Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

By Stephanie Vanderbilt

Q: I had been waiting all winter for spring so that I could finally give my home some exterior updates to improve curb appeal. Any suggestions?

A: The final days of winter are coming to a close here in New England. As we wait for sunshine and spring greenery to arrive, you might be yearning to refresh the exterior of your home. Whether your home needs a quick pick-me-up or an extensive exterior overhaul, these four home improvement ideas are the perfect tasks to tackle after a long New England winter.

1. Give your door a new glow

The elements and frigid temperatures of winter can do a number on your entry door. If the color of your front door is fading or it has simply seen better days, there is nothing quite like a fresh coat of paint to refresh your exterior for spring time.

If you need a little bit of color inspiration, look no further than Sherwin Williams color catalog. This catalog is updated with the trendiest colors for spring 2017, and youre bound to find an option that perfectly complements the exterior of your home.Overall, some of the most popular picks for entry door colors include turquoise, yellow, red, indigo, lime green, powder blue, mint and black.

Sherwin Williams chose Poised Taupe as the color of the year. This is a cozy color that brings a feeling of sanctuary to the home. Sherwin William notes that the best complementary colors for Poised Taupe include Mountain Air, Icelandic, Roycroft Rose, Brandywine, Mature Grape and Adriatic Sea.

Keep in mind that in some cases, your door needs more than a fresh coat of paint. If your door is showing signs of rot or its old and drafty, consider replacement this spring. Coastal Windows & Exteriors allows New England homeowners to customize their new entry door with any Sherwin Williams color and comes with a warranty.

2. Add a whimsical touch with interesting exterior lighting

Although the days are getting longer, exterior lighting is one of the quick and easy home improvement ideas that can truly enhance your curb appeal. There are a lot of creative ways that you can use landscape lighting, such as using colorful orbs around your garden. You can also use down lighting that is mounted on a tree to light up patios, porches, gazebos and more.

If youre concerned about your electric bill rising with your new exterior lighting, consider using solar powered options to keep your garden glowing.

3. Shake up your shutters' paint palette

Another great idea to add a burst of color to your home this spring is by changing up the color of your window shutters. Window shutters are a decorative feature for most homes, although homes situated along the coast may use them as barriers against windstorms and hurricanes.

How do you choose the perfect paint color for your shutters? Choose color options that either coordinate or contrast with your homes existing color. You can also consider painting your shutters the same new paint color as your front door.

4. Add efficiency and beauty with new replacement windows

If the winter season essentially drained your bank account from high energy bills, new replacement windows can add both efficiency and beauty to your home this spring. If upgrading your windows is on your home improvement to-do list this year, you can also take this opportunity to improve style and even add custom aesthetic features.

For example, standard vinyl windows are typically white. However, many New England homeowners are unaware that there are endless options to get creative with your new windows. You can choose custom colors to enhance your home, along with interior wood grain options for homeowners yearning for the warm look of authentic wood but the energy-efficiency of virgin vinyl cost-saving windows. Did you know that your windows can have custom exterior colors for historic districts or simply if you want them to match your shirt? Contact Coastal Windows & Exteriors to learn more.

While there are countless color options to choose from, dont forget about extra aesthetic options such as decorative glass and grids. Colonial and diamond grids are the perfect complement to New England Tudor and Colonial style homes. You can make your home instantly look more modern with double prairie, or pick the classic craftsman style for a quick exterior pick-me-up.

Keep in mind that vinyl windows are the best option in terms of maintenance and energy efficiency. While wood windows are prone to rot, quality virgin vinyl will stand the test of time without the need to ever lift as much as a paint brush.

Coastal Windows & Exteriors helps New England homeowners to enhance their homes performance while boosting curb appeal at the same time. Ask Stephanie how new windows, roofing, siding, and doors can take your exterior to the next level and even increase the value of your home. Contact us today by calling 978-304-0495 or e-mail svanderbilt@mycoastalwindows.com.

-- Stephanie Vanderbilt, owner of Coastal Windows & Exteriors, is your local home improvement resource. With a passion for education and helping others love the home they live in, Stephanie would love to answer any questions that will help you make your home beautiful, warm, safe and energy-efficient.

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AT HOME WITH STEPHANIE: Refreshing your home's exterior after winter - Wicked Local Melrose

The Indiana Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill Thursday aimed at shielding from child neglect charges people who anonymously surrender babies in newborn safety devices at hospitals.

The bill, now on its way to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb for his signature, also provides civil immunity to hospitals that install the boxes and receive a baby, and it allows two existing boxes at fire stations near Michigan City and Woodburn to continue operating.

I'm super excited ecstatic, said Monica Kelsey, a firefighter and medic, and founder of Woodburn, Ind.-based Safe Haven Baby Boxes. This has been a long fight for us, but I've never given up hope, and legislators have agreed this has to happen in Indiana.

The bill expands Indiana's existing Safe Haven Law, which enables a person to anonymously give up an unwanted infant without fear of arrest or prosecution, in a face-to-face interaction with an emergency medical services provider.

Indiana child welfare and health experts have opposed the boxes, saying people should abandon babies only directly to care providers. Kelsey said she agrees that's preferable but it's naive not to realize that some mothers can't bear the shame of that, especially in small rural communities where they are more likely to know the provider.

Kelsey said her biological mother, who had been raped, abandoned her two hours after she was born at a small hospital in Williams County, Ohio, in 1972. Authorities later found her mother and agreed not to prosecute her if she signed adoption papers, which she did.

The boxes, which install into an exterior wall, have heating and cooling elements, depending on the temperature outside, and weight and motion sensors that notify emergency responders when an infant has been placed inside.

The bill does not specify that fire stations are immune from civil liability, and Kelsey said she will not install more boxes at fire stations until the law is again changed to include them.

Kelsey said she already has contracted with a Michiana hospital to install a box, expected within 90 days, but she declined to identify the hospital yet.

Last year she had planned to install a box at The Life Center, 2018 Ironwood Circle, in South Bend, but the center changed its mind and withdrew from their contract in the face of opposition from the Indiana State Department of Health, said Shawn Sullivan, a South Bend attorney, anti-abortion activist and founder of the Catholic-based center.

The ISDH said they were going to fight it legally, Sullivan said. That caused a number of people to get cold feet, including the Knights of Columbus, which had planned to buy the boxes.

Sullivan said he was confident his center will eventually install a box, but how fast that happens will depend on the state health department's reaction to the new law, assuming Holcomb signs it.

The bill passed the Senate 47-3, receiving support from all Michiana area legislators. Voting against it were Sens. Phil Boots, R-Crawfordsville; Jim Merritt, R-Indianapolis and Jean Breaux, D-Indianapolis.

Breaux said she voted against the bill because of the Indiana Department of Child Services' continued opposition to the boxes, the lack of regulated standards on their design and construction, and the uncertainty over how quickly someone would retrieve a baby left in one.

Breaux said women should know that they can surrender babies face-to-face, without giving any information, in no judgment zones.

We certainly shouldn't make it easier for them to circumvent what is in the best interest of that child and not handing it over to a responsible adult is not in the best interest of that child, Breaux said.

The bill also cleared the House 92-4. Breaux said that emotion often times rules where rationality should.

More here:
Despite concerns of child health experts, baby box bill clears Indiana legistlature - South Bend Tribune

By Philip Qvarnstrom

When the University of Massachusetts Medical School unveiled its $400 million, state-of-the-art Albert Sherman Center in early 2013 on its Worcester, MA, campus, it was said that it would allow the school to enter a new era of biomedical research, medical education and campus collaboration. That final word collaboration would also play a prominent role in how the 11-story, 512,000 square foot building would be cooled during the warm and humid summer months that are quite common in the state.

That collaborative effort was driven by the needs of the University of Massachusetts Building Authority, which was responsible for the operation of the buildings cooling system, and the ability of Konvekta AG, a St. Gallen, Switzerland-based developer and provider of high performance, energy recovery systems, to meet those needs.

When we opened the Sherman Center, we knew we would have to add cooling capacity and someone recommended Konvekta, recalled David MacNeil, senior mechanical project manager for the Department of Facilities Management at the UMass Medical School. We looked at their system and we liked what we saw.

In order to ensure that the Sherman Center was properly cooled when temperatures and humidities would inevitably reach summer extremes, Konvekta determined that it would need to install two dedicated air handling units for use by the facility. After reaching that determination, the next step for Konvekta was to decide which type of heat exchanger to use to properly recover the heat that would be generated during the periodic operation of the two air handling units.

In the end, Konvekta chose to outfit the units with brazed plate heat exchanger (BPHE) technology.

The design of BPHEs is what helps set them apart when compared to the performance of competitive technologies, such as gasket plate heat exchangers (GPHE). BPHEs are constructed as a plate package of corrugated channel plates that have a filler material between each plate. During the plates vacuum-brazing process, the filler material forms a brazed joint at every contact point between the plates, creating channels through which the media will flow. This also allows media at different temperatures to come into close proximity and enables heat or cold from one media to be transferred to the other in a highly efficient manner.

The concept is similar to other plate-and-frame heat-exchanger technologies, but without the need for gaskets and frame parts that can fail and leak, leading to potentially high cleanup, maintenance, and replacement costs.

Other advantages that BPHEs can offer in cooling applications include compact size; more efficient operation; installation flexibility; self-cleaning operation; lower life cycle cost; and the ability to be customized for the needs of an installation.

Simon Buehler, sales manager for Konvekta, recommended BPHEs for the air handling units, and specifically suggested BPHEs from SWEP, a Sweden-based supplier of BPHEs for use in the HVAC and industrial markets.

Our business relationship with SWEP began many years ago in Germany, said Buehler. Today, SWEP is our main supplier of BPHEs. SWEP has an excellent SWEP Software Package (SSP) calculation platform that makes it very easy for out engineers to select the right BPHE for the project.

In the case of the air handing units at the Sherman Center, Buehler and Konvekta recommended a pair of B50H BPHEs be installed. The B50H models were the best choice because SWEP has designed them to be used in demanding applications. With three different plate combinations and 2.5 (63.5 mm) connections, they are an ideal solution for high-volume applications that can require flow rates of as much as 56 m3/hr (246 gpm).

SWEP B-type heat exchangers are able to optimize the use of energy, material, and space in cooling systems, said Buehler. They are compact, cheap when compared to other solutions, durable and have high heat-transfer performance. The B50H model is also perfect for operations with low pressure drops, high flows and where the temperature difference between the two media is typically very small. At the Sherman Center, the temperature difference between the cooling-water inlet and water/glycol outlet is only 4F.

The SWEP BPHEs began operating in conjunction with the air handling units for the Albert Sherman Center on the UMass Medical Schools campus in mid-2015 and, according to MacNeil, have performed without a hitch in the ensuing 16 months.

We really only need them when its really hot out, those days when its 97 and humid, thats when we get the supplemental cooling we need from the BPHEs, said MacNeil. Theyre so simple and work well; you just install them and you very rarely have any issues. They definitely meet our needs.

Qvarnstrom is the project development manager for SWEP North America, Inc., located in Tulsa, OK. Founded in 1983 and acquired by the Dover Corporation in 1994, SWEP is a supplier of brazed plate heat exchangers (BPHEs) for use in HVAC and industrial applications. SWEPs North American sales network is headquartered in Duluth, GA, with the manufacturing center located in Tulsa.

More:
Heat Recovery Helps Cool UMass Med School Facility - Facility Executive Magazine

Post-war consumerism has engulfed us to the point that weve been conditioned to buy rather than make. Planned obsolescence means having to buy the latest version of a product even the old ones still serving its purpose well. Repairs are practically impossible to do because of the way products are designed. Almost every big brand features proprietary technology, too, so you always have to involve companies even for service and after-sales concerns.

It is, therefore, refreshing to see movements that have deconstructed technologies and products in favor of the so-called maker culture. As much as previous generations are criticizing Millennials for being too glued to their smartphones and the internet, its not as if all Gen Xers and Boomers actually spent their youth apprenticing under skilled tradesmen toiling around in workshops to feel that they are a generation of creators who relied on brawn and lived by the sweat of their brows.

