Valheim has enjoyed a lot of success out of the gate in early access, and now there are a ton of people who are waiting to see what kind of content is added to the game in the coming months. Valheims developer Iron Gate Games has indicated that the first big update for the game, titled Hearth and Home, is on the way, and today it shared more teasers for the incoming update. The company also shared that its been working on some graphics updates as well.

Specifically, Iron Gate says that it has been working on graphics updates for the troll, the second boss named The Elder, and the third boss named Bonemass to give their old models some new fresh looks. The new looks, Iron Gate says, better align with how the company envisions Valheim, but unfortunately, we didnt get to see any images of the new models for The Elder or Bonemass.

We did, however, get to see an image of the new troll model, which you can see embedded above. If you havent played Valheim in a while, the new troll might not look dramatically different from the old one, but the new model does have more hair and improved nails. Its also noticeably more muscular than the old model, so you can look forward to encountering these buff behemoths roaming the black forest when this update arrives at some point in the future.

Iron Gate didnt share too much regarding the Hearth and Home update, though it did publish two teaser images which weve included both above and below. The first image is a tiny one that seems to focus on a pair of player feet potentially wearing new boots resting at what could be the base of a new throne. The second image shows off what could be a new type of ore, which lines up with the fact that Iron Gate says there are many new items relating to it.

Sadly, we didnt get a release date for the Hearth and Home update today, with Iron Gate saying that it wont decide on one until the update is in a state that its happy to release it in. Well keep an eye out for that release date and any new teasers Iron Gate decides to share, but in the meantime, try to figure out what is being teased in those two new images above.

Go here to see the original:
Valheim devs tease Hearth and Home update additions, show off buff trolls - SlashGear

A new pop top in Denver's University neighborhood, by Ascent Contracting, architect John Collins, and Studio 8.18 Engineering. Photo by VirtuanceHome

That is the question many Denverites are pondering as they balance the need for more space with the challenges of entering the citys competitive housing market. Here, local contractor and pop-top expert Justin Bride offers helpful insights and advice.

Its a common conundrum: Your Denver bungalow was cozy when you bought it, but is downright cramped now that your family has grownand spent the past year cooped up together inside. Do you sell it and hope to score a new house of your dreams in Denvers competitive marketassuming the proceeds can cover the cost of sizing up in a city where the average single-family home price is quickly approaching $675,000? Or do you work with what you have by finding ways to stretch your square footage?

Justin Bride, principal of Ascent Contracting, Inc., has helped many clients navigate the latter path since founding his Denver-based residential and commercial contracting company in 2012, and has become a proponent of the practice along the way. Popping the top gives homeowners the opportunity to have a brand-new house in a historic neighborhood or an area of town that they already have grown to love, he explains. Most of the time, people want to open up their whole first floor, and having that pop top to accommodate bedrooms really justifies creating the first-floor layout youve always envisioned. It gives you more of a blank slate so you can get what you wanta really functional and energy-efficient home where there wasnt one before.

While many people associate popping the top with removing the entire roof to accommodate a full second story, Bride notes that smaller projects can have a big impact, too, from incorporating dormers to transform a partially used second floor into a spacious bedroom suite, to adding a back-of-house addition with a rooftop deck.

Imagining the possibilities is the easy part. For help with the practical considerations, we asked Bride to share his insights and advice:

5280 Home: What are the benefits of vertically expanding a home?Justin Bride: Any time you add square footage to your home, especially in todays market, youre adding value to your propertywhereas with an interior remodel, the value add may be more subjective. One of the reasons why [popping the top] is so prevalent in the city of Denver is that if there are site constraintsa smaller lot, or part of the site is already occupied by a detached garage, which you see all over Denver propersometimes it makes more sense to go vertical to get the square footage you want.

Does it cost less to build vertically?In terms of the price-per-square-foot cost for new construction, its similar to go up versus out. However, this cost is always closely related to the nature of the remodelin particular, how much remodeling of the existing square footage needs to be done to accommodate the new square footage. Sometimes, a single-story, or even double-story, back-of-house addition can be less expensive than a pop top on a per-square-foot basis because the owners may not need to remodel their existing home, resulting in a lower overall project cost.

In Denvers hot housing market, can homeowners expect to quickly recoup their investment in a pop top?It would be fantastic if they could recoup all of their construction costs by the time the project is done. But its safer to hope that within two to five years, they will have recouped all of their construction costs and be net positivewith the understanding that everything is market dependent. We know that the property values of homes with pop tops weve done in 2016 and 2017 are already much higher than the owners total investments.

Does popping the top take less time than expanding outwardor even starting from scratch?Building a new house requires the longest timeline: When we do a scrape-and-build, we project 12-14 months, and sometimes they go over that. Our pop tops tend to fall below a year, but anymorebecause theres so much demand, not to mention the challenges of getting materials in the COVID worldbelow 10 months is a pretty aggressive schedule.

Building out [with a new addition] can have a similar overall timeline. Our back-of-house additions might peak at nine or 10 months and can be six to eight months. But with a back-of-house addition, the homeowner has the ability to live in the house for a certain portion of time. With a pop top, you really have to be out the entire time for everyones safety.

What are the structural requirements for a pop top, and does the typical century-old Wash Park bungalow meet them?Many Denver houses, especially those that were built between the early 1900s and about 1930 or so, were really well built. Whether they have brick or concrete foundations, they can almost always accommodate a pop top. In the best-case scenario, if all the conditions are right and the house was built later than the mid-1920s, which was when they started to use concrete foundation walls with continuous footers, there doesnt have to be anything done structurally to accommodate the pop top. But most of the time, its good to anticipate that light to moderate foundation support will be needed, in the form of helical piers or concrete pads.

Is it necessary to hire an architect?For a pop top, an architect is really necessary because were adding square footage, there are rooflines and stairways to be considered, and most importantly, were stylistically blending old with new, which requires expertise. Thats not to say that a homeowner needs to start by engaging an architect. Its just as good to engage a reputable contractor, who can then recommend an architect and start the project collaboratively.

Who hires the structural engineer?The architect facilitates working with the structural engineer because structural design is typically part of the architectural design phase. The same is true with mechanical design, as in HVAC design. That wasnt a necessity a few years ago, but in 2018, Denver began requiring a certain level of mechanical design with any project adding more than 30 percent to the existing square footage.

Speaking of rules, does zoning limit how much you can expand?Absolutely. In addition to setback requirements, there are two big factors that come into play: Most of the Denver residential zoning classifications limit building coverage such that youcan only have about 32.5 percent of your lot covered with a covered space. So, if you have a 10,000-square-foot lot, your house can only have a 3,250-square-foot footprint. If you have a two-story house, thats 6,500 square feet. Most lots in Denver are more like 5,000 to 7,500 square feet, and so most houses with pop tops have them because their footprint was maxed out at around 2,000 square feet.

The other constraint is whats called the bulk plane envelope, which you can visualize by imagining a tent, with 45-degree roofs, over a house. In most Denver residential zoning classifications,the tent can have a peak height of 30 feet, but at the property lines, the peak height is about 17 feet. The newly expanded house has to fit within that tent.

In Denver, do you have to bring the entire house up to code once you start adding on?You have to bring every area of the house, or even wall of the house, that you touch up to code. But these codes arent just there to give government code-writers something to do. Most are really well written and make a lot of sense. The energy codes, for example, are written so people dont have $400-per-month heating bills in the winter.

Are there other regulatory responsibilities to consider?The homeowner typically doesnt need to be concerned with [managing] things like plan submissions, building permits, and inspections, besides the time commitment that will be required. These days in Denver, the timeline from submitting plans to having the permit in hand is normally about three months. However, if the house happens to be a historic home or is located in a historic neighborhood, the project also has to be approved by the citys Landmark Preservation Commission to ensure the addition will be built in accordance with the character of the neighborhood. That can add a good chunk of time.

Its a big commitment. How can homeowners decide if its right for them?Weve had so many clients get into the process and realize its not worthwhile because their existing house just isnt right for them, or because other neighborhoods make more sense, or because they just dont want to go through the long, arduous journey to complete the project. But for the clients who do pull the trigger, the following are always the biggest reasons why:

Community.They have a strong bond with their neighborhood and neighbors, they love their schools and parks and local shops, and feel this is where they want to see their family grow.

Love for the process. Homeowners who really enjoy the remodels we get into are those who love going to showrooms and getting immersed in the world of options; people who really relish making those selections and being a part of it. For those who dont like that process, the best thing to do is hire an interior designer. But its important to remember that every final decision still has to be made by the homeowner.

Creating a legacy. Clients who opt to pop the top often like the idea that the changes theyll make will be enjoyed not just by their family, but potentially by generations and families to come.

A sense of history. This is where I get to be a little bit of a romantic. I love construction and imagining the skilled craftsmen who put their blood, sweat, and tears into building these homes. Theres a real piece of history in each one of these Denver homes. I love the idea of contributing to it, and good candidates for a pop top do too.

See the article here:
Should You Pop the Top on Your Home? - 5280 | The Denver Magazine

For claritys sake, Sam Wilson and John Walker will be referred to here by their aliases instead of Cap, Fake Cap, New Cap, Jerk Cap, etc. That would only get confusing. But, make no mistake, Sam Wilson IS the new Captain America.

Thats really been the main purpose of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, hasnt it? To fill in the arc from the end of Avengers: Endgame to the next time Captain America is seen onscreen, played by Anthony Mackie. Just handing off the shield would have felt a little slight for such a legendary character (although the video clips of audiences cheering if the Cap reveal in this episode had happened in a movie theater would have been cool). And so the MCU has given the new Captain America an origin story in the form of a six-episode miniseries, while also pushing forward the redemption of the Winter Soldier, setting up a new villain in the Power Broker, and bringing U.S. Agent into the fold. (We clearly havent seen the last of him or Julia Louis-Dreyfuss Val, both welcome additions to future films and series.) Wilson never really had much of an origin story as the Falcon in the MCU, but now hes become a dense study in themes of responsibility, power, and the dark history of the country hes going to not only defend but repair as the new Captain America.

