Posted November 18, 2019 12:34:34

Towards the end of an exhausting multi-year project to restore four levels of the old Rechabite Hall in Northbridge, Marcus Canning made an ironic discovery.

"There was a bit of TV coverage and my mum was watching at home, and she texted me a photo of an Independent Order of Rechabites (IOR) certificate with my father's name on it," he said.

The IOR, a group that formed part of the temperance movement, built the hall in 1924, and it became one of the city's popular dance halls and also home to shops and public meetings.

Mr Canning's bid to revive it albeit with the addition of four bars (one on each level) went on without knowing there was family connection.

"[Dad] signed a pledge in 1935 when he was 17. It's an amazing certificate and it's quite nice that I've found out."

After World War II, the hall was used as a theatre and live music venue, but a fire went through in 1980 and it began to fall into disrepair, closing altogether in the early 2000s.

The restoration effort began in 2016 and aimed to keep as much of the original fabric of the building as possible, while adding modern facilities like a lift and restaurant kitchen.

Now renamed The Rechabite, it features a rooftop space complete with graffiti from the building's shuttered period and a basement dance club.

Even some fire-charred walls and stains from when the Rechabites allowed smoking in the hall have been left in place to help tell the building's 95-year story.

"We've very much left certain elements exposed so you can really read where some things start and where other things finish," Mr Canning said.

"That whole faux-heritage thing that sometimes happens, we've tried to avoid at all costs."

It's an approach to restoration that the Heritage Council, which funded some of the conservation work, applauded.

"That's really an important part of how we restore buildings now," council chair Anne Arnold said.

"In the old days, before heritage practice changed, everyone wanted to make everything brand new and fabulous and sometimes completely recreate it the way it was.

"Really, a building should be restored in a way that tells the story about how it progressed in its uses."

The Rechabite's centrepiece is its grand hall, designed by renowned architect Edwin Summerhayes (1868-1944) a few of his Perth buildings remain.

"It is the only temperance hall left within the Northbridge environment," Mr Canning said.

"There used to be about seven different temperance halls in this area, and this barrel-vault ceiling, which is a real feature, is one of the largest ones left in the Southern Hemisphere."

To preserve the pressed-tin ceiling, a new rooftop was installed above the original, while elevated seating floats on a kind of scaffolding without touching the walls.

"As people go up to the different levels, it's actually a really interesting way to start to read the heritage fabric right up close," Mr Canning said.

Other key elements, like the grand wooden staircase, required some alterations to meet modern safety standards.

"We had to put this new handrail in ... because to be compliant now, handrails need to be a little bit higher," Mr Canning said.

"People used to be a lot shorter, they are getting taller each year, and this is an interesting indication of that.

"The amazing tile work at the lobby entrance to the stairwell is also original, which I find amazing because it just looks so contemporary."

He said much of the heritage detail on display came as a surprise, because it had been covered by grime or additions made over the years.

"It was a wreck when you leave a building for 10 years with a window slightly ajar ..."

Asked if he had ever felt overwhelmed by the size of the task, Mr Canning said "it was like one continuous moment for last two years", but that seeing it completed was hugely rewarding.

"Everyone was very dedicated on this site and was really into the spirit of the development.

"For the builders and all the subbies working on it, it is so rare to be transforming an old heritage building like this, especially one that sits right in the heart of the city."

For the Heritage Council, it is an important addition to the historic streetscape of William Street.

"It's such an iconic building and William Street is a really important precinct," Ms Arnold said.

"It went into the register permanently in 2002, and one of the statements of significance is about the early beginning of the entertainment and arts function which is so important in Northbridge now.

"It's lovely that it is being used for social and entertainment use, which is what its original use was.

"I think it's kind of ironic that the Rechabites encouraged abstinence from alcohol and other intoxicating substances."

For Mr Canning, it was the culmination of years of work when The Rechabite reopened this month with a cabaret show.

"It's fantastic seeing people filling the space and starting to enjoy the mysterious magical labyrinth which is this venue," he said.

As the former artistic director of Perth's summer Fringe festival, he hopes the venue will offer a year-round fringe experience.

And did his father keep the Rechabite pledge never to drink?

"No, no certainly not from my memory he didn't," Mr Canning laughed.

