Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The first part of a $2.6 million window replacement project at New Canaan's South Elementary School has been "successfully completed," Nancy Harris, the district's interim director of finance and operations, told the Board of Education Monday.

Split into two phases, the project will repair or replace some of the windows, replace a failing glass block structure in the upper level of the school and repair the building expansion joint. The glass block structure will be replaced with frosted glass, according to Harris.

Phase one, which lasted about a month and cost $411,700, included the removal of the glass block and abatement of hazardous materials from non-teaching spaces.

The area is now sealed up with weatherproof boards until the second phase, which includes more abatement and the replacement of the windows, begins in summer 2015.

At Monday's meeting, Harris praised the work of Niram, the New Jersey construction company in charge of phase one.

"They were on time, they were neat, they were thorough," she told the board.

Harris said environmental experts and engineers visited the construction site every day "to make sure all containment remained intact" and "that all materials were removed properly."

The finance director said the building committee overseeing the project plans to launch the bidding process for phase two in the fall.

The committee's next meeting is Thursday, Aug. 28, at 10 a.m. in room 102 at South.

noliveira@bcnnew.com, 203-330-6582, @olivnelson

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First phase of South Elementary School's project completed

San Jose, CA (PRWEB) August 21, 2014

Bulls Glass and Screen Center, a San Jose, California company that specializes in windows, doors and more, has just announced that they have hired additional qualified staff and upgraded their inventory. These exciting changes were in response to a recent increase in Bay Area commercial property clients contacting Bulls Glass for help with replacing their windows and other related services.

As a company spokesperson for Bulls Glass and Screen Center explained, during the recent economic downturn, many owners of commercial properties waited to make much-needed upgrades like switching from single pane to double pane windows.

Now, thanks to the red hot Bay Area economy, the rental market is on fire once again, and we are seeing a soaring demand in window upgrade orders as renters expect amenities like double pane windows that reduce energy costs, noise, lower moisture, and increase security, the spokesperson noted, adding that this increase in business is especially centered on the South Bay area.

We are seeing an economic boom with commercial property ownersmainly apartment buildings and multi-family housing units, townhouses and more.

In addition to providing top notch window repair and window replacement services, a Bulls Glass Representative stated, We also offer the following install and repair services on doors, window screens, shower doors, shower tub enclosures, and more!

During the 45-plus years that Bulls Glass and Screen Center has been in business, they have acquired a great deal of knowledge and expertise in retrofitting older style windows to more modern and energy-efficient styles.

Retrofit window and patio door replacements are a no-hassle way of upgrading your home or residential units, the spokesperson said, adding that each can be installed in just a few hours with absolutely no mess or additional work required.

About Bulls Glass and Screen Center:

Bull's Glass and Screen Center has been serving the Saratoga, Cupertino, Los Altos, Monte Sereno, Los Gatos, Sunnyvale, Mountain View and West San Jose communities for over 40 years. The company's technicians are highly trained and professional, each with over 20 years experience in the industry. For more information, please visit http://bullsglass.com/.

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Bay Area Commercial Property Servicer Bulls Glass and Screen Center Hires Additional Staff

SARANAC LAKE - A replacement has been selected for Saranac Lake Central School District Assistant Superintendent Dan Bower. Bower attended his last school board meeting Wednesday night, before starting a new job in Tupper Lake.

Cynthia Moody, of Saranac Lake, was chosen as the new business executive for the district. She is currently a business manager for Franklin-Essex-Hamilton Board of Cooperative Education Services, working with the Elizabethtown and Willsboro school districts, according to Superintendent Diane Fox. Before that she was the village of Saranac Lake's treasurer from 2003 to 2008.

Four candidates were interviewed for the position over a period of two days at the end of last week. Moody was picked last Thursday. She will start working for the district on Sept. 22. Her starting salary will be $76,000.

What made Moody stand out as the best choice for the school district?