The season often felt rushed and lacked some depth in its analysis of race and power in this country, but it served its narrative purpose and provided some solid entertainment along the way. Its hard to say yet how The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be remembered because, like so much MCU product, its hard to gauge its full impact until we see how it ripples through future projects. It was flawed but fun. Only time will tell if it was substantial.

The finale opens where the last episode ended a lockdown at the GRC. Bucky is there already, Sam is on the way, and even Sharon has made it into the country, bringing along some nifty Ethan Hunt disguise tech that hasnt been seen since Natasha used it in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. (Its called a Photostatic Veil, if youre curious.) It turns out, Karli was waiting for Sam to get there to start the fireworks. Sam flies through a window (heroes dont take doors), and says, Im Captain America. Hell yeah, you are. Karli tries to talk Bucky out of fighting for the wrong side, but hes deep in his feelings, talking about the nightmares of who he has killed in the past, trying to warn Karli that she will someday have the same.

There are a bunch of quick action beats in an extended sequence that takes up about half of the finale. Sharon uses a mercury vapor bomb on a Flag Smasher; Sam fights Batroc and proves hes gotten pretty good with that shield; Bucky uses a motorcycle to launch himself at a Flag Smasher; Walker comes for Karli, who gets the great line, I dont want to hurt people that dont matter. Dont tell American Hero John Walker that he doesnt matter.

Sam saves some hostages from a helicopter by literally removing its evil pilot, but the first main non-action beat comes when Walker is given a chance to save burning hostages or keep seeking vengeance, and he takes the latter option. Its a subtle beat that indicates where hes at in terms of heroism, even if that mind-set doesnt last long. Moments later, Karli escapes with the hostages and drives a truck of them over a railing. The truck teeters on the edge of demise, but Walker finally makes the heroic decision and tries to pull it back to safety before being attacked by Flag Smashers. Sam arrives to save the day. People applaud.

Theres about to be a true showdown when Batroc fires smoke bombs to help Karli escape. Sam has heat-vision goggles! He leads this new trio with Bucky and Walker to track them, but Carter has already found Karli, fully revealing, through some truly clunky dialogue, that she is the Power Broker. Batroc tries to blackmail more money out of Carter, who shoots him, and gets shot herself by Karli. Sam bursts in and fights with Karli well, Karli fights and Sam defends. He wont fight. How noble. Karli gets a gun on him but gets shot by Sharon. Its a sad, blunt end to an interesting character, murdered by someone who once financed her. Sam brings her body to her fellow revolutionaries. Death is always the end for extremists in the MCU, but the people who really pull the strings rarely face justice.

In a scene thats certain to divide fans and critics of this show, Sam gets to drop a few speeches on senators and council members. He notes how labels like terrorist, refugee, and thug only lead to problems of blame and responsibility. This isnt about easy decisions, Senator. (And yet this scene feels a bit too easy in terms of writing.) Even Isaiah Bradley is watching at home, nodding in approval. Sam says he has no serum and no blond hair. His only power is belief that people can do better (and some Stark wing tech that can pull pilots from helicopters, but whatever). He speaks about representation and encourages people in power to ask the right questions, like why did Karli die trying to stop them?

To start the cleanup scenes to the season, the remaining Flag Smashers are dispatched by Zemos Alfred. Zemo smiles hearing the news on the radio, and Val does the same seeing it on her phone. Shes with Walkers wife as the former Cap becomes the U.S. Agent. Bucky goes to offer a little closure to the father of a man he murdered, and maybe even a second date with the waitress from the premiere.

Finally, Bradley tells Sam that hes special. A season that has often felt rushed earns that criticism most of all here, going from there will never be a Black Captain America last episode to an approving hug an episode later. They talk about it not being an easy fight, but there are definitely parts of this season and this episode in particular that felt way too easy. One wonders how much more fulfilling it could have felt with more time to really dig into the themes of the show.

It all ends with a party! As On and On, by Curtis Harding, plays, Bucky, Sam, Sarah, and the locals celebrate on the pier. Thats what the MCU does. It goes on and on. But now it has a new Captain America.

Post-credits scene! Sharon Carter gets an apology from the government and is allowed back into it, even given a new job. Theres a truly clunky fade to her outside the Capitol, calling someone to reveal her dark side. The Power Broker is now in the U.S. government, ready to sell its tech and secrets to the highest bidder, something that feels like it may have been her endgame all along, financing the Flag Smashers in a way that allowed her back into the fold. Look out.

The first fight between Sam and Batroc is a clear echo of the first fight between Steve Rogerss Captain America and Batroc in the opening of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. While that was a sequel, it was the first time that fans saw Cap fighting in modern times, and its a nice reflection that Sams first fight as Cap is against the same enemy.

