The design for a controversial glass tower on Vancouvers waterfront that has been called everything from origami to the blob to the icepick didnt get approval in its first pass at the citys urban design panel.

The panel, a group of architects and engineers who provide advice to the city planning department, said the 26-storey tower crowded too close to the citys heritage Waterfront Station, a former train station that is now a central transit hub.

The current design, by internationally renowned Chicago architects Gordon Gill and Adrian Smith, shows a glass building rising from a narrow base close to the east side of the station and curving over its roof, with windows angled like the facets of a diamond.

I admire your work and Im very happy to see you working on a project in the city, Vancouver architect Matthew Soules told the two. But, he said, the proximity and overhang of the tower to the station is ultimately a disservice to the dignity of the station. By positioning the tower so close, it appears that (a future connecting road on the other side) is more important than one of the citys civic structures.

Mr. Soules, like others on the panel, said the 1914 station is one of this young citys few historic buildings and needs to be respected.

As well, the building, on a site that is currently a private parking lot between the station and the Steamworks restaurant and pub, doesnt do enough to make the public feel welcome, the panel said.

They noted that, whether owner Cadillac Fairview likes it or not, the public has come to see that parking lot along with the view of the mountains and water from it as their space. Cadillac Fairview also owns Waterfront Station.

Architect Jennifer Marshall suggested creating a winter garden that would extend through the lobby of the building, turning the whole ground floor, as well as the plaza outside, into a public space.

In spite of the criticisms, almost all the panel members agreed that the building fits with the citys future waterfront plan to have an office tower of that height and density there.

They also didnt have a problem with the very modern design next to the station, saying that many cities have shown that the blend of old and new can be attractive.

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Controversial origami glass tower struck down by Vancouver urban design panel

Sales dominated activity in the industrial market in 2014, accounting for 84 per cent of all space transacted

While 2014 was the busiest year ever in terms of the Irish property investment market with more than 4.4 billion worth of properties sold, it also may have marked a turning point for the languishing industrial market.

The latest research from estate agency Lisney found that the Dublin industrial market experienced its largest ever quarterly take-up figure in Q4 of 2014.

Last year got off to a slow start, says Lisney, but activity in the industrial market flourished in the second half of the year to finish at around 353,000sq m of space either leased or sold to owner-occupiers by year end.

Sales dominated activity, accounting for 84 per cent of all space transacted in 2014. With capital values less than half the replacement cost, it made sense for occupiers with funds available to buy a building rather than rent it. Most were funded in cash, but as the year progressed smaller elements of finance crept in to the market. The cost of servicing a mortgage annually was often substantially less than the rent. There was also the added advantage of the CGT waiver.

The research notes that while speculative construction in the industrial sector is still a couple of years out, there will be design-and-build agreements reached in 2015 whereby a developer will enter into a pre-letting or sale agreement with an occupier.

This will be at the larger end of the market, for specialised industrial buildings greater than 7,000sq m.

The amount of available industrial space reduced in 2014, most notably in the last quarter, and this was particularly the case in southwest and northwest Dublin. However, the overall vacancy rate for Dublin remained relatively high at around 18 per cent.

Grafton Street, Henry Street and the key suburban shopping centres attracted some top retailers in 2014. Vacancy rates in these areas were very low and by the end of the year, it was notable that Grafton Street was 100 per cent let. However, provincial high streets and some town centres did not fare so well with some continuing to struggle to find occupiers.

Despite this, the agency says demand for space will spread out from prime pitches in 2015 while vacancy rates in secondary locations will start to come down.

Continued here:
Record take-up in industrial market over last quarter of 2014

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ELMIRA, NY (WENY) - The Near Westside Neighborhood Association is one step closer to restoring the Richardson - Kennedy House in Elmira.

The association was given a grant of more than $300,000 to restore and stabilize whats known as the Ritz-Carriage house on Water Street.

The funding came from the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation & Historic Preservation, through the Regional Economic Development Council.

The grant money makes up about 75% of the project's total budget, which is more than $400,000.

Near-Westside has to come up with the remaining balance. But they don't have too much more left to fundraise thanks to their partnership with the Historic Elmira organization.

Through their efforts we've already received 82% of what we need, so we're really ready to start with this project, said Beth Farr, Near Westside Neighborhood Association, Executive Director.

The Near Westside association has already begun looking for architects and construction companies.

Farr says it's up to the developer what the house will be used for but she says she hopes to see a mix of commercial space and residential use within the next year or two.

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Historic Elmira Home Gets Money For Restoration

PARAGOULD, AR (KAIT) - A faith-based rehabilitation program in Region 8 is working to expand their ministry.

