Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) August 20, 2014

Clean-Slate Janitorial Services (http://www.Clean-Slate.ca), a Greater Toronto Area-based professional cleaning company that specializes in commercial office cleaning, retail maintenance, floor restoration, carpet cleaning, and construction site cleanup, is announcing the increasing importance of establishing a scent-free office environment as a consideration of the sensitivities of all employees and clients.

Scents can trigger several reactions from some employees who may have allergies to certain chemicals, says Sam Panousis, owner and operator of Clean-Slate Janitorial Services. It is an issue that may not seem too important, but if someone has an allergy or sensitivity to a scent, it can trigger headaches, skin irritation, and even shortness of breath, affecting productivity or driving clients away.

Establishing a scent-free office environment is an initiative supported by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) to accommodate the sensitivities of employees to certain chemical based products. Guidelines have been established by the OHRC in consideration of the health concerns associated with scented chemicals. (Source: A scent sensitive workplace, Ontario Human Rights Commission web site; http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/about-us/scent-sensitive-workplace, last accessed August 15, 2014.)

Panousis explains that on top of cosmetic products such as shampoo, perfume, body lotion, or cleaning products can create major problems. Businesses should consider office cleaning companies that use scent-free products in line with the OHRC initiatives.

Being a responsible office cleaning company in Toronto, Clean-Slate understands the possible repercussions of using chemicals with heavy odours, he adds. Our office cleaning services create scent-free environments that reduce the potential health risks to employees and clients.

Businesses are encouraged to enforce these policies within their offices and follow the OHRC guidelines. It is a right for employees to feel comfortable at their workplace at all times if it can be accomplished without undue hardship to the company, Panousis concludes. Keeping an unscented work environment takes little effort, including finding a cleaning service that can adhere to the regulations.

Clean-Slate Janitorial Services has been serving commercial customers in the Greater Toronto Area, including downtown Toronto, Vaughan, Mississauga, Brampton, and Markham, for eight years. Services provided by Clean-Slate Janitorial Services include commercial office cleaning, retail management and janitorial services, floor restoration and buffing, carpet cleaning, window and blind cleaning, and construction site cleanup. To learn more about Clean-Slate Janitorial Services and to receive a free quote, visit the companys web site at http://www.Clean-Slate.ca or call 416-509-7454.

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Clean-Slate Janitorial Services Announces Increased Importance of Scent-Free Office Environment

How did you get your start? I started at University of Delaware 20 years ago. I have 10 buildings that I manage and 18 employees cleaning dorms and different areas. My son and I decided to try it on our own. The little bit of time we have been doing this together, it has worked out well as we are getting busier with more jobs.

How did you train for the job? I have been cleaning for UD for 20 years and all the safety training, bloodborne pathogens training and many other types of training that I received with my job have helped. We specialize in floor care, but we also do residential and commercial cleaning. We offer stripping, waxing, sanding and refinishing on floors, and deep cleaning of residences or businesses.

What essential skills are required? You have to know a lot in order to properly refinish wood, including how to use the floor machines and sanders, as well as the different chemicals that you use on the different types of carpet. Knowledge of different woods, carpets and floorings is helpful along with the chemical products and safety of those products.

Describe a typical day. It depends on how many people we have working. We start by dividing up the work. Then we move furniture, clean walls, sweep, mop, dust, disinfect the beds, and sometimes we strip and wax the floors depending on the job. We recently cleaned 70 dorm rooms. It is busy work. A typical day depends on what we are cleaning and if it is deep cleaning or everyday cleaning.

Whats the best part of the job? Owning the business, being your own boss. I enjoy doing the promotions and meeting people. I think we are pretty skilled at what we do, so the finished product is always nice to see.

Whats the biggest challenge? Making everything look nice after the students leave. Every day is a new challenge making sure everything is safe. Wet floor signs are in place. Making sure no one steps on floors that have been stripped and are slippery. We want to get more long-term commercial cleaning.

