Buying Here: Wilkinsburg

Sometimes, buying a home means more than getting a place to live. It means putting down roots and investing in a community.

That opportunity is available to the buyer of 833 Holland Ave., Wilkinsburg. The property is being offered for $127,000 (with an assessed value of $23,400) through Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation and is part of a large-scale revitalization project in Hamnett Place, a National Register historic district.

Michael F. Sriprasert, president of Landmarks Community Capital Corp., has worked for more than three years on this project alongside David Farkas, director of Main Street Programs. Both have seen major improvements in the area -- a direct result of many stakeholders coming together.

The group initially got $8.6 million to restore the Crescent Apartments and the Wilson Apartments, which were identified as a cornerstone to the redevelopment. The single-family housing phase started with an investment of $802,000 for four houses, three on Jeanette Street and one on Holland Avenue. Those homes sold for prices ranging from $80,000 to $95,000.

Phase 2 features three houses that are all on the market now -- 517 Jeanette St., and 833 and 845 Holland Ave. All feature four bedrooms, 11/2 baths, central air conditioning and off-street parking.

Mr. Farkas says that the homes are practically maintenance-free.

"Residents are loving living in the homes. The scope of the renovation is so large. We deliver to a buyer a house in wonderful condition with lots of character and architectural elements in place."

The home at 833 Holland Ave. sits on a double lot and features a lovely white spindle-rail porch and a cheery color scheme of tan and soft green. A large tree is at the edge of the property near a two-car parking pad and lots of level space for kids to play or to have a family gathering.

Inside, the entry hall is dominated by a grand staircase whose woodwork has been kept intact. Ornate spindles and panels create interest while light floods the hall through a window and an overhead door transom.

To the left are the living room and dining room, each measuring roughly 12 by 13 feet. The color scheme is neutral, with light tan carpeting that runs throughout the home, cream walls and white trim.

Further down the hall, a quaint powder room has a vinyl floor with a white pedestal sink and matching commode. Another window lights the space.

The kitchen measures 19 by 10 feet and spans the width of the back of the home. It has a smart layout with the cabinets in a U-shape configuration and room for a table and chairs. Dark wood cabinets are contrasted by light solid-surface countertops and white appliances, including a gas stove and a dishwasher. A stainless-steel double-bowl sink rounds out the plan while durable vinyl flooring promises easy upkeep. The room also has an access door to the backyard and another to the basement.

On the second floor, the master bedroom is roughly 13 by 13, large enough to accommodate a queen bed. A little nook could handle a small desk. The second bedroom measures nearly 13 by 12 feet. Both have large closets and make use of a generous bathroom that measures 12 feet wide with a double-bowl vanity top, lots of storage, tile floors and a bathtub/shower combo with more ceramic tile.

The third floor is finished with a small center hallway flanked by a pair of bedrooms. The ceilings are sloped with tons of usable space that's perfect for solitude or rowdy kids.

The basement has a natural stone foundation, is clean and dry and houses the home's mechanicals. A white utility tub sits near a window.

The home down the street at 845 Holland is on the corner. It has a beautiful brick exterior with lots of rich details still intact, including arched window transoms, a double-paneled wood front door, interior pocket doors and decorative exterior brickwork. It sits on a single level lot perfect for someone who wants less yard work. It has 1,972 square feet of living space and is priced at $125,000.

The third home, at 517 Jeanette St., has the largest interior space, at 1,944 square feet. It has all of the amenities of the other homes and features a large pantry wall in the kitchen. It is priced at $125,000.

Mr. Sriprasert explains the special financing available. "Prospective homeowners have a sliding scale of generous maximum income limits. Then, a deferred $20,000 second mortgage is available. It is totally forgiven if the owner stays in the home for 15 years. If they decide to sell, they pay back a prorated portion."

