Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

By Michele Lerner January 23 at 7:30 AM

The Trinidad neighborhood in Northeast Washington, roughly bordered by West Virginia Avenue NE, Mount Olivet Road NE, Bladensburg Road NE and Florida Avenue NE, lies adjacent to the hip H Street corridor and not far from Union Market, a destination for D.C. foodies.

The quiet neighborhood of rowhouses and single-family homes reminds Andrew Rubin, a principal with the Rubin Group, of Glover Park in Northwest, particularly because most of the solid brick homes have front porches.

The Rubin Group recently converted an end-unit rowhouse at 1123 Staples St. NE into a condominium with three distinctive homes. Two of the units are already under contract. The Rubin Group has converted dwellings in Dupont Circle and Petworth into condos and built additions to expand those buildings to create additional living space.

This is our first project in Trinidad, Rubin said. Were very interested in this neighborhood because its changing so rapidly along with the adjacent H Street corridor. The coming of the streetcar should make this neighborhood even more appealing and will make it more accessible to the Union Station Metro station, too.

The first buyer at the Staples Street building plans to commute between home and a job at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., a journey that is expected to be simplified when the streetcar starts running.

We were careful to make sure that the home continues to complement the neighborhood, so we restored the front porch and the awning above the porch and even added some decorative elements that match one of the homes across the street, Rubin said.

The company restored the bay window along the side of the house and added a three-story box bay window. In the back is parking for three cars.

Ample storage: The conversion of this rowhouse resulted in three condos, each with 1,100 to 1,350 square feet and an individual layout. Two of the homes are two-level units, while the upper level is a one-level home with an expansive private roof deck.

All the units have two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, an open floor plan in the living area, high ceilings and maximized lighting from windows. Designer Mimi Tygier, a principal with the Rubin Group, was careful to add storage space and closets in every possible place in each unit along with a closet with a full-size stacked washer and dryer.

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From a rowhouse in Districts Trinidad neighborhood, 3 stylish condos are born

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Window Replacement Christiansburg VA | (540) 266-1376 - Video

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Complete window replacement at the"Native" boutique Hotel located at 1612 Wazee St Denver, CO 80202.
Window replacement in Denver Colorado at the former Jet Hotel. A complete remodel to make way for the New "Native" boutique Hotel located at 1612 Wazee St Denver, CO 80202.

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Complete window replacement at the"Native" boutique Hotel located at 1612 Wazee St Denver, CO 80202. - Video

The WESTEST 2 no longer will be administered to West Virginia school students beginning this school year, but the West Virginia Department of Education has yet to announced what standardized testing assessment will replace it.

According to Ohio County School officials, the announcement of the new format is to be announced in early March, while the tests are scheduled to go before students shortly after in mid-April.

During a special meeting of the Board of Education on Thursday, Superintendent Dianna Vargo said the district's teachers are teaching content standards in line with West Virginia's new core standards, and it is assumed the new test will assess those standards.

Photo by Joselyn King Ohio County Schools administrators and staff are among those attending a special meeting of the Ohio County Board of Education convened Thursday night to discuss WESTEST 2 scores.

Educators across the state typically begin preparing students for standardized testing when school starts in the fall, though this year there were no standards available to which they could refer.

They do know it will be a computerized test, and technology coordinators are concerned because new testing and software will have to be installed in their school district's computers.

Educators also know their schools will receive a letter grade of "A" through "E" based on their overall performance on the new test.

Gone will be the more arbitrary designations rating the schools a "success," "focus" or "transition" school not easily understood by the general public - or even those in education.

Members of the Ohio County Board of Education admitted last month their own confusion regarding the word designations when the 2014 WESTEST 2 scores bumped down three of the schools in the district.

Thursday's meeting was intended to help board members understand the drop.

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School Officials Await WESTEST 2 Replacement

Asked whether Salah and Schurrle will definitely be Chelsea players when the transfer window shuts, Mourinho replied: I cannot say that. The window is open, but what I can say is I like them, I need them and I trust them. I cannot select the same 18 players every game, I only can play 11. Salah is not playing a lot, Schurrle more than him.

I don't know if a deal is to happen. If my club tells me we have a certain offer for a certain player we think is a good movement for us, because we work in the rules of Financial Fair Play.sometimes we have needs, like we had in the past transfer windows where we sold some players.

The club doesn't move. We don't move. Our desire is to keep the same squad, which reflects that we are happy with the players, that we are happy with the work we did in the summer to prepare the season and reflects the trust we have in the group. If possible, we don't want to be involved in the transfer window. If we have to be, it's because somebody pushed us with some offer for our player.

The question is to have a phenomenal offer and a player to be super keen of accept a new challenge in his career. We don't want to sell our players.

Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado has emerged as Chelseas top target to replace either Salah or Schurrle, with Shakhtar Donetsk star Douglas Costa another option.

If one player moves, then we will bring somebody in, yes, said Mourinho. Cuadrado is a player from Fiorentina. I shouldn't make any comments about players from other clubs. You speak about Cuadrado, you can speak about 10, 20, 30 players. I am in trouble if I dont know the player because my son does. It's my job to know them all.

Did you know Telegraph Sport has a Chelsea Facebook page?

