If you will be constructing an addition or building a new garage or even replacing some of your existing siding materials consider your siding options. Your house and garage are long-term investments, so it doesn't pay to be short-sighted about the material you choose. Cost, longevity, and maintenance requirements can vary widely.

Wood siding and shingles are the traditional materials found on most older homes. Ship-lap or drop-lap siding comes in boards about 6" wide, still readily available at lumberyards. Each piece locks into the pieces above and below it. Wooden siding shingles (rectangular pieces of wood) are most often found on the top half of older houses, but occasionally cover a whole house or garage. Siding shingles are most often made from cedar, a relatively soft material naturally impervious to water, but also prone to splitting or cracking. The shingles are nailed in rows, with each row overlapping the one below it. Shingles are sold in bundles containing pieces of varying widths.

There are newer products that you might want to consider, as well. Fiber-cement lapboard siding, a fairly recent product, can have a smooth or rough-sawn wood grain appearance. This type of siding will endure more of the dings and bumps that can crack vinyl or dent aluminum, and it will withstand the ravages of weather, rot, fungus, carpenter ants and termites. On the other hand, it is not very easy to work with for most do-it-yourselfers, requires specialty tools to cut the planks, and will need to be painted periodically.

Vinyl siding is a popular choice for homes and garages, because it needs the least maintenance. It is inexpensive, installs quickly over existing sheathing, comes in many different colors, and, once up, needs only to be washed annually for maintenance. On the other hand, if it's hit soundly in the winter, it may crack; darker colors tend to fade in the summer sun; and, if you wish to change the color later, you won't be able to paint it. Damaged panels can be replaced with relative ease using just a couple of tools.

An alternative to vinyl is polypropylene siding, usually made from recycled materials and available in patterns that resemble various styles of traditional wood siding and shingles. It is installed in much the same way as vinyl siding and has many of the same advantages and disadvantages. However, since polypropylene is heavier walled than vinyl, it is less susceptible to strike damage, but also more expensive.

There are other siding choices that do not hold up so well. T1-11, hardboard lap siding, and OSB (oriented strand board) are all vulnerable to swelling, de-lamination, and/or self-destruction if any of the surfaces become exposed to the elements. You will have to be vigilant about painting all the joints (T1-11) or any scratches or tears in the covering (from lawn mowers, bicycles, etc.) that can let moisture enter.

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Siding options for your house or garage: The Weekly Fix

Local construction continues to lag when compared with 2013 with just seven permits issued by the city in July for a total project value of $23,303. That brings the permitted construction for the year-to-date to $1.37 million.

Thats down significantly from this time a year ago, when construction stood at $1.8 million. It also is roughly half of the $52,435 in construction recorded during June 2014.

According to figures issued Friday by the city, there were no permits issued for new residential construction during July.

Three permits are for residential additions with a combined value of $20,000. One is for a residential remodel, $1,200 valuation. One is for a garage/carport valued at $2,000. Two are for commercial accessories, for a combined value of $2.

For the year-to-date, permits issued in 2014 include two for new residential; residential additions, 17; residential remodels, 12; residential repair, one; residential demolition, four; residential accessory, two; garage/carport, 16; storage building, three; new commercial, one; commercial addition, one; commercial remodel, 11; commercial demolition, three; commercial accessory, two; masonry fence, one; signs, 21.

Total permits for 2014 now number 97, which is down 38 from the 135 recorded through July 2013.

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Construction continues to lag locally

GENEVA More than $4 million might be invested in Kane Countys facilities next year.

The $4.6 million in proposed capital improvements include about two dozen high priority projects, such as a swipe-card access system for the coroners facility, HVAC upgrades at the jail and judicial center, and insulation at the animal control building.

That building is freezing year-round, operations staff executive Don Biggs told the Committee of the Whole on Tuesday.

Of the total proposed budget, about $3.298 million is for facility capital improvements; nearly $150,000 is for vehicle replacements or additions; $863,400 is for information technology; and $300,000 is for contingency funds.

Biggs presented the 2015 budget as part of a five-year plan. Future budgets are estimated at about $1.4 million in 2016, $1.9 million in 2017, $4.6 million in 2018 and $1.4 million in 2019.

He also included estimated costs for a new wing to the justice center ($80 million), a justice campus parking garage ($21 million) and a new coroner building ($2.4 million).

