Shares of Yum China Holdings, Inc. YUMC have witnessed a sharp gain of 39% in the past year, outperforming the industrys growth of 20.4%. The increase can be primarily attributed to robust unit growth, solid performance of KFC, menu innovation and digitalization. However, high costs associated with restaurant operations and lesser focus on the franchise model are concerns. Can the company continue its bull run in 2020? Lets delve deeper.

Growth Drivers

Yum China is focused on relentless unit growth of its restaurants to drive sales. In 2018, the company opened 819 restaurants and re-modeled 931 stores. This exceeds the companys target of opening 600-650 stores in 2018. In the third quarter of 2019, Yum China opened 231 new restaurants and remodeled 126 stores, reflecting a significant rise from the first half of 2019. Notably, the company is aggressively remodeling in the fourth quarter to achieve the target of 500 store remodeling for the full year. More than 80% of the company's current portfolio has been remodeled or built over the past five years.

Yum China relies heavily on the potential of KFC and Pizza Hut. With chicken being the most preferred form of protein among Chinese people, KFC has become the largest restaurant brand in the country. The brand, which has been witnessing considerable average check growth owing to its affordability, currently operates in 6,324 units in China. Pizza Hut, on the contrary, operates in more than 2,255 units and is keeping pace with the rising consumer demand for casual dining and delivery services. Notably, the company reported its 12th consecutive quarter of system sales growth, with same-store sales improvement at both KFC and Pizza Hut during the third quarter.

Coming to loyalty memberships, Yum Brands created a robust loyalty program that has more than 265 million members, combining both brands. Backed by deliveries and digital sales, the companys loyalty membership rose at a high-double-digit rate year over year for both brands in 2018. As of Sep 30, 2019, the KFC loyalty program constituted more than 200 million members and the Pizza Hut loyalty program had more than 65 million members, up from 55 million and 15 million, respectively, in the comparable year-ago period.

Concerns

Yum China is facing structural high costs of labor and rentals. Apart from wage inflation, the company is bearing the costs stemming from promotion, menu innovation and technological novelty. In order to curb labor costs, it is increasingly focusing on delivery channels. This is again expected to curb margins in the near term. Also, costs related to transactions and franchises are expected to increase in the near future.

Notably, in 2018, total costs and expenses grew 6.9% year over year to $7,474 million. This upside can be attributed to a 10.5% increase in restaurant expenses, an 11.1% rise in Payroll and employee benefit expenses, and a 14.4% hike in food and paper expenses. In third-quarter 2019, total costs and expenses increased 3.9% year over year to $2,019 million. This upside resulted from a 4.2% increase in restaurant expenses, a 5.8% rise in Payroll and employee benefit costs and a 6.7% hike in food and paper expenses.

Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Yum China has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks worth considering in the same space include Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. CMG, Domino's Pizza, Inc. DPZ and Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. DNKN. All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Chipotle Mexican Grill reported trailing four-quarter positive earnings surprise of 16.1%, on average.

Domino's Pizza and Dunkin' Brands Group have an impressive long-term earnings growth rate of 13.7% and 10.9%, respectively.

5 Stocks Set to Double

Each was hand-picked by a Zacks expert as the #1 favorite stock to gain +100% or more in 2020. Each comes from a different sector and has unique qualities and catalysts that could fuel exceptional growth.Most of the stocks in this report are flying under Wall Street radar, which provides a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor.

Today, See These 5 Potential Home Runs >>

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG): Free Stock Analysis Report

Yum China Holdings Inc. (YUMC): Free Stock Analysis Report

Domino's Pizza Inc (DPZ): Free Stock Analysis Report

Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. (DNKN): Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Zacks Investment Research

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

Link:
Yum China Stock Up 39% in a Year: Will the Bull Run Continue? - Nasdaq

This column is in memory of my mom, Loretta Edith McClure.

Born Dec. 19, 1915 Fort Collin, Colorado

Died Feb 3, 1999 Fort Collins, Colorado

As you can see by the above title, our mother spent all of her life in the same area.

This is what my mother wrote in her tiny handwriting in what I call my Heritage Book.

Loretta Edith Cogswell grew up near Wellington, Colorado with her parents on a farm. She attended school near Wellington and studied piano for several years by a teacher at the school When the instructor was no longer available she studied by correspondence with the American College of Music in Kansas City, Missouri. Following two years of high school in Wellington she moved with her parents to a fruit orchard near Fort Collins. She assisted her father with the care and harvest of the fruit and worked various jobs around and in Fort Collins. On August 28, 1936 Loretta and John Melvin McClure were married in Greeley, Colorado. John, formerly of Westfall, Kansas, came to Colorado from Kansas in 1934 working for various area farmers. After spending a month in Kansas following their marriage, John and Loretta return to Colorado, where John was employed by a farmer and sheepherder.

The following year February 1937 they rented an irrigation farm east of Fort Collins and one mile from the orchard where Lorettas parents resided. The owner of the farm Sam Kamp was well known as a producer of Japanese popcorn. He wished to retire. The corn was marketed as KempKorn which he canned and sold to Safeway Stores.

(Dad continued to grow corn for Safeway for a few years.)

That is all I know about my mother growing up. I never heard her play the piano. She did see to it that Elaine, Ginger and I received piano lessons for many years from Kathryn Sutherland. I inherited my dads tin ear and monotone voice. Playing the piano and keeping rhythm and timing were very difficult for me. Once in a while my mom would poke her head through the door while I was practicing and say, Ann start over or can you play something different? I played Christmas carols all year long, just so I could get them perfect at Christmas. I am sure my mother tolerated more than I know!

There are five kids in the family: John Jr, Virginia, Elaine and Jim, and I am the oldest. We all were born in Fort Collins and lived in the farm house north of Fort Collins.

My first recollection of celebrating my mothers birthday probably was when I was 6 or 7. Mom always baked her own birthday cake, chocolate angel food cake, and dad would give her a small present. One year he gave it to me to wrap, which I did with utmost care and great honor. I found real pretty wrapping paper and took a long time wrapping it. Those were the days of no Scotch tape, so it had to be tied with ribbon. I was so proud to hand it to her. Dad even said, thats real pretty, Ann. As I gave her the present, she looked at me a little sideways, her chin down and her eyebrow up, and said, This is Christmas wrapping paper; I guess I have to wait till Christmas.

Dad and I both convinced her it was a birthday present and that she could open it now. So on every birthday, I would remember this and always look for the prettiest birthday paper I could find in the middle of December. In later years she was emphatic about If you wrap my birthday present in Christmas paper I WILL NOT open it until Dec. 25!

In earlier years she fried chicken, mashed potatoes, made gravy and made her own biscuits for her own birthday dinner. I do not remember Dad ever taking her out to eat, which she probably would have declined anyway. And in later years he bought her flowers they did not have to be wrapped.

