Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Lining the brightly lit hallways of Populous, one of the leading architectural firms behind college sports, there are hundreds of scale models and graphic renderings of college football stadiums in various stages of renovation and construction.

There are blueprints for Kyle Field at Texas A&M, in the midst of a $420 million redevelopment. There's a model of TFC Bank Stadium at Minnesota, the recent replacement for the Metrodome as home of the Golden Gophers. And there are pictures of McClane Stadium, the glitzy new home for Baylor.

Each project showcases ways Populous is helping schools to lure fans to their next-generation stadiums in an era where good seats are not enough: enhanced Wi-Fi, better video boards and party decks for socializing. The results are twofold: The flashy facilities offer a better game-day experience while also generating more revenue than their predecessors.

"When you do a stadium, it's not a normal building. It's a building, but it has to wrap this big stage where all this athletic drama takes place," explained Jeff Spear, a senior architect at Populous who's been responsible for many of the projects, including the Baylor stadium. "What they want is a reflection of their university and a stadium that sells their brand."

When it comes to trends in stadium design, the folks at Populous are experts. The Kansas City-based company traces its roots back more than three decades, and has been responsible for everything from Reliant Stadium in Houston to the main Olympic stadiums in London and Sochi, Russia.

"The thing about college football is it's this big event where you're rooting for your alma mater," Spear said, "and now your alumni are returning to campus and spending money."

That's the hope, anyway.

Flat-screen televisions have made the home viewing experience better than ever, and the rising costs of tickets and travel have sent many fans to watch games from the comfort of their couch. It's a problem that has plagued professional sports for years but has trickled down to colleges, where the prevailing notion was that the alumni would always show.

At Tennessee, in the heart of the football-crazed SEC, attendance sagged for years before a modest bounce-back last season. Yet empty seats still abound at cavernous Neyland Stadium, even with recent improvements that reduced capacity, improved premium seating and offered other enhancements, such as LED signage, better restrooms and wider concourses.

In the Big Ten, eight schools showed a decline in average attendance last season.

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Colleges Add Luxury Touches to New Stadiums

TRENTON -- Five Trenton residents were arrested on drug charges during a State Police raid on a Passaic Avenue house Saturday, authorities said today.

Police executed a search warrant on the 100 block of Passaic Avenue around 3:50 p.m. Saturday, seizing 898 decks of heroin with a street value of about $8,980, 2 grams of marijuana, a smoking pipe, packing material and $188 in cash, State Police Sgt. Gregory Williams said.

Arrested during the raid were Christopher Proctor, 19; Elijah Abdullah, 18; Daiquan Collier, 19; Hussain Abdullah, 29; and Najir Tripp, 19.

Proctor, Elijah Abdullah, Collier and Tripp were each charged with heroin possession and intent to distribute, along with minor marijuana and paraphernalia possession charges. Both were taken to Mercer County jail, Hopewell Township, in lieu of cash bail, according to police records.

Bail for Proctor and Collier was set at $200,000 each, Elijah Abdullahs was set at $150,000 and Tripps was set at $50,000, according to police records.

Hussain Abdullah was charged with minor marijuana and paraphernalia possession, along with two outstanding warrants, according to police records. His bail was set at $5,000, Williams said.

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njtimes.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

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5 Trenton men arrested in State Police drug raid

Olive Tomlinson remembered the cottages and the shared car rides, the simplicity of summer life. With just a few phrases, Jessica Harris evoked memories of front porches and morning swims. Skip Finley recalled his first summer jobs, coin diving, then dessert making at the Ocean View. David Van Allen spoke of basketball tournaments and dances at Cottagers Corner, where 45s spun on turntables and gave way over time to DJ equipment.

Rep. Barbara Lee was a cosponsor of the bill that created Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. Mark Lovewell

The same families would come back, Mr. Van Allen said of his summers in Oak Bluffs. And with your own children, it starts all over. Mr. Van Allen is the fifth generation in his family to own Shearer Cottage, a bed and breakfast founded in 1912 by Charles Shearer, a former slave.

