The mansion remodeling project at 360 Mountain Home Road in Woodside is on again. The town had posted a stop-work order on July 3 after staff discovered construction activity not within the scope of project permits.

The Town Council on Sept. 9 voted 5-0 to grant an appeal by representatives of the owner to lift the stop-work order and allow work to resume on the partially demolished 7,423-square-foot mansion.

The decision came with conditions, including that the owner propose to Planning Director Jackie Young, for her review and for her approval at her discretion, sustainability measures such as solar panels and rainwater collectors.

Councilman Tom Shanahan recused himself from the council's decision because he lives nearby. Councilman Peter Mason was absent.

Staff reports list the owner of the 8.74-acre property as SV Projects LLC. The owner has been represented in public meetings by the Mill Valley firm Van Acker Construction Associates, and by attorney John Hanna of the Palo Alto firm Hanna & Van Atta.

The mansion first made news in November 2012 when it was sold for $117.5 million, a new U.S. record for a single-family home, according to news reports at the time.

Stop-work order

The mansion was completed in 2009. The 2013 remodeling plans included replacing wooden siding with stone, expanding the basement and replacing the roofs with gray slate.

While the 2009 home was considered "inconsistent" with the town's design criteria, the limited scope of proposed changes led to permission to raise some areas of the roof and add 400 square feet of floor space.

The town had given the owner permission to remove the basement's floor and the walls. When inspectors visited the site in mid-May, they found the main house sitting on horizontal beams above an empty space where the basement, first floor and first-floor framing used to be, according to staff reports.

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Stop-work order lifted for mansion in Woodside

WILBER - Plans for a $4 million addition to the Saline County courthouse are focused on accessibility.

Currently, the courthouse lacks an elevator. The stairwell does feature a chairlift, but Saline County Treasurer Debbie Spanyerds, a wheelchair user whose office is located on the second floor of the building, said most customers dont like to use the lift. As a remedy, Spanyerds sends clerks downstairs to meet customers who are unable to travel to the upper-level floors.

I really kind of feel that doesnt give them the dignity, Spanyerds said. I think theyd like to come upstairs and take care of the business themselves.

Saline County Commissioner Willis Luedke said many of the notable features of the new addition will remedy most of the accessibility issues. The addition will include an elevator as well as a second stairwell to meet fire safety codes. Restrooms which meet the current Americans with Disabilities Act standards also will be added.

The restrooms on the second and third floor are not handicap accessible because they have a step up into them, Luedke explained. Well be eliminating those restrooms on the second and third floor and putting in handicap accessible restrooms in the new addition.

Another concern at the courthouse is a lack of separation between inmates and visitors. Currently, prisoners are held in the public corridor just outside of the county courtroom while waiting for court hearings and trials. That's also where the public waits before entering to take drivers license exams.

Were adding a sally port in the basement level of the addition, Luedke said. Law enforcement will enter the sally port, unload the prisoners, get them into the elevator and take them directly up to the first floor or third floor for either county court or district court. Theyll then be held in a holding room until its time for them to appear in court. That keeps them out of the flow of traffic for the general public.

Originally, the county had planned to break ground on the courthouse addition by Oct. 1. Luedke said a start date is currently unknown. He said he hopes construction can begin later this fall or early next spring.

Were doing extensive planning so that the remodeling will meet the needs of the various offices that are affected by it, Luedke said. We also want to take into account the general public when they come in. How can we best meet their needs within the confines of the building that we have?

Luedke said according to feedback he has received regarding the project, the public appears excited for the upcoming changes.

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Saline County plans $4 million addition to courthouse

FLORENCE, SC (WMBF) - A multi-million dollar renovation is happening in a building to improve its safety rating.

The Florence County Complex was rated as one of the worst municipal buildings in the U.S. last year.

In July, when the county was given the news, county council was not sure how it would pay for the upgrades.

Funding for this big project was found in the Penny Sales Project.

"The consultant said that this is one of the most dangerous courthouses they have ever visited," Florence County Administrator Rusty Smith said.

It's the message that is now fueling the $5 million renovation happening inside the Florence County Complex.

Last year, the county hired a consulting firm who gave the building a poor rating 3.4 out of 10.

The mechanical, electrical and safety concerns surrounding the courtroom were just some of the issues brought before county council.