"She had two pieces that really moved her to the top of the list," Fox said. "She has experience doing this, and people knew her. Sometimes that's a double-edged sword when people know you, but Cynthia's reputation preceded her and no matter who you spoke to they had things to say about her work ethic, her ability to work with groups, her dedication to her job."

There will be some internal movements inside the administrative office by the beginning of the school year. The current treasurer will retire at the end of the month. An employee who has been handling payroll duties for the district will take over the treasurer position, and payroll will be picked up by BOCES.

Because Bower was an assistant superintendent, he could be assigned more responsibilities. In his absence, some supervision responsibilities will be tweaked in the administrative office, Fox said.

"We had some support staff, supervisors who were working closely with Dan on the day to day," Fox said. "I still did their formal supervision, but they did a lot of their day-to-day stuff with Dan. That will come over into my office."

Bower resigned in June. He decided to take an offer to replace Garry Lanthier, business manager for Tupper Lake Central School District, who is retiring. Bower has lived in Tupper Lake for 16 years.

His official last day is at the end of the month, but he will likely return to help train his replacement in September.

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School hires new business manager

Seattle, Washington (PRWEB) August 21, 2014

General Manager, Erin Belmore, of Washington State Kitchen and Bath, is proud to announce his companys sponsorship of Lake Washington Kangs Football. Erin Belmore says, We believe in supporting our local community and believe in the power of youth sports to transform lives. We are especially proud to help provide safe equipment for the Kangs.

WSKBs financial support will also help provide scholarships for players who cant afford to pay the participation fees, team dinners, and other program costs. The annual Lake Washington Football Team Auction will take place on August 22, 2014.

Washington State Kitchen & Bath is fully licensed, bonded and insured as a general contractor in Washington state. Washington State Kitchen and Bath serves Western Washington and parts of Eastern Washington for home remodeling, additions, and new construction. They specialize in quality materials and dependable services from design through construction.

About Washington State Kitchen and Bath: Washington State Kitchen & Bath is a locally owned and operated corporation based in Woodinville, Washington. Because our company is independent and unconnected to a franchise, customers can select from a wider variety of products and services with confidence. Washington State Kitchen and Bath uses only the highest quality materials and ensures that certified installers complete every job. Refreshingly, our business model is based on avoiding high-pressure sales tactics and on earning the respect of every customer. We work hard for our customers, delivering a full spectrum of quality home improvement services on their terms.

With a Better Business Bureau A+ rating and an A rating on Angies List, Washington State Kitchen & Bath (WSKB), your premier bathroom, kitchen and home remodeler, is built on honesty and integrity. WSKB is fully licensed, bonded and insured as a general contractor in Washington State.

Contact us at: (800) 935-5524 or visit us online at http://WashingtonStateKitchenBath.com Like us on Facebook to learn about and spread the word on our VA/Civil Servant 5% Discount on Home Improvement Services: http://Facebook.com/WaKitchenBath 12601 NE Woodinville Dr. Ste. E4, Woodinville, WA 98072 (800) 935-5524.

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Washington State Kitchen and Bath Partners with Lake Washington Football Team to Promote Player Safety and Help ...

The following news release comes from the Office of Governor Pat Quinnby about his announcement regarding Cook County construction projects.

Governor Pat Quinn today announced capital investments of more than $31 million for construction projects in Cook County. The investments will create jobs and improve transportation safety and efficiency.Funded by hisIllinois Jobs Now!construction program, the projects are part of Governor Quinns agenda to create jobs and drive Illinois economy forward.

These investments in Cook County are putting people to work, creating jobs that will help drive the local economy, Governor Quinn said. They are also helping to repair and maintain Illinois infrastructure to improve safety and efficiency throughout the region.

Governor Quinn continues to fight for working men and women who have built Illinois infrastructure through their hard work, dedication, and calloused hands, Tom Villanova, President of Chicago & Cook County Building & Construction Trades Council, said. UnderIllinois Jobs Now!,thousands of Chicagoans have been put to work to improve Illinoiss infrastructure for coming generations.