Mr. Van Allen was one of several residents who joined a panel discussion at Oak Bluffs: A Place of Pride and History, an event last Thursday devoted to discussing the role Oak Bluffs has played in the African American community. Nearly 200 people came to Union Chapel for the afternoon discussion and film screening, which was sponsored by Marthas Vineyard Magazine in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution.

Oak Bluffs, Ms. Harris said, is a place of repose and reconnection.

Soon, Oak Bluffs and its deep sense of local community will be connected to the international community as well. It is one of 10 towns that will be featured in a permanent exhibition called The Power of Place, at the Smithsonians National Museum of African American History and Culture. The museum is scheduled to open in 2016.

Thursdays event was a chance to learn about the development of the museum itself, in addition to how Oak Bluffs came to be featured at the museum.

Jessica Harris said Oak Bluffs is a place of repose and reconnection. Mark Lovewell

Oak Bluffs is indeed a powerful place in our African American community and in the United States, said featured speaker Barbara Lee, who represents Californias 13th District in the House of Representatives and was a cosponsor of the 2003 bill that created the museum.

Ms. Lee is no stranger to the power of place, she said. Being in Oak Bluffs, she added, really settles my spirit.

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Celebrating History, Sense of Community in Oak Bluffs

People who live in The Village claim someone is stealing things from their front yards and porches at night.

Two of our large concrete statues, like, I had a giant rooster or chicken out that probably weighed a good 50 pounds or more, said resident Terri Nichols. "And it disappeared along with a coyote statue that was right on my front porch.

Thieves have looted Nichols front yard several times. She said she has lost everything from lawn decorations to garden lights, and shes not alone. Several houses suffered the same fate.

Should have paid more attention and taken my things inside, I guess. Well be doing that now, said another neighbor. "Its very unsettling and upsetting that this is happening in our little homey area."

Nichols installed an alarm around her house to keep crooks away. She said the thought of them coming back again is terrifying.

The thieves were right here at my front porch while we were home, looking in my front window, she said.

Not only did thieves steal their property; they also took their peace of mind.

I hate feeling suspicious now when people walk by," Nichols said. "You didnt used to think that much of it. Now its like, it makes you nervous.

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Neighborhood on edge after thieves hit homes

If your bathroom could use a little love, Angie's List has tips concerning bathroom trends and whether you should swap your bathtub for a shower.

"The trend these days is to convert bathtubs into showers," said Angie Hicks with Angie's List. "There are so many choices when it comes to showers, and they potentially take up less space than the large garden tubs that have been historically in homes. If you are a homeowner that wants to age in place, grow old in your home, a shower can be a safer alternative for you."

Bathroom remodeling contractor Dan Updike says many of his customers are ditching bulky tubs in favor of luxurious showers.

"The bathing generation is kind of gone by the wayside," said Updike. "We are a pretty much shower generation anymore. So rather than have the bathtub that you lift your leg over that's a confined space, if you put in a large shower, it's more of the spa-type shower."

Hicks says if you choose to make the change, walk-in showers leave you with endless possibilities. They can be customized to fit just about any size, shape or lifestyle.

"As far as options for the shower with the older generation the grab bars, maybe some corner seats, some hand held showers, things like that. Inside shampoo holders or corner shelves, we always have some type of shelving go into the unit," said Updike.

Updike said the cost of converting a standard five-foot bathtub into a shower starts at about $4,500, but prices can quickly increase, depending on the materials you use.

"If you want to go tub to a shower it's very simple to do, you just need to move plumbing a little bit for the new setup. Other than that they make shower bases the same size as bathtubs," said Updike. "We normally use solid surface bases instead of plastic or fiberglass. They are very heavy duty and come in a variety of colors to coordinate whether it's tile on the walls or solid surface wall panels."

Hicks notes that converting a bathtub into a shower is not always the best idea.

"Replacing a tub for a shower is not for everyone," said Hicks. "If you only have one bathroom in your house you want to be sure you keep a tub because what will end up happening is you'll hurt your resale value. Families with kids, they like tubs and without one it can hurt you"

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Angie's List: Bathroom remodeling

Press Release August 19, 2014

Villar SIPAG Unveils Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno

? Sanctuario de San Ezekiel Moreno is the newest church in Metro Manila. It is a project of the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG), the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of Vista Land.

