Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Gymnastics results(Photo: Matt Colby/Now Media Group)

The Nordy Invitational is a special home meet for the Mukwonago/Kettle Moraine gymnastics team. Longtime coach Harry Nordentofthelped put MKM on the map by winning two WIAA state titles in 1992 and 1994. MKM also finished second in 1993.

MKM was fifth at this year's NordyInvite with a score of 134.15. Kenosha won the title with a 145.1.

"Three of the top scoring teams in the state were present at this invite," MKM coach Tom Werth said. "A lot of highly ranked gymnasts were competing."

Mackenzie Pendleton placed seventh in the all-around (34.1). Pendleton was eighth on beam (8.95) and 10th on floor (8.95).

"She has some very difficult moves in her beam and floor routines that keep her scores right up there with some of the state's top gymnasts," Werth said.

One of MKM's most reliable gymnasts this season,Maddy Krumenacher, took eighth in the all-around with a score of33.925. Krumenacher was ninth on floor (9.0) and 12th on bars (8.5).

"An uncharacteristic fall off the beam kept her off the award stand," Werth said. "Most of the season, she has been solid on that event."

Kelsee Koreschwas the team's top vaulter with a 15th-place finish (8.35). Koreschwas 13th on bars (8.35), tied for 14th on beam (8.5) and finished 18th on floor (8.65).

"One of our most improved varsity gymnasts is Kelsee Koresch, who has continually grown throughout the season," Werth said. "Her hard work and determination throughout the season is paying off."

Ayva Dionne has also worked hard this season and cracked the varsity lineup. Dionne finished 16th on floor with an 8.7 and was 22nd on beam with an 8.025.

"She has added a few new moves to her routines which have helped increase her starting values," Werth said.

MKM was the first team up on vault and didn't stick some of its landings.

"As the meet progressed, the girls steadily improved and found their competitive way," Werth said. "Everyone showed good flow and clean form on the bars.On beam, we had a few falls but finished the meet with some great routines on the floor.The girls really put it together on that event, which ended up being our best showing."

The MKM junior varsity team was fourth (122.5). Waukesha won the meet with a 127.2. Maddie Yager was victorious in the all-around with a score of 30.0.

Yager also placed third onvault (8.1), 15th onbars (7.0) and 12th onbeam (7.85). Tyler Christiansen was eighth onbeam (8.0), 15th onvault (7.65) and 12th onbars with a 7.05.

Natalie Heinz and Jordyn Fixel both tied for third on the floor with scores of 8.3 Fixel also hit one of her best bar routines of the season to place ninth with a 7.4.

On Feb 8, the MKM varsity lost a dual meet to Arrowhead,134.125-132.05.

Emma Jaworski tied for first on vault with a score of 8.5.Krumenacher was second in the all-around, third on vault and third onbars.Pendleton placed second onbeam and floor and was third in the all-around.

"Quite a few of the girls added some more difficult moves to their routines and just need a little time to get comfortable with those additions," Werth said. "This was a good meet to break out these moves so that by tournament time they are comfortable and can focus on hitting the routines they are capable of hitting.I was proud of how many of them competed. Anytime you add a new element to your routine, your focus seems to be on that move and sometimes you let your guard down and miss a couple of moves you normally would hit.The next few practices we will be focusing on lots of routines with everything in so each girl can perform with confidence."

At the JV level, MKM won the meet, 118.75-97.4. Yager had a good day withvictories on vault and bars. Yager was third in the all-around.

"She has been a steady worker for the team and has improved quite a bit over the season," Werth said.

Christiansen won the all-around.

"She has a lot of potential showing clean lines on her form and just needs to work more difficult moves into her routines and she will be strong in the years to come," Werth said.

Natalie Heinz hit a good beam and floor routine and placedsecond in both events.

"Another girl that is moving up throughout the season with some quality routines," Werth said. "Taylor Christensen was third on the beam with an outstanding new move, throwing a back tuck on the beam.Think of flipping a back somersault on the floor and then try it on a balance beam that is only four inches wide.She nailed that move and really got her team cheering."

MKM travels to Waukesha West on Feb. 16 for the conference meet.

