Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A century-old industrial building in Chinatown that is being converted to offices will soon house an architecture firm on its third floor.

The entire 13,000-square-foot space will serve as the new Los Angeles office for two firms that merged in August: NAC Architecture and Osborn Architects. The combined firm,which will operate as NAC Architecture, will bring more than 40 architects and staff members to 837 N. Spring St.

Redcar Properties is renovating the three-story brick building completed in 1912 that previously served as a retail center housing multiple small-format shops selling primarily inexpensive imported goods. It stands near the Chinatown station of the Metro Gold Line light rail system.

By opening a new office together, the firms have an opportunity to create a new space oriented toward collaboration, they said.

We wanted our new headquarters to allow us to take full advantage of the new set of activities and opportunities that the merger has created for us, said Michael Pinto, a former principal of Glendale-based Osborn who is now a principal of NAC.

The building is a blank slate and our in-house team of architects and designers are working closely with Redcar to create a custom turn-key build that will foster innovation and enhance our ability to deliver sustainable and responsible architecture, Pinto said.

Redcar Properties, a Los Angeles real estate investment firm, is working on a detailed interior and exterior rehabilitation of the building that includes exposing old bricks and wooden supports.

Much of the buildings original brick and timber features and operable wood windows had been plastered over in previous renovations, President Tom Majich said. This is one of Los Angeles very early industrial buildings and we are going to uncover and underscore its historic architecture and character.

The architects long-term lease with Redcar is valued at $3.3 million, real estate brokerage Industry Partners said. They are expected to move to Chinatown early next year.

Twitter: @rogervincent

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Architects to rent floor in old L.A. Chinatown industrial building

Washington, DC (PRWEB) October 07, 2014

CST Group, CPAs, PC won the ABC Excellence in Construction Award for Best Interior in the $35 to $50 per square foot category at the recent awards ceremony, which was designed by the architecture and interior design professionals at OTJ Architects and built by general contractor L.F. Jennings.

This 16,740 SF office relocation cost $40 per square foot and received the award based on the degree of complexity and high-end finishes, along with the successful collaboration amongst the broker, design team and general contractor.

Between the Jones Lang LaSalle and OTJ teams, it was one of the smoothest jobs I have ever been on and by far the most collaborative and fun team Ive been a part of, said L.F. Jennings Project Manager of Corporate Interiors Andrew Kowalski.

It was very important to CST Group, CPAs, PC that the office portray sophistication and professionalism so the reception area was considered a high-impact focus. Marble flooring was used and there is an intricate wood wall feature that looms over the waiting area seating to provide visual appeal for clients that regularly visit the office.

Namita was not afraid to make decisions; she was decisive and clear with the design intent, Kowalski said. The materials specified fell in line with the budget and time constraints CST faced.

CST Group, CPAs, PC also wanted to exhibit its own brand, mission and culture and account for future company growth, which involved moving management-level staff into workstations instead of closed offices. To facilitate this change, the design included larger workstations with glass at the top to not block natural light and provide a greater sense of privacy with the illusion of added height.

In some ways, each partner and individual group had its own unique work style, said OTJ Project Manager/Senior Project Designer, Namita Shah, IIDA. Being able to find solutions that addressed the varying needs into one cohesive response was challenging and fun.

Also important was the idea of collaboration, so the employee lounge was designed to be an open area that became a destination for the staff to meet, discuss and relax. The training room is connected to the lounge and can be separated by a divisible wall during monthly training sessions to allow multiple sessions to be held concurrently.

This project for CST Group, CPAs, PC helped to solidify the organization in its own space and give it a new identity and sense of pride. The time spent to create an open floor plan that worked for the staff ensured the change from closed offices to workstations would be a smooth transition. The detailed reception area, training center and conference room also enable the financial services firm to host events and meetings and invite clients to share in its new personalized office.

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OTJ Architects Project CST Group, CPAs, PC Awarded ABC Excellence in Construction Award

North Jerseys Meadowlands, once home mainly to warehouses and industrial sites, will be getting a new mixed-use redevelopment with two hotels, 500 apartments and retail space in Rutherford.

The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission has approved amendments that Lincoln Equities Group LLC sought to the roughly decade-old redevelopment plan for its Highland Cross project.

Lincoln Equities is ready to proceed with the project, set for 26 acres near the intersection of Routes 17 and 3, said Joel Bergstein, president of the East Rutherford-based real estate firm. The property, a former brownfield site, fronts on Veterans Boulevard and is behind the Meadows office complex on Route 17.

Construction is likely to start in about 18 months, Bergstein said.

There is certainly a changing landscape in the Meadowlands, where communities are recognizing that mixed-use development is a good thing, he said. It helps bring ratables, which all the municipalities need. And its the next stage of evolution in the Meadowlands.

With North Jerseys office market still struggling to recover from the recession, and a growing demand for apartments, real estate developers are increasingly looking to build projects that incorporate residential, hospitality, retail and office space. The proposed plans for drug giant Roches campus, on Route 3 in Nutley and Clifton, call for mixed uses, including a hotel. And Hartz Mountain Industries Inc., whose original bailiwick was industrial real estate in the Meadowlands, has taken the mixed-use tack with great success in Secaucus.

Lincoln Equities officials anticipate an increased demand for hotel rooms when the American Dream project eventually comes online in East Rutherford. However, they add that Highland Cross can succeed without the huge new entertainment-retail venture.

The original redevelopment plan for the Rutherford property allowed the construction of 1 million square feet of commercial office space and a hotel.

But North Jerseys office market declined following the recession and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, prompting Lincoln Equities to look for other uses for the Rutherford site. The developer and the borough went back and forth for years on how the Rutherford site should evolve into a mixed-use project, in terms of the density of the residential units and other issues.

In pre-2007, before the financial crisis, there was a more ambitious proposal with high-rise residential buildings that arent appropriate in todays environment, said Robert Schenkel, Lincoln Equities senior director of development.

Originally posted here:
Rutherford industrial tract getting 2 hotels, 500 apartments, retail space

North Jerseys Meadowlands, once home mainly to warehouses and industrial sites, will be getting a new mixed-use redevelopment with two hotels, 500 apartments and retail space in Rutherford.

The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission has approved amendments that Lincoln Equities Group LLC sought to the roughly decade-old redevelopment plan for its Highland Cross project.

Lincoln Equities is ready to proceed with the project, set for 26 acres near the intersection of Routes 17 and 3, said Joel Bergstein, president of the East Rutherford-based real estate firm. The property, a former brownfield site, fronts on Veterans Boulevard and is behind the Meadows office complex on Route 17.

Construction is likely to start in about 18 months, Bergstein said.

There is certainly a changing landscape in the Meadowlands, where communities are recognizing that mixed-use development is a good thing, he said. It helps bring ratables, which all the municipalities need. And its the next stage of evolution in the Meadowlands.

With North Jerseys office market still struggling to recover from the recession, and a growing demand for apartments, real estate developers are increasingly looking to build projects that incorporate residential, hospitality, retail and office space. The proposed plans for drug giant Roches campus, on Route 3 in Nutley and Clifton, call for mixed uses, including a hotel. And Hartz Mountain Industries Inc., whose original bailiwick was industrial real estate in the Meadowlands, has taken the mixed-use tack with great success in Secaucus.

Lincoln Equities officials anticipate an increased demand for hotel rooms when the American Dream project eventually comes online in East Rutherford. However, they add that Highland Cross can succeed without the huge new entertainment-retail venture.

The original redevelopment plan for the Rutherford property allowed the construction of 1 million square feet of commercial office space and a hotel.

But North Jerseys office market declined following the recession and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, prompting Lincoln Equities to look for other uses for the Rutherford site. The developer and the borough went back and forth for years on how the Rutherford site should evolve into a mixed-use project, in terms of the density of the residential units and other issues.

In pre-2007, before the financial crisis, there was a more ambitious proposal with high-rise residential buildings that arent appropriate in todays environment, said Robert Schenkel, Lincoln Equities senior director of development.

The rest is here:
North Jersey's Meadowlands getting 2 hotels, 500 apartments, retail space

After years of being an eyesore to Evesham residents and those traveling along Route 70, the Tri-Towne Plaza will be transformed from a lot of vacant storefronts to a $25 million shopping center and apartment complex.

Evesham Mayor Randy Brown, in a Tuesday news conference, boasted that once the project was completed, the location, which would be renamed the Shoppes at Renaissance Square and the Residence at Renaissance Square, could potentially be "the most active site in Evesham Township."

The mayor noted it had been a long process to reach an agreement with the property's owner, RD Management of New York, about what should be done with the 20-acre site. The township had threatened to use eminent domain to seize the land before recently reaching the project agreement.

"I didn't think this day was going to come, but I'm very glad it did," Brown said. "We're on the same page. We're moving on to next year."

Developers and residents alike hope that part of the 180,000 square feet of retail space will include another grocery. Birdoff said that no retailers had been contracted yet, but that some have already started discussions with his team about moving in to the Tri-Towne Plaza. The last store moved out of the plaza a year ago.

No construction will happen until the township council and the planning board approve the plans for the site, though Brown said he was confident that the project, which will be completely funded by RD Management, could start next year.

"I would be hopeful that by early spring," Brown said, "we will have shovels in the ground to begin construction."

