The plan for a plot of land that borders one of the most concentrated retail sectors in the region has been years in the making.

The property along Ohio Drive in Frisco has long been zoned for commercial use. But the area just to the west along Preston Road already has millions of square feet of retail and restaurants. And the owners along Ohio say they have struggled to develop their land.

So talks turned to ways the area could transition from the Stonebriar Centre mall area to the nearby homes. City planners encouraged the various landowners to work together rather than develop the area piecemeal. Informal meetings began in 2012.

The result proposes a $400 million development with a mix of patio homes and urban-style apartments. The project will target professionals looking for luxury. Among the features are stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, Internet cafes and resort-style pools. The site also includes about 11 acres of park space. Sprinkled with gazebos, trees, shade structures, dog stations and trails, these outdoor areas will encourage people to leave their cars behind and walk.

Weve got roughly 105 acres put together with multiple owners, multiple developers and multiple architects, said attorney Tommy Mann, who presented the project Tuesday to the Frisco Planning and Zoning Commission. I can assure you from a private sector standpoint [that] is no small challenge to coordinate.

The plan calls for 175 patio homes located closest to the existing neighborhood. All will have front porches. As much as possible, they will embrace the plans open space, Mann said. Prices will range from $400,000 to $525,000.

Those homes will transition to three sections of urban-style apartments. Those farthest to the west will back up to the shopping center at Preston Road and Gaylord Parkway. The estimated 2,348 units throughout the project will wrap around parking garages and include enhanced streetscapes and a host of private amenities. Rents will range from $1,200 to $2,200 per month.

The idea, according to the prospective developers, is to create a unique sense of place.

But some neighbors to the north have balked at such a high-density development. They dont want four-story apartment buildings so close to their homes.

It looks like a great plan, but as Ive talked to the homeowners, they are scared of multifamily, said Dennis Johnson, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of the Prestmont homeowners association. They dont like it.

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Luxury living planned for Frisco land, but not all approve

LAPLACE New play sets, benches, fitness stations and even a spray park are set to become permanent fixtures in the parks located throughout St. John the Baptist Parish.

At Tuesday nights meeting, the St. John Parish Finance Committee approved a $229,118 agreement between parish administration and Meyer Engineers Ltd. for the design, construction, administration and inspection services for over $2.5 million in improvements to parks, playgrounds and recreation facilities recommended in the 2013 Parks Master Plan.

The Parks Master Plan was completed by Meyer Engineers and includes upgrades, repairs and improvements to each park and the proposed costs for each project. Over 40 projects, all funded through the 2014 bond issue, are included in the plan.

Councilman for District IV Marvin Perrilloux said the list of improvements was compiled with residents input in mind, and the money is being spent to make the parish parks nicer places for families to spend time.

Its all about the children, Perrilloux said about the improvements.

A new spray park, as well as two new play sets, are included in the additions for Regala Park.

Fitness stations are slated for Highway 51 Park, as well as a dog park and $14,000 earmarked to refurbish the restrooms at the facility. The park is set to receive other improvements as well.

Ezekial Jackson Park is set to receive a new play set, as well as over $200,000 dedicated to an airnasium, lights and electrical services at the site and other upgrades.

As well as other additions, two gazebos are included in plans for Belle Pointe Park. One gazebo, as well as other additions, was included in the plans for the Reserve Boat Launch and Stephanie Wilking Park.

A new play set, softile surfaces for existing play equipment and other plans are in the works for Greenwood Park, while Cambridge Park is set to receive several additions, including a gazebo and a bathroom building.

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St. John approves host of parks upgrades

ELLINGTON The Barn Yard & Great Country Garages has grown so much in recent years that it necessitated buying a 2.38-acre property to build a new manufacturing facility, for which the town awarded the business a tax abatement this week.

The whole point of this manufacturing facility is to keep up with the demand weve seen for our customer products, said Christopher Skinner, vice president of The Barn Yard, a family business for 30 years thats known for its quality craftsmanship in making and selling sheds, garages, barns, gazebos, pavilions, and other structures.

The business also operates a retail location at 120 West Road, open since 2005.

Skinner said that with the growth in the business over the past few years, its really become a necessity to add a bigger production and bigger facility to keep up with the demand of our customers.