The episode ends with a new title: Captain America and the Winter Soldier, making its narrative purpose in the MCU even more defined.

Speaking of that, doesnt this put to bed any rumors of Chris Evans returning to the MCU as Captain America? Those always seemed a little silly, but it would be almost narratively impossible now. At least for a few years.

When will Sam and Bucky discover that Sharon is the Power Broker, the one who really financed all this chaos? The next movie? Another series? Never?

Thanks to everyone for reading all season!

Keep up with all the drama of your favorite shows!

See the article here:
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Finale Recap: All-New Captain America - Vulture

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has never had a shortage of player-created additions. Everywhere you look there's mods ranging from small and strange, like playable Waluigi, to expressive and expansive, like the removal of the game's cel-shaded aesthetic. Breath of the Wild's modding scene is over four years old, with hundreds upon hundreds of mods for both the Wii U and Nintendo Switch versions of the game to pick from. For something to stand out of the pack, it'd have to be truly impressive.

Enter The Legend of Zelda: Second Wind - A Breath of the Wild Expansion. What originally started out as a group of smaller, individual mods for minimal changes to Nintendo's epic, such as replacing out-of-bounds chests, has ballooned into one of the biggest mods I've ever seen. In fact, it's a little unfair to call Second Wind purely a "mod" and not an unofficial expansion pack, because it's bigger than either of the two officially sanctioned DLC packs Breath of the Wild originally received shortly after its launch in 2017.

Second Wind is a fully-fledged expansion to Breath of the Wild, bundling in new regions to explore, new weapons to unlock and experiment with, and even brand new Shrine trials to undergo with Link. There's plenty to parse with the Second Wind mod, which you might've seen written up on Gamesradar. It's so big in fact, that everything mentioned here is only part one of the mod, called Labors of the Hero, with the enigmatic part two slated to arrive further down the line.

"The very foundation of anything we do within this project revolves around creating something cool for a series we love," development lead of Second Wind, CEObrainz, tells me through Discord. Second Wind's development is operating on such a large scale that its dedicated Discord channel has over 12,000 members, approximately 5,000 of which are beta testers for part one, Labors of the Hero. Despite the staggering number of developers working remotely around the world, CEObrainz asserts that this isn't a problem in the slightest, as it's instead allowed for a diverse range of experiences and talents to blossom.

Second Wind feels like an amalgamation of disparate ideas, brought under one roof and bundled into one epic mod. CEObrainz tells me that although Second Wind began life as a group of smaller mods, such as the impressive Hyrule Rebalance mod and the Survival of the Wild mod, these laid the foundations for a lengthy roster of fan-developers coming together for something bigger and better than ever before. "Lylah, one of the lead devs, came up with the Second Wind name and logo and from that point the expansion truly began to take shape."

The Labors of the Hero part of Second Wind will actually introduce new story-centric quests for Link to undertake, with a flowing narrative embedded within. CEObrainz tells me that the developers recognize that "nothing we do can truly fall in-line with the events that took place in this Hyrule," but they still believe there's interesting ideas to be explored off this beaten path. These include a girl living under the iron fist of her father, who wants to become an adventurer like Link, to the grandson of a Hylian noble who wants to make amends for his family's past misdeeds. There's some genuinely fascinating concepts in here, and they're proof of how Second Wind's developers seek to compliment Hyrule's existing stories, not override them.

"Second Wind fixes the rewards by making it so you actually get something tangible for the effort you put into the game"

It's these quests that allowed new gameplay aspects in Second Wind's Labors of the Hero to flourish. "Things really picked up once quests were figured out and events were experimented on," CEObrainz says. "Currently, we try to ensure that everything we do is related to something else. There are no additions to Second Wind that are added just for the sake of being there, and in doing that we ensure all members who contribute something feel as if their work has true importance no matter how big or small that addition is." As the developer's modding capabilities expanded over the years, so too did the new gameplay aspects being introduced in Second Wind, like items such as arrow quivers for Link to utilize.

"If every weapon gets its own sheath and can magically appear, then I think it's fine if the same applies to bows with their quivers." Two expert modders within the team, DarkGuard and Moonling, created arrow quivers specifically for Second Wind reflecting something that the developers feel should've been there from the beginning.

Some of the modding team had certain wishes of Breath of the Wild, and Second Wind lets them see those wishes realized. "As much as I love the open world area's and encounters, I really miss the dungeons from classic Zelda games," a modder called Gray tells me. That nostalgic longing for Breath of the Wild to better reflect the history of the series is shared by other members of the Second Wind development community; for example, modder Normies Progress designed new Shrines for the mod that offer different rewards than the weapons and items that would break after a finite amount of uses in the core game. "Second Wind fixes the rewards by making it so you actually get something tangible for the effort you put into the game, the shrines get reworked to look completely different and even become more like classic Zelda dungeons in some cases," DarkGuard says.