Todays announcement follows last weeks news that Illinois unemployment rate declined in July to 6.8 percent from Junes 7.1 percent. During July, 11,200 new private sector jobs were added, including 3,900 manufacturing jobs.The states unemployment rate has fallen steadily since July 2013, when it stood at 9.2 percent, and has completed its steepest 12-month decline of 2.4 percentage points since August 1984. Since February 2010, Illinois has added 263,100 private sector jobs.

Construction payrolls are up by 8,500 jobs since the beginning of the year, nearly four times as strong as the gain posted for this same period in 2013. Specialty trade contractors payrolls posted healthy gains for the third straight month, fueled in large part by Governor QuinnsIllinois Jobs Now!capital construction program.

The projects below will be managed by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The projects are part of Governor Quinns $31 billionIllinois Jobs Now!program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years.Illinois Jobs Now!is the largest construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest construction programs in the nation.

Continued here:
Governor Quinn announces $31 million for construction projects in Cook County

Published: Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at 7:17 p.m.

Tau Mansion, with its striking facade, distinctive dormers and colonnade-framed entrance, has been home to thousands of fraternity brothers during the 73 years it has stood across from the entrance to the University of Florida.

We who have been members of this fraternity have always been fond of that structure, said John Marion, president of the chapter house corporation and chairman of the board of trustees.

But the house was aging. It had sprung leaks. It had chronic problems that led alumni to long discussions about whether to renovate their beloved house or tear it down and rebuild. They ultimately decided to renovate because of their fondness for the quirky old mansion.

It couldn't be duplicated under current building codes, said Marion, who was chapter president in 1978 during his second to last year at UF. He graduated in 1979.

The Tau Mansion is one of two major renovations of Greek houses this summer. Kappa Kappa Gamma, a sorority house two blocks down the road, completed a new residential wing in time for fall recruitment.

Those renovations are part of an unusually high amount of construction activity along a highly visible and bustling section of Southwest 13th Street. Other projects include the construction of Heavener Hall and Cypress Hall on the UF campus, and the construction at Trimark Properties that has closed off Southwest Third Avenue for most of the summer.

At least 18 of the 39 houses are undergoing modifications and improvements of one type or another most of them minor upgrades, new paint jobs and roofs, up to kitchen remodels.

We're excited as a university to see the investment of various fraternities and sororities, because it means the students are interested in these houses, said Jeanna Mastrodicasa, assistant vice president for student affairs.

Greek life is on the upswing at UF, despite some negative publicity in recent years about hazing and other conduct violations that led to disciplinary actions against several houses.

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Renovations inspire Greek revival on campus

A couple of weeks after an early June hailstorm hit Naperville and the surrounding communities, my wife Karri and I visited a friends house in North Aurora.

Our friend, who we affectionately call a know-it-all, asked me the following question: Why doesnt the city of Naperville require permits and inspections of all roofing replacement projects in the city? I explained that we work hard to right-size our government, and I dont believe it adds value to the inspection process unless the sheathing of the roof is being replaced. Although adding shingles to existing sheathing needs to be done correctly, it does not impact the structural integrity of the building.

The know-it-alls inquiry stemmed from a pile of mail he had received from many out-of-state roofing companies in the wake of the hailstorm. All promised to come out, inspect his roof, work with his insurance company and perform great work. I am sure some of those companies would do just that, but I also believed that many in that pile were true storm chasers, or contractors only interested in getting work from nave homeowners with the promise their insurance company would pay for it and who would be out of Illinois before any of their work could be tested by the next storm.