"Our focus will be on cleaning up our routines and strive to close the gap on that 140 score," Werth said. "We're hopeful to get Malia Christiansen back in the lineup for Thursday's meet. She has been in and out of the lineup this season with a nagging injury.I know it is hard for her to sit and watch her team because she is such a competitor and wants to get back out there.Her presence alone when she is competing helps fire up this team and we have been missing that."

More:
Mukwonago/Kettle Moraine finishes fifth at Nordy Invite - Lake Country Now

As you may already know, we have the honour of completing the renovation and addition for the Camrose Womens Shelter Society, and were grateful to be part of this project. A key consideration in this project was to help keep the construction costs for the society as manageable as possible. Our goal was to come up with a plan to help them achieve this.

The addition were doing for the society isnt unlike an addition wed do for a home. There is a general formula to follow to ensure its being done properly and integrated into your current space. Here are the key elements to consider when planning an extension or addition that may help you save on some construction costs.

Foundation

The ability to use the existing structure or foundation of the home makes a significant difference on a budget. If the structure is sound and can be used, it can save money. The key is to ensure an engineer is involved to assess the foundation and ensure it is safe. This is especially important when adding a second story or removing structural walls to open up different areas of the home.

Timing

Most people would think that completing a renovation during the winter period is a mistake, but we saw it as a great opportunity to save money for the Society. In the case with the Womens Shelter, dealing with the snow and cold was better than dealing with the rain because our goal was to save the existing main floor walls and floor.

In many additions, the existing walls and floor are typically demolished, however, we really wanted to save on costs for the society and so we saved the floor and used the existing drywall.

Consistency is key

When youre building on to an existing structure, its important to unify the materials as much as possible so you dont have a stark contrast between the original and new structures. This means keeping things unified on the interior as well as the exterior as much as possible. Paint colours, flooring, fixtures, siding, stucco, windows all need to be considered when creating your new space. Sourcing materials to match the original structure can become a challenge, especially when dealing with materials that may be discontinued. Part of what a great contractor will do is help you with this consistency in materials or help source the right materials that will match up as closely as possible to the existing structure. In the case of the Womens Shelter, we want to unify the new spaces as much as possible by matching materials rather than having to do a full exterior renovation. Ultimately this saves money while ensuring your addition looks as seamless as possible.

Temperature control

Adding new spaces to an existing structure also means having to account for proper heating of the new space. Using the Womens Shelter as an example, we added 474 square feet to the second storey, which means we added 50 per cent more space to heat. As a result, we needed to add a new furnace in order to heat the space. There can be more complex issues that arise in planning temperature control out in your new space, and how to properly accomplish this from a mechanical standpoint, so its always a good idea to seek out professional help to ensure its being done properly.

The Camrose Womens Shelter Society is a unique renovation, but not a far stretch to what can be completed in your own home. Planning properly and taking advantage of the existing structure and materials can have significant value and save on costs. Hiring a professional to help you chart a course for your addition is a smart move, and can decrease your overall costs if planned and done properly.

Check out some more great ideas at http://www.alairhomes.ca/camrose/blog.

See the article here:
Planning a cost-effective addition for your home - Camrose Canadian

Monday, February 13, 2017 at 8 a.m.

Who is ready for baseball season to start?

John Royal

Its that most wonderful time of the year. That time when everything is possible. When every team is still in contention for the pennant. Its the start of spring training. Pitchers and catchers are reporting to camp and the time for being jaded and cynical is still far into the future or at least until April.

Baseball starts in February, goes to the end of October and at times feels endless. Its a sport that can be slow to change, and when it does change, those changes are argued about forever witness the seemingly never-ending arguments surrounding the designated hitter and whether the National League will ever fall in line with the rest of organized baseball and stop making the pitcher bat. Traditionalists are still upset about the use of shifts and advanced statistics.

But once an actual game is underway, all of that is forgotten. Baseball then becomes about the perfect placement of the pitch, the sound of the bat connecting with the ball, a third baseman diving to nab a shot down the line. Of course, with the proper use of shifting, theres no need for the third-baseman dive, and the smart batter, aware of the shift, will work to take a walk or lay down a bunt.

