Donald Trump did not think he was going to win the election against Hillary Clinton back in 2016.

Many around him acknowledged his candidacy was a brand-building marketing ploy, further moving up the stock value of his celebrity status, helping him to build another level on to his debt-laced real estate house of cards.

Trump had gone bankrupt a number of times but had always worked out deals that largely kept him whole, giving him lavish spending allowances, as long as he continued to be the flamboyant, attention-drawing, playboy mogul that is Donald Trump.

He had become the human punctuation point of too big to fail. To his financiers, the real estate became peripheral they were backstopping a brand, and that brand his family name is what Trump thought he was elevating even if he lost to what he characterised as the corrupt and cheating Clinton political machine.

But then he won.

Maybe it was Russian interference that moved at least 73,000 votes in the right places to tilt the electoral college Trumps way. Or perhaps it was Cambridge Analytica interfering with Facebook.

Maybe it was Clinton not realising how damaging her image as a maven of the super-rich Southampton set was compared with her early days as a struggling social justice advocate in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Maybe it was then-FBI Director James Comeys comments days before an election that Clinton was back under investigation for her email bungling and then, just as quickly, not. But the damage by Comey was done and could not be undone.

Some argue Bill Clinton on the campaign trail had harmed her with certain groups, that there was a grating air of entitlement, of the arrogant presumption that the presidency and the White House was their family domain. Folks I talked to in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and Dubuque, Iowa and Van Horn, Texas saw her as a queen wanting to return to her castle.

And then there was the unfortunate timing of the much-despised Queen Cersei murdering her way to the top in Game of Thrones that may have planted unflattering images in the minds of many HBO-binging voters. And maybe too many men were intimidated by a hugely accomplished, experienced and smart woman. Misogyny runs deep in the United States.

Then presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump face off at the third and final debate of the 2016 election in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 19, 2016 [David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images]In 2016, then-Vice President and (from tomorrow) President Joe Biden, who, having decided not to run, gave me an interview in his office in the White House West Wing.

It is an interesting fact that vice presidents through most of US history had no office inside the White House itself. Walter Mondale, vice president during President Jimmy Carters term, was the first to insist on and receive an office in the White House.

Sitting in that office, Bidens face grew tight, his brow furrowed, and he told me: Steve, the Democratic Party has become a party of snobs. He said people were in pain and did not feel heard. My guess is that is the primary reason Hillary Clinton lost and Donald Trump won.

Victims of the 2008-2009 economic crisis, people whose savings disappeared, whose home values collapsed, who lost jobs; these people felt the New York Wall Street financial markets crowd had destroyed their economic foundation, and these folks were the friends of Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Billionaire Trump, a reality TV star who scored huge ratings nationwide in his show, The Apprentice, seemed like he was regularly wrestling against the finance crowd who were always trying to shut him down, forcing him into a series of bankruptcies. But, each time, The Donald, as Trump is called in New York, had emerged victorious, bigger and better than others, bigger than anyone in his situation in history.

Americans voted in greater numbers for Hillary Clinton. She received about three million more votes than The Donald, but not in the places that would have locked in her win. Trump seduced the angry American, the demeaned American, the white working-class American who was tired of being sold out in trade deals to other nations.

Then Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump delivers his nomination acceptance speech on the final day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio in July 2016 [David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images]These Americans wanted a wrecking ball to move to Washington and start tearing up things. The substance of what Trump did, did not matter as much as the cries of pain and anguish from Americas political class.

Americans were angry that Wall Street seemed to be doing better than real Americans. They were upset that their jobs were being off-shored to India and the Philippines and that immigrants into the US seemed to be getting the high-paying, high-tech jobs while Americans, particularly white working-class Americans, were being laid off.

Many of these Americans, like my own large extended family, were military families where brothers and sisters and dads had served over many generations in the USs wars. They believed they had fought the Cold War against the Soviets and against global communism, and that China had somehow won. A forever war in Afghanistan that rhymed with the humiliations of the USs involvement in Vietnam rubbed hot jalapeo peppers into pulsating raw nerves and anxieties of the USs white underclass.

Trump, a TV star who watched TV endlessly where his rivals read thousand-page biographies of the USs previous presidents, knew how to connect with these Americans. Their grievances were readable and he had always actually been the rich kid with a chip on his shoulder, aggrieved at never being taken seriously by New Yorks power set. For him, pugnacious nationalism was just another shade of himself and his views that he could effortlessly champion. And he did.

But here is the challenge in understanding why Trump became the biggest headline of our times. To many who felt betrayed by an America that seemed to be more concerned with illegal immigrants healthcare and rights than the living standards of its own citizens, Trumps celebrity status and his colourful muscularity and, yes, his vulgarity, his misogyny, his bullying and name-calling, his constant fabrication of stories that were untrue, his dismissive treatment of allies like Germanys Angela Merkel and Canadas Justin Trudeau and his bro-to-bro pal-ships with Vladimir Putin, Mohammed bin Salman, Kim Jong Un, Viktor Orban, Jair Bolsonaro and other democracy-dishing bad boy leaders all of this made Trump seem like the one who would deliver a better life and nation and, if not that, then at least would be the terminator of what Washington had become.

But the other side of the Trump coin is the narcissistic, self-serving side, the part of him obsessed with power and riches his riches. Former Trump Deputy Campaign Manager Rick Gates wrote a Trump-friendly treatment of his time working with the candidate and then-president.

One of the consistent themes is the way Trump viewed party fundraising for the Republicans, or fundraising hundreds of millions for his inauguration, or raising other money to fund transition staff, planning that was headed by former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who was later ignominiously shoved off the team by Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Trump saw all this money, dollars donated for big causes and the public interest, as his own bank account. He rarely saw the demarcation between where his personal financial interests were and what the government did.

Presidents are, in a way, contracted temporary monarchs with a lot of power. There are checks on their power, as we are seeing now in the second impeachment of this president, but the monarch part the king part was captivating and intoxicating for President Trump.