The program has been a success in key Pittsburgh neighborhoods such as Manchester, South Side and Downtown. Mr. Sriprasert said that without both public and private investment, these initiatives would fail. He specifically credited the Allegheny County Economic Development office, county executives Rich Fitzgerald and Dan Onorato, various banks and Richard Mellon Scaife, who has given through both his own foundation and the Allegheny Foundation. He said Mr. Scaife, who has supported PHLF for decades, was also a lead funder on the three earlier city projects.

House Hunting in ... Croatia

This eight-bedroom stone villa, built in 2005, was designed to house a large extended family or to function as an owner-occupied vacation rental. In addition to the owner’s two-bedroom unit on the second floor, the four-story structure has a one-bedroom apartment and five studios, each with a bath and a kitchenette. Made of gray stone, with a red-tiled roof, the house has a one-car garage and a gated courtyard with a swimming pool. The one-bedroom apartment is on the first floor; it faces the pool and adjoins an exercise room. The main entrance, which opens onto a patio with a tiled roof, is one flight up. It is reached via a stone staircase.

The entire second floor is taken up by the owner’s two-bedroom apartment. The kitchen has a cream-colored ceramic tiled floor and windows overlooking the patio (also called a gloriette). The wood cabinets are painted white, and the hardware is stainless steel. The living room has an oak floor and pale yellow walls mounted with contemporary rectangular light fixtures. A sliding glass door opens onto a balcony with stucco arches overlooking the garden and the Adriatic Sea. The master bedroom, off the living room, has orange lacquered closet doors. The adjacent hall bath has a tub with a hand-held shower nozzle. The bathroom, its walls lined with yellow and white tile, has a bidet. The other bathroom, near the front door, has a shower stall and glossy turquoise tile.

The property is on a hillside cul-de-sac 15 minutes north of Dubrovnik in the village of Zaton. A small downtown, within walking distance, has restaurants, shops, a newsstand and a post office. The harbor, where you can swim and moor a boat for the day, is a five-minute walk. For longer-term boat moorings, the marina at the Adriatic Croatia International Club is about 10 minutes away.

The property market in Croatia is “generally steady, but coastal areas have slightly picked up since August,” thanks in part to foreign buyers, said Ivo Perkovic, a sales agent for First Property Croatia in Split. Prices in some areas are still off as much as 25 percent from their 2007 peak; Mr. Perkovic believes prices have stabilized at this new lower level. He said that although interest among Croatian buyers was strong, high mortgage interest rates were impeding purchases. Foreign buyers almost always pay cash, he added, because banks in Croatia generally will not lend to them.

“Prices in Dubrovnik are the highest in Croatia,” said Tatjana Tosic, director of property marketing and sales for the Dubrovnik Sun Gardens Resort. And Mr. Perkovic says homes in move-in condition in Old Town Dubrovnik start at 3,000 euros per square meter (about $365 per square foot, at 0.76 euros to the dollar).

Ms. Tosic says prices in the Dubrovnik region can go as high as 6,000 euros per square meter. The home profiled here is priced at 4,375 euros per square meter.

Before the financial crisis hit Europe, Dubrovnik was a popular second-home destination for residents of Britain. There are still some British buyers, Ms. Tosic said, but now the market is dominated by expatriate Croats who want vacation or retirement homes in Croatia. There are also many buyers from former Soviet bloc countries like Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan, Ms. Tosic said.

Mr. Perkovic cited the area’s popularity in recent years with buyers from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden and Austria. He has also noticed an increase in the number of Americans, encouraged by a stronger dollar and a perception that property in Croatia will hold its value.

If a foreigner’s home country welcomes Croatian property buyers, Croatia will reciprocate. “This depends on bilateral agreements between Croatia and that particular country,” said Vedrana Kelleher, sales director for Savills Croatia.

“At this point in time, besides Croatian citizens, all citizens of E.U. can also buy without any restrictions,” she said.

Transaction costs include a 5 percent transfer tax paid by the buyer, and legal fees of about 1 percent of the purchase price, Ms. Kelleher noted. Legal fees cover the cost of obtaining government approval, which for American buyers is typically a straightforward process. Some agencies charge buyers a real estate agent commission of up to 2 percent, though Ms. Kelleher said that was not routinely the case.