Topics:architecture,arts-and-entertainment,design,history,community-and-society,human-interest,perth-6000,wa

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Perth temperance hall reopens, albeit with four bars, after extensive restoration - ABC News

Bengalurus infamous Bellandur and Varthur lakes have found perfect company in Doddanekundi lake yet another waterbody in Bengaluru plagued by concentrated sewage. The lake is polluted to such an extent that it has resulted in loss of species, as well as major degradation of water quality. The third largest lake in the eastern part of Bengaluru, Doddanekundi is now home to floating trash patches and unbearable stench. But unlike the other lakes that are choking in the city, the plight of this waterbody has remained largely under-reported. Its only a handful of residents and environmentalists, who are raising their concerns about this dying lake. Once a migratory birds paradise, the lake is now a cesspool Until 2016, the lake and its habitat used to be a visual treat for photographers and naturalists alike. Painted stork, pelicans, pied kingfisher, the globally threatened greater spotted eagle and many other migratory birds used to flock to the waterbody in large numbers from season to season, but their counts have dwindled over the years. The presence of birds indicated that the water quality in the lake was better and that there was plenty of fish in it. This was the scene until 2016. Then, slowly, the waterbody started getting polluted with sewage and other pollutants, says Praveen Tangirala, a resident of the area. Spread across an area of 137 acres, various species dwell in the lake and, hence, its restoration is crucial, say experts. A total of 145 species were spotted in and around the lake earlier. Out of these, 39 species were migrant varieties. Similar to the plight of many other lakes in Bengaluru, untreated sewage flowing into this waterbody has possibly resulted in depleting oxygen levels, which is affecting its fish population. One can barely see fish-eating birds like pied kingfisher, common kingfisher and spot-billed pelican around the lake anymore, while the numbers of Indian spot-billed duck and great cormorant have also decreased drastically (from over 50 in 2016-2017 to only 10-15 this year), says birdwatcher Ashwin Vishwanath.

Many blame the local authorities for its poor condition. The aftermath of the shoddy lake rejuvenation work done by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in 2014 was visible only in 2017, in the form of groundwater degradation, says P Pramod, another local resident and secretary of the Nekkundi Tank Rejuvenation Association (NeTRA). About 2 MLD (million litres per day) of sewage has been flowing into the lake for the past two months, turning it into a cesspool, Pramod complains.

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Polluted Doddanekundi lake cries for restoration, but is anyone listening? - Times of India

Work to restore a historic rectory in Nottinghamshire has finally got the go-ahead after a 15-year wait.

The Old Rectory in Clifton Village is a Grade II listed building and former care home. The building fell into disrepair after it sold at auction in 2004.

Despite some works, the site had been targeted by vandals and as time went on residents were concerned restoration would never get started.

But as of Monday, November 18, work has begun to transform the rectory into four separate homes called The Gatehouse, The Lodge, The Cottage and The Rectory, each with their own entrance and garden.

Three new luxury homes will also be built within the grounds, called Beech House, Cedar House and Oak House, which will be accessed by a gated private drive.

Once the home to the Rector of Clifton, the property dates back to the mid-1700s and is a typical Georgian-style building with south facing garden elevations.

The property has the original square stairwell with wooden cantilever stairs and large purpose-built rooms. It has a prominent position in Clifton Village.

Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has taken on the construction of the scheme, with works due to complete in autumn 2020, alongside CBP Architects and Haart Estate Agents.

Speaking after the launch event, Pat Rice, chairwoman of the Clifton Village Residents' Association said: "Progress has been delayed after experts needed to assess the building for bats. But permission was granted last month and residents are so relieved.

"We've been watching it sitting there for years as it deteriorated through vandalism.

"To see it be neglected all these years was truly heart-rending as Georgian designs are typically attractive.

"It's going to be a fantastic transformation and the contractors have said they are prepared to engage with the village to keep us updated.

"It's been good for us to meet with councillors, our local MP, the architects, contractors and marketing teams so we can see the plans.

"We're all very impressed and it should be finished to a high standard by this time next year."

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Long-awaited restoration work begins at Grade II listed rectory in Clifton Village - Nottinghamshire Live

Oncologix Tech (OTCMKTS:OCLG) and Restoration Robotics (NASDAQ:HAIR) are both medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, risk, earnings, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and profitability.

