Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

MANKATO Howard Vetter may be the only person who can walk up to the Mankato post office and point to where the original 1890s building and the 1930s addition were stitched together using 400-million-year-old Mankato Kasota limestone.

"I defy anyone to know where the original building and 1930s building started and ended. That's a fine example of the fine quality of the stone," said Vetter, of Vetter Stone, which still produces the stone for buildings around the world.

Vetter's grandfather, Bernard, was in charge of building the stone structure in the 1890s, his father, Paul, held the same position when the large 1930s addition was built and Howard oversaw a large addition on the back of the post office in the 1960s.

"We have a lot of architects who visit and we always bring them to that building," Vetter said.

In the late 1800s Mankato was one of the largest cities in the state and in need of a post office that reflected that status.

Beginning in 1854, mail that came via coach or steamboat was handled by general store owner George Marsh. Over the years there were several different, small post office buildings around town.

Beginning in 1895, workers began building the post office and federal court building using locally quarried Mankato Kasota stone. Designed with a Richardson Romanesque style, the post office had a striking four-sided clock tower atop its roof.

The $100,000 building was opened the following year with the federal courthouse taking the second level.

Vetter said the original stone would have been hand chiseled out of the quarry near Kasota and the rough blocks delivered to the work site. "They would have cut and finished the blocks all by hand."

The four-faced clock tower was illuminated by 24 gas jets, and its pumps were powered with city water. It required frequent repairs, though, and was removed when the building was expanded in 1933.

Read more:
Late 1800s growth brought need for big post office

The following building permits were issued between March 30-April 5 in Mundelein. They are presented as they appear in public records.

Permit: Commercial Address: 220 Oak Creek Plz, Mundelein Issue date: March 31 Permit covers: Remove drywall to view bottom plate where damage occured. Permit cost: $35 Improvement value: $0

Permit: Single family Address: 1365 Kettering Rd, Mundelein Issue date: March 31 Permit covers: Replacement of a 50 gallon gas water heater. Permit cost: $45 Improvement value: $780

Permit: Single family Address: 445 Hickory St, Mundelein Issue date: March 31 Permit covers: Tear off of roof. Permit cost: $25 Improvement value: $6,000

Permit: Single family Address: 229 Dunton Ct, Mundelein Issue date: March 31 Permit covers: Tear off of roof. illinois state roofing license#104.016452 105.006198. Permit cost: $25 Improvement value: $3,600

Permit: Single family Address: 418 N California Av, Mundelein Issue date: March 31 Permit covers: Install a low voltage wireless security system Permit cost: $25 Improvement value: $99

Permit: Single family Address: 574 Farina Ct, Mundelein Issue date: April 1 Permit covers: Replace driveway & front walkway. all work to be done in concrete. Permit cost: $35 Improvement value: $5,480

Permit: Commercial Address: 551 N Lake St, Mundelein Issue date: April 2 Permit covers: Modify/upgrade existing hood & duct system to protect (2) hoods, (3) ducts & new appliances Permit cost: $70 Improvement value: $2,800

Permit: Single family Address: 52 S Hawthorne Bl, Mundelein Issue date: April 2 Permit covers: Foundation repair/underpinning Permit cost: $35 Improvement value: $6,700

Permit: Single family Address: 513 E Orchard St, Mundelein Issue date: April 2 Permit covers: Install a subfloor drainage system with existing sump pump and pit Permit cost: $45 Improvement value: $3,000

Read the original here:
Building Permits, March 30-April 5

California is facing "perhaps the worst drought that [it] has ever seen since records (began) about 100 years ago," announced Governor Jerry Brown in a recent press conference after declaring a drought emergency for the state. Here are four easy ways to minimize your water usage until the rains come again.

Reducing your water usage around the house without significantly impacting your daily routine is easy. The simplest means is to find and fix any leaky faucets, toilets, or shower-heads you might have. Toilets alone can waste up to 200 gallons a day if left running.

To check, got out to your water meter and note the reading. Then turn off all your faucets and don't use any water for two hours. If the reading on the meter has changed at all during that two-hour period, you've got a leak somewhere.