The township offered payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) as an incentive for RD Management to develop the property. Brown said that they were still months from an exact agreement about what kind of tax cuts the developer would receive, but added that "it is understood that they will have some sort of a five-year PILOT."

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Plans advance in Evesham to develop vacant plaza

SACO - On the other side of the Saco River, another long-awaited project is taking shape. Initial plans are to turn a vacant, 225,912-square-foot brick mill building on Saco Island into 150 market-rate apartments and retail space, according to Saco Mayor Don Pilon.

The 1841 building, referred to as the Saco Island West Building No. 4, has been empty for more than two decades, Pilon said. Its been eight years since plans were first discussed for the $100 million redevelopment of Saco Island. Several of its old buildings have since been renovated and rehabilitated, including Building No. 2, which houses the local Social Security Administration office and the popular Saco River Market.

Plans for the proposed apartment complex call for amenities such as an exercise room and a conference room, said Pilon, and a portion of it is being planned as commercial space for small, local entrepreneurs or local artisans to open up shops.

The building is under contract with Chinburg Properties Inc. of Newmarket, N.H., a development and construction firm that has more than 20 years of experience in New Hampshire and Maine, and specializes in single-family and multi-unit housing projects.

Eric Chinburg, the companys president, said Chinburg Properties has completed several mill renovations in New Hampshire communities and is now wrapping up a project in Amesbury, Mass.

There would not likely be a lot of retail (space), but there would be some on the east end near the main road, said Chinburg, of the Building No. 4 project. We would consider other uses for commercial in the lowest level, which could include artist space, and perhaps community space. The upper three floors would be 100 percent residential under our current vision.

According to Chinburg, the architecture of the mill itself and the general location near a river and downtown are the best amenities. We plan to do very nice apartments as weve done in other projects and take advantage of the high ceilings, beams and brick and large windows.

Chinburg said that Building No. 4 is a desirable piece of property because Saco and Biddeford seem to be growing and seem to be vital.

In addition, he has always had a passion for refurbishing old mill buildings.

You cannot recreate these structures today, Chinburg said. It would be cost prohibitive.

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Saco Island project progressing

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) October 07, 2014

Flood Services Canada (http://www.FloodServices.ca), the Greater Toronto Areas leading 24-hour emergency flood, fire, and smoke damage restoration response service team, is announcing its tips for homeowners on how to winterize their homes for the upcoming cold season.

Canada experiences a significantly sharp turn from hot to cold seasons. That makes it crucial for homeowners to take steps to protect their home before each season begins, says Chad Vanvari, president and owner of Flood Services Canada. With winter approaching much faster than we would probably like, now is the time for homeowners to check their homes for any sewage backup, clogged gutters, or other factors that can really harm a home.

According to Vanvari, most homeowners associate accidents like basement flooding and water damage with summer time hazards, but in truth, winter can bring severe storms, and too much snow has just as much potential to be hazardous as too much rain. Thats why homeowners need to take the right steps to protect their property, says Vanvari.

Taking measures such as turning off the indoor shutoff for outdoor water lines, trimming trees, and insulating water pipes are all important steps homeowners can take to protect their home from damage, he adds. The weight from ice and snow on tree branches can cause them to break, potentially resulting in significant damage to your home or electrical lines outside, and ensuring all pipes are insulated can prevent basement flooding or other water damage. (Source: How to winter-proof your home, Royal Bank of Canada web site; http://www.rbcinsurance.com/insuranceneeds/winter-proof-home.html, last accessed October 6, 2014.)

Vanvari explains that knowing the location of all the shutoff valves for the entire home is also an important matter. Homeowners should ensure all valves are working every six months just to be safe, as well as know the age of their water tank, which needs replacing every 1015 years. (Source: 10 ways to prevent water damage to your home, Royal Bank of Canada web site; http://www.rbcinsurance.com/insuranceneeds/water-damage-infographic.html, last accessed October 6, 2014.)

Taking all the right steps does reduce the chances of any damage to a home during the winter, but accidents and severe weather are still possibilities, Vanvari concludes. For those instances, Flood Services Canada is ready and on call for water damage cleanup, basement flooding repair, or any other severe damage maintenance to a home.

Flood Services Canada is the Greater Toronto Areas leading 24-hour emergency response service team. The company provides residential and commercial customers a full range of industry-leading services in water removal and water damage cleanup, smoke and fire damage restoration, sewage backup cleaning, wind and storm damage response, dehumidification and structural drying, odour control, and important document drying. Flood Services Canada also provides all necessary repairs and renovations, including: furniture and reupholstery, electronics and equipment restoration, pack-out and storage, and post-repair cleanup. Each of Flood Service Canadas IICRC-certified technicians delivers the best personalized service in the industry, ensuring every customer receives top service, quality, and value. To learn more about Flood Services Canada, visit the companys web site at http://www.FloodServices.ca or call Flood Services Canada at 416-999-3930.

