Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The trial over the American International Group Inc. (AIG) bailout shifts this week from the architects of the 2008 rescue, who spent days testifying as to why they imposed the terms they did on the ailing insurer, to the executives who accepted their demands.

Maurice Hank Greenbergs Starr International Co., AIGs biggest shareholder before the bailout, accuses the U.S. of imposing illegally severe conditions in the rescue and is seeking at least $25 billion in damages.

Robert Willumstad and Edward Liddy, two of Greenbergs successors as chief executive officer at the insurance giant, are set to testify this week in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington, where Judge Thomas Wheeler is hearing the case without a jury. The trial started Sept. 29.

Key regulators involved in the rescue, including Federal Reserve Bank of New York executives Sarah Dahlgren and Margaret McConnell, and Eric Dinallo, former superintendent of the State of New York Department of Insurance, also are expected to take the witness stand.

Starr alleges in its shareholder suit that the U.S. didnt have the authority to demand 80 percent of AIGs equity in consideration for a loan and didnt pay a fair price for the stock it took. It also claims the government imposed a punitive 14 percent interest rate on the initial $85 billion loan.

The leaders of the bailout, Henry Paulson, Timothy Geithner and Ben Bernanke, all told the court last week that the rescue was needed because AIGs failure would have been catastrophic to the financial system.

They added little new information about how the government determined it had the authority to demand equity in setting terms for a loan.

Willumstad was forced to resign as CEO as a condition of the bailout, which began on Sept. 16, 2008. Hes expected to testify about his efforts to cobble together a private-sector rescue of the company and his discussion of the terms of the governments last-minute intervention to prevent an AIG bankruptcy. Willumstad, 69, is now chairman of Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.

Liddy, his successor, was hand-picked by regulators and headed AIG until August 2009. Hes expected to discuss his interactions with government officials regarding the form of stock the U.S. ultimately took from AIG and the creation of a trust to hold it. The 68-year-old former insurance executive is now chairman at US Foodservice in Rosemont, Illinois.

McConnell, of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, wrote an October 2008 e-mail to Geithner and others describing a crazily high interest rate on the bailout loan that was forced on us (meaning FRBNY) by people that have since punted on all the hard things.

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AIG Bailout Architects Leave Questions for Executives

Helena architects laid out possible solutions for a holistic approach to solving the Helena School District facility issues at Monday mornings Facility Committee meeting.

The committee made a decision during a previous meeting to discuss options with several groups of professionals in the community, and the architects were the first group.

Ben Tintinger of Mosaic, Mike Dowling of DSA Architects and Tim Meldrum of SMA Architects were joined by community member Darryl James in the proposals to the committee.

Dowling said the group, which started discussing solutions a year ago and has been meeting steadily for the last month, focused on solving problems with the buildings. They started with the big picture and tried to envision solutions that will work far into Helenas future.

We cant afford to redo things or make bad decisions, Dowling said.

With the goal of keeping mostly walkable neighborhood schools, the group pitched ideas for the west side and east side of Helena.

On the west, they suggested expanding Broadwater to accommodate the extra students living in the Four Georgians district and turning C.R. Anderson into a larger elementary school, then finding new land for a middle school.

Their suggestion for the east side was less concrete. Much of the discussion centered on repurposing the Helena High campus to house both a middle and high school, then renovating Helena Middle School to house elementary students from Central-Linc and Bryant.

They suggested keeping the Smith and Jefferson campuses.

Part of the point the group hoped to make is this solution would solve problems with Helena High School as well.

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UPDATED: Helena architects weigh in on school facility issues

Grace Contracting and Development knows the nuances of the ever-changing retail construction industry. Whether your space is boutique or your plans call for a grander scale, you can trust that your relationship with Grace Contracting and Development will generate a highly desirable and visually attractive retail environment.