We had many birthday parties for her through the years and she was always a little embarrassed at all the fuss. And we never knew exactly how old she was. And she never told either!

If my mom was known for anything it was baking cookies. She baked cookies all year round. She baked tons of cookies for Christmas. Susan recalls when we moved to Alaska, she would send us baggies full of cookies, wrapped tightly with twist ties. Packing was crumpled newspaper, which we smoothed out and read. Then the shipping box was wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. Still no Scotch tape. How did we ever do without scotch tape? She would ship us cookies throughout the year.

Mom loved flowers and spent many, many hours irrigating her yard full of lilies of the valley, cosmos, iris, marigolds, pansies, and tending to the big lilac bush. As I have mentioned before, she always carried a hoe everywhere to clean out the little irrigation ditches but most of all just case she saw a snake. Then she would do her snake dance, chop that little water snake into little bitty pieces, dig a little bitty ditch and scrape the remains of the little snake into the ditch. She would scrape some soil over the top of it tamp it down with the bottom of the hoe and then finish by stomping it with her feet. I still smile with this image.

Mom loved Christmas and she worked hard for us to have a beautiful Christmas tree, thoughtful presents, wonderful dinners and, most of all, her cookies. She would start the first of November making cookies and continue to bake them after Thanksgiving and a week before Christmas. She stored them gently and carefully in her big freezer. She doled them out carefully, and when the tray was down to crumbs, magically she would fill it again.

Her Christmas dinners were spectacular after the remodeling of the farm house. She worked even harder at her dinners and her baking. I can honestly say her most satisfying moments must have been when everyone seated at the dinner table complimented her on her dinners and her baking. She planned her life around baking and cooking.

My moms favorite cookbook was The Boston Cooking School Cook Book written by Fannie Farmer. I have this cookbook plus I have collected three more, one just recently.

During World War II, Mom helped Dad in the fields and then cooked meals. She sewed for us, washed clothes in her ringer washing machine in the basement, and carried the wet clothes in the basket up the stairs, out to the clothesline. They were hung on the clothesline in her orderly fashion so the occasional neighbors would not see our underclothes.

We would wait for the gentle Colorado breezes to dry them. She taught me how to carefully fold and place them in the basket. After we carried them in the house, we put the towels, sheets and pillowcases away, also the underclothes. Then the clothes that were to be ironed were laid out on the table. We would sprinkle them with warm water and fold them so they could be ironed the next day. That was done every Monday and Tuesday. Mom taught me how to iron so as not to have one wrinkle because what would the neighbors think if we had one wrinkle in our nicely starched clothes.

I find myself doing more and more things like my mother did, however, I do not iron clothes because my neighbors do not care if I have wrinkles in my clothes and neither do I. We have a simpler life compared to how it was in the olden days. I am not so sure its the best.

Happy Birthday Mom! I bet she is in Gods kitchen baking cookies!

BANANA BREAD: NEW, DIFFERENT, GOOD

Two eggs well beaten

3 large bananas mashed

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

cup vegetable oil

1 cup chopped nuts

2 teaspoons vanilla

To the well beaten eggs, slowly add sugar. Add bananas to egg mixture. Add the oil. Mix and add flour, salt and soda. Blend well. Add vanilla and nuts. Pour into small greased loaf pans. It will take three small or a large loaf pan. Cook it 350 degrees F until tested with a toothpick about 45 minutes for small loaf pans and 60 minutes for large pan. (I mixed this all by hand not with a mixer.) Great texture and great flavor!

STIR-FRIED CASHEW CHICKEN

This tasty dish has the flavor of orange and ginger.

Prepare 4 cups of boiling water with 2 cups of white rice according to package.

1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs, or boneless skinless chicken breast, partially frozen so you can cut in thin strips.

2 large carrots, cut diagonally

2 ribs celery, cut diagonally

1 medium onion, cut in small chunks

red pepper and yellow or green pepper, cut in chunks

bag stir-fried frozen vegetables

1 small can sliced mushrooms or 1 cup of fresh sliced mushrooms.

Cut and slice chicken set aside. Slice vegetables set aside.

Combine the sauce:

34 cups orange juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 tablespoons soy sauce, or according to your taste

14 cup corn syrup I used honey for better flavor.

12 to 1 teaspoon grated ginger or more depends on your taste (Keep ginger in freezer and grate it frozen.)

Combine and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet or wok. Add carrots and celery. Stir and then add onions and peppers. Stir-fry 1 minute and add the half bag of frozen stir-fried vegetables. Stir-fry to desired crispy tenderness. Take out a skillet or wok keep warm. Add 1 more tablespoon oil. Stir-fry in small batches, until sliced chicken is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Push aside in pan and add the orange juice, ginger, and soy sauce mixture stir quickly until sauce is cooked clear. Add the vegetables. Stir in. Place in warm bowl with 1/2 cup crushed cashew pieces sprinkled on top. Serve in individual bowls over hot rice. Four large servings. NOTE: To expand this: add 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained. If you do not have orange juice, use the drained pineapple juice in the sauce.

MEXICAN FIESTA BAKE

I found this on the back of a can. I have often thought I should name a cookbook I Found This on the Back of a Can or Box.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1 pound ground beef, moose, venison or elk (I used to combine ground turkey half-and-half with the wild game.)

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chunky style salsa

1 dry package taco seasoning mix

12 cup water

1 cup corn

12 cup sliced ripe olives, drained

Cook your choice of meat with the onion in a skillet until no longer pink. Drain off grease. Stir in salsa, taco seasoning, and water.

Bring to boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 5 to 6 minutes until thickened. Stir in corn and always. Spoon into an ungreased 8 x 8 inch baking dish.

Topping:

1 box of Jiffy Corn Meal Muffin Mix

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 4-ounce can diced green chilies about 12 cup

Prepare the batter for the corn muffins according to the directions on the package. Stir in cheese and chilies. Spread over top of meat mixture. Bake uncovered in preheated oven at 350 F for 30 to 40 minutes, until crust is golden. Top with more cheese and bake 5 more minutes. Cut in squares and serve with salsa, sour cream, chopped onions and shredded lettuce. I have another recipe similar title Enchilada Pie. Great company-coming dish!

SOUR CREAM LEMON PIE

I love lemon pie and this is especially good.

You will need one 8-inch baked pie shell

Mix:

1 cup white sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon of flour

1 tablespoon lemon peel

13 cup lemon juice

1 cup light cream (I always use canned milk)

14 cup butter

Slowly bring to a boil on LOW heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick and clear. You have to watch this because it burns easily. Cool to room temperature. Add 12 cup sour cream. Fold into lemon mixture until well blended.

