Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The four biggest projects receiving building permits from Champaign and Urbana in 2014 were all student apartment complexes with three of those going up along Green Street.

While Green Street appears ripe for more development in 2015, watch for more student apartments to take shape along University Avenue.

Already, the Campus Circle Urbana complex is rising in the 1000 block of West University Avenue in Urbana.

Farther to the west, the Latitude apartment complex is expected to be developed on the north side of University Avenue between Fifth and Wright streets in Champaign.

Plus, buildings have been cleared at Fourth and University and at Third and University, ostensibly to make way for new developments there.

The six biggest student apartment projects for which permits were issued this year will add 625 apartments to the mix. Most of those apartments will have more than one bedroom, so it's projected the six complexes will have a total of about 1,900 beds.

The tallest of the new projects is HERE, a 16-story apartment building at the northwest corner of Fourth and Green streets in Champaign. When finished, it will have 143 apartments on the sixth through 16th floors and a total of 528 beds. It will have an automated parking system on the second through fourth floors and a fitness room and outdoor patio on the fifth floor.

"HERE is topping out the concrete structure, and interior work is well underway," according to JJ Smith, the chief operating officer for Chicago-based CA Ventures (formerly Campus Acquisitions), which will own and manage HERE.

CA Ventures will also own and manage West Quad, the apartment complex being developed on the south side of Green Street just east of the Canadian National railroad tracks in Champaign.

"At West Quad, the two-level parking deck along the tracks is built, and the apartment (section) on top of it is framed up three additional levels," Smith said. "The town homes around the grand courtyard have begun to be framed as well."

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Rooms with a view top 2014 building projects

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2.2-magnitude quake hits Chiang Rai

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

The department said the quake's epicenter was about 4 kilometers underground. A 6.3-magnitude quake happened in this northern province early May and hundreds of aftershocks ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that his government may cooperate with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to build underground car parks so that motorists would not park on bike ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that he has no plan to dissolve local administrations as feared by members of provincial administrative ...

The National - Saturday 27th December, 2014

A man casts his vote during a municipal election at a polling station in Dala township in Yangon, Myanmar, on December 27, 2014. Khin Maung Win/AP ...

MENAFN - Saturday 27th December, 2014

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2.2-magnitude quake hits Chiang Rai

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

The department said the quake's epicenter was about 4 kilometers underground. A 6.3-magnitude quake happened in this northern province early May and hundreds of aftershocks ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that his government may cooperate with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to build underground car parks so that motorists would not park on bike ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that he has no plan to dissolve local administrations as feared by members of provincial administrative ...

The National - Saturday 27th December, 2014

A man casts his vote during a municipal election at a polling station in Dala township in Yangon, Myanmar, on December 27, 2014. Khin Maung Win/AP ...

MENAFN - Saturday 27th December, 2014

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2.2-magnitude quake hits Chiang Rai

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

The department said the quake's epicenter was about 4 kilometers underground. A 6.3-magnitude quake happened in this northern province early May and hundreds of aftershocks ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that his government may cooperate with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to build underground car parks so that motorists would not park on bike ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that he has no plan to dissolve local administrations as feared by members of provincial administrative ...

The National - Saturday 27th December, 2014

A man casts his vote during a municipal election at a polling station in Dala township in Yangon, Myanmar, on December 27, 2014. Khin Maung Win/AP ...

MENAFN - Saturday 27th December, 2014

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2.2-magnitude quake hits Chiang Rai

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

The department said the quake's epicenter was about 4 kilometers underground. A 6.3-magnitude quake happened in this northern province early May and hundreds of aftershocks ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that his government may cooperate with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to build underground car parks so that motorists would not park on bike ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that he has no plan to dissolve local administrations as feared by members of provincial administrative ...

The National - Saturday 27th December, 2014

A man casts his vote during a municipal election at a polling station in Dala township in Yangon, Myanmar, on December 27, 2014. Khin Maung Win/AP ...

MENAFN - Saturday 27th December, 2014

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2.2-magnitude quake hits Chiang Rai

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

The department said the quake's epicenter was about 4 kilometers underground. A 6.3-magnitude quake happened in this northern province early May and hundreds of aftershocks ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that his government may cooperate with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to build underground car parks so that motorists would not park on bike ...

The Nation - Sunday 28th December, 2014

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Sunday that he has no plan to dissolve local administrations as feared by members of provincial administrative ...

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Vanity tops must play the dual role of being durable and capable of standing up to water, soap, cosmetics while serving as an ample work surface for morning rush hour in the bathroom. This is no place for delicate, porous (read: easy-to-stain) surfaces. At the same time, the vanity top can be a focal point and a connecting point, where wood cabinets below meet tile wall above, for instance.

The surface you choose for that countertop depends largely on your budget and taste.