Skinner said that this past spring the company acquired the property at 9 Village St., where the new facility will be built, from its previous owners, the family members of a late elderly person. A house is located on the property, but Skinner said it wont be part of the companys manufacturing facility, meaning it will be renovated or taken down.

The previous owners owed $146,000 in back taxes on the property and were facing possible foreclosure. Skinner said that in acquiring the property, his company agreed to pay the full amount of the back taxes owed by the previous owners.

In a Journal Inquirer article Tuesday, it was inaccurately reported that The Barn Yards owners owed the back taxes and was facing foreclosure.

Skinner said The Barn Yard does not owe back taxes, does not have unpaid taxes on any of its properties, and was never facing foreclosure.

The Barn Yards 12,000-square-foot manufacturing facility set for Village Street will also house the business new corporate headquarters, as Skinner said the current headquarters is at the retail stores location on West Road.

He also said the business small manufacturing facility in Windsor Locks will be moved to the new facility on Village Street, although the retail store in Windsor Locks will remain open as will a retail store in Bethel.

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The growth of The Barn Yard necessitated opening manufacturing facility in Ellington, owner says

Construction workers perform duct work on the ventilation system in the pool area of the Philip S. Miller Park fieldhouse on July 16, 2014, in Castle Rock. (Anya Semenoff, Your Hub)

Construction workers build the indoor field area of the Philip S. Miller fieldhouse July 16 in Castle Rock. Construction is projected to be finished in the fall. (Anya Semenoff, YourHub)

CASTLE ROCK Excitement is building for the opening of the first phase of Castle Rock's 237-acre Philip S. Miller Park the yet-to-be-named fieldhouse.

District 3 Councilmember Jennifer Green, a liaison to the parks and recreation commission, said council sees the fieldhouse, and park in general, as an economic development tool, as well as a way to provide amenities for residents.

"So having others visit our park from outside the community is to have them visit the rest of Castle Rock and visit some of the restaurants in town," Green said. "It also showcases what Castle Rock has to offer."

The fieldhouse is slated to open in late October or early November. It is 60,000 square feet and will include an indoor pool, indoor soccer field, outdoor synthetic field, 10,000-square-foot trampoline room and indoor adventure playground.

The fieldhouse will contain a leisure pool, as well as lap lanes.

Because some of the administration for Castle Rock Recreation is moving to the fieldhouse, those former offices will be turned into a Pilates and yoga studio. The recreation center is also constructing an additional aerobics room in its garage to meet that demand.

While the construction of the $21 million fieldhouse is on schedule, it cost a bit more than expected, because of the economy, so the park's other phases will take a bit longer, Green said.

"So it might take us a bit longer to finish the park but we will be able to stay within budget," Green said.

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Fieldhouse at Philip S. Miller Park in Castle Rock to open this fall

Im going to miss the people, said Sofia Bonner, a recent graduate of The Key School.

Since Sofia was a preschool tot, shes been a Key student a veteran of 14 years at the bayside campus dotted with gazebos.

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Teen of the Week: Though voice hints at stardom, teen reaches instead for the stars

York market moves to Parliament Street ahead of refurbishment

8:40am Friday 18th July 2014 in News

Work taking place at the site in Newgate, where there has been a market for more than 50 years

YORKS market has taken up temporary residence in its historical city-centre location as 1.5 million refurbishment work gets under way in Newgate.

Stallholders are now trading from Parliament Street, marking a return to the street where the market regularly operated 50 years ago.

The move back to Parliament Street is to make way for City of York Councils refurbishment of Newgate Market, which aims to improve infrastructure such as drainage and storage, with a better roof covering and lighting as well as improved signage, promotion and information about the market.

Andrew Kenny, of Fishmonger Cross of York, which has been trading in Newgate Market since 1956, said: The council has been very supportive in the move. I think they have had a very hard job and they have tried hard to meet everyones needs.

Its a whole new retail experience for us out here, especially for people who have been established in a certain position in Newgate for a lot of years.

Work is expected to take 16 weeks to complete, in time for the St Nicholas Fayre in late November.

Access through the market will be from the Kings Square end of Shambles and Newgate, while the snickelways from Shambles will be closed for the 16-week period.