For topping:

1 cup Cool Whip

12 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar, fold in until well mixed

12 teaspoon almond extract

14 teaspoon lemon extract

Fold in. Spread over pie and garnish with thin lemon slices. Chill 1 hour.

By ANN GRANNIE ANNIE BERG, For the Peninsula Clarion

Visit link:
Pioneer Potluck: Memories of my mom on her birthday - Kenai Peninsula Online

The truth is not numerous people have the vision to initiate preventative actions concerning cellar water damage, leakages, and flooding, and foundation uprightness. That is the purpose why it is amplest to ask advice from an expert when you eventually accept the fact that you want help. The condition may have already declined, and the only appropriate response can save your house from slipping into decay around you.There are lots of Do-It-Yourself renovation models for jobs like vault clean up and water removal on your own. With no knowledge or training, it is suggested that you converse with your local alleged bunker waterproofing contractors to get the best outcomes. Asking an expert will end up preserving excess of money for you in the long run.

Emergency Services

Its crucial to find a basement repair contractor who is accessible 24 hours a day and seven days a week. A basement flooded with water needs urgent care. The humid conditions will quickly give a lift to mildew and mold. A parasite infestation can grow abruptly within 24 to 48 hours of water contamination. An excellent contractor has to volunteer crisis services for such a situation. You do not fancily mildew settling in, and you do not yearn for constant water damage either.You might get across many firms that want you to wait in order to strike a reply team. There are many more popular firms that will be at your doorstep in no time at all. Pick your contractor well as it could be the discrepancy between a quick fix or the need for much more comprehensive repair work that will be more costly as well as time-consuming.

Basement Water Extraction

Aleaky basementneeds to be dealt with immediately. A flooded basement will need more money and more expertise to repair. Get a contractor who is well versed in administering with all features of basement repair including, complete and thorough basement water removal.

Water extraction will need intelligent tools and equipment. Flooding in confined, small spaces like basements needs the expertise of a known basement water extraction services and contractor. With an approved contractor, you can be sure they will have the precise equipment. A wet/dry vacuum will not be able to manage something like this. Its best left to a professional.

To hire the best waterproofing I would recommend to hire Lees Summit MO Foundation Repair. They are the best waterproofing company I know and personally use.

Depending on the origin of the water, water extraction will grow all the more critical. If the water is clear but left standing, the infection can occur. Sewerage, being backed up can be very critical to the inhabitants of the home as well as the structural integrity of the house.

Complete Waterproofing Services

You will need to seek the services of a competent and impeccable professional contractor, not just to clean up the existing mess, but also to prevent similar problems in the future. Entire basement waterproofing is fundamental to home remodeling to any home.

Pick a reputable professional basement repair and waterproofing contractor immediately!https://smartfoundationsystems.com/Repair And Basement Waterproofing. Visit them online for a free basement.

The rest is here:
What Are the Solutions To Stop Water Leakage - - VENTS Magazine

Sooner or later, most homeowners decide they're ready to take on a renovation project. We tend to think about renovations in terms of bathrooms, kitchens or possibly living areas. The truth is, you can renovate any part of your home that seems to need it. Often, the area that needs it most is the garage.

Garage renovations are more common than you might think, and they can really pay off -- both in terms of your day-to-day life as well as the value you get when selling your house.

Before embarking on a garage renovation, make sure you're going about it wisely.

Here are seven things to think about before remodeling your garage:

-- Are you turning your garage into a room, or keeping it as a garage?

-- How will you use the space?

-- What kind of storage solutions do you need?

-- What about the aesthetics?

-- Can you handle the project on your own, or should you call in the pros?

-- How much will it cost?

-- What will you do while the remodel is happening?

[Read: 7 Reasons Why Renovating Is Better Than Buying a New Home.]

Are You Turning Your Garage Into a Room, or Keeping It As a Garage?

Fundamentally, you'll need to decide what you're going to use the space for. It's not uncommon for homeowners to decide they need an extra bedroom or living room and can live without a garage. Thus, they convert their garage into a proper room. That's one way to go, but you may also decide that you just want a nicer garage, with better storage options in addition to space to keep a car.

How Will You Use the Space?

Even if we assume you're going to use your garage as a garage, there are still some important decisions to make about how the area will be utilized. Will you keep your vehicle in the garage? Lawn equipment? Many people want to be able to keep overflow of household items that don't fit in closets or the basement in the garage, like holiday decorations. The garage is also a popular location to set up a workbench area for hobbies or home improvement work.

What Kind of Storage Solutions Do You Need?

Most garages are used primarily for storage, and sometimes that might mean upgrading your shelving. This is especially true if have you a lot of items to store, and need to take advantage of the vertical space the garage offers. Consider any shelving upgrades that need to be made in order for you to achieve your garage renovation goals. If you are remodeling your garage to sell, the more storage solutions you have available, the more attractive it will be to buyers.

[Read: How to Winterize a House]

What About the Aesthetics?

It's not unreasonable for you to want your garage to look presentable, especially if you have plans to sell your house any time soon. As such, your remodeling effort might mean painting the walls, replacing the floor or even having a new garage door installed.

Can You Handle the Project on Your Own, or Should You Call in the Pros?

Depending on the scope of your garage remodel, it may or may not make sense to handle it on a do-it-yourself basis. Certainly, if all you're doing is reorganizing, perhaps painting the walls or adding some shelves, then you can probably do it on your own. For something as ambitious as a garage door installation or a room conversion that requires insulation and new walls, you'll likely want to recruit a professional renovation team. Be sure to work with contractors who have experience doing the kind of work you need.

How Much Will It Cost?

Any time you renovate your home, cost is going to be a factor. Hopefully, you'll recoup your investment when it comes time to sell your home. Regardless, be sure you get some reasonable estimates about the anticipated expense, and that you have your payment ready to go.

[See: 15 Mudroom Ideas for Your Home]

What Will You Do While the Remodel Is Happening?

If you have a remodeling project that takes more than a day or two, then you'll probably need to find space to temporarily keep all the items that are normally kept in the garage. Your car may have to stay in the driveway, a lawnmower and other yard tools may have to stay on the back patio and more fragile stored items should be brought into the house. This can present an inconvenience, and while it's not an insurmountable issue, it's definitely something to think about before your remodeling effort is underway.

More From US News & World Report

Read this article:
7 Things to Consider Before Starting a Garage Renovation - Yahoo Finance

A living room has many functions to fulfill in your home. Its the place where we engage our guests. Its where we play games and socialize. Its the room where we unwind and spend quality time with our beloved ones. Some living rooms are used for eating, homework or watching television.

However, like many homeowners commit mistakes while selling a house, they make mistakes when it comes to revamping a living room. Some opt for unnecessary massive changes. Some are not aware of the expenses. Some choose the wrong contractors.

