Arwana Citramulia, a ceramic tile producer, is looking to add 8 million square meters to its existing 41 million square-meter annual production capacity, once its fourth plant — located in Palembang, South Sumatra — becomes operational this year, the company’s founder and chief executive said.
Tandean Rustandi was upbeat on the industry’s outlook, giving that as the main reason for the business expansion.“Our population is 240 million [people] and yet ceramic consumption is only 1 square meter per capita. It is very low, even when compared with Vietnam which has 4 square meters of ceramic consumption per capita,” said Tandean, who founded Arwana in 1993 and made it one of the top 20 tile manufacturers in the world.
Currently, the firm operates three plants in Tangerang, Serang and Gresik. Its Palembang plant is scheduled to begin commercial operation in October.Since its inception, Arwana has consistently targeted the lower- and middle-class segments. In 2011, it introduced a new product for the well-heeled segment of society but remains confident that the lower and Ceramic tile, traditionally its bread-and-butter, remains its major market.
The biggest hurdle for the business, however, as Tandean explained, was the lack of a reliable gas supply. The ceramics business is energy-intensive, making securing energy sources a top priority.Energy is the largest cost component in the ceramic industry, accounting for 35 percent of total costs.“Even with a low level of consumption we find trouble securing natural gas supplies,” said Tandean, who believes there is a need to make the domestic gas market more competitive.
Tandean, who entered the business with little knowledge, now has partnerships with 14,000 distributors selling only Arwana ceramics. He says the company commands a 20 percent domestic market share.The company reported net income of Rp 133.9 billion in the first half of the year, more than double from the same period a year earlier, even as sales increased by just 30 percent.
Tandean is no longer the majority shareholder in Arwana. Major financial institutions like Credit Suisse, UBS and HSBC own substantial interests in the company which, according to Tandean, is a show of confidence in the company’s growth plans.
“They include Arwana in their investment portfolio because we are not being forced to expand, but are consistently expanding,” noted Tandean. For his business success, his alma mater gave him the University of Chicago Entrepreneurial Alumni Award for 2011.
Several years ago I was introduced to European Tilt and Turn windows while traveling in Germany. My fascination with these windows ultimately lead to me attending a European Door & Window workshop in Ouray, CO recently.
Organized by Greg Godbout of Rangate, under the direction of master craftsman Joe Calhoun of Cascade Woodwork, we spent four intense days building window and door units. Besides myself, in attendance were Jeff Casagrande of Casagrande Woodworks, and Yaraslov Soukup, an engineer and owner of Soukup Machinery from the Czech Republic. Five of us, brought together by our love for the craft, spent our time together sharing year’s of experience.
In 2011, the US imported $94 million in windows, with a significant share of that coming from Europe. Why? Those windows could/should be produced here in the U.S. There is no better time to take advantage of the benefits these windows offer and at the same time increase our domestic manufacturing capabilities.
With windows responsible for 25% to 30% of the heat loss in a typical building, well-designed and installed windows are critical to reducing energy consumption while increasing thermal comfort and air quality in a controlled environment.
Wood is a sustainable and a renewable resource, and an operable Tilt and Turn window provides excellent air-tightness when closed and controlled ventilation when opened. Together, wooden Tilt and Turn windows and doors are an essential component to enable the overall higher building energy standards.
Danny Johnson, lead designer on the iOS version of Runner2 and a level designer on the console version of the game, told us that he was going through each level, making things work better for the touchscreen controls. “Touchscreens aren’t as responsive as buttons,” he said, “so we needed to go back and rethink the whole game, level by level, to make it work for iOS.”
Things like stairs are tricky using touchscreen controls, he continued, so the team decided to make some stair areas auto-running, so that players won’t get frustrated by the intensity of tapping that must happen for these vertical features.
In addition to the same five worlds, Runner2 for iOS will have all the familiar characters that you can unlock or purchase to play through the levels with. You’ll also have the same chance to unlock challenge and retro levels in the iOS Runner2 game, using gold collected throughout each level, including levels that use the same tile-set as the first Bit.Trip Runner, which originally released in 2010. The new Runner2 game marks the first time the team is using HD graphics, so the retro style is much more marked than previously.
Read the full products at http://www.tilees.com/!
2013年9月2日星期一
2013年8月14日星期三
Outdoor Elegance Meets Cutting Edge Technology
If anything in the summer of 2013 points to still evolving homeowner expectations, it may be the frequency with which locals are integrating screen porches, patios, fire pits, and outdoor kitchens into original landscaping schemes that artfully marry the house to its setting.
Gone are the days of minimal outdoor improvements; today’s homeowners are inclined to stay put and express themselves — which is why the traditional house as we’ve known it is becoming more personalized — in short, a home.
“It’s a real renaissance,” said Craig Durosko founder and chairman of Sun Design Remodeling Specialists, and one of the housing industry’s more prescient trend spotters.
“Interestingly, when we started this company in the 1980s our core specialty was opening up views and creating visual continuum, so indoor/outdoor solutions are just a logical extension of what our culture has always been about.”
Asked about current projects, Durosko said that Fairfax County’s more affluent homeowners are actively seeking to better articulate the relationship of the house and polished tiles — an impulse which has gradually become a passion for outdoor spaces that can be used in both the hottest days of summer and fall’s chilly nights.
“Homeowners want outdoor rooms — spaces that are wired for entertainment, useable for seven or eight months of the year, and so easy to maintain that the usual repair and replacement tasks are mostly eliminated,” Durosko said. “Naturally, the changes must also enhance the home architecturally.”
To meet a rising criteria, Durosko and colleagues constantly stay on top of a new generation of weather-resistant materials, absorbing and applying fine building techniques that will shape non-traditional materials into designs perfectly suited to the home's style and setting.
Starting with a blank canvas — the unadorned rear elevation to a Georgian-style brick home in McLean — Parker imagined a six-sided pavilion, with 10-foot ceilings and sweeping vistas.
The structure would segue from the preexisting sunroom, courtesy of two sets of matching French doors. The white exterior trim is now crowned with a white balustrade visually connected to a columned “arbor trellis” that adds definition to the rear elevation. Since the high-ceiling interior the owners wanted precluded a conventional "pitched" roof — which would have obstructed a second floor window — Parker designed an inverted membrane ceiling that accommodates internal drainage tied into the existing underground system.
Rainspouts are concealed inside the trimmed porch columns and extended, unseen, along the ogee end "eagle head" trellis. The trellis “ends,” in turn, continue as a decorative motif around the top of the porch.
The overall design, as Parker envisioned, perfectly elaborates the home's classic architecture while spotlighting the impressive "English garden" that dominates the backyard. The existing barbecue grill remains steps from either the kitchen or the porch, but now there are multiple dining venues. From the porch, in fact, the owners can keep an eye on the pool when the children are playing.
The patchwork design of the English garden, the old, flagstone patio, the small pond with running water, the crepe myrtles along the property line — all give the setting a refined textural elegance.
“We think of an outdoor living plan is a creative response to an owner's personal requirements,” says Bob Gallagher, whose extensive design/build portfolio extends back some 25 years. “The important point is not how much of it is open or enclosed, but how well the whole supports a lifestyle in which exposure to nature is the primary goal.”
A recent dining decking plus sunroom solution in Oak Hill illustrates the point. After years of occupying a home custom-designed precisely to exploit a pretty wooded setting, the owners had decided they wanted a still stronger link to the outdoors. Low-maintenance was an essential ingredient, but they initially envisioned an “China ceramic tile,” free from insects — yet with dramatic views in all directions.
“They had looked at screen porches,” Gallagher said. “The idea was an enclosed space on the new dining deck. Something of a place apart. A transitional foot print between house and open air.”
At a glance, the resulting 10.5-foot by 12.5-foot sunroom is a neatly balanced space plan that seems neither closed nor overexposed to the elements. Floor-to-ceiling windows define the room on every elevation. Overhead, two skylights installed on a hipped roof allow 25 square feet of natural light. Ceramic tile flooring and other neutral finishes reinforce the natural, open ambiance, which is visually linked to the welcoming dining deck.
To preserve generous views on the existing rear elevation, Gallagher and team placed the sunroom directly off the kitchen to the left of the family room. Built-ins and a fireplace comfortably integrate the space to the existing interior. The room is a favored spot to watch the trees, and mostly opened-up for cross breezes on temperate days.
Since upkeep requirements were to be restricted to an annual pressure wash, even the sunroom's exterior paneling is low-maintenance Hardiboard. Trex decking, aluminum balusters and vinyl-clad posts further an outdoor design scheme that is also easy to maintain.
Sometimes Durosko's first call from a homeowner comes when some weather-exposed part of an existing house has conspicuously failed.
To repair the front facade of a Fairfax home, for instance, Durosko and team replaced a leaking flat roof portico with an architecturally-appropriate alternative that features a concave metal roof. In lieu of the original wood-trimmed front-window, the remodeler called for an aluminum-framed arch-topped window integrated with other exterior elements. For added weather-protection, new portico supports are trimmed in PVC.
Gone are the days of minimal outdoor improvements; today’s homeowners are inclined to stay put and express themselves — which is why the traditional house as we’ve known it is becoming more personalized — in short, a home.
“It’s a real renaissance,” said Craig Durosko founder and chairman of Sun Design Remodeling Specialists, and one of the housing industry’s more prescient trend spotters.
“Interestingly, when we started this company in the 1980s our core specialty was opening up views and creating visual continuum, so indoor/outdoor solutions are just a logical extension of what our culture has always been about.”
Asked about current projects, Durosko said that Fairfax County’s more affluent homeowners are actively seeking to better articulate the relationship of the house and polished tiles — an impulse which has gradually become a passion for outdoor spaces that can be used in both the hottest days of summer and fall’s chilly nights.
“Homeowners want outdoor rooms — spaces that are wired for entertainment, useable for seven or eight months of the year, and so easy to maintain that the usual repair and replacement tasks are mostly eliminated,” Durosko said. “Naturally, the changes must also enhance the home architecturally.”
To meet a rising criteria, Durosko and colleagues constantly stay on top of a new generation of weather-resistant materials, absorbing and applying fine building techniques that will shape non-traditional materials into designs perfectly suited to the home's style and setting.
Starting with a blank canvas — the unadorned rear elevation to a Georgian-style brick home in McLean — Parker imagined a six-sided pavilion, with 10-foot ceilings and sweeping vistas.
The structure would segue from the preexisting sunroom, courtesy of two sets of matching French doors. The white exterior trim is now crowned with a white balustrade visually connected to a columned “arbor trellis” that adds definition to the rear elevation. Since the high-ceiling interior the owners wanted precluded a conventional "pitched" roof — which would have obstructed a second floor window — Parker designed an inverted membrane ceiling that accommodates internal drainage tied into the existing underground system.
Rainspouts are concealed inside the trimmed porch columns and extended, unseen, along the ogee end "eagle head" trellis. The trellis “ends,” in turn, continue as a decorative motif around the top of the porch.
The overall design, as Parker envisioned, perfectly elaborates the home's classic architecture while spotlighting the impressive "English garden" that dominates the backyard. The existing barbecue grill remains steps from either the kitchen or the porch, but now there are multiple dining venues. From the porch, in fact, the owners can keep an eye on the pool when the children are playing.
The patchwork design of the English garden, the old, flagstone patio, the small pond with running water, the crepe myrtles along the property line — all give the setting a refined textural elegance.
“We think of an outdoor living plan is a creative response to an owner's personal requirements,” says Bob Gallagher, whose extensive design/build portfolio extends back some 25 years. “The important point is not how much of it is open or enclosed, but how well the whole supports a lifestyle in which exposure to nature is the primary goal.”
A recent dining decking plus sunroom solution in Oak Hill illustrates the point. After years of occupying a home custom-designed precisely to exploit a pretty wooded setting, the owners had decided they wanted a still stronger link to the outdoors. Low-maintenance was an essential ingredient, but they initially envisioned an “China ceramic tile,” free from insects — yet with dramatic views in all directions.
“They had looked at screen porches,” Gallagher said. “The idea was an enclosed space on the new dining deck. Something of a place apart. A transitional foot print between house and open air.”
At a glance, the resulting 10.5-foot by 12.5-foot sunroom is a neatly balanced space plan that seems neither closed nor overexposed to the elements. Floor-to-ceiling windows define the room on every elevation. Overhead, two skylights installed on a hipped roof allow 25 square feet of natural light. Ceramic tile flooring and other neutral finishes reinforce the natural, open ambiance, which is visually linked to the welcoming dining deck.
To preserve generous views on the existing rear elevation, Gallagher and team placed the sunroom directly off the kitchen to the left of the family room. Built-ins and a fireplace comfortably integrate the space to the existing interior. The room is a favored spot to watch the trees, and mostly opened-up for cross breezes on temperate days.
Since upkeep requirements were to be restricted to an annual pressure wash, even the sunroom's exterior paneling is low-maintenance Hardiboard. Trex decking, aluminum balusters and vinyl-clad posts further an outdoor design scheme that is also easy to maintain.
Sometimes Durosko's first call from a homeowner comes when some weather-exposed part of an existing house has conspicuously failed.
To repair the front facade of a Fairfax home, for instance, Durosko and team replaced a leaking flat roof portico with an architecturally-appropriate alternative that features a concave metal roof. In lieu of the original wood-trimmed front-window, the remodeler called for an aluminum-framed arch-topped window integrated with other exterior elements. For added weather-protection, new portico supports are trimmed in PVC.
2013年8月7日星期三
Fall Out Boy’s Joe Trohman Lists Townhouse for Sale
Trohman bought the interior unit in the Embassy Club development in 2006 for $685,000, according to the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. Tim Salm, the Jameson Sotheby’s agent representing the condo, declined to discuss the sellers but said they had “re-done the entire space, top to bottom” before moving in. The eventual buyer, Salm said, will “basically get a brand-new unit within the original Embassy Club,” which when built in the late 1980s was thought of as bringing a London-style mews to the rapidly gentrifying West DePaul area.
In 2007, Trohman led MTV’s Cribs on a tour of the home, where he showed off such design flourishes as a living room rug made of treated Barbie hair, the spring-loaded drawers in the kitchen, Space Invaders decals on the wall behind his bed, and tree-themed wallpaper in the polished tiles. “Get lost in the forest, you know,” he said about that last one. Trohman also pointed out how some “terrible, terrible” white built-ins got converted into additional closet space.
On a tour of the home Wednesday afternoon, I saw most of what Trohman had pointed out on Cribs, except for his guitars, his toy collection and a wall of moss surrounding a crucifix. “That was taken down” for showings to potential buyers, Salm said.
In the renovations and decorating, led by Lisa Ewing, a wall that concealed the staircase was opened up and given a more open and industrial look, the master bedroom fireplace got a glass mantel, and the kitchen became a sleek showpiece. Appliances and cabinetry behind crisp espresso-finish doors, white tops, and a stylized tile backsplash make it “five times the kitchen that the original developers put in here,” Salm says. “You have cabinets for days.”
The main living floor is one flight above ground and contains living, dining, and kitchen. There are two bedrooms and two baths upstairs, all finished in the same glamorous style as the main floor, and on the ground floor is the garage, another full bath, and the family room. Out back is a fenced garden of lawn, stone, and succulents.
Louis Parrinello, the school's principal at the time who now heads Briarcliff Elementary, said the time capsule was a way to retain memories from Miller Avenue School's 50th anniversary celebrations from over the past year as well as to recollect how life has changed since the school opened in 1963.
Supervisor Ed Romaine said in a release, "So much history has passed since Miller Avenue School opened in 1963. We've been to the moon and back, have had 10 presidents and technology has put the world in the palm of our hands with smart phones. For the students who attend this school today, the future is full of possibilities and the opportunity to make the world a better place to live."