In fact, the available technology today encourages a certain level of involvement through a maker culture, which has spawned a new generation of do-it-yourselfers. This means that millennials might even be more involved in the maker culture than previous generations.

So, its actually great that technology today is creating a new age of do-it-yourself (DIY). Connected devices for home use are now being built for ease-of-use with DIY installation and configuration. The Nest thermostat is designed to be self-installed (complete with the tools and guides) and is made to work with most standard heating and cooling systems.

Even home security products like SimpliSafe come in DIY kits that do not require professional installation compared to other popular subscriber-based home security systems. The sensors and alarms are all designed to be self-installed within minutes, and the system can likewise be self-managed through the users smartphone, and it also through a centralized contact center when an alarm is activated.

While some may argue that these kinds of DIY activities arent exactly producing creations, these product designs encourage an active participation from users. One may even think of these as gateway activities to engaging in more creative DIY projects. Just like in cooking you dont attempt complex dishes without knowing how to boil the water first.

For those keen in more creative pursuits, developments in personal electronics and connectivity have allowed computing enthusiasts to foster the maker culture. We can think of this movement as people revisiting the creative space of workshops, garages, and sheds. People are out to change the world through inventions not too different in pursuit as the inventors of the industrial revolution.

Microcontroller kits Arduino and Raspberry Pi are probably heaven-sent technologies for tinkerers. These have paved the way for a multitude of personal and mobile computing projects. While these essentially function as barebones pocket computers, their functionalities can be expanded through a variety of peripherals such as sensors and servos. Users can even explore robotics with these kits. Weve seen people integrate synthesizers, voice activation, and even health sensors for a variety of projects.

The emergence of 3D printing is also pushing this DIY maker culture to new heights. Components can easily be printed from open source diagrams using a variety of materials including ceramic, plastic, metal, and now even biological materials. This allows for quick and easy fabrication of any conceivable part for any project.

Wi-Fi and Ethernet modules can also be integrated into these kits to allow devices to come online. These pave the way for data collection, access, and control, from virtually any device, which can result in purposeful integration among different devices.

In Gartners latest estimates, the firm says 2017 will see 8.4 billion connected devices this year. In three years time, that number is expected to explode to more than 20 billion. The maker movement is helping push those numbers.

The maker movement has also made its way into our schools, which aim to inspire students to express creativity through technology projects. The new levels of creativity that we see from various projects are absolutely fascinating as hobbyists and tinkerers can now even outpace companies in rapidly building prototypes of potentially life-changing devices. These may come soon enough for the older and aging generations to enjoy and benefit.

These developments at least hint at a shift in the mindset wherein people simply just have to pay for everything. Maker culture is all about bringing back creation and activeness. This may even spell the disruption of planned obsolescence models on which many companies have built their product life cycles on and forced into our lives.

Read the rest here:
The maker culture: The Rise Digital DIY Gadgets - Techworm

WSC Distinctive Builders of Wetumpkas lake cottage work won two categories and finished as the runner-up in two others at the Alabama Remodeling Excellence Awards.(Photo: Contributed)

A local lake cottage and a reimagined suburban kitchen were honored last weekas some of Alabamas best remodeling jobs over the past year.

WSC Distinctive Builders of Wetumpkas lake cottage work won two categories and finished as the runner-up in two others at the Alabama Remodeling Excellence Awards.

Faced with a well-located home that had dated designs and structural issues, they redesigned and expanded the house while re-using existing material. That included creating a new foyer and great room with a bar looking out on to the lake. Walls were removed to expand the kitchen and family den, and a former garage was converted into a master suite with vaulted ceilings, bay windows and its own private porch.

A second story was also added, along with an observation tower that overlooks the lake.

Selby Davis Builder of Montgomery won best kitchen remodeling project under $40,000 for its work to updated and redesign part of a suburban home. The update included new quartz countertops and backsplash, new cabinets and island, and under-counter lights. They installed a double oven, gas cooktop and new dishwasher.