That being said, if you manage the renovation smoothly, it can be a great investment you make in your home. So before opting for a remodeling, go through this list of top living room renovation mistakes you should avoid.

When you opt for professional help, one of the first things you need to do is get estimates from a handful ofremodeling contractors. Once you get the quote, it can be tempting to choose the lowest one to save some money. But that low cost is less likely to give you quality work. A contractor may be cutting corners or utilizing low-quality materials.

Always look for the common numbers on all estimates. If theres a number that keeps occurring, this likely the real cost. If you feel caught between the two same options, choose the one whom you feel most comfortable with.

Many of us might think to do it on their own to save money, thanks to the renovation shows on TV and DIY blogs on the Internet. But renovation is a complicated task, requiring skills and experience. You might end up with a stained floor if you paint the walls inappropriately. You might damage the walls in order to install some shelves over there. The guesswork can put you in trouble and mess. Therefore, it is better if you leave remodeling jobs to professionals.

What to do with this old furniture? This thing bothers us when it comes to deciding upon the living room furniture. Its okay if you can afford new furniture. Otherwise, you can revamp your living room furniture rather than tossing them into the trash. You can give them a whole new look with some nice upholstery. Moreover, paint can give them a fresh lease of life.

Lets admit it. Sometimes we take a backseat and let others decide for our home renovation. A designer might not agree with your way of remodeling. Then there is a store employee who comes up with their own idea. Or your friend criticizes your choice of colors. Although some of these ideas might be right, dont let them steer you towards something thats not what your heart is set on.

Also, you shouldnt let the frustration caused by the project delays to accept undesired changes.

You can source design ideas from the issues of Interior Design, Dwell and Architectural Digest. However, a magazine-idea cant replace professional help. Interior design for your living room goes beyond what rug would look great with what sofa. Its all about building a functional and attractive space that can fit your lifestyle.

What is the optimal design solution if your living room is always packed with people? Is it possible to achieve a chick living room with limited resources? How to create a spacious room with low ceilings?

A professional designer also helps you fixing or downplaying the unattractive elements of your room and accentuating its attractive features.

A renovation might be looking simple and under your budget on the paper. However, you should be ready for unexpected costs. Maybe the contractor digs through the walls just to find damaged electrical wires. Or there might be termite damage behind the TV cabinet. What about those structural water damages that are hidden until you tear into your walls and floor?

The older the property, the complicated the job and the more walls or ceiling youll be digging through, the greater the risk of ending up with hidden problems that can ambush your renovation budget.

Therefore, set aside at 10-15% more than the estimate you have got from your contractor. If you cant afford to put some money into a reserve, see if you can get the work done with less expensive materials.

Make sure to have a thorough, written plan from your contractor before you start work. The plan should include everything, from project summary, architects plan, designers plan, deadline and details like tile and paint. This plan will keep you on the top as well as help you avoid unexpected service charges later.

So these are some living room remodeling mistakes you should avoid. What do you think? Drop your opinion to the comment box given below.

Author Bio: Jennifer is an editor and author at nyrentownsell A leading real estate company in New York.

Go here to see the original:
7 Mistakes To Avoid While Renovating Your Living Room - RecentlyHeard.com

Jan. 1, 1920

Christmas business best in years. Assistant Postmaster Howard Hamlin says that the Christmas business handled at the Osakis post office was over 100 percent greater than last year and probably the heaviest the local office has ever handled. Osakis merchants without exception report a most satisfactory business. The general stores and drug stores also reported a heavy Christmas trade and a good business in all lines.

Fred Meyer slow to recover. Drayman, Fred Meyer, who has been laid up for the past five months suffering with a broken leg which has failed to knit properly, is still confined to his home and is facing the probability of being laid up the balance of the winter. The local Red Cross branch called Monday evening the sum of $50 per month for a period of four months be awarded to Fred and his deserving family.

AD: New Years greetings from the Gingery. At the trails end of the old year we send warmest greetings. May you and those whose happiness depends upon you, enjoy abundant blessings and may your best desires meet with a response that will give you new purpose and courage. The Gingery.

50 Years Ago

Jan. 1, 1970

John R. Hanson receives special Sousa award. A long-time Osakis civic and school booster was honored last Saturday evening when John R. Hanson was presented with a special John Philip Sousa award. The presentation was made by band director Don Enger during the annual Pop Concert on behalf of all bandsmen of the school.

Todd 4-H to have Telelecture series. 4-H Adult and Junior leaders in Todd County will participate in A Telelecture Series entitled 4-H Leadership Development during January. Telelecture is a new medium that operates with a telephone connection with the University and is amplified to a public address system in the Court Annex basement. The speakers at the University will be heard live by the attendees, and slides will be coordinated with the speakers presentations.

Happy New Year! The staff of the Osakis Review joins in wishing all a most prosperous and Happy New Year. May you find everything you desire in the year ahead.

25 Years Ago

Jan. 3, 1995

C.J. Mohror retires as Osakis mayor. The Osakis community said, Thanks and a job well done, Friday afternoon to retiring Mayor, C. J. Mohror, at an open house at City Hall. Mohror announced his intent to retire from public service after serving the community for 30 years, seven as mayor, 23 on the Osakis City Council.

VFW has new manager. Deb Hinrichs, who has been employed at the Osakis VFW Club for the past four years, has been named the new manager, effective Jan. 1. She replaces Mark Ferris, who managed the club for nine years.

Breakfast benefit planned for Chris Tweet Hunt. A benefit pancake breakfast and bake sale will be held for Chris Tweet Hunt on Sunday, Jan. 8 at the Ed Pollard Community Center. Mrs. Hunt was paralyzed in a car accident on Nov. 11 and remains in St. Cloud Hospital. She expects to be moved to the Sister Kenny Hospital in the Twin Cities in early January and hopes to come home in March.

10 Years Ago

Jan. 5, 2010

Osakis VFW starts remodeling project. A crew of Osakis VFW club members gathered Sunday evening to help employees remove the old bar from the building. The club will remain open during the remodeling project that includes a new bar and flooring. All bingo and card games are on during the construction as well.

Police website asks for help with crime tips. The Osakis Police Department (OPD) is online and it wants you to get involved. The website offers information on its officers, community programs and ordinances. The site also has links to services online forms for burning permits and vacation house checks and other web sites.

Veterans Scenic Drive approved by board. Attorney Randy Brown, along with Kathy and Fred Edenloff, were present at the Todd County Commissioners meeting to discuss designating the scenic loop in Todd County as the Veterans Scenic Drive. They are requesting that the board formally adopt the name Veterans Scenic Drive as the name of the loop.