Shepherd's Fold can house 23 men at their location in Cardwell, MO. Last year, a strong supporter of the ministry bought a home on 6 acres of land in Paragould and gave it to them.

Since then, they've been working to remodel the home; but, before they can house men facing addictions, they need one thing.

"If we were to open this place right, by this time tomorrow evening, I'd have it full," Steve McCracken told Region 8 News.

McCracken is the president and founder of Shepherd's Fold. He explained that the ministry has been fixing up that Paragould home for months and they are trying to do it as economically as possible.

"We've come in and we've bought scrap sheet rock," McCracken said. "Just as God has provided. We've done just a little bit here and there."

The new home can house 8 to 10 men battling addictions. McCracken said although the program is based in Southeast Missouri, there is a great need in Northeast Arkansas.

Since the program started nearly 5 years ago, a majority of the men at Shepherd's Fold have been from Arkansas.

"I know less than 5 of them have been from Missouri," McCracken said.

McCracken said most of the men at Shepherd's Fold come from Poinsett, Craighead and Lawrence Counties.

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Shepherd's Fold works to expand ministry to Paragould with new home

Gov. Rick Scott has proposed a series of changes in handling of appointments and job reviews of Cabinet-level agency heads in the wake of the fiasco last month in which his office forced the ouster of a top state police executive without the advance knowledge of the three Cabinet members. Scott's office maintains that all three Cabinet members' staff members knew of Scott's desire for changes at FDLE and that staffers "raised no objection."

Scott's proposal essentially is a reworked version of a plan put forward last week by Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. It will be discussed at the next Cabinet meeting set for Feb. 5 at the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa. The governor's office confirmed Wednesday that the meeting will be held in Tampa as scheduled.

Scott's one-page proposal would reduce the job security of those officials by creating a new "annual Cabinet leadership review" that would allow for an agency head's "removal for any reason by an appropriate vote."

Under the Scott proposal, he or any Cabinet member could annually make a motion for "affirmation or removal" of Cabinet agency heads, which include the commissioner of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, state insurance commissioner, banking regulator, tax collector and executive director of highway safety, among others.

The proposal states in part: "Prior to the end of each fiscal year, the performance and tenure of each executive director, director or commissioner appointed and serving under the direction and supervision of the governor and Cabinet shall be reviewed." The proposal also would give Scott the authority to appoint an interim replacement at the head of an agency "in the event of a vacancy," which Scott did last month when he alone selected FDLE's Capitol police director, Rick Swearingen, as an interim replacement for the ousted FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey.

Scott also is proposing a nationwide search for qualified candidates for those offices. Earlier this month, Scott's office solicited a resume from a Louisiana state official, Ron Henderson, as a potential replacement for Kevin McCarty, who has headed the Office of Insurance Regulation since 2003.

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Gov. Scott proposes Cabinet changes in wake of FDLE fiasco

TALLAHASSEE

The raging controversy over Gov. Rick Scott's removal of a respected law enforcement official escalated Wednesday as Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said he was "misled" by Scott's office and a St. Petersburg lawyer formally accused top state officials of Sunshine Law violations.

In addition, Attorney General Pam Bondi surprisingly said that she believed Scott's staff members orchestrated the ouster of Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey without the governor's knowledge.

"We all knew there were going to be changes in the coming months," Bondi told an Associated Press gathering of state reporters. "But did I know that Jerry Bailey was going to be told he was fired and have his things packed up, his entire life as a career law enforcement officer in a cardboard box, and be told to be out of the office before the end of the day? Absolutely not. Nor do I believe the governor knew it."

Scott faces intense criticism from all directions over his removal of Bailey, who served as FDLE commissioner for eight years until he was forced out Dec. 16 with no public discussion of his performance. Bailey was one of several state agency heads who report not only to the governor but also to the three elected Cabinet members.

Bailey has called Scott a liar for saying that he resigned, and he has accused Scott's office of repeated political interference charges Scott again denied Wednesday.

The three Republican members of the Cabinet, who have been harshly criticized for acquiescing to what they now view as a heavy-handed, back-room political maneuver, have become increasingly critical of Scott's actions.

The harshest criticism came from Putnam, who is seen as a leading candidate for governor in 2018. Putnam, who met with Bailey on Wednesday, all but accused Scott's office of lying in the way it orchestrated the dismissal, by sending messages through staff members that Scott wanted "new leadership" at FDLE.

"We were misled as to the timing and the process of how that would be handled," Putnam said. "It has revealed poor treatment of a good man."

Asked whether he believed Scott's version of the truth or Bailey's, Putnam paused and said: "Jerry Bailey's a fine man. He served our state very well. The way he was treated at the end of his distinguished career was shabby."