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York market moves to Parliament Street ahead of refurbishment

Wooden gazebos: Would you like to make a Wooden gazebos? click here
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By: Diy Projects

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Wooden gazebos: Would you like to make a Wooden gazebos? click here - Video

Gazebos: Would you like to make a Wooden gazebos? click here
Would you like to make a gazebos? click here: http://16000woodworkingdrawings.com/ Make a gazebos click here: http://16000woodworkingdrawings.com/ Would you ...

By: Diy Projects

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Gazebos: Would you like to make a Wooden gazebos? click here - Video

THEATRE in the Park, a premier theatre venue for the capital which is set to be reopened at a new site in the Harare Gardens, will provide new packages that are expected to whet the appetite of theatre-starved thespians.

Theatre in the Park closed its doors 2012 following contractual disagreements between Rooftop Promotions and the Zimbabwe International Book Fair - custodians of the thatched gazebos that house the theatre venue.

In an effort to preserve the seventeen year-old brand, which has played host to numerous plays from all over the world, Rooftop Promotions approached Harare City Council to upgrade Bend Shell Theatre to a state of the art theatre venue.

The 500-seater venue which will open its doors in September, will also introduce new products will also have unique conference amenities, internet services and productions will be streamed live via the internet.

One product that is likely to incite theatre patrons is a membership facility for patrons and organizations which will enable thespians to subscribe for a period of time to the venue and enjoy unique benefits for their pleasure.

Some of the unique benefits are discounts for tickets, inviting a friend on discount, priority entrance and sitting in the venue as well as occasional invites on Premiere Nights. This facility is not only limited to individuals but extended to organizations as well, said Daves Guzha of Rooftop Promotions.

For organizations they will have the privilege of inviting their staff members to plays with discounted tickets and the organization will have the opportunity of using the venue either as a workshop or conference facility on discount.

Membership will be in three categories that is Individual, organizations and the youth.

The second product is called Friends of Theatre in the Park where individuals are going to be drawn from Patrons who have shown a keen interest in the development of theatre and arts and in particular Theatre in the Park seriously, Guzha explained.

We have seen the need to appoint and share ideas with dedicated people who can be the bridge between the institution and the patrons.

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New venue ... An artist's impression of the proposed Theatre in the Park at Harare Gardens

The monsoons are here and, if you're lucky, you will not suffer any damage, but chances are you just might so here are some things to keep in mind.

Remember Arizona's "stupid motorist law." The law is there to not only protect you but also to protect first responders. Here it is in a nutshell:

Even if there are no barricades and you enter a flooded road, you could still be charged with endangerment and/or reckless driving and may be required to pay for your rescue. Not only will you pay out-of-pocket, you will also have a criminal record and a license suspension. This in turn could cause your auto insurance rates to increase. In addition, you could be held civilly liable for any damage you cause to real or personal property.

If you find yourself driving in a dust storm or a haboob there are several things to keep in mind. If you can outrun it safely and by following the speed limit, then do so. If it catches up to you or if it is nighttime, pull off the freeway or as far off the road as possible. Set your parking brake, turn your lights off, take your foot off the break and close your vents and windows. Keep your radio tuned to News/Talk 92.3 KTAR for important updates. Make it a habit to carry water and a flashlight in your car for emergencies.

If you are at home and a dust storm or a haboob hits there are things you can do to limit your damage. Close your doors and windows to limit the dust. From personal experience, I recommend turning on your pool pump to keep your pool cleaning from getting behind. Also, think about turning off your HVAC or air conditioner to limit any dust being sucked in, especially if you have high allergies. Lastly, lower any umbrellas or portable gazebos.

If you do suffer damages and have insurance (whether you think you have coverage or not), here is a simple list of things to do to help you:

Call your insurance company and make a claim for any damage immediately. Take pictures of any damage immediately. Video the items in your home immediately, not only in the damaged area but the entire home. Be aware that you may have to pay for any restoration services or emergency response companies. If you use one, video or take pictures of all your items before packing and make a list of the items.

The above is not a comprehensive list of all the things you need to think about or do during Arizona's monsoon season. However, it covers some very important things that will help you in several areas. The least it will do is save you some aggravation and frustration!

Monica Lindstrom, Co-host of The Agenda

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Tips to save you time, money and stress in monsoon season