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he walks to Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland on January 12, 2021 [Alex Brandon/AP Photo]Where most presidents, like Obama and the two Bushes, Clinton, Carter and more, at least pretend to be humble amid such enormous power, Trump was audacious and wielded his power like a mad king. And his base supporters loved it; his enemies fled, cowered and made an industry out of using the words disbelief and unprecedented.

As The Atlantics David Frum wrote in early 2017 in a prescient piece titled How to Build an Autocracy: The United States may be a nation of laws, but the proper functioning of the law depends upon the competence and integrity of those charged with executing it. A president determined to thwart the law in order to protect himself and those in his circle has many means to do so. Frums observation of the early part of the Trump term became the primary scaffolding of a rules-be-damned four years of Trumpism in the White House.

Frum offers another delicious insight into Trumps core character and interest in being president that seemed not to irritate his base at all. They loved his crassness, his posturing comedically as a boss with a network of thugs and allies who could take on anyone who resisted him.

Frum writes: Donald Trump will not set out to build an authoritarian state. His immediate priority seems likely to be to use the presidency to enrich himself. But as he does so, he will need to protect himself from legal risk. Being Trump, he will also inevitably wish to inflict payback on his critics. Construction of an apparatus of impunity and revenge will begin haphazardly and opportunistically. But it will accelerate. It will have to.

Again, Frum nails early on what we saw when countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia tried to curry favour by renting out expensive rooms at Washingtons Trump Hotel, or when Trump tried to host a G7 meeting at his Trump National Doral Resort and Golf Course, or when he worked hard to get Ukraines president to do a personal favour for him and dig up dirt on Joe Biden and his son Hunter in exchange for releasing national security aid to Ukraine that had already been put into legal appropriations.

President Donald Trump golfs at Trump National Golf Club on November 27, 2020 in Sterling, Virginia [Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images]Trump golfed more than any other president, costing tax-payers tens of millions of dollars in security, logistics and lodging expenses for his entourage. Trumps base saw Washingtons political and policy crowd, its media titans, steaming over Trumps constant vacationing, his disregard for an inelastic truth, and they swooned over how angry official DC was becoming.

Trumps spell did not last with all conservatives, of course. His national security adviser, John Bolton, a genuine architect of and believer in America First policies, told me in an Al Jazeera English interview on my show The Bottom Line, that Trump was essentially a Trump-First president, and that disqualified him.

Former Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis described Trump as a true threat to the security of the nation. Since the Trump-inspired attack on the US Capitol amid his post-election denial of losing to Biden in November 2020, the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, and secretary of transportation, Elaine Chao, resigned their jobs. So, too, Melania Trumps chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham, and we know that other leading officials came close to resigning including Trumps latest national security adviser, Robert OBrien.

Trump, unfiltered and raw is what the nation is seeing as he departs his office, but certainly not the political scene. The powerful in both parties are yet again dismayed and alarmed by Trump having instigated the first assault on the US Capitol in two centuries and his overt attempt to overturn an election that he, in an Orwellian twist, had convinced his followers was being stolen from him.

Trump is a master at the Big Lie, yelling fire when he himself started it; calling out fraud in the 2020 election when he was the one trying to get many leading Republicans in Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania and even his own vice president, Mike Pence, to commit election fraud on his behalf. He accused the Democrats of propagating a swamp of swindlers and cheats in Washington, whereas the criminal indictments, prosecutions and convictions of his campaign team and his White House staff are unmatched by any US president in 150 years.

President Donald Trump speaks at the Stop the Steal rally on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC; a mob of supporters would later storm the US Capitol building [Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images]But it is too easy, and also incorrect, to suggest his followers were blind to these elements of Trumps character. It is too much of a short cut to write an epitaph for his presidency that Trump lied, distorted, self-dealt, kowtowed to Russia, alienated allies, created a huge jump in national debt, made the rich richer and, perhaps most defining, completely bungled a credible response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite all of these behaviours, which would normally sink the credibility of a leader, Trump drew 74.2 million votes to Bidens 81.2 million. Yes, there is a seven million vote difference between victor and loser, but 74 million Trump believers despite Lysol Day when Trump said that perhaps people could inject disinfectant into their veins to rid them of COVID-19; despite his near love affair and failed nuclear diplomacy with North Koreas Kim Jong Un; despite a stream of verifiable mistruths that he regularly spewed and passed on through Twitter 74 million people still supported the Trump political franchise.

Historians and psychoanalysts will be deconstructing and studying these four years of populist convulsions for decades and, perhaps, centuries. Trump and this moment in time are an inflexion point, a moment of discontinuity in the past that perhaps the US needed.

Trump supporters storm the US Capitol building during a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 US presidential election results by Congress on January 6, 2021 [Shannon Stapleton/Reuters]The US was playing the role of global security guarantor in many parts of the world that were not cored to its interests. Even President Barack Obama lamented how nations like Israel, but also others, were able to develop domestic constituencies to essentially hijack parts of the USs sprawling empire of military bases to serve their own ends, even if remote from its priority list of key threats in the world.

Trump strongly rejected the US intervening endlessly in foreign problems. He withdrew troops from Syria. He pounded on NATO allies to do more and carry a bigger part of the burden. He drew down US forces and was working to negotiate a full withdrawal in Afghanistan but did not achieve that before his term ended.

I think it is fair to say Americas tendency to easily and quickly militarily intervene in foreign security problems was disrupted by Trump, and this is something I think is healthy.

In addition, he focused a bright spotlight on China and its mercantilist trade and intellectual property practices. Perhaps he should have been more worried about Artificial Intelligence and quantum computing than steel and soybeans, but still, Trump and his team raised the DEFCON (defence and readiness condition) level and branded Huawei Communications a global national security threat. Perhaps Trump was unfair to Huawei time will tell. But what is key is that no US president has had the fortitude to challenge China so relentlessly because it had so many allies in the domestic political scene in Washington.

Trumps base of supporters identified with these steps on trade and China, and with his efforts to diminish American vulnerability to overseas military escapades. While he may have been interested in his own self-interests, Trumps policies were also clearly a shift away from the international order and its obligations and constraints and more to a place where the US could do whatever it damned well wanted to do.