Selby Davis Builder also landed a runner-up award for a separate backyard barbecue project.

Kimbro Renovations of Montgomery took home two runner-up awards, including one for a whole house remodeling project over $500,000. That started with stripping the existing structure to the studs, replacing plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems, relocating the kitchen, adding a 2,500-square-foot master suite, and building a carport and second driveway.

The goal was to combine old and new construction in a seamless way, while adding modern amenities.

You can see more at remodelalabama.com.

WSC Distinctive Builders of Wetumpkas lake cottage work won two categories and finished as the runner-up in two others at the Alabama Remodeling Excellence Awards.(Photo: Contributed)

Kimbro Renovations of Montgomery won state recognition for this local home remodel.(Photo: Contributed)

Selby Davis Builder of Montgomery won state recognition for this local kitchen remodeling project.(Photo: Contributed)

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Local home remodels were among best of the year - Montgomery Advertiser

Photo: Courtesy Of Vick Construction & Remodeling

This remodeled kitchen features high-end, durable countertop products that look like natural stone.

This remodeled kitchen features high-end, durable countertop products that look like natural stone.

GHBA Remodelers Council: Get update on latest trends for kitchens

Keeping current with trends in home remodeling is one of the many services members of the Remodelers Council can provide for homeowners - especially when it comes to the kitchen.

"A lot of things have stayed on the kitchen hot list for a while, but a few new things are becoming trendy," said Kevin Vick, owner of Vick Construction & Remodeling. "Among them is honing in on how to integrate the dining and living areas."

Making the right choices when updating the kitchen makes the space more functional and visually appealing, and leads to a higher resale value, he said. Here are a few of today's most popular options.

Update your countertops

Clients are moving away from granite, opting for man-made materials.

"Many clients request countertops that are hard and dense, yet beautiful," said Vick. "People go with solid colors, or something that mimics natural stone." He said he also gets requests for islands with eat-in bar tops.

Stephen McNiel, founder of Creative Property Restoration Inc., has noticed a movement toward engineered materials.

"Customers love the durability and antimicrobial properties of these types of countertops," he said. "Everyone loves marble, but not the potential for staining - and with these new products, it's really hard to tell the difference."

Keep it bright

Homeowners are sticking to white cabinets, light-colored walls and more lights. Sherry Pruitt, owner of Whodid It Designs, said clients want light and an open space with a lot of flow.

"Adding lights is another popular - and affordable - change," she said. "People are realizing they have many options, such as including LEDs, which add warmth and brightness."

McNiel agreed that LEDs are another change that has taken off.

"You can add them to narrow spots, under cabinets, or showcase a backsplash," he said.

Get tech-y

Homeowners want home-automation devices that control everything.

"Now, switches all around the house can be operated with an iPhone," Vick said. "And touchless faucets are very popular for home chefs."

Fine finishes

Most clients request a natural-looking finish. McNiel said most of his clients want wood floors through the first floor. "Houses are so open these days that there aren't different floors in different rooms," he said.

Pruitt agreed that people want wood, engineered wood or tiles that look so much like wood they can't tell the difference.

Vick predicts copper sinks will be this year's major kitchen trend. It's not just about functional, he said; people are drawn to the warm tone of these artistic centerpieces.

With many options available for kitchens, guidance from a professional can make a major difference in the remodeling process as well as the finished result.

This article was reprinted from the GHBA Houston Remodeling Guide. The Remodelers Council is dedicated to promoting professionalism and public awareness of the remodeling profession through education, certification and service to the Houston community. For information on this article, please contact Lorraine Hart at lorraine@idealconsulting.net. To join the council or to find a professional remodeler in your area, please visit http://www.ghba.org.

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GHBA Remodelers Council: Get update on latest trends for kitchens - mySanAntonio.com

Charlotte Observer (blog)

Check out Charlotte's biggest new office buildings and see when they open Charlotte Observer (blog) After a post-recession lull, Charlotte's office market is growing rapidly, and a string of new projects are set to open in the coming years. Vacancy rates remain tight. Citywide, the office vacancy rate stood at 8.5 percent at the end of 2016 ...