Costs for a new diagnostic center are unknown. That department provides comprehensive forensic psychology services to the 16th Judicial Circuit.

Director Alexandra Tsang told the committee there are safety concerns regarding the existing facility along Fabyan Parkway, where the sheriffs office used to be.

We are pretty isolated, she said.

Issues include flooding, poor water quality, carbon monoxide poisoning, a lack of security and no nearby public transportation, Tsang said, noting a client walked to the facility last week from a Randall Road bus stop.

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$4.6M in capital improvements proposed for county facilities

Waterford - With the school capital improvement project almost complete, the town is now eyeing $9 million in long-delayed improvements to the municipal complex on Hartford Road.

The Municipal Complex Improvements Building Committee voted unanimously Monday to begin pursuing funding for the project. The committee plans to go to the Board of Finance in September and Representative Town Meeting in October to request authorization to seek loans and bond the work.

Chief Engineer Neftali Soto and First Selectman Daniel Steward say the complex is out-of-date and needs to be brought up to state building codes. The more than 50-year-old complex houses the Utility Commission, transfer station and a garage for town vehicles and other supplies.

"The only thing that will stay will be the outside shell," Soto said Monday following a meeting of the Municipal Complex Improvements Building Committee.

Steward explained that town officials have discussed making improvements to the complex for roughly 10 years, but that school construction projects took precedence. The only part left for the school projects is maintenance on the buildings and a few small additions and changes at the new high school.

Planned improvements to the municipal complex include cleaning up an oil plume underneath the building, which Steward said is of unknown origin, and changes to the electrical system such as increasing the number of outlets.

Steward said that the garage requires the most work. Standing near a cluster of Public Works trucks in the garage Monday, he pointed out a crack in the garage's cinder block wall. He said the garage also needed more ventilation to accommodate exhaust from Public Works trucks, taller exits for public works and garbage trucks, repairs of cracked walls and better insulation, and possible asbestos remediation.

He said the garage has no drainage system, posing problems when snow-covered trucks enter in the winter.

Finance Director Rudie Beers told the committee during the meeting that it would need to tap into the $300,000 in capital improvement funds designated for the project to hire engineers to revise the $9 million cost estimate from 2012.

"We don't want an 'oops,'" she said.

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Waterford's capital improvements focus shifts to municipal complex

CHUCK DARROW, Daily News Staff Writer darrowc@phillynews.com, 215-313-3134 Posted: Wednesday, July 23, 2014, 3:01 AM

SHOVELS ARE finally in the ground for the long-planned expansion of SugarHouse Casino.

SugarHouse officials, politicians and other big shots were on hand yesterday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony as Philadelphia's first legal casino launched a $164 million construction project. When completed next year, the Fishtown waterfront complex will boast a multiuse event space with river views, new restaurants, a seven-story, 1,500-space parking garage and a poker room with 30 tables. Adding 152,000 square feet of space - not counting the garage - to the existing 108,000 square feet will also allow the installation of 400 more slot machines and 30 gaming tables.

The expansion will yield 1,600 construction jobs and 500 full-time casino positions. SugarHouse currently has about 1,000 employees.

Among those in attendance yesterday were SugarHouse's CEO and general manager, Greg Carlin and Wendy Hamilton, City Council President Darrell Clarke, Councilmen Mark Squilla (in whose district the casino is located) and William Greenlee, and attorney Richard Sprague, a minority owner of the almost four-year-old gambling hall.

During her remarks, Hamilton noted the casino has waited a long time to expand. After the ceremony, she explained the additions weren't necessarily what was originally planned before the recession of 2008 and neighborhood concerns resulted in a downsizing of the original blueprints.

"In 3 1/2 years of operation, we're a lot smarter now," she said. "We know we're building exactly the right thing, because our players have told us.

"We've seen where there is demand, and what people want as part of their gaming experience. That's why even though we don't need a lot of gaming at this point, we knew we needed these amenities to round out the experience. That was pretty much dictated by what our players told us."

Because poker has proven so popular in the region - particularly at Bensalem's Parx Casino and Atlantic City's Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa - players won't have to wait until the permanent card parlor is ready. This fall, a temporary, 24-table space will open on the casino's south side, and will remain in operation until the permanent room debuts sometime next year.

