GREENFIELD City employees and volunteers have finished planting a garden on the south end of the Fiske Avenue municipal parking lot, the first phase of a three-phase project that will continue next spring with the creation of a pocket park on the north end between the parking lot and Main Street.

The recent improvements are the result of an ongoing collaboration of the citys Department of Public Works, Recreation Department, Department of Energy and Sustainability and a group of volunteers with green thumbs, who have worked together to enhance the area.

It is very inspiring to see how the relatively small project of replacing a deteriorating retaining wall has blossomed into a transformation of a central downtown location to become an inviting space for residents to enjoy, said Mayor Roxann Wedegartner. The commitment by city staff and volunteers alike to make this project a reality highlights how special the Greenfield community is and how much can be accomplished when we work together.

The project began earlier this fall, with Wisty Rorabacher and Dorothea Sotiros heading up the volunteers, while the DPW took the lead and replaced the deteriorating retaining wall.

Rorabacher said her involvement began when she and her partner were having a meal at Mesa Verde.

The garden looked so sad and unappealing, she said. I asked if anyone would mind if we weeded the garden and trimmed the bushes. The wall also looked so pitiful.

Rorabacher said she visited with Planning and Development Director Eric Twarog and asked if the city would mind if she and other volunteers did some work in that area on Fiske Avenue. After several conversations with Twarog and other city officials, she learned Greenfield was applying for a grant to pay for the project and the DPW was going to do some of the work.

It was so inspiring to work together and see the outcome, Rorabacher said. And it was really nice that the city used local nurseries and native plants.

Energy and Sustainability Director Carole Collins said a $22,000 grant from the American Association of Retired Persons, better known as AARP, paid for the wall replacement and garden.

With assistance from the DPW, this group of committed citizens dedicated to planting gardens in and around downtown Greenfield did an amazing job converting the southern end of the site from an overgrown patch into an inviting area filled with native plants along with identifying signage, Collins said.

The garden design was based on a plan completed by the Conway School of Landscape Design to enhance downtown parking lots.

Kristin Thomas, project manager for the Conway School, which is now located in Northampton, said graduate students from the school finished designs for the pocket park in 2012. She said students who are part of the schools 10-month masters program work on real projects, often with municipalities.

In spring 2021, the north end of the site abutting Main Street will be improved with a bench, chess table, bike repair station and a grassy area to provide a place for recreation and a place for riders to wait for the bus, she said. In addition, volunteers that include business owners on Fiske Avenue will plant a garden in the strip along the new wall to include vegetables and native plant species.

There is a long list of people who made this project possible, and it was amazing to witness the labor of love by this group of volunteers who are so committed to increasing native gardens throughout Greenfield, Collins said.

To make room for the garden, two parking spaces were eliminated in the Fiske Avenue parking lot. The final phase of the project, to be completed at a later date when funds and resources allow, will move the parking area to Miles Street and include at least the same number of parking spaces as existed in the lot before the project.

Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-9591 or afritz@recorder.com.

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First phase of three-phase project completed on Fiske Avenue in Greenfield - The Recorder

Caltrans decided to build a roundabout at the intersection to improve safety after several major car accidents occurred at the intersection. For many years, there were stop signs on Vineyard Drive, but many motorists on Highway 46 drove through without stopping. Initially, they turned the intersection into a four-way stop, with signals and conspicuous signage alerting drivers of the approaching intersection. Thats how it is today.

Caltrans graded the hillside on the north side of the road. Workers are building a retaining wall on the northeast corner of the intersection to create room for the roundabout.

Currently, motorists must stop twice while traveling east or west on Highway 46 because of the construction. Signs advise motorists that traffic fines are double because it is now a construction zone.

Drivers are advised to Slow for the Cone Zone.

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About the author: News Staff

News staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote and edited this story from local contributors and press releases. Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Connect with him on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or follow his blog. He can be reached at scott@pasoroblesdailynews.com.

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Work continues on roundabout at 46 West and Vineyard Drive - Paso Robles Daily News

WELLSBURG, W.Va. (WTRF) The cold weather isnt stopping the construction of the Wellsburg Bridge.

The West Virginia Division of Highways said work is on schedule.

Contractors continue to build up the two main span piers on the West Virginia side, and the deck on the Ohio Side.

The bridges arch is being assembled and its cables strung offsite.Once its ready, the contractor will float the structure down the river in February.

A specialized subcontractor will do that work, which involves loading barges with hydraulic jacks.

Theyll get under the structure, lift it, and float it down the river. Once they get it turned in place or just up stream of the proposed crossing then theyll get into the jacking process and that takes some time. I mean, you can only go up small increments.