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Check out Charlotte's biggest new office buildings and see when they open - Charlotte Observer (blog)

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

'For the People' law firm to have name on new downtown office building Columbus Ledger-Enquirer He is a partner in the office building project with Columbus businessmen Todd Ammerman and Russ Carreker, with River City Construction undertaking the major rehabilitation of the 408 12th St. property that once was home to Strickland Motors, ...

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'For the People' law firm to have name on new downtown office building - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Design and engineering of the building are almost completed. The company plans to unveil the new office building by the end of the year.

KP Engineering LP plans to build a new 25,000-square-foot office building in Tyler, Texas, adjacent to the companys headquarters, which opened in 2015. The new asset will include design workstationsand conference rooms incorporating the latest conferencing technology. With construction expected to begin this month, design and engineering of the building are almost completed.

Located on Old Jacksonville Highway, the new facility will relieve overcrowding and replace the temporary offices nearby. The company plans to complete construction of the new office building by the end of the year.

Our newest building will be a tangible representation of our growth and a direct reflection of the dedication of our employees and our engineering, design and execution prowess that leads to efficient, on-time projects, saidWilliam Preston, president & COO, in a prepared statement.

Image courtesy of KP Engineering LP

Original post:
KPE to Construct New Office Building in Texas - Commercial Property Executive

The renovation of the DuPont Building. Wochit

DuPont Building renovation plans.(Photo: Suchat Pederson, The News Journal)Buy Photo

The Buccini/Pollin Group is charging ahead with a $175 million transformation of downtown Wilmington's DuPont Building in one of the city's most ambitious redevelopment projects in decades.

Over the next three to four years, the property comprised of the Hotel du Pont, Playhouse on Rodney Square and a 13-story office building will be converted into a mixed-use complex that includes apartmentsand 40,000 square feet of retail space combined with afood hall.

Most of the renovations will be made to the office portion of the building; the venerable hotel will undergo largelycosmetic changes, such as new carpets and room upgrades.

"To me, this is one of the most important projects in our city because that building has been one of our most powerful symbols," said Wilmington MayorMike Purzycki. "To see it come back like this gives us a sense of optimism that it will turn the tide of confidence in the city."

BPGestimates the project will create 300 temporary construction jobs along with30 full-time positions in the property's retail and residential spaces. Wage, payroll and other taxes are expected to generate nearly $23 million in revenue forthe city, state and county overthree years and about $38 million over five years, according to data from theWilmington-based developer.

"These jobs create a balance in the economy," said Mike Hare, senior vice president for developmentat BPG. "It's not just high-end financial center jobs, but very approachable jobs for people in the city."

BPG is funding the projectthrough a construction loan backed by M&T Bank, private equity andhistoric tax credits. Thecredits, governed by the Internal Revenue Service and the National Parks Service, encourage the preservation and reuse of historic properties by offering a dollar-for-dollar reduction on taxes.

Separately, BPG expects toreceive a $1.5 million Downtown Development District grant from the Delaware State Housing Authority.

The project's most dramatic revitalization will occur in the office building at 1007 N. Market St. BPG will completely gut the space, dividing it between offices and market-rate apartments. Chemical companyChemours will lease 256,000-square-feet of space onfloors four through 13. The company reportedly signeda 17-year lease for the space.

That leaves about 60,000 square feet of vacantspace that could support one to four tenants, accordingto Chris Buccini, co-president of BPG.

Chemours announced plans in January to sell the building to BPG and lease it back on a long-term agreement. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Chemours acquiredthe property as part of its spin-off from DuPont in 2015. DuPont had owned the building since construction was completed in 1908, but gave it up in 2014 when the company moved to asuburban campus in Chestnut Run.

About 700 Chemoursemployees work in the building.An additional 300 Chemoursworkers are scattered throughout Delaware.

