A retail rebound in Lawrence is well underway, according to an annual study that shows the vacancy rate among stores and shops in Lawrence has fallen well below the national average.

A new commercial real estate report by the Lawrence office of Colliers International found that the citys retail vacancy rate was 3.9 percent at the end of 2014, which is below the national average of about 6.5 percent and below the Kansas City area average of about 8.5 percent.

It is very tight, said Marilyn Bittenbender, a senior vice president with Colliers. The good news is a low vacancy rate shows your economy is doing well, but it also makes it more difficult to attract new companies because you have fewer properties to show them.

The 3.9 percent citywide vacancy rate was down from 4.4 percent in 2013 and 5.4 percent in 2012. The closely watched downtown retail vacancy rate is even lower at 2.7 percent. The downtown rate, however, is up slightly from 1.8 percent in 2013, mainly because of the recent relocation of Buffalo Wild Wings to South Iowa Street and the closing of M&M Office Supply, both of which have left large buildings empty. The report estimates there is about 35,000 square feet of vacant retail space in downtown.

East 23rd Street had the highest retail vacancy rate in the city at 11.5 percent. South Iowa Street had the largest amount of vacant square footage at about 80,000 square feet, but that accounted for only about a 3.8 percent vacancy rate.

The low vacancy rates will create for an interesting 2015, Bittenbender predicted. There has been interest in building a new retail development southeast of the Iowa Street and South Lawrence Trafficway interchange, but it has not yet won city approval. There also have been efforts to lure retailers to an undeveloped area around the Rock Chalk Park sports complex in northwest Lawrence.

I would think well see some additional construction or at least see some additional projects approved in 2015, Bittenbender said of the retail front.

The report also looked at office and industrial vacancy rates in the city.

The office vacancy rate ended the year at 9.6 percent, up from about 9.4 percent a year ago. It remains below the Kansas City and national averages, which are between 11 percent and 12 percent.

The industrial vacancy rate fell to 6.1 percent, down from 7.4 percent in 2014. That puts Lawrence on par with the average vacancy rate in Kansas City and slightly below the national rate of about 8 percent.

Link:
Lawrence tops Kansas City, nation in key retail property rate

Attorney General Pam Bondi made it unanimous on Thursday, joining fellow Cabinet members in dissing Gov. Rick Scotts removal of Gerald Bailey from his perch atop the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

"Attorney General Bondi is dissatisfied with the manner in which this matter was handled," stated Bondi spokeswoman Jenn Meale in an email to the Times/Herald.

Meale sent the one-sentence statement on Thursday, joining Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, who made similar statements.

Its quite the turnaround for all three, who only two days before unanimously supported Scotts appointment of Rick Swearingen as Baileys replacement.

What made their reversal all the more remarkable was that Bailey, by Tuesday, had said he had been forced out by Scott. He even stated that Scotts general counsel told him in December that the governor had the concurrence of all three cabinet members.

Bondi refused to answer questions on Tuesday about whether she communicated with Scotts administration about removing Bailey, or if she asked why he was being removed. Like Putnam and Atwater, Bondi expressed no reservations at the time about the shakeup.

That was then. Since then, a media firestorm has erupted as revelations suggest the personnel move was politically motivated.

So if all three are now expressing concerns about how Bailey was removed, will they reconvene the Cabinet, as they have the power to do, to reconsider the issue (and help disprove growing evidence that they are a tool of the Governor)? Are they now saying that Scott did not have their concurrence on removing Bailey? Or did Scott have their concurrence, but only because he misled them?

The public awaits more information...

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Cabinet Trifecta: Bondi shares misgivings about Bailey ouster

Hardi Exterior Siding Installation
Installing Hardi Siding in freezing temperatures ! Location: Frankfort, IL. by: Bianco #39;s Construction, Inc. https://www.facebook.com/BiancosConstruction.

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Demo, Framing, Windows and Hardi Siding Installation
Residential Remodeling - Location: Frankfort, IL. by: Bianco #39;s Construction, Inc. https://www.facebook.com/BiancosConstruction.

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Terne Coated Stainless Steel Roofing by Gary Lyons Metal Roofing
Terne Coated Stainless Steel Roofing by Gary Lyons Metal Roofing http://www.garylyonsmetalroofing.co.uk garylyonsmetalroofing@gmail.com Terne Coated Stainless Steel in the traditional batten...

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Allison Park, PA | EAS Roofing | Gutters | Soffits | Fascias
Find out why EAS Roofing in Allison Park, Pennsylvania, is not your average roofing company. They stand behind every piece of material that goes into your ho...

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TIER-ONE ROOFING with Operation Finally Home
Army War Veteran going who lost everything is given a mortgage free home.