At Grace Contracting and Development, we understand this demand and pride ourselves on being an asset for commercial ventures. As a retail construction company serving New York and the surrounding markets, our commitment is to quality construction services and our meeting the most exacting expectations of our customers. New York shoppers are among the most sophisticated in the world, and meeting their needs is the key to retail success. Grace Contracting can design and build your retail space to attract the demographics that most need your products.

When you trust us to build your ideal commercial space, you are getting a structure that will last a very long time. The last thing you will want to do is worry about continual maintenance costs and we ensure that this will not be the case. We even take advantage of certified green building materials to cut down on costs, increase overall energy efficiency, and reduce your business impact on the environment.

A shopper has the option of an online shopping experience, with free shipping. While that dynamic certainly has changed the shape of the retail marketplace, it only part of the picture.

Todays shopper wants options, for sure, but they also want the choice of going to a store and enjoying a real shopping experience. Many retailers use their online presence not only to generate sales, but to drive shoppers to the store where even more choices, excitement and fulfillment await.

Trust the professionals at Grace Construction and Development when it comes to renovating, rebuilding or building your retail space.

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Retail Space Construction | Grace Contracting & Development

Neutral-colored furniture with accent pillows and accessories doesn't overwhelm shoppers. An end table creates a divider between displays at Cocobolo Interiors in Armonk, N.Y.

Credit: Tom Anckner

When Julie Owen bought Cocobolo Interiors in 2008, she set about adding more contemporary items to the Armonk, N.Y., shop. But with only 3,000 square feet, she struggled to figure out where to put her expanding line of furniture, lighting fixtures and accessories. Her solution: create sections within the shop and arrange the furniture the way customers might imagine it at home, using low bookcases and folding screens as dividers.

As Owen discovered, making the most of a small retail shop means being strategic about how you design the space and organize your merchandise. Here are seven other simple and affordable ways to maximize a small retail space:

1. Paint an accent wall.Painting one wall a bold color is an affordable and effective way to not only spice up the space, but also to make it look larger. A bold colored wall creates the illusion of receding in space, says Libby Langdon, HGTV design expert and author of Libby Langdon's Small Space Solutions (Knack, 2009). Putting colorfully printed fabric or wallpaper on one of your walls is another way to achieve the same effect, while adding eye-catching textures and patterns to your store.

Related: Creating Shops from Shipping Containers

An old bed serves as a space-saving and creative way to display tea towels along an orange accent wall at Poppyseeds in Stanwood, Wash.

Credit: Amber Strehle, Tres Birds Photography

2. Create window-like effects. Windows can open up a small space and make it seem larger. At Poppyseeds, a vintage decor and fashion accessory shop in Stanwood, Wash., the owners cut window spaces into the walls separating two small rooms to create a more airy feel. In another room, co-owner Marybeth Sande put white linen panels across an entire wall, creating the illusion of windows. Hanging drapes around tall, skinny mirrors is another way to create a window effect, Langdon says. "That gives an illusion of more light and movement in a small space."

3. Think vertically.Displaying items on various levels maximizes space and is visually appealing to customers, says Jerry Birnbach, a Somers, N.Y., store-planning consultant. Hanging shelving at different levels is the easiest way to achieve this effect. You also can mount drapes and other items from the ceiling to the floor to draw the eye up and create the sense of a larger space, Langdon says.

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7 Low-Cost Design Ideas for Small Retail Spaces

In an effort to preserve and revitalize Auroras older neighborhoods, the city of Aurora will again offer incentives to homeowners for home restoration projects that convert subdivided homes back to their original single-family designs.

The Single-Family Home Restoration Program seeks to reduce housing density and to improve the historic character of older neighborhoods by encouraging residents to restore their homes to their original intended use, city officials said.

The program offers homeowners loans to help cover up to 90 percent of construction and other costs related to turning a previously subdivided home back into a single-family home. These loans are available for up to $30,000 depending on the number of housing units currently in the home, and can be forgiven following completion of the project.