In describing the capsule's contents, Parrinello said, "There were recent events, articles, students writing about what's happening right now in the world and what they predict will happen 50 years from now. There was also information about the iPhone and Facebook and those things that are so prolific in our society right now."
The time capsule, although sealed and protected against moisture, could not be buried in the ground because of the soft soil, but was instead placed in the main office above a ceiling tile. A plaque was put in place to mark the capsule's location, with instructions to open it on Flag Day in 2063. "We wanted it to be as simple as lifting up a ceiling tile," said Parrinello.A 50-year anniversary committee was set up to plan events throughout the year like a 1950s dance — in keeping with the "50" theme — and a photo taken by the Shoreham branch of the Rocky Point Fire Department showed all of the students arranged in the shape of the number 50.
While current students at Miller Avenue participated in activities and contributed to the capsule, former students reflected on the anniversary.Edward Gaias was in the first Ceramic tile, moving up from Miller Avenue's sixth grade in 1964. He said the 50-year anniversary was "amazing" because of the rich history and memories surrounding the school.
"It makes me feel pretty old," said the 61-year-old Gaias. "We did a lot of things in Miller Avenue. They had Boy Scouts there and I had my Eagle Scout ceremony there."Jo Napolitano, president of the Miller Avenue Parent Teacher Organization, was involved with organizing the 50-year anniversary celebrations at the school, though she said a lot of credit goes to Parrinello.
"He's the dynamic person who put it all together," said Napolitano.Napolitano has been president for the past two years and has four children who have gone through Miller Avenue, two of whom are still enrolled.
She said the school has always stood for "community-building and the children," both of which she said were reflected in the celebrations and the time capsule. "I think Miller Avenue has stayed very much a community. It's not just my children or my neighbor's children. It's all of Miller Avenue's children."
Read the full products at http://www.tilees.com/.
In 2007, Trohman led MTV’s Cribs on a tour of the home, where he showed off such design flourishes as a living room rug made of treated Barbie hair, the spring-loaded drawers in the kitchen, Space Invaders decals on the wall behind his bed, and tree-themed wallpaper in the polished tiles. “Get lost in the forest, you know,” he said about that last one. Trohman also pointed out how some “terrible, terrible” white built-ins got converted into additional closet space.
On a tour of the home Wednesday afternoon, I saw most of what Trohman had pointed out on Cribs, except for his guitars, his toy collection and a wall of moss surrounding a crucifix. “That was taken down” for showings to potential buyers, Salm said.
In the renovations and decorating, led by Lisa Ewing, a wall that concealed the staircase was opened up and given a more open and industrial look, the master bedroom fireplace got a glass mantel, and the kitchen became a sleek showpiece. Appliances and cabinetry behind crisp espresso-finish doors, white tops, and a stylized tile backsplash make it “five times the kitchen that the original developers put in here,” Salm says. “You have cabinets for days.”
The main living floor is one flight above ground and contains living, dining, and kitchen. There are two bedrooms and two baths upstairs, all finished in the same glamorous style as the main floor, and on the ground floor is the garage, another full bath, and the family room. Out back is a fenced garden of lawn, stone, and succulents.
Louis Parrinello, the school's principal at the time who now heads Briarcliff Elementary, said the time capsule was a way to retain memories from Miller Avenue School's 50th anniversary celebrations from over the past year as well as to recollect how life has changed since the school opened in 1963.
Supervisor Ed Romaine said in a release, "So much history has passed since Miller Avenue School opened in 1963. We've been to the moon and back, have had 10 presidents and technology has put the world in the palm of our hands with smart phones. For the students who attend this school today, the future is full of possibilities and the opportunity to make the world a better place to live."
In describing the capsule's contents, Parrinello said, "There were recent events, articles, students writing about what's happening right now in the world and what they predict will happen 50 years from now. There was also information about the iPhone and Facebook and those things that are so prolific in our society right now."
The time capsule, although sealed and protected against moisture, could not be buried in the ground because of the soft soil, but was instead placed in the main office above a ceiling tile. A plaque was put in place to mark the capsule's location, with instructions to open it on Flag Day in 2063. "We wanted it to be as simple as lifting up a ceiling tile," said Parrinello.A 50-year anniversary committee was set up to plan events throughout the year like a 1950s dance — in keeping with the "50" theme — and a photo taken by the Shoreham branch of the Rocky Point Fire Department showed all of the students arranged in the shape of the number 50.
While current students at Miller Avenue participated in activities and contributed to the capsule, former students reflected on the anniversary.Edward Gaias was in the first Ceramic tile, moving up from Miller Avenue's sixth grade in 1964. He said the 50-year anniversary was "amazing" because of the rich history and memories surrounding the school.
"It makes me feel pretty old," said the 61-year-old Gaias. "We did a lot of things in Miller Avenue. They had Boy Scouts there and I had my Eagle Scout ceremony there."Jo Napolitano, president of the Miller Avenue Parent Teacher Organization, was involved with organizing the 50-year anniversary celebrations at the school, though she said a lot of credit goes to Parrinello.
"He's the dynamic person who put it all together," said Napolitano.Napolitano has been president for the past two years and has four children who have gone through Miller Avenue, two of whom are still enrolled.
She said the school has always stood for "community-building and the children," both of which she said were reflected in the celebrations and the time capsule. "I think Miller Avenue has stayed very much a community. It's not just my children or my neighbor's children. It's all of Miller Avenue's children."
Read the full products at http://www.tilees.com/.
2013年7月9日星期二
Dearborn Planning Commission Tables Vote on Garage Ordinance
The Dearborn Planning Commission says it needs more time to review proposed changes to a city zoning ordinance amendment governing the use of residential garages.The commission voted 7-0 with Chairman Gary Errigo and Vice Chairwoman Nancy Siwik absent to table the amendment defining acceptable uses for garages at its meeting on Monday.
As it is currently written, the city's ordinance states that garages only can be used for storing vehicles, however the Planning Commission has been working with the city's attorneys to draft language that would accomodate other uses, such as for hobbies or backyard parties.
The issue stems from Orchard Street residents who have come under scrutiny in recent months for converting their garages into social gathering spaces and installing glass doors instead of using standard retractable garage doors. DiBiasi said in the eyes of the Floor tiles, that’s a sign of the garage possibly being turned into a living space, which is not permitted. In addition, it does not leave room to park a car, and driving a car over the door's sliding track repeatedly could cause it to break and cause a safety hazard.
All houses in the city are required to have off-street parking for at least two vehicles, and all houses built after 1993 must have a garage that can store at least two cars side by side. The requirements make it easier for emergency vehicles to navigate city streets, and also accomodate street sweepers during Public Service Days.
"While the city does require homes to have off-street parking for two vehicles, it does not mandate that people park their cars in their garage," Commissioner Theresa Skora explained. "The tricky part is determining what is fair and equitable for everyone knowing that driveways and property lots are different sizes."
At Monday's meeting, DiBiasi outlined some of the acceptable uses of garages that the Planning Commission may approve. Some revisions include permission to install carriage doors in designated historic districts provided they keep with the home's historic designs; allowing for storage of household items for those living in the house; and allowing sliding glass doors to be installed on the back or side of the garage.
Residents can have basic electrical service and a small sink in their garage, however sleeping, cooking and open-flame heaters would not be allowed. In addition, homeowners cannot store commercial machines or machinery products in garages, DiBiasi said.
"People shouldn't be sleeping in their garages," Commissioner Caryn Charter said. "Defining when a garage becomes a habitual living space has been a sticking point with us."Prior to the vote, Commissioner Kevin Watts asked that the amendment language be changed to clarify what is considered "living" in a garage."To me 'living' has a nebulous meaning," he said. "You can live in your garage for two hours a day doing car repair."
Watts said ideally the ordinance should permit certain uses for garages as long as those uses do not impede city parking requirements."If someone wants to build a man cave or a hobby space, they still have to be able to get a car in the garage," he said.Dearborn resident Muheeb Nabulsy expressed outrage with the city's regulation of garages."I feel this is a jealousy issue," he said. "People who cannot afford to renovate their home always complain when they see other people's homes."
Nabulsy has been in talks with the city for more than a year, ever since he laid down ceramic tile on his garage floor and installed sliding glass doors. His goal was when the electric overhead door is open, the sliding doors will make the space feel more like an enclosed patio, where he can sit in fresh air and visit with neighbors.
"We are not causing any issue," he said. "I can park six cars in my driveway and the street is empty. I agree with no kitchen, no cooking or anything that could hurt myself, my family or my neighbors. If I have an argument with my wife, I sleep in the garage. What's wrong with that?"
"If I am doing something illegal, you are more than welcome to come to my home and break it in front of my eyes," Nabulsy told the Commission.A resident who identified herself only as Mrs. Carson, agreed, stating: "Who's business is it what people do with their houses? We should celebrate families being families."Some residents however, say the modifications are distracting and dangerous.
"I don't hold anything against someone who wants to work on their garage, but I've seen chandeliers and flat screen TVs in some of these garages that have been dry walled and completely finished," Marium Wilke, president of the Eastborn Neighborhood Association said. Wilke said when garages are converted into living areas, owners often leave their lawn equipment, trash cans and other storage items in the backyard causing issues with blight for neighbors.
Read the full story at http://www.tilees.com/!
As it is currently written, the city's ordinance states that garages only can be used for storing vehicles, however the Planning Commission has been working with the city's attorneys to draft language that would accomodate other uses, such as for hobbies or backyard parties.
The issue stems from Orchard Street residents who have come under scrutiny in recent months for converting their garages into social gathering spaces and installing glass doors instead of using standard retractable garage doors. DiBiasi said in the eyes of the Floor tiles, that’s a sign of the garage possibly being turned into a living space, which is not permitted. In addition, it does not leave room to park a car, and driving a car over the door's sliding track repeatedly could cause it to break and cause a safety hazard.
All houses in the city are required to have off-street parking for at least two vehicles, and all houses built after 1993 must have a garage that can store at least two cars side by side. The requirements make it easier for emergency vehicles to navigate city streets, and also accomodate street sweepers during Public Service Days.
"While the city does require homes to have off-street parking for two vehicles, it does not mandate that people park their cars in their garage," Commissioner Theresa Skora explained. "The tricky part is determining what is fair and equitable for everyone knowing that driveways and property lots are different sizes."
At Monday's meeting, DiBiasi outlined some of the acceptable uses of garages that the Planning Commission may approve. Some revisions include permission to install carriage doors in designated historic districts provided they keep with the home's historic designs; allowing for storage of household items for those living in the house; and allowing sliding glass doors to be installed on the back or side of the garage.
Residents can have basic electrical service and a small sink in their garage, however sleeping, cooking and open-flame heaters would not be allowed. In addition, homeowners cannot store commercial machines or machinery products in garages, DiBiasi said.
"People shouldn't be sleeping in their garages," Commissioner Caryn Charter said. "Defining when a garage becomes a habitual living space has been a sticking point with us."Prior to the vote, Commissioner Kevin Watts asked that the amendment language be changed to clarify what is considered "living" in a garage."To me 'living' has a nebulous meaning," he said. "You can live in your garage for two hours a day doing car repair."
Watts said ideally the ordinance should permit certain uses for garages as long as those uses do not impede city parking requirements."If someone wants to build a man cave or a hobby space, they still have to be able to get a car in the garage," he said.Dearborn resident Muheeb Nabulsy expressed outrage with the city's regulation of garages."I feel this is a jealousy issue," he said. "People who cannot afford to renovate their home always complain when they see other people's homes."
Nabulsy has been in talks with the city for more than a year, ever since he laid down ceramic tile on his garage floor and installed sliding glass doors. His goal was when the electric overhead door is open, the sliding doors will make the space feel more like an enclosed patio, where he can sit in fresh air and visit with neighbors.
"We are not causing any issue," he said. "I can park six cars in my driveway and the street is empty. I agree with no kitchen, no cooking or anything that could hurt myself, my family or my neighbors. If I have an argument with my wife, I sleep in the garage. What's wrong with that?"
"If I am doing something illegal, you are more than welcome to come to my home and break it in front of my eyes," Nabulsy told the Commission.A resident who identified herself only as Mrs. Carson, agreed, stating: "Who's business is it what people do with their houses? We should celebrate families being families."Some residents however, say the modifications are distracting and dangerous.
"I don't hold anything against someone who wants to work on their garage, but I've seen chandeliers and flat screen TVs in some of these garages that have been dry walled and completely finished," Marium Wilke, president of the Eastborn Neighborhood Association said. Wilke said when garages are converted into living areas, owners often leave their lawn equipment, trash cans and other storage items in the backyard causing issues with blight for neighbors.
Read the full story at http://www.tilees.com/!
2013年4月27日星期六
Hiding in plain sight
It's probably fair to say storage space will decrease in proportion
to any increase in the size of the home. But in my experience, no matter
what size the household, I invariably hear the homeowner complain at
some point that they wish they had more storage space. I have thought
about the homes I have worked in and wondered which of them has the best
storage capabilities and what we can learn from them.
Surprisingly, the largest homes I have worked in as a butler do not necessarily have the best or well-thought-out storage solutions. In fact, I think the homes with the best and smartest storage solutions are New York apartments in the Upper East and West sides of Manhattan.
You see, no matter how wealthy you may be in a crowded city like New York, apartments only have so much space. So, to avoid ending up living like hoarders, condo owners task their architects and designers with being resourceful about storage-space design. Of course, homeowners need to be selective about what they hold on to, what gets donated and what gets pitched.
Since we can agree that one can never have too much storage space,Choose the right bestluggagetag in an array of colors. it's important for those looking at purchasing a luxury condominium to keep the matter in mind at the builder stage and pay close attention to the builder's plans. For example, a lesson I have learned from my New York clients is to think "Top to Bottom."
Do not worry about things being too high and out of reach since these areas can be dedicated to items that are infrequently or seasonally used, like platters for Christmas dinner. These types of cabinets are more expensive to install, but you will never regret the decision to do so.
The second part of the "Top to Bottom" lesson is to look at the bottom of the cupboards. There is usually a couple of inches of height under the cabinet, behind what is referred to as the toe kick.You Can Find Comprehensive and in-Depth carparkmanagementsystem truck Descriptions. Put drawers there for large, flat items like trays and cookie sheets. Following the "Top to Bottom" rule can almost double your overall cabinet capacity.
Using a professional closet organizer can also help you to think in a new way about efficiencies. It may not just be about the space itself but also the way items are put away.We offer over 600 chipcard at wholesale prices of 75% off retail. Take the time, however, to interview and hire the right organizer. I have had good and bad experiences with organizers. Good organizers take their work seriously, are systematic thinkers, have a sense for esthetics and are motivated by helping their clients.
Another lesson is to think seasonally. I have a dear friend who used a room in her basement to build cedar-lined storage for her family's off-season clothing. I remember the first time I saw it; I was amazed at how organized it was and how logical she was to think about storing all their offseason clothing in one great space.
Not everyone, however, has the luxury of a basement to convert into storage. Purchasing a condominium with one extra bedroom might be worth considering, so that it can be converted into a full walk-in closet. That's luxury!
Smart business owners are on to this issue. Businesses are cropping up that cater to condominium owners who have a need for offseason clothing storage. This service has existed for some time in New York; in Toronto, one company I know of is Creeds Dry Cleaning. Owner Jackie Creed says he agrees that as the number of condominium inhabitants increases, so does the need for services like the one he offers.
A client of mine in New York has a large collection of ball gowns and she stores them at one of these specialty companies called Garde Robe. She goes online, picks out one of her dresses and calls the company; they deliver it to her home within two hours. When the company takes the dress back,You can order besthandsfreeaccess cheap inside your parents. they clean it and store it until she needs it again.