Major League Baseball is still experimenting with some ideas as spring training gets underway. The lower minors have been trying out pitch clocks in a way to speed up the game. And now the league is going to have the minors try a new way to handle extra innings. The plan is that once a game hits extras, a runner will be placed on second base to start the inning the thinking being that a runner on base makes it easier to score a run. But some of the great Astros regular season games of all time involve extra innings, such as those Saturday and Sunday games against the Dodgers in 1989 that saw games go 22 and 13 innings on back-to-back days.

None of that would affect the Astros. But there will be some changes at Minute Maid Park. Tals Hill is no more. The centerfield fence has been moved in, there will be new bars and restaurants added in what used to be the hill area, and there will be some additional seating though its doubtful that the average fan will be able to afford those seats.

The team reports to camp on Wednesday at a brand-new location in West Palm Beach, Florida, to a brand-new training facility the team will share with the Washington Nationals. And with the reporting to the brand-new complex comes a deserved sense of optimism that this team is a good team. Its not just good because its spring and the games havent started and every guy looks like a future Hall of Famer or because Sports Illustrated predicted the Astros would win the World Series this season.

This isnt the Astros squad of the final Drayton McLane years. This team hasnt been stripped of talent, the farm system drained by bad drafting. This Astros team is perhaps stocked with more talent in the non-pitching positions than any other team in club history. Jose Altuve, George Springer and Carlos Correa have another year of experience and have continued improving each season. Guys like Alex Bregman and Yulieski Gurriel showed immense promise last season. And the additions to the team of Josh Reddick, Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann shored up the outfield, DH and catching positions.

Not everything is perfect around the Astros, though. The only addition to the starting rotation is Charlie Morton, a so-so pitcher with injury issues. The team is also hoping that Dallas Keuchel will be healthy and return to the form he used to be one of the best pitchers in baseball (and a Cy Young winner), and the team hopes that Lance McCullers can make it through the season without injury and develop into the ace the team believes he can be.

But lets not focus on the imperfections. Its the spring, the games have yet to be played and every team is still in contention. Especially the Houston Astros who are projected to finish the 2017 season with the best record in the American League.

Go here to see the original:
As Spring Training Begins, Major Leagues Mull New Rule Changes - Houston Press

The first tenants in downtown's 777 Main apartment tower moved in 20 months ago, and now the building is 95 percent leased.

But the place, surrounded by scaffolding on street level, still looks like a construction zone.

The staging hasn't been removed because the developer confirmed he is replacing "hundreds" of the original 1,900 windows in the tower damaged during the $85 million conversion of the former bank building into rentals. And the troubles are tangled up in long-running legal wrangling between the apartment developer and the general contractor over who is responsible and who should pay for the new windows.

"We've left up the scaffolding as an extra precaution," Bruce Becker, the project's Fairfield-based developer, said. "I don't like having it there. But safety has to be the priority."

The scaffolding obscures the storefront of Blue State Coffee, which opened in September, 2015, just a few months after the first tenants moved into the tower.

The staging has hurt the cafe's visibility and its goal of becoming part of the community, said Carolyn Greenspan, Blue State's chief executive.

"We do think it's an issue," Greenspan said. "It's not helping to let people know that we are there. It's not welcoming the way we want to be with the scaffolding there."

And you can't see that CVS is outfitting a space in another space on the ground floor.

In the apartments above, window replacement started in November and has been done mostly as apartments have turned over to new tenants. If tenants were in the middle of a lease, they were relocated to a furnished apartment elsewhere in the tower.

The east and south faces of the 26-story building are the priority, Becker said, because that's where the scaffolding is set up. Becker hopes the staging will be removed by late spring.

"I do look forward to it being gone by the warmer months," Nick Addamo, an urban planner who has rented an apartment in the building since October, said. "It will be nice to have the block back."

The 286-unit apartment building is the largest downtown rental development tackled so far by the Capital Region Development Authority, using taxpayer-subsidized loans and equity investments. Of the $85 million development and construction costs at 777 Main, CRDA committed a $10.2 million loan and a $7.5 million equity investment.