Foreign buyers are urged to make sure the agent they use is licensed, as there are otherwise few legal protections, Mr. Perkovic said.

Real estate prices are advertised in euros, but the transaction takes place in kunas, according to Ms. Kelleher. The final exchange rate is determined on the day of sale.

Heaton starts remodeling, construction company

After living six years in Alabama, Eric Heaton has moved back to this area and started Heaton Remodeling and Construction Inc. in Princeton.

“I grew up in this area and decided to come back to help my dad and brother with the farming operation,” he said. “We wanted to raise our kids in this environment. I would eventually like to hire a crew.”

Heaton, the president and owner of the firm, enjoys doing bathroom and kitchen remodeling projects, but he would like to specialize in timber framing projects.

“I think it is one of my gifts that I enjoy making and building things,” he said.

Previously, Heaton had worked for Key Builders and Bullington and Isaacson Construction in Princeton prior to moving to Huntsville, Ala., where his wife’s family was located.

“The last three years we have pondered and prayed if and when to make the move back up here,” he said. “Last summer, we felt was that time.”

Heaton graduated from Princeton High School and North Park University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in biology.

He also took a course in Sante Fe, N.M., where he learned how to do timber framing and rustic-style architectural projects.

“No one does this work around here,” he added. “I would like to create my own niche and to think outside the box.”

In his more than 10 years as a carpenter, Heaton indicated he experienced several different aspects of the construction industry as a lead carpenter, a project foreman and an estimator.

“During this time, I have valued what it means to be precise and accurate when it comes to residential construction and remodeling,” he said. “Even allowing the smallest details to be overlooked can lead to larger problems in the final phases of the job. For this reason, we take the finest details of the project and incorporate them into the overall scope in order to achieve a higher level of quality craftsmanship.”

Some of the services offered by Heaton Remodeling and Construction are framing/timber framing, trim/finish carpentry, cabinetry, ceramic/stone tile, hardwood floors, windows/doors, painting, drywall, kitchen/bathroom remodeling, siding/cornice, outdoor living areas, decks/patios, fencing and masonry/concrete.

Flooding front and centre at architecture exposition

Flooding will be the main theme of the Architect '12 fair, featuring flood-escape housing design, a trend toward ceramic tile instead of wood, and redesigned mechanical and engineering systems.

Chalay Kunawong, vice-president of the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage (ASA), said flooding was the hot issue with the public, so Architect '12 would be about nothing but water.

"We have lived with water since long ago. We have to continue to live with it," he said.

There will be seven academic zones about water at the fair: Learning from Yesterdays, Architecture and Cities, Thailand's Settlement with Water, Our King and Water, Global Case Studies on Architecture with Water, Six Water Cities, and Visionary Water Architecture.

The Learning from Yesterdays exhibit will show how Thais lived with water and learned from it during the Dharavadee Age, the Sukothai Age, the Ayudhya Age and the Ratanakosin Age.

Architecture and Cities will show how city planning developed.

Thailand's Settlement with Water will show samples of people living with water such as the Koh Panyi community and those living in raft houses.

"We will select six provinces like Nan, Nakhon Ratchasima, Ayutthaya and Nakhon Sawan for architect firms to review and introduce flood protection solutions for future guidelines, not just basic ones," Dr Chalay said.

The fair will provide free of charge some 30-40 flood-protection housing designs with a usable area of smaller than 150 square metres.

Architect '12 will take place from April 24-29 at Impact Muang Thong Thani. Of the total exhibition area, 60,000 square metres, or 70%, is booked. Visitors will include architects, designers, engineers, contractors, developers, project owners and the general public.Visitors are expected to number 250,000. The ASA is aiming for 5 billion baht in sales for exhibitors at the fair.