Witherow said crews are also hard at work on the Route 2 retaining wall.

In Brilliant, most of the construction on 3rd Street is complete.

The bridge that will connect Wellsburg to Brilliant is still on track for a November 2022 completion.

Watch the progress live here.

Link:
Contractors assembling Wellsburg Bridge arch, will begin to put in place in February - WTRF

Express News Service

CHENNAI: Every time it rains continuously in the city, the damaged flood-retaining wall along the Adyar river gives sleepless nights to residents nearby.Over 2,000 families living in Amma Kannammal and Punniakodi streets, and parts of Sarathy Nagar and other areas in West Saidapet and Jafferkhanpet have been demanding reconstruction of the retaining wall for around ten years now.

The already damaged wall took a heavy beating during the 2015 floods. Some parts of the wall was later patched up with iron sheets to prevent children from falling into the river and other mishaps. The sheets are flimsy and wont withstand a flood. We have raised the issue several times with the authorities but no action has been taken, says Sarathy Nagar resident Gokul V.

Vasu A, of Punniakodi Street which lies very near to the river, recalls the ruins of 2015 floods. All who had grocery shops on ground floors here suffered huge losses. There was water for up to 10-15 feet. We cannot afford to handle such a situation again, he said.One cyclone has just left and we hear that another one is coming. Any news like this keeps us on our toes. We keep checking the water levels, and lose sleep at nights, he added.

Whenever heavy rain is forecast, the residents here begin the arduous exercise of lifting all expensive and valuable items to the first or second floors. People who live in single-storey houses pack their valuables and request their neighbours to safe-keep them until the clouds pass.

Legal advisor to the residents welfare association at Sarathy Nagar, Shanmugaraj A, recalls that the struggle began in 2010. We have taken our issue to the local political leaders belonging to both Dravidian majors, and the Public Works Department officers.

Still, the wall remains damaged and the residents here live ill at ease, Shanmugaraj said. When contacted, a PWD official said that about 500 metres of the damaged retaining wall was repaired in 2019. Works for a 4-km wall stretch remain. We will take up the works soon, the official added.

Will take up works soon, says PWD officialThe already damaged wall took a heavy beating during the 2015 floods. A PWD official said that about 500 metres of the damaged retaining wall was repaired in 2019. Works for a 4-km wall stretch remain.We will take up the works soon, the official added.

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Damaged retaining wall gives sleepless nights to residents - The New Indian Express

Further detailed ground investigations are to be undertaken shortly to confirm the cause of the collapse to the retaining wall at Belgrave Road in Ventnor.

The findings will help engineers design and implement a scheme to repair the wall and re-open the road. It is envisaged that repair work could begin in early summer 2021 and be completed by the end of October.

Twice weekly inspectionsVisual site inspections continue to take place at both Belgrave Road and Esplanade Road twice weekly to monitor any wall movement and cracking at the top of the terrace and the middle and lower sections. Additional inspections are also held after periods of bad weather.

These inspections have shown no further significant movement, cracking or deterioration in recent weeks.

Island Roads Service Director Steve Ashman, said,

Until now, more detailed investigations have been hampered by the Covid-19 restrictions and while there has been no significant movement, remedial works remain a priority.

We are now in a position to step up the investigations and the forthcoming survey work will help us to plan a way forward with the Isle of Wight Council.

House surveysAs a prelude to the investigation, a survey of six homes on Belgrave Road is to be undertaken so their condition during both investigation and construction works at what remains a sensitive site can be monitored.

An indicative timetable has been communicated to residents and local stakeholders as part of the commitment of Island Roads and the Isle of Wight Council to keep the local community informed of developments.

Ward: We are now working to a scheduleIsle of Wight Council portfolio holder, Cllr Ian Ward, said,

It is important that the next steps are decided based on sound evidence and the forthcoming survey work should give us the information needed to design and implement the best possible solution.

While, for reasons stated, it has not been possible to undertake these investigations before now, we hope residents and the Ventnor community are assured that we are now working to a schedule, albeit at this stage, an indicative one.

It goes without saying that we will do all we can to complete the work in as short a timeframe as possible, though we must also ensure that at all times we maintain the safety of residents, local people and our workforce.

We would like to thank residents for their ongoing co-operation and understanding and we will ensure both they and the wider local community are kept up to date with the latest developments.

BackgroundIt was at the end of January this year that part of the retaining wall at Belgrave Road failed.

Subsequently the site has been enclosed with wire netting to protect residents from any potential dislodged debris.