Continued here:
Long-awaited $164 million expansion program underway at SugarHouse

By ASHLEY SCHREYER

aschreyer@njherald.com

NEWTON A recent change in rules regarding adornments left at the mausoleum at Saint Josephs Cemetery on Route 206 have upset some relatives of those laid to rest there.

First announced through a metal sign planted in the ground at the top of the driveway to the mausoleum, the cemetery will no longer allow flowers, pictures or other additions at the mausoleum, which contains approximately 430 single and double-crypts. Furthermore, paper signs taped to the inside of the mausoleum doors instruct visitors to please remove all artificial flowers, flower boxes, vases, pictures and other adornments by July 15.

Multiple attempts were made by the New Jersey Herald since June 24 to speak to Father Brian Sullivan, without success. During one phone call, Office Manager Anne Lundgren said the rule was made in an effort to keep the mausoleum maintained and then referred the conversation to Sullivan, who was away.

Messages were also unreturned by the communication office of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, of which Saint Josephs is a parish.

Dee Sheldon, of Newton, first noticed the new rule sign during the week of Fathers Day in mid-June, according to Maureen McHale, also of Newton, who Sheldon had notified. The sign was not there on June 24 when a New Jersey Herald photographer went to photograph it. As of July 2, paper signs were placed inside the mausoleum doors that said the removal of items was in order to maintain the appearance of our mausoleum.

Its hurtful. Its very hurtful, Maureen Block, McHales daughter, said. At her fathers crypt, she has a framed ceramic photo of her parents, made specifically for crypts, that was placed six or seven years ago. The photo had cost $347 and Block had gotten permission from a former pastor at Saint Josephs.

McHale and Sheldon reached out to half a dozen friends they had met through the mausoleum, or knew had family in the mausoleum, to notify them of the change, according to McHale.

When McHale called Sullivan in regard to the permanent photo that had been placed, she was told it, too, had to be removed.

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Mausoleum rule changes upset relatives

It's a small property tied to the fate of a much bigger one.

The Inner Harbor merry-go-round, which has struggled for years, sits next to Rash Field, a roughly 7-acre expanse of volleyball pits and muddy field ringed by gray concrete, that city and civic leaders have long dreamed of turning into a bigger, better attraction.

The basic plan for the field to build an underground parking garage and place a park on top was proposed by a team hired by the city in 1994. It has reappeared in similar guises at least four times since, racking up hundreds of thousands dollars in planning fees, before retreating each time for lack of funding and support.

That record is one reason the former operators of the carousel were not surprised to learn that the company that replaced it with a new machine had received a new, more forgiving lease one that acknowledges that the ride won't be a big money-maker.

"The carousel is not an attraction that's going to bring people to the city," said Stacey Daft, whose family ran the merry-go-round for decades before being forced out in 2012 because of unpaid rent. "It's a very small piece of property. If you want to solve the overall problem ... there's a lot of things that need to be relooked at."

In some ways, the redevelopment of the Inner Harbor, which put Baltimore on the map in the 1980s, hasn't stopped, with enough investment in the past decade to make other neighborhoods jealous.

Additions include the $4.5 million visitor's center, the $2 million West Shore Park, the $1.2 million Walter Sondheim Fountain, floating wetlands and the $2 million Pierce's Park. There's also new landscaping along Pratt Street.

But even as other, smaller plans come to fruition, larger investments have lagged. The struggles of the carousel, some say, speak to the limits of smaller projects and the need for bigger moves to change the dynamic of the south side of the waterfront.

"The location is a challenge," said Laurie Schwartz, president of the private Waterfront Partnership, launched in 2005 in response to calls to spruce up the Inner Harbor. "One big reason why we're anxious to get the Rash Field Park developed is to create more reasons for people to use the entire harbor, including the south shore."

In recent months, efforts on two important parts of the Inner Harbor appear to have gained momentum. The new owners of the Harborplace pavilions face a 2015 deadline to upgrade awnings, lighting and landscaping along Pratt and Light streets. Private donors, including T. Rowe Price, have begun to come forward with money to help finance the $3.5 million demolition of the fountain at McKeldin Plaza and replace it with a grassy park, while the city studies a more ambitious plan to reroute traffic to link the square more securely to the promenade. Fundraising is also underway for a temporary ice rink at the plaza.