New Yorkers taught me another great trick and that is making use of beautiful furniture as storage. Armoires, even small ones, are great for storage and are also attractive. One of my clients has an antique chest of drawers in her living room; it is a beautiful piece of furniture and works perfectly in the space, as it supports a great antique clock and lamp. The client uses the chest to store sweaters in the summer and her swimwear and T-shirts in the winter.
Very often pantries have wasted deep cabinet space and high out of reach space. Our creative use of shelves allows homeowners to store, see and retrieve items with ease and ultimately maximize the amount of usable space available. Tip: Once again begin by choosing one closet at a time and going through each item. Homeowners often find items that are out of date and can be thrown away. You might also find open bags of sugar or flour which can also be thrown out or transferred to air tight containers to prevent spoiling and/or bugs. Putting items you use each day on eye level shelves will help you find them quickly when cooking. Putting little used items on lower shelves or higher shelves will help as well.We have a wide selection of handsfreeaccess to choose from for your storage needs. However if you have children be sure that they can access only those things that are safe for their age range.
Laundry areas can become unruly very easily. At Closet Concepts we offer cabinets, shelves, drip dry racks and folding tables with unique functional design so that the laundry room can be more than just functional, it can actually be a space you enjoy working in. Tip: Similar to garages, laundry rooms often become the catchall space for things we really dont know what to do with. Give yourself permission to throw away or give away items that you no longer use. Holding on to them only causes anxiety and clutter. If you want to make doing laundry easier for the kids in the house, give them each their own laundry basket with their name on it and let them bring their dirty clothes to the laundry and take it back up when its done.
We install space-saving cubbies, hooks, drawers and baskets to make it easy to keep your entryway neat and attractive. Tip: Mud rooms can actually be a fun place to be creative but also organized. There are plenty of options available to make a fun and functional space. Picking a theme for your mudroom can also get the kids involved and encourage them to keep the room neat as well.
Surprisingly, the largest homes I have worked in as a butler do not necessarily have the best or well-thought-out storage solutions. In fact, I think the homes with the best and smartest storage solutions are New York apartments in the Upper East and West sides of Manhattan.
You see, no matter how wealthy you may be in a crowded city like New York, apartments only have so much space. So, to avoid ending up living like hoarders, condo owners task their architects and designers with being resourceful about storage-space design. Of course, homeowners need to be selective about what they hold on to, what gets donated and what gets pitched.
Since we can agree that one can never have too much storage space,Choose the right bestluggagetag in an array of colors. it's important for those looking at purchasing a luxury condominium to keep the matter in mind at the builder stage and pay close attention to the builder's plans. For example, a lesson I have learned from my New York clients is to think "Top to Bottom."
Do not worry about things being too high and out of reach since these areas can be dedicated to items that are infrequently or seasonally used, like platters for Christmas dinner. These types of cabinets are more expensive to install, but you will never regret the decision to do so.
The second part of the "Top to Bottom" lesson is to look at the bottom of the cupboards. There is usually a couple of inches of height under the cabinet, behind what is referred to as the toe kick.You Can Find Comprehensive and in-Depth carparkmanagementsystem truck Descriptions. Put drawers there for large, flat items like trays and cookie sheets. Following the "Top to Bottom" rule can almost double your overall cabinet capacity.
Using a professional closet organizer can also help you to think in a new way about efficiencies. It may not just be about the space itself but also the way items are put away.We offer over 600 chipcard at wholesale prices of 75% off retail. Take the time, however, to interview and hire the right organizer. I have had good and bad experiences with organizers. Good organizers take their work seriously, are systematic thinkers, have a sense for esthetics and are motivated by helping their clients.
Another lesson is to think seasonally. I have a dear friend who used a room in her basement to build cedar-lined storage for her family's off-season clothing. I remember the first time I saw it; I was amazed at how organized it was and how logical she was to think about storing all their offseason clothing in one great space.
Not everyone, however, has the luxury of a basement to convert into storage. Purchasing a condominium with one extra bedroom might be worth considering, so that it can be converted into a full walk-in closet. That's luxury!
Smart business owners are on to this issue. Businesses are cropping up that cater to condominium owners who have a need for offseason clothing storage. This service has existed for some time in New York; in Toronto, one company I know of is Creeds Dry Cleaning. Owner Jackie Creed says he agrees that as the number of condominium inhabitants increases, so does the need for services like the one he offers.
A client of mine in New York has a large collection of ball gowns and she stores them at one of these specialty companies called Garde Robe. She goes online, picks out one of her dresses and calls the company; they deliver it to her home within two hours. When the company takes the dress back,You can order besthandsfreeaccess cheap inside your parents. they clean it and store it until she needs it again.
New Yorkers taught me another great trick and that is making use of beautiful furniture as storage. Armoires, even small ones, are great for storage and are also attractive. One of my clients has an antique chest of drawers in her living room; it is a beautiful piece of furniture and works perfectly in the space, as it supports a great antique clock and lamp. The client uses the chest to store sweaters in the summer and her swimwear and T-shirts in the winter.
Very often pantries have wasted deep cabinet space and high out of reach space. Our creative use of shelves allows homeowners to store, see and retrieve items with ease and ultimately maximize the amount of usable space available. Tip: Once again begin by choosing one closet at a time and going through each item. Homeowners often find items that are out of date and can be thrown away. You might also find open bags of sugar or flour which can also be thrown out or transferred to air tight containers to prevent spoiling and/or bugs. Putting items you use each day on eye level shelves will help you find them quickly when cooking. Putting little used items on lower shelves or higher shelves will help as well.We have a wide selection of handsfreeaccess to choose from for your storage needs. However if you have children be sure that they can access only those things that are safe for their age range.
Laundry areas can become unruly very easily. At Closet Concepts we offer cabinets, shelves, drip dry racks and folding tables with unique functional design so that the laundry room can be more than just functional, it can actually be a space you enjoy working in. Tip: Similar to garages, laundry rooms often become the catchall space for things we really dont know what to do with. Give yourself permission to throw away or give away items that you no longer use. Holding on to them only causes anxiety and clutter. If you want to make doing laundry easier for the kids in the house, give them each their own laundry basket with their name on it and let them bring their dirty clothes to the laundry and take it back up when its done.
We install space-saving cubbies, hooks, drawers and baskets to make it easy to keep your entryway neat and attractive. Tip: Mud rooms can actually be a fun place to be creative but also organized. There are plenty of options available to make a fun and functional space. Picking a theme for your mudroom can also get the kids involved and encourage them to keep the room neat as well.
2013年2月20日星期三
Howard Brown rebranding Triad health clinic alongside expansion
As part of a plan to
move and expand services at its Triad Health Practice in the Boystown LGBT
enclave, Howard Brown Health Center announced Tuesday it is rebranding and
opening the clinic at its new space on North Halsted Street late next month.
Branding for the clinic’s new name, Aris Health, has already appeared on windows at the redesigned 4,050-square-foot facility, 3245 N. Halsted St., formerly occupied by Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group. The changes will officially go into place March 25, the organization said.
In April, Howard Brown said it would relocate the clinic to the larger location from a smaller space at 3000 N. Halsted St. due to capacity demands for its expanding services, such as pediatric care.
The new storefront location, which is steps away from of one of the symbolic Halsted Street rainbow pylons and directly across the street from Steamworks, a gay bathhouse, will afford the clinic greater visibility, the organization said.
“We are excited about opening Aris Health in the heart of the community to serve patients in an environment completely focused on their care,” said Karma Israelsen, interim president and CEO at HBHC. “It’s important for us to meet the comprehensive health and wellness needs of those we serve.”
The increased prominence in Boystown will help the organization reach its goal of more than doubling the clinic’s current base of 2,000 patients to 5,High quality chinamosaic tiles.000 patients in the first few years. The new space has capacity for nearly 10,000 patients, or about the amount served at Howard Brown’s Sheridan Road facility.
In addition to clinical health services and pediatric care, Aris Health will also offer adult primary and behavioral care.
“We added pediatrics as part of our core practice offering last year to serve our patients’ children; Aris Health and the expanded space allows us to fulfill this need,” said Israelsen.
Specifically, the facility will house nine exam rooms, including a separate space for pediatric care; an onsite Walgreens pharmacy and free lot parking off Halsted Street — all of which will translate into benefits for patients, said HBHC’s Medical Director Dr. Magda Houlberg, M.D.
“At Aris Health, we are proud to institute a patient-focused model of care in a new and fresh environment that focuses on our patient experience,” Houlberg said.
Patients served at the new facility will be part of its new “complete patient-centered care model,” a system which promotes the involvement of patients in their medical care and ultimately leads to the development of personal relationships with their providers, according to Howard Brown.
As part of that relationship, the patient and provider work together on preventive and chronic care management which might also include the care a patient receives at other health facilities, the organization said in a statement.
Among the features of the new column-free facility are tunnel space for four batting cages, two infield areas, a 28-foot high ceiling, video capability, a concession stand and pro shop.Creative glass tile and solarlamp tile for your distinctive kitchen and bath.
“As we continue to position ourselves as a prime destination for baseball and softball players, the new building will enable us to provide a place for events and training for the entire year,Manufactures flexible plastic and synthetic chipcard and hose.” said Frank Zitaglio, general manager of BBH, a subsidiary of Steel Sports Inc. “Further,Looking for the Best iphoneheadset? the addition of a former player of Frank Catalanotto’s caliber will serve to solidify Baseball Heaven as the leading facility of its kind in the region.”
Catalanotto will provide individual and group instruction to baseball players and teams.Make your house a home with Border and carparkmanagementsystem Tiles. He enjoyed a 14-year MLB career with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets, compiling a .291 lifetime average in 1,265 games.
“I’m very excited to be a part of this great complex, and I look forward to working with players of all ages as they continue to develop their skills,” said Catalanotto, a native of Long Island, N.Y.
The new building is part of an overall upgrade BBH is planning in the coming year, including the construction of two new concession stands, the creation of extra parking, live online video streaming of all games and the development and implementation of a variety of sports instruction and development programs.
Zitaglio said both the construction of the new building and other renovations to the complex will create new jobs within the community and underscores BBH’s commitment to Long Island, a large portion of which was ravaged by Hurricane Sandy.
“We are extremely thankful to our community leaders and the Town of Brookhaven Planning Board for approving this excellent addition to our complex,” Zitaglio added. “We want to make sure that every current and potential player and team fully understands that we’re here for the long term. And through Baseball Heaven, we aim to continue to foster the values of teamwork, sportsmanship and integrity – all of the good things that baseball and softball are about.”
Branding for the clinic’s new name, Aris Health, has already appeared on windows at the redesigned 4,050-square-foot facility, 3245 N. Halsted St., formerly occupied by Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group. The changes will officially go into place March 25, the organization said.
In April, Howard Brown said it would relocate the clinic to the larger location from a smaller space at 3000 N. Halsted St. due to capacity demands for its expanding services, such as pediatric care.
The new storefront location, which is steps away from of one of the symbolic Halsted Street rainbow pylons and directly across the street from Steamworks, a gay bathhouse, will afford the clinic greater visibility, the organization said.
“We are excited about opening Aris Health in the heart of the community to serve patients in an environment completely focused on their care,” said Karma Israelsen, interim president and CEO at HBHC. “It’s important for us to meet the comprehensive health and wellness needs of those we serve.”
The increased prominence in Boystown will help the organization reach its goal of more than doubling the clinic’s current base of 2,000 patients to 5,High quality chinamosaic tiles.000 patients in the first few years. The new space has capacity for nearly 10,000 patients, or about the amount served at Howard Brown’s Sheridan Road facility.
In addition to clinical health services and pediatric care, Aris Health will also offer adult primary and behavioral care.
“We added pediatrics as part of our core practice offering last year to serve our patients’ children; Aris Health and the expanded space allows us to fulfill this need,” said Israelsen.
Specifically, the facility will house nine exam rooms, including a separate space for pediatric care; an onsite Walgreens pharmacy and free lot parking off Halsted Street — all of which will translate into benefits for patients, said HBHC’s Medical Director Dr. Magda Houlberg, M.D.
“At Aris Health, we are proud to institute a patient-focused model of care in a new and fresh environment that focuses on our patient experience,” Houlberg said.
Patients served at the new facility will be part of its new “complete patient-centered care model,” a system which promotes the involvement of patients in their medical care and ultimately leads to the development of personal relationships with their providers, according to Howard Brown.
As part of that relationship, the patient and provider work together on preventive and chronic care management which might also include the care a patient receives at other health facilities, the organization said in a statement.
Among the features of the new column-free facility are tunnel space for four batting cages, two infield areas, a 28-foot high ceiling, video capability, a concession stand and pro shop.Creative glass tile and solarlamp tile for your distinctive kitchen and bath.
“As we continue to position ourselves as a prime destination for baseball and softball players, the new building will enable us to provide a place for events and training for the entire year,Manufactures flexible plastic and synthetic chipcard and hose.” said Frank Zitaglio, general manager of BBH, a subsidiary of Steel Sports Inc. “Further,Looking for the Best iphoneheadset? the addition of a former player of Frank Catalanotto’s caliber will serve to solidify Baseball Heaven as the leading facility of its kind in the region.”
Catalanotto will provide individual and group instruction to baseball players and teams.Make your house a home with Border and carparkmanagementsystem Tiles. He enjoyed a 14-year MLB career with the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets, compiling a .291 lifetime average in 1,265 games.
“I’m very excited to be a part of this great complex, and I look forward to working with players of all ages as they continue to develop their skills,” said Catalanotto, a native of Long Island, N.Y.
The new building is part of an overall upgrade BBH is planning in the coming year, including the construction of two new concession stands, the creation of extra parking, live online video streaming of all games and the development and implementation of a variety of sports instruction and development programs.
Zitaglio said both the construction of the new building and other renovations to the complex will create new jobs within the community and underscores BBH’s commitment to Long Island, a large portion of which was ravaged by Hurricane Sandy.
“We are extremely thankful to our community leaders and the Town of Brookhaven Planning Board for approving this excellent addition to our complex,” Zitaglio added. “We want to make sure that every current and potential player and team fully understands that we’re here for the long term. And through Baseball Heaven, we aim to continue to foster the values of teamwork, sportsmanship and integrity – all of the good things that baseball and softball are about.”
2013年1月10日星期四
Mong Ha contract dispute renews doubts on quality of public housing
Twenty people from the construction material suppliers and the sub-contractor that built part of the facilities of Phase 2 of the affordable housing estate of Mong Ha staged another demonstration outside the construction site yesterday, delivering a petition demanding the outstanding payment of MOP40m that the contractor allegedly owes them. But the contractor denied the allegation, prompting new doubts on the quality of public housing estates after Phase 1 of Mong Ha was found to have massive peeling of its tile covering earlier this month.
The group of suppliers and the sub-contractor staged a rally outside Mong Ha’s construction site on the road of Rua de Francisco Xavier Pereira in the northern district, requesting an intervention by the government to help them claim back the MOP40m. Police was standing by at the scene.
But the contractor told the broadcaster they terminated the contract with the sub-contractor due to the sub-contractor’s low construction and management skills. The contractor also filed a lawsuit against the subcontractor for document forgery, and denied owing the sub-contractor any outstanding remuneration after an earlier payment of MOP62m had settled all due charges. The company was quoted as saying that the dispute would not affect the quality of the Mong Ha public housing estate. Mong Ha’s Mong Sin Building was found to have tiles falling from walls on several floors into public areas, prompting debate on whether construction quality was sacrificed for a timely completion of the public housing units the government promised.