Those exhibitors will include construction materials producers and suppliers such as Deco Room Co Ltd, a 33-year-old Thai-style furniture maker based in California that is shifting its focus to the Thai market.

Managing director Sopond Phairojmahakij said the company plans to spend 40-60 million baht to expand furniture production in Thailand after shifting its production base to Pathum Thani's Lam Luk Ka district seven years ago and the showroom to Srinakarin Road in Bangkok four years ago.

Ask a Designer: entryway floors fit for winter

As the season of snow boots and slush arrives in much of the country, entryway floors will take a beating.

The spot where we enter our homes — and welcome guests — can be a tricky one to decorate. It's meant to be a showcase, expressing our style and setting the tone for a visitor's stay. But the floor must withstand dripping umbrellas, muddy shoes and more.

Los Angeles-based interior designer Betsy Burnham is often approached by clients who want help with entryways. Choosing a floor covering is a priority, she says.

Here Burnham and two other experts offer tips on durable, easy-to-clean flooring that doesn't skimp on style, from cork to porcelain tile to washable rugs.

Cork squares are durable, made from natural wood fibers and can handle moisture. They also absorb sound well and come in a variety of colors and patterns. "Don't just picture a bulletin board" when you think of cork, Burnham says.

Cork offers a look similar to hardwood, but is less expensive. And you can replace just one tile if a section gets damaged.

Another flexible option is FLOR carpet tiles, Flynn says. "You can add color, texture or pattern by laying them out in the desired pattern," he says, "then cutting the end tiles to size." FLOR tiles can be laid out to give the look of an area rug or wall-to-wall carpeting.

Flynn also recommends vinyl plank tiles. These inexpensive tiles are thin but durable, and easy to install. They can be mopped clean. And do-it-yourself installation is simple, Flynn says. "It simply requires a utility knife for installation. The planks attach to one another with an upward-facing sticky strip. Each time a plank reaches a wall, it's cut to size," he says.

Rugs can be a great way to delineate the space at an entryway, and many styles are washable. "I've done everything from rag rugs to Turkish carpets" in entryways, Burnham says.

Rather than investing in one expensive rug, she says, buy several that can be swapped out when one is being cleaned.

Meg Caswell, host of HGTV's "Meg's Great Rooms," suggests shopping for carpet remnants. Carpet stores often keep their remnants out of sight, she says, but if you ask they should direct you to them. If you find a remnant piece you want, have it cut to size. You can ask to have it banded with a canvas edge in a contrasting color, Caswell says, or in a patterned fabric you've chosen (check the remnants at fabric stores for affordable finds and bring the fabric with you to the carpet store).

By using a remnant, you've created a custom piece with little expense. If it's damaged by foot traffic over the course of a few winters, the loss will be minimal.

Another approach that Flynn and Burnham recommend: Buy a vintage rug that's already worn. Faded colors and frayed spots are part of the charm, so you won't mind if further wear-and-tear happens.

If you'd prefer the finished look of wall-to-wall carpeting at your entrance, Flynn suggests buying several smaller rugs and attaching them underneath with carpet tape. The edges can be cut to fit your space, giving a permanent, wall-to-wall look. But pieces can be removed for cleaning.

Caswell often recommends porcelain tiles for high-traffic entryways. "The minute I say porcelain tile, people think it's going to shatter, that it's fragile," she says. "But really porcelain tiles are truly the most durable tiles out there."

They're nearly "impossible to chip," Caswell says. "But the best part is that if it does chip, the color is all the way through the entire piece."

Burnham agrees: Porcelain tile, she says, "looks like stone, but it's much less expensive than actual stone. We've done charcoal-gray, big rectangles of porcelain tile, and it's so much easier to sweep out or mop up because you can get it wet."

Whatever material you use for your entryway floors, these designers suggest avoiding pale neutrals and solids in favor of slightly bolder colors, patterns, and textures that hide dirt and signs of wear.