Becker said he is close to a settlement with the contractor, Viking Construction of Bridgeport and one of its subcontractors, Armani Restoration of Hartford. The settlement will help speed up the window replacement, but it won't cover all the costs of the new windows. The settlement is expected to be paid for by insurance carriers for Viking and Armani, Becker said.

Becker declined to discuss the terms of the settlement. He said the total number of windows to be replaced must still be determined.

Attorneys for Viking and Armani declined to comment for this story.

Becker said each window cost less than $1,000, but that does not include installation.

Becker said the damage to the 9-foot high windows original to the 1967 structure occurred after Viking hired Armani to clean the building's facade. Becker said the glass became "pitted" around the edges, compromising the views from the windows and their strength.

Under most weather conditions, Becker said the damage to the windows wouldn't present a safety problem. But if, say, a hurricane struck, the damage could cause a window to break, he said.

Becker said the exterior damage to the windows was separate from windows that broke during construction. Viking in court documents blamed that on the installation of interior storm windows designed to further insulate against heat and cold, a contention disputed by Becker.

Soon after the first residents started moving into 777 Main in June, 2015, a portion of the scaffolding along Main Street was removed. But days later, a shard of glass from a window on the sixth floor plunged to the sidewalk below. No one was hurt, but the staging was put back in place.

Although Addamo said he won't miss the scaffolding, it has had its benefits in bad weather this winter.

"I've actually been a little thankful for it in the rain and snow," Addamo said.

Read more:
Hundreds Of New Windows Needed At Hartford Apartment Tower - Hartford Courant

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Have you experienced waking up in the middle of the night, feeling cold and realizing that your furnace is not working? This is one of the situations that Smile Heating & Cooling Inc. does not want their clients to experience. By installing only trusted HVAC equipment brands, they guarantee remarkable services to all their clients.

Smile Heating & Cooling Inc. (http://www.smile-hvac.ca/) is a heating and plumbing business that has professional and friendly technicians who consider their clients interest first.

Since furnaces and heaters are among the most important equipment at home during the winter season, their technicians recommend what they only think is the best brand to use. They offer the best brands of air conditioners to help clients stay cool and comfortable during the summer season. They also install other brands their clients prefer to use since the company is not attached to any specific brands. In addition to installing furnaces and air conditioners, they also install other types of quality HVAC equipment including garage heaters, humidifiers, and more.

Smile Heating & Cooling Inc. offers in-home technical adviser visit to make sure the chosen equipment suit their clients need. In that way, they ensure their clients satisfaction. They also offer a great solution for clients who hate surprise broken equipment repair fees called Smile Protection Plan. With this plan, clients get equipment repair and maintenance with free emergency calls at a reasonable monthly rate. Also, with their straight level pricing, they provide their clients upfront pricing without the annoying extra hidden charges. They also offer rental program where customers dont need to pay for the HVAC equipment and installation.

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See the article here:
Emergency HVAC Service in Regina from Smile Heating & Cooling Services - Satellite PR News (press release)

(ANGIE'S LIST) - No matter where you live or the season, there's no bigger energy user in your home than your heating and cooling system. This Angie's List report focuses on an efficiency investment you can barely see, but will feel in your wallet every time you pay a power bill.

"Window film will be a much better option in terms of improving the performance and matching the performance of a new replacement window, typically a fifth the cost of going through the replacement of those windows," says Angies List founder Angie Hicks.

Homeowner Jay Dunbar said he earned his investment in window film back in energy savings within three years and resolved an issue of uneven temperature in his house right away.

You can install window film yourself, but doing that could void your window warranty. Reputable pros will replace your warranty with their own. They'll also install the film without bubbles, which will prevent cracks or peeling later on. Some will even let you transfer the warranty if you sell your house.

"Only a few states actually require trade licenses for window film installers, so you want to do some additional homework to see their affiliations with different trade associations and also what kind of guarantee they have behind their work," says Hicks.

Window film offers more than energy efficiency. It shields you from the glare of sunlight, filters out potentially dangerous ultra violet light and even helps protect your furniture from fading from prolonged exposure to the sun.