"I've gotten a lot of excited comments over the masks from Majora's Mask that've been added"

There's a lot to be tested in Second Wind, hence the horde of over 5,000 beta participants eager to try this mod for themselves. CEObrainz jokes that receiving such volumes of feedback has really reminded them just how hard a job Nintendo has of actually balancing their games. "We've learnt how to improve on the intuitive nature of puzzles, mechanics, dialogue and the overall structure of the mod," they say of feedback so far.

Elsewhere, other developers like Sven Cakemann has seen genuine excitement from players upon seeing some of the additions present in Second Wind. "I've gotten a lot of excited comments over the masks from Majora's Mask that've been added," they tell me. "Generally, the feedback has been akin to 'wow, this is really neat!' and some general suggestions on making them act more like they did in [Majora's Mask]. Unfortunately, there are some limitations on what we can do (like, no transformations), but hopefully with some recent developments we can get all the masks/hats to be unique, or at least be useful."

Right now, CEObrainz and the rest of the modding team for Second Wind plan to release Labors of the Hero later this year for the Wii U version of Breath of the Wild, playable via the Cemu emulator for PC. That's not to say they don't plan on supporting the Nintendo Switch version further down the line though, as they plan on turning their attention to the portable version of Nintendo's game once the Wii U version is complete.

As for the future of the mod itself though, CEObrainz is keeping their cards close to their chest with part two of Second Wind. "A lot of Part Two is secret to everybody (even some of the team members)," they tell me. "What I can share is that anyone who is a Ghibli fan will be able to see the things we do and associate some aspects of it with those films and yes, we do plan on adding at least one proper old-school dungeon." Labors of the Hero might be in the pipeline for release later this year, but part two of Second Wind is further off on the horizon, without so much as even a name to it just yet.

It's clear that there's a lot of love and passion being poured into Second Wind by the development team, scattered around the world. It's fascinating to see a team of over 5,000 playtesters and developers brought together under one roof by the wish to expand upon one of their favorite games. Breath of the Wild has offered player-created wonders consistently over the four years since its launch, but Second Wind might be one of the most noteworthy yet.

Second Wind could help keep you busy while you're waiting for Breath of the Wild 2, which still has no release date. In the meantime, you can check out the Best Zelda: Breath of the Wild mods.

Read more:
Inside The Legend of Zelda: Second Wind the Breath of the Wild mod that's bringing new stories and regions to Hyrule - Gamesradar

Focus Features has set production with Gareth Neames Carnival Films on Downton Abbey 2.

The original principal cast will all once again return for the second film which began production last week and is set to release Christmas 2021 on December 22, 2021. Original stars includes Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Imelda Staunton and Maggie Smith.

In addition, Hugh Dancy, Laura Haddock, Nathalie Baye and Dominic West will join the cast. Downton creator Julian Fellowes will once again write the films screenplay, with Emmy winners Gareth Neame and Liz Trubridge back to produce with Fellowes. BAFTA and Emmy-nominated director Simon Curtis (My Week with Marilyn)will join the filmmaking team to direct the sequel.

The first film, which took more than $230M and was based on the TV juggernaut of the same name, followed a Royal Visit to the Crawley family and Downton staff from the King and Queen of England and ended with a ball fitting for the Royal Family.

Gareth Neame, the films producer and executive chairman of Carnival Films said: After a very challenging year with so many of us separated from family and friends, it is a huge comfort to think that better times are ahead and that next Christmas we will be re-united with the much beloved characters of Downton Abbey.

Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski added: Theres no place like home for the holidays, and we cant imagine a better gift than getting to reunite with Julian, Gareth, and the entire Downton family in 2021 to bring the Crawleys back home for their fans.

Focus Features and Universal Pictures International will distribute.

More:
Downton Abbey 2 Sets Release Date As Production Gets Underway With Original Cast Back & Dominic West Among New Additions - Deadline

Staff report| The Tuscaloosa News

The University of Alabama System board of trustees has approved commercial lease agreements that will bring Texas-based Whataburger and Mobile-basedMediterranean Sandwich Co. to UA-owned properties on the Strip.

The new restaurants will occupy suites on either end of the former site of Holler and Dash Biscuit House at 1130 University Blvd. Whataburger will be in Suite A5 and theMediterranean Sandwich Co. will be inSuite A1.

This will mark Tuscaloosa's third Whataburger: the area's first Whataburger opened in 2017 at 1301 McFarland Blvd. E, followed by the 2018 opening of the second location at 820 Skyland Blvd.

MORE: After A-Day weekend arrests, Tuscaloosa leaders consider limits on bar hours, alcohol sales

Whataburger serves fresh, made-to-order burgers in more than 810 locations. Its menu features burgers made with 100 percent pure beef and fresh-cut vegetables, along with chicken strips, French fries and milkshakes.

Right now, the Mediterranean Sandwich Co. operates fourrestaurants, three in Mobile and one in Daphne.

According to its website, the Mediterranean Sandwich Co.'s menu includes handcrafted gyros, stone-toasted flatbread paninis, signature wraps, fresh-cut salads, homemade soups and orzo pastas.