For wood floors, Flynn suggests, "have a pattern painted directly onto it using porch and deck paint," he says. "The porch and deck paint is insanely durable and will last a long time. To make it even more foolproof, consider adding another coat of sealer to it just before the winter."

Bold florals or sunbursts might not be your taste, says Caswell, but entryways are a great place to "be riskier and push yourself, so you can incorporate a little more of your personality. You're making that statement when someone enters your home."

Cozy kitchen at their command

From the day they bought their modest home in southwest Eugene four years ago, Erin Chaparro and Jeremy Hall wanted to remodel the kitchen “cave.”

But rather than busting out walls in the confined, dim kitchen right away, the couple dug deep into homework.

“We decided to live in the house for a while to see what the space needs really were,” says Chaparro, who entertains topics relating to home design, decorating and cooking on her blog, “Eugene Modern Monkey.”

Magazines like dwell, subtitled “At Home in the Modern World,” helped Chaparro, 35, and Hall, 37, envision a kitchen far better suited for time together and with friends.

“We like entertaining; we like having friends over. And Jeremy loves to cook,” Chaparro says. “We wanted a space that felt good to do all of those things in.”

But the remodel also had to be “aesthetically artistic,” Chaparro says.

“Yes, we knew that we wanted the space opened up, but we thought an architect could bring different ideas to the table than we could, just because they’re immersed in it all the time and we’re not. It’s not our area of expertise.”

They recruited two Eugene pros: young architect David Schmitz for both his design and structural expertise, and neighborhood cabinet maker Jonathan Plummer for sleek, modular woodworks key to the remodel’s contemporary flair.

The team stewed over details for another few months, and work finally began earlier this year. Now, some $25,000 to $30,000 later, the couple have a kitchen that commands attention on multiple levels:

Against modernistic elements such as stainless-steel countertops and appliances, thin-concrete floors painted midnight blue, and white-laminate cabinet doors, more natural warmth literally flows from a big, curved, handsawn walnut top on the island bar.

“Just being in the Pacific Northwest, we wanted something that feels cozy and brings in the elements, but that still has that modern aesthetic to it,” informs Chaparro. “So that’s what we were aiming for: modern organic.”

Valley Stainless Inc. in Eugene forged the stainless-steel counters as single units, one run for the cabinet wall with sink and the other for the island bar with cooktop. Cabinet maker Plummer estimates the counters — with sculpted sink in the cabinet-wall section — cost about $80 per square foot.

“Some people don’t like it that, over time, they show scratches,” allows Chaparro in regard to the shiny metal counters. “But we’re pretty active in our kitchen, and so the more scratches, the less you notice. You can still polish it up really nice.”

Likewise, she says it’s “really easy” to clean the white laminate fronts on many of the kitchen’s cabinet doors. “A little sponge, and it’s gone.”

No run-of-the-mill cabinets, Plummer built these with ApplePly, a plywood made by States Industries in Eugene. With about a dozen layers of hardwood, “It’s a very fine and regular layering,” notes architect Schmitz. Inside, the cabinets are faced in birch; outside, Eastern maple.

Artistic flair offsets the boxy wall cabinets. Above the sink, an off-white ceramic tile backsplash runs clear to a walnut display shelf — lined with glassware — at ceiling height.

Not only do cabinet doors push to open — good for when both hands are full and a knee or elbow can suffice — but logic pervades to nooks and crannies.

One cabinet drawer slides out for composting kitchen scraps; recycling bins tuck underneath the sink. A step stool, handy for reaching the high, slide-out liquor drawer, fits by design into a shallow crevice above the fridge and below the wall cabinets.

“There’s a space for everything now, and that really helps us keep the whole house cleaner,” Chaparro says. “There’s no question about where to put anything, because that space was built to put that item there. So that’s a joy.”

Even the island bar’s big walnut slab, cut from a whole tree by Curly Burly Milling in Cottage Grove, yields surprises beneath the surface. One swooshed out edge creates room below for a wine cabinet; another, display shelves.

Look up, and a ceiling cabinet above the island bar also includes display shelves.