See the original post here:
Window film helps you save big on heating costs - Kotatv

When contractors decide to offer a new brand of equipment or a new type of technology, they want to make sure the manufacturer will be there to support them. This support can include everything from channel-specific training classes to marketing materials to design and installation assistance to easy-to-use apps and software that can help facilitate the sales process.

When it comes to offering VRF systems, contractors are particularly interested in manufacturer support, because many are new to the technology. They want to make sure they have a steadfast partner that will be able to help them learn how to sell, design, install, and service the equipment as well as be available to answer any questions or concerns that might pop up in the field. VRF manufacturers understand these concerns and, as a result, offer a wide array of support services that are designed to help their contractors be successful.

Manufacturer support typically includes sales and technical help, so contractors can feel confident in both selling and designing VRF systems. To that end, Mitsubishi Electric offers design software, online resources, and extensive in-person training at its eight regional training centers across the country. For VRF, our in-person courses are offered at least once per week, and additional courses can be taken with our distributors and representatives, said Kevin Miskewicz, director of commercial marketing, Mitsubishi Electric US Inc. Cooling & Heating Division.

Mitsubishi Electric requires its contractors to meet all local and state compliance and licensing requirements and also encourages them to participate in its training courses to ensure they provide the best service possible. For example, the company offers a three-day CITY MULTI service course, which couples an in-depth functional study of the VRF system along with practical hands-on exercises associated with properly applying, installing, commissioning, and troubleshooting systems. We also offer CITY MULTI application courses and maintenance tool diagnostics courses as well as controls applications training, Diamond Designer training, and more, said Miskewicz.

As far as software is concerned, Mitsubishi Electric offers the Diamond System Builder, which allows specifiers to lay out and design commercial HVAC systems. It ensures that the system is properly designed within the required constraints and checks that the line lengths, maximum connected capacities, component selection, and control scheme are within the system requirements, noted Miskewicz. The software also generates AutoCAD schematics with wiring and piping diagrams to streamline the installation process.

Fujitsu General America Inc. also offers a tremendous amount of support to contractors, starting with its sales engineers, who are located regionally and can provide phone support, on-site start-up, troubleshooting, and commissioning. Technical service advisors (TSAs) are also available in each territory to help out with technical aspects of the VRF system. Online, Fujitsus Airstage VRF (and Halcyon) portal offers sales materials, such as catalogs, sell sheets, and mini brochures. It also has detailed technical resources, such as design and technical manuals, cut sheets, installation and operation manuals, and technical bulletins.

Contractors also have access to download our free design software, so that they may design systems from their office or at an appointment with a customer, said CJ Corbet, Southwest sales engineer, Fujitsu General America Inc. We also offer a variety of training courses, including portal-based instruction and one-day courses that can be conveniently taught at a contractors office or at one of our many regional training facilities.

In order to provide a more hands-on experience, Fujitsu recently opened its Airstage on Broadway, Fujitsu Generals Solution Center in New York City. The new 1,600-square foot location is designed to be a learning and sharing center where architects, engineers, building owners, contractors, energy consultants, and HVAC customers can come together to collaborate and share experiences. The showroom will also display a variety of Fujitsus commercial and residential heating and cooling systems.

Panasonic Corp. offers its VRF dealers support that can be accessed by phone, online, or in person. At its three training facilities, contractors and engineers can obtain free application and sales training, which includes the distribution of application software and instruction on how to use it. The design software is an essential part of eliminating risks ensuring that line set diameter and limitations are followed, said Malcolm Persaud, senior manager of commercial products, air conditioning group, Panasonic. That is why contractors should take advantage of the free training. Other opportunities include hands-on or web-based training that covers installation, commissioning, and service issues.

When installing a new product for the first time, there is always some degree of apprehension, but after obtaining the proper training, contractors will find VRF to be an installer-friendly technology, said Persaud. After one installation, most of the apprehension is removed. We have a program that guides contractors through the initial process, as it is also in our interest to ensure that we have great installations and operations.

