Written by Andrew Brophy Thursday, 29 March 2012 10:32

Principals F. Michael Ayles (pink shirt) and George J. Perham say they like the location of Phil Kuchmas block-long development on Fairfield Avenue and the wide-open space on the second floor of the Bijou Theatre that the architectural firm occupies. Photo by Wayne RatzenbergerPatrons of the newly renovated Bijou Theatre in Bridgeport have raved about the ambiance of the theater interior, but few likely know the architects who designed it with developer Phil Kuchma are a flight of stairs away.

Antinozzi Associates not only helped Kuchma design the Bijou, believed to be the oldest movie theater in the United States, but the firm also turned a former ballroom above the 103-year-old theater into its architectural offices and designed the layout of apartments and retail spaces in Kuchma's block-long Bijou Square development on Fairfield Avenue.

"It's a combination of The Cabaret and The Playhouse," George J. Perham, a principal and vice president of Antinozzi Associates, said of the Bijou Theatre, referring to the Downtown Cabaret Theatre on Golden Hill Street and The Playhouse on the Green's former home on State Street.

F. Michael Ayles, also a principal at Antinozzi Associates, said the 56-year-old firm moved from Stratford to Fairfield Avenue in 2007 because its principals liked the location of Kuchma's downtown building and the wide-open space on the second floor.

"Also, as I think we're starting to see, finally, it's just the general location of Bridgeport as it blooms and regenerates itself," he said. " It's great being in the center of everything. It's very nice to have a space like this, where people feel very welcome to walk in, and we're down the street from a lot of our clients in Bridgeport."

Antinozzi was heavily invested in the Park City long before it left Stratford, having designed City Hall on Lyon Terrace, the Police Department, Railroad Station, Central Avenue Fire Station, Dinan Memorial Center on Bond Street, Mercy Learning Center, St. Augustine Cathedral, St. Mary's Church.

The firm also designed many schools, including Longfellow Elementary, East Side Middle School, Dunbar Elementary, Read Elementary/Middle School, Geraldine Johnson School and South End School. It is now designing the new Roosevelt Elementary School on Park Avenue, where construction is scheduled to begin this fall.

Outside Bridgeport, the firm designed an addition and renovations at Oxford High School and Platt High School in Meriden, and one of its biggest projects is Wilton Corporate Park, which involves additions and renovations totaling 600,000 square feet.

The firm turned a former ballroom above the 103-year-old Bijou Theatre into its architectural offices and designed the layout of apartments and retail spaces in Phil Kuchmas block-long Bijou Square development on Fairfield Avenue. Photo by Wayne RatzenbergerAntinozzi's design of Kuchma's development was somewhat unique because the firm's work, from a revenue standpoint, is evenly divided between corporate/financial clients and schools, Perham said.

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Antinozzi Associates chose downtown location ‘in the center everything’

WATERVLIET The city will hire an outside attorney and engineering firm to review the Nigro Companies proposal to demolish St. Patrick's Church and redevelop the site for commercial use.

"We need help with land use, SEQR assessment techniques and legal," Mayor Michael Manning said Thursday.

The Nigro Companies has presented the city with a preliminary site plan and partial environmental impact information. Manning said the city is awaiting more detailed information.

A group of residents met Wednesday night at the Ancient Order of Hibernians hall to organize a group to oppose the demolition of the historic church and to look into alternative uses for the building.

"This is not about the Catholic church. My purpose is to preserve the site and develop it in the best interest of the community," Christine Bulmer, an organizer of the meeting, said Wednesday night.

About 20 people attended the gathering, held under the watchful gaze of a life-sized figure of St. Patrick in a glass cabinet.

Representatives of TAP, a Troy nonprofit firm that provides architectural services, and Historic Albany Foundation attended the meeting to provide general information about organizing. Susan Holland, the foundation's executive director, outlined what the group would have to do work toward preserving the church.

Three representatives of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, who attended part of the meeting, said the new parish is responsible for the St. Patrick's property until it is sold. John Kenney, a member of the parish delegation, said four proposals for the site were considered, all of which called for demolishing the buildings. The identities of the other three firms were not disclosed.

The site plan submitted by the Nigro Companies shows a 40,200-square-foot building located at the north end of the parcel at 515 19th St. with a smaller 2,600-square-foot building near the property's southern boundary.

The historic church, rectory and school building would be leveled.