? The construction of the church started in May 2011. It is in honor of the Spanish Recollect who served as the parish priest of Las Pias from 1876 to 1879. His bone relics will be housed in the church. It is located in the compound of the headquarters of Villar SIPAG, C5 Extension Road, Las Pinas.

? Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno is designed by Architect Claude Edwin Andrews, who is also the architect of the St. Therese the Little Flower Shrine across NAIA Terminal 3. It features architectural elements inspired by the Baroque Spanish colonial period and combined with modern structural technology with a cathedral ceiling.

? The 700-seater church will be a column-free edifice, thus it eliminates obstructions in viewing the altar from any point within the church. The church has stained glass doors and windows on both sides providing cross ventilation that lends a bright and airy atmosphere inside.

The interiors of the Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno was done by Arch. Joey Amistoso. The Spanish Baroque retabllo will have Christ on the cross and the tabernacle at the center niche complimented with the image of San Ezequiel on the right niche and St. Joseph on the left. On top of the Crucified Christ will be the sunrayed Holy Spirit dove over Our Lady of Buensoceso.

The retablo and the entire sanctuary area is enhanced by a grand naturally and artificially lighted dome over it with the insignias of the four evangelists rightly placed on its four corners. Beyond the retablo wall, there are two side altars dedicated to Filipino saints, San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod.

? There are landscaped gardens on both sides of the church and a driveway with a Porte Cochere to protect the churchgoers from the rain. There is a loft for the churh choir, which will also feature a wooden musical organ to be built by the Las Pinas organ builders. There is a museum about the life and times of San Ezequiel Moreno so that the churchgoers will get to know the Patron Saint of Cancer Patients.

The church has an Adoration Chapel, and a Rectory.

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Villar SIPAG Unveils Santuario de San Ezekiel Moreno

Today

Support groups

Church of the Open Door: 8 Carlisle Court, West Manchester Township, Celebrate Recovery, 7 to 9 p.m. with worship, teaching/testimony and small group interaction. Refreshments will be provided. For details, visit http://www.codyork.org/cr.

AWANA program

Zwingli United Church of Christ: 403 W. King St., East Berlin, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., teaches children about the Gospel of Christ and how to serve Him. For details, call Rhonda at 717-654-0727.

Employment Support workshop

First St. John's Lutheran Church: 140 W. King St., York, offers a free employment support workshop 11 a.m. every Thursday. The workshop is designed to aid unemployed and underemployed people in their job search. For details, call the church at 717-843-8597.

Lifetree Caf

Friendship Community Church: 3380 Fox Run Road, Dover Township, will host Lifetree Cafe 7 p.m. today and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The program, titled "Encountering God: What Ancient Practices Can Teach Us Today," features a short film depicting how various groups and individuals have tried to grow spiritually. Admission is free; snacks and beverages will be available. For details, contact Dennis Hall at 717-779-0400 or dennis@friendshipcommunity.org.

Grief support

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Church news, events for week of Aug. 21 through Aug. 27

Ann Cammell cant wait for The Lauren apartment building in Vancouvers West End to finally be built.

Not because she wants to live in the new 22-storey monolithic tower, but because Cammell wants the construction the jackhammering, the noise and the rumblings that she has put up with for two years to stop.

Its been a bit of a trial, Cammell said. It gives you a headache when it goes on and on and on.

While the noise can seem non-stop, most Metro Vancouver municipalities dont allow construction on Sundays.

In fact, its written in their noise bylaws that such work can only be done Monday to Friday usually from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., although the times vary from city to city.

Surrey, for instance, allows construction at 9 a.m. on Saturdays, while Richmond doesnt give its residents a break on Sundays and holidays, allowing construction from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

But there are exceptions to every rule and it seems some cities, including Surrey and Vancouver, are willing to bend them.

For a fee Vancouver charges between $148 to $296 and Surrey $50 the cities allow companies to apply for an exemption of the bylaws so they can work extended hours, including Sundays. The reason, city officials say, is to get infrastructure projects built more quickly, or at a time when there is less traffic and fewer people on the streets.