For contractors new to VRF, there are two common mistakes that can occur during the installation process: refrigerant leaks and communication issues. Both can be avoided if contractors attend proper training, said Corbet. As we teach in class, proper refrigerant piping installation techniques are required for installation, and a broad overview of the communication systems are covered to eliminate most start-up errors. We also cover training on our computer-based service software, Service Tool, which helps identify specific errors in our Airstage VRF systems. I would recommend contractors take advantage of our free, one-day course and let us show how easy it is to install an Airstage VRF system and alleviate some of those concerns.

While VRF is easy to install in new buildings, it is especially easy to install in retrofit applications, said Miskewicz, as ductwork is limited or not required at all. Indoor units can be mounted just about anywhere on the ceiling, wall, floor, in a closet, or elsewhere. VRF has minimal impact on building exteriors, too, because outdoor condensing units are compact and light enough to be placed on rooftops without compromising buildings structural integrities. VRF systems are easy to handle, cost less to transport, and require only a 3-inch opening in the exterior of a building for the refrigerant lines and wiring to connect the outdoor units to the indoor units.

Manufacturers have a vested interest in making sure their products are designed, installed, and serviced properly, which is why they have devoted so many resources to sales and technical support. And while support is crucial for contractors just starting out with VRF, experienced contractors should take advantage of these opportunities, as well. Ongoing training is the best way for contractors to stay at the forefront of their field, said Miskewicz. With the rapidly changing landscape of HVAC and VRF technology, ongoing training will ultimately make a contractor more knowledgeable in the eyes of their customers.

Publication date: 2/13/2017

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Excerpt from:
VRF Manufacturers Provide Support | 2017-02-13 | ACHRNEWS - ACHR NEWS

Company Description

American Woodmark (NASDAQ: AMWD) is a manufacturer and distributor of kitchen cabinets for the remodeling and new home construction markets. The company offers approximately 500 cabinet lines, with 85 door designs in 21 colors, offering a wide range of products. Based in Virginia, the company serves customers through home centers, home builders, and independent dealers, while offering installation services through seven service centers located across the United States. (2016 Annual Report)

(click to enlarge) (Original Content, Data from AMWD Investor Relations)

The management team, led by CEO S. Cary Dunstan, has an average of 22 years of experience in a variety of industries. Since 2013, management has achieved significant growth in returns, highlighting the importance of skilled team. William Brandt, Jr., the company's original CEO, still owns 12% of the company, and 64% of employees own shares in the company - significant insider ownership like this is usually a sign of a healthy company, and ensures the firm's interests are aligned with shareholders.

Investment Thesis

The first reason to buy American Woodmark is to take advantage of these favorable trends - the housing market has grown at a CAGR of 12.3% since 2009, and has not yet breached the historical average, which is expected to occur next year in the wake of plentiful consumer credit and increased consumer confidence. (US Census Bureau) As the economy recovers, kitchen remodeling is a popular investment for consumers - it offers one of the best ROIs of any renovation at approx. 74-83%. (MoneySense)

(click to enlarge) (Original Content, Data from US Census Bureau)

The second reason to buy American Woodmark is its industry-best asset base and management team. Despite the fact that 40% of the company's assets are in the form of cash, it still achieved a 13.57% ROA last year, compared to a peer average of 7.43%. The company stepped up CapEx in recent years, growing it at a CAGR of 43.9% since 2012, and has invested in a pool of high-quality property, plant, and equipment, allowing it to outperform. Through management's skilled investment, the company achieved a ROIC of 21.47% compared to a 12.96% return from peers. (Bloomberg) This ROIC is well above AMWD's cost of capital, allowing the company to continue generating value long-term.

(click to enlarge) (Origianl Content, Data from Bloomberg Terminal)

Industry Outlook

In the US, the Cabinet Manufacturing sector has been recovering since the collapse of the housing market in 2008. After reaching a high of 1,800,000 starts in 2006, the market collapsed to 554,000 in 2009, and has yet to recover to the 50-year average of 1,442,000. The industry is expected to grow 2.3% in 2017 as renovation, which drives two-thirds of demand for cabinets, rises with increases in consumer confidence and a low rate of unemployment.

The competitive landscape is relatively fragmented; the three largest companies account for just 28% of revenue - the largest companies are Fortune Brands Home & Security (NYSE: FBHS)(15.4%), American Woodmark (6.6%), and Masco (NYSE: MAS) (6.3%). However, 80% of companies in the industry have fewer than 10 employees, and lack a distribution network necessary to expand and provide a credible threat to industry giants.

Valuation

Despite its peer outperformance, American Woodmark is trading at a significant discount most multiples. Peers are trading at 22x LTM Price/Earnings, while American Woodmark is trading at 19x, implying a 14% return. Peers are also trading at 11x LTM EBITDA, while American Woodmark is trading at 9x, implying a 16% return. (Bloomberg)

Catalysts and Risks

Catalysts

Risks

(click to enlarge) (Original Content, Data from Bloomberg Terminal)

Recommendation

My recommendation for American Woodmark is a BUY. The company is trading at $77.40 right now, with an average analyst price target of $88.77. My price target based on multiples and project cash flows is $87, implying a healthy 12% return for investors.

If you found this analysis interesting or at all helpful, please hit that FOLLOW button. Thanks for reading!

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: Please perform your own research before making any investment decisions. This is for educational use only and does not constitute investment advice. All analysis is the opinion of the author.

Excerpt from:
Don't Invest In The Housing Market; Buy American Woodmark On The Cheap - Seeking Alpha

Photo: Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo

Five Guys, Verizon among new tenants proposed for Oxford's Quarry Walk development.

Five Guys, Verizon among new tenants proposed for Oxford's Quarry Walk development.

A medical office building, to include offices for Griffin Hospital, is expected to be completed in the fall of 2017 at Oxford's Quarry Walk development.

A medical office building, to include offices for Griffin Hospital, is expected to be completed in the fall of 2017 at Oxford's Quarry Walk development.

Five Guys, day care provider proposed for Oxfords Quarry Walk

OXFORD Last year, signs advertised the opening of a hardware store, supermarket, bank and other tenants at the Oxford Towne Center/Quarry Walk development. Now, signs note the upcoming construction of a new medical office building to be occupied in part by Griffin Hospital.

But most town residents have been patiently and some not so patiently waiting for the first signs of a restaurant in the development.

The wait is nearly over.

Zoning officials last week were presented plans for several new buildings directly along Route 67, to the right of the Newtown Savings Bank branch, including a stand-alone structure containing a Five Guys restaurant. That building will be connected through a patio to a retail building with three storefronts, with Verizon Wireless the first tenant announced for that structure.

A separate building to be constructed further in, to the left of anchor tenant Market 32, a brand of Price Chopper, will be home to Educational Playcare, a daycare provider with 13 other locations in the state.

So far were really happy with the progress, said First Selectman George Temple, of the $70 million development. I think theyre having a great deal of success with marketing.

Kathy Ekstrom, development manager for Haynes Development, said the developer has been searching for eateries and retail tenants for some time, with the goal of finding tenants that would not only attract new customers to the area but would also provide an element of stability.

Five Guys and Verizon people will drive to Quarry Walk for both of these tenants, she said. They are two highly identifiable national brands right here on (Route) 67.

Ekstrom said Haynes is hoping for a mix of not just retail, but food options as well. We would love to get an Asian bistro, she said. We think Oxford has the demand for it. We want that mix.

The first Quarry Walk tenants the market, bank, a Goodwill store, Ace Hardware and Dollar Tree opened their doors last year. This year, Ekstrom said Haynes is also planning to break ground on a 30,000-square-foot medical office building and 30 to 60 condo-style apartments.

Ekstrom said Haynes has seen a demand for the 20,000 square feet of the office building that wont be occupied by Griffin Hospital. She said the developer is being cautious with its tenant choice because it wants to provide a variety of offerings and make the development a one-stop shop for Oxford residents and those in surrounding towns.

Sometimes were intentionally a little slower on tenant acquisitions, she said. We want to make sure the businesses we put in there are going to help Quarry Walk be successful.

Ekstrom said this is why, despite the considerable interest from smaller providers, Haynes chose Educational Playcare as the centers day care provider, which will have capacity for roughly 200 children.

Their vision for how theyre going to utilize that area was too good to pass up, said Gerry Pastor, who along with his wife, Jane Porterfield, owns the daycare center. We just wanted to be a part of it.

Ekstrom said the daycare provider will likely benefit from the opening of each new store and the medical office building, for which construction will begin in the next several months.

Educational Playcare should open by August, with the medical office building, apartments, restaurant and Verizon store to open by fall.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will next meet Feb. 21.

ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227

Continued here:
Five Guys, day care provider proposed for Oxford's Quarry Walk - CT Post

Brookfield-based Milwaukee Tool plans to completely update the architecture of the existing buildings at its headquarters campus and expand two buildings by a combined 30,000 square feet, in addition to the ongoing construction of a four-story, 200,000-square-foot office building.

The company is seeking approvals from the city of Brookfield for the latest parts of the headquarters improvement project. The plan is to begin work in the spring with the goal of completing construction by the fall of 2017. That timeline would closely tie the completionof the expansions with the opening of the new office building, according to a letter from Stephen Perry Smith Architects to the city.

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Milwaukee Tool is in the process of building a new, $35 million office building on its campus. The project is supported by $18 million in state tax credits and $6 million in tax incremental financing through the city. It is projected to add up to 592 jobs to a company that has already tripled its workforce since 2009 to roughly 800.

The new project would include three components, starting with the faade renovation of Milwaukee Tools existing 183,000-square-foot, single story brick office building. The proposed renovation responds to the architecture of the new expansion building with the use of precast panel cladding, according to the Stephen Perry Smith letter. The project also involves remaking entrances to the building, demolishing existing masonry wings and replacing them with steel framed canopies with glass roofs.

The second component would expand the companys 16,500-square-foot Rapid Innovation Center by up to 20,000 square feet. The building, which is described as very dated would also get a faade upgrade to match the new office building.

The third component would be a 10,000-square-foot addition to the campus annex building, The building is currently 5,600 square feet.

The city plan commission will consider a revised plan and method of operation for Milwaukee Tool tonight to allow for the construction project. The proposal also needs Common Council approval.

In addition to Stephen Perry Smith, Milwaukee Tool is working with Wangard Partners and The Sigma Group Inc. on the project.

Brookfield-based Milwaukee Tool plans to completely update the architecture of the existing buildings at its headquarters campus and expand two buildings by a combined 30,000 square feet, in addition to the ongoing construction of a four-story, 200,000-square-foot office building.

The company is seeking approvals from the city of Brookfield for the latest parts of the headquarters improvement project. The plan is to begin work in the spring with the goal of completing construction by the fall of 2017. That timeline would closely tie the completionof the expansions with the opening of the new office building, according to a letter from Stephen Perry Smith Architects to the city.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Milwaukee Tool is in the process of building a new, $35 million office building on its campus. The project is supported by $18 million in state tax credits and $6 million in tax incremental financing through the city. It is projected to add up to 592 jobs to a company that has already tripled its workforce since 2009 to roughly 800.

The new project would include three components, starting with the faade renovation of Milwaukee Tools existing 183,000-square-foot, single story brick office building. The proposed renovation responds to the architecture of the new expansion building with the use of precast panel cladding, according to the Stephen Perry Smith letter. The project also involves remaking entrances to the building, demolishing existing masonry wings and replacing them with steel framed canopies with glass roofs.

The second component would expand the companys 16,500-square-foot Rapid Innovation Center by up to 20,000 square feet. The building, which is described as very dated would also get a faade upgrade to match the new office building.

The third component would be a 10,000-square-foot addition to the campus annex building, The building is currently 5,600 square feet.

The city plan commission will consider a revised plan and method of operation for Milwaukee Tool tonight to allow for the construction project. The proposal also needs Common Council approval.

In addition to Stephen Perry Smith, Milwaukee Tool is working with Wangard Partners and The Sigma Group Inc. on the project.

Read this article:
Milwaukee Tool planning more HQ campus expansion, renovation - BizTimes.com (Milwaukee)