Regarding the Sin Fong Garden building that was evacuated last October due to structural problems, the Government is calling for cooperation by Sin Fong shop owners, and posted notices outside shops on the ground floor of the building. The notice says shop owners have a legal obligation to allow government workers inside their premises to carry out reinforcement works intended to prop-up the demised structure, which was found to be suffering from large cracks in the walls, as well as distorted main pillars, prompting fears of a building collapse.
According to TDM’s report, the owners refused entry of workers after the government granted urgent housing allowances for residents in the building, before the authority claim back the money from the party/parties responsible for the problem. An investigation report initiated by the government is entering its final stage, and will likely pave the way to compensation claims against the party/parties responsible for the exodus affecting hundreds of residents.
But the shop owners on the ground floor were not given the same subsidy, expressing fears that they might not be able to independently claim their losses against the responsible party/parties. The owners have sent petition letters to the Chief Executive requesting assistance. The government also published a press release on Wednesday calling for cooperation among shop owners, as the reinforcement works on the ground floor are crucial in ensuring the building is protected from possible collapse.
In 2001, Tod and I lived above Carnegie Hall. Most New Yorkers at the time didn't know there were residential studios in a tower on top of the building. Our rent was too good to be true, and soon we heard rumors that the hall was going to evict tenants to convert the studios into rehearsal space. The buzz motivated us to buy a safety apartment—just in case.
Our architectural practice was taking off, and we wanted to live on top of a building—for the sunlight and view. We looked at penthouses and fell in love with an awful one on Central Park South—just blocks from our office. The building's owner had mounted it on the roof in the '60s, and the interior was a wreck—shag carpeting and gold-veined smoked mirror tiles on the walls and ceiling. But being able to see the park from the 22nd floor and the silence won us over.
When we closed on the space in 2001, Tod and I thought we were buying an apartment—but we wound up with a construction site. We tore down the structure and put up a 16-by-30-foot glass box. Now when you walk in the front door, you enter another world. There are 9-foot floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, a wood-paneled kitchen, a tiny bedroom just big enough for a bed, and a bathroom with a tub that looks out to the view. The penthouse became our glamour pad—like a quiet place in the country.
In 2008, we received a formal eviction letter from Carnegie Hall. That's when Tod and I realized our glass penthouse wasn't going to work as a primary residence. We couldn't move our art collection and books there. The space was too small, and the walls were all glass. We talked briefly about selling, but we loved the penthouse too much. Instead, we decided to look for a second apartment—a simple place for our life stuff.
We had always been fond of an unusual 10-story building on the Upper West Side. It was built in 1915 as a cooperative—housing residences and artists' lofts on opposite sides of the same floors. In some ways the layout had the same spirit as the Carnegie Hall studios. Apartments with double-height living spaces were all taken, but we found a duplex that was 15 feet wide by 28 feet long on the first level and a little larger on the second.
We gutted both levels and painted the entire interior white—including the wood floors—to brighten the space and make it feel larger. We created three different zones on the first level—a galley kitchen, a dining area and living space—by designing a continuous series of elevated platforms. We unified all three with a 13-foot-long white marble countertop.
When you enter the duplex, you are immediately in the kitchen galley. Next you step up to a platform where you can sit on stools and dine at the counter. Then you walk up two steps to sit in the living area. That final elevation allowed the back of our long sofa to meet the base of the apartment's original 20-foot-high studio window, which continues up to the second level.
Upstairs, you arrive at a living area with a flat-screen TV and sofas. We wanted a quiet wall for the hall connecting the living area to our bedroom, so we created floor-to-ceiling panels of etched Bendheim glass with mirrors behind them. The mirrors reflect light into the etched glass, producing a greenish, satiny wall surface.
Tod and I have been married since 1983 and we're together all the time—at work and at our two apartments. I suppose we've never had a big enough fight for us to spend time separately in the two homes. When we're at the duplex, Tod prefers to be upstairs watching sports. I like being downstairs—near the bookcases and the food.
We also spend a lot of time looking at our art, which includes photography by Rachel Perry Welty, a small sculpture by Mark di Suvero and mixed media by El Anatsui. Art isn't fraught, and we'd rather be indirectly inspired by our collection than directly stimulated by other works of architecture in books.
The group of suppliers and the sub-contractor staged a rally outside Mong Ha’s construction site on the road of Rua de Francisco Xavier Pereira in the northern district, requesting an intervention by the government to help them claim back the MOP40m. Police was standing by at the scene.
But the contractor told the broadcaster they terminated the contract with the sub-contractor due to the sub-contractor’s low construction and management skills. The contractor also filed a lawsuit against the subcontractor for document forgery, and denied owing the sub-contractor any outstanding remuneration after an earlier payment of MOP62m had settled all due charges. The company was quoted as saying that the dispute would not affect the quality of the Mong Ha public housing estate. Mong Ha’s Mong Sin Building was found to have tiles falling from walls on several floors into public areas, prompting debate on whether construction quality was sacrificed for a timely completion of the public housing units the government promised.
Regarding the Sin Fong Garden building that was evacuated last October due to structural problems, the Government is calling for cooperation by Sin Fong shop owners, and posted notices outside shops on the ground floor of the building. The notice says shop owners have a legal obligation to allow government workers inside their premises to carry out reinforcement works intended to prop-up the demised structure, which was found to be suffering from large cracks in the walls, as well as distorted main pillars, prompting fears of a building collapse.
According to TDM’s report, the owners refused entry of workers after the government granted urgent housing allowances for residents in the building, before the authority claim back the money from the party/parties responsible for the problem. An investigation report initiated by the government is entering its final stage, and will likely pave the way to compensation claims against the party/parties responsible for the exodus affecting hundreds of residents.
But the shop owners on the ground floor were not given the same subsidy, expressing fears that they might not be able to independently claim their losses against the responsible party/parties. The owners have sent petition letters to the Chief Executive requesting assistance. The government also published a press release on Wednesday calling for cooperation among shop owners, as the reinforcement works on the ground floor are crucial in ensuring the building is protected from possible collapse.
In 2001, Tod and I lived above Carnegie Hall. Most New Yorkers at the time didn't know there were residential studios in a tower on top of the building. Our rent was too good to be true, and soon we heard rumors that the hall was going to evict tenants to convert the studios into rehearsal space. The buzz motivated us to buy a safety apartment—just in case.
Our architectural practice was taking off, and we wanted to live on top of a building—for the sunlight and view. We looked at penthouses and fell in love with an awful one on Central Park South—just blocks from our office. The building's owner had mounted it on the roof in the '60s, and the interior was a wreck—shag carpeting and gold-veined smoked mirror tiles on the walls and ceiling. But being able to see the park from the 22nd floor and the silence won us over.
When we closed on the space in 2001, Tod and I thought we were buying an apartment—but we wound up with a construction site. We tore down the structure and put up a 16-by-30-foot glass box. Now when you walk in the front door, you enter another world. There are 9-foot floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides, a wood-paneled kitchen, a tiny bedroom just big enough for a bed, and a bathroom with a tub that looks out to the view. The penthouse became our glamour pad—like a quiet place in the country.
In 2008, we received a formal eviction letter from Carnegie Hall. That's when Tod and I realized our glass penthouse wasn't going to work as a primary residence. We couldn't move our art collection and books there. The space was too small, and the walls were all glass. We talked briefly about selling, but we loved the penthouse too much. Instead, we decided to look for a second apartment—a simple place for our life stuff.
We had always been fond of an unusual 10-story building on the Upper West Side. It was built in 1915 as a cooperative—housing residences and artists' lofts on opposite sides of the same floors. In some ways the layout had the same spirit as the Carnegie Hall studios. Apartments with double-height living spaces were all taken, but we found a duplex that was 15 feet wide by 28 feet long on the first level and a little larger on the second.
We gutted both levels and painted the entire interior white—including the wood floors—to brighten the space and make it feel larger. We created three different zones on the first level—a galley kitchen, a dining area and living space—by designing a continuous series of elevated platforms. We unified all three with a 13-foot-long white marble countertop.
When you enter the duplex, you are immediately in the kitchen galley. Next you step up to a platform where you can sit on stools and dine at the counter. Then you walk up two steps to sit in the living area. That final elevation allowed the back of our long sofa to meet the base of the apartment's original 20-foot-high studio window, which continues up to the second level.
Upstairs, you arrive at a living area with a flat-screen TV and sofas. We wanted a quiet wall for the hall connecting the living area to our bedroom, so we created floor-to-ceiling panels of etched Bendheim glass with mirrors behind them. The mirrors reflect light into the etched glass, producing a greenish, satiny wall surface.
Tod and I have been married since 1983 and we're together all the time—at work and at our two apartments. I suppose we've never had a big enough fight for us to spend time separately in the two homes. When we're at the duplex, Tod prefers to be upstairs watching sports. I like being downstairs—near the bookcases and the food.
We also spend a lot of time looking at our art, which includes photography by Rachel Perry Welty, a small sculpture by Mark di Suvero and mixed media by El Anatsui. Art isn't fraught, and we'd rather be indirectly inspired by our collection than directly stimulated by other works of architecture in books.
2012年5月23日星期三
Researchers develop probe for ultracold quantum matter
In a paper published in Nature Physics, a research group from the
Department of Physics and Astronomy at Stony Brook University reports
the development and demonstration of a novel probe for atomic quantum
matter.Welcome to polishedtiles.
The paper, "Probing an Ultracold-Atom Crystal with Matter Waves,"
describes a proof-of-principle experiment on the diffraction of atomic
de Broglie waves from a strongly correlated gas of atoms held in an
optical lattice.
"Our work extends matter-wave diffraction, a technique that has already proven useful in various scientific disciplines, to the realm of ultracold quantum matter. What we demonstrated is similar to the diffraction of neutrons for the characterization of solid-state systems, but at energies that are a billion times lower," said Dominik Schneble, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Stony Brook,Rubiks cubepuzzle.Stone Source offers a variety of Natural stonemosaic Tiles, who led PhD students Bryce Gadway, Daniel Pertot, and Jeremy Reeves in conducting the research.
In the experiment, an artificial atomic crystal is prepared by loading bosonic atoms, cooled down to a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero, into a miniature eggcrate-like potential landscape that is generated by several interfering laser beams. The behavior of atoms in this optical lattice closely mimics that of electrons in a conventional solid, but at a lattice period that is three orders of a magnitude larger, providing the experimenters with exquisite control over all relevant parameters in a defect-free system. By increasing the depth of the optical potential, it is possible to reduce quantum-mechanical tunneling and eventually drive the interacting atoms into a localized crystalline state, a Mott insulator.
Studies of such and other strongly correlated phases, which are now conducted at a number of laboratories around the world, have recently propelled ultracold atomic physics into the focus of modern condensed-matter research, and the development of methods to characterize such phases is a central concern. The Stony Brook researchers recognized that Bragg diffraction of atoms may provide a simple yet powerful diagnostic tool that also allows for non-destructive probing.
Starting with a Bose-Einstein condensate, the researchers prepared a coherent atomic matter wave (akin to a coherent laser pulse), which they then directed at the atomic crystal. The wave-particle nature of atoms allowed them to control the wavelength of the incident atoms through their relative velocity. "Because the de-Broglie wavelength can easily be tuned, our technique precludes limitations on spatial resolution," said Bryce Gadway, first author of the paper, who is slated to join JILA (Boulder) as a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow this summer.
By scanning the atom's wavelength, the researchers observed distinct Bragg resonances in the scattered signal, which revealed the crystalline lattice structure. From the signal, they were also able to characterize the localization of atoms on individual lattice sites,UK chickencoop Specialist. which is dominated by zero-point motion. Furthermore, upon reducing the atom's localization ("melting" of the crystal), the Stony Brook team observed inelastic scattering in the band structure.
As a first application, the researchers prepared and detected an atomic spin-mixture with forced-antiferromagnetic order. "In the future, our technique may be extended to the characterization of various novel states of ultracold matter, such as charge- and spin-density waves, and magnetically ordered ground states of quantum gas mixtures," said co-author Daniel Pertot,Features useful information about glassmosaic tiles, now a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Cambridge, U.K.
Independent of any such potential applications, adds Schneble, "Our experiment provides a nice example of wave-particle duality, where ultracold atoms serve both as localized particles and as coherent waves diffracting from them."
"Our work extends matter-wave diffraction, a technique that has already proven useful in various scientific disciplines, to the realm of ultracold quantum matter. What we demonstrated is similar to the diffraction of neutrons for the characterization of solid-state systems, but at energies that are a billion times lower," said Dominik Schneble, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Stony Brook,Rubiks cubepuzzle.Stone Source offers a variety of Natural stonemosaic Tiles, who led PhD students Bryce Gadway, Daniel Pertot, and Jeremy Reeves in conducting the research.
In the experiment, an artificial atomic crystal is prepared by loading bosonic atoms, cooled down to a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero, into a miniature eggcrate-like potential landscape that is generated by several interfering laser beams. The behavior of atoms in this optical lattice closely mimics that of electrons in a conventional solid, but at a lattice period that is three orders of a magnitude larger, providing the experimenters with exquisite control over all relevant parameters in a defect-free system. By increasing the depth of the optical potential, it is possible to reduce quantum-mechanical tunneling and eventually drive the interacting atoms into a localized crystalline state, a Mott insulator.
Studies of such and other strongly correlated phases, which are now conducted at a number of laboratories around the world, have recently propelled ultracold atomic physics into the focus of modern condensed-matter research, and the development of methods to characterize such phases is a central concern. The Stony Brook researchers recognized that Bragg diffraction of atoms may provide a simple yet powerful diagnostic tool that also allows for non-destructive probing.
Starting with a Bose-Einstein condensate, the researchers prepared a coherent atomic matter wave (akin to a coherent laser pulse), which they then directed at the atomic crystal. The wave-particle nature of atoms allowed them to control the wavelength of the incident atoms through their relative velocity. "Because the de-Broglie wavelength can easily be tuned, our technique precludes limitations on spatial resolution," said Bryce Gadway, first author of the paper, who is slated to join JILA (Boulder) as a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow this summer.
By scanning the atom's wavelength, the researchers observed distinct Bragg resonances in the scattered signal, which revealed the crystalline lattice structure. From the signal, they were also able to characterize the localization of atoms on individual lattice sites,UK chickencoop Specialist. which is dominated by zero-point motion. Furthermore, upon reducing the atom's localization ("melting" of the crystal), the Stony Brook team observed inelastic scattering in the band structure.
As a first application, the researchers prepared and detected an atomic spin-mixture with forced-antiferromagnetic order. "In the future, our technique may be extended to the characterization of various novel states of ultracold matter, such as charge- and spin-density waves, and magnetically ordered ground states of quantum gas mixtures," said co-author Daniel Pertot,Features useful information about glassmosaic tiles, now a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Cambridge, U.K.
Independent of any such potential applications, adds Schneble, "Our experiment provides a nice example of wave-particle duality, where ultracold atoms serve both as localized particles and as coherent waves diffracting from them."
2012年4月24日星期二
RaceWay Fine-Tunes Its Design
RaceTrac Petroleum Corp.'s RaceWay division rolled out its first new prototype in 2009, featuring a larger footprint, more cooler doors and an expanded foodservice area. The division, which focuses on the company's contractor-operated convenience stores vs. its RaceTrac company-operated stores, then reached out to its franchisee operators for feedback and decided to make a few more adjustments to accommodate new foodservice programs and better meet the demands of being a one-stop shop.
In 2011, RaceWay opened seven stores featuring its new design, and the chain will add 20 more prototype stores this year. The division, which has approximately 290 c-stores across 12 states in the Southeast, is also retrofitting some existing buildings with features taken from the new prototype as well.
