Joint Safety Services Building By KEVIN CORVO Wednesday February 11, 2015 9:43 AM View Larger

Hilliard City Council members are expected to authorize the city's share of a $350,000 remodeling project at the Joint Safety Services Building on Northwest Parkway, a facility shared by the Hilliard Division of Police and Norwich Township Fire Department.

Legislation was introduced at the Feb. 9 meeting of the public safety and legal affairs committee to authorize the expenditure of $250,000 for the city's share of the project.

Norwich Township would contribute about $100,000 toward the total cost and would oversee the project, police Chief Doug Francis said.

The agreement is expected to be approved at City Council's next regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Hilliard Municipal Building, 3800 Municipal Way.

Francis said the project should be done by the end of September.

Francis said "a few things have changed" since the facility opened in 2009, but most of the changes center on the police side. Not the least of which was the relocation of police, fire and EMS dispatching in 2013 to the Northwest Regional Emergency Communications Center in Dublin.

The former dispatching area will be used for additional office space for support services, Francis said.

The building's interior also will be reconfigured.

Renovations include moving wall partitions to nearly double the size of the mayor's court, Francis said, as well as expand meeting rooms the township utilizes.

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Remodeling would cost city $250K

A trip to the emergency room in the middle of the night can be one of the most frightening experiences in a persons life. Lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to machines, uncertain what the diagnosis will be; it can be a nightmare for patients and their families.

Officials at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Terra Linda hope to improve critical care and reduce waiting time with the hospitals new emergency room.

When completed, the new emergency department will have 18 treatment bays in 17,500 square feet nearly triple the size of the current facility.

The new ER is part of a remodeling project that includes a new parking structure. Hospital officials declined to discuss the cost of the project.

We are very pleased that one of the main improvements is space to allow us to take care of our patients even better, said Joe Fragola, Kaiser Permanente Regional Media Relations Specialist.

Fragola said the new emergency department, scheduled to open in the Spring, will feature two large trauma bays, a dedicated receiving area and entrance for patients with possible infectious disease or exposure to hazardous materials, including a decontamination area and isolation areas.

The new facilities also include specially designed rooms close to the waiting area, where less sick or injured patients can be seen quickly, cared for expertly and discharged much sooner without going into the more urgent treatment bays, Fragola said.

The new rooms will allow medical personnel to keep patient flow moving and focus on patients in greater need of urgent treatment.

The treatment rooms will be private and spacious to accommodate patients, families, physician, staff and important equipment. There will also be increased space in the ER for paramedics to do perform work when they deliver patients.

The entire design is patient/family centered and focused, Fragola said. The plan is for little to no waiting room time, patients will be roomed immediately. The care for those will less minor illness and injury will focus on seeing those patients right away, caring for them and discharging them efficiently.

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Terra Linda hospital wraps up ER revamp

Feb. 11, 2015 5:25 p.m.

Our bathroom remodel is underway!

http://www.splashingingrace.com

Remodelingthe sounds of hammering, sawing, and the sight of torn out drywall, a discolored sub-floor, exposed pipes, and a spaghetti of wiringthrill my heart. Do you doubt it? Its true. My husband and I have remodeled homes for over eighteen years and shivers of excitement fill my heart every time. I find it so satisfying to envision, design, and witness the entwining of ideas into a useful reality.

This week, we are leaping into a new task. Our main floor bathroom is getting a forty-year much overdue overhaul. Its pretty exciting to watch the process unfold. An even greater joy, however, comes from watching my husband and son work to tackle the project together. My husband instructs and our son follows. He rips out and our son discards the old. My husband corrects issues and our son adds to his learning.

Lovely isnt it?

As I look into that torn up room, I wonder how thrilling it is for God to transform us and make us new. We may feel alarmed by the gutting and the shredding but He sees the pruning away of all that is rotting and useless. We may feel the shards that drive in and pierce our hearts, but Hes nurturing us in compassion, empathy, and love for others. We may feel the crushing weight of His hands, pushing and pulling, all while God shapes us into a more useful dwelling place for His glory. Im very glad that were loved that much, and that God isnt content to stand by and allow us to stay the same. I too often get comfortable rolling around in my ugly sin and content with my limited usefulness.

I suppose, just like any overhaul in life, messiness is a precursor to any beautification process. Im not sure how long our project will take this time, but if history acts as a good gauge, it may last one month or three. I am dancing with gratefulness that its started. Very soon, this whole demolition will fade to a mere memory, it will be behind us, and then well all be enjoying it. We will be left with something beautified and much more useful. The next bathroom project is waiting in line though. Its waiting around the corner, up a flight of stairs, and down our hall.

In a similar pattern of a previous line-up of undertakingsI cant help but realize that Im getting a sneak peek into something divine. God is at constant work in our lives too. Over the last few years, Ive felt the prying away of sin. Ive felt the cutting away of unfruitful habits and the gritty sanding away of the rough splintery places. I was content but God wasnt. I once thought that what I was living with was just fineeven tolerable. God, however, saw what was lurking below the surface in my marriage and in me. In all honesty, He exposed more than I wanted to see. I didnt want to view the dark ugliness. Id been living in a hidden mess for well over two years and instead of keeping His distanceGod has placed His loving hands all over my heart, mind, and spirit. Hes chiseled at our marital foundation, filled in the cracks, and continues to make the necessary repairs. God also reminds me, yet again, that hoping in the Lord and His workdoes renew our strength. We are now entering the rebuilding phase on a stronger foundation, and wowit feels so good.

I believe beauty and renewal are not far off for any of us. A masterpiece can arrive in Gods perfect timeif we give Him welcome access to our lives and hearts. His faithful attention, diligence, and creativity will re-create us like weve never dreamed possible. Sometimes, its difficult to think about such things when we are on the brink of marital or personal destruction though. As a neighboring demolition site, I want to remind you that God wont quite working before His mission is completeHe loves you too much. Its about time to let Him have at itdont ya think?

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A Remodeling Project With Heart

Sierra Medical Center is closing its front entrance and front parking lot for about seven months as part of a construction project at the West Central El Paso hospital, 1700 Murchison.

The construction is part of a $120 million remodeling and expansion project, which began last year, for Sierra, Providence Memorial Hospital, and Providence Children's Hospital, Sierra officials reported. The hospitals are owned and operated by Tenet Healthcare Corp., of Dallas.

Sierra's exterior will be revamped, the emergency room redesigned, and improvements made to waiting areas. All rooms will be made private, and a new neuro intensive care unit and new cardiac intensive care unit will be added. Operating rooms have already been revamped.

The front parking lot will close Friday, and the front entrance will close Monday, and reopen in September. People can enter the hospital through the emergency room and admitting department entrances.

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Sierra Medical Center closing front entrance for remodeling project

Kathy #39;s Room Remodeling
Kathy, a survivor of human trafficking and new friend to The Morning Cruise, recently told us that she had never had a room to call her own. That changed qui...

By: themorningcruise

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Kathy's Room Remodeling - Video

NEW YORK (PRWEB) February 09, 2015

Paula McDonald PMD Development LLC of New York, NY was recently awarded Best Of Houzz for Customer Satisfaction by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. The highly reputable interior design firm was chosen by the more than 25 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than 500,000 active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals. With over 20 years experience in the field, PMD Development provides excellent quality construction and service, from concept to completion. This is the second year in a row they have won this prestigious award.

Winning this award for the second year in a row is amazing for us!! It makes a huge difference for reaching new customers in the Houzz community, said Paula McDonald, Owner & Managing Director for PMD Development. I think our success begins with treating each project as if it were my own home and providing extraordinary attention to every detail from start to finish! Houzz is a proven new business resource for us, and this award raises the bar for both our credentials in this profession and our differentiation from our competitors in this market. We hope to achieve the Best of Houzz design recognition with the business underway next year!!

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Design and Customer Satisfaction. Design award winners work was the most popular among the more than 25 million monthly users on Houzz, known as Houzzers. Customer Satisfaction honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2014. Winners will receive a Best Of Houzz 2015 badge on their profiles, helping Houzz users around the world who discover and love a professionals work to learn even more about that business popularity and satisfaction rating among their peers in the Houzz community.

Houzz provides homeowners with a 360 degree view of home building, remodeling and design industry professionals, empowering them to engage the right people and products for their project, said Liza Hausman, vice president of industry marketing for Houzz. Were delighted to recognize Paula McDonald PMD Development LLC among our Best Of professionals as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.

Follow Paula McDonald on Houzz http://www.houzz.com/pro/pmddllc/__public

About Paula McDonald - PMD Development LLC Paula McDonalds Design Build practice brings New York City homeowners visions to life through her ultimate full service Residential Construction firm since 2008. This one stop shop enables a faster, seamless and easier way for homeowners to approach remodeling any type of residential space. From the first meeting to final finished project, Paulas approach to delivering each clients dream residence is through both innovation in design and a holistic delivery of each clients vision and lifestyle. This award-winning firm, recognized in prestigious design and consumer venues, is located in the heart of NoMad on 220 Fifth Ave, 4th floor, New York, NY. For more information, visit http://www.pmddllc.com

About Houzz Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish - online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin and Sydney. For more information, visit http://www.houzz.com.

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Paula McDonald - PMD Development LLC of New York, NY Receives Best Of Houzz 2015 Award

Plans to make major renovations to the second floor courtroom at the Wright County Courthouse are in the preliminary stages of development.

The board of supervisors talked last week with Andy Yackle, director of building and grounds, and Sonja Wilson and John Bloom of Slingshot Architecture in Des Moines.

This is not going to be done right away, Yackle explained. We will start saving money to pay for the project. His hope is for construction to begin sometime in the spring or summer of 2016.

The courthouse was built in the early 1890s for about $50,000 and was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1981. It has been renovated numerous times. A major remodel of the second floor courtroom was completed in the 1970s, according to Yackle.