But look closer at the birch frame with walnut divider, and you notice it contains a custom range hood over the cooktop.

Carpentry house waits for buyer

In a charming neighborhood on the south side of Carthage, a home is waiting for a family.

Two years ago, the Carthage High School carpentry class completed a home at 2534 Stephen St., which has yet to be purchased.

The 1,985-square-foot home sits on a lot approximately 100x135 feet deep. It features three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, spacious interior design and a vibrant popular tree in the backyard. Ed Stephens, director of the Carthage Technical Center, said it's a wonderful home and a great buy at $149,900.

“If I was looking to move to Carthage, I think this would be my choice,” he said walking through the doorway.

When viewers of the house enter through the roomy two-car garage, they are embraced by either the full kitchen or the welcoming, carpeted living room. Or, viewers may enter through the modern designed front door, turn left and see the bedrooms. The kitchen, entryways, breakfast area and hallways have hardwood floors. Stephens said the ceiling fans, the doorknobs, windows and other fixtures are all top-of-the-line products. When viewers exit the house from the back sliding door, they see a covered porch and walkway to the garage.

Stephens said the yard landscaping will be finished this fall by Pinewood Nursery, and shutters will be added to the house – and the price of the house will remain the same. Also, during the Maple Leaf, All Things Grand and Aaron’s Rental Center will stage the house with furniture.

The kitchen features custom-made oak cabinets, lamented countertops, a dishwasher and microwave. There is a spacious pantry with easily accessible drawers as well, and a breakfast nook.

The house is trimmed in oak with oak six-panel interior doors. There are ceramic tile floors in the bathrooms and utility room.

Supplier for the wood products, windows and doors was Barton's of Carthage. Shingles are under  Tamko Heritage's 30-year warranty. Gutters are aluminum installed by Bolivar of Joplin as well as the insulation for the garage ceiling. Plumbing was by Scott Heating & Plumbing for rough-in, with the carpentry class and Wampler Plumbing completing the finish. Tub and showers were Aqua Glass, fixtures from Kohler, and the faucets are from Delta.

Southwest Heat and Air did the heating, and Watson Electric Co., did the electricity. (The house is wired for both cable and Internet.) Bricks were supplied by Acme Brick Co., installed by Hodson Masonry. The overhead garage door and openers were supplied by Dean's Garage Door. The paint, carpet supplied and installed by Sherwin Williams. Tile, hardwood floors, light fixtures, microwave and dishwasher were supplied by Lowe's. Sealer, stain and clear finish provided by Minwax.

X-Men Destiny News and Images from E3

You control the destiny of 1 of 3 mutants in the upcoming X-Men: Destiny game. Choose to uphold the ideals of Professor X and attempt to co-exist with humanity peacefully or follow the doctrine of Magneto and exterminate "homo superior's" inferior cousins. Confirmed to appear in the game are Magneto, Cyclops, Wolverine, Gambit, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Quicksilver, and Surge (yeah, all mutant A-listers and then Surge?...really?). However, I am sure we will be treated to a bevy of cameos and easter eggs.

Standard gameplay tactics are in effect here as you will be able to choose from standard punch and kick attacks, mutant power attacks and a special attack which unleashes a potent explosion of your mutant abilities but also leaves you vulnerable for a few seconds afterwards.



As for our 3 main characters? Adrian, is a former Pure Fire member who's father was killed by mutants. He struggles to cope with the discovery that he is actually the very thing he hates. Aimi is the daughter of mutant parents, however she has become an outcast in her family and has since been sent to San Francisco for reasons not yet revealed at this time. Finally, there is Grant, the proto-typical All-American boy who has never paid much attention to the mutant/human conflict until his latent mutant powers start to manifest.

As for villiains, Magneto is obviously in the game but whether he is a primary antagonist is unknown. Also confirmed at E3 was the presence of the U-Men, making it a possibility that the game may loosely follow the storyline of the current ongoing X-Men anime.