Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A farmer was blasