Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

There was relief Tuesday night for homeowners whove stared at an eyesore for more than a decade.

Crews tore down a home near 36th and Franklin streets Tuesday. The home is was just one of hundreds that have been demolished as the city tackles the problem of abandoned homes.

-- Video:Homeowners relieved after demolition of eyesore

The city is pushing ahead to calm concern about vacant property. Although crews have already demolished hundreds of homes on the tear-down list this year, they still have a ways to go.

Neighbor Herbert Brown was glad to see demolition equipment Tuesday after staring at anabandoned home for about a decade.

I saw him over here, I came out to the front door and I told him I was very glad to see him. He laughed and said I bet you are, said Brown.

The home finally rose to the top of Omahas demolition list -- a list that included nearly 800 addresses at the start of the year.

Were systematically going through the process now and taking the worst of the worst. Mostly those that are fire-damaged and structurally-damaged, then vacant and vandalized, said Jim Davis, Omaha's assistant planning director.

Davis said that procedure has helped the city make the most of about $750,000 in city and grant money. They still have about $150,000 left to tackle more homes this year.

Weve been very aggressive. We have a long way to go yet, he said.

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Neighbors happy about demolition of abandoned home

By late Tuesday morning, the annex building at McKinley Elementary School was little more than heaps of rubble and a few support beams, marking the next step in a major renovation of the 100-plus-year-old school.

Heavy equipment began tearing away at one-story annex's walls, roof and ceiling on Monday and Billings School District 2 officials hope that the demolition phase of the $13-million renovation will be wrapped up by Friday.

"We're trying to keep as much of the historical value as we can," said Lew Anderson, SD2's bond project manager. "You're keeping a building that has significant historical value in the community."

In addition to demolishing the decades-old annex, crews are renovating the original school building's interior and exterior and will eventually build a new, three-story addition with six new classrooms and a new gymnasium in place of the old annex.

Those efforts are well under way, as crews began work at McKinley, 820 N. 31st St., in early June. They had to dedicate two weeks to asbestos abatement and have spent the last three weeks painstakingly removing the grout from between the school's exterior bricks.

"The bricks are fine but the grout needs to be replaced," Anderson said. "The restoration on the outside has been a big deal."

Similar work also to the tune of about $13 millionis being done at Broadwater Elementary, at 415 Broadwater Ave. Crews have been working over the same time frame to renovate the aging building but won't knock down that school's annex until the summer of 2015.

Once that annex is knocked down, a new one to match Broadwater will be built in its place.

At McKinley, some of the work will involve leveling out the original building's basement, which was never intended to be used as an educational space but was re-purposed as enrollment swelled.

"We have over 15 different elevations in the basement alone," Anderson said.

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Demolition begins at McKinley

Germantown, MD (PRWEB) July 02, 2014

Advantage Homes, LLC was recently recognized by the Frederick County Builders Association, receiving awards in multiple categories.

A leading builder in quality custom production homes, Advantages Prescott Model at Brunswick Crossing, located in Brunswick, MD was awarded Best New Single Family Home Design priced $400,000-$500,000 for 2014. Additionally, The Prescott was also acknowledged as achieving the Best Interior Merchandising Single Family Home in same price range.

Rick Centra, President of Advantage Homes: Were continually humbled by the accolades Advantage Homes consistently receives. The Prescott is the most popular design in our Founders Series. It appears new construction buyers really gravitate to the main floor family room and kitchen combination as well as the natural light provided by the morning room. What Ive found even more impressive, however, is the recognition Amy Goline has received.

This is in reference to the honor bestowed upon Amy Goline, three-time winner of the prestigious Individual Achievement Award for Sales Manager of the year. Amys total number of sales, enormous volume and passion for excellence continues to impress everyone in the building industry. We are truly blessed to have Amy on the Advantage Homes team.

Advantage Homes, LLC is a multi-award winning homebuilder, recently presented with the ENERGY STAR Certified Homes Market Leader Award. Based in Germantown, MD with communities in Frederick County, MD (Brunswick Crossing in Brunswick) and Fairfax County, VA (Melody Farms in Chantilly), Advantage Homes can be found online at http://www.advantagehomesusa.com.

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Advantage Homes Honored With Multiple Awards

To protect farm buildings or even livestock, a pair of products being marketed for use in agriculture as well as many other industries might help out.

One is a battery-powered LED lighting system called Mr Beams that offers spotlights or ceiling lights and can be installed in places where theres no electrical supply.

Another is newly developing wind- and solar-powered lighting and surveillance system technology called Guard Lite, whose self-powered design enables it to be installed at any location without wiring or an electrical permit.

The eastern U.S. companies manufacturing the products say both have tremendous interest from farmers and ranchers who have barns and other buildings without electricity.

Mike Recker, chief technology officer for Mr Beams from Solon, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, said he and his partner started production in 2007, adding that the business took off a few years later after advances in LED lighting that they thought was good enough to install off the grid.