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Chelsea transfer news: Jose Mourinho admits Mohamed Salah and Andre Schurrle may leave

DES MOINES | A bill that would keep convicted kidnappers in prison longer made it through a House subcommittee Thursday.

Similar to a bill the House and Senate couldnt agree on last year, House Study Bill 31 adds where the victim is 15 years of age or younger to the states definition of second-degree kidnapping and makes those convicted of such an offense ineligible for sentence reductions. Its in response to a 2013 abduction and slaying of 15-year-old Kathlynn Shepard and her companion, Dezirea Hughes, who escaped. Their alleged kidnapper, Michael Klunder, apparently committed suicide.

Republican Reps. Chip Baltimore of Boone and Darrel Branhagen of Decorah signed the bill sending it to the full Judiciary Committee.

A bill making it an aggravated misdemeanor to install counterfeit air bags in a vehicle is headed to the House Judiciary Committee.

Chairman Ken Rizer, R-Marion, said the use and sale of Chinese-made counterfeit air bags by web-based retailers has become a problem, according to representatives of auto dealers associations that spoke at the subcommittee hearing.

A Senate bill banning the sale of alcohol in powdered or crystalline form moved, to the full Commerce Committee.

Powdered alcohol is not available for sale in Iowa and the Alcoholic Beverages Division is asking the Legislature to ban its sale.

Despite objections from attorneys groups, a House Judiciary subcommittee signed off on House Study Bill 35 to limit cities liability for damages incurred when sledding.

David Adelman, representing the Metropolitan Coalition of Iowa's 10 largest cities, said the risks cities face is too high based on previous lawsuits.

Iowa corrections director John Baldwin said he is hopeful a new state penitentiary in Fort Madison that has been plagued by construction delays will be able to open sometime this summer.

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Capitol Digest: From kidnapping to catfishing

Kitchen Remodeling in Northern Virginia

By: Northwood Construction

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Kitchen Remodeling in Northern Virginia - Video

Another holiday season has passed, and with it the marathon cooking and baking sessions. The hours spent using every kitchen appliance and inch of counter space had a potential benefit more lasting than a good meal: When we really use our kitchens, we discover what does and doesnt work in this very important room.

Remodeling a kitchen can be expensive and challenging, but you can make substantial cosmetic changes with just the help of a painter and electrician, says interior designer Betsy Burnham of Burnham Design in Los Angeles. And if youre ready for even bigger changes, its still possible to stay on budget and create a gorgeous kitchen with a minimum of stress.

Step one is deciding what really needs to be done. Can you work with the appliances and cabinets youve got, or is it time for a full-scale remodel?

Step two is the budget, coming up with a realistic estimate for each expense.

Then, the fun can begin. Three areas where a little improvement can go a long way:

Storage

A smoothly functioning kitchen has space for everything to be stored away, within reasonable reach. Can you achieve that with your current cabinets? If so, designer Brian Patrick Flynn of Flynnside Out Productions suggests keeping them and just replacing or refinishing the doors.

Cabinetry installation adds a lot to a budget, he says, so saving by simply reusing what youve got can be a massive help.

If your cabinet doors are stained wood, consider painting them. Then, change the hardware. Drawer pulls and cabinet door handles can make or break the look of the space, says Lee Kleinhelter of the Atlanta-based design firm Pieces. Take time choosing new ones.

Flynn agrees: I always use high-end hardware regardless of how high or low my budget is, he says. Adding an interesting metal and finish to your doors just really adds character and uniqueness. You can never go wrong with dull black pulls and knobs, and Im also a huge fan of antique brass. When it comes to silver tones, I try to stay classic and go with polished nickel.

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Improving the kitchen in small or big ways

Purple pipes at One La Jolla Center indicate the presence of recycled water servicing the new building's restrooms. Irvine Company

Purple pipes at One La Jolla Center indicate the presence of recycled water servicing the new building's restrooms. / Irvine Company

One La Jolla Center, Irvine Company's new office tower opening this summer in the UTC area, boasts a world-class architect, prime location and environmental bragging rights:

The 15-story building at 4665 Executive Drive will use a dual plumbing system that will enable it to use recycled water in the restrooms and air conditioning cooling towers.

"The cost of recycled water, compared to potable (drinking) water is about 80 percent less expensive," said Erron Williams, the company's senior director of engineering.

The city said it charges 80 cents per 100 cubic feet of recycled water and $4.47 per 100 cubic feet of potable water when used in a commercial building.

One La Jolla Center is due for completion in August. / Irvine Company

Located next to the two-building La Jolla Center complex built in 1986, the $100 million, 306,000-square-foot building is not only located in one of the county's top office submarkets but it also is the only major speculative office building under construction. It is due to open in August.

Unlike most of its competitors, Irvine, which has acquired several high-profile office buildings downtown as well as in the north city area, had enough financial clout to develop a building without preleasing most of the space. By doing so, it can attract tenants that might otherwise have to wait for years before moving into new space elsewhere.

Williams said Irvine owns five other dual-piped buildings, including three at Irvine Center in Orange County. One La Jolla Center is its first in San Diego.

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Recycled water coming to UTC tower