What advice would you offer someone looking to go into this field? Get as much training as possible on cleaning, equipment and safety. You always have to make sure you are using all the safety practices and proper equipment. We use green products, so you need to know what you are using.

Know a person or a profession that would make an interesting On the Job profile? Contact reporter Adelma Gregory-Bunnell at (443) 245-5033, agregory@cecilwhig.com or on Twitter: @Adelma_Whig.

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On the job: Professional cleaning service

August 20, 2014 City responds to controversy

By TESA GLASS tesa.glass@register-news.com The Register-News The Mt. Vernon Register-News Wed Aug 20, 2014, 06:14 AM CDT

MT. VERNON The city has issued a response to concerns cited by residents about a retaining wall on South 42nd Street which has fallen and who is responsible for its repair.

As stewards of taxpayers dollars, the City of Mt. Vernon has a responsibility to fairly and accurately assess all situations regarding claims against the City in various situations, information from the city states. It is the Councils obligation to make sure that these precious resources are utilized judiciously and only expended in areas under the jurisdiction of the City. The failure of the City to do this, might divert these monies from issues of more critical need, to areas not under our responsibility. This is the situation facing the City as it assesses the case brought against the City by Sara and Jon Henninger regarding the retaining wall.

About 40 people spoke out in support of the Henningers at Mondays City Council meeting. The couple, whose property is bordered by the retaining wall, have filed a lawsuit against the city to have the problem fixed.

The City of Mt. Vernon has been working with Mr. and Mrs. Henninger on the situation with their retaining wall since approximately October 2010, the information continues. At that time the City received a letter from their legal counsel addressing their concerns about the wall. The City immediately responded to the Henningers and expressed its opinion regarding ownership and maintenance of the wall based on documents regarding the project. The City did not have any contact with the Henningers about this issue until a scheduled meeting with the Mayor and City Manager iniated by the Henningers on May 10, 2013. At that time the City restated its position regarding the ownership and maintenance of the wall. On May 20, 2014, Mrs. Henninger spoke at the Council meeting about her concerns with the wall.

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City responds to controversy

ST. ANTHONY The St. Anthony City Council held a fiscal 2015 budget hearing last week during its regular monthly meeting.

City clerk Patty Parkinson explained to the council there was an optional 3 percent tax increase that the council could vote to impose.

If you dont want to take it, what you would leave is approximately $30,000 that the city would be able to levy for, if you decided not to take the 3 percent Parkinson said. What that means is eventually that will go away if you dont ever levy for it.

Parkinson said when St. Anthony joined the fire district they had to raise their taxes.

Mayor Neils Thueson asked the council if they wanted to take the 3 percent increase or leave it the way it is.

Parkinson said utility rates would change in October. There would be a 37 cent increase in water rates and 91 cents for sewer costs.

I think if you take smaller increases over the years it makes it a little bit easier to budget for, Parkinson said.

Council members echoed their support for the finance committees proposal to impose the small raises.

The city did not raise property taxes.

Thueson closed the hearing after asking if anyone had any additional comments.

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Budget, retaining wall and dogs discussed at council meeting

Diane Gillespie, executive director of the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, was happy to announce the completion of renovations and clean-up at the former Missouri State Penitentiary.

After months of work, repairs at the old Missouri State Penitentiary are complete, state and city officials announced Tuesday.

The Jefferson City Area Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted state and city officials at the prison Tuesday morning to announce the completion of renovations, mold remediation and cleanup on the site, and give a tour of the facility.

Tours of the old prison site were temporarily suspended at the end of September, and the remainder of the 2013 tour season was eventually cancelled because mold was found at the site. After the announcement, the city and state agreed to split the estimated $2 million cost of repairs and mold remediation at MSP.

Doug Nelson, commissioner of the Office of Administration, said the repairs were completed under budget, for a total cost of roughly $1.5 million, which was split evenly between the city and state.

Officials said the work completed included cleanup of hazardous material, window repairs and closures in Housing Units 1, 3, 4 and the gas chamber, and roof replacements in each unit, as well as asbestos removal.