Some political analysts see the anger of the Trump voter, and the roar of Trump himself, culminating in the attack on Congress as well as the rise of white nationalist, neo-Nazi, and other strident, right-wing groups and conspiracy cabals like that of the QAnon crowd, as the last gasp of a white, male-dominated political order that is being forced by demographic realities to cede to a more inclusive, multi-ethnic political order. That may be the case, but the drivers of the USs divides are not just racial.

Technology is disrupting the workforce, creating zero-sum games between the highly educated and power-networked versus those without those links and degrees. Public policy and tax frameworks are helping the rich amass more wealth while the rest of society competes for a smaller part of the economic pie.

The American dream of education and training yielding at minimum a track into the middle class is more true in China than in the US today. Manic, neoliberal trade and economic policies helped Wall Street go fast, stunted Main Street and gut-punched many hard-working Americans who lost jobs and had little help transitioning to something else.

Financial industry corruption showed that governance in Washington was also self-serving and corrupt and needed to be changed; Joe the Plumber did not get bailed out like Goldman Sachs and AIG did after the 2008-2009 financial crisis.

A man wrapped in US flags paces back and forth past Ohio State Patrol officers standing guard during an armed protest at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, on January 17, 2021 [Jason Whitman/NurPhoto via Getty Images]Trump for all his warts, his lies, his courtship with dangerous fringe groups, his adoration of foreign autocrats and disdain for democratic leaders abroad, his self-dealing all of it still made the case for and connected to a part of the American working-class that has seen its condition erode for decades.

The spark of Trump coming onto the political scene when he did, mixed with the anger of these Americans, has meant that trade deals in the future will be negotiated differently, that Main Street will receive support in COVID-19 relief bills, not just Wall Street, and a Biden-led Democratic Party will get a makeover and suspend what Biden called the partys snobbery.

There is no magic wand that will heal the deep divisions in the US today over class and race, and racial anxiety is a very large part of the problem. But for too long, Democrats and Republicans alike ignored the pressures that working-class families were experiencing. This cauldron was created and now it must be undone if the violence is to subside.

Trump did not create this cauldron, but he did exploit it and he certainly fed it. Biden actually could do the thing Trump could not and could be the one to dismantle the drivers of fear and hate inside the US and restore civic empathy and trust.

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Analysis: The causes and chaos of Donald Trump - Al Jazeera English

NEW-WES-VALLEY, NL, Jan. 15, 2021 /CNW/ - The health and well-being of Canadians are the top priorities of the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador . But the COVID-19 pandemic has affected more than our personal health; it is having a profound effect on the economy.

That is why governments have been taking decisive action to support families, businesses and communities, and continue to look ahead to see what more can be done.

Strategic investments in safe and modern water and wastewater infrastructure will play a key role in ensuring Eastern Newfoundland residents have access to reliable services to support a healthy community.

Today, Churence Rogers , Member of Parliament for BonavistaBurinTrinity, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities; and the Honourable Derrick Bragg, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, announced more than $15.2 million in joint funding for 26 projects to safeguard public health and the environment in communities in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador.

In New-Wes-Valley, the installation of 1800 meters of a waterman extension from Little Northwest Pond to Newtown and Templeman streets will increase resident's access to potable water, and reduce maintenance costs at the town's current sole water source, Carter's Pond.

The Government of Canada is investing more than $6 million , with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador providing over $7.4 million for these projects through the Green Infrastructure Stream (GIS) of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The municipalities are contributing more than $3.3 million in total towards their respective projects.

Quotes

"Investing in high-quality water infrastructure is an essential part of building greener and healthier communities. We are proud to invest in better water and wastewater services for these 26 communities in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador , supporting future community growth and protecting the environment. Canada's infrastructure plan invests in thousands of projects, creates jobs across the country, and builds cleaner, more inclusive communities."

Churence Rogers , Member of Parliament for BonavistaBurinTrinity, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities

"Managing municipal infrastructure is a priority for all communities because lift stations, sewer mains and the ability to manage stormwater is something all residents rely on. Like all infrastructure, they require maintenance. These investments help these communities make sure they can continue to provide these services without any disruptions and provide employment in each of the communities."

The Honourable Derrick Bragg, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure for Newfoundland and Labrador

Quick facts

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Backgrounder

Residents in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador communities to benefit from improved water and wastewater infrastructure

Joint federal, provincial, and municipal funding through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan will support 26 infrastructure projects in communities in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador .

The Government of Canada is investing more than $6 million and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is providing over $7.4 million to these projects through the Green Infrastructure Stream (GIS) of the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan. The municipalities are contributing more than $3.3 million total toward their respective projects.

Project Information:

Location

Project Name

Project Details

Federal Funding

Provincial Funding

Municipal Funding

Arnold's Cove, Municipality of

Water and Sewer Upgrading - Merasheen Crescent - Phase 2

Work includes replacing 250m of watermain, installing new fire hydrants, replacing 250m of sewer main, and 250m of storm sewer, and improvements to roads, sidewalks and drains. Residents will benefit from increased access to potable water, while the Town's improves its capacity to manage wastewater and stormwater.

$306,510

$383,138

$155,352

Bonavista

Lift Station Upgrades - Bonavista

Upgrades to the lift station. This will increase the Town's capacity to treat and manage wastewater and stormwater.

$272,050

$272,050

$205,899

Centreville- Wareham- Trinity

Lift Station Upgrades - Silver Island Point

Rehabilitation of one lift station located in Wareham (Silver Point). This project will increase the town's capacity to manage wastewater, better serving the surrounding community.

$66,142

$82,677

$33,523

Clarenville

Random Crescent Road and Water/Sewer Upgrades

Rehabilitation to the water main, sewer main and road on Random Crescent Road, increasing access to potable water and the community's capacity to manage wastewater and stormwater, while also improving road infrastructure.

$371,185

$371,185

$280,928

Eastport

Main Street Water and Sewer Phase II

Upgrades to the water distribution and sanitary sewage systems. This will increase the reliability of the water system and fire protection measures.

