professional remodellers possess the skill and equipment that is required to alter steel-frame or concrete structures.

Forest certification verifies that wood products have been sourced from well-managed forests. Most certification programs provide online search options so that consumers can find certified productsthe Certification Canada program includes a search option for all of the certification programs that are in use in Canada.[5]

In North America, most structures are demolished because of external forces such as zoning changes and rising land values. Additionally, buildings that cannot be modified to serve the functional needs of the occupants are subject to demolition. Very few buildings on the continent are demolished due to structural degradation.[6]

The Athena Institute surveyed 227 commercial and residential buildings that were demolished in St. Paul, Minnesota, between 2000 and mid-2003. Thirty percent of the buildings were less than 50 years old, and 6% were less than 25 years old. The four top reasons for demolition were area redevelopment (35%), buildings physical condition (31%), not suitable for anticipated use (22%), and fire damage (7%). Lack of maintenance was cited as the specific problem for 54 of the 70 buildings where physical condition was given as the reason for demolition.[6]

Most builders focus on building new homes, so renovating is typically a part-time activity for such tradespeople. The processes and services required for renovations are quite specific and, once plans are signed off, building a new home is relatively predictable. Renovations usually require all of the sub-trades that are needed for the construction of a new building. During renovation projects, flexibility is often required from renovation companies to respond to unexpected issues that arise. Projects involving renovation require not just flexibility, but a plan that had been agreed upon by multiple parties. The planning process will involve feedback from financial investors of the project, and from the designer. Part of planning will also entail the collection of data for the completion of the project and then the project plan will be revised and given consent before continuing with renovations.[7]

Renovation has several impacts, including:[8]

Requirements for renovation include property or site to reconstruct; structural plans; knowledge of sewage disposal, water supply, and flood zones; project plan; funding; and builders.

Go here to see the original:
Renovation - Wikipedia

WACO, TX--(Marketwired - May 16, 2017) - DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen's home improvement franchises saw big gains in average sales last year. In 2016, average gross sales reached $952,153 for franchises open the entire calendar year, 14.28% higher than 2015. High-quality service and efficient systems are driving tremendous home improvement franchise performance that outperforms the rest of the industry.

Growth outpacing the industry

It's a great time to get into the remodeling industry, and an even better time to get into DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen. Since 2011, average sales at the franchises have improved 92.15%, more than three times the overall industry growth of 28%, according to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen franchisees are getting a bigger share of an expanding market, thanks to the processes and cost-cutting efficiencies owners can utilize.

The experts back up the numbers by declaring DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen a leader in the remodeling industry. Franchise Gator recently named the company to its Top 100 Franchises of 2017. Validation from franchise industry experts like Franchise Gator helps show that DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen is an excellent opportunity for investors.

Long-term growth trend

It's that long-term performance that really proves the worth of DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen as a franchise investment. It hasn't just been one good year; there has been consistently strong growth in franchisees' sales over five straight years.

Those long-term trends make the investment opportunity more appealing by showing how the business can grow and continue adding value over the years, building the franchise into a profitable asset for owners.

Stronger margins add more value

With streamlined systems and established vendor relationships, DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen helps franchise owners keep costs down. That makes it a great choice for established remodelers looking for ways to cut costs and get better deals with vendors, without squeezing margins too tightly or sacrificing the quality of their work.

DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen's systems are also designed to enable custom work. The franchise isn't built around remove-and-replace or prefabricated solutions. Franchise owners create the bathrooms and kitchens their clients truly want, leading to great client satisfaction, strong word-of-mouth and better business results.

To learn more about starting a DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen home improvement franchise or converting your existing remodeling company, visit dreammakerfranchise.com.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/5/16/11G139034/Images/WIREDMModernKitchen-5e302ccc5da6a9a2b1379fa891b8fd6f.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/5/16/11G139034/Images/WIRE-DMMerrillatKitchen-4342d5ceb771b5d0b2170b2a30ae2fa9.jpg

Go here to see the original:
DreamMaker(R) Bath & Kitchen's average sales up 92% over past 5 years - Markets Insider

The 327,000-square-foot property is part of the CityPlace master plan, which will bring 4 million square feet of Class A office space to the Houston area.

The initial phase of a 60-acre mixed-use community in Spring, Texas is moving forward with financial help from American National Insurance Co. The project is being developed by a joint venture between Patrinely Group, USAA Real Estate and CDC Houston.

CityPlace in Houston

HFF has arranged a five-year, fixed-rate construction loan for CityPlace 2, the first office building to be developed within the CityPlace master plan. HFFs debt placement team representing the borrower was led by Wally Reid, senior managing director, Cortney Cole, managing director, and Trent Agnew, director.

CityPlace is part of the larger 2,000-acre Springwoods Village master-planned mixed-use community located at the intersection of Interstate 45, the Grand Parkway and the Hardy Toll Road in northeast Houston.

Designed by Gensler and built by Harvey Builders, CityPlace 2 is scheduled for completion in 2018. The 327,000-square-foot Class A office building is 100 percent leased to American Bureau of Shipping, who will relocate its world headquarters from 16855 Northchase Drive in Houston. The initial phase of the project includes a second office building, also located at the eastern end of CityPlace, near a full service hotel, and a lakefront plaza.

CityPlace2 will also include 24,000 square feet of ground level retail space, as well as a restaurant and a parking garage for employees and visitors. Houston-based Transwestern is in charge of retail leasing operations.

When fully completed, CityPlace will feature 4 million square feet of Class A office space along with 400,000 square feet of integrated retail space. The site is located at Interstate 45, the Grand Parkway and the Hardy Toll Road in northeast Houston.

Rendering courtesy of Gensler

Continue reading here:
HFF Secures Construction Loan for TX Office Building - Commercial Property Executive

Work on what will be the next major building to complete in Edinburghs Exchange District is now underway.

The foundations and groundwork phase of the project at 2 Semple Street is reaching completion and developer GSS Developments Ltd is working toward a May 2018 delivery.

With Grade A office stock in limited supply in Edinburgh city centre, GSS believes the 45,000 sq ft development will fill a requirement for financial, legal or professional services firms, together with creative industries.

The office space over five floors could accommodate up to 400 employees.

GSS Developments director Paul Stevenson said: With the construction of 2 Semple Streets concrete core progressing and the structural steel frame being erected in the next couple of months we are delighted reach this next key stage of construction.

With pressure on the supply of high-end office accommodation in central Edinburgh, 2 Semple Street will be an important addition to the citys business infrastructure and it will be the only new Grade A offices in The Exchange, the citys financial district, to be ready for occupancy in 2018.

For occupiers who have lease expires in 2018 and 2019 and are considering relocation, 2 Semple Street offers the absolute certainty of delivery by the middle of next year.

McLaughlin & Harvey was appointed as the main contractor last year. The development has been designed by Michael Laird Architects.

Angela Lowe, senior director at joint agents CBRE, added: In Q1 of this year there was a promising start to the take-up of Grade A office space in Edinburgh and with continued low levels of supply, the progress on 2 Semple Street is welcome news. It enjoys a prime location in The Exchange and allied to the fact there will be no other completions in 2018 it will appeal to a wide range of businesses.

Chris Cuthbert, director at CuthbertWhite, added: 2 Semple Street is a highly attractive proposition and be of interest to businesses either looking for a floor or two, or indeed one occupier seeking control of their own building to include signage rights.

Here is the original post:
Construction of Edinburgh office building forges ahead - Scottish Construction Now