SPORTS: Meet The Tuscaloosa News Super 5 all-area high school boys basketball team for 2020-21

Other recent additionsto the Strip include plans to open a Jersey Mike's Subs at 1207 University Blvd. andPJ's Coffee of New Orleans, which has opened at 1201 University Blvd.

The UA System trustees approved the five-year commercial lease agreements for Whataburger and the Mediterranean Sandwich Co. at its April 9 meeting.

Go here to read the rest:
Two new restaurants are coming to the Strip near the University of Alabama campus - Tuscaloosa Magazine

The clubhouse at Cherry Hills Country Club is getting a $50 million facelift.

The private club at 4125 S. University Blvd. in Cherry Hills Village is gearing up to demolish the south end of its clubhouse and replace it with a new two-story, 67,000-square-foot facility, according to a board member.

Renovations will include an indoor golf simulator, a fitness studio, meeting rooms and a new basement with around 10,000 square feet. The banquet facility for weddings and other events, which has been two separate rooms, will now be one larger room.

There will also be dining areas and an outdoor patio with western-facing views on the second floor, where employee offices used to be. The buildings footprint will remain largely the same.

The reason why I think our members believe its important is so we can continue to be relevant, said Charles Maguire, who sits on the clubs board and executive committee. We needed to upgrade our facilities and provide a better member experience.

He added, We see country clubs like ours are no longer joined based on the decision of a husband or wife, but it tends to be more of a family decision. So, we need to make sure were providing all the amenities families would like to see at country clubs.

The most recent renovation was the $12 million addition in 2005 of the 30,000-square-foot north end, which includes the mens locker room and an exhibit that recognizes famous players who have played at the club. That portion of the building is not part of the latest project.

Provided by Mark P. Finlay Architects

Maguire declined to disclose the project budget, describing it only as a substantial amount. Multiple sources familiar with the project told BusinessDen the budget is approximately $50 million.

Roughly half of the project will be paid for by the members, but the club has also secured a 20-year loan to finance the other half, Maguire said.

The initial clubhouse was built in the 1920s, and then there were a series of additions over the years. So, as a result, it had become a combination of additions onto the structure, Maguire said. Not all of the clubhouse had a basement, and there were varying heights, plus the ballroom portion of the clubhouse was built in the 50s. So, it had been put together in pieces over many years and didnt have a great flow.

More than 64 percent of the clubs 450 resident members voted in favor of the project in January 2020, according to Maguire. Cherry Hills hired Connecticut-based Mark P. Finlay Architects and Englewood-based JHL Constructors. The club is about to complete an asbestos abatement with plans to begin demolition next week.

Cherry Hills, which opened in 1922, features an 18-hole, par 72 regulation course, as well as a nine-hole par-three course. There are also tennis courts and a lap pool.

The total square footage of the clubhouse will be around 97,000 square feet when work is done. The club hopes to complete the project in November 2022, ahead of the U.S. Amateur Championship in 2023, which the club will host for the third time.

The clubhouse has been closed since pandemic restrictions increased in November, but the club has set up temporary facilities on the course chipping green including a pro shop.

Cherry Hills has also temporarily rented a property to act as a satellite clubhouse called Club 22, which opened last week, at 8100 E. Union Ave. in the Denver Tech Center, where McCormick & Schmicks previously operated.

Its a place where members can gather and dine and have meetings, and it also allows us to keep part of our staff employed during this time, Maguire said.

In November, BusinessDen reported thatCherry Hills general manager and head golf pro had lefttheir positions for other opportunities. Andrew Shuck, former head golf pro for Charlotte Country Club in North Carolina, started as Cherry Hills head golf pro this month. Maguire said the club is still searching for a general manager.

View original post here:
Cherry Hills Country Club teeing off on $50M clubhouse renovation - The Denver Post

Terry Fontenot has been particular and exact with his free-agent signings in his first offseason as Falcons general manager. His type has usually been reliable veterans willing to sign one-year deals, but in the rare case, Mike Davis was signed to a two-year contract the most total capital Fontenot shelled out this offseason. The roster is now starting to take form a little over a week away from the draft, and Fontenot has kept true to his word that the Falcons will sign free agents from positions of need and draft based on the best player available. He has done a masterful job filling the holes on the roster to give himself the flexibility to take whichever path he sees fit come the draft.

The only new offensive addition since my depth chart analysis from a couple of weeks ago is Cordarrelle Patterson, who is listed as a running back on the team roster page. Since Ito Smith has now been released, the running back depth chart is Mike Davis RB1, Cordarrelle Patterson RB2, and Quadree Ollison RB3. The committee approach Arthur Smith has vowed to use in Atlanta will be spearheaded by Davis and Patterson, who I think can be an effective one-two punch in this system.

The guys that will be paving the way for those running backs seem almost set in stone, but the depth surely needs addressing. From left to right, the offensive line is comprised ofJake Matthews,Matt Gono, Matt Hennessy,Chris Lindstrom, andKaleb McGary the most competitive starting lineup the roster currently has to offer. Josh Andrews was brought in but has to be more of a camp body than anything. Dwayne Ledford is one of the best in the business, so I expect exponential improvement throughout the season from Hennessey and McGary, and Fontenot may add a body or two before the draft.