$236,756

$295,946

$119,998

Fortune

Dixon Femme Water and Sewer Upgrades

Project work includes replacing 104m of sanitary sewer line, 212m of water main line, the replacement of eight sewer services and 11 water services, as well as repaving roads. This project will increase the town's capacity to manage wastewater, and provide residents with reliable potable water.

$205,195

$256,494

$104,002

Gambo

Gambo WWTP Upgrades and Outfall Extensions

Upgrades and extensions to the Middle Brook Wastewater Treatment Plant. This will extend the service life of the plant and increase the town's capacity to treat and manage wastewater.

$240,370

$300,462

$121,830

Garnish

Pardy's Point Water and Sewer Upgrades

Upgrading the current sanitary sewer and water services for Pardy's Point. This will eliminate water loss and provide better sewer and water services. Access to potable water will also be improved.

$278,186

$347,732

$140,996

George's Brook-Milton

Water Infrastructure Upgrades

Installation of a new pump control system in the George's Brook Pumphouse will make the system more energy efficient and reliable.

$419,061

$523,826

$212,397

Greenspond

Chlorination System Replacement

Replacement of the existing chlorination system. This will improve the quality of drinking water in the town and will increase access to potable water.

$79,424

$99,280

$40,256

Happy Adventure

Watermain Replacement and Septic Tank Installation

Replacing the main waterline and installing a septic holding tank. This will provide residents with safe, clean drinking water and increase the town's capacity to treat and manage wastewater.

$207,124

$258,905

$104,979

Hare Bay

Replace Water Services

Replacement of outdated service pipes with new infrastructure, benefiting the community by increasing access to potable water.

$301,249

$376,562

$152,686

Heart's Content, Municipality of

Sewage Pumping Station Upgrading

Upgrading the lift station, including mechanical and electrical equipment. The project will provide better waste water services to town residents.

$67,251

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Residents in Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador communities to benefit from improved water and wastewater infrastructure - Stockhouse

By Barbara Allen, Contributing Writer

Lancaster Over 50 years of experience in the flooring business, combined with a reputation for quality, honesty, and excellence in customer service, has rewarded Creighton Floor Covering with a customer base built mostly by word of mouth. The family-owned-and-operated business, located at 417 Bolton Road in Lancaster, was founded in 1970 by Jack Creighton. Creighton Floor Covering offers the sale and installation of high-quality tile, carpet, vinyl planking and wood flooring to both residential and commercial customers.

We do very little actual advertising, noted General Manager Kelsey (Creighton) Marriott, who is also Jack Creightons granddaughter. Her father, Dan Creighton, assumed ownership of the business about a year and a half ago; brother, Daron, also works for the company as an installer.

We have a very high majority of customers who are repeat customers, Marriott continued. They may have had carpeting or flooring put in by us 15-20 years ago and are now ready for an update. Or, she added, they may be a new customer looking to have flooring installed, referred by someone who had worked with Creighton Floor Covering in the past.

She estimated that about 80% of their business is by referral, which means that much of their work tends to come from Lancaster and surrounding towns, as well as the greater Worcester County. But Marriott noted that the company is not limited geographically to those locations and has served cities and towns outside of the local area.

When asked what flooring products were trending currently, Marriott reported that traditional hardwood is still going strong, with red oak probably being the most popular. She added that vinyl plank flooring floating floors, click together flooring has become another popular option as it can be installed in virtually any area of the home: basement, bathroom, bedrooms. Durable and resistant, it comes in many different styles and colors which can coordinate with every dcor.

A lot of people are going for its versatility and durability, Marriott explained.

If carpet is the customers choice of floor covering, she noted that new advances in technology have improved stain and moisture resistance. And while not waterproof, current antibacterial and moisture resistant barriers help keep mold, moisture, and pet-related problems at bay.

But no matter what their flooring preference, customers of Creighton Floor Covering know that they can count on a personal, professional experience and have confidence in a job well done.

Weve always been known for our attention to detail, our dedication, said Marriott. We put everything we can into making sure our customers are 100% satisfied.

Creighton Floor Covering is located at 417 Bolton Road, Lancaster. For business hours or additional information, contact them at 978-365-5426, or by email at creightonfloor@comcast.net. The company is also preparing to launch their new website: creightonflooring.com.

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Creighton Floor Covering: Lancaster business is committed to customer satisfaction - Community Advocate

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When you work with clients, you know that you need to respond to their specific needs. Whether You are a remodeler or builder, you know that choosing the right flooring will make a huge difference. Many factors will determine the final choice, such as budget, style preference, and quality. Add the clients wishes to this, and you have a challenging task balancing each. You need to be aware of the different types of flooring available and their pros and cons. In this article, we share the most popular choices for renovation and building.

Carpet is a versatile version that offers warmth. There are many colors, patterns, and textures available so that anyone can find the right fit. The installation process is straightforward and quick. Homeowners love carpets because they absorb sounds and feel warm. This is why a carpet is a go-to option for upper-level rooms.

However, you are limited to using the carpet only in living rooms and bedrooms. Carpets are vulnerable to stains and moisture, so you cant place them in bathrooms and kitchens. Also, they need professional cleaning to stay in good shape.

When we say tiles, we think of ceramic and porcelain tiles. The classic tile flooring isnt only meant to complete the bathrooms and kitchens. Nowadays, there are tile choices for living rooms and bedrooms too. Whether you prefer mosaic or wood imitations, keep in mind that there are many tile designs to choose from. There are so many versatile options that will fit your particular style.

Tip: Use a floor planning tool for business to measure the area and estimate the material price. This will help you get an idea of the final cost.

Hardwood is a versatile and luxurious option, which is preferred by homeowners. It brings a warm and cozy vibe to the space, making it perfect for living rooms and bedrooms.

Besides, there are some limitations that you should consider. Avoid placing hardwood flooring in humid and moist areas such as bathrooms, basements and mudrooms. The high costs and maintenance can turn some people away from the idea of installing a hardwood floor. The wood needs to be finished with a clear coat, which wont offer full protection. The floor can still be scratched if you dont clean it properly. If you are renovating property for renting, it is better to avoid this type of flooring.

Laminate is a cheaper alternative to hardwood flooring. It is made of resin and wood pulp and can meet any type of hardwood flooring. The process of installation is straightforward, as the laminate is available in click-together pieces. Use it for rooms that arent exposed to moisture, as the humidity can make the material swell and chip. However, keep in mind that the material cant be replaced or repaired. The low price and easy installation process can make it up for the other downsides.

Although these are two different flooring types, we can place them in the same category as they offer the same benefits. The only variation is that they are made of different materials. Vinyl is made of polymers, while linoleum is made of natural materials such as cork and jute. Hence, linoleum is a preferred option for the ones that use environment-friendly materials.

They are easy to handle and install because they are available in the form of sheets and tiles. These materials are durable, which means that they are an excellent option for high-traffic areas. Vinyl comes in a wide range of colors and prices, while linoleum doesnt offer low price options.

ICYMI: Different types of employees on a construction site

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Different Types of Flooring Commonly Used in Renovation and Building - The Zebra

RICHMOND, Va., Jan. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumber Liquidators, now LL Flooring(NYSE: LL), one of the nation's largest specialty retailers of high-quality, hard-surface flooring that is dedicated to providing the best customer experience, ended 2020 by thanking several first responder organizations that helped their communities last year by gifting them with hand-crafted wooden American flags. The Company also kicked off the new year by announcing the 2021 Floor of the Year, Gold Coast Acacia Hardwood Flooring.

Honoring 2020's Heroes by Gifting Wooden, Hand-Made American FlagsIn a salute to first responders and organizations who supported their communities throughout the challenging year of 2020, LL Flooring teamed up with its partner Pennwood Products to create five artfully crafted American flags, handmade from Pennwood's heritage 50-year-old pine. To celebrate first responder and relief groups, LL Flooring and Pennwood gifted flags to these organizations:

Read more about the making of the flags and view a video about the donations: https://www.llflooring.com/inspiration/s/content/a0W3i000000j4PPEAY/lasting-legacies.

"We are grateful for these amazing first responders and the critical services they provided throughout 2020," said Charles Tyson, President and CEO, LL Flooring. "These hand-crafted flags are our way of thanking them for being there for our communities."

Pennwood, based in East Berlin, Pennsylvania, is a family-run business founded in 1942, and maker of high-quality hardwood moldings, stair treads and risers, and more.

2021 Floor of the Year: Gold Coast Acacia HardwoodLL Flooring looked to carry the positive momentum from 2020 into the New Year through the culmination of the Floor of the Year contest, with the winner being decided by an online public vote in December among 12 top-trending floor styles. The 12 finalists were selected through LL Flooring's ongoing monitoring of the latest home dcor trends, as well as input from designers and home-industry professionals to ensure they represent trend-right styles.

The winner, Gold Coast Acacia Hardwood, iscrafted from solid, natural acacia that is ideal for warming up a home. The copper tones highlight the distinct knots and grains in this exotic species, making it a dramatic and beautiful flooring choice that complements any style.

Rounding out the top three Floor of the Year finalists are Manhattan Chevron Engineered Hardwoodand Urban Loft AshEngineered Vinyl Plank. Read more about the Floor of the Year online: https://www.llflooring.com/inspiration/s/content/a0W3i000000j4fyEAA/celebrating-the-2021-floor-of-the-year.

"It's exciting to see which floors resonate with our customers and this contest gives homeowners an opportunity to view and vote on some of our best and most beautiful trending floors," said Charles Tyson, President and CEO of LL Flooring. "We're proud to offer a wonderful selection of great flooring that can suit any home design, and the Floor of the Year contest showcases just a snapshot of our vast flooring styles."

LL Flooring offers more than 400 varieties of floors in the latest styles including solid and engineered hardwood, laminate, waterproof vinyl plank, porcelain tile, bamboo and cork, all available to view online atLLFlooring.com.

Digital Shopping Solutions for Homebound ConsumersAdding on to the 2021 Floor of the Year announcement, LL Flooring is continuing to help customers achieve their flooring dreams for the New Year and beyond with a full suite of digital tools to help homeowners select the right floor for their vision, from the comfort of their own homes.

With the online visualizer tool, Picture It, customers can upload a photo of any room to easily preview how various floor styles will look in their homes. Once a homeowner is interested in flooring options, they can order free samples of the floorsthat LL Flooring will ship directly to their homes.

To add further flexibility, LL also offers avirtual store shopping experiencefor customers to meet with a live, in-store LL Flooring associate via a computer or tablet.Accessed via appointment, the LL Flooring expert will walk the customer through the store to showcase flooring styles, answer the customer's questions and arrange for professional installation.

About LL FlooringLL Flooring is one ofnation'sleading specialty retailers of hard-surface flooring with more than 400 stores across the country. The Company seeks to offer the best customer experience online and in stores, with more than 400 varieties of hard-surface floors featuring a range of quality styles and on-trend designs.LL's online tools also help empower customers to find the right solution for the space they've envisioned.LL Flooring's extensive selection includes waterproof vinyl plank, solid and engineered hardwood, laminate, bamboo, porcelain tile, and cork, with a wide range of flooring enhancements and accessories to complement, install and maintain new floors.With more than 25 years of experience, stores are staffed with flooring experts who provide advice, pro partnership services and installation options for all of LL Flooring's products, the majority of which is in stock and ready for curbside pick up or delivery.

Learn More about LL Flooring

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CONTACT: Nathan Bowie, Nathan.Bowie@onesimpleplan.com, 612-677-2250

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LL Flooring Celebrates the Start of 2021 by Honoring Heroes with Hand-Crafted Wooden American Flags and Announcing the Floor of the Year - The Central...

Tubelite provided its T24650 series thermal storefront and its 400SS screw spline thermal curtainwall for the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority headquarters in Fort Defiance, N.M., which was designed by Dyron Murphy Architects. Photo: Patrick Coulie Architectural Photography, courtesy of Tubelite Inc.

Window wall and curtainwall have structural differences that affect the applications for which they are suited. With these differences come several installation and design considerations that are important for glazing contractors to understand, especially upfront in the design-assist phase when they can steer system decisions.

Structural Definition

Different companies have different definitions of curtainwall and window wall (also known as ribbon windows). Spencer Culhane, senior building envelope specialist at Schco USA of Newington, Conn., offers his companys definitions: A curtainwall is any faade assembly that is suspended in front of the superstructure of the building and a window wall is any assembly that is load-bearing or deadloaded to each level of the structure.

For curtainwall, think of a continuous wrapping applied to the skeleton of a buildings structure. Its unbroken and continues along the rise and width of the whole building, uninterrupted by the structure It hangs like a curtain, he says. Window wall systems are very common in concrete slab construction. On the edge of the floor, youre resting and erecting continuous windows horizontally, but they only span floor-to-floor with the slab dividing the system.

Culhane points out that the system includes the framing, glass and operables. Faades with window wall systems may include slab edge covers, faade paneling or spandrel glass, but the structural part of the system is what matters.

Tom Mifflin, director of marketing for Tubelite of Walker, Mich., says the optimal and most economical system largely depends on where the project is located and who is available to install it.

Marty Trainor, senior vice president at Chicago-based Ventana, says his company uses four-sided structural glazing for both product categories, which makes their performances similar.

For some, window wall [when compared to curtainwall] is inferior and less of a high performance product, he explains. Thats not the case [for us] and a few other companies on the market.

Trainor adds that many people believe window wall is also a cheaper product, but that depends on the project. Curtainwall is good for projects with steel structures or high spans between floors while window wall is better for concrete structures and small spans, according to Trainor. This is why window wall often is used for hotel and residential projects while curtainwall is used in large office projects where an HVAC system needs to be hidden.

He points out that trying to use a window wall when theres 14 feet between floors could result in a cost higher or equal to using curtainwall, which is already designed to accommodate that distance.

Earl Patrick, executive designer for Enclos of Eagan, Minn., says that if the two system types are designed correctly, there should be no difference in performance. He says it can be difficult to achieve the same air infiltration values with window wall as with curtainwall.

Though you could make the argument that window wall doesnt perform as well seismically, he says, adding that curtainwall isnt pinned between two slabs like window wall.

Mifflin offers a further explanation.

Another important performance consideration is the inter-story movement, which is determined by loads from the building structure, occupants, walls, equipment, column foreshortening, creep, and thermal expansion and contraction. When inter-story movement requirements exceed +/- inch, window wall systems should be carefully reviewed, or curtainwall systems should be considered, he says.

Installation Differences

Installation also plays an important role in the system selection process. Trainor says that at Ventana, theres one major difference between curtainwall and window wall: curtainwall is installed outside of the slab and window wall is installed inside the slab. Culhane echoes Trainors statement, saying those are the predominate installation methods for each system.

Curtainwall can have panels that start inside but are then swung into the exterior, craned into position and then hung, says Culhane. Curtainwall installation requires a hoist mechanism on the outside of the building to hang the panels on the exterior. Window wall systems dont have the same requirement and are installed on the inside from each floor level, though a glazier may need to go to the exterior for slab edge covers.

He explains that logistics and the structural condition of a building often drive the product decision. If cladding a tower or high-rise where theres rigging access on the exterior, it can be faster to clad using a curtainwall system. If cladding a long, low-rise building with a long, horizontal orientation where a crane would have to be brought onsite for the purpose of setting a faade, it might be better to go with a window wall system.

The information is excerpted from the feature titled, Putting on a Faade. To read the full article in the December 2020 issue of USGlass magazine, click here. To sign up to receive USGlass magazine free of charge, click here.

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Putting on a Faade: Installation Differences Between Curtainwall and Window Wall Systems - USGlass Metal & Glazing

Dont Tuck Duct Issues Into the Install | 2021-01-17 | ACHR News This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more. This Website Uses CookiesBy closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn MoreThis website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.

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Don't Tuck Duct Issues Into the Install - ACHR NEWS

BOCA RATON, Fla., Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Q.E.P. CO., INC. (OTC: QEPC.PK) (the Company or QEP) today reported its consolidated results of operations for the first nine months and third quarter of its fiscal year ending February 28, 2021 and announces a five percent special stock dividend.

QEP reported net sales of $288.0 million for the nine months ended November 30, 2020, a decrease of $11.1 million or 3.7% from the $299.1 million reported in the same period of fiscal 2020. The Company reported net sales of $98.9 million for the quarter ended November 30, 2020, an increase of $2.2 million or 2.3% from the $96.7 million reported in the same period of fiscal 2020. The fiscal 2021 nine month decline in sales compared to the prior year reflects the adverse impact of the worldwide economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic during the first quarter of the current year. All subsequent quarters reflect increased year-over-year net sales.

Lewis Gould, Executive Chairman, commented on the Companys results, I am pleased that the Company was able to generate sales growth for the second consecutive quarter, which has further offset the sales decline in the first quarter that was the results of the COVID-19 related economic downturn. The sales increase during the previous two quarters was driven by retail channels in North America, despite COVID-19 related challenges in the dealer and distributor channels, and growth in the Companys overseas operations. During the quarter, the Company continued to maintain aggressive cost control measures, which included lower personnel cost, along with reduced overhead and marketing expenses. Collectively, these actions resulted in the Companys increased profitability during the quarter and for the first nine months of the year.

Mr. Gould concluded, The Company is diligently monitoring and adjusting its response not only to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also to the challenges presented by the weakening U.S. Dollar, shifts in global sourcing patterns and political uncertainty in the U.S. and U.K. I believe that the Company under the current leadership team is emerging from the current crisis better positioned for long-term profitability and the creation of sustainable shareholder value.