Read the original here:
Remember When, 1995: Mohror retires as mayor - The Osakis Review

Campbellsville (Kentucky): In the late 1990s, the town of Campbellsville in central Kentucky suffered a powerful jolt when its Fruit of the Loom textile plant closed. Thousands of jobs making underwear went to Central America, taking the communitys pride with them.

Unemployment hit 28% before an unlikely saviour arrived as the century was ending: a madly ambitious start-up that let people buy books, movies and music through their computers.

Amazon leased a Fruit of the Loom warehouse about a mile from the factory and converted it to a fulfilment centre to speed its packages to Indianapolis and Nashville, Tennessee, and Columbus, Ohio. Its workers, many of them Fruit veterans, earned less than what the textile work had paid, but the digital excitement was overwhelming.

Twenty years later, Amazon is one of the worlds most highly valued companies and one of the most influential. Jeff Bezos, Amazons founder, has accumulated a vast fortune. In Seattle, Amazon built a $4 billion urban campus, redefining a swath of the city.

The outcome has been different in Campbellsville, the only sizable community in Taylor County. The county population has stalled at 25,000. Median household income has barely kept pace with inflation. Nearly 1 in 5 people in the county lives in poverty, more than in 2000.

The divergent fates offer a window into what towns can give to tech behemoths over decades and what exactly they get in return. Campbellsvilles warehouse was among the first of what are now an estimated 477 Amazon fulfilment centres, delivery stations and other outposts around the country. That makes Campbellsville, with 11,415 inhabitants, a case study for what may happen elsewhere as Amazon continues expanding.

Amazon has had a really good business here for 20 years, Mayor Brenda Allen said. They havent been disappointed at all. And were glad theyre here.

But, she added, I really would feel better if they would contribute to our needs.

In central Kentucky, Amazon has reaped benefits, including a type of tax break that critics label Paying Taxes to the Boss. In the arrangement, 5% of Amazon workers pay checks, ordinarily destined for the county and the state, go to Amazon itself. The company netted millions of dollars from this incentive over a decade.

Although that tax break has run out, Campbellsville itself still gets no tax money from Amazon. The warehouse is just outside the town limits. The city school system, which is its own taxing authority, does get revenue from Amazon. Both the city and county school systems recently raised their tax rates because of revenue shortfalls. (The city increase had to be rescinded for procedural reasons.)

No one wants Amazon to leave, though. It is Campbellsvilles largest private employer. Its online mall has given the towns shoppers access to a paradise of goods.

Less visibly, Amazon shapes the local economy, including which businesses survive and which will not be coming to town at all. It supplies small-screen entertainment every night, influences how the schools and the library use technology, and even determined the taxes everyone pays.

We were a company town with Fruit of the Loom, and were becoming a company town again, said Betty J Gorin, a local historian.

Amazon said it was not solely responsible for Campbellsvilles vitality. It pointed out other big local employers, including a hospital and a Baptist university. Amazon is not the only barometer, it said.

The company said it had spent $53 million remodelling its warehouse to benefit employees. The facility now includes a classroom for training workshops and, it said, on-site college classes. Amazon declined a request for a tour.

Some cities and towns are now weighing the costs of Amazon versus the benefits. The nationwide total of all state and local subsidies for the company over 20 years is $2.8 billion, according to Good Jobs First, which tracks tax breaks for corporations.

Activists protested New Yorks plan to give Amazon billions of dollars in tax breaks, causing the company to abandon its plans this year to move into Queens. (Amazon began opening new offices in Manhattan this month without any incentives.) Maryland residents rejected a proposed warehouse last summer, citing concerns about noise pollution, traffic and safety.

In Campbellsville, the relationship between Amazon and the residents is facing some questions as it enters middle age.

The needle has not moved in the last two decades on the quality of life in Kentucky, especially in places like Campbellsville. What does that tell you? said Jason Bailey of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, a research and advocacy group.

He called the state a fiscal mess because of tax giveaways to Amazon and other companies. Kentucky has had 20 rounds of budget cuts since 2008, he said.

Old Economy Meets New

In 1948, a Kentucky underwear company set up an outpost in the basement of the old Campbellsville armoury with five employees. This eventually became the largest single mens underwear plant in the world, with 4,200 workers producing 3.6 million garments a week.

The money was good, especially for women and African Americans, who had few other opportunities. Fruit, as it was eventually called, built the first public tennis courts and paid the city $250,000 in 1965 to expand the wastewater disposal plant. Factory executives spurred the creation of a country club and the public swimming pool.

The easy times ended with the North American Free Trade Agreement, which took effect in 1994. Amazons arrival five years later offered a second chance. Campbellsville was more than 40 miles from the nearest interstate, but it had a 570,000-square-foot modern warehouse and thousands of eager workers who knew how to hustle.

To woo Amazon, the local fiscal court passed the payroll tax measure, which opened up the state coffers. Amazons workers, like other employees in the county, would pay a 1% payroll tax and a 4% state income tax. But that money went directly to Amazon as a reward for bringing in jobs.

This type of tax break was first developed in Kentucky and is now widespread. Amazons incentives totalled $19 million over 10 years, including exemption from the states corporate income tax. The company said it had ultimately received less than half that amount, though it declined to explain the discrepancy.

The enthusiasm with which yesterdays workers embraced tomorrows economy was a big story that drew national attention. Making underwear was not sexy. Selling things online was.

Arlene Dishman began working at Fruit in 1970. She said she had earned as much as $15 an hour the equivalent of about $100 now sewing necklines on V-neck T-shirts. You cant hardly turn that money down, she said.

Her starting rate at Amazon was just $7.50 an hour, but she relished creating a digital outpost in Campbellsville. We felt responsible for a lot of the success of Amazon, she said. We were just so proud.

She became a trainer, worked with Bezos himself when he came to town, and was promoted to management. These were years of turmoil at Amazon as the dot-com bubble burst in the early 2000s. Pressure ramped up.

I worked on the third floor, Dishman said. No air-conditioning. I would have people on the line pass out constantly.

As a manager, she said, she was too understanding, which was her undoing.

I had worked with these people for so many years at Fruit that when a situation came up that management was not liking, I had a tendency to take the workers side, she said. She left after three years.

David Joe Perkins, who worked for Fruit for 24 years and then for Amazon, said he also took pride in being part of the e-commerce start-up.

We treated it like our company, he said. I have personally worked with Jeff Bezos. I actually liked the guy.

What Perkins did not like were Amazons managers.

My manager called me into the office one day and said, Dave, your performance is not what it needs to be. I said, How can I improve? He said, You dont fire enough people.

Several months later, Perkins was let go with little explanation.