Theyll be protecting Matty Ice, who is the only quarterback on the roster. His backup will come from the fourth overall pick or a veteran free agent because I cant see Arthur Smith being comfortable with a late-round rookie as Ryans first replacement. The wide receiver group is as good as solidified with Julio Jones,Calvin Ridley, andRussell Gageas the starting X, Z, and Y positions, respectively, with backupsChristian Blake,Olamide Zaccheaus, andChris Rowlandalso under contract.

The last position group is the tight ends, which are good enough to go into Week 1 with but isnt a particularly threatening group outside of Hayden Hurst. The depth chart reads Hurst, Lee Smith, Ryan Becker, and Jaeden Graham in that order. Hurst is reliable in both the pass and run games, but the group would be much better if Smith were TE3 instead of TE2, which would signal another addition is needed.

Moving onto the defensive side of the ball, which needed the most help in terms of personnel. The secondary is starting to take shape as the front seven was already closer to completion with Grady Jarrett,Marlon Davidson,Tyeler Davison,Deadrin Senat,John Cominsky, Jonathan Bullard, andSteven Means the last two being the most recent additions. Dante Fowler is the only threat of an edge rusher on the roster, but hehasto improve drastically to have any chance of signing more than a one-year deal next free agency. Behind him is Jacob Tuioti-Mariner, and opposite of Fowler will be a combination of Barkevious Mingo and Brandon Copeland.

The second level of the defense is a bit top-heavy, though Copelands versatility enables him to play both outside and off-ball linebacker. Deion Jones will be commanding the Will and Foyesade Oluokunwill play the Mike. Mykal Walker will be the first man up and surely push for playing time as he showed well in limited snaps his rookie year. Dean Pees loves linebackers flexible enough to cover tight ends and running backs man-to-man, and Walker was one of the highest graded at just this at his position.

Moving on to the third level of Pees defense, which was the position group that neededthe mostaddressing, bar none. Fontenot signed Erik Harris earlier in free agency to a team-friendly one-year deal, and his ceiling is low meaning the Falcons know exactly what hell give them. Then the Falcons recently signed Duron Harmon to add to the safety room, and I couldnt be happier this from my piece on what Harmon brings to Atlanta:

Behind them is TJ Green a new addition and Jaylinn Hawkins, who shouldnt be written off even if hes only played 72 snaps at safety; hes a steady contributor on special teams and could compete for the fourth safety spot. The cornerbacks werent as glaring of a need as the safeties, but the starters arent entirely reliable. Fabian Moreau and A.J. Terrell will likely start as the boundary corners unless Fontenot drafts a cornerback in the first or second round, but neither has been consistent in defending elite wide receivers. Behind them will be a combination of Isaiah Oliver,Kendall Sheffield, and Ty Hall, who will compete for the nickel role. Fontenot has done a wonderful job rounding out the roster in anticipation of the draft. I tip my hat to the front office for finding reliable, cheap veterans who can be stopgaps in the meantime while Smith builds an adequate culture for the next class of free agents, who Fontneot could potentially spend more money on as the cap opens up next year.

Excerpt from:
Analyzing the Falcons depth chart a week away from the draft - Yardbarker

MACOMB It has been a whirlwind year for the Western Illinois mens basketball program.

In the last year, Rob Jeter and his staff took over the program and had to completely overhaul the roster, adding 15 new faces, all while battling COVID-19.

A year later, COVID-19 is still here and protocols are still in place, but with the roster about filled out and a new recruiting class signed and ready to go, Coach Jeter believes things are starting to get closer to normal, especially when it comes to recruiting and the offseason.

Nothing really changes, we just all adapt, the coach said. A lot of games are on TV or some kind of streaming platform so you can watch recruits play that way.

The guys we have coming in are three transfers and a freshman, so we were able to evaluate and do things the way weve always done in recruiting.

When it comes to recruiting, theway coaches see and contact players may change, there are still some things that always stay the same, and for Coach Jeter, its those tried and true methods that always make the difference.

Its all about relationships, its always going to be about relationships and were always going to recruit that way, the coach said. It (streaming) does make it easier, it helps you identify players but when there is a relationship, that helps the recruit understand who you are.

Weve done that and thats what makes us excited about the guys were bringing in.

Jeter and the Leathernecks have added four players to the current roster, bringing in transfers Luka Barisic (Texas-San Antonio), Quinlan Bennett (Lamar) and Trenton Massner (Northwestern State) as well as freshman KJ Lee (Fort Zumwalt North).

With the majority of his team back from last year, Jeter had the luxury to recruit need and fit, instead of trying to fill out a roster, like last year.

Looking at our team last year, our guard play left something to be desired, it took us until the second part of the season to find a point guard in Colton and the guys we were bringing in off the bench were all new to us, Jeter said. We didnt really have complementary pieces, we had a lot of good bodies and guys who can play, so we put together a team thinking we knew what we had.