Sandbags are also in place to reduce the risk of surface water entering the failed area.

News shared by Claire on behalf of Island Roads. Ed

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Repair to collapsed retaining wall could begin next summer, say Island Roads - On The Wight

Ronnell Laberth, 26, died on November 28, 2020 around 2 a.m. in a fatal single-motor vehicle collision which occurred on West Rocky River Road Charlotte, NC.

The preliminary investigation indicates Ronnell was driving a Acura and entered a curve at a high rate of speed, traveled off the roadway, down an embankment and struck a dirt retaining wall.

After striking the retaining wall the Acura was forced back into the roadway and overturned onto its roof where it came to a final resting position.No other motor vehicles were involved in the crash, and there were no other occupants inside the Acura.

Medic arrived at the site of Ronnell inside the up side down vehicle. The Charlotte Fire Department and medics removed Ronnell from the Acura to provide medical aid; however, Ronnell was pronounced deceased on scene.

Ronnell was wearing a seat belt and was not ejected from the Acura. A toxicology test is pending to determine if impairment is a contributing factor.

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MAN KILLED AFTER VEHICLE RUNS OFF ROAD AND INTO RETAINING WALL - News Maven

The Kerala High Court on Friday issued notice to the State government and the Kumbalam panchayat on a writ petition challenging the ongoing construction of a multi-storey market and shopping complex on a reclaimed land at Kumbalam, in violation of the CRZ norms.

The petition was filed byT.P. Stanly of Kaloor. According to him, the construction of a multi-storey shopping complex and market building under the Kumbalam bridge on the northern side of the backwaters by filling around one acre was illegal.

It was being undertaken without getting any sanction from the Coastal Zone Regulation Authority. The Kumbalam panchayat had constructed a new retaining wall in the backwaters, around 50 metres away from the old retaining wall earlier constructed.

The construction was being carried out in reclaimed areas, he alleged.

The petitioner said that the action of the Kumbalam panchayat was a clear violation of the CRZ norms and Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act and Environment (Protection) Act. The derbis from the demolished flats bear Maradu was being used to reclaim the backwaters. Despite serious protests from the public and demand for the stoppage of illegal construction and encroachment in the Kumbalam backwaters, the panchayat was going ahead with the work, the petitioner alleged.

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HC admits plea against construction on reclaimed land - The Hindu

Sandwich, N.H. | $550,000An 1845 farmhouse with four bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, on a 0.29-acre lot

This house is on Main Street in Center Sandwich, an area in the historic town of Sandwich, about two hours north of Boston. Squam Lake, where scenes in the 1981 movie On Golden Pond were filmed, and where there is a beach open only to residents, abuts the towns southwest corner. The White Mountain National Forest is directly north. Center Sandwich has one restaurant, a library, a post office, two art galleries, a Shaker chair workshop and a kindergarten-through-sixth-grade school, and this house is a quick walk from all of them. It backs onto Quimby Field, a preserved green space with sports areas.

Size: 2,810 square feet

Price per square foot: $196

Indoors: The house, which has apparently been expanded over the generations, is a cluster of volumes with gabled roofs, including the original barn (now a garage with an upper recreation space). In front are a foyer with a winding staircase set off by red chinoiserie wallpaper, and a parlor with wide pine floorboards and bookcases flanking a window with a bench. Behind that is a combined living-and-dining room (with more built-ins, more wide, antique floorboards and a wood-burning stove). The adjacent kitchen is wrapped in white cabinets and emerald tile, and has space in the middle for a table. From there, a flight of stairs takes you down to a ground-level sunroom with French doors leading out to the meadow-like backyard. A nearby staircase rises to the second floor.

The master suite extends from the front to the back of the house. At one end is a bedroom covered in floral wallpaper; at the other is a sitting room or office with a view down to the kitchen. Between these rooms, along a private hallway, are a walk-in closet and a bathroom with a shower and twin sinks.

Also on the second floor is a guest room with striped blue wallpaper and an en suite bathroom with a combined tub and shower.

A door on the second floor leads to the upper level of the barn-garage, a finished, insulated double-height space with platforms, paneled walls and rough-hewed beams.

An additional two bedrooms are on the third floor. They have splatter-painted floorboards and are connected. One is paneled and has green-painted shelves and storage cabinets; the other has exposed beams, low closets and a bathroom with a shower. There is also an unfinished walkout basement.

Outdoor space: The backyard flows into Quimby Field. The garage has room for two cars parked in tandem and includes extra storage space.