The completed work has allowed for more access inside the prison. The CVB tours are now able to show visitors more of Housing Unit 3 since a portion of the building that had always been closed to tours is now open because of the repair work.

Cathy Brown, OAs design and construction division director, said moving forward, maintenance should be minimal, pointing to a 20-year warranty on all the roof replacements, with the exception of Housing Unit 1, which has a 40-year warranty on its roof. She said the state also will monitor any water infiltration to prevent mold growth in the future.

And under the terms of the contract, Brown said the CVB will use the profits from prison tours to maintain the historic areas.

The citys investment resulted in a long-term contract with the CVB for the facility. Previously, the CVB operated on 11-month contracts, but the new agreement allows for a 15-year contract, with the option for two, five-year extensions.

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State completes repair work at MSP

Former Catholic priest Rodney L. Rodis who lived a secret life as a husband and father of three children died as a prisoner earlier this month, after stealing at least hundreds of thousands of dollars from two Louisa County parishes.

Rodis, 58, was serving an 18-year prison sentence for embezzling money intended for church construction, tsunami relief and mission work in Haiti, among other causes. The money was used to support Rodis wife and children.

He also wired hundreds of thousands of dollars to his native Philippines, according to evidence presented in court leading up to convictions of 10 counts of felony theft in 2008, in addition to other related convictions.

Rodis died on Aug. 5, according to Chiles Funeral Home in Richmond. At the request of his family, a death notice was not provided, and a cause of death was not available.

Rodis wired at least $515,000 to the Philippines, according to authorities, who said at the time of the investigation Rodis bought properties there, including a three-story mansion.

We are praying for Mr. Rodis family and for Mr. Rodis himself. May his soul rest in peace, Catholic Diocese of Richmond spokeswoman Diana Sims Snider said Tuesday.

At the time Rodis was embezzling funds, St. Jude Catholic Church parishioner Toni Seay was the religious education director for the church in Mineral. On Tuesday, a day after learning of Rodis death, she said his lies and thefts hurt people so badly, because he seemed like such a good person.

Seay said she rarely saw Rodis on church grounds during the week. She had assumed he was spending that time at his other parish, the nearby Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Rodis had actually spent much of his time near Fredericksburg with his secret family.

His homilies related to marriage and children, and relationships. And it was great. You connected, Seay said. And he always ended his homilies with: love each other and be a good Christian.

bshulleeta@timesdispatch.com (804) 649-6391

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Former priest dies as prisoner after embezzling from Louisa parishes

Apartment construction in July hit a 25-year high, fueling the months pickup in housing while single-family home construction increased modestly. U.S. home construction, typically volatile month to month, increased 15.7 percent last month, the fastest pace since November after declines of 4 percent in June and 7.4 percent in May, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

And while single-family building permits increased just 0.8 percent in July versus the year-earlier period, apartment permits increased 17.5 percent over the same period, according to Commerce Department data.

The surge in apartment construction fuels less economic growth nationally than a comparable rise in single-family homes because single-family housing multiplies consumer spending and job growth more, according to Diane Swonk, chief economist of Mesirow Financial.

We tend to see more employment and spillover spending from owner than renters, but it is still a move in the right direction, she blogged Tuesday.

Home owners tend to buy more furniture and home improvement products than apartment renters, for example.So the overall gain in construction, a sector the Federal Reserve keeps a close eye on as an indicator of the economys health, will impact spending, production and employment less than in the past.

The apartment surge is still a positive sign for job growth, but economists hope more renters will save enough for down payments or qualify for mortgages to buy homes. Rising rents may push renters onto the single-family housing market. According to the Labor Department, rents rose in July at their fastest pace in five years, a 3.3 percent rise from a year ago.

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US Apartment Construction Hits 25-Year High, Supporting July's Housing Gains

NASHUA Fourteen people were forced from their homes and one person was taken to a local hospital as Nashua Fire Rescue fought a blaze late Tuesday night at 84 Palm Street.