Granite and marble. In a master bath, it pays to install granite or marble, which attract buyers at resale and give the vanity top a rich, sleek look. And with affordable grades of granite available on the market today, you dont have to empty your wallet for this feature. You will, of course, spend more on granite than laminate, but the result is a surface that can handle heat and wear. Be advised: granite must be sealed to repel grease (which you could run into in hair products and such). Marble stains easily, while granite stands up to most stains.

Solid surface. Quartzite materials are incredibly durable and low-maintenance. Scratches are easily buffed out with fine-grade sandpaper, and the surface can handle high heat (curling irons and all). The cost is comparable to granite and marble.

Laminate. Economical and available in a range of finishes (including those that look like solid surface or granite), laminate is a go-to vanity top material because of its versatility. It stands up to water and is relatively stain-proof, but it will burn, dull and dent.

Tile. The downside of tile countertops is the maintenance: Grout lines inevitably trap gunk. But tile can be laid in a pattern, it comes in a vast array of colors (ceramic) and finishes (natural), and the artistic detail that can be applied makes this a surface worth considering.

Wood. Wood vanity tops must be well sealed because these porous surfaces are susceptible to water damagerot, that is. This is mainly a concern in seams where sinks and faucet fixtures are installed. However, wood offers a warm, inviting feel and an organic look if a butcher-block type counter is used. Keep in mind this is thicker in width and, according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), you might need to modify plumbing connections.

Read more here:
Choosing Bathroom Countertops | Bathroom Design - Choose ...

A favorite during the groovy 1960s and 70s, laminate kitchen countertops are enjoying a second wind as an affordable, durable, moisture-proof, and surprisingly attractive replacement for your homes worn kitchen countertops.

Shop around and youll find a nearly unlimited selection of richly colored solids, midcentury patterns, and enticing-to-touch textures. They mimic:

What is Laminate?

Laminates are made with layers of paper, including a decorative layer, and melamine resin. Generally, the thicker the product, the more durable and costly itll be. Higher-end laminates offer 10-year warranties. Fancy edge treatments beveling, ogees, and bullnose kick up the costs, too.

In the past, laminate kitchen countertops looked like poor copies of materials, such as wood and stone, because reproduction qualities were poor, and the finished product depended on a repeating pattern about 18 inches wide.

Today, advanced photographic technology creates laminates that look more like the real thing, and unique patterns can be up to 5 feet wide wide enough to create an entire granite kitchen island with no repeating pattern.

Also these days, laminates are made with some percentage of recycled materials, such as FSC-certified wood wood thats harvested sustainably.

Quick Cost Comparison

In general, laminate kitchen countertops are your least expensive option. Compare the costs with other countertop materials, as shown for an average kitchen with 30 linear feet of countertops, installed:

Will Laminate Last?

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Stone countertops have a solid beauty that's ageless and crosses all style boundaries. Whether you're an ardent traditionalist, love the charm and ease of country living, or prefer lean and clean urban contemporary, chances are that stone will enter into your design scheme in some form.

Lighting, cabinetry and flooring are all important in the kitchen, but many designers say countertops often create the wow factor. Surfaces such as granite, quartz and Corian have eclipsed economical laminate, and homeowners looking for something even more exotic can opt for soapstone countertops, marble and limestone. Here's a look at some of the options:

Granite's durability and beauty are the main reasons for its appeal. Granite is available from sources as diverse as China, India and Quebec. The color selection is virtually unlimited. The price of granite is determined mainly by its coloring and patterning.

Granite is porous, and depending on wear, it should be periodically resealed. Stains should be wiped up promptly.

Natural quartz products are composed of more than 90 percent quartz, which is 10 times harder than granite and mixed with a resin. They're nonporous, and many come with a 10-year installed warranty. And for those who may not appreciate the often-inconsistent patterning of granite, quartz is extremely continuous, with no dramatic variations in color or pattern.

While quartz does have seams where pieces are joined, it doesn't have to be sealed and just requires a periodic wipe-down with soapy water. Cosentino's Silestone line has introduced a selection of quartz products with built-in Microban, antibacterial product protection that deters growth of bacteria, mold and fungi.

Soapstone, which comes from Finland, China and Brazil, is quarried like granite and quartz and is composed primarily of magnesite, dolomite, chlorite and talc. It's anywhere from 300 to 400 million years old, and the talc gives it a soft, warm appearance and touch.

Because it's nonporous, it's completely resistant to bacteria growth. It was originally used for masonry heaters and is used for countertops in forensic and science labs because it's impervious to virtually any type of chemical. No sealing is required, so a hot pan can be placed directly on it, and the surface can be used for dough preparation.

For the first month, soapstone should be periodically rubbed with mineral oil to bring out the beauty of the stone and its marbling. Matching sinks can be created, and it can be used as a backsplash or as flooring. Unlike granite or quartz, soapstone doesn't require the extra cost of installing a substrate (countertop support such as a subfloor).

Reprinted with permission from NKBA

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Granite, Quartz and Soapstone Countertops | Kitchen ...