Profitability

This table compares Oncologix Tech and Restoration Robotics net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent recommendations for Oncologix Tech and Restoration Robotics, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Restoration Robotics has a consensus price target of $2.62, suggesting a potential upside of 589.47%. Given Restoration Robotics higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Restoration Robotics is more favorable than Oncologix Tech.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Oncologix Tech and Restoration Robotics revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

Oncologix Tech has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Restoration Robotics.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

17.6% of Restoration Robotics shares are held by institutional investors. 39.9% of Oncologix Tech shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 37.8% of Restoration Robotics shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Volatility & Risk

Oncologix Tech has a beta of 1.66, indicating that its stock price is 66% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Restoration Robotics has a beta of 4.26, indicating that its stock price is 326% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Oncologix Tech Company Profile

Oncologix Tech, Inc., a diversified medical holding company, provides health care services in the United States. It offers personal home care services, including daily living assistance, companionship, and homemaker services, as well as Alzheimer's care, home care resource planning, and medical care coordination services. The company also manufactures, markets, and distributes medical technologies and products for skilled nursing facilities, acute and critical care facilities, assisted living facilities, hospitals and medical institutions, federal agencies, home medical care industry, respiratory and therapy- physical/occupational therapy centers. In addition, it distributes and sells home medical equipment for sleep and respiratory therapies; supplies and services durable medical equipment to treat obstructive Sleep Apnea; C-PAP and BiPAP oxygen equipment, a large selection of mask interfaces; and offers personalized treatment plans, as well as monitoring and support services. The company was formerly known as BestNet Communications Corp. and changed its name to Oncologix Tech, Inc. in January 2007. Oncologix Tech, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is based in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Restoration Robotics Company Profile

Restoration Robotics, Inc., a medical device company, develops and commercializes image-guided robotic systems in the United States and internationally. The company offers ARTAS System, a physician-assisted robotic system that identifies and dissects hair follicular units directly from the scalp and creates recipient implant sites. Its system includes the ARTAS Hair Studio application, an interactive three-dimensional patient consultation tool that enables a physician to create a simulated hair transplant model for use in patient consultations. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

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Comparing Restoration Robotics (NASDAQ:HAIR) and Oncologix Tech (NASDAQ:OCLG) - TechNewsObserver

Eighty years after it was first built, Sir Owen Williams futuristic design remains ahead of its time

A vision of a bygone age but also a glimpse into the future - the Daily Express building remains one of Manchester's most iconic buildings.

First built in 1939, its facade of breathtaking curves, black glass and streamlined horizontal lines is often mistaken for a creation of the 21st century.

But this building has been around since before the Second World War and was originally home to printing presses.

The Daily Express ended production in Manchester in the late 1980s and ownership of the building exchanged several times.

Last year, real estate consultants OBI Property was given consent for a multi-million pound refurbishment of the 81,000 sq ft Grade II listed building on Great Ancoats Street.

The work is now complete and OBI invited the Manchester Evening News inside to take pictures of this stunning piece of architecture.

The six-storey building is set to be occupied by businesses from a wide range of sectors, including those in the creative, digital and tech scene.

Richard Lace, transactions and asset management at OBI, said: "Located in one of Manchesters most exciting districts, The Express Building is a Manchester landmark and were delighted the major restoration is now complete.

The intention was to create something timeless, that celebrates the art deco era of the original building design, using high quality materials throughout.

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A space age masterpiece brought back to life - renovation of iconic Daily Express building complete - Manchester Evening News

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program seeks to develop nation-wide-community stewardship of local natural resources, preserving these resources for future generations and enhancing habitat for local wildlife. Projects seek to address water quality issues in priority watersheds, such as erosion due to unstable streambanks, pollution from stormwater runoff, and degraded shorelines caused by development.

The program focuses on the stewardship and restoration of coastal, wetland and riparian ecosystems across the country. Its goal is to meet the conservation needs of important species and habitats, providing measurable and meaningful conservation and educational outcomes. The program requires the establishment and/or enhancement of diverse partnerships and an education/outreach component that will help shape and sustain behavior to achieve conservation goals.

Funding priorities for this program include:

To date, the Foundation has funded over 800 projects in 50 states, including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, through this program. More than $18 million in grants has leveraged more than $67 million in other funds or donated services.