Both Perkins, 64, and Dishman, 71, have Amazon Prime accounts. Dishmans daughter works for Amazon as a data analyst. Dishman even thought about returning to the warehouse during last years holidays to earn a little Christmas money. She did not follow through.

All the Numbers

Just about everyone in Campbellsville remains grateful to Amazon for coming and hiring people. Those workers take their pay-checks and spend at least some of the money around town.

There are not as many workers as people think, though.

When Amazon arrived, it said it would employ 1,000 people full time within two years. Thats still the official total from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, a state agency, and in Gorin and Jeremy Johnsons two-volume history of the town, published this year. Team Taylor County, which solicits new industries for the community, puts the number of workers at 1,350.

Amazon said in October that the total was 655 full-time workers.

Im shocked, Gorin said.

Kelly Cheeseman, an Amazon spokeswoman, said the head count started to shift at the warehouse around 2016 to 2017. She said automation the deepest fear of every community with an Amazon warehouse had nothing to do with it.

We regularly balance capacity across the network, Cheeseman said. In November, Amazon said full-time workers had risen to 700.

Amazon said the money it paid in wages was an investment in Campbellsville and that it had contributed $15 million in taxes to Taylor County over the last 20 years. It declined to break down the numbers further.

Records and interviews indicate that Amazon paid about $350,000 in taxes this year to the city school system. The company paid the county $410,000 in property taxes.

Good Jobs First, the group that analyzes tax benefits for corporations, thinks that is not enough.

What has Amazon really done for the community? asked Greg LeRoy, the centers executive director. Its not like its a tech lab, diffusing intellectual property or spinning off other businesses. Its a warehouse.

Allen, the mayor, wants more money to pay the towns bills.

The people in Seattle are getting rich, she said. They dont care what happens to the people in Campbellsville, not really.

In the Community

In the 1970s and 1980s, life in Campbellsville revolved around Fruit. Townspeople learned not to be near downtown when the plant let out at 4 p.m., and traffic briefly became overwhelming. When Fruit shut down for the first two weeks in July every year, the town was so dead that other industries in the area scheduled their vacations for the same time. Fruit officials were active in the chamber of commerce, civic clubs and associations.

Amazon is not like that.

Amazon is everywhere and nowhere, Gorin said. This town runs on Amazon, but their employees are not in positions of political power.

Amazon is linked into the community in other ways that often end up benefiting Amazon. In 2016, the company donated 25 Kindle Fire tablets to Campbellsville kindergarten and first grade classrooms. It also donated $2,500 in content. The town schools are increasingly buying supplies from Amazon for a total of about $50,000 in the last fiscal year, records show.

We want to do business with those in our community, those paying local taxes, said Chris Kidwell, finance director for Campbellsville Independent Schools. Its kind of a good-neighbour policy.

The county school system, with 2,800 students, is dealing with state budget cuts. One way it has made up some of the shortfalls is by selling corporate sponsorships. Taylor Regional Hospital bought the naming rights to the health services room; Campbellsville University did the same for an education center. Amazon is not a corporate sponsor.

Were proud to have them in our community, and we would be proud to have them as a corporate sponsor, said Laura Benningfield, the assistant superintendent.

Last spring, the local library was to receive a $10,000 gift from Amazon for science and technology education. Amazon planned to supply whatever the library wanted by ordering the material through its own site. As this article was being reported and Amazon was emphasizing what it had done for the town, the company just sent the library the cash.

Were on the receiving end of a blessing, said Tammy Snyder, the town librarian. The library, like other public institutions in Kentucky, is dealing with the states largely unfunded pension system. Proposed changes that involve the library paying significantly more will bankrupt us, she said.

Justin Harden, 35, said he had no illusions about Amazon. He and his wife, Kendal, recently opened Harden Coffee, a popular meeting spot, on Main Street.

If they can figure out a way to cut me out and take my business, theyll totally do it, he said. They would destroy me, absolutely. But I am a 100% supporter of Amazon. I have five kids. We get stuff from Amazon almost every day.

He paused, acknowledging his own contradictions. Thats why theyre winning, he said.

Rubble Nation

A pile of rubble on Campbellsvilles southern approach marks the ruins of the Fruit plant.

The property is owned by Danny and Sandy Pyles, commercial contractors who run an excavating company in nearby Columbia. They bought the textile factory with other investors a decade ago with the goal of building a retail complex called Campbellsville Marketplace.

The graffiti-covered shell was torn down, and a Louisville developer, Hogan Real Estate, cobbled together a deal. Kroger, the countrys largest supermarket chain, would close its two Campbellsville stores. It would then become the Marketplace anchor tenant with a 123,000-square-foot superstore.

Work was supposed to start within weeks. Then, on June 16, 2017, Amazon announced that it was buying the upscale grocery chain Whole Foods. Kroger shares slumped. Its deal in Campbellsville was put on hold and then abandoned. Hogan chased other possible anchors Menards, Meijer, Home Depot but none were interested. (Kroger declined to comment.)

We used to talk about the Walmart Effect when you saw vacant storefronts in these small towns, said Justin Phelps of Hogan Real Estate. Now its the Amazon Effect.

Pyles Excavating is a good Amazon customer. The company needed a muffler recently for a track hoe. It would have cost $1,200 from a dealer. On Amazon, it was half that.

The internet has brought the world to our fingertips, Danny Pyles said.

The Pyleses recently bought out the other investors in the Fruit site. Their investment is now more than $2 million.

It really is a great piece of property, but right now its a reminder of the day Campbellsville literally shut down, said Sandy Pyles, the daughter of a Fruit worker and relative of many others. Its a sadness.

They would like a Whole Foods there but know the town is too small to support it. Danny Pyles has another idea: an Amazon Go store. These are experimental outlets with no cashiers.

That would put local competitors who still needed humans at a disadvantage while adding hardly any jobs. But it would be an investment by one of the worlds richest companies in one of the towns where it began.

Amazon is the future, he said. Wed like to be part of that.

David Streitfeld c.2019 The New York Times Company

Get the best of News18 delivered to your inbox - subscribe to News18 Daybreak. Follow News18.com on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, TikTok and on YouTube, and stay in the know with what's happening in the world around you in real time.

See the original post here:
Prime Anchor: An Amazon Warehouse Town Dreams of a Better Life - News18

By Nicola Caul Shelley, Synergy Design & Construction

Theres nothing like the holidays and a house full of guests to make you re-evaluate the space in your home.

And nothing brings more festive cheer than one of your teenagers having to give up their room and double up with their younger sibling so Grandma and Grandpa have a place to sleep. If you are dreaming of a separate guest bedroom, bathroom or just a place for the family to hang out during the holidays, then read on.