Bloom explained the first proposal. The jury box would be on the south rather than the north side of the courtroom. A series of six-foot high walls would also be installed to keep the judge obscured from view as he enters. The judge would not be seen until he almost gets to the witness stand, Yackle explained. The public would enter through the main door on the west side of the room. County and state employees would have their own bathroom. Similar to the current courtroom, the holding room and conference room would be on the west side, opposite the judge's seat. There would be no third room (office) as there is now.

In the second proposal, the jury box would be on the south side rather than the north side. The judge would be completely out of sight until he reaches his seat. Rather than a conference and holding room on the west side, they would be on the south side of the courtroom next to the jury box. It allows for a little bit more seating than the first option because the room is aligned with the back entrance, Wilson said.

In the third option, the jury box is back on the north, with the conference and holding room on the west, opposite the judges seat, which is comparable to the current set up. There would be no third room, but a vestibule closed off by a six-foot wall would separate the two rooms.

In each of the proposals, the existing pews and the judges seat would be re-used, but the judges platform would be rebuilt. Also, each plan calls for a mezzanine overlooking the courtroom. The public would access the room on the third floor. According to Yackle, the room could be used in several ways and would hold around 40 people. It would be used if you need more seating, and would also be a great place to seat the media, he added.

The four windows on the east wall would be opened up after having been blocked for approximately 40 years. Wall, floor and ceiling repairs would be completed as needed.

A key to the whole project is making sure to follow the guidelines of the National Registry of Historic Places in order to qualify for grants and other funding. Yackle said he would be applying for a number of other grants and other options.

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Supervisors hear about courtroom remodeling

For this Santa Barbara home, Cathy Haslem and Julie Pickert of Duet Interior Design transformed a spare but cluttered laundry room into an efficient, inviting and comfortable work space. (Duet Interior Design photo)

For this Santa Barbara home, Cathy Haslem and Julie Pickert of Duet Interior Design transformed a spare but cluttered laundry room into an efficient, inviting and comfortable work space. (Duet Interior Design photo)

By Dave Bemis, Noozhawk Contributing Writer | @NoozhawkNews | Published on 02.04.2015 1:15 p.m.

[Click here for a related Noozhawk photo gallery.]

Anyone who has ever carried a heavy load to a laundromat knows what a joy it is to have a laundry room at home. Lately, however, some homeowners are taking that happiness to another level by putting serious thought and money into these utilitarian rooms.

Based on photos posted by viewers, Mitchell Parker of Houzz.com a website for home remodeling and design has compiled a list of this years top trends in laundry rooms.

By far the biggest buzz is about pets, Parker notes, and particularly pet-washing stations. If that seems like an extravagant use of space, try getting a muddy, 80-pound German shepherd into and out of the family bathtub. And then try to clean the tub well enough that you would like to sit in it yourself. Be sure to leave enough time to wipe off the floor, walls and ceiling as well, after the clean dog shakes off all that water.

Because the washing machine already requires the same water pipes and drains, it makes some practical sense to put a pet-washing station in the same room. People planning a new home can build the idea into their design. Some homeowners who have remodeled their laundry rooms have made space for the pet-washing station by stacking their washer and dryer.

Another popular feature is a drying rack, or more than one. Some racks are rows of rods that fold down from a wall or from under a cabinet. Others pull out like drawers to reveal a screen that is perfect for laying a garment flat to dry.

Third on Parkers list are cubbies of all sizes. In tight spaces, perhaps theyre just big enough to hold laundry supplies. In larger rooms, some people have created spaces big enough so that each cubby can hold its own laundry basket. By labeling each basket with the name of a family member, the parent who does the laundry can teach the kids to take their own clean clothes back to their rooms and put it all away.

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Todays Laundry Room Trends Elegantly Raising Profile of Utilitarian Spaces

Grocery haul and makeup room remodeling
via YouTube Capture.

By: Karina Ramos

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Grocery haul and makeup room remodeling - Video

Bryan Health is looking to make the hospital cafeteria a place people rave about.

Less than a year after overhauling its main and plaza cafeterias at Bryan West Campus, the hospital system plans to do the same at its East Campus main cafeteria.

"Food is such a component of healing that hospitals have to upgrade," said David Reese, vice president of clinical and support services at Bryan Health.

The East Campus cafeteria hasn't been remodeled in at least 20 years, Reese said, which puts it long past due for an upgrade.

Among the work planned as part of the $2.7 million project are:

* Expansion of the serving line area, with the addition of a noodle station and pizza oven.

* Replacement of all serving equipment, including grills and range hoods.

* Addition of digital menu boards.

* A 20 percent increase in seating, with more variety, including bar seating with cellphone charging stations and lounge-type seating with couches.

Before the remodeling work starts, the hospital is overhauling the menu, starting with breakfast. When the West Campus cafeterias were remodeled, Bryan Health hired an executive chef who will oversee changes in the East Campus menus.

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Bryan East plans major remodeling work