This second year, we know what we have, we have a core and now its about finding strong pieces who fit, more guard play, adding a stretch big, adding depth with the bigs we have in Tamell (Pearson) and Adam (Anhold). Now we have something new that we needed.

And while Jeter likes his roster, he admits the program may not be done with additions.

Western does have one scholarship available, but with plenty of capable players already in tow, the coach is plenty comfortable with his team as is.

We still have a scholarship, Im not quite sure what well do with it but ithas to be a piece that fits if that happens, he said. But you look at the guys we have, you want to make sure you give them a chance to show you they can be that piece. You dont want to over-recruit and create your own problems.

For us, we feel really good about where we are, we dont have a true point guard, but Colton did a good job with that and I think Trenton can come in and help us out there and KJ Lee as a true freshman has some experience there, so they could possibly be that piece. If not, I think we can be open to seeing what we can find if there is something out there.

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Roster and recruits ready, WIU men wade into offseason - McDonough Voice

Wednesday afternoon, West Virginia picked up former DePaul big man Pauly Paulicap via the transfer portal. He became the third player to transfer to West Virginia this offseason joining guard Malik Curry (Old Dominion) and forward Dimon Carrigan (Florida International).

With Taz Sherman, Miles McBride, and Sean McNeil having entered their names into the 2021 NBA Draft, the WVU roster is already starting to look a little different. Those three have left open the option to return to WVU and if at least two of them return, it could put the Mountaineers in great shape as a contender for the Big 12 title.

All that being said, there is still one question that no one has the answer to: Will Derek Culver return for his senior year? He is the only player on West Virginia's roster that has not publicly stated his future intentions and in a recent interview with Bob Hertzel of WVNews, head coach Bob Huggins said, Im not sure Derek knows what hes going to do."

The last day for players to declare for the 2021 NBA Draft is May 30th so although it seems like Culver is way behind on making his decision, he's taking his time with the process given that he still has a little over a month left to choose what he wants to do.

Earlier this offseason, Gabe Osabuohien announced that he would be exercising his extra year of eligibility provided by the NCAA and return to WVU for the 2021-22 season. Osabuohien returning doesn't necessarily affect Derek Culver because they weren't on the floor at the same time for the majority of the season. Once Oscar Tshiebwe transferred to Kentucky and Isaiah Cottrell tore his Achilles, Osabuohien was the only experienced big left on the roster. This meant that Osabuohien would be the first guy into the game to give Culver a break or to relieve him from getting into further foul trouble.

What raised the eyebrows of some folks is Huggins bringing in two additional bigs in Dimon Carrigan and Pauly Paulicap. West Virginia had all sorts of trouble defending the paint this past season and some of that could be due to trying to stay out of foul trouble with the lack of depth in the frontcourt. Regardless, you knew Huggins and his staff were going to go out and find some help to protect the rim. They did so initially by landing Carrigan out of FIU who blocked 60 shots this past season, averaging over 2.5 blocks per game. WVU, as a team, blocked 82 shots on the season. By bringing in Carrigan, it seemed like the Mountaineers solved their issues in protecting the paint but not so fast as Lee Corso would say. WVU stayed on Paulicap and secured his commitment as well, meaning the Mountaineers now have two shot-blocking bigs to go alongside Osabuohien, Isaiah Cottrell, Seny N'diaye, and Derek Culver.

That's six bigs that could be rotated into the game and each of them has a different set of skills. Could doubling up on bigs in the portal be a safety blanket in case West Virginia does lose Culver? Possibly. Then again, I don't think Huggins is thinking of it that way. N'diaye is still a work in progress and Isaiah Cottrell is coming off a pretty nasty injury so you don't truly know what to expect out of either of those guys next season. Paulicap and Carrigan are interchangeable and can afford to be aggressive on the defensive end of the floor because the other can sub into the game without any sort of drop-off defensively. More importantly, if Culver returns, this now allows him to be more aggressive on the defensive end as well - something he couldn't do this past season.

The only thing a surplus of bigs could do to make matters worse is on the offensive end. Huggins tried to play Culver and Tshiebwe together and it just clogged up too much space in the middle of the lane and didn't allow either one of them enough room to operate. Once they transitioned to the four out, one in offense they became much more effective. It stretched the floor, allowed the guards to penetrate, and gave Culver the room he needed.

A lot of how West Virginia will play next season will come down to the decisions made by Sherman, McBride, McNeil, and Culver. Huggins will adapt to the personnel that he has and play the style that best suits that roster. The additions through the portal were likely going to happen regardless of what the aforementioned four chose to do. WVU needed another guard that can handle the point to replace Jordan McCabe and had no choice but to go get a rim protector. Instead of getting one, they landed two shot-blockers and feel much better about that problem heading into next season.

Culver may opt to forgo his senior season at WVU but the recent additions to the roster won't be the deciding factor.

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What the Addition of Pauly Paulicap Means for Derek Culver, WVU - Yardbarker