Continued here:
City looks at another go-round for Rash Field

Planning applications submitted to the Lake District National Park Authority

Updated 3:49pm Friday 11th July 2014 in News By Vicky Goodall

Ambleside: Addition of balcony to holiday letting flat adjoining main part of house, at Chanctonbury, Hawkshead Hill, for S. Saczek; confirmation of compliance with condition no. 4 of planning approval 7/2014/5160 relating to approval of timber stain, at youth Hostels Association, Esthwaite Lodge, Hawkshead, for Mrs H. Stevens, YHA (England & Wales) Ltd; T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 - all young Ash - Fell G1 Group of semi mature Sycamore - Fell to allow contractors machinery access to the river to carry out works on the bridge over the River Rothay, at Adjacent to bridge on bank of River Rothay, Car Park, Rydal Road, for C. Raper, South Lakeland District Council; conversion of workshop space at first and basement floors to residential accommodation for local occupancy, at Old Coach House, Kelsick Road, for J. Pierce; change of use to domestic dwelling, at Craftsmans Cottage, Church Hill, Hawkshead, for Mr & Mrs D. & E. Luscombe; to increase the size of the existing parking bay to ease vehicular ingress egress to the property. To build a single storey outbuilding (garden room) in the garden (resubmission), at Brantholme, Lake Road, for W. Westerman; T1 - White Poplar - remove (stag headed and die back a the top) T2 - Cherry - remove (dead) T3 - Oak - remove large limb (broken), at Crag House, Grasmere, for R. Sutton; proposed balcony and replace 1 window with French doors, at 33 Fisherbeck Park, for Mr & Mrs Dixon; new medical practice centre and two 2 no bedroom flats, at Braggfield, North Lonsdale Road, Hawkshead, for Mrs C. Wood; steel framed agricultural building, at Low Park, Skelwith Bridge, for R. Cuppage.

Bootle: Application for discharge of conditions 4,5,7,8,10,11&13 of planning permission 7/2013/4036, at Former Highway Depot, Station Road, for Cumbria County Council.

Broughton-in-Furness: External alterations to Broughton tower. Dismantle the toilet block at rear of the Tower and realign the tarmac access road located at the back of the Tower, for R. Parsons; non material amendment to approval ref 7/2013/5489 for two additional rooflights on north elevations, at The Old Smithy, Occupation Lane, for M. McGinty.

Cockermouth: Variation of condition 2 attached to planning consent no. 7/2014/2060 relating to amended plans (to allow the construction of six towers and their associated infrastructure in association with the approved distillery development), at Low Barkhouse, Setmurthy, for P. Currie, The Lakes Distillery.

Grange-over-Sands: A replacement boundary wall, a double garage with a boot room and a wood store area to one side at ground floor. Home office to first floor, at Ellenboro House, Newton-in-Cartmel, for Mr & Mrs Fulcher; rear conservatory; roof light to rear roofslope; and internal alterations including the installation of a mezzanine level, at Rose Mount Cottage, Witherslack, for Miss Taylor; roof for slurry store, at Sow How Farm, Cartmell Fell, for Messrs Foster; construction of agricultural building to house egg production unit with 2 feed hoppers and hardstanding, at Wilson House Farm, Kendal Road, Lindale, for M. Dixon.

Kendal: Porch side and rear extension, internal alterations and amendments to windows and new roof lights, at Cunswick Hall, Crook, for Mr & Mrs M Cropper; proposed housing development, at West View, Crosthwaite, for M. Harkness & M. Choiseul; rear extension, at Little Crag, Crook, for Mrs S. Mulvany.