STORY: Group saves 600 former DuPonters from leaving Delaware

STORY: DuPont gives hotel art to 3 area museums, United Way

Chemours' decision to keep the building as its global headquarters ended more than a year of speculation on whether the company would seek new digs in the city. It had looked at other properties, including the Bank of America Building just across Rodney Square, before ultimatelyagreeing to stay in the building that has served as its onlyhome.

"Staying in this historic building is an entirely appropriate acknowledgment of our legacy," said Mark Vergnano, CEO of Chemours. "And just as we have been transforming Chemours into a world-class chemistry company now working closely with BPG we will transform our office space into a modern, world-class work environment."

Renovations are expected to take 18 months, Buccini said. Chemours will occupy about 80,000 square feet of space in the Nemours Building, another BPG property, on a 12- to 18-month temporary lease while construction is completed.

Chemours will cover some of the office construction, Hare said. Last year, Chemours was approved for $7.9 million in taxpayer grants in exchange for retaining 900 jobs in Delaware through 2020. Nearly $700,000 of that money was allocated to upgrading its headquarters.

"They are making a significant financial investment in this space," Hare said. "We are doing a large part of it, but Chemours is putting its own resources into it."

The project's second phase will modernize the building's first floor along 10th street, adding 40,000 square feet of retail space. Buccini said it was too early to list potential tenants, but about 10,000 square feet of that space at the corner 10th and Orange streetswill be occupied by a food hall, one of the hottest trends in urban dining.

A food hall is similar to a food court, but instead of traditional chain restaurants, it involves local chefs showcasing their dishes typically healthiereating options. Food halls have sprung up in major downtown markets such as Los Angeles, New York, Detroit and Pittsburgh over the past year. A study by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield found 96 major food hall projects totaling over 2.4 million square feet of space were under construction by the end of last year's third quarter.

DuPont Building renovation plans.(Photo: Suchat Pederson, The News Journal)

Buccini said the DuPont Building's food hall will have about eight different stands offering breakfast, lunch and dinner.

"The food hall takes smaller, independent and maybe even start-up food providers and gives them a facility where they don't have to build a restaurant," Hare said. "It's meant to inspire a sense of entrepreneurship in the city."

An M&T Bank Branch at 10th and Market streets will remain and a restaurant separate from the food court is expected to be added as part of the ground floor.

Once the ground floor retail and office renovations are completed, BPG will transform the unused office space into 180 apartments. The project will essentially divide the building in half with Chemours occupying the side on Market Street facing Rodney Square. The apartments will overlook Orange Street.

"One of the things that really works here is that every single street has a different, but very elaborate lobby," said Buccini. "The ground floor retail would be the unifier among the space. It lays out incredibly well."

The residential component is still in the preliminary stages. It is not known if it will include one-, two-, or three-bedroom units. Hare said the units' rental rates will be on par with BPG's other downtown Wilmington apartment properties, about $2 per square foot. Hare said the residential portion will include amenities such as a health club.

Another component of theproject will include increasing the number of shows at The Playhouse at Rodney Square, a 1,200-seat Broadway-style theater attached to the office building.

Buccini said BPG is working with the theater manager, the Grand Opera House, to offer more events. The Grandacquired the theater business from DuPont in 2015, after the chemical giant was under pressure from activist investor Nelson Peltz to divest some of its non-core assets.

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Purzycki said his administration will do what is necessary to improve safety for workers, residents and visitors.

"I think we view it as a very important district to maintain statistical safety, but also the appearance and feel of safety as well," he said. "Our major effort is going to be to increase public safety and make people feel secure."

By the time the renovations are completed, the DuPont Building might even have a different name. BPG is studying the possibility of rebranding the property to reflect the changes. Any name change will not impact the Hotel du Pont, Buccini said.

Although the hotel will remain largely unchanged, Hare said he hopes the project will restore its glory days as the center of social activity in Delaware's largest city.

"We want more people going through for dinner on a Friday or Saturday night or more people having breakfast and lunch there," he said. "We want to make the hotel even more relevant to the way people get together in downtown Wilmington."

Contact Jeff Mordock at (302) 324-2786, on Twitter @JeffMordockTNJ orjmordock@delawareonline.com.

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$175M transformation planned for DuPont Building - The News Journal