JUNEAU, Alaska - Juneau's skyline may become taller and denser as changes to area zoning codes could mean more densely-built neighborhoods.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Taking Business to the Cloud
Cloud-based construction software allows builders to run their business from anywhere, even their phone.
How to Build a House of Cordwood Masonry
Books and workshops can help, but patience and hard work are required.
Stifel Nicolaus Raises Washington Real Estate Investment Trust to Buy
The firm currently has a $30.00 target price on the stock. Washington Real Estate Investment Trust opened at 26.63 on Monday.
U.S. housing better, but not normal yet
The Blanford Homes LLC Power Ranch community stands in Gilbert, Arizona, U.S., on Thursday, Jan.
Wealthy homeowners brace for 'fiscal cliff'
Realtors to the rich have started getting a strange new kind of phone call. Wealthy homeowners with properties for sale are suddenly demanding that the brokers get them a deal �in the next five months. The reason, they say, is the fiscal cliff.
Blogger Succeeds Where Oprah Fails
Lead organizer Bob Oedy of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers scored a ground breaking interview Thursday with anonymous visual effects blogger VFX Soldier beating out the likes of former TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey and other Hollywood insiders.
RLF: Irwin Army Community Hospital
RLF uses Autodesk BIM solutions to design and coordinate a fast-track government healthcare facility?on time and on budget.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Lettire Construction Agrees to Back Pay for Workers
Lettire Construction will pay about $960,000 in back wages and fringe benefits for dozens of workers as part of a settlement of a case brought against the company last year.
As Home Prices Rise, Foreign Interest in U.S. Real Estate Flags
Florida metros make up six of foreign buyers' top 10 destinations.
The State of Real Estate in Hervey Bay
For some time now real estate in Hervey Bay has been following the general trend that we've seen right around Australia.
Light-rail contract shakeup could raise cost by $20M, official says
Abandoning plans to give an engineering contract for the Southwest Corridor light rail to a firm linked to the Sabo bridge breakdown could cost an additional $20 million, an official involved in planning the line said Monday.
Kitzhaber's 'Cool Schools' program gets off to a lukewarm start
Gov. John Kitzhaber praised state lawmakers when he signed Cool Schools legislation in 2011 as a way to help schools save on energy bills and create jobs in the building trades.
How long will the party last for homebuilders?
It's been a rough five years for the nation's homebuilders. Following the housing crash, they battled inventory gluts, tumbling home prices, a decimated economy, and a sharp pullback in demand.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Woman pleads guilty to embezzling $100K from real-estate firm
A woman employed as a real-estate agent for a Northampton County firm pleaded guilty in Circuit Court here to embezzling more than $100,000 from her employer over several years.
Shares rise on euro promises
New Zealand sharemarket rose at the open and looked on track to extend gains for a third day after Germany and France reiterated their commitment to the euro.
Ondatr�pica, From Colombia, at Lincoln Center Out of Doors
Ondatr�pica brought sounds of Colombia, old and new, to Lincoln Center Out of Doors.
Preschool in Timayui, Colombia
Giancarlo Mazzanti designs a preschool for a low-income neighborhood outside of Santa Marta on Colombia's Caribbean coast. Video by Juan Carlos Lorza.
S. A. Miro, Inc.: Children's Hospital Colorado
Innovative Autodesk BIM solutions drive faster project completion and reduce costs on a major addition to Children?s Hospital Colorado.
DIA donates $1.5M to millage fight
The cash-strapped Detroit Institute of the Arts has donated more than half of $2.5 million in contributions to an Aug.
Virginia: State Office Says Board Erred in Nullifying an Abortion Law Provision
The state attorney general?s office said the Virginia Board of Health unlawfully stripped a provision holding abortion clinics to the same building standards as new hospital construction.
Hunt/Moss: Florida Marlins Stadium
Hunt/Moss uses Autodesk Building Information Modeling (BIM) software solutions to build a new baseball park, virtually.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
GRO-Warren's Take
Harvey Stone, the former secretary of GRO-Warren, on Friday issued a statement commenting on the Department of Community and Economic Development fiscal monitoring report concerning a $500,000 grant-to-loan for the failed Allegheny Center for the Arts building project.