"The capital sales project is funding most of this construction and we feel that it is very beneficial and enhances this facility," Smith said.

Our cameras were given the first look at some of the updates going on inside of the 40-year-old building.

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Florence County Complex gets big time renovations

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Melton Design Build offers a comprehensive guide to preventing basement and crawlspace flooding for Boulder County residents.

Prevent basement flooding before it happens

As we saw last year, sometimes flooding is so intense that it cannot be stopped from entering or even demolishing a property. However, for normal years when flooding is present, there are steps you can take to secure your property and keep your basement or crawlspace dry.

Evaluate the risk Does the basement flood every year at approximately the same time? Where is the basement flooding? Is it at the top of the wall, bottom of the wall or through a floor drain?

Possible solutions Clean the gutters. Extend and re-direct downspouts away from the foundation wall. If the gutters cannot handle the drainage, consider adding additional downspouts and larger gutters to prevent overflow. Caulk any cracks on the exterior and interior where water might enter. Prevent sewer backup by installing caps or plugs to all sewer openings in the basement. Adding a perimeter drainage system can prevent water from entering your home through the walls. Add a sump pump or upgrade to a higher capacity unit. Install a pump alarm system to alert you when the pump is not functioning properly. Consider landscaping. If it is improperly sloped, water will run toward the home instead of away. Keep landscaping and sprinkler systems 510 feet away from the homes foundation.

Unfortunately, what happens in many cases is that the top of the foundation gets covered up with landscaping when 68 inches should remain exposed. In an ideal situation, foundation would stay exposed with an impermeable membrane guarding the foundation underground guiding water to a perimeter drain system, which sends the water to the sump pit. If this doesnt happen, water gets below the foundation causing settling, which results in foundation cracking. This can be costly to repair and can decrease the value of your investment.

Consider hiring a licensed contractor to help you come up with the combination of solutions that will keep your property safe during the next flood in your area. For more home maintenance and architecture and design tips, sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

Contact Information: Melton Design Build 3082 Sterling Circle Boulder, CO 80301 303-473-9542 meltondesignbuild.com

About Melton Design Build Melton Design Build is your trusted partner for creative architecture, design and impeccable construction. At Melton, your goals are our goals. We want your home to beautifully fit your lifestyle as well as your budget. And since we think the remodeling process should be as good as the results, weve developed the Melton Design Build Process to ensure communication is clear and consistent and that everything happens when and how its supposed to; giving you the results you expect on-time and on-budget. Since we implemented the process in 2003, this commitment to our clients has helped us achieve industry-leading client satisfaction levels. Connect with Melton Design Build on Facebook and Google+.

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Melton Design Build Offers Tips on Preventing Basement Flooding

Franklin High on Tuesday began its final school year in its movie-set-beautiful 1915-era clock-tower-topped brick building.

Beginning next summer, the school will undergo extensive demolition,remodeling and rebuilding before reopening with a thoroughly modernized interiors in fall 2017. During the coming two school years, Franklin's 1,500 students will report to the campus of the former Marshall High 2 1/2 miles away.

Students wax nostalgic about the building's beautiful brick exteriors and historic Colonial Revival look -- but not its outdated lighting, tiny basement cafeteria, worn surfaces, and ancient heating and non-existent cooling systems.

This year's freshmen will return to the reconfigured campus and fully updated school as seniors.

Students who will spend the rest of their high school years at the Marshall campus are bummed about that. But others see the value for future generations of Quakers, said senior Meghan Miller, whose little sister will arrive at the new and improved Franklin as a sophomore in fall 2017.

A few things are new at the 99-year-old school this fall, including new curb cuts, crosswalks and bike boxes to promote safety around the campus.

The school also has a new leader: Juanita Valder. Valder, formerly vice principal at nearby Cleveland High, was promoted to Franklin's principal this summer after longtime Franklin Principal Shay James was elevated to oversee all schools in the Franklin cluster.

Learning time will be maximized in Portland high schools this year.The school board added two days to the school year and classes have been lengthened to an hour and 34 minutes, with fewer late starts and assemblies to cut them short. All students, not just freshmen, started class on this opening day of the year.