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New eye on razing plan

PASADENA, Calif., March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Next week, design and construction professionals attending Fiatech's 2012 Technology Conference & Showcase in Miami, Florida will have a unique opportunity to learn best practices for preparing digital documents for the jobsite. McCarthy Building Companies, one of the nation's leading facility builders, and Bluebeam Software, leading developer of PDF solutions for digitizing project communication, are teaming up to deliver a presentation titled Field-Ready Digital Documents, scheduled for Tuesday, April 3rd at 10:30am.

During the session Chad Dorgan, Vice President of Quality and Sustainability at McCarthy and Don Jacob, Vice President of Engineering at Bluebeam, will demonstrate how the use of interactive hyperlinked PDF project files, Wi-Fi technology and field-ready hardware has enabled McCarthy Building Companies to streamline document management, improve job site and project communications and enhance overall efficiency.

"Just like any building project, without the right tools, going paperless can be a challenge, especially when multiple contractors, stakeholders and vendors are involved in a complex project," Dorgan said. "In this session, we will show you how identifying and implementing the right tools and technology has revolutionized the way we work, and how you can apply these same tools and techniques to work smarter and faster, with better communication and visibility into the total project."

Additionally, Fiatech attendees will have the first opportunity to see Bluebeam's new Revu 10 demonstrated live. Released on March 27th, 2012, this latest version of Bluebeam's award-winning PDF platform solution includes several new features that prove there are no limits to how project teams can communicate digitally, including integrated cloud storage, hyperlink management, space definition for automated tracking in PDFs, 3D PDF creation from Revit and Navisworks Manage and markup to 3D views.

"Revu 10 is by far the most powerful and customizable solution on the market for digitizing project communication and collaboration," Bluebeam's Jacob said. "We are excited to be offering solutions that help our customers take electronic field documents to the next level. By blending familiar interactions such as the veritable red pen on drawings with advanced 3D interactions, rich markups, hyperlinking and more, we are continuing to focus on our customer's needs and providing the best solutions possible for getting projects done efficiently and on time."

For a complete demonstration of the new Revu 10, visit Bluebeam Software in booth 26 throughout the Fiatech event.

About McCarthyMcCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation's oldest and largest commercial builders. Committed to the construction of high performance buildings, the company provides general contracting, construction management, and design-build services for healthcare, educational, commercial, parking structures, science and technology facilities; office buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; bridges; and highways. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work, McCarthy is a 100 percent employee-owned private company, or "S corporation employee stock ownership plan" (S ESOP). More information about the company is available online at http://www.mccarthy.com.

About Bluebeam Software, Inc.Not your typical software company, Bluebeam Software makes smart, simple solutions for paperless workflows based on the PDF format. Founded in 2002 in Pasadena, California, Bluebeam's award-winning PDF creation, markup and collaboration solutions are used today by the world's top architectural, engineering and construction firms, as well as government agencies, accountants and even attorneys, as an intuitive, easy-to-use, PDF-based software solution for dramatically improved workflow and more sustainable, paperless operations. Bluebeam supports customers in over 50 countries directly through its Account Services team in addition to an extensive reseller network. For more information, visit http://www.bluebeam.com.

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McCarthy Building Companies and Bluebeam® Software to Share New Ideas for Creating Field-Ready Digital Documents at ...

By Zachary Stieber Epoch Times Staff Created: March 29, 2012 Last Updated: March 29, 2012

Looking south on Broadway toward the Flatiron building on March 6, with Madison Square Park on the left. (Amal Chen/The Epoch Times)

NEW YORKMore people are moving into the Flatiron District, buildings are being converted into residential units, and commercial and retail rents continue to increase.

John Ciraulo, vice chairman of Massey Knakal Realty Services, used 901 Broadwaybuilt in 1869, and currently mixes use with apartments and retailas an illustrative time lapse of increased popularity and rent in the area. The firm first sold the building in 1996 for $2.5 million as a vacant retail store, with rent below $100 a foot. Ten years ago the firm sold it againthis time for $6.5 million.

Two years ago we sold it [again] for $25 million to a Russian/Spanish investor who put Brooks Brothers in there for close to $300 a foot, says Ciraulo.

A StreetEasy listing for a 2-bedroom-2-bathroom rental in the building asks for $15,500 a month.

Rent for some retail buildings on Broadway, Fifth Avenue, and Park Avenue South have more than doubled even over the past few years, explained Ciraulo.