Natural Cement Needs New ASTM Standards
Restoration of our historical structures made of cement, such as canals, army bases, monuments, museums, and capitols is bringing back the notion and use of natural cement over the mostly used Portland cement of this generation. There are thousands of natural cement structures which were built back in the 19th century and are still loved and used today. The need for restoration of these structures has led to a need to produce natural cement once again, because restoration using the original materials are preferred to achieve strength and continuity throughout the structure. In historical structure restoration, avoidance of stress to the original building and its materials is obviously very important. Natural cement is lower in elasticity than present day Portland cement; this allows for its successful use in large concrete and masonry structures without the need of expansion joints. Natural cement deforms as the cement expands and contracts with changes in temperature and moisture levels, relieving stress. Continuity in this material is the goal to achieving the restoration of our historic structures. But there is a problem, the C10 natural cement standard by the ASTM no longer exists.
History and restoration with natural cement
Back in the 1980s, historic restoration of old structures reached a critical crunch time due to time and the environment. The adaptive use of these structures, rather than their destruction and replacement with something more modern was introduced because of the publics growing interest in preserving these historical structures. The government introduced investment tax credits for historic buildings restored in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior?s guidelines. Because the guidelines favor use of original materials to the greatest extent feasible, resurgence in the commercial production of traditional masonry materials such as natural cement was reintroduced. Today?s construction professionals have never seen or heard of natural cement, even though it was once the most widely used hydraulic binder for concrete, masonry mortar, stucco and grout. At one time, natural cement was used for 95% of the greatest engineering structures in North America. So it would be prudent to reinstate natural cement production in order to save these grand structures.
To fulfill the growing need for authentic 19th century masonry materials, natural cement was reintroduced in 2004, yet according to the ASTM standards, the C10 standard (natural cement standard) still needs to be reinstated. Lack of a current ASTM standard specification for natural cement is an obstacle to the full realization of historically accurate and appropriate restoration work. Natural cement was used as a structural material, and will be required to fulfill structural performance requirements in the course of some of its applications in historic repair and rebuilding. To protect the structures and the public, it is essential that materials marketed today as natural cement meet the same requirements that governed performance historically. Thus, to exclude natural cement from any eventual ASTM standard for historic mortars would be to forsake the history of America.
For Example, the Century Cement Company in Rosendale, N.Y., was the center of the American natural cement industry from 1817 to 1970. It was the source of more than half of all natural cement produced in America. Once Portland cement was instated, the industry diverted its attention, and discontinued natural cement in 1979. As previously mentioned, there was still a need for natural cement in the 80s but there was no longer a standard to follow. Then in 2004 the restoration industry pushed to find a compatible repair and maintenance material for historic structures. Today in America, another natural cement company in Rosendale, N.Y. named Edison Coatings, they are applying to reinstate natural cement standard C10 to provide their restoration company?s ability to access a material which meets or exceeds the performance requirements of the original materials used in our historical structures.
More power to them, for the restoration industry as well as the future of our historic structures. It is imperative to the restoration industry to reinstate the C10 standard in order to ensure today?s natural cement meets or exceeds the performance of the original materials.
AvalonBay Communities Earnings Call INSIGHTS: Fund I Assets, Rent Trends
On Thursday, AvalonBay Communities Inc reported its second quarter earnings and discussed the following topics in its earnings conference call.
Open Houses in Lexington This Weekend
Realtors, this is your space. Upload photos of the houses you're showing this weekend and enter the property's details in the caption.
Cities where homes cost less than a car
in towns with high tumbling home prices and double-digit vacancy rates, median-priced homes now cost the equivalent of new American cars, except they?re a slightly more risky investment.
U.S. Hits Builders With Pay Probe
U.S. Hits Builders With Pay Probe: The Labor Department is investigating pay practices at many of...
Housing no longer busted, but far from booming
A steady trickle of upbeat housing numbers has some analysts and pundits rendering a stunningly cheery verdict on the housing market. Not so fast, literally.
Stunning images: Tallest buildings in Dubai
Dubai, the city of skyscrapers has 63 buildings that stand taller than 200 metres , more than any other city in the world, surpassing even Hong Kong and New York City.
Friday, July 27, 2012
GOP candidates' campaigning draws questions
One 3rd District Republican congressional challenger has been asked to leave a commercial mall and questions are being raised after another was a guest at a city reception.
Nuke Plant Strike Averted
A near-last minute agreement has averted a potential strike at the Duane Arnold Energy Center.
The Construction Contractor's Digest | Construction Executive Advisory
Sam,
Thank you for your gift of a book and kind note. These are both treasures.
I have thought about your question concerning what to do with the book that demanded a large investment on your part.
Here is a partial answer, I will think about this over the next month and drop you a note or two.
Books, as you know, are slow movers unless you are Oprah. This is good and bad. Good ? a steady flow of interests over years as people discover yours. Bad ? not the immediate recognition it deserves.
So, the fun part of this is the creation of marketing support and selling it. You have time to do both. Here are some things we do:
? Weblog ? I continue to write sparingly on it but, it keeps the rankings up and does generate some engagement with people in the industry
? Newsletter ? some of this is work but, it is not if you like to write. Each time it publishes, there is some feedback from your readers.
? Commercial website with a shopping cart ? this helps establish presence and sell books.
? IPhone ? have the Square credit card commerce service ? if I meet someone and happen to mention construction. We find our way to talking about my books. I might sell one and take their credit card right then and there ? $2.75 per swipe charge. I can be a sales person at times and it is fun.
? Electronically convert it ? it is a lower margin but, higher / more widespread (worldwide) distribution. Both of mine are. The third which will be based on PhD research is my ?opus?. It is a construction business system that is along the lines of ?Good to Great?. It will be real charge to perfect it and publish it. I am ?amped? (Late 2013)
Your publisher can help in several ways to market ? most don?t since the ROI in book publishing is single digits ? so many are just printers with a rolodex of contacts to send samples to ? then they play catch with any orders that may result ? (they don?t sell or market). That leaves you to the be the chief believer ? salesperson and marketer ? of the book.
What comes to mind for you ? this is my sense ? that you could have a lot of fun visiting book clubs, libraries, associations and bookstores across the U.S. (maybe elsewhere). As long as somebody buys a required number, you tell them you will show up. Jet Blue / SW Airlines / Hotwire / a hybrid car etc. make travel cheap and string a few close cities together and you may make a profit. Throw in a 2 hour breakfast meeting at Association Y and then a strategic planning session / future trends speech and you have made a couple of dollars.
University students need to hear about managing labor, field experience, negotiation skills among other expertise you have. Many of them will thank you at the end of the course. They will realize the wisdom and that you cared to tell them about ?reality?.
Not glamorous but, this is the life we choose as authors, writers, advisors and educators.
As far as your statement about your last book, I don?t know if you are accurate. Never ask a NFL player his future plans after the Super Bowl or an author after his / her last book. A person?s perspective is sensitive to time and in the football player?s case, one that reflects his tired / hurt body after an 8 month season.
I know of no one who ever stopped writing. They write something until their ?cold, dead fingers? are removed from pen / laptop.
To me, being significant is most important in this professional life. It is not shared by everyone but, then again I am a believer in what I believe.
More later.
Matt
Esto Gallery: Forms of the Past Olympics
ARCHITECT inspects a few iconic arenas from past Olympics, as captured through the lenses of Esto photographers. Included are several from the Beijing Olympics, as well as a pair from Tokyo's 1964 games, and Calatrava's stadium from Athens in 2004.
Document Control Coordinator
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Contracts to buy US homes fell slightly in June
Americans signed fewer contracts to buy previously occupied homes last month, the latest sign the housing market recovery is uneven.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Esto Gallery: Forms of the Past Olympics
ARCHITECT inspects a few iconic arenas from past Olympics, as captured through the lenses of Esto photographers. Included are several from the Beijing Olympics, as well as a pair from Tokyo's 1964 games, and Calatrava's stadium from Athens in 2004.
Versar, Inc. Extends Work at Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Versar, Inc. today announced that it has been awarded a new contract by Tetra Tech, Inc.
Home sweet 727: New use for old jets
With hundreds of commercial jets being retired each year, some engineers are imagining� future subdivisions of retired and refurbished planes, looking as they did when they soared seven miles high.
Balfour Beatty Construction: Omni Dallas Hotel
Autodesk BIM solutions enable Balfour Beatty to complete a luxury hotel 2 months ahead of schedule.