Major funding for this project is provided by NFWF's partnerships with EPA, the US Forest Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Southern Company, FedEx and Shell Oil Company.

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Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program

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Amazing old buildings from across the United Kingdom are beginning to get a new life under new ownership. Individuals, couples and families attempt to restore or remodel them, mostly into homes. Buildings range from mansions and manor houses to decrepit pumping stations, churches and schools. Most of the building have been abandoned for a while and the challenges the renovators face can be quite significant. Research into the architecture of the house is done and put into context alongside a genealogy of its occupants and benefactors. the research gives context to the style and renovations while also giving the buildings a more human element. Caroline Quentin narrates and visits the sites, interviewing the families and commenting on the status of the projects. Historian Dr Kate Williams researches the people associated with the building while Architectural Expert Kieran Long put style, materials and process into historical context. Not all projects are even remotely complete by the ... Written byLadyDragon

Runtime: 60 min (6 episodes)

Aspect Ratio: 16:9 HD

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Restoration Home (TV Series 2011 ) - IMDb

Before restoration (2001)

Building restoration describes a particular treatment approach and philosophy within the field of architectural conservation.

According to the U.S. Secretary of Interior's standards, "Restoration is said as the act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. The limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a restoration project."[1]

In the United States restoration is different from preservation (American English, conservation in British English) by allowing the removal of historic materials to create an accurate portrayal of a particular time period, not necessarily the original or final time periods.

In the field of historic preservation, building restoration is the action or process of accurately revealing, recovering or representing the state of a historic building, as it appeared at a particular period in its history, while protecting its heritage value. Restoration work may be performed to reverse decay, or alterations made to the building(s)

Since Historic Building Conservation is more about fostering a deep appreciation for these famous structures and learning more about why they exist, rather than just keeping historic structures standing tall and looking as beautiful as ever, true historic building preservation aims for a high level of authenticity, accurately replicating historic materials and techniques as much as possible, ideally using modern techniques only in a concealed manner where they will not compromise the historic character of the structure's appearance.[2]

For instance a restoration might involve the replacement of outdated heating and cooling systems with newer ones, or the installation of climate controls that never existed at the time of building after careful study. Tsarskoye Selo, the complex of former royal palaces outside St Petersburg in Russia is an example of this sort of work.

Exterior and interior paint colors present similar problems over time. Air pollution, acid rain, and sun take a toll, and often many layers of different paint exist. Historic paint analysis of old paint layers now allow a corresponding chemical recipe and color to be re-produced. But this is often only a beginning as many of the original materials are either unstable or in many cases environmentally unsound. Many eighteenth century greens were made with arsenic and lead, materials no longer allowed in paints. Another problem occurs when the original pigment came from a material no longer available. For example, in the early to mid-19th century, some browns were produced from bits of ground mummies. In cases like this the standards allow other materials with similar appearance to be used and organizations like Britain's National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty will work with a historic paint color re-creator s to replicate the antique paints in durable, stable, and environmentally safe materials. In the United States the National Trust for Historic Preservation is a helpful resource. The polychrome painted interiors of the Vermont State House and Boston Public Library are examples of this type of heritage restoration.

In the United States, the Secretary of Interior is the head of the National Park Service which owns and maintains thousands of historic buildings and has been a leader in historic preservation for over 100 years. The standards were developed in 1975 and updated in 1992.[3] The standards deal with the "...materials, features, finishes, spaces, and spatial relationships..."[4] of historic buildings and are divided into preservation, rehabilitating, restoration and reconstruction. It helps to understand what building restoration is in context with the other standards:

The first steps in a restoration to the Secretary's standards are to study the building and choose a time period for the restoration. The new use of the building should be consistent with the original use or at least with the time period of the restoration. Materials which were added after the chosen time period must be documented and then may be removed while preserving and repairing the appropriate materials. Materials missing may be reconstructed to "...match the old in design, color, texture, and, where possible, materials." which are evidence based. Modern chemical and physical treatments may be gently used if they do not damage the historic materials, and archaeological resources will be preserved or mitigated. The standards recognize that there are inherent conflicts with modern codes and regulations for energy efficiency, health, safety, and accessibility. The standards allow sensitive alterations of historic buildings to meet the spirit of the codes and regulations, if necessary.