Program funds can be used for engineering and architecture services, building and planning fees, or construction costs. Applications are now available and can be found at http://www.aurora-il.org under the Quick Links section of the homepage. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Dec. 1.

Other rules and restrictions exist for this program. For more information, contact City of Aurora Neighborhood Redevelopment at 630-256-3320, or in person at the Neighborhood Redevelopment Office, 51 E. Galena Blvd.

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Aurora offers incentive to restore subdivided homes back to single-family units

OUR HOUSE: Noshaba Khan with the new plaque in honour of Arnold Bennett which adorns her Cobridge home.

LITERARY giant Arnold Bennett has been honoured with the unveiling of a blue plaque at his former home.

The author famous for books such as Anna of the Five Towns lived at 205 Waterloo Road, in Cobridge, from 1881 to 1889, spending the majority of his teenage years a stone's throw from the old tram system before he moved to London.

The home was briefly turned into a museum dedicated to the Potteries' leading journalist and novelist, but later fell into disrepair.

However, 34-year-old Noshaba Khan and her family bought the property at an auction. Following a painstaking restoration process, they held a reception for historians, politicians and legions of Bennett's fans.

"We were very excited when we were approached about this. It's a brilliant idea," she said.

"It was in quite a bad state, but now it's looking very good. When we bought the house we had to explain to the agents about its history, as they didn't know Arnold lived here, which shows how much it had been forgotten.

"Hopefully, this can help people in the city remember a bit more about Arnold Bennett's life."

Among the attendees was Morag Jones, who spoke at the presentation in her last act as chairman.

She said: "It's a lovely way for me to end my five years as chairman. This is a great way to bow out, as the Khans have done a brilliant job in renovating the house.

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The Sentinel published Novelist Arnold Bennett honoured with a blue plaque at his...

KUCHING: The state cabinet will discuss the type of aid and contributions to be given to the family of the late body-building great Bujang Taha.

Assistant Youth Development Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the state will not forget the contribution of state athletes such as Bujang who had put Sarawak and Malaysia on the global sporting map.

Personally, it is difficult to find an individual like the late Bujang who had excelled tremendously in the bodybuilding arena to the extent that he had done the state and country proud. His success in his field, its difficult to find a replacement.

On behalf of myself and the state government, we extend our condolences to his family. The state cabinet will discuss on the types of aid to be given to the family, Karim who is also Assistant Housing Minister told reporters when met at the late bodybuilders residence at Kampung Tanjong, Petra Jaya near here yesterday.

Those who paid their last respects included Assistant Minister in the Chief Ministers Department (Islamic Affairs) Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, Assistant Tourism Minister Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Sarawak Bodybuilding Association president Dato Wee Hong Seng and national bodybuilder George Awi William.

Meanwhile, Daud mentioned that Bujang was the type of individual who would not ask for anything.

It saddened me because he never asked for anything from the state government including allowance. I was thinking of requesting from the chief minister for Bujang to be given a monthly allowance and I hope that the state government could consider this, he continued.

Both Karim and Daud described Bujangs demise as a great loss to sports, the state and country as whole.

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Site Last Updated 2:35 am, Tuesday

Laura Gaskill, Houzz Contributor

All spaces present design challenges, but as the living room is where you probably spend the most time (and certainly the one guests experience the most of), designing a small one can be especially tricky. How do you strike a balance between making the room feel as spacious as possible while also squeezing in extra seating? What furniture should you choose, and where do you put it? Here are 15 design tips for making the most of your space, plus 10 specific furniture layout ideas for small living rooms. Lets get started.

How to get your furniture arrangement right

1. Use mirrors and wallpaper. A small living room, especially if its short on windows, can feel a bit boxed in. Create a focal point, boost light and add depth all at once by papering a wall and hanging a mirror on top. If you can position the mirror across from a window, all the better the mirror will reflect the view outside, giving the impression of an extra window.