The Companys gross profit for the first nine months of fiscal 2021 was $81.8 million compared to $79.5 million in the corresponding fiscal 2020 period, an increase of $2.3 million or 2.8%. Gross profit for the third quarter of fiscal 2021 was $28.7 million, representing an increase of $2.2 million or 8.2%, from $26.5 million in the fiscal 2020 period. The Companys gross margin as a percentage of net sales for the first nine months and third quarter of fiscal year 2021 was 28.4% and 29.0%, respectively, which increased from 26.6% and 27.4% in the prior fiscal year periods, respectively. The gross margin as a percentage of net sales improvement is due to favorable changes in product mix and timely actions taken by the Company to reduce manufacturing overhead during the first nine months and third quarter of fiscal 2021.

Operating expenses, excluding restructuring loss, for the first nine months and third quarter of fiscal 2021 were $71.7 million and $25.1 million, respectively, or 24.9% and 25.3% of net sales in those periods, compared to $85.1 million and $26.5 million, respectively, or 28.4% and 27.4% of net sales in the comparable fiscal 2020 periods. The reduction in operating expenses is due to year-over-year synergies realized through the integration and rationalization of fiscal 2019 acquisitions, lower personnel costs through reduction-in-force and employee furlough activities during the COVID-19 economic downturn, lower marketing and travel expenses, along with government subsidies received for maintaining employment levels at the Companys international operations.

Restructuring charges for the first nine months and third quarter of fiscal 2021 represent the legal, administrative and asset impairment cost associated with the restructuring of the Companys Canadian subsidiary, net of the benefit related to the Plan of Compromise agreed with the subsidiarys unsecured creditors.

The lower interest expense during the first nine months and third quarter of fiscal 2021 compared to the same periods in the prior fiscal year was principally due to a reduction in borrowings under the Companys credit facilities during the current period.

The provision for income taxes as a percentage of incomes before taxes was 28.0% for the first nine months and third quarter of fiscal 2021 compared to a benefit for income taxes as a percentage of the loss before taxes of 28.0% for the related fiscal 2020 periods.

Net income for the first nine months and third quarter of fiscal 2021 was $5.5 million and $2.1 million, respectively, or $1.75 and $0.66, respectively, per diluted share. For the comparable periods of fiscal 2020, net loss was $3.7 million and $0.4 million, respectively, or $1.16 and $0.13, respectively, per diluted share.

Earnings (loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) as adjusted for non-operating income and restructuring charges for the first nine months and third quarter of fiscal 2021 was $13.4 million and $4.8 million, respectively as compared to a loss of $2.0 million and income of $1.2 million for the first nine months and third quarter of fiscal 2020, respectively.

Cash provided by operations during the first nine months of fiscal 2021 was $30.6 million as compared to $1.8 million in the first nine months of fiscal 2020, reflecting an increase in operating income and a reduction in net investments in working capital. During the first nine months of fiscal 2020, the Company sold a certain non-core product line and recorded a gain on the sale of $2.4 million before income taxes, which was recorded in non-operating income. In the first nine months of fiscal 2021, cash from operations was used primarily to pay down $17.8 million of debt and increase cash balances. In the prior fiscal year period, cash provided by operations and proceeds from the sale of a non-core product line was used to pay down debt.

Working capital at the end of the Companys third of fiscal 2021 was $41.1 million compared to $29.1 million at the end of fiscal 2020. Aggregate debt, net of available cash balances at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2021 was $19.1 million or 27.6% of equity, a decrease of $27.3 million compared to $46.4 million or 73.9% of equity at the end of fiscal 2020.

On June 29, 2020, the Companys Canadian operating subsidiary, Roberts Company Canada Limited, was granted an Order by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice (Commercial List) to commence a restructuring proceeding under the Companies Creditor Arrangement Act (CCAA). This filing was initiated to allow the subsidiary to be able to continue operating while it efficiently restructures its business. The subsidiary has substantially completed its reorganization and is expected to fully emerge from the CCAA protection before the end of fiscal 2021. The Company is not a party to this proceeding.

On January 13, 2021, the Companys Board of Directors declared a one-time, special stock dividend of 5% per share on the common stock of the Company. The stock dividend is distributable on or about February 19, 2021, to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 18, 2021.

Conference Call Information

The Company will be hosting the following conference call to discuss its third quarter financial results and answer questions.

About QEP

Founded in 1979, Q.E.P. Co., Inc. is a leading global provider of high quality, innovative and value-driven flooring and flooring installation solutions. QEP manufactures, markets and sells a comprehensive line of flooring installation tools, adhesives, and underlayment for both consumers as well as professional installers. Under the Harris Flooring Group , QEP manufactures and offers a complete line of hardwood, luxury vinyl, and modular carpet tile. QEP sells its products throughout the world to home improvement retail centers, professional specialty distribution outlets, and flooring dealers under brand names including QEP, LASH, Roberts, Harris Flooring Group, Capitol, HarrisWood, Kraus, Naturally Aged Flooring, Vitrex, Homelux, Brutus, PRCI, Plasplugs, Tomecanic, Premix-Marbletite (PMM), Apple Creek and Elastiment.

QEP is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida with offices in Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Please visit our website at http://www.qepcorporate.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements can be identified by words such as "expects," "plans," "projects," "will," "may," "anticipates," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates," and other words of similar meaning. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations and beliefs, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding economic conditions, sales growth, price increases, profit improvements, product development and marketing, operating expenses, cost savings, acquisition integration, operational synergy realization, global sourcing, political uncertainty, cash flow, debt and currency exchange rates. Forward-looking statements may also be adversely affected by general market factors, competitive product development, product availability, federal and state regulations and legislation, manufacturing issues that may arise, patent positions and litigation, among other factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

-Financial Information Follows-

CONTACT: Q.E.P. Co., Inc.Enos BrownExecutive Vice President andChief Financial Officer561-994-5550

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Q.E.P. Co., Inc. Reports Fiscal 2021 Nine Month and Third Quarter Financial Results and Announces a 5 Percent Special Stock Dividend - GlobeNewswire

Comprising a well-researched and geographically inclusive selection of design objects, documentation of offsite projects, and scientific testimonials to the earths accelerating ecological collapse, the Museum of Modern Arts Broken Nature exhibition proffers an array of individually innovative ideas that, when considered in relation to the situation at hand, ultimately prompt more concerns for the future of design as we now know it, rather than (as the catalog lays out) a clear ideological framework through which it might lead us into a less destructive future.