Yes, there are some bad contractors out there, but there are also really good ones, too. How do you find the good ones and avoid the bad ones? Below are a few strategies for finding a good contractor:

Use a local contractor. You know the home-field advantage discussed in sports? The same can apply to contracting. If a contractor has three crews (an A team, a B team and a C team listed in order of skill) and three jobs, one of which is local, where do you think he will send the A team? The majority of the time, the contractor will send the A team to the local job, because it has the least amount of travel, and it is the job that could hurt his reputation the most if it has problems. No contractor wants to have problems in his hometown. Fortunately for us, Naperville is a large city with many qualified contractors. There is no shortage of good talent here, so be sure to use your home-field advantage.

Get multiple written quotes. Asking for multiple written quotes allows you to see the range and magnitude of the cost of the project. As much as you want to avoid the highest bid, you should also be wary of the lowest bid, especially if it is significantly lower than the rest. A super-low bid always raises red flags for me and often is an indicator of a bid that has something missing. Ask the contractor to provide you with a detailed quote that lists all services to be performed.

Check insurance. Request a copy of the contractors insurance certificate. If the contractor is doing any dangerous work, like replacing your roof, confirm that the individuals performing the work are actual employees of the company. They are not covered by the companys insurance if they are independent contractors and not employees.

Ask the contractor what percentage of the job needs to be paid up front. At most, you should pay the contractor for only a portion of the job up-front and never more than 50 percent. A good contractor should only ask for full payment when all work has been completed per the contract.

Check references, check references, check references. Did I mention how important it is to check references and for the contractor to know that you will be checking references? Tell the contractor that you will be checking his references before he gives you his quote. This informs him that you are an educated buyer and it increases the chances of receiving an honest quote. Ask for references from work performed in the last year, not the last two to five years. Make sure the list is comprehensive and lists all of the jobs from the last year.

My father replaced his driveway a few years ago. After he obtained a list of references, my dad drove to the homes, looked at the work and knocked on doors to ask some questions of the homeowners. He asked about their satisfaction with the work, the contractors timeliness and other details. After a few of these discussions, my dad knew who he was going to use, and more importantly, who he would never use.

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Tips can help in finding the right contractor

By CANDY BROOKS Wednesday August 20, 2014 10:27 AM

When they started school Monday, Aug. 18, students and staff members at three Worthington elementary schools were greeted with new floors, carpets and bright splashes of new paint on the walls.

As part of about $3-million worth of facilities improvements completed over the summer, the interiors at Evening Street, Brookside and Worthington Hills elementary schools were remodeled.

Old tile floors, some of them containing asbestos, were torn up and replaced with a combination of wood-grain vinyl flooring and colorful carpet tiles. Every classroom received a coat of paint.

At Evening Street, each classroom got at least one brightly covered wall to match its door frame. Some are purple, some orange, some bright green.

"It's so nice when you walk down the hall and see the doorways that are so bright and colorful," Evening Street principal Mary Rykowski said.

Teachers added their own touches with painted or refinished cabinets. One classroom even had new seat cushions in a bright matching fabric.

"I think they did an awesome job with all the painting," Evening Street librarian Sharon Strock said.

Because everything had to be removed from classrooms and libraries, it all was cleaned or replaced.

"There's no dust on those books," Strock said. "It's an exciting way to start the new year."

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New school year brings fresh look to classrooms

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) August 20, 2014

Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, today announced Vista Unified School District became the third of San Diego Countys 42 school districts to have its Proposition 39 Energy Expenditure Plan approved by the California Energy Commission. Vista Unified School District will receive $4.7 million* that will be used for a variety of energy efficiency retrofits including heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) replacements, programmable thermostats, computer power management, and LED exterior lighting and controls.

The project will also have the greatest impact on the Districts facilities, spanning 27 school sites more than any other approved Energy Expenditure Plan statewide. When fully implemented, these energy efficiency measures will deliver more than 2.3 million kWh in energy savings.