He said the LED developments allowed the light to be bright enough with a battery system that could also do a good job.

They were also able to develop a motion sensor system that provides detection from 25 to 30 feet away.

My grandfather had a barn built in 1915 thats still standing but I remember back in the day I had to grab a flashlight if I wanted to go out there, Recker said.

I dont think many people realize that they can buy a light like this, he said.

When asked about weather conditions, Recker said the light will work well in the cold weather of this region.

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Innovative lighting unbound from reach of electrical wiring

Artifacts from the World Trade Center arrived Thursday, June 26 at Fire Station 91 on the North-end of the Island. After being draped in flags and escorted by the Mercer Island Fire Department across the Washington border, a solemn ceremony was held to welcome them to the city.

image credit: Ross Freeman/Contributed Photo

Dozens of Islanders turned out Thursday afternoon to welcome a 9/11 artifact a beam and chunks of a ceiling and floor from the World Trade Center that will eventually go toward a gateway art installation at the South-end Fire Station.

Mayor Bruce Bassett was on hand to receive the artifact on behalf of the city, as well as Fire Chief Chris Tubbs, Paulette Bufano of the Arts Council, and fire personnel from the Island and other Eastside departments.

[September 11] taught us a lot about ourselves about our capacity to give, to look after others in the community and to work together, said Bassett in opening remarks at a small ceremony at the North-end fire station. These artifacts will become a tribute to those ideals and I look forward to the conversation that they will inspire here on Mercer Island.

The Mercer Island Fire Department was the last recipient of 9/11 artifacts from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The artifacts shipped from Brooklyn the week before last. They were escorted by Mercer Island firefighters and briefly displayed at the North-end fire station draped in American flags. They will now be transferred to artist John Sisko and architect Jim Brown.

Islanders joined fire personnel, city staff and Mayor Bruce Bassett for a small ceremony Thursday for the above artifacts from the World Trade Center. The beam and ceiling pieces made several stops at fire stations across the country on its journey to the Island (photo courtesy of Ross Freeman).

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Island receives 9/11 pieces of history

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CONSUMER AFFAIRS

Electrodry is accused of posting fake reviews online.

Amazing job, fantastic result, these guys are the best cleaners! These are snippets of the online reviews the consumer watchdog has used to sue a carpet cleaning company in the Federal Court.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched legal action against A Whistle and Co, which trades as Electrodry Carpet Cleaning, for misleading and deceiving customers with fake reviews and testimonials online.

The consumer watchdog scrunitised hundreds of online reviews as part of the case. Photo: Screenshot

Electrodry, with more than 100 franchises around the country, is accused of inducing, or attempting to induce, franchisees to post fake reviews in breach of Australian Consumer Law, court documents show.

In early 2012, Electrodry acquired the services of a Hong Kong contractor in the Philippines to look after marketing and call centre duties. In March, it allegedly asked the contractor to post fake online reviews and distribute manuals to franchisees on how to take part.

Electrodryprovided sample reviews as templates to franchisees and specified they use Google, Yelp, Word of Mouth Online (Womo) and True Local. The franchisor urged them to post glowing reviews using their mobile phones so that it would be linked to different IP addresses, the ACCC claims.

To maximise participation among its 64 franchisees, Electrodry launched operator of the month and operator of the yearcompetitions with prize money, some worth more than $1000, to reward those who posted the highest number, court documents show.

Electrodry, which provides carpet, drapery, grout, upholstery and mattress cleaning services,said those who did not take part in the challenge were doing themselves a disservice.

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ACCC cracks down on fake reviews, sues Electrodry

Electrodry is accused of posting fake reviews online.

The consumer watchdog is taking legal action in the Federal Court against an Australian cleaning company it says was involved in posting fake testimonials about its business on the internet.

The company, Electrodry, has more than 100 franchises and provides carpet, drapery, grout, upholstery and mattress cleaning services, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said.

The ACCC alleges that a contractor for Electrodry, acting as its agent or at its direction, made false or misleading representations by posting the fake testimonials relating to Electrodry on the internet.

The ACCC also alleges that the company induced or attempted to induce its franchisees to make false or misleading representations by posting fake testimonials on the internet.

The fake testimonials allegedly appeared on a number of sites, including Google, True Local and Word of Mouth. It is alleged that the testimonials were written and posted by people associated with, or contracted to, Electrodry, and not by its genuine clients as the testimonials implied.

"While online testimonials can be a useful and genuine marketing tool, it is important that online businesses understand that making or inducing false or misleading representations about testimonials breaches the Australian Consumer Law,"ACCC deputy chair Michael Schaper said.

The ACCC is seeking declarations, penalties, injunctions and corrective notices from Electrodry.

Electrodry has been contacted for comment.

The ACCC promised it would target misleading reviews in 2012 and has been working on investigations with state and territory fair trading authorities across Australia.

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Fake reviews: Watchdog targets Australian cleaning company Electrodry