One of the most frequently neglected spaces in a home is the basement. The beauty of a basement (especially one that has a guest bedroom) is that it provides separation of space (and therefore privacy) for your family and your guests. But, all too often, basements feel dark, unwelcoming and become a dumping ground for everything you no longer need but just cant bear to get rid of just yet (yes, Im talking about that drum kit you bought 10 years ago to relive your college heydays thats now just catching dust)

Nows the time to do something about it. With the New Year fast approaching, get your Marie Kondo on and start the clear out. Tackle it a little at a time: all too often it becomes too overwhelming to think about doing it all at once, so set small goals and start with one drawer, one cabinet, one closet and KEEP GOING! Schedule a pick up through Green Drop and theyll come straight to your front door to pick everything up. No excuse now!

Basements also dont have to be dark or feel cold. You dont have to undertake a large scale basement remodel if you have the right footprint already in place. Lighten up the color scheme and switch out the flooring so it becomes a more welcoming space. Dark wood will make a basement feel even darker, so think about white or neutral cabinets and paint colors to keep it feeling less, well, like a basement! Adding recessed light is another way to get a lot of bang for your buck and completely change the feeling of your basement.

If you have an unfinished basement, its a waste of square footage if all you are using it for is storage. Basements easily add value to your home when remodeled. Unfinished basements are like a blank canvas with lots of potential and, with the right creativity and vision, they can be turned into beautiful but functional spaces.

It might be hard to envision how an empty space can become a multi-room, multi-use level of your home, and thats where the professionals come in. Any reputable design-build firm in the area like Synergy should be able to provide you with design options for your basement remodel and what will work in your space.

This months featured project is a basement remodel right here in Reston. We transformed the unfinished and under-used basement of this lovely home to provide the family of five with family-friendly spaces to enjoy time together as well as creating a private guest bedroom and bathroom when out-of-town visitors come to stay. The finishing touch? A built-in office with room for two when working from home or for the kids to use as homework/crafting space.

Looking for more inspiration? See some of our other Before & After transformations or give us a call. Were always happy to chat about your remodeling needs.

Happy Holidays from the Synergy Team!

Originally posted here:
Reno of the Month: A Beautiful Basement IS Within Reach! - Reston Now

Split level homes, with their three staggered floors, began appearing in American suburbs in the 1950s and reached peak popularity in the late 60s before slowly falling out of favor. While layouts variedoccasionally even a fourth floor was addedthe most common design featured the kitchen, living room, and dining room on the main level. From there, a half stairway led to an upper level with bedrooms while a second half-stairway went to the basement level recreation room and a door that opened into the garage.

For the last few decades, split level homes were seen as drab and dated, but perhaps recent attention to the most famous split level of allthe exterior of The Brady Bunch housewill trigger a resurgence. (As fans well know, having seen the family assembled on the full set of interior stairs, the iconic home completely modernized by HGTV in A Very Brady Renovation was not a split level on the inside!) If youre thinking of buying a split level home or already reside in one, keep reading to find out the best and the worst this architectural design has to offer.

RELATED: These 9 Forgotten Home Trends are Suddenly Cool Again

After WWII, when the Baby Boom got into full swing, growing families started looking for houses with a minimum of three bedrooms. But lot sizes in many communities were still rather small, averaging around 50 to 75 feet wide and 100 to 150 feet deep. By staggering the floors, split level homes offered additional living space (vertically) without taking up more yard space. The garage was often located at grade (yard level) with the bedroom area located over the garage. This way, a house could have at least three bedrooms and still maintain ample backyard space for recreation. Two-story homes had always offered this benefit, but in the 60s, the split level design was fresh, and homebuyers were eager for a modern look.

While the design of split level homes can vary (some split in the front, others split in the back), a good number will feature a set of exterior stairs leading to the front door instead of a level sidewalk. The number of steps ranges from two to eight or more, each additional step meaning more of a challenge to remove snow and ice in winter. Exterior steps can also hamper visitors, especially elderly ones, and just carrying groceries into the house can become a physical workout. In some communities, owners of homes with exterior steps install a street-level mailbox so on-foot postal carriers neednt climb stairs to deliver the mail.

On rugged, hilly terrain, staggering the floors is often the best option for building a house. This allows the contractor to adjust the foundation to suit the lot rather than having to excavate through bedrock to construct an entire basement on a single level. Split level construction is still commonly seen today where its necessary to build a home on the side of a hill. In this case, the floor plan is often designed by an architect to fit the individual lot topography. The end effect can lend the appearance of the house being built into the hill.

No need to attend step aerobics class when you live in a split level! With the kitchen, dining room, and living room on the main level, family members must go up and down the stairs every time they want to use a different part of the house. This staggered floor plan usually isnt optimal for the elderly, so split level homes (like standard to two-story homes) are more apt to appeal to younger families who dont mind traversing all three levels repeatedly when cleaning, carrying laundry baskets (usually to appliances on the lowest level), and simply looking for other family members elsewhere on the premises.

Working at home can be a challenge if your office is on the main floor where most of the activity takes place. Even if you close the door, youre likely to be distracted by voices or footsteps in the hallway. This is one area where split levels shine because you can set up a home office in either a vacant upper-floor bedroom or on the lower level (if the rec room isnt a constant source of racket); either way, youll have a buffer from the noise that commonly occurs on the main living level.

Few remodeling options are open to owners of split level homes because the layout isnt conducive to making changes. In a single floor ranch house, for instance, its fairly simple to switch the location of the bedrooms and the kitchen from one side to the other, but in a split level, each level was constructed with a pre-determined purposerecreation on the lower level, eating and entertaining on the main level, and sleeping on the upper levelleaving very little leeway for change.

For night shift workers who need to sleep during the day, or for parents of infants who are easily awakened by a noise, the split level can be beneficial. A sleeping family member is less likely to be awakened by the sounds of meal preparation in the kitchen or play activities in the basement recreation room.

Because split levels are still seen as unfashionable, theres a lower demand for them, and they usually sell for less than ranch-style homes of the same age and square footage. If you can get beyond the downsides explained above, you can often get a fully functional house at a discount price. This makes the split level a good starter home, but be aware that when youre ready to sell and move up, the same rule will likely apply, and the house will bring a lower price than others of a similar size and vintage.

See the original post:
Split Level Homes and Their Pros and Cons - BobVila.com

The YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region announced an ambitious plan Wednesday to redevelop nearly an entire city block in downtown Colorado Springs, a project that officials of the nonprofit and community leaders predict will become a catalyst for additional development in downtown's core.

Under the plan, the YMCA's 47-year-old downtown facility at Nevada Avenue and Bijou Street would be torn down and replaced with a state-of-the-art recreation and wellness center on the northwest corner of the same block; the center would be topped by a multistory apartment building.