High ceilings are a strong draw for those moving in the area, as are the architectural details of the buildings, many of them turn-of-the-century. However, Lynn Shanahan, president of Marimekko North America, said those offering space in the district should be more transparent about the inside of buildings, some of which might not be up to par for certain uses.

With more large companies moving in, Shanahan also wants the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership to remember the small businesses that started in the area and have invested in it. The partnership seeks to enhance the Flatiron Business Improvement Districts (BID) reputation and on Wednesday hosted the panel discussing these issues.

There are a lot of great restaurants on all of the side streetsI think the discovery factor of this area is tremendous, said Shanahan. If it turns out to be too exclusive, I think that it will lose its color, and thats why were here.

Originally posted here:
Flatiron District Booms

Full exhibition experience includes kid-friendly features, lectures, dining packages, Paella Nights and a look back at the AGO's past

TORONTO, March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - See the world through the eyes of a genius! Tickets go on sale this weekend for the Art Gallery of Ontario's highly anticipated Picasso: Masterpieces from the Muse National Picasso, Paris nearly 50 years after the AGO's last blockbuster presentation of Picasso's works.

"The Muse National Picasso, Paris, is a living legacy to one of the most influential and radical figures of modern art. Its collection is made up of the works the artist kept for himself and his family, making this exhibition of the collection's masterpieces a rare glimpse of 'Picasso's Picassos,'" says Matthew Teitelbaum, AGO director and CEO. The monumental exhibition makes the only Canadian stop on its world tour to bring 147 highlights from the Muse's collection to Toronto, from May 1 to Aug. 26, 2012.

"Pablo Picasso was a versatile and forward-thinking artist, and BMO Financial Group is proud to be the Lead Sponsor of this exhibition," says Gilles Ouellette, president and CEO, Private Client Group, BMO Financial Group. "As a corporate partner, we are pleased to join in the celebration of one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century."

Timed-entry tickets to this family-friendly exhibition go on sale on March 31. Regular-priced tickets range from $16.50 for youth and student visitors to $25 for adults. Admission is FREE for AGO Members and for children ages 5 and under. Tickets can be booked online by visiting ago.net/picasso.

Picasso: Masterpieces from the Muse National Picasso, Paris is curated by Anne Baldassari, chairman and chief curator of collections of the Muse National Picasso, Paris. Elizabeth Smith, the AGO's executive director of curatorial affairs, will oversee the exhibition's installation at the AGO. The exhibition is co-organized by the Muse National Picasso, Paris, and the Art Gallery of Ontario.

LEAD SPONSOR:BMO Financial Group

OFFICIAL AIRLINE: Air Canada

OFFICIAL HOTEL PARTNER: Starwood Hotels and Resorts

Supported by the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Canada Travelling Exhibitions Indemnification Program / Avec l'appui du ministre du Patrimoine canadien par le biais du Programme d'Indemnisation pour les exposition itinrants au Canada.

Originally posted here:
Tickets for Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris go on sale March 31

Behind a crumbling brick facade and rusted security screens in the Shaw neighborhood of Northwest Washington, designer Darryl Carter is building his brand.

This fall, after a year-long renovation, a 19th-century commercial property will become a store and studio for Carter, one of the citys top-tier interior designers. The property includes a two-story building at 1320 Ninth St. NW, parts of which are pre-Civil War, and a carriage house in back facing cobblestone Naylor Court. The rebuilding is painstaking, using architectural remnants and salvaged timbers to restore the structures.

We are crafting something, not just building a drywall structure, says Carter, a native Washingtonian who grew up in Bethesda. Its far more expensive to preserve something than to knock it down.

Shaw is bubbling with clubs and artisanal sandwich shops. But the emerging neighborhood may still seem off-the-grid for a high-end design store.

Carter, 50, doesnt do things in a conventional way, however. A lawyer by training, he said renovating and decorating were always his passions. He opened his own design business in 1998. Hes a regular in shelter magazines, has created paint palettes for Benjamin Moore and has written a book. (His second book, The Collected Home, is slated to be published in October.)

Carter, who is equally comfortable with opera and hip-hop, plans a retail experience far different from either a chain store or an 18th-century furniture shop. He said he envisions a personal, European-style store where customers can buy a candle, organic blanket or a sofa, for example, and have a latte at the espresso bar hes installing in the shops core.