Similarly, you should look into replacing your old 6 gpf toilet with one of the low-flow variety. Same goes for water-conserving shower-heads, faucets, and hot water heaters. California law already dictates that these fixtures be installed in all new construction (and all new remodels), but that only went into effect a few weeks ago.

That's not to say that spending hundreds on new bathroom fixtures is the only solution. There are plenty of things you can do to save water that won't cost a dime. It's all about efficiency:

Just because there's a drought on doesn't mean you'll have to sacrifice your lawn and garden. You'll just need to get creative in how you care for it.

One of the easiest mistakes to make during a drought is to keep watering like you've always done. Don't do that. Install moisture sensors like the Koubachi, or set up an automated system rather than sticking with the existing regimen.

It's also not just how much but also how you water. Trees and shrubs with deeper root systems need longer but less frequent watering, using a bubbler or soaker hose than the sprayers you use for shallow-rooted annuals. Either way, make sure you only water your plants in the cooler early morning hours in order to minimize evaporative water loss.

More here:
How to Save Water (And Not Get Fined) In This Drought

The concrete oozed rather than poured out of the mixer truck, almost as if reluctant to cover the ground partly because it won't, entirely.

Laborers shoveled pebbly gobs around to form a new sidewalk at a park-and-ride lot in Waysons Corner, one of two where the State Highway Administration is laying "pervious" concrete this summer as a test of its environmental friendliness.

Porous paving surfaces have been around for decades, but they're expensive and often didn't work well. Interest in such surfaces among governments and developers is on the rebound, though, in response to new state regulations aimed at curbing stormwater pollution from pavement smothering the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

"There has been a resurgence in permeable pavement in the state and across the bay watershed in recent years," said Tom Schueler, head of the Chesapeake Stormwater Network, an organization that trains engineers and others how to deal with runoff.

Stormwater runoff is the fastest-growing type of pollution in the region, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, accounting for one-sixth of all the nitrogen and phosphorus and one-fourth of the sediment fouling the Chesapeake.

Rooftops, roads and other pavement are the conduits, as rainfall washes off their hard surfaces, eroding stream banks and carrying accumulated dirt, oil and other pollutants. The amount of ground covered by pavement and buildings has grown nearly twice as fast as the population, the EPA figures.

Maryland and the other states in the Chesapeake's watershed are under pressure from the EPA to do more to curb polluted runoff.

The pervious concrete being poured in Waysons Corner is a lightly cemented batch of pea gravel with air pockets between the stones intended to let rainfall soak through into the ground rather than run off into storm drains and streams.

Water-absorbing pavement can help mitigate the impact of new development, and it's one of the few ways of curbing runoff in inner-city neighborhoods, where there's little or no open ground.

The use of permeable pavement and pavers has spread gradually in commercial and residential developments, starting in the South, according to Colin Lobo, senior vice president for the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association.

See the original post:
Porous pavement gets another tryout in Maryland

Tree Removal Headaches
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA (CBS2/FOX28)- Tree removal companies are still picking up the mess Mother Nature left behind just over two weeks ago. Storm damage can cause...

By: KGAN CBS 2

Read more from the original source:
Tree Removal Headaches - Video

DTE Energy tree-trimming crews will work in several communities over the next two months to improve electrical service reliability and enhance safety for customers. Allen Park is the only Downriver community on the list.

By trimming to a 10-foot distance between tree branches and our power lines, we can significantly reduce tree-related power outages, said Vince Dow, DTE Energy vice president of distribution, engineering and construction. Our goal is to keep customers trees healthy and out of harms way. The pruning method we use removes only the branches too close to power lines and helps ensure that future growth is directed away from power lines.

For the past 15 years, the company has received the National Tree Line USA award for quality tree care. Tree trim crews follow International Society of Arboriculture standards to maintain the health of trees.

After trimming, trees are less susceptible to disease and insect problems, and because theyre stronger, theyre more resistant to high winds and heavy ice. During severe weather, fallen limbs and tree branches account for about two-thirds of power outages.