Future phases of the block's makeover call for two commercial buildings of at least 82,000 square feet and 37,000 square feet, whose uses might include stores, restaurants, offices, medical facilities and even a grocery store.

The project's total cost could approach $150 million.

"This may not have quite the magnitude of an Olympic Museum," YMCA board chairman Brian Risleysaid of that venue, which opens next year in southwest downtown. "But I think the YMCA by itself is an incredible anchor... and I think a new state-of-the-art YMCA with a housing component will continue to be a very momentous anchor for this part of downtown."

The redevelopment plan still preliminary and with unanswered questions, such as the apartment building's height was outlined during a news conference Wednesday by YMCA officials, city leaders and executives of White Lotus Group, an Omaha, Neb., developer that will partner with the YMCA on the project.

It follows the YMCA's announcement in early 2016 that it would seek to remodel and redevelop the downtown facility, on the southwest portion on a block bounded by Nevada and Platte avenues and Bijou and Weber streets. The YMCA owns or co-owns most of the block.

But after they studied converting their aging facility, which opened in 1972, YMCA officials decided a remodeling would be too costly, said Risley, president of a Springs architectural firm.

"The reality is, when you've got a building that's almost 50 years old, the amount of money that it would take to bring this up to current standards just, unfortunately, just doesnt seem to be making economic sense," Risley said in an interview before Wednesday's news conference.

Instead, YMCA officials have opted for a plan they say will create a venue that can adapt to a growing city with a focus on healthy living while continuing programs that assist schools, seniors and other community members. Combined with retail, medical and other uses, the block could become a "health campus," Boyd Williams, the YMCA's president and CEO, said in an interview.

"We dont want to just have a bunch of stand-alone, separate entities here," he said. "We think that there's a tie, whether it's health care, whether it's a healthy grocery store. Housing fits very well with the YMCA."

The project's initial phase calls for the demolition of a boarded-up former Texaco service station, which sits on the block's northwest corner and served as a backdrop to Wednesday's news conference.

In its place: a 75,000-square-foot YMCA building of two to three stories, which could grow to four stories if the YMCA moves its corporate offices there from its home at 316 N. Tejon St., Risley said.

On top of the new YMCA would be an apartment building with 100 to 200 units. A rendering Wednesday showed a building of at least eight stories, but YMCA and White Lotus officials said the buildings height hasnt been determined.

White Lotus has done several mixed-use, multifamily, hotel and other projects around the country involving renovations and new construction, said CEO Arun Agarwal.

He chairs Omaha's YMCA board and learned via his YMCA staff of plans for a new facility in downtown Colorado Springs, which led to the company being tabbed as a developer by the local YMCA, Williams and Risley said.

As planned, the YMCA would donate the northwest portion of the block to White Lotus. In turn, the YMCA would become a long-term tenant in the new facility, which White Lotus would finance along with the apartment component.

The new YMCA would be smaller than the more than 100,000-square-foot existing facility, which has underutilized space, Risley and Williams said.

Members' needs also have changed, they said. Thirty years ago, for example, many people played racquetball at the downtown YMCA; today, not so much.

A centerpiece of today's YMCAs is a healthy living center, where cardio workouts and strength training are staples.

The healthy living center at the YMCA's new First & Main facility on the Springs' east side is 12,000 to 13,000 square feet, Risley said. At the downtown YMCA, it's about 4,000 square feet and "buried" in the building's basement without a majestic view of the Front Range that other facilities enjoy, he said.

"Currently in this building, we have a very limited number of spaces where we can offer group exercise and personal training and high performance training and those kinds of things," he said. "In a new facility, all of those would be highlighted."

The apartment portion of the new building, meanwhile, would include what Risley and Williams called "workforce housing" for Colorado Springs employees lower-rent units for restaurant workers, teachers, firefighters, police officers and others earning more middle-income wages.

Williams said the city has a shortage of such apartments, especially in downtown. It's tough for young people and families to live downtown "in an affordable manner," he said. Downtown apartments that have opened the last few years command rents from roughly $1,500 a month to more than $2,000, their websites show.

White Lotus' Agarwal said the project will be designed to serve a mix of employee income levels, though some units would fetch market-rate rents.

It hasnt been determined how many apartments would be set aside as so-called workforce housing or what rents would be.

"What we are aiming to do is to earmark specific sets of units for different tiers of income levels to make sure that our teachers, our nurses, our service industries can afford the units and live in the same community in which they work," Agarwal said.

The YMCA and White Lotus plan to seek city regulatory approvals over the next year for the first phase, Williams said. Groundbreaking could come in the fourth quarter of 2020, with an opening of the new YMCA and apartments in mid-2022.

Once the new YMCA is open, the old one would be torn down. White Lotus then would develop its 82,000-square-foot mixed-use building possibly topped with a restaurant on the old YMCA site. The 37,000-square-foot building would go up on the block's northeast corner, just east of Borriello Brothers pizza.

The YMCA doesn't own the Borriello Brothers site, but has been in "healthy conversations" for nearly two years with the owners and those talks continue, Williams said. Borriello Brothers' owners couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday.

The YMCA co-owns a parking garage on the block with First Presbyterian Church. The structure was designed so that it could be increased by two levels, although Williams said its future hasn't been determined.

Another major question will be the height of the apartment tower.

Ryan Tefertiller, urban planning manager for the citys Planning and Development Department, said the maximum height in that part of downtown is six stories.

But the citys form-based zoning code that regulates downtowncould allow up to 10 stories for structures that add housing, use sustainable building practices or have structured parking, among other components, Tefertiller said.

YMCA and White Lotus officials say they're mindful of designing a building that takes into account neighboring land uses, includingAcacia Park and First Presbyterian.

"We certainly don't want to design this kind of looming tower that's going to hang over Acacia Park," Risley said. "So, we don't know right now how many stories in total we're talking, but thats to be determined."

A rendering shows a new YMCA building in downtown Colorado Springs, topped by a multistory apartment building. The YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region on Wednesday announced plans to redevelop much of the property it owns on a downtown block bounded by Nevada and Platte avenues and Bijou and Weber streets.

Boyd Williams, president and CEO of the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, speaks during a press conference in which a new plans were unveiled for the YMCA in downtown Colorado Springs on Wednesday, December 11, 2019. The press conference was held in front of an old boarded up gas station next to the current YMCA. The old eyesore will be torn down for the new building, which will include affordable apartments. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)

The exercise equipment workout room at the downtown YMCA is in a dark basement room with equipment crowded into the small space. Deanna Sanders works out on the tightly packed equipment on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2019. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)

One of the renderings that shows the affordable apartments and outdoor pool that will be built where the current downtown YMCA is located. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)

The rest is here:
Downtown Colorado Springs YMCA to be razed in favor of new facility topped by apartment tower - Colorado Springs Gazette