The layout: Center the love seat on the papered wall, flanked by a pair of matching side tables and lamps. A large woven ottoman can work as a coffee table or an extra seat. If theres room, you could work in an extra (small-scale) chair or two across from the love seat in this arrangement. Seats: two to four.

2. Add hidden storage. Pick furniture with built-in storage to limit clutter. A trunk or storage ottoman as a coffee table works well. Along the perimeter of the room, try a small chest of drawers or a small credenza instead of a console table to boost storage options.

3. Choose small-scale furniture. There is more to living room furniture than full-size sofas and bulky armchairs. Antiques shops are a great place to look for small-scale furniture, because the average room size was typically quite small until the last half century or so. Look for small settees, love seats and chairs that can work for your space.

The layout: The love seat is centered in front of the bay window, with petite tables on either side. A pair of Louis XVI armchairs sit opposite the sofa, with a trunk as a coffee table in between. An antique recamier is positioned on the wall diagonally across from the sofa, with a slim console table opposite it. Seats: six.

Find a brand new sofa or sectional for your space

4. Look up. If your small living room is blessed with high ceilings, take full advantage of that extra space! While vertical space doesnt help with squeezing in an extra seat, drawing the eye upward does help give the impression that your room is far larger and grander that it would otherwise seem. Fill the vertical space with an eclectic art gallery.

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How To Design And Lay Out A Small Living Room

A new flea market with room for more than 600 vendors is slated to open Nov. 15 in Margate.

Coconuts Flea Market will open for business at the former Saveology Plaza along Coconut Creek Parkway.

Sid Moskin, a commercial real estate developer, said he's investing upward of $1 million remodeling the plaza that used to house Saveology, a company providing deals on shopping, dining and other goods and services.

"It's the ideal facility, ideal parking situation and the timing is right because we are opening right at the beginning of season," said Moskin, who along with his wife, Karen, will be managing the flea market.

Coconuts Flea Market will be on 20 acres of land and offer more than 1,300 parking spots, Moskin said.

About 10 food trucks are also scheduled to be on site to serve hungry shoppers, he said. The flea market will open Wednesday through Sunday and host vendors selling new and used goods such as jewelry, shoes and luggage.

Coconuts Flea Market will rent tables, kiosks and other spaces to merchants on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, Moskin said. Rates range from $20 to $40, depending on space.

"They can sell anything as long as it's legal," Moskin said.

Coconuts Flea Market will be at 5259 Coconut Creek Parkway.

mvalverde@sunsentinel.com, 954-356-4526, Twitter @MiriamValverde

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Coconuts Flea Market opening in Margate

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Despite widespread word throughout the community, the future site of Corner Brook Intermediate is still on schedule to open this academic school year.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation and Works confirmed Friday the hope is expansion and redevelopment of the former Regina High School will be completed in time for a January opening.

All students of the former G.C. Rowe and Presentation junior highs are currently together in the former G.C. Rowe Junior High, which was renovated to accommodate the amalgamation on an interim basis.

The project at the future location experienced some delays, but an email statement from the department said good progress is being made on the interior and exterior of the facility.

The biggest delay has been with respect to the application of a fire-proofing product in the insulation. The wrong material was put in. This issue has been ongoing for some time. According to the spokesperson, discussions with the contractor are ongoing and it is hoped the issue is resolved shortly.

Exterior work underway includes paving of the upper parking lot and coating the cement board and painting of the wall extension on the roof to match the siding. Interior work is focused on the basement and first floor, while the second floor is nearly complete. This work includes installation of kitchen equipment and light fixtures and painting and flooring.

No one was made available from the Department of Transportation and Works for an interview on the subject.

Pat Hickey, former chair of the G.C. Rowe school council, said he has heard the rumours in the community, but said there has been nothing to substantiate claims the new location would not be ready for a move this school year. He said all updates he has received indicate a late December or January move.

I dont know where people are getting their information, he said. Do people really think the provincial government and the school board would deceive the school council on information related to the project?

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Future junior high still targeted to open in January