"We are grateful that Vista Unified School District will be able to utilize these resources to improve the quality of our facilities while also improving energy efficiency, said Vista Unified School District Assistant Superintendent of Business Donna Caperton. Without the heavy lifting and guidance of Schneider Electric, it would be difficult to get these projects off the ground. The savings we expect to realize through the approved plan will help us achieve our vision to be the model of educational excellence and innovation."

We understand that the intricacy of Proposition 39 can be daunting; this complexity combined with resource constrained school districts is leading to the Proposition 39 opportunity being underleveraged by California school districts. Thats where we come in to provide a variety of resources, services and energy expertise to assist school districts with their sustainability goals, said Jordan Lerner, Regional Director, Schneider Electric. We go beyond sustainability goals and help districts expedite the completion and approval of their Energy Expenditure Plans.

Like many school districts in California, Vista Unified School District has addressed several small-scale energy projects over the years. Now, through Proposition 39 funding, Vista Unified School District can make significant energy efficiency upgrades by replacing old and inefficient heating and air-conditioning equipment as well as better controlling how that equipment is operated. The plans will also improve exterior lighting and save the district money by allowing them to better manage information technology equipment. By taking a more holistic, strategic look at their energy efficiency ecosystem, Vista Unified School District will be able to realize significant energy savings, which can then be reinvested into enhancing students education experience.

For the 2013-14 school years, the California Department of Education has allocated a total of $29 million in Proposition 39 funds to San Diegos 42 school districts and charter schools. Of that, $11 million has already been made available to school districts for planning expenditures, which include the hiring of Energy Managers and completion of facility audits. Statewide, the Energy Commission has received a total of 117 Proposition 39 Energy Expenditure Plans, of which Vista Unified School District becomes the 55th approved as of July 29.

# # #

About Schneider Electric As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in Utilities & Infrastructure, Industries & Machines Manufacturers, Non-residential Buildings, Data Centers & Networks and in Residential. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive and green, the companys 150,000 plus employees achieved sales of 31 billion US dollars in 2013, through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations make the most of their energy. http://www.enable.schneider-electric.com

About Vista Unified School District With 29 schools serving more than 22,000 students from preschool to 12th grade, Vista Unified School District is one of northern San Diego Countys largest educational agencies. The district stretches 39 square miles across most of Vista, a large portion of eastern Oceanside, some unincorporated areas and small slivers of Carlsbad and San Marcos. In addition to the campuses district administrators oversee, Vista Unified also includes one of the countys largest adult-education programs with about 20,000 enrolled each year and another 3,000 students in four charter schools sponsored by the district. To learn more, visit http://vistausd-ca.schoolloop.com

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Vista Unified School District Granted $4.7 Million for Prop 39 Energy Efficiency Upgrade Projects

School district capital improvements By MARY POSANI Wednesday August 20, 2014 3:46 PM

Summer capital improvement jobs across the Westerville City School District were completed on time and under budget, district officials report.

The district budgeted $4.5 million of work this summer to fix and update facilities. Though contractors are still closing out projects, district Facilities and Operations Director Jeff LeRose said the projects were completed for less than estimated.

Construction crews quickly worked in 10 weeks to complete all projects by deadline, which was prior to teachers returning to the buildings Aug. 11.

"On time and under budget are a great places to be," LeRose said.

Students are back in the buildings, but final finishing touches still need to be completed. District staff will evaluate the work and create a checklist for contractors, who have 30 days to finish the work prior to final payments.

At that point, LeRose said he will have a final tally of how much all the work cost, but preliminary reports say the district is simply "under budget."

Projects at Westerville South High School finished very close to deadline, but were completed enough to allow occupancy in the building. One caveat: South was to receive new windows this summer, but the windows have yet to be delivered.

Temporary glass windows were installed until the new ones arrive. LeRose expects the new windows to come mid-September.

South also underwent kitchen updates that included new counters and food service equipment. The new equipment arrived later than scheduled, causing crews to work over the weekend to get everything set up before school started.

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Big slate of summer work 'on time, under budget'