Taxes: $4,884

Contact: Lisa Wardlaw, Lamprey Real Estate Associates, 603-253-8131; lampreyrealestate.com

Designed by an architect for his own use, this house is in the foothills southeast of downtown Santa Fe, about eight miles from the Plaza. It sits in a 1970s subdivision called Overlook at the edge of a national forest, among ponderosa pines and rocky outcroppings. The views are said to be particularly spectacular at sunset, when the mountains to the east are painted with rose and violet beams from the west. Stargazing is also prime here.

Size: 1,837 square feet

Price per square foot: $318

Indoors: About half of the square footage is taken up by a great room with a vaulted wood ceiling with exposed trusses and a long eastern wall of glass. An open kitchen with wood cabinetry and Talavera-tile counters and wall finishes occupies a corner of the room, and includes new stainless steel appliances and an angled breakfast bar topped in wood slabs with natural edges. A wood-burning stove is near the rooms western wall.

The master bedroom is to the right of the central hall, on the buildings south side. Casement windows wrap from floor to ceiling around a corner. In the en suite bathroom, Talavera tile decorates the vanity top and walls, and there is a large walk-in shower with a window.

The guest bedroom is directly opposite the central hall, on the north side, and has the same window configuration. It is served by a bathroom with colorful tile and a combined tub and shower.

A small upper level consists of a hallway lined in open shelves that leads to a hexagonal meditation room ringed by small, square windows and covered by a translucent plastic dome. There are also two attic storage rooms and an unfinished basement.

Outdoor space: A deck steps down from the northeast side of the great room. A cistern collects rainwater.

Taxes: $4,309 (estimated)

Contact: Alan Vorenberg, Sothebys International Realty, 505-470-3118; sothebysrealty.com

In the 1990s, this wood-sided house in northeast Nashville was owned by Marty Stuart, a country and bluegrass musician whose most popular song, which he wrote with Ronny Scaife in 1991, is The Whiskey Aint Workin. Mr. Stuart and his wife, the country singer Connie Smith, sold the property in 2001 to the current owners after fitting it out with antique corbels, stained glass and other architectural features sourced from around the world. They also extended the outdoor spaces and built a retaining wall from rock.

The house, which was expanded in 1950 from a two-room fishing cabin, is about 20 minutes from downtown and 10 minutes northwest of the Grand Ole Opry. Its dock was washed away in a 2010 flood and could be legally replaced. (The property occupies the second highest elevation on the street, but flood insurance is required with a mortgage.) The General Jackson Showboat paddles by regularly.

Size: 2,100 square feet

Price per square foot: $286

Indoors: A ramp, built for the comfort of a dog with hip dysplasia and easily removable, leads to a late-19th-century front door with hand-embossed hinges and diamond panes. It opens to an interior paneled in redwood, with a tile-floored entry hall that has a wall of hammered-copper squares.

Beyond is a living room. Mr. Stuart added the stone fireplace, whose mantel was cut from a beam that had been on his grandfathers Mississippi farm. Carved corbels fill the corners of the dining area entranceway.

As you move to the back the river side of the house the kitchen is on the left. It has a granite-topped island and stainless steel appliances. The wood cabinets were custom built to fit the compact space.

Turning right from the front door takes you to the master suite, which includes a bedroom with wood floors and French doors that open to a deck, and a bathroom with double bowl sinks and mirrors, a walk-in terrazzo-clad shower and a toilet room.

The second bedroom is between the kitchen and sunroom. It has a built-in wardrobe with mirrored doors and has use of a bathroom with an antique vanity and a glass-walled shower.

The sunroom is an enclosed portion of the back porch with wood floors, a sloping ceiling and a fireplace whose mantel is supported by a pair of corbels.

Outdoor space: The home has multiple seating areas overlooking the river on various levels, the most prominent being the wide, covered rear deck that can be reached from the living room, sun porch and master bedroom. A second deck is on the side of the house, and a third is off the basement level. Grass is planted beyond the retaining wall, and steps lead down to the former dock area. Parking for two vehicles is in a carport on one side of the house; the expanded woodworking shop is on the other side.

Taxes: $2,478 (2019, based on a tax assessment of $78,550)

Contact: Vicki Hertel, Regal Realty Group, 615-636-8253; realestatebook.com

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$600,000 Homes in New Hampshire, New Mexico and Tennessee - The New York Times

Sunapee, NH North Branch Construction was recognized at the Associated Builders and Contractors NH/VT Chapter 2020 Annual Excellence in Construction Awards ceremony held virtually on October 29, 2020.