Once tree trim work is completed, DTE Energy removes small branches and debris from customer properties. Larger trimmed branches are cut to firewood length and left behind for customer use or disposal.

DTE Energy does not remove diseased tree debris. And like most utilities nationwide, DTE Energy does not remove debris caused by severe storms.

When severe weather hits, our first priority is working quickly to remove downed wire hazards and restore power to customers, Dow said.

In these emergency situations, crews will cut broken and uprooted trees so repairs can be made. Customers are advised to contact their trash collectors or a professional tree-removal company for advice on disposing of tree debris.

Customers are responsible for keeping tree branches away from their service drops, which are the lines that run from utility poles to their homes. Although the voltage running through the service drop is much lower than pole-to-pole wires, DTE Energy recommends hiring a professional tree service to do this trimming. Visit dteenergy.com/treetrim to find more information about line clearance and proper tree planting.

Excerpt from:
DTE will trim trees in Allen Park this month and next

BAPs, St. Louis latest foray into reality TV, is ready for its national debut.

The Lifetime series follows a group of affluent African-American friends over the course of six hour-long episodes beginning Wednesday.

The cast proclaims itself as BAPs or Black American Princesses and Princes, a description that has raised the ire of some potential viewers. (The show has no connection to the 1997 Halle Berry comedy B.A.P.S.)

Im a BAP, said cast member Anisha Morrell, 36, a public relations contractor and owner of KingMaker LLC. Sure I am. I own it. People say its elitist. But I dont want people to get disillusioned with the term BAP. Its a celebration for me.

Morrell and other cast members gave interviews this month at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, where the show had its world premiere.

Also there were Kristen Gipson Jones, 35, operations manager for several family-owned McDonalds; Gina Cheatham, 44, a marketing and business development consultant; and Jason Wilson, 41, owner of Chronicle Coffee and Northwest Coffee Roasting Co.

The show also features Brandon Williams, 36, a lawyer; Ra-ina Rai Rai Evans, 28, a biology major at the University of Missouri-St. Louis; Kendrick Evans, 37, founder of Redy Rock Enterprises; and Riccarda Lacey, 34, a television producer/development executive from Wildwood, now living in Los Angeles, who helped bring the show to fruition.

For Gipson Jones, being a BAP refers to someone who has the luxury of not having to worry about necessities and having access to resources and experiences that most people have not. Its about being well educated and well traveled, knowing what RSVP means and how to conduct yourself in certain situations.

She says the show is about upward mobility, success and hard work, but theres a flip side.

Most people think I havent had a lot of exposure to black people, or talk about how white I talk or dress, she said. I had to operate in multiple worlds and play to my audience. I had to learn to do that at a young age.

See the rest here:
'BAPs' TV show sheds different light on African-American experience in St. Louis

Atlanta Plomeros - (678) 515-5790 - Emergencia Reparacin 24 hr Plomera
Atlanta Plomeros - (678) 515-5790 Atlanta Servicios de Plomera Nos arreglamos rpido Necesitas un fontanero? Tiene un lavabo de fuga? Detenido el desague? Estamos disponibles 24/7....

By: Construction Services Atlanta

Originally posted here:
Atlanta Plomeros - (678) 515-5790 - Emergencia Reparacin 24 hr Plomera - Video

Mice Control Vancouver | (778)654-7205 | Pest Control Vancouver
Mice Control Vancouver | (778)654-7205 | Pest Control Vancouver http://www.pestcontrolvancouverbc.ca/ Do you have a pest problem at your home or business? Do...

By: Pest Control Vancouver

Read more here:
Mice Control Vancouver | (778)654-7205 | Pest Control Vancouver - Video

Seattle man burns half his house down trying to get rid of spiders with a spray paint blowtorch
A spider got the best of one Seattle man when he found out why fire and pest control don #39;t mix. Apparently letting his arachnophobia get the best of him (or just being too cheap to go and...

By: TomoUSA

The rest is here:
Seattle man burns half his house down trying to get rid of spiders with a spray paint blowtorch - Video