"Seeking this kind of feedback from our operators follows our mission: 'to build long-term mutually beneficial relationships with outstanding operators,'" Justen Giambalvo, director of RaceWay operations, told CSNews Online.
The retailer's latest design includes changes to both the exterior and interior compared to the original 2009 prototype. On the exterior, the company chose a center tower design with a larger soffit in order to direct a customer's attention to the front doors of the store. For the same purpose, the design also incorporates new front windows. This draws attention to interior signage, while also allowing for more natural light, according to Giambalvo.
"Our goal on the exterior was to make the building stand apart from the canopy," he explained. "We wanted to create a classic look for the building that would stand the test of time."
Materials used for the exterior facade include brick, stone and an exterior insulation finishing system (EIFS). The use of both brick and stone offer different textures to "create a warm feel, telling our customers visually that 'this isn't your average convenience store,'" Giambalvo noted.
For the interior, the company added a beer cave, a flexible foodservice area, larger coffee and fountain areas, expanded restrooms and a larger back room. The main goal was to use the feedback received from the operators to create an attractive and efficient overall layout, he said.
"We wanted the inside to be inviting to the customers and have all the features necessary for our operators' success," he added. "We wanted to create an environment where customers can navigate the store easily and find the items they need quickly."
Ceramic tile flooring is featured throughout, and LED lights were installed in the coolers. In the coffee and fountain area, 12 feet of millwork was added to allow operators the needed space for the latest coffees, teas and other fountain offerings. Additionally, the deli or foodservice area is now near the center of the store -- in close proximity to the checkout -- so operators can maximize labor and make food the "centerpiece of the store," Giambalvo said.
Adding the beer cave to the new design was also based on operator feedback. They wanted the ability to expand specialty beer in the cooler, while also bulk-buying cases for the cave, Giambalvo said. This allows operators to provide their customers with the best selection and pricing possible.
In 2011, RaceWay opened seven stores featuring its new design, and the chain will add 20 more prototype stores this year. The division, which has approximately 290 c-stores across 12 states in the Southeast, is also retrofitting some existing buildings with features taken from the new prototype as well.
"Seeking this kind of feedback from our operators follows our mission: 'to build long-term mutually beneficial relationships with outstanding operators,'" Justen Giambalvo, director of RaceWay operations, told CSNews Online.
The retailer's latest design includes changes to both the exterior and interior compared to the original 2009 prototype. On the exterior, the company chose a center tower design with a larger soffit in order to direct a customer's attention to the front doors of the store. For the same purpose, the design also incorporates new front windows. This draws attention to interior signage, while also allowing for more natural light, according to Giambalvo.
"Our goal on the exterior was to make the building stand apart from the canopy," he explained. "We wanted to create a classic look for the building that would stand the test of time."
Materials used for the exterior facade include brick, stone and an exterior insulation finishing system (EIFS). The use of both brick and stone offer different textures to "create a warm feel, telling our customers visually that 'this isn't your average convenience store,'" Giambalvo noted.
For the interior, the company added a beer cave, a flexible foodservice area, larger coffee and fountain areas, expanded restrooms and a larger back room. The main goal was to use the feedback received from the operators to create an attractive and efficient overall layout, he said.
"We wanted the inside to be inviting to the customers and have all the features necessary for our operators' success," he added. "We wanted to create an environment where customers can navigate the store easily and find the items they need quickly."
Ceramic tile flooring is featured throughout, and LED lights were installed in the coolers. In the coffee and fountain area, 12 feet of millwork was added to allow operators the needed space for the latest coffees, teas and other fountain offerings. Additionally, the deli or foodservice area is now near the center of the store -- in close proximity to the checkout -- so operators can maximize labor and make food the "centerpiece of the store," Giambalvo said.
Adding the beer cave to the new design was also based on operator feedback. They wanted the ability to expand specialty beer in the cooler, while also bulk-buying cases for the cave, Giambalvo said. This allows operators to provide their customers with the best selection and pricing possible.
2012年3月25日星期日
Longtime china painter still passionate about her art
Artist Jean Fehl was first introduced to china painting during a Peoria Park District class at Proctor Center in 1966.
"I would do anything to get out of the house - I had five kids at home," said Fehl with a laugh while sitting in the light-filled studio at her Bartonville home recently.
Married at 19, Fehl had five children over nine years, which left little time for artistic endeavors. She took that first class when her youngest was 2, and it turned into a life-long passion.
Fehl has been featured in national china painting publications, taught classes, and lectured all over the U.S. While the 78-year-old has slowed down her schedule in recent years, at one time she was traveling almost every weekend.
"I did that for a long time," Fehl said. "When my husband retired, he went with me. He would take his golf clubs."
During seminars Fehl spoke about the ancient history surrounding the art.
"China painting has been around forever," said Fehl. The art form has been around about as long as fine porcelain, which evolved from coarser forms of pottery. Before the manufacturing process for porcelain became widely known, it was much sought after, said Fehl. "At one point it was called white gold," she said.
Once the domain of professional artists working for china manufacturers, china painting became a popular hobby in the late 1800s when industrialization changed the way china was produced.
"I think the '60s and '70s were sort of the golden age of china painting," said Fehl. Many women did not work outside the home, and had more free time to devote to art.
People are attracted to china painting because they can create something both beautiful and functional, said Fehl. The variety of forms available for decoration is almost limitless, from the traditional china cup, to vases, tiles and jewelry.
Fehl has been painting china for so long she can do some designs, like roses, from memory. But for more complex images, she uses an extensive collection of photographs for reference.
Fehl always carries a camera to photograph things that catch her eye, from an interesting flower to broad scenic backdrop. On a trip to Colorado a few years ago, Fehl photographed a picturesque barn perched on a sweeping hillside which later became a watercolor painting she displays on her studio wall.
"I would do anything to get out of the house - I had five kids at home," said Fehl with a laugh while sitting in the light-filled studio at her Bartonville home recently.
Married at 19, Fehl had five children over nine years, which left little time for artistic endeavors. She took that first class when her youngest was 2, and it turned into a life-long passion.
Fehl has been featured in national china painting publications, taught classes, and lectured all over the U.S. While the 78-year-old has slowed down her schedule in recent years, at one time she was traveling almost every weekend.
"I did that for a long time," Fehl said. "When my husband retired, he went with me. He would take his golf clubs."
During seminars Fehl spoke about the ancient history surrounding the art.
"China painting has been around forever," said Fehl. The art form has been around about as long as fine porcelain, which evolved from coarser forms of pottery. Before the manufacturing process for porcelain became widely known, it was much sought after, said Fehl. "At one point it was called white gold," she said.
Once the domain of professional artists working for china manufacturers, china painting became a popular hobby in the late 1800s when industrialization changed the way china was produced.
"I think the '60s and '70s were sort of the golden age of china painting," said Fehl. Many women did not work outside the home, and had more free time to devote to art.
People are attracted to china painting because they can create something both beautiful and functional, said Fehl. The variety of forms available for decoration is almost limitless, from the traditional china cup, to vases, tiles and jewelry.
Fehl has been painting china for so long she can do some designs, like roses, from memory. But for more complex images, she uses an extensive collection of photographs for reference.
Fehl always carries a camera to photograph things that catch her eye, from an interesting flower to broad scenic backdrop. On a trip to Colorado a few years ago, Fehl photographed a picturesque barn perched on a sweeping hillside which later became a watercolor painting she displays on her studio wall.
2012年3月1日星期四
Design flexibility in Laurel condos
Plenty of older homeowners would love to ditch their household chores, including shoveling snow or mowing the lawn, but many think they can’t afford to move into a brand-new home. At Legacy at Cherry Tree, homeowners age 55 and older can purchase a condominium from Ryan Homes within an active-adult community starting at $199,990.
Legacy at Cherry Tree, in Laurel in Maryland’s Howard County, offers a low-maintenance lifestyle along with amenities designed to keep residents socially and physically active. The development has a clubhouse with a fitness center and space for community activities.
For those who enjoy walking, Legacy at Cherry Tree has plenty of green, open space and is within walking distance of a grocery store and other conveniences. In addition, the shops, restaurants and entertainment venues of Maple Lawn are within a short drive.
Residents who commute to work or want to enjoy cultural and recreational activities will find the location near Route 29 and Route 216, two miles from Interstate 95, convenient to Columbia, Baltimore and the District.
The Hampton Court condominiums at Legacy at Cherry Tree each have approximately 1,400 finished square feet with two bedrooms and two full baths. Ryan Homes is offering buyers a choice of $3,000 toward closing costs or an upgraded kitchen. Monthly condominium fees are $245.
The brick-and-siding midrise buildings at Legacy at Cherry Tree include elevators. Each home has a patio or balcony. Inside, the homes have 9-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring in the foyer and ceramic tile flooring in the baths. The kitchen has 42-inch cabinets.
Each home has a foyer entrance with a coat closet and a storage closet. The foyer offers a glimpse of the open floor plan, which includes a dining area and a living room with three floor-to-ceiling windows facing the balcony or patio. The kitchen includes a pantry, a closet with a side-by-side washer and dryer and a breakfast bar that opens to the living room. Buyers can add a gas fireplace in the corner and a built-in entertainment center.
A decorative column defines the sunroom, which has a glass door that opens onto the balcony or patio. Buyers can convert the sunroom to a formal dining room, a study with French doors or even a third bedroom.
The master-bedroom suite includes a walk-in closet and a standard closet and has two windows. The master bath has a linen closet. Buyers can choose to add a second sink and replace the combination tub and shower with an oversized shower. An optional luxury bath features a soaking tub and separate shower.
The second bedroom, on the opposite side of the living areas, has a standard closet and a private door leading to the adjacent hall bath. The bath has a combination tub and shower and a linen closet, but buyers can convert the tub into a larger shower.
Another option for the upper-level Hampton Court models is to add cathedral ceilings to the master suite and the living area or a loft that overlooks the living area. Buyers also can add recessed lighting and ceiling fans to their home.
Legacy at Cherry Tree, in Laurel in Maryland’s Howard County, offers a low-maintenance lifestyle along with amenities designed to keep residents socially and physically active. The development has a clubhouse with a fitness center and space for community activities.
For those who enjoy walking, Legacy at Cherry Tree has plenty of green, open space and is within walking distance of a grocery store and other conveniences. In addition, the shops, restaurants and entertainment venues of Maple Lawn are within a short drive.
Residents who commute to work or want to enjoy cultural and recreational activities will find the location near Route 29 and Route 216, two miles from Interstate 95, convenient to Columbia, Baltimore and the District.
The Hampton Court condominiums at Legacy at Cherry Tree each have approximately 1,400 finished square feet with two bedrooms and two full baths. Ryan Homes is offering buyers a choice of $3,000 toward closing costs or an upgraded kitchen. Monthly condominium fees are $245.
The brick-and-siding midrise buildings at Legacy at Cherry Tree include elevators. Each home has a patio or balcony. Inside, the homes have 9-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring in the foyer and ceramic tile flooring in the baths. The kitchen has 42-inch cabinets.
Each home has a foyer entrance with a coat closet and a storage closet. The foyer offers a glimpse of the open floor plan, which includes a dining area and a living room with three floor-to-ceiling windows facing the balcony or patio. The kitchen includes a pantry, a closet with a side-by-side washer and dryer and a breakfast bar that opens to the living room. Buyers can add a gas fireplace in the corner and a built-in entertainment center.
A decorative column defines the sunroom, which has a glass door that opens onto the balcony or patio. Buyers can convert the sunroom to a formal dining room, a study with French doors or even a third bedroom.
The master-bedroom suite includes a walk-in closet and a standard closet and has two windows. The master bath has a linen closet. Buyers can choose to add a second sink and replace the combination tub and shower with an oversized shower. An optional luxury bath features a soaking tub and separate shower.
The second bedroom, on the opposite side of the living areas, has a standard closet and a private door leading to the adjacent hall bath. The bath has a combination tub and shower and a linen closet, but buyers can convert the tub into a larger shower.
Another option for the upper-level Hampton Court models is to add cathedral ceilings to the master suite and the living area or a loft that overlooks the living area. Buyers also can add recessed lighting and ceiling fans to their home.
2012年2月26日星期日
Windows Phone
Even if Microsoft's revamped software for smartphones doesn't put Redmond back on the mobile map, it's the only glimmer of hope that the mobile market won't always be locked behind an endless grid of apps.
Microsoft doesn't get any points for being very, very late to the smartphone party -- Windows Phone was introduced in 2010 -- but recent software updates point to its product's being a strong rival to Apple's iPhone and Google's Android.
It takes only a second to see that Windows Phone doesn't look like any other smartphone software. The startup screen features a colorful stream of tiles constantly updating with the latest posts from social networks, weather reports and other data-feeds you pin there. Where checking social networks on an iPhone or Android device means opening and closing app after app to get the most recent information, Windows Phone presents it all as one stream. Even the contacts aggregate not only phone numbers and email addresses, but Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.
Microsoft didn't set out to make mobile software that looked dramatically different from Android or iPhone, said Jeff Fong, a principal user-experience designer on Windows Phone. But that's exactly what happened when the company unwrapped all the content buried in apps.
"We want to bring information to our user, rather than having our users go look for it," Mr. Fong said.
The problem is that consumers haven't gone looking for the phone.
As market share and momentum climb for iPhone and Android, Microsoft's continues to fall. The company partnered with global handset-maker Nokia -- another ailing giant -- to develop and distribute Windows Phones, but there are no signs that the fruits of that union will be able to gain ground on the reigning smartphones' massive lead.
The first devices from the partnership appeared in Europe and Asia during the holidays, but, as expected, sales were not sufficient to prevent a further decline in Microsoft's smartphone market share, according to research firm Gartner.
The Nokia Lumia 900, coming to the U.S. on AT&T this spring, was a design darling of the Consumer Electronics Show, but consumers will only see the device only if they know to look for it.
Microsoft doesn't get any points for being very, very late to the smartphone party -- Windows Phone was introduced in 2010 -- but recent software updates point to its product's being a strong rival to Apple's iPhone and Google's Android.
It takes only a second to see that Windows Phone doesn't look like any other smartphone software. The startup screen features a colorful stream of tiles constantly updating with the latest posts from social networks, weather reports and other data-feeds you pin there. Where checking social networks on an iPhone or Android device means opening and closing app after app to get the most recent information, Windows Phone presents it all as one stream. Even the contacts aggregate not only phone numbers and email addresses, but Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.
Microsoft didn't set out to make mobile software that looked dramatically different from Android or iPhone, said Jeff Fong, a principal user-experience designer on Windows Phone. But that's exactly what happened when the company unwrapped all the content buried in apps.
"We want to bring information to our user, rather than having our users go look for it," Mr. Fong said.
The problem is that consumers haven't gone looking for the phone.
As market share and momentum climb for iPhone and Android, Microsoft's continues to fall. The company partnered with global handset-maker Nokia -- another ailing giant -- to develop and distribute Windows Phones, but there are no signs that the fruits of that union will be able to gain ground on the reigning smartphones' massive lead.
The first devices from the partnership appeared in Europe and Asia during the holidays, but, as expected, sales were not sufficient to prevent a further decline in Microsoft's smartphone market share, according to research firm Gartner.
The Nokia Lumia 900, coming to the U.S. on AT&T this spring, was a design darling of the Consumer Electronics Show, but consumers will only see the device only if they know to look for it.
2012年2月23日星期四
Construction to start for low income housing
At last word, there were two thousand people on the waiting list for Section 8 Housing in the Lake Charles area. As well, the difficulties for residents when Crestwood Trailer Park recently closed, show what a challenge it can be to find safe, affordable housing in the Lake Area.
Seventy two of 92 units at Booker T. Washington at 1901 Mill Street are to be torn down, though they will be replaced. In all 102 new units are being built at three locations which will provide an increase of 30 new residences
Today the Lake Charles Housing Authority is holding a ground breaking fo two new communities: Kingsley Court, at 2331 Cline Street and Bayou Bluff at 2228 Old Highway 171.
Bayou Bluff and Kingsley Court are being constructed on two parcels of previously vacant housing authority owned property. The planned development will offer two, three and four bedroom units with energy efficient appliances and lighting. The property will also offer dishwashers, washers and dryers in each unit, garbage disposals, ceramic tile, and a community center. 16% of all units will be fully accessible to people with disabilities and compliant with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 504 regulations.
When completed, the combined projects will consist of 54 single family units. Each residential unit will be reserved for residents whose incomes fall below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the Lake Charles area. The project is scheduled to open for occupancy in fall 2012.
"Today, we break ground on the site of former vacant land that will be transformed to a vibrant, attractive residential community." said Lake Charles Housing Authority Executive Director S. Ben Taylor. "Bayou Bluff and Kingsley Court demonstrate the housing authority's ongoing commitment to build quality affordable housing that residents regardless of income would enjoy."
Bayou Bluff and Kingsley Court are being developed in collaboration with Lake Charles Non Profit Housing Development Corporation and Centerpointe Regional Housing Development. Bayou Bluff and Kingsley Court are the first phase of a large scale, multi-year initiative to replace aging and deteriorating public housing in the City of Lake Charles.
"We are once again pleased to partner with the Lake Charles Housing Authority in this important effort to develop much-needed affordable housing. We congratulate our partners from Capital One, Hudson Housing Capital, HUD, and the housing authority for making this public-private partnership such a huge success," said Art Schuldt, managing partner of Centerpointe Regional Housing Development.
HUD's Section 901 program, through the Lake Charles Housing Authority, will provide development funding assistance to support the 54-unit development. Additionally, HUD, through the Lake Charles Housing Authority, will provide operating financial support through public housing operating subsidy and Project Based Section 8 voucher programs.
On the private sector funding side, Capital One Bank is providing construction financing and is also providing equity generated through the purchase of low-income housing tax credits. Hudson Housing Capital partnered with Capital One Bank as syndicator for the project. The Louisiana Housing Finance Agency awarded both projects Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocations in December 2010.
"At Capital One Bank, we recognize the tremendous impact that developments like this can have on the local community," said Greg Webb, Capital One Bank's Lake Charles Market President. "We are proud to partner with the Lake Charles Housing Authority and its nonprofit subsidiary Lake Charles Non Profit Housing Development Corporation to bring this worthwhile housing development to fruition."
The total cost of the two affordable housing developments is $14.4 million. Funding sources include $10,622,938 of tax credit equity provided by Capital One Bank through Hudson Housing Capital and $3,780,471 of Section 901 funds provided by HUD.
Seventy two of 92 units at Booker T. Washington at 1901 Mill Street are to be torn down, though they will be replaced. In all 102 new units are being built at three locations which will provide an increase of 30 new residences
Today the Lake Charles Housing Authority is holding a ground breaking fo two new communities: Kingsley Court, at 2331 Cline Street and Bayou Bluff at 2228 Old Highway 171.
Bayou Bluff and Kingsley Court are being constructed on two parcels of previously vacant housing authority owned property. The planned development will offer two, three and four bedroom units with energy efficient appliances and lighting. The property will also offer dishwashers, washers and dryers in each unit, garbage disposals, ceramic tile, and a community center. 16% of all units will be fully accessible to people with disabilities and compliant with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 504 regulations.
When completed, the combined projects will consist of 54 single family units. Each residential unit will be reserved for residents whose incomes fall below 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for the Lake Charles area. The project is scheduled to open for occupancy in fall 2012.
"Today, we break ground on the site of former vacant land that will be transformed to a vibrant, attractive residential community." said Lake Charles Housing Authority Executive Director S. Ben Taylor. "Bayou Bluff and Kingsley Court demonstrate the housing authority's ongoing commitment to build quality affordable housing that residents regardless of income would enjoy."
Bayou Bluff and Kingsley Court are being developed in collaboration with Lake Charles Non Profit Housing Development Corporation and Centerpointe Regional Housing Development. Bayou Bluff and Kingsley Court are the first phase of a large scale, multi-year initiative to replace aging and deteriorating public housing in the City of Lake Charles.
"We are once again pleased to partner with the Lake Charles Housing Authority in this important effort to develop much-needed affordable housing. We congratulate our partners from Capital One, Hudson Housing Capital, HUD, and the housing authority for making this public-private partnership such a huge success," said Art Schuldt, managing partner of Centerpointe Regional Housing Development.
HUD's Section 901 program, through the Lake Charles Housing Authority, will provide development funding assistance to support the 54-unit development. Additionally, HUD, through the Lake Charles Housing Authority, will provide operating financial support through public housing operating subsidy and Project Based Section 8 voucher programs.
On the private sector funding side, Capital One Bank is providing construction financing and is also providing equity generated through the purchase of low-income housing tax credits. Hudson Housing Capital partnered with Capital One Bank as syndicator for the project. The Louisiana Housing Finance Agency awarded both projects Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocations in December 2010.
"At Capital One Bank, we recognize the tremendous impact that developments like this can have on the local community," said Greg Webb, Capital One Bank's Lake Charles Market President. "We are proud to partner with the Lake Charles Housing Authority and its nonprofit subsidiary Lake Charles Non Profit Housing Development Corporation to bring this worthwhile housing development to fruition."
The total cost of the two affordable housing developments is $14.4 million. Funding sources include $10,622,938 of tax credit equity provided by Capital One Bank through Hudson Housing Capital and $3,780,471 of Section 901 funds provided by HUD.
2012年2月21日星期二
2012 Monaco Diplomat 43DFT Walk Through
The mating of Navistar’s more than 100 years of heavy transportation experience with Monaco’s 40-plus years of luxury RV design has resulted in an exciting lineup of innovative motorhomes. At first glance, you might not recognize the elegant new Diplomat because of its significant facelift inside and out, but rest assured that the luxury and high-end appointments in this bath-and-a-half tag axle have only been enhanced.
The exterior’s all-new front and rear chevron grilles in fiberglass wraparound caps (now equipped with LED lighting), improve body seam weather resistance — it also suggests a growing familial likeness to Monaco’s sporty Vesta.
The entry door has been moved forward, closer to the A-pillar, creating improved access past the redesigned cockpit. Here the Navistar influence is prominent with an updated automotive-style dash with hooded instrument cluster capped with a glare-reducing dark dash pad. The multifunction steering wheel not only controls the expected cruise and music functions but includes a three-stage engine brake at your fingertips. Maybe more importantly, the wheel is now connected to a redesigned steering column, no longer straddled by the driver’s legs.
Full-power Ultraleather seats afford a clear view of the Driver Information Screen that provides continuous status of the Diplomat’s torquey MaxxForce 10 turbodiesel engine, the Allison 3000MH six-speed push-button transmission, trip and distance features, and a host of monitored operating parameters.
Atop the handsome Oxford Burl instrument panel is the dock for the optional ($614) 7-inch GPS/Bluetooth unit for full-featured navigation and hands-free connectivity.
Polished 12-by-24-inch porcelain tile leads you from the cockpit into the most unexpected and surprising feature in the Diplomat’s lineup. This plan places the free-standing dinette and sofa bed, or the optional ($3,671) sectional sofa bed/dinette ensemble, in the curbside slide offering the rare opportunity to dine while overlooking your own campsite and not your neighbor’s. The entire galley, including the 12-cubic-foot two-way refrigerator, optional ($2,352) washer and dryer combo, the 68-inch sofa and the bedroom dresser and overhead cabinet module are all contained within the 28-foot-long, full-wall, streetside slide creating a wonderfully open floorplan well suited for entertaining.
Handsome Italian Sienna mid-tone hardwood cabinets surround the cabin and galley. The intricate and striking basketweave trim on the cabinets is accented by the galley’s Corian backsplash and countertops. A useful pullout countertop extension next to the dual-basin sink adds to the galley’s utility when deployed and helps define the cabin’s seating area.
The wall-mounted 40-inch LCD TV with surround sound and media storage above and below can be comfortably viewed from anywhere in the elegant cabin. The TV shares a common wall with the half bath, which separates the cabin from the master suite. A countertop integrated sink, storage vanity and porcelain commode complete the half bath eliminating family or guest’s late-night trips through the occupied bedroom to reach the rear master bath.
The Diplomat comes standard with a queen-size platform bed in the curbside slide, but was wisely designed to accommodate the preferable and optional ($1,470) Select Comfort platform king. Yet, there’s still room for the matching eyeglass nightstands, hidden book storage and 120-volt AC outlets. Add a 26-inch LCD TV mounted between the dresser and overhead cabinet module, which is part of the full-wall streetside slide, and the suite is complete.
Above the bed is a ceiling fan that will come in handy when the ducted, triple 15,000-Btu roof air-conditioning units or the silent Aqua-Hot heating systems aren’t needed. Leaving the family pet behind is no problem using the coach’s auto-start feature on the 10-kW AC generator to accommodate the owner-set climate controls.
For boondockers, the Diplomat comes prewired for solar panels and a controller.
The step-up rear bath has become a popular feature in full-time coaches and the Diplomat doesn’t disappoint. Highlights here include his-and-hers countertop-integrated sinks with brushed-nickel fixtures, matched medicine cabinets and additional drawer storage. A full-width, rear-wall mirrored wardrobe offers nearly 6 feet of clothes rod with 20 inches of additional adjustable or removable shelving at one end of the closet if more hanging space is needed.
The exterior’s all-new front and rear chevron grilles in fiberglass wraparound caps (now equipped with LED lighting), improve body seam weather resistance — it also suggests a growing familial likeness to Monaco’s sporty Vesta.
The entry door has been moved forward, closer to the A-pillar, creating improved access past the redesigned cockpit. Here the Navistar influence is prominent with an updated automotive-style dash with hooded instrument cluster capped with a glare-reducing dark dash pad. The multifunction steering wheel not only controls the expected cruise and music functions but includes a three-stage engine brake at your fingertips. Maybe more importantly, the wheel is now connected to a redesigned steering column, no longer straddled by the driver’s legs.
Full-power Ultraleather seats afford a clear view of the Driver Information Screen that provides continuous status of the Diplomat’s torquey MaxxForce 10 turbodiesel engine, the Allison 3000MH six-speed push-button transmission, trip and distance features, and a host of monitored operating parameters.
Atop the handsome Oxford Burl instrument panel is the dock for the optional ($614) 7-inch GPS/Bluetooth unit for full-featured navigation and hands-free connectivity.
Polished 12-by-24-inch porcelain tile leads you from the cockpit into the most unexpected and surprising feature in the Diplomat’s lineup. This plan places the free-standing dinette and sofa bed, or the optional ($3,671) sectional sofa bed/dinette ensemble, in the curbside slide offering the rare opportunity to dine while overlooking your own campsite and not your neighbor’s. The entire galley, including the 12-cubic-foot two-way refrigerator, optional ($2,352) washer and dryer combo, the 68-inch sofa and the bedroom dresser and overhead cabinet module are all contained within the 28-foot-long, full-wall, streetside slide creating a wonderfully open floorplan well suited for entertaining.
Handsome Italian Sienna mid-tone hardwood cabinets surround the cabin and galley. The intricate and striking basketweave trim on the cabinets is accented by the galley’s Corian backsplash and countertops. A useful pullout countertop extension next to the dual-basin sink adds to the galley’s utility when deployed and helps define the cabin’s seating area.
The wall-mounted 40-inch LCD TV with surround sound and media storage above and below can be comfortably viewed from anywhere in the elegant cabin. The TV shares a common wall with the half bath, which separates the cabin from the master suite. A countertop integrated sink, storage vanity and porcelain commode complete the half bath eliminating family or guest’s late-night trips through the occupied bedroom to reach the rear master bath.
The Diplomat comes standard with a queen-size platform bed in the curbside slide, but was wisely designed to accommodate the preferable and optional ($1,470) Select Comfort platform king. Yet, there’s still room for the matching eyeglass nightstands, hidden book storage and 120-volt AC outlets. Add a 26-inch LCD TV mounted between the dresser and overhead cabinet module, which is part of the full-wall streetside slide, and the suite is complete.
Above the bed is a ceiling fan that will come in handy when the ducted, triple 15,000-Btu roof air-conditioning units or the silent Aqua-Hot heating systems aren’t needed. Leaving the family pet behind is no problem using the coach’s auto-start feature on the 10-kW AC generator to accommodate the owner-set climate controls.
For boondockers, the Diplomat comes prewired for solar panels and a controller.
The step-up rear bath has become a popular feature in full-time coaches and the Diplomat doesn’t disappoint. Highlights here include his-and-hers countertop-integrated sinks with brushed-nickel fixtures, matched medicine cabinets and additional drawer storage. A full-width, rear-wall mirrored wardrobe offers nearly 6 feet of clothes rod with 20 inches of additional adjustable or removable shelving at one end of the closet if more hanging space is needed.
2012年2月12日星期日
Local Artist Donates Fireplace Tiles to Westfield Historical Society
Renowned ceramic tile artist and former Westfield resident Stacey Farley created and donated more than a dozen tiles that tell the story of life in Westfield in the early 1900s.
Members of the Westfield Historical Society gathered Saturday morning for the unveiling of the tiles that frame the fireplace inside the former home of the Reeve family, which currently serves as The Reeve History and Cultural Resource Center on Mountain Avenue.
Farley, who has been making ceramic tile art for over 25 years, has had her work installed at train stations—including the Westfield station—museums, gardens and parks. The work of the artist, who holds a BA from Brown University and an MFA from the University of Illinois in Chicago, often reflects a bygone era and such is the case at The Reeve History and Cultural Resource Center.
Spending countless hours pouring over hundreds of photographs, Farley created a narrative that pays homage to a time and place in Westfield, using a timeless material – clay.
"My plan is that this will last for hundreds of years," said Farley, who noted that many times the only thing that withstands the test of time in an older building is the tilework. "I try to make it to last forever and I try to make it relevant to the site."
The tiles include a glimpse at Ralph Reeve, who grew up in the home which dates back to the 1870s, on horseback. Another tile displays a postcard from 1901. Above the fireplace, a panoramic tile depicts a large group of children in front of the Rialto Theatre.
"It was nice to find such a fabulous picture," said Farley, who added that is rare to find photos of women and children from that period in history.
Historical Society President Nancy Priest welcomed and thanked guests for attending the 11 a.m. unveiling. Priest said it was Lee Hale who first suggested contacting Farley, whom all deemed a "perfect match" for the project. Priest said Farley "graciously agreed" to undertake the endeavor, which the artist called "a pleasure."
Betty Jane Kowalski, Vice Chair of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, said it is wonderful to see the beautiful restoration work that has been done to the home over the past decade.
She added that the County was "pleased and proud" to have contributed its support through the Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.
Historical Society curator Stan Lipson suggested that those who didn't want to crouch down to look at the tiles could view the photos they depict in the dining room via a digital picture frame.
Other recent improvements include the replacement of half the windows at The Reeve History and Cultural Resource Center, Priest said. The other half will be updated as soon as additional funding is procured.
"It's coming together little by little," said Priest, who added that the Historical Society hopes to construct an archives building on the property to house the artifacts that are currently stored at the Board of Education building.
Following the unveiling, guests were able to tour the home and enjoy refreshments.
Sherry Cronin, vice-president of the society, said upcoming events will offer the community a chance to learn more about the rich history of the building and the Reeve family, who resided in the home from 1906 until 2001.
A basement sale on Saturday, Feb. 25 will be held to raise money for the society's continuing efforts. Tours and exhibits will also be offered in March and April.
Members of the Westfield Historical Society gathered Saturday morning for the unveiling of the tiles that frame the fireplace inside the former home of the Reeve family, which currently serves as The Reeve History and Cultural Resource Center on Mountain Avenue.
Farley, who has been making ceramic tile art for over 25 years, has had her work installed at train stations—including the Westfield station—museums, gardens and parks. The work of the artist, who holds a BA from Brown University and an MFA from the University of Illinois in Chicago, often reflects a bygone era and such is the case at The Reeve History and Cultural Resource Center.
Spending countless hours pouring over hundreds of photographs, Farley created a narrative that pays homage to a time and place in Westfield, using a timeless material – clay.
"My plan is that this will last for hundreds of years," said Farley, who noted that many times the only thing that withstands the test of time in an older building is the tilework. "I try to make it to last forever and I try to make it relevant to the site."
The tiles include a glimpse at Ralph Reeve, who grew up in the home which dates back to the 1870s, on horseback. Another tile displays a postcard from 1901. Above the fireplace, a panoramic tile depicts a large group of children in front of the Rialto Theatre.
"It was nice to find such a fabulous picture," said Farley, who added that is rare to find photos of women and children from that period in history.
Historical Society President Nancy Priest welcomed and thanked guests for attending the 11 a.m. unveiling. Priest said it was Lee Hale who first suggested contacting Farley, whom all deemed a "perfect match" for the project. Priest said Farley "graciously agreed" to undertake the endeavor, which the artist called "a pleasure."
Betty Jane Kowalski, Vice Chair of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, said it is wonderful to see the beautiful restoration work that has been done to the home over the past decade.
She added that the County was "pleased and proud" to have contributed its support through the Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.
Historical Society curator Stan Lipson suggested that those who didn't want to crouch down to look at the tiles could view the photos they depict in the dining room via a digital picture frame.
Other recent improvements include the replacement of half the windows at The Reeve History and Cultural Resource Center, Priest said. The other half will be updated as soon as additional funding is procured.
"It's coming together little by little," said Priest, who added that the Historical Society hopes to construct an archives building on the property to house the artifacts that are currently stored at the Board of Education building.
Following the unveiling, guests were able to tour the home and enjoy refreshments.
Sherry Cronin, vice-president of the society, said upcoming events will offer the community a chance to learn more about the rich history of the building and the Reeve family, who resided in the home from 1906 until 2001.
A basement sale on Saturday, Feb. 25 will be held to raise money for the society's continuing efforts. Tours and exhibits will also be offered in March and April.
2012年2月7日星期二
Birmingham developer plans luxury apartments near Winchester
A Birmingham developer plans to erect 328 luxury apartments near the southwest corner of Winchester and Forest Hill-Irene.
The $29 million plan for Miller Creek Apartments has started making its way through the regulatory process.
The project will require a change to the 16-year-old Forest Hill Heights Planned Development for commercial and office uses to allow multifamily housing.
Red Mountain Development has a contract to buy the 20 acres.
The firm builds townhouses, apartments and condos throughout the South, including Birmingham, Charleston, S.C., Huntsville, Ala., Chattanooga and Little Rock.
Finishes and amenities for Miller Creek’s dozen buildings will include granite countertops, ceramic tile in the bathrooms, faux wood floors, resort-style pool, fitness center with cardio and theater equipment, a bocce ball court, garden space for residents, a recycling center, a yoga and spinning room, a cyber cafe and coffee bar, three to four acres of green space, and a community grilling area with outdoor kitchen and fireplace.
“This property will definitely raise the bar for the quality of multifamily housing in the Memphis area,” Red Mountain Development president Robb Crumpton said.
Red Mountain wants to build in Memphis because there’s been a lack of a new supply of apartments and because it feels it has found an ideal spot.
The Winchester/Forest Hill-Irene intersection is surrounded by jobs, Crumpton said, including Southwind office park, FedEx World Headquarters, FedEx Technology Center in Collierville, and Nonconnah Corporate Center.
The site is in unincorporated Shelby County, but within Memphis annexation reserve area.
Blake Pera, who analyzes the multihousing market as vice president for CB Richard Ellis Memphis, agrees it’s a good time to build these apartments.
“Market fundamentals have been improving in the Memphis market for the last few years, and operations at Class “A” properties have shown strong growth,” Pera said.
“This has been a compelling story nationally for the last 12-24 months, and apartments will continue to perform very well against the stagnant single family market,’’ he said. “Red Mountain builds a beautiful product, one that should be well received by the market.”
The site is on Winchester, 1,165 feet west of Forest Hill-Irene Road.
The Memphis/Shelby County Office of Planning and Development staff recommends approval, but with some conditions.
Multifamily housing is compatible in an area that already has major apartment developments just west on Winchester, the staff report states.
The $29 million plan for Miller Creek Apartments has started making its way through the regulatory process.
The project will require a change to the 16-year-old Forest Hill Heights Planned Development for commercial and office uses to allow multifamily housing.
Red Mountain Development has a contract to buy the 20 acres.
The firm builds townhouses, apartments and condos throughout the South, including Birmingham, Charleston, S.C., Huntsville, Ala., Chattanooga and Little Rock.
Finishes and amenities for Miller Creek’s dozen buildings will include granite countertops, ceramic tile in the bathrooms, faux wood floors, resort-style pool, fitness center with cardio and theater equipment, a bocce ball court, garden space for residents, a recycling center, a yoga and spinning room, a cyber cafe and coffee bar, three to four acres of green space, and a community grilling area with outdoor kitchen and fireplace.
“This property will definitely raise the bar for the quality of multifamily housing in the Memphis area,” Red Mountain Development president Robb Crumpton said.
Red Mountain wants to build in Memphis because there’s been a lack of a new supply of apartments and because it feels it has found an ideal spot.
The Winchester/Forest Hill-Irene intersection is surrounded by jobs, Crumpton said, including Southwind office park, FedEx World Headquarters, FedEx Technology Center in Collierville, and Nonconnah Corporate Center.
The site is in unincorporated Shelby County, but within Memphis annexation reserve area.
Blake Pera, who analyzes the multihousing market as vice president for CB Richard Ellis Memphis, agrees it’s a good time to build these apartments.
“Market fundamentals have been improving in the Memphis market for the last few years, and operations at Class “A” properties have shown strong growth,” Pera said.
“This has been a compelling story nationally for the last 12-24 months, and apartments will continue to perform very well against the stagnant single family market,’’ he said. “Red Mountain builds a beautiful product, one that should be well received by the market.”
The site is on Winchester, 1,165 feet west of Forest Hill-Irene Road.
The Memphis/Shelby County Office of Planning and Development staff recommends approval, but with some conditions.
Multifamily housing is compatible in an area that already has major apartment developments just west on Winchester, the staff report states.
2012年1月8日星期日
Can Windows Phone make mobile a three-horse race?
Long ridiculed as the tech industry dullard, Microsoft actually has a hit, at least with the technorati.
It is the mobile phone software called Windows Phone – and they need it to be a blockbuster here at Microsoft Central.
Yes, Windows and Office products are ubiquitous and highly profitable. But they’re about as inspirational as a stapler.
Advertisement: Story continues below
While the likes of Apple have captured our imaginations with nifty products like the iPhone, Microsoft has produced a long list of flops, from smart wristwatches to the Zune music player to the Kin phones.
Steve Jobs used to deride Microsoft for a lack of originality. In his opinion, the company didn’t bring “much culture” to its products. With Windows Phone, though, Microsoft is finally getting some buzz.
“I am a devoted Apple fan – I was in line for the iPhone,” said Axel Roesler, assistant professor for interaction design at the University of Washington in Seattle, but Windows Phone “strikes me as quite different and an advance.”
Windows Phone, which began appearing in devices late last year, certainly stands out visually.
It has bold, on-screen typography and a mosaic of animated tiles on the home screen – a stark departure from the neat grid of icons made popular by the iPhone.
While most phones force users to open stand-alone apps to get into social networks, Facebook and Twitter are wired into Windows Phone. The tiles spring to life as friends or family post fresh pictures, text messages and status updates.
Even so, relatively few consumers have been tempted, and sales have been lacklustre. A big problem is that, initially, the handsets running Microsoft’s software, made by companies like HTC and Samsung, were unexceptional.
Even more important, the US carriers, the gatekeepers for nearly all mobile phones, have not been aggressively selling Windows phones in their stores. Most promote the iPhone and devices running Google’s Android operating system.
And so Microsoft has struck a partnership with Nokia, and executives at both companies have high hopes that their handsets will catch on with consumers.
On Monday at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nokia plans to introduce a sleek metallic Windows Phone called the Lumia 900 that will be sold by AT&T in the US, according to two people with knowledge of its plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because the product has not yet been announced. Unlike other handset makers creating devices with Microsoft’s software, Nokia is not also developing Android phones.
“We are doing our best work for Windows Phone,” said Stephen Elop, the chief executive of Nokia and a former Microsoft executive.
While the customers’ verdict is still unknown, the group that developed Windows Phone has already profoundly affected Microsoft itself, influencing work on other consumer products. The next major version of software for PCs, Windows 8, will look a lot like Windows Phone, which Microsoft hopes will help it work better on tablet devices. A Windows Phone-like makeover was also part of the new software update for Xbox, which along with Kinect is one of Microsoft’s few consumer hits.
Bill Flora, one of the designers of Windows Phone, said the care that Microsoft took in designing its products had changed vastly since he joined the company out of art school in the early 1990s.
“Now, instead of 80 per cent of its efforts being unenlightened, just 20 per cent are unenlightened,” said Flora, who recently left Microsoft to form his own design firm in Seattle.
The tale of how Microsoft created Windows Phone starts with the introduction of the iPhone, in 2007. To Joe Belfiore, now 43, an engineer who oversees software design for Windows Phone, that was the spark.
“Apple created a sea change in the industry in terms of the kinds of things they did that were unique and highly appealing to consumers,” Belfiore said in an interview. “We wanted to respond with something that would be competitive, but not the same.”
Microsoft had been an early player in smartphones with Windows Mobile, software that ran on devices made by Samsung, Motorola and others. But one word describes its early effort: complicated. Windows Mobile had a complex array of on-screen menus, including a start button for applications that was borrowed from Windows PCs. The software ran on sluggish devices that had physical keyboards and, in some cases, styluses.
Once the iPhone exploded into the marketplace, Microsoft executives knew that their software, as designed, could never compete. So in December 2008, Terry Myerson, who had just taken over engineering for the mobile group, convened a meeting that members of his management team came to call the “cage match.”
With a prototype of a new Windows Mobile phone on a table, Myerson, a no-nonsense engineer, led a heated debate over whether any of the software could be salvaged. No one was leaving the room until the issue was resolved, he said.
Seven hours later, the meeting finally adjourned, after Myerson got a call from his wife saying a pipe had frozen at his home. By then, a consensus had emerged that there wasn’t much technology worth saving. “We had hit bottom,” Myerson, who is now 39.
“That frankly gives you the freedom to try new things, build a new team and set a new path,” he added.
The decision was to start from scratch, a move that had serious consequences. Not only did it delay a Windows phone, it gave Google an opening to woo Microsoft handset partners to Android.
Charlie Kindel, a longtime Microsoft manager who joined its mobile team in early 2009, compared the pain caused by starting over to the predicament of Aron Ralston, the hiker who amputated his own arm in 2003 after it was it pinned under a boulder in the Utah desert.
“This boulder comprised of Apple and Blackberry rolled on our arm,” said Kindel, who left Microsoft last year. “Microsoft sat there for three or four years struggling to get out.”
Myerson also had to rebuild the mobile team – and Belfiore was his first major hire.
Belfiore is a rare breed of Microsoft executive: He joined the company in 1990 fresh out of university and stayed, even as others fled to work for companies with more pizazz.
For much of his career, Belfiore worked on the design of Windows and Internet Explorer, the kind of Microsoft software that is everywhere but not always admired for innovation. But he was also known for spending hours testing Microsoft technologies outside the office to see how they could be simplified.
In recent years, Belfiore earned a reputation in the company for working on more adventurous projects, even if they sometimes bombed in the market. Before he joined the mobile group, for instance, he oversaw design of Zune, Microsoft’s ill-fated answer to the iPod.
A version of the product released in 2009, the Zune HD, was praised by reviewers for its spare design that featured elegant typography and snappy, animated screen transitions as users flipped around music collections. But the Zune HD came out years too late, well after the iPod had cemented its lead.
Belfiore took over the mobile group in early 2009, just as designers were finishing up the earliest prototypes for Windows Phone. In those prototypes, Bill Flora drew inspiration from the signs in airports and other transportation hubs.
He borrowed the emphasis on clarity, clean typography and broadcast-quality transitions between screens from Zune, which he had worked on with Belfiore. The ideas gradually gelled into a software design language that Microsoft calls Metro.
But there were challenges beyond design. Microsoft had to take a fresh approach to working with phone makers so it could have its slick new software function properly. Unlike Apple, Microsoft doesn’t make its own hardware. Before it restarted its mobile strategy, Microsoft did little to ensure that its handset partners were putting its software on devices that could run it well.
No longer would that be tolerated. Microsoft gave its handset partners detailed specifications of the types of technical innards required, including processors with certain amounts of power and screen technologies. Handset makers grumbled about the rules, but the result was phones that ran better.
“It’s not just about software,” said Albert Shum, general manager of the design studio for Windows Phone. “It’s about the whole end-to-end experience.”
When senior executives got their first look at the software, Myerson said, there was “some hesitancy.” Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s chief executive, didn’t like that the first screen that appeared after turning on the device contained oversized type that cut off the day of the week. (Wednesday showed up as Wed.) Revisions were made.
But the group was given its creative freedom. And the critics, at least, have approved the final results.
“It looks like nothing we’ve seen before from Microsoft,” said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at Gartner, the technology research firm. “The company is being somewhat bold and saying what worked for them in 1992 won’t work now.”
Still, last summer, Ballmer told Microsoft investors that he was disappointed with Windows Phone sales. In mid-December, he named Myerson, the engineering head, to take full control of the group. He charged Myerson with improving the Windows Phone advertising campaign and relationships with carriers. A software update for Windows Phones in late last year added a number of improvements to the product, including basic editing functions like copy and paste.
But this year is crucial; it will show whether a respected product is enough to help Microsoft make up for lost time. Even if it feels good to be a favorite of tech critics for a change, Microsoft needs a blockbuster in the mobile business, not a cult hit.
It is the mobile phone software called Windows Phone – and they need it to be a blockbuster here at Microsoft Central.
Yes, Windows and Office products are ubiquitous and highly profitable. But they’re about as inspirational as a stapler.
Advertisement: Story continues below
While the likes of Apple have captured our imaginations with nifty products like the iPhone, Microsoft has produced a long list of flops, from smart wristwatches to the Zune music player to the Kin phones.
Steve Jobs used to deride Microsoft for a lack of originality. In his opinion, the company didn’t bring “much culture” to its products. With Windows Phone, though, Microsoft is finally getting some buzz.
“I am a devoted Apple fan – I was in line for the iPhone,” said Axel Roesler, assistant professor for interaction design at the University of Washington in Seattle, but Windows Phone “strikes me as quite different and an advance.”
Windows Phone, which began appearing in devices late last year, certainly stands out visually.
It has bold, on-screen typography and a mosaic of animated tiles on the home screen – a stark departure from the neat grid of icons made popular by the iPhone.