Storm restoration is the restoring of a building due to damage from a severe storm. Most damage is caused by strong wind gusts or hail, but may also include large amounts of rainfall, lightning strikes,[5] as well as extreme storms such as tornadoes and hurricanes. The majority of storm damage occurs on roofs, sides of structures, and in basements, but over time causes damage to the interior. Unlike heritage restoration, storm restoration takes place on buildings with no historic significance as well.[6] The Center of Disease Control and Prevention States that after a major storm "If you have health problems that get worse when you return home, like asthma or allergy attacks or skin or eye irritation, you may still have some mold."[7]

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Building restoration - Wikipedia

There are just some things that are a given when it comes to roofing services. You should not have to be inconvenienced in order to get your roof fixed. It is crucial that a roofing company complies to safety policies and has friendly, helpful customer service.

Free Quote

When you first speak to a contractor, you should be offered a free estimate. If you can provide them with all the information they need, you should be able to get a ballpark on your pricing, so that you can better plan your budget. This way, you will know what is expected of your contractors as well as what each price is for. This quote should break down all the costs and procedures to be done based on the issues you explained to the customer representative. If there are any additional costs, they should tell you right away. You should always be on the same page when it comes to finances.

High-Quality Customer Service

The best companies are made up of their customer service team. Hiring friendly, informative customer service is crucial in maintaining a successful business. In the end, the person you will be speaking to is a representative. During their conversation with you, they should be informative, able to answer all your questions and knowledgable enough to educate you on anything you might want know about roofing. They should be able to give you any details you might need about your roofing project so that you are left confident in your choice of picking their roofing company.

They Offer Maintenance and Repairs

Local roofing companies should offer repairs and maintenance to their customers. All loyal customers should be able to go to their roofing company for smaller fixes and any touch-ups that might be needed. A roofing companys work should be effective and trustworthy. There should be a willingness to address any issues that might come up with your new roof. Some places will have maintenance plans, meaning that they will send out contractors to you every year to inspect the state of your roof.

Training and Experience

You definitely want to make sure that all the contractors from the company you choose are able, trained workers. They should know all the safety precautions. A company should have some kind of policy in case of an injury or accident, but contractors should still know how to properly prepare and carry out their duties; regardless of insurance. A good roofing company will have insurance plans for their contractors and will not leave you liable for any accidents that might happen on your property.

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Home - HCS Restoration KC, LLC

Since 1976, Windom Construction, a professional Atlanta based home remodeling and home renovation company, has been committed to maintaining the highest standards of business practices and ethics. We are committed to providing exemplary quality professional home remodeling, home renovation, historic restoration and preservation services at fair and reasonable prices. We work on contemporary homes, older homes and homes that need historic restoration or preservation services. We are committed to creating high levels of client satisfaction and trust by earning it.

Before Home Renovation and Remodel

After Home Renovation and Remodel

With a family tradition of fine craftsmanship and construction dating back to 1885, today Windom Construction Co., Inc. builds on this tradition by providing Atlanta and Decatur homeowners a wide array of home remodeling and restoration design and construction services. As a full service home remodeling contractor, we offer services needed for all types, ages and sizes of homes and remodeling projects from bathroom to kitchen remodels to home additions to whole house remodels and more. We provide interior, structural and exterior remodeling and renovation services.

In addition to working on contemporary homes, we also have the special expertise needed for working on older homes and homes with historic restoration, renovation, and preservation needs. We also offer green building and energy efficiency remodeling and renovation services and have Certified Green Building Professionals available.

Our primary service area is within the I-285 Perimeter and includes in-town Atlanta, Buckhead, Decatur, Druid Hills, Grant Park, Virginia Highlands, Midtown, Morningside, East Atlanta, and Inman Park neighborhoods.

100% of the our clients responding said they would refer us to others when responding to a satisfaction survey by the nations leading home remodeling/building satisfaction survey firm. Not bad when you consider that for this question the national average is only 62% according to a survey for Qualified Remodeler reported in 2012.

So if you are thinking about a home remodeling or renovation or a historic restoration or preservation project contact us today and see what we can do for you. Dont forget to ask about getting a FREE Estimate.

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A Tradition of Home Remodeling, Renovation and Restoration in ...