Keswick: New garage on site of recently demolished garage, at Little Ellers, Portinscale, for A. Broomhead; Minor additions and amendments to the house including the removal of the chimney, addition of a dormer window, single storey extension to rear for a utility, addition of various velux roof lights and insulation to the roof resulting in an increase in ridge and eaves by 100mm approx, at The Hill, Lonsties, for J. Hodgson; approval of details reserved by condition (ref 7/2013/2226) including door and window detail, internal alterations, external extensions and alteration and signage scheme, at Cumbria Constabulary, Police Station, Bank Street, for J. Marsden, JD Wetherspoon; two storey extension to dwelling, at 51 Latrigg Close, for D. Nellist; garage extension to side and porch to front, at 7 town Cross, Threlkeld, for I. Wade; fell 15 Ash, at Royal Mail Depot, Low Brigham, for Miss D. Jankowska, Ground Control Ltd; new stone built garage building to replace existing barn; timber boarded steel framed barn with one open side and hardstanding; conversion and extension of existing barns to provide 1 no. local occupancy dwelling and 1 no. holiday let, at Lingholm, Portinscale, for D. Seymour, The Lingholm Estate; extension to existing holiday cottage, at Silverhill Bungalow, Portinscale, for D. Seymour, The Lingholm Estate; variation of conditions 6&7 on planning approval ref. 7/2010/2336 relating to details of rooflights, windows and doors and occupancy restriction, at Land adjacent to 20 Eskin Street, for Mrs P. Mitchell; extensions and alterations, at 2 Barf View Cottages, Portinscale, for Mrs J.A. Francis.

Penrith: Roof over existing sheep pens, at Wham Head Farm, Hutton Roof, for A. Tiffin; proposed lime rough cast render finish to attached barn, installation of aluminium windows and doors and 2 no vent pipes and 1 no soil and vent pipe, at Toathmain Hall, Bampton, for Mr & Mrs Bletcher; replacement shed, at Lishman House, Glenridding, for J. Holdsworth, Patterdale Hall Estate Ltd; new bedroom extension and demolition of existing garage and store to provide layout of 15 guest suite (previous consent 7/2007/3019), at MacDonald Hotel, Leeming House, Watermillock, for A. Starkey, Street Design Partnership; proposal to replace flat roof to a slated pitch roof garage/utility extend garage for biomass boiler room/internal alterations to part house, at Glebe House, Askham, for T. Recchia.

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Planning applications submitted to the Lake District National Park Authority

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Lamar High School is embracing its future as a 21st century school ... with a past.

The schools principal and members of its Project Advisory Team last week unveiled plans for a new five- to six-story academic building with multi-level parking garage to be built on Eastside Drive and adjoined by the architecturally significant, Depression-era school building that has stood on Westheimer for 77 years. Tennis courts are shown on the roof of the new buildings, although the design is mostly conceptual at this stage, said Patrick Glenn, principal with architectural firm Perkins+Will.

We started planning this, actually, before the bond passed. We were hopeful it would pass, said Dr. James McSwain, who is in his 17th year as principal at Lamar. The original building is 77 years old, and were still educating kids in it today ... Its taken a lot of thought and heart to come up with ideas that will make this a thriving school community long into the future.

Lamar is among 40 schools being repaired or rebuilt in the $1.89 billion bond program that Houston ISD voters approved in 2012. Like three other HISD high schools Milby, Austin and Davis Lamars inclusion in the bond package stipulated the new facility for between 2,800 and 3,100 students would preserve the architecturally significant building structure.

Designed by a team that included John F. Staub and Kenneth Franzheim and constructed of Texas limestone with steel ribbon-style windows, the old building has served as a hurricane shelter, McSwain said. Additions made in 1987 are not as sturdy, he added, and will be demolished when the new academic building is completed. The old building, including the auditorium, which features a relief map of Texas designed by Nino Lenarduzzi at its entry, will remain with a new addition behind it for performing arts that could include a black box theater.

The campus is being designed with an eye toward modern campuses by employers like Google and Exxon Mobil, McSwain said, with flexible spaces to accommodate small groups to large seminars.

The high school already is adopting a more collaborative learning model, referred to as a flipped classroom, where homework happens in the classroom with teacher guidance to help students be more analytical and think critically.

About 50 persons attended the community meeting to learn about Lamars design plans. As proposed, the concept would retain some parking near the front of the school off Westheimer. The new parking garage on Eastside will provide space for more than 1,000 vehicles, with two levels below ground for teachers and five above for students. It will provide easy access to athletic fields in the center of the campus, including a multi-purpose field and track, baseball, softball and three practice fields. The plan leaves an existing athletic storage building in place and has space to add bleachers and a central concessions area later.

Noting that some sports currently are played off campus, McSwain said, This plan tries to bring all of our kids back to our campus, and thats not an easy feat.

Security and technology upgrades will abide by HISDs standards for 21st century schools.

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New Lamar HS will blend past with present and future