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Cabinet members step up attacks on Gov. Rick Scott over FDLE firing

Arthenia Joyner, the Senates top Democrat, kicked off the annual Associated Press legislative planning session with a bang Wednesday, hammering Gov. Rick Scott for a miserable lesson in bad government.

Joyner, of Tampa, was teeing-off on Scott for forcing out longtime Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey and calling for leadership changes at three other agencies overseen by his office and the three-person Cabinet.

Scott elbowed-out Bailey and has actively sought leadership at another Cabinet-level agency without informing Cabinet members.

Only arrogance can explain being less than honest with the public about official actions, Joyner said.

Her comments came to a room full of reporters and editors gathered in Tallahassee for an annual pre-legislative session meeting hosted by the Associated Press.

The state constitution requires the entire Cabinet to vote on the removal of certain officials, including the FDLE chief. Baileys resignation was forced without consulting Cabinet members.

The perception is that the constitution has been violated and the people want to know, she said. In an era of transparency, we have to make sure it is transparent.

In addition, Scott had already been quietly seeking replacement for Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, a post also overseen by the Cabinet. He reached out to Ron Henderson, a Louisiana insurance official, earlier this month about the potential of an opening in Florida.

Joyner also noted the well-worn path from Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindals administration to Scotts office. Several top officials, including chief-of-staff Melissa Sellers, have done stints in Louisiana.

Scott seems to be getting Bobby Jindals hand me downs, Joyner said of Henderson.

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Joyner hammers Scott's 'arrogance' over FDLE ouster

PRINCETON The the radio room in the Bureau County Jail is getting an upgrade, thanks to a $150,000 state grant.

Former Sheriff John Thompson had been working on the grant the last 3 years of his tenure. It will pay for a complete renovation; no taxpayer money will be spent, Bureau County Sheriff Jim Reed said.

Construction began Monday morning, and work is expected to be done around Feb. 15.

The room will be gutted and will get a new ceiling, flooring, and paint, as well as duct and electrical work. A temporary dispatch area has been set up in the basement of the jail in the meantime,

Reed said the remodel will make the room more operator-friendly.

Before, operators had to look over their shoulders constantly to see their screens, but now they all will be in front of them, stacked on top of one another at a 45 degree angle, making surveillance easier and the area safer, said Deputy Jim Shipp, who is overseeing construction management.

This is a total overhaul, Reed said. It was definitely in [need of] remodeling; it wasnt built right to begin with.

Excerpt from:
Bureau County Jail's radio room getting $150,000 makeover

By Laurie Jervis, Noozhawk Columnist | @NoozhawkNews | Published on 01.28.2015 12:00 p.m.

Five days into 2015, I joined Andrew Murray at a table under gnarled oak trees outside his new tasting room at the former Curtis Winery on Foxen Canyon Road.

The day was warm, and the winerys semi-feral cat, christened Curtis by Murray and his staff, lounged at our feet, soaking up the winter sun.

One year has passed since Murray and his wife, Kristin, finalized a lease agreement with the Firestone family, one that would give the Murrays responsibility for the 100-acre Curtis estate vineyard, winery and the adjacent tasting room, all on Foxen Canyon Road.

The original tasting room for Murrays wine label, Andrew Murray Vineyards, is located in downtown Los Olivos, and the Murrays are absolutely keeping that site as well, he said.

After selling its Firestone Vineyard brand and 300-acre estate vineyard to Foley Wine Estates in 2007, the Firestone family kept Firestone Walker Brewing Company and the Buellton restaurant Rock Hollow Vineyard on Ballard Canyon Road and Curtis Winery, named after Brooks Firestones mother, Polly Curtis Firestone.

By 2013, with the beer label consuming most of the familys time and energy, Adam Firestone approached Murray with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity the chance to lease the vineyard, winery and tasting room.

As part of the deal, Murray would be responsible for the tasting room, and overseeing the production of both the Curtis and Jarhead labels for the Firestone family. He could use the vineyards various Rhne grape varietals for his Andrew Murray Vineyards label, and the other grapes would go toward wines for the Jarhead and Curtis labels.

In January 2014, I emailed Murray to arrange an interview about the transaction, but between our schedule conflicts and his desire to let the dust settle in the wake of the lease, an entire year passed.

So early this year, under the oaks, Murray reflected on how 2014 was the year of transition, with command gradually shifting from the Firestone family and Curtis, and its employees, to Andrew Murray Vineyards and his staff.

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Laurie Jervis: One Year After Leasing Curtis Vineyard, Andrew Murray Excited About Future