Strains Visible in Homes Data
Strains Visible in Homes Data: The number of American households behind on mortgage payments hovered...
Why It's Time to Buy
Why It's Time to Buy: Despite all the gloom, there are growing indications that it is a good time to...
Court Refuses to Act Against ILWU in Portland
A U.S. District Court in Portland on Thursday denied most of the requests by waterfront employers that the court take action against the International Longshore and Warehouse Union for alleged work slowdowns at the Port of Portland.
Hot, wet job
Bill Moore, third-year apprentice lineman, wears rubber sleeves that cover from the wrist to the shoulder, topped with thick rubber gloves and leather gloves on top of that.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Burns & McDonnell Assisting Cities As Zebra Mussels Threaten Public Water Systems
Cities across the Midwest are on alert after zebra mussels nearly halted one city's water intake system and continue to threaten other public supplies and waterways.
Reports: Mass. home sales up sharply in June
The Massachusetts Association of Realtors said Tuesday that sales of single-family homes in June rose 18.5 percent from the same month a year ago.
Elkhorn River Research Station
A sophisticated research station in Sarpy County, Nebraska, evokes a long-gone era while serving a modern purpose.
The Distaste for Toll Roads in the U.S.
Toll roads - just those two words bring out extreme reactions. Either you hate them or you think they're the panacea for all that ails transportation.
Goldman Sachs Picks Builders Worth Buying
In a client note, the investment bank says it turned positive on the formerly beaten down sector, as it raises its ratings on several of the nation's largest home builders, a signal for investors to give them a second look.
How to Build a House of Cordwood Masonry
Books and workshops can help, but patience and hard work are required.
ICA Announces the Pricing of US$350 million of Senior Notes Due 2017
[GlobeNewswire] - MEXICO CITY -- Empresas ICA, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV:ICA) , announced today that it has priced US$ 350 million of new Senior Notes due 2017 (the "Notes"). The Notes have a coupon of 8.375% per year ...
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Home foreclosures in L.A. County, state drop nearly 50% from year ago
Foreclosures in California plunged 48.5 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier as the residential real estate market continued recovering from its historic collapse, a market tracker said Monday.
Verizon CFO: More FiOS Price Hikes Coming
With FiOS subscriber growth starting to taper off, Verizon Communications has "refocused more on our profit on the FiOS side" and expects to implement additional price increases on bundles in the third and fourth quarter of 2012, chief financial officer Fran Shammo said.
Documents of famed Juneau carver to be archived
Amos Wallace was a keeper. So his longtime home on Juneau's Douglas Island held numerous documents from his nearly 70-year career.
Real estate market showing some signs of life in the New Orleans area
After several years of declines, the metro New Orleans area real estate market appears to be stabilizing, according to new figures from the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors.
Little Risk of Home Builder Liquidity Woes, Analyist Says
Little Risk of Home Builder Liquidity Woes, Analyist Says: Home building companies don?t...
Collier Enterprises sells building rights in Sabal Bay to Canadian homebuilder
Minto Communities, a leading builder from Canada, announced plans Monday to purchase Sabal Bay, a 2,300-acre residential project a few miles from downtown Naples.
Home starts rise, adding to hopes of housing recovery
Builders broke ground on the most new homes in more than three years, government data showed Wednesday, adding to evidence that the housing recovery is standing on firmer legs.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Delta thanks fireworks sponsors
The Delta Township Parks and Recreation Commission and the Delta Board of Trustees ask everyone to thank our fireworks sponsors.
Infusion from China for Toledo, Ohio, Real Estate
Infusion from China for Toledo, Ohio, Real Estate: Two investors from China bought a formerly...
Orion Marine Group Announces a Contract Award of Approximately $10 Million
[GlobeNewswire] - HOUSTON -- Orion Marine Group, Inc. (the "Company"), a leading heavy civil marine contractor serving the infrastructure sector, today announced a contract award of approximately $10 million.
Taking the Small-House Movement Mainstream
For builders looking to scale down without down-grading, here?s how to get started.
Cities where a paycheck stretches furthest
When cost of living is factored in, most of the places that boast the highest effective pay turn out to be in the less celebrated and less expensive middle part of the country.
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