The firm was honored to receive an Excellence in Construction Award in the Private Residence over $1 million category for the new construction of a private lakeside residence on the shores of Lake Sunapee. The project, designed by Marcus Gleysteen Architects of Boston, focused on maximizing access to lake views and the surrounding natural environment, while incorporating more energy-efficient building products and techniques.

The project consisted of demolition of the existing 1970s-era home on the lot to make way for a new 5,907 s/f, two-story home with large glass expanses along the lake-side of the structure providing views of Lake Sunapee. In addition, unique design elements on the project included exposed beam wood ceilings, an open-plank floating stairway to the second floor, and a large-format stone fireplace.

Warmboard, a structural subfloor and radiant panel all-in-one system, was used for the installation of the radiant heat flooring. The product allows for the use of low water temperatures, decreasing energy use and expense, and providing access to a wider variety of flooring options, from carpets to hardwood.

Challenges in accessing the site due to limited room around the new structure, steep access to the site, a retaining wall on the access road requiring a redesign to ensure the integrity of the access road to the site, and working through winter conditions were all overcome through careful pre-planning and creative solutions. The owners garage was used for completing carpentry and painting that could not be done outside due to the cold temperatures, allowing the project schedule to move along steadily throughout the winter. In addition, the masonry work was able to continue throughout the winter due to the construction of a temporary greenhouse type shelter that allowed for ongoing work despite the low temperatures and snowy conditions.

The ABC Excellence in Construction Award winners are determined by an independent panel of judges based on execution of design, craftsmanship, attention to detail, safety, and other considerations. The competition includes Awards of Excellence and Awards of Merit in several categories, including electrical, mechanical, commercial, institutional, industrial, private residential, and design-build.

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North Branch receives 2020 ABC Excellence in Construction Award - New England Real Estate Journal Online

MUSCATINE, IowaThe Public Art Advisory Commission for the City of Muscatine announces two public art opportunities. The first consists of a mural project on Houser Street. Organizations may submit applications. Up to five organizations will receive a $300 stipend to complete a mural project on a section of retaining wall between Hershey and Lucas. The second seeks qualified artists for a public art installation in or near the roundabout at Second and Mulberry.

Muscatine clubs and organizations are invited to apply to work on a mural, explains Melanie Alexander, city staff liaison to the Public Art Advisory Commission and director of the Muscatine Art Center: We hope student and youth groups as well as service organizations and non-profits consider developing a concept for a mural. Ideally, each of the five murals should celebrate Muscatines history, share a positive message, or promote another unique feature of the community.

Clubs and organizations will have the option either to complete the project themselves or to work with or hire artists or muralists from the region. Upon request, the Public Art Advisory Commission will help match selected organizations with a muralist. Artists who would like to apply should contact the Muscatine Art Center. Mural painting should begin in summer 2021 with a target completion date of Oct. 1, 2021.

The public art installation for the roundabout has a target completion date of summer 2022. The more lengthy process will allow the Public Art Advisory Commission to gather input from the public and community stakeholders.

The request for qualifications extends to artists living in Iowa or a neighboring state. Artists with prior experience completing a public art installation should apply. From the qualified applicants, the Public Art Advisory Commission will select up to three artists who will receive $750 stipends to complete a concept for an installation in or near the Second and Mulberry roundabout. They will then share the concepts with the public.

Because the roundabout is the entryway to downtown, the Public Art Advisory Commission is looking for artists who can create something that is unique to Muscatine and can deliver a project that takes into account several logistical concerns especially in regards to the safety of pedestrians and drivers, states Alexander.

Both projects represent firsts for the Public Art Advisory Commission, which formed in July 2019. It consists of five community members appointed by City Council, one staff member from the Muscatine Art Center, and one from the Parks and Recreation Department. The group devoted its first year to reviewing how other communities carry out public art projects and securing a grant that covers stipends for the artists creating concepts for an installation at Second and Mulberry. Originally, the advisory commission had planned to hold two forums about public art, but COVID-19 disrupted plans to hold this type of large gathering.

Moving forward on not one but two pubic art projects is a silver lining for 2020, explains Alexander. We are excited to see how artists and organizations respond to these opportunities.

Artists and organizations can find applications for both the mural project and the installation at Second and Mulberry on the Muscatine Art Centers website, http://www.muscatineartcenter.org, on the Artists page under Get Involved. The applications are also available on the bid postings page of the City of Muscatines website. Interested artists and organizations can also call 563-263-8282 to request the materials. The commission must receive applications for the mural project by Feb. 1, 2021.and the requests for qualifications by March 1, 2021.

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Muscatine seeks artists and groups for public art projects | Discover Muscatine - Discover Muscatine