We have a fair share of construction projects that have to go outside the noise hours because theyre large capital projects, said Jas Rehal, Surreys manager of bylaws and licensing. We look at all the projects. If we feel its not time-sensitive or required outside normal noise hours, well reject it.

Rehal didnt know offhand how many exemptions Surrey has issued in the past year, but said I signed off on a couple in the last few weeks.

Continued here:
Relentless construction annoys neighbours in Metro Vancouver

Ann Cammell can't wait for The Lauren apartment building in Vancouver's West End to finally be built.

Not because she wants to live in the new 22-storey monolithic tower, but because Cammell wants the construction - the jackhammering, the noise and the rumblings that she has put up with for two years - to stop.

"It's been a bit of a trial," Cammell said. "It gives you a headache when it goes on and on and on."

While the noise can seem non-stop, most Metro Vancouver municipalities don't allow construction on Sundays.

In fact, it's written in their noise bylaws that such work can only be done Monday to Friday - usually from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. - and on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., although the times vary from city to city.

Surrey, for instance, allows construction at 9 a.m. on Saturdays, while Richmond doesn't give its residents a break on Sundays and holidays, allowing construction from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. But there are exceptions to every rule and it seems some cities, including Surrey and Vancouver, are willing to bend them.

For a fee - Vancouver charges between $148 to $296 and Surrey $50 - the cities allow companies to apply for an exemption of the bylaws so they can work extended hours, including Sundays. The reason, city officials say, is to get infrastructure projects built more quickly, or at a time when there is less traffic and fewer people on the streets.

"We have a fair share of construction projects that have to go outside the noise hours because they're large capital projects," said Jas Rehal, Surrey's manager of bylaws and licensing. "We look at all the projects. If we feel it's not time-sensitive or required outside normal noise hours, we'll reject it."

Rehal didn't know offhand how many exemptions Surrey has issued in the past year, but said "I signed off on a couple in the last few weeks."

Vancouver, however, issued 112 noise exemptions to allow work on a Sunday over the year - 63 of those for construction work at the Main Street-Terminal Avenue SkyTrain Station. Only 25 applications were denied, with about half due to late notice and the rest for an inability to provide a valid or acceptable reason.

Continue reading here:
Relentless construction annoys neighbours

Its no secret that the apartment sector has been on a tear.

A big share of Julys gain in housing construction came from the multifamily sector, which tends to be fairly volatile on a monthly basis.

But looking at a rolling 12-month total of multifamily starts without any seasonal adjustment shows that construction for the year ended July reached its highest level since 1989, according to Commerce Department data released Tuesday.

Big gains in apartment construction are less bullish for economic growth than a comparable rise in single-family construction, notes Diane Swonk, chief economist of Mesirow Financial, because single-family housing has a bigger multiplier effect for both consumer spending and job growth.

We will take what economic activity we can get, but our housing market model was designed in the U.S. to build a lot of single-family homes for owners, not multifamily homes for renters, Ms. Swonk wrote Tuesday.

Single-family construction improved in July but has been softer than expected this year. Single-family building permits, for example, are up just 0.8% through July versus the year-earlier period, compared to a 17.5% year-to-date gain for apartment permits.

Still, the surge in apartments offers further evidence that job gains are boosting household formation and that the housing market faces a shelter shortage that will require more constructionfor renting or for owning. The hope is that eventually more of these renters will buy homes.

Rising rents could eventually give potential homebuyers added urgency. A separate report Tuesday showed that rents were rising at their fastest pace in five years in July, up 3.3% from a year earlier. That compares to a 2.8% gain last July, according to the Labor Department.

Many Americans have opted to rent because they dont have enough savings for a down payment or they cant qualify for a mortgage. Others may prefer the flexibility that comes with signing a lease.

Its little mystery, then, why apartment company stocks have been on a tear. Shares of Equity Residential and AvalonBay Communities closed Tuesday at their highest levels since the companies went public in 1993 and 1994, respectively.

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With Rentals in Fashion, Apartment Construction Hits 25-Year High