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Local roofing contractor Stephen Gretchen admitted in federal court to paying employees under the table over a period of five years and fraudulently collecting insurance money on a camping trailer destroyed in a staged crash.

Gretchen, 44, of McMechen pleaded guilty to filing a false tax form and mail fraud before U.S. Magistrate James Seibert. As part of a plea agreement, Gretchen - who owns A-1 Roofs Done Right in Wheeling and STS General Contracting in McMechen - agreed to pay more than $225,000 in unpaid taxes and other restitution resulting from his crimes.

He faces a maximum of 23 years in prison and $500,000 in fines, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McWilliams said he would recommend a penalty toward the lower end of federal sentencing guidelines if Gretchen abides by the terms of the agreement.

Photo by Ian Hicks Stephen Gretchen of McMechen, owner of A-1 Roofs Done Right in Wheeling, pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges Wednesday.

During Wednesday's hearing, McWilliams called two federal investigators to testify about Gretchen's activities.

Internal Revenue Service Special Agent Jason Somerville said Gretchen falsely reported on his Form 941, a quarterly report detailing wages paid and taxes withheld, that he had no employees and thus paid no wages. But he testified to speaking with several people who admitted Gretchen paid them under the table.

"The majority of employees I talked to, early on, were paid solely in cash, and later on were paid in a combination of cash and check," Somerville said.

Tammy Mayle, a U.S. Postal Service inspector, then testified that on April 24, 2012, Gretchen staged a collision involving a camping trailer in order to collect insurance money. He received a $22,776 check from Progressive Insurance Co. via FedEx in June of that year after claiming the camper was destroyed in a hit-and-run accident, Mayle testified.

"The employee told the other investigators that he was solicited to crash a dump truck into the camper," she said.

Mayle said the investigation revealed Gretchen paid the employee $500 to destroy the camper, and a second employee overheard the two discussing the arrangement.

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Roofing Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax, Mail Fraud

January 15, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Soo Greyhounds SAULT STE. MARIE, ON- The Soo Greyhounds, and in particular two of their newest additions, flexed their offensive muscle on Wednesday Night in front of a near sell-out and boisterous Essar Centre crowd.

The locals built up a 5-1 lead through the opening twenty minutes before routing the visiting Saginaw Spirit 12 to 5.

A dominant first period saw the Hounds open a 2-0 lead in the opening six and a half minutes.

SERGEY TOLCHINSKY (4:40) swung from outside the zone to the right wing before his shot eluded starting net minder Evan Cormier for the first goal of the game.

JUSTIN BAILEY then notched his 3rd goal as a Greyhound (6:30) firing home a shot from the slot to increase the lead.

The first two goals came on the Hounds first five shots of the game while they limited Saginaw to a single shot through the opening 11:20 of the period.

NICK RITCHIE scored his first and second goals as a Hound off a rebound, and redirection from in front, while JARED MCCANN and MICHAEL BUNTING rounded out the period's scoring with the four goal (5-1) cushion.

Connor Brown had the lone Saginaw goal while the Hounds effectively killed off a Saginaw 5-on-3 that lasted 1:52 in the first.

David Ovsjannikov would replace starting Spirit net minder Evan Cormier to start the second period, after allowing five goals on twelve shots.

The Hounds increased their lead before the second period was ten minutes old when NICK RITCHIE scored his third of the night after a Hounds man advantage (2:50) and then JUSTIN BAILEY marked his second of the evening from Ovsjannikov's right to make it a 7-1 game.

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Ritchie Leads Hounds Offensive Muscles against Saginaw

The weather outside is frightful, but local stages are heating up for the second halves of their season.

Everyone from legendary acts like Natalie Cole to up-and-comers like comedian Mike Birbiglia will be in the area this winter and spring, and youll want to clear your date book now.

You will definitely want to check out your favorite venue many have added to their lineups.

Elgin Arts Center

We have added a number of shows to our season, said Susanne Kepley, manager of marketing and patron services at Elgin Community College. That includes the returning favorite Under the Streetlamp on Mothers Day weekend, which features former cast members of Jersey Boys, she said.

Thats a show were so happy to have return to the Arts Center, she said. When they were starting out, we were one of the first venues to book the show and its really exciting to have the guys coming back. It feels like theyre coming home.

Theyre so talented and its been great to see the success of that show. They do a mix of doo-wop, Motown and rock n roll. Its a really fun night and one of the most excited audiences Ive seen are definitely the audiences coming out of Under the Streetlamp.

Another show thats been added is The Band tribute group The Weight on March 13, featuring members of The Band, The Levon Helm Band and friends.

The month kicks off with American Grands XX, a piano event that originated in the Fox Valley and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Its just so thrilling to see the joy people find in that event and its growing popularity, she said.

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Guide: West Suburban 2015 major venue preview