The show is installed on the MoMAs public (free) ground floor gallery closest to 53rd Street in Manhattan, where floor-to-ceiling windows are situated across the street from andin clear conversation with the bougie gleam of modern and contemporary design objects in the museums own design store.

Curated by Paola Antonelli, senior curator of the MoMAs Department of Architecture and Design, Broken Nature proposes not so much of a reimagining of the structures that delivered us to this moment as pseudo-spiritual repentance to Gaia, suggesting that design can conceive a multitude of solutions to the exponentially accelerating forces of climate change while retaining the support of centralized wealth through the invention of environmentally consciousyet still aesthetically pleasingproducts. While transmuting the original 2019 exhibition in Milan (which was nearly six times larger) into one of the smallest galleries in the museum required the exclusion of some of the more sprawling or intricate projects, the selection on view at MoMA feels too sanitized for an exhibition about the literal apocalypse.

One of the best examples of restorative design included in the exhibition is the Maldives/Sandbars project (201819), which uses the oceans own wave patterns to encourage the regrowth of sandbars around the that have been worn away from rising sea levels. The aerial photographs on display in the exhibition demonstrate the re-accumulation of sand beneath the lagoon, encouraged by strategically placed concrete structures anchored to the ocean floor, using the oceans own movements to rebuild the atolls natural defenses from flooding as they break up incoming waves.

Yet, much of the shows language smacks of selective blindness to the scope and machinations of structural inequality, one of the biggest hurdles to comprehensive, collective action in the fight to slow climate change. In describing Alexander Groves and Azusa Murakamis Palm Stool from the Can City project (2013), the catalog describes the catadores (trash pickers) of So Paulo as breathing new life into the materials they source from the landfill in their artisanal enterprise of creating jewelry or furniture from the citys scrap. While the designers concept of a mobile foundry, cleverly constructed from local materials and used to create the aluminum furniture on view in the exhibition, is undoubtedly a useful one, the tired dynamic between an utterly disenfranchised caste of laborers and the appropriation of their practices by a privileged design studio is clearly present.

Aki Inomatas Think Evolution #1: Kiku-ichi (Ammonite) (201617) provides another useful metaphor for the past and future of humans inhabitation of the earth: an HD video shows a small octopus exploring the interior of a clear resin 3D print of an ammonite fossil. In an earlier stage of their evolution, the notoriously clever cephalopods used to inhabit shells (similar to the behavior of a hermit crab) but eventually dispensed with this tendency in order to more efficiently evade predators, rendering Inomatas video both a meditation on the generational transmission of instinctual behavior and a clever visual framework through which we might consider a de-evolution of our own preferred habitats.

Perhaps most affecting objects in the exhibition are those comprised of manmade materials and designed by natureKelly Jazvacs Plastiglomerate (2013), a series of irregularly shaped lumps of variegated plastic, compressed and pressured to sedimentary rock-like density; one might think of the catalogs call for elegance under pressure, an apt metaphor for precious gems, however, the Plastiglomerate are anything but elegant. Punctuated by flecks of neon-hued debris and tattered strands of castoff polymers, these objects feel more like coldly prognostic markers of the late Anthropocene than emphatically ominous evidence regarding the geological characteristics of an epoch whose outcome is yet unfolding. Examples of the series are well-placed just to the right of the entrance, establishing a logically coherent but rather hopeful node between the chic algae-based carafes from Studio Klarenbeek & Dros for Atelier Luma and Mandy Barkers (2016).

The latter also focuses on the abundance of plastic detritus disrupting the planets natural processes, but on the microscopic level. The long-exposure photos take the format of the natural history plates created by 19th-century marine biologist John Vaughan Thompson, who amassed and documented an archive of plankton samples off the coast of Ireland. Barkers iteration uses modern technology to capture much clearer pictures of the microorganisms populating 21st-century seassourced from the same location Thompson used, Cork Harbourhowever, instead of plankton, the images exhibit microplastics. Consumed by plankton, these microscopic fragments of plastic bags, netting, and other debris make their way into every facet of the aquatic ecosystem from the bottom up.

While every work in the show was conceived in response to the climate crisis, the Plastiglomerates are the only truly found objects on view, representing humans permanent impact on the earth and invoking an eerie reassurance that the earth will endure long after were gone, and perhaps eventually recover from our presence. While their presence between the microscopic shards of polymer and the tastefully minimalist home goods makes a clear statement regarding the aesthetic and practical possibilities for transitioning away from synthetic materials, many of the objects sleek allure remain predicated upon and as yet inexorable from a global economy unlikely to de-escalate and refocus the parameters of production to an extent that will save the planet and its inhabitants (humans included) from a destruction of our own making.

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Chic-osystem Form outshines function at the MoMA's Broken Nature - The Architect's Newspaper

Faade installation has resumed at611 West 56th Street, aka823 Eleventh Avenue, a 450-foot-tall condominium tower in Hells Kitchen. Designed by Portuguese architectAlvaro SizawithSLCEas the architect of record, and developed bySumaida + KhuranaandLENY, the 37-story tower will yield 80 units designed byGabellini Sheppard Associates.

Recent photos show the bright limestone curtain wall surpassing the halfway point of the slender tower. At the time of our last update in late August, the faade only covered the seven-story podium and work appeared stalled.

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

Scaffolding rigs on the wide southern elevation mark the transition point of the different layers of the exterior assembly.

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

The rear northern wall is largely blank, but retains the same pattern of a parquet floor tiling depicted in previous renderings that show the extended mechanical portion above the last habitable floor. This can be seen in the next several images below.

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

611 West 56th Street, designed by Alvaro Siza

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

The concrete and cinder block walls have been painted black and await the rest of the metal framework that will hold up the limestone.

611 West 56th Street. Photo by Michael Young

A formal completion date for 611 West 56th Street has not been announced, though sometime in the second half of 2021 is possible.

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Faade Installation Resumes at 611 West 56th Street in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan - New York YIMBY