Miller and fellow senior, Michael Van Sant, and junior Kaia Brunso all said they expect a great year ahead at Franklin with what Brunso called "a really nice atmosphere" due to cohesion and positivity among the student body.

Van Sant, who looks forward to the opening of his varsity football season, and Miller, who is excited to throw the javelin and train with the school's track team, said this year's senior class is a special one: highly involved at school, with strong connections among students with diverse interests and with a record of showing leadership.

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Portland's Franklin High opens final school year in 1915-era building

HomeBasement Remodeling

Homeowners tend to approach the independently owned and operated basement renovation experts at Total Basement Finishing with two primary needs: finishing the basement and remodeling the basement. More often than not these days, it seems like they're talking about a basement remodeling or renovation project.

What's the difference? When a basement is finished, a stark, bare area is transformed into a beautiful finished basement. The construction of the area is planned, rooms are designed, and finishing options are carefully reviewed. The homeowners are choosing how their beautiful new living space will be designed and are often adding additional living space to make room for a growing family. Another common concern is whether or not a "green basement finishing project" is an environmentally sound choice.

Many times a homeowner decides to remodel a basement only when the basement environment has become so intolerable that they can no longer stand to live with it. With many common basement finishing materials used on the market, (such as drywall, mold-resistant drywall, wood, carpeting) moisture can run a tremendously damaging course, eventually ruining the finished area.

The cost of basement finishing with these methods is multiplied many times by having to replace and repair something that should last! If you're using traditional drywall, carpet on concrete, wood studs, and other organic material in your basement, you are really creating a future home remodeling project.

If the basement is finished with products containing any organic materials at all, they're going to be susceptible to mold, mildew, rot, and dust mite damage. As these products decay, they begin to release moldy, musty odors into the air, making the area an unpleasant environment to live in. These odors can spread throughout the entire home, adding allergens and adding to discomfort. Homeowners generally get fed up with the situation over time and decide to remove and replace the offending materials.

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By Jonathan Ward Posted on August 26, 2014 | News | Comments Off

The Students Association office is undergoing renovation and is being relocated to improve operating efficiency and accessibility to students.

Rodney Johnson, president of Students Association, and the incoming 2014-2015 Executive Cabinet collectively made the decision earlier this year to renovate the office as well as the entire Student Life section of the campus basement.

Johnson, senior finance major from Odessa, believes the offices renovations will allow students to better connect with ACUs student organizations.

The vision behind remodeling the Students Association office is achieving improved efficiency, increased student interaction and more exposure to the Students Association, he said. It is our goal to reach as many students as we can, and the new office is designed to help serve that purpose.

Rudy Garza, chief communications officer of Students Association, also believes the remodeling will facilitate greater student involvement and provide more effective service to the student body.

Well have more effective co-working spaces for both Congress and the Executive Cabinet, Garza said. The layout will be similar, with the addition of an administrative workroom for congressmen and an office for each executive officer. These improvements will greatly improve the workflow efficiency.

Garza, junior marketing major from Corpus Christi, is also excited about the new location of the office.

Unlike our old offices that were hidden in the back corner of the Campus Center basement, the new offices will be at the forefront of the basement, surrounded by other Student Life offices.

Johnson said ACU is fully funding the project as a part of the entire Student Life basement remodeling. Johnson expects the project to be completed between late September and early October.

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SA remodels offices to better serve students

DANVILLE, Va. -

The start of this school year isn't all that's new for a private school in Danville.

Teachers at Carlisle School spent the summer remodeling a building that's been empty for more than a year.

One week from today students will fill the halls and pack lockers with school supplies. But until then teachers are busy unpacking boxes in their classrooms. They spent the summer making this building their own.

"We came in and did a lot of cleaning up, revamping, putting in new technology," said Neal Meyer and Michelle Bridges, both administrators within the Carlisle School.

It's the first year for the Carlisle School in this building on route 29 in Danville.

Carlisle is based in Martinsville and is leasing this building from Danville Public Schools.

It was once Taylor Elementary School but closed last year after a budget cut.

Leaders at Carlisle saw this as an opportunity - They closed two smaller campuses, one in Danville and one in Chatham combining them into this building.

"We out grew the building and we needed a new location and so we found this fabulous location," Meyer said.

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Carlisle School gives former elementary school a second chance