Firefighters report they arrived around 10 p.m. after initially being dispatched to the corner of Pine and West Hollis Streets. Crews found flames coming from the top left floor of the 3 1/2 story, multi-family apartment building. All the residents had left the building. ... Subscribe or log in to read more

NASHUA Fourteen people were forced from their homes and one person was taken to a local hospital as Nashua Fire Rescue fought a blaze late Tuesday night at 84 Palm Street.

Firefighters report they arrived around 10 p.m. after initially being dispatched to the corner of Pine and West Hollis Streets. Crews found flames coming from the top left floor of the 3 1/2 story, multi-family apartment building. All the residents had left the building.

An additional ladder truck, engine and firefighters were called to assist at the scene. The fire was extinguished and a female resident was taken to Southern New Hampshire Medical Center in Nashua.

Deputy Chief Kevin Kerrigan said Wednesday that it was a situation of typical urban firefighting, with challenging access to the building due to parked cars and overhead utility lines at the scene. Additional manpower, brought when the first firefighters reported a working fire, meant ground ladders could be placed around the building and additional help applied in getting hoses to the attic. There were four apartments in the building, the deputy chief said.

Kerrigan also said the building is balloon construction, typical to that period and location, which meant the fire can travel through the many voids in the building.

American Red Cross volunteers Karen Dudley, Michelle McFadden and Nancy Zahornasky responded to provide lodging and clothing to five adults and four children residing at the Palm Street apartment building.

The American Red Cross New Hampshire Disaster Action Team is comprised of volunteers who are available to respond at any time of day or night to disasters in their communities or surrounding towns provide disaster relief and emotional comfort to those affected by emergencies or disasters. All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from people in our communities.

The cause of Tuesdays fire is under investigation.

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Fire renders parts of Nashua apartment building uninhabitable after flames doused Tuesday night

Developer Mill Creek Residential Trust has started work on its next Dallas project a 179-unit apartment complex on North Central Expressway.

The seven-story rental project is being built on the site of a two-story office building on North Central just south of Fitzhugh Avenue.

Weve already started demolition on the building, Darren Schackman, Mill Creek executive managing director, said Monday.

The apartment building, planned north of downtown Dallas, was designed by architect Hensley Lamkin Rachel Inc., which also did Mill Creeks Avenue H apartments under construction nearby at North Central and Hester Street.

Schackman said the 208-unit Avenue H project opens next month. We have had good early interest in it, he said.

The companys next development at North Central and Elizabeth Street wont be finished until the start of 2016.

Mill Creek is just about done with the 378-unit Arpeggio rental complex it built in Victory Park in partnership with Addison-based investor Behringer.

Its been extremely well-received and has leased up better than expected, Schackman said.

Mill Creek was formed in 2010 by former top officers of Trammell Crow Residential. Since then, the company has developed more than 12,300 apartment homes in 42 locations.

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7-story apartment block will replace old offices on North Central Expressway

A 3-year-old California boy who has spent the past year battling cancer had his dream come true Tuesday by spending the day at a real, live construction site.

Renzo Lombardi of Seaside, California, was named honorary foreman at ground zero of a high-rise apartment building in San Francisco, where he was carried around by the sites real foreman and got to operate a crane himself.

The people kind of made him a little nervous at first but as soon as the foreman got him in with the construction equipment, he lit up, Renzos dad, Vince Lombardi, told ABC News. His mom and I were nonexistent at that time.

Courtesy Swinerton Builders/Trinity Properties

PHOTO: Renzo Lombardi's wish to be a construction foreman was granted by Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area.

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He was waving and smiling, which was wonderful to see because most of his second year of life, we were locked down at home, Lombardi said.

Doctors discovered a 3-pound Wilms tumor on Renzos left kidney in June of last year. He underwent surgery to remove both his tumor and his left kidney and then spent about 20 weeks undergoing chemotherapy treatments.

Courtesy Swinerton Builders/Trinity Properties

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Boy's Construction Foreman Wish Granted