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Flood Services Canada, the GTAs Leading 24-Hour Response Team, Announces Ways to Winterize Home to Prevent Serious ...

A landmark Merseyside church is set to receive a Lottery funding boost to continue urgent repairs and create a community space for visitors.

Ss Peter, Paul and Philomenas Church, in New Brighton also known as The Dome of Home has received development funding of 39,800 towards a project totalling 250,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

The cash will be used to continue to repair roofs, brickwork, internal plaster work and develop a community space, it was announced today.

Peter Woods, deputy Lord-Lieutenant, of Merseyside presenting a cheque to Canon Amaury Montjean, the Rector of Ss Peter, Paul and Philomenas Church, New Brighton (also known as The Dome of Home) for the restoration of the church. (Please credit photos by Steve Billington.)

The new project follows a previous HLF scheme awarded in August last year and completed this September, worth a total of 290,000.

Canon Amaury Montjean, French priest and rector of the Shrine Church, said he was delighted and that the money would help continue the restor-ation of this iconic landmark, a beacon of hope for future generations. The new project will carry on with urgent repairs, and when complete will provide a glass screen below the choir loft to make a usable community space.

An interactive kiosk and information desk in the church porch will enable visitors to access a live stream webcam showing views of Liverpool Bay from the roof and allow memories and personal heritage information to be submitted easily to help them engage with the history, art and architecture.

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Since its establishment in 2012 by Bishop Davies, the Dome of Home is open every day from 8am until 8pm every day for quiet reflection and traditional services.

Recently, Peter Woods, deputy Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, presented a cheque for 2,000 towards the restoration of the church.

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Lottery boost for landmark Wirral church 'The Dome of Home'

Dilma Rousseffs chief of staff is temporarily leaving office to help the president spread her message on Brazils economy ahead of the runoff vote on Oct. 26.

Aloizio Mercadante, who has a doctorate in economics from the State University of Campinas in Brazil, will start focusing full time on the campaign today, Rousseff told reporters in Brasilia. Rui Falcao, president of the Workers Party and the presidents campaign chief, told reporters at a separate event that Mercadante would take part in the economic debate in the run-up to second-round voting.

Brazils economy has become the central theme in this years national election, as Rousseffs opponent, Aecio Neves, says government policies have helped fuel surging consumer prices and erode business and consumer confidence. A trained economist, Rousseff says Nevess proposals to slow inflation and reduce the size of the state would put at risk jobs and social welfare programs.

Were witnessing opposition between the rich and the poor in the campaign, Rousseff said today. We would do policies for the poor and they would do policies for the rich. This dichotomy is partially true.

Brazils economy slipped into recession in the second quarter as inflation that twice this year breached the ceiling of the target range reduces purchasing power. Rousseff says her policies have pushed unemployment to record lows and that her party in 12 years has lifted about 35 million out of poverty.

Finance Minister Guido Mantega, who today told reporters that economic growth is picking up in the second half of the year, says he wouldnt stay on for a second term if Rousseff wins. The incumbent hasnt identified a possible replacement.

To contact the reporters on this story: Anna Edgerton in Brasilia at aedgerton@bloomberg.net; Arnaldo Galvao in Brasilia Newsroom at agalvao1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Andre Soliani at asoliani@bloomberg.net Randall Woods, Robert Jameson

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Rousseff Cabinet Head Quits to Stump on Brazils Economy

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - ??

Here is a list of road projects around the Heartland scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 8.

Butler County, MO

Route 72 in Bollinger County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform shoulders repairs. This section of roadway is located from Old Route 72 to Route B.

Existing lanes of Route 67 from CR 323 to Route 160/158 will be signed as Route C. The north end of Route C (existing Route 67) will remain closed for about two months as work is completed at the intersection of Route 67, Route C, and CR 323.

Cape Girardeau County, MO

Northbound Interstate 55 will be reduced to one lane as contractor crews perform pavement repairs. This section of road is located at the 96 mile marker underneath the Route K overpass. Weather permitting, crews will be working from Friday, Oct. 17 through Sunday, Oct. 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily.

Starting at 8 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 29, contracted concrete slab repair and replacement will begin on Silver Springs Road between Independence Street and Bloomfield Road in Cape Girardeau. The work will cause lane closures. The expected project completion time is about four weeks.

MoDOT plans to replace the bridge on Route 61 over Hughes Creek - two miles from Route CC. Construction is set to begin in 2015.

Property owners adjacent to the bridge will have access to their properties. A marked detour is proposed here:

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Heartland road projects for 10/8