While most phones force users to open stand-alone apps to get into social networks, Facebook and Twitter are wired into Windows Phone. The tiles spring to life as friends or family post fresh pictures, text messages and status updates.
Even so, relatively few consumers have been tempted, and sales have been lacklustre. A big problem is that, initially, the handsets running Microsoft’s software, made by companies like HTC and Samsung, were unexceptional.
Even more important, the US carriers, the gatekeepers for nearly all mobile phones, have not been aggressively selling Windows phones in their stores. Most promote the iPhone and devices running Google’s Android operating system.
And so Microsoft has struck a partnership with Nokia, and executives at both companies have high hopes that their handsets will catch on with consumers.
On Monday at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nokia plans to introduce a sleek metallic Windows Phone called the Lumia 900 that will be sold by AT&T in the US, according to two people with knowledge of its plans who spoke on condition of anonymity because the product has not yet been announced. Unlike other handset makers creating devices with Microsoft’s software, Nokia is not also developing Android phones.
“We are doing our best work for Windows Phone,” said Stephen Elop, the chief executive of Nokia and a former Microsoft executive.
While the customers’ verdict is still unknown, the group that developed Windows Phone has already profoundly affected Microsoft itself, influencing work on other consumer products. The next major version of software for PCs, Windows 8, will look a lot like Windows Phone, which Microsoft hopes will help it work better on tablet devices. A Windows Phone-like makeover was also part of the new software update for Xbox, which along with Kinect is one of Microsoft’s few consumer hits.
Bill Flora, one of the designers of Windows Phone, said the care that Microsoft took in designing its products had changed vastly since he joined the company out of art school in the early 1990s.
“Now, instead of 80 per cent of its efforts being unenlightened, just 20 per cent are unenlightened,” said Flora, who recently left Microsoft to form his own design firm in Seattle.
The tale of how Microsoft created Windows Phone starts with the introduction of the iPhone, in 2007. To Joe Belfiore, now 43, an engineer who oversees software design for Windows Phone, that was the spark.
“Apple created a sea change in the industry in terms of the kinds of things they did that were unique and highly appealing to consumers,” Belfiore said in an interview. “We wanted to respond with something that would be competitive, but not the same.”
Microsoft had been an early player in smartphones with Windows Mobile, software that ran on devices made by Samsung, Motorola and others. But one word describes its early effort: complicated. Windows Mobile had a complex array of on-screen menus, including a start button for applications that was borrowed from Windows PCs. The software ran on sluggish devices that had physical keyboards and, in some cases, styluses.
Once the iPhone exploded into the marketplace, Microsoft executives knew that their software, as designed, could never compete. So in December 2008, Terry Myerson, who had just taken over engineering for the mobile group, convened a meeting that members of his management team came to call the “cage match.”
With a prototype of a new Windows Mobile phone on a table, Myerson, a no-nonsense engineer, led a heated debate over whether any of the software could be salvaged. No one was leaving the room until the issue was resolved, he said.
Seven hours later, the meeting finally adjourned, after Myerson got a call from his wife saying a pipe had frozen at his home. By then, a consensus had emerged that there wasn’t much technology worth saving. “We had hit bottom,” Myerson, who is now 39.
“That frankly gives you the freedom to try new things, build a new team and set a new path,” he added.
The decision was to start from scratch, a move that had serious consequences. Not only did it delay a Windows phone, it gave Google an opening to woo Microsoft handset partners to Android.
Charlie Kindel, a longtime Microsoft manager who joined its mobile team in early 2009, compared the pain caused by starting over to the predicament of Aron Ralston, the hiker who amputated his own arm in 2003 after it was it pinned under a boulder in the Utah desert.
“This boulder comprised of Apple and Blackberry rolled on our arm,” said Kindel, who left Microsoft last year. “Microsoft sat there for three or four years struggling to get out.”
Myerson also had to rebuild the mobile team – and Belfiore was his first major hire.
Belfiore is a rare breed of Microsoft executive: He joined the company in 1990 fresh out of university and stayed, even as others fled to work for companies with more pizazz.
For much of his career, Belfiore worked on the design of Windows and Internet Explorer, the kind of Microsoft software that is everywhere but not always admired for innovation. But he was also known for spending hours testing Microsoft technologies outside the office to see how they could be simplified.
In recent years, Belfiore earned a reputation in the company for working on more adventurous projects, even if they sometimes bombed in the market. Before he joined the mobile group, for instance, he oversaw design of Zune, Microsoft’s ill-fated answer to the iPod.
A version of the product released in 2009, the Zune HD, was praised by reviewers for its spare design that featured elegant typography and snappy, animated screen transitions as users flipped around music collections. But the Zune HD came out years too late, well after the iPod had cemented its lead.
Belfiore took over the mobile group in early 2009, just as designers were finishing up the earliest prototypes for Windows Phone. In those prototypes, Bill Flora drew inspiration from the signs in airports and other transportation hubs.
He borrowed the emphasis on clarity, clean typography and broadcast-quality transitions between screens from Zune, which he had worked on with Belfiore. The ideas gradually gelled into a software design language that Microsoft calls Metro.
But there were challenges beyond design. Microsoft had to take a fresh approach to working with phone makers so it could have its slick new software function properly. Unlike Apple, Microsoft doesn’t make its own hardware. Before it restarted its mobile strategy, Microsoft did little to ensure that its handset partners were putting its software on devices that could run it well.
No longer would that be tolerated. Microsoft gave its handset partners detailed specifications of the types of technical innards required, including processors with certain amounts of power and screen technologies. Handset makers grumbled about the rules, but the result was phones that ran better.
“It’s not just about software,” said Albert Shum, general manager of the design studio for Windows Phone. “It’s about the whole end-to-end experience.”
When senior executives got their first look at the software, Myerson said, there was “some hesitancy.” Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s chief executive, didn’t like that the first screen that appeared after turning on the device contained oversized type that cut off the day of the week. (Wednesday showed up as Wed.) Revisions were made.
But the group was given its creative freedom. And the critics, at least, have approved the final results.
“It looks like nothing we’ve seen before from Microsoft,” said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at Gartner, the technology research firm. “The company is being somewhat bold and saying what worked for them in 1992 won’t work now.”
Still, last summer, Ballmer told Microsoft investors that he was disappointed with Windows Phone sales. In mid-December, he named Myerson, the engineering head, to take full control of the group. He charged Myerson with improving the Windows Phone advertising campaign and relationships with carriers. A software update for Windows Phones in late last year added a number of improvements to the product, including basic editing functions like copy and paste.
But this year is crucial; it will show whether a respected product is enough to help Microsoft make up for lost time. Even if it feels good to be a favorite of tech critics for a change, Microsoft needs a blockbuster in the mobile business, not a cult hit.
2011年5月29日星期日
Joey Lampe and Emily Donker win Coral Coast Triathlon at Port Douglas
The Cairns Airport Adventure Festival kicked off on the warm, sunny shores of Port Douglas this morning, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Coral Coast Triathlon – a milestone no other race has achieved n Australia’s rich triathlon history.
The Olympic distance course (1.5km swim, 40km cycle, 10km run) was hot and fast and played well into the hands of Joseph Lampe (Lennox Heads, NSW), who took out his first Coral Coast title.
An aggressive swim leg put Lampe almost two and half minutes ahead of his nearest competitor leading into the 4-lap cycle where he continued to put time into the rest of the field and extend his lead.
“I definitely had a plan,” said Lampe.
“I wanted to be first out of the swim and get a lead early and just maintain it the whole day – I was hoping to run them scared.
“It was good having a nice flat cycle course; we had a headwind out and a tailwind back so I could really push it home.
“It wasn’t easy but I wanted to go hard and stay that way,” he added.
With such an extensive lead, Lampe was able to ease off towards the end of the 4-lap beach run, in preparation for his bid on the Cairns Half title next weekend (1.9km swim, 90km cycle, 21.1km run).
“I eased off a little bit just towards the end there, and hopefully I’ll recover in time for the Cairns Half.
I’ll have a bit of a rest and fit in a couple more training sessions – I should be fine,” he added.
Age-group competitor Rob Creasy (Christchurch, NZ) clocked the second fastest time of the day, taking to the course as a warm-up to next weekend’s inaugural Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns iron-distance triathlon (3.8km swim, 180km cycle, 42.2km run).
“This has been a really great event. I’m really happy with my result and it was good to race in the warm conditions ahead of next weekend.
“I’m going to take the next few days to recover, enjoy the sunshine and hopefully have a good race next weekend,” Creasy said.
Germany’s Markus Hein, who claimed third place, also used the event as a final hit out before the half iron distance event next Sunday.
Exiting the water 3 minutes behind the leader, Hein was unable to make up time on the fast, flat course.
“He (Lampe) was such a fast swimmer and was too fast on the bike and the run - congratulations to him.
Hein is looking forward to going toe-to-toe with Lampe in the Cairns Half next weekend.
“I’ll be doing the Half next week so I will have another go at him but I think he might just be a bit too strong. I’ll definitely be trying my best though,” said Hein.
In the women’s field, Brisbane’s 20-year old Emily Donker took line honours.
“It feels pretty awesome to win - this is my first triathlon away from Brisbane so I had a bit of a challenge packing up my bike into the bike box yesterday and then unpacking it again last night. But the conditions are fantastic up here and the crowds are great so I really enjoyed racing up here today.
“The conditions were really nice out there, no chop in the swim and the bike course was beautiful, you could see everyone as you went along the course, and it was nice and flat which was good, and the run along the beach was something different, most of the other triathlons I’ve done have road runs but I really enjoyed the beach,” said Donker.
Enjoying the break from Brisbane, Donker is keen to return to Tropical North Queensland next year.
“A nice warm winter is always nice, I’d love to come back next year to defend my title,” she said.
Amongst the competitors taking to the Coral Coast course for the first time were the ‘Coral Coast Legends’, competitors who have raced the event at least 15 years out of the events 30 year history.
Neil Parker raced his 24th Coral Coast Tri race – a number unmatched by anyone in the events history.
“I had a really great day – I raced the same time as I did last year, actually it was pretty much the same time as I did in my first race in 1986 so I’m pretty happy with that,” said Parker.
“The course was really good, the swim was a bit challenging, we had a few currents going, the cycle was good but the run up the beach was the best – it’s a great way to finish the race.
“The organisers have done a great job and I’m looking forward to coming back for my 25th race next year,” he said.
Eighty-year-old Thelma Bryan from Cairns competed in the team’s category, tackling the 1.5km swim.
“It was getting a bit rough out there for me but it was very good. I was first here for the swim in 1983 so I am very pleased to still be here for the 30th anniversary,” she said.
In addition to the Olympic distance race, competitors of all ages and abilities took to the Enticer course (300m swim / 10km cycle / 2.5km run) and Sprint distance course (750m swim / 20km cycle / 5km run).
Also kicking off the week-long Cairns Airport Adventure Festival was the RRR Mountain Bike Challenge and the Hekili Great Barrier Reef Ocean Challenge which saw 50 crews of OC6, OC2, OC1 and surf skiers. In total over 1000 competitors participated in the weekend’s events.
The festival continues in Cairns next week with the Quicksilver Reef Swim – Green Island on Thursday 2nd June, The Cairns Post Run for Cairns on Friday 3rd June and Junior Challenge Cairns - a triathlon just for kids on Saturday 4th June.
The Olympic distance course (1.5km swim, 40km cycle, 10km run) was hot and fast and played well into the hands of Joseph Lampe (Lennox Heads, NSW), who took out his first Coral Coast title.
An aggressive swim leg put Lampe almost two and half minutes ahead of his nearest competitor leading into the 4-lap cycle where he continued to put time into the rest of the field and extend his lead.
“I definitely had a plan,” said Lampe.
“I wanted to be first out of the swim and get a lead early and just maintain it the whole day – I was hoping to run them scared.
“It was good having a nice flat cycle course; we had a headwind out and a tailwind back so I could really push it home.
“It wasn’t easy but I wanted to go hard and stay that way,” he added.
With such an extensive lead, Lampe was able to ease off towards the end of the 4-lap beach run, in preparation for his bid on the Cairns Half title next weekend (1.9km swim, 90km cycle, 21.1km run).
“I eased off a little bit just towards the end there, and hopefully I’ll recover in time for the Cairns Half.
I’ll have a bit of a rest and fit in a couple more training sessions – I should be fine,” he added.
Age-group competitor Rob Creasy (Christchurch, NZ) clocked the second fastest time of the day, taking to the course as a warm-up to next weekend’s inaugural Cairns Airport Challenge Cairns iron-distance triathlon (3.8km swim, 180km cycle, 42.2km run).
“This has been a really great event. I’m really happy with my result and it was good to race in the warm conditions ahead of next weekend.
“I’m going to take the next few days to recover, enjoy the sunshine and hopefully have a good race next weekend,” Creasy said.
Germany’s Markus Hein, who claimed third place, also used the event as a final hit out before the half iron distance event next Sunday.
Exiting the water 3 minutes behind the leader, Hein was unable to make up time on the fast, flat course.
“He (Lampe) was such a fast swimmer and was too fast on the bike and the run - congratulations to him.
Hein is looking forward to going toe-to-toe with Lampe in the Cairns Half next weekend.
“I’ll be doing the Half next week so I will have another go at him but I think he might just be a bit too strong. I’ll definitely be trying my best though,” said Hein.
In the women’s field, Brisbane’s 20-year old Emily Donker took line honours.
“It feels pretty awesome to win - this is my first triathlon away from Brisbane so I had a bit of a challenge packing up my bike into the bike box yesterday and then unpacking it again last night. But the conditions are fantastic up here and the crowds are great so I really enjoyed racing up here today.
“The conditions were really nice out there, no chop in the swim and the bike course was beautiful, you could see everyone as you went along the course, and it was nice and flat which was good, and the run along the beach was something different, most of the other triathlons I’ve done have road runs but I really enjoyed the beach,” said Donker.
Enjoying the break from Brisbane, Donker is keen to return to Tropical North Queensland next year.
“A nice warm winter is always nice, I’d love to come back next year to defend my title,” she said.
Amongst the competitors taking to the Coral Coast course for the first time were the ‘Coral Coast Legends’, competitors who have raced the event at least 15 years out of the events 30 year history.
Neil Parker raced his 24th Coral Coast Tri race – a number unmatched by anyone in the events history.
“I had a really great day – I raced the same time as I did last year, actually it was pretty much the same time as I did in my first race in 1986 so I’m pretty happy with that,” said Parker.
“The course was really good, the swim was a bit challenging, we had a few currents going, the cycle was good but the run up the beach was the best – it’s a great way to finish the race.
“The organisers have done a great job and I’m looking forward to coming back for my 25th race next year,” he said.
Eighty-year-old Thelma Bryan from Cairns competed in the team’s category, tackling the 1.5km swim.
“It was getting a bit rough out there for me but it was very good. I was first here for the swim in 1983 so I am very pleased to still be here for the 30th anniversary,” she said.
In addition to the Olympic distance race, competitors of all ages and abilities took to the Enticer course (300m swim / 10km cycle / 2.5km run) and Sprint distance course (750m swim / 20km cycle / 5km run).
Also kicking off the week-long Cairns Airport Adventure Festival was the RRR Mountain Bike Challenge and the Hekili Great Barrier Reef Ocean Challenge which saw 50 crews of OC6, OC2, OC1 and surf skiers. In total over 1000 competitors participated in the weekend’s events.
The festival continues in Cairns next week with the Quicksilver Reef Swim – Green Island on Thursday 2nd June, The Cairns Post Run for Cairns on Friday 3rd June and Junior Challenge Cairns - a triathlon just for kids on Saturday 4th June.
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