Antiques, curiosities and accessories will be sold there, as well as furniture he designed himself at what he calls accessible prices. The carriage house will serve as a studio staffed with designers who work for Carter, and they will advise clients on a single room or color selection, services Carter has never been able to offer. He plans to host art shows, too. I want it to be a neighborhood gathering place, he says. Carter says he will continue to work with private clients from his Embassy Row digs.

He is keen to be part of the renaissance of Shaw, one of the citys oldest commercial and cultural districts.

I have never been one to follow the leader, Carter says. His location is just north of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center and within sight of City Market at O, a mixed-use redevelopment that includes the former Giant Food, which is being re-created in the spirit of a 19th-century marketplace.

The property had been in decay for years, with missing windows and no working plumbing. It has served as a thrift shop, hardware store and apartment building. Hes restoring it with a cache of salvaged materials, including granite blocks from Baltimores Druid Hill and arched glass doors from Georgetowns Dumbarton House. The flooring is being milled from reclaimed timbers from the former embassy of the Central African Republic. Ive been like a squirrel gathering all the parts of this building over the last four years, Carter says.

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Darryl Carter to open studio and store in Shaw

28 March 2012

PhotonStar LED Group plc

Board changes

PhotonStar LED Group plc (AIM: PSL, "PhotonStar" or "the Group"), the British designer and manufacturer of smart LED lighting solutions, has announced that Ceri Jones, Group Chief Financial Officer, has indicated his intention to stand down in order to pursue other interests. He expects to leave the Group after completing a handover in due course. The search for a new Finance Director is underway.

Jonathan Freeman has been appointed to Board as a non-executive director. He will be Chairman of the audit committee and be closely involved in the recruitment of the new Finance Director.

Jonathan has worked within the financial services sector since 1994, including previous roles as a director of Beeson Gregory (now a part of Investec (Frankfurt: A0J32R - news) ) and more recently CEO of Syndicate Asset Management (LSE: GB00B0GR9291.L - news) plc (now Ashcourt Rowan plc). He is currently a non-executive director of Futura Medical (LSE: FUM.L - news) plc and is its senior independent director and chairman of the Audit and Remuneration Committees.

Drew Nelson, Chairman of PhotonStar LED Group PLC, commented

"I would like to thank Ceri for his contribution to PhotonStar's development and to wish him every success for his future endeavours. I also welcome Jonathan to the Board, he brings considerable financial expertise at a key time for the Group's development."

Jonathan David Freeman, aged 46, currently holds, and has held (including all appointments during the five years preceding the date of this announcement), the following directorships and partnerships, other than of the Company:

Current Directorships/Partnerships

Originally posted here:
Photonstar LED Group - Directorate Change

HOUSTON, March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sirius Solutions, L.L.L.P. (Sirius Solutions), an independent business consulting firm, today announced further expansion in its London office through the addition of Mark Saunders. Saunders joins Sirius Solutions as a Director in the firm's Energy Trading and Risk Management (ETRM) Services practice. In his new role, Saunders will work with clients in delivering ETRM technical services, including software architecture, development, interfacing and system testing.

Saunders possesses a deep level of technical acuity within utility and commodity trading and risk management environments, including energy trading support, deal capture, confirmations and utility operations. He has designed and implemented numerous interface products using energy industry-recognized standards such as Trayport, SWIFT and EFET eCMS. He possesses extensive knowledge of inventory control, research information, networking, access control, imaging and graphics systems, along with functional experience in IT strategy consulting, performance improvement, enterprise risk assessment, risk mitigation, project management, business analysis and software development.

Prior to joining Sirius Solutions, Saunders served as Associate Director at OpenLink International London, a leading developer of software solutions and support for trading, risk management, financial and operations professionals in financial, energy, agribusiness and technology markets. In this capacity he led a technical services team, developed operational procedures, and recruited, trained and managed personnel resources in support of client needs. Project services included software architectural guidance, technical reviews, IT systems performance tuning and software feature customization.

In addition, Saunders has previously held technical leadership positions at Signal Computing Ltd., Medelec Ltd. and Akebia Ltd. He graduated from the University of Sussex with a B.Sc. (Hons) in Electronic Engineering.

About Sirius Solutions Sirius Solutions, L.L.L.P. is an independent business consulting firm specializing in the areas of Financial Advisory, Business Operations, Compliance & Controls, Legal & Economic Advisory and Technology. Our mission is to integrate commercial business experience and deep subject matter expertise for senior management, providing sustainable solutions to complex business challenges. With a base of professionals averaging more than 15 years experience, we serve clients in over forty countries across a wide range of industries, including construction, energy, financial services, health care, manufacturing and transportation. Sirius Solutions is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has offices in London, New York, Dallas and Denver. Sirius Solutions is not a CPA firm. http://www.sirsol.com.

Link:
Sirius Solutions Welcomes New Director in Energy Trading and Risk Management

News and Notes on Trends, New Projects and Construction In the Commercial Real Estate Development Pipeline Around the U.S.

The Architecture Billings Index (ABI) remained in positive territory for the fourth consecutive month in February, despite continued difficulty for developers in accessing construction financing.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the February ABI score was 51, following a mark of 50.9 in January, reflecting a slight increase in demand for design services. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings.

The new projects inquiry index was 63.4, up from mark of 61.2 the previous month and its highest reading since July 2007.

As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending.

"This is more good news for the design and construction industry that continues to see improving business conditions," said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker. "The factors that are preventing a more accelerated recovery are persistent caution from clients to move ahead with new projects, and a continued difficulty in accessing financing for projects that developers have decided to pursue."

Among U.S. regions, the Midwest led with a 56 average, followed by the South, 51.3; Northeast, 51; and West 45.6.

The commercial/industrial posted an average 55.1, followed by multifamily residential at 53.3; institutional, 50.3; and mixed practice, 46.3. The regional and sector categories are calculated as a 3-month moving average.

The new building about a quarter mile from Route 128/I-9 is designed to meet the technical requirements of companies seeking redundant power feeds and fiber connectivity, according to Jones Lang LaSalle, which is serving as the leasing agent.

Each floor will have about 20,000 square feet of raised flooring and 2 megawatts of IT load. The space will also include HVAC systems and security optimized support advanced datacenter operations.

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In The Pipeline: CoStar Development & Construction News for March 25 - 31

ATLANTA, March 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Applied Software, a leading and nationally recognized Autodesk value-added reseller, announced today that it has promoted Steve Foran, Associate AIA, to Vice President of Operations. Foran joined Applied Software in December as Senior Consultant in its BIM consulting group. In his new capacity, Foran will be responsible for establishing and implementing systems to execute Applied Software's strategic plan, and will also oversee internal operations for the growing organization.

With over 15 years of experience in architecture, Foran has advised Fortune 500 corporations, the federal government and higher education and institutional clients by providing leadership in master planning, facility planning and programming, and the development of real estate and sustainable strategies in North America, the United Kingdom and Asia.

"In just a few short months, Steve has proven an apt leader and visionary," said Richard Burroughs, President of Applied Software. "He's done a great job leading our BIM consulting group, and we're pleased that he's agreed to put his experience, communication and organizational skills to work as our VP of Operations."

Prior to joining Applied Software, Foran served for seven years as senior consultant and project manager for global architectural firm HOK in its Advance Strategies consulting group, where he was responsible for the successful delivery of work for global clients in strategic campus master planning, workplace strategy and guidelines, facility planning and change management. Before that, he was a project manager for the restoration and preservation of nationally recognized historic structures for Lord, Aeck & Sargent Architects. Foran is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects and a member of the Urban Land Institute. He holds both a bachelor's degree from the College of Architecture and a master's degree in City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is a LEED ID+C Accredited Professional.

About Applied Software

Applied Software is one of the largest Autodesk resellers in the Southeastern United States. It is also one of the nation's leading providers of Building Information Modeling (BIM) services including BIM modeling, analysis, training, integration and mentoring, and provides Digital Prototyping solutions to manufacturers. Since its founding in 1982, Applied Software has helped more than 5,000 commercial, academic and government clients achieve high performance and growth. Applied Software's comprehensive array of solutions and services includes product updates, education and a dedicated staff of sales and services professionals. Applied Software is also a holder of a GSA BIM Services IDIQ contract to provide a full range of BIM services to the federal government. Applied Software was selected by Autodesk as its Platinum Reseller of the Year in 2011. Over the years, it has received numerous Platinum and other recognitions from Autodesk, including again being honored in 2012 as a Platinum Club award winner.

Media Contact:Jenn Harrison Carabiner Communications 404.431.3542 jharrison@carabinerpr.com

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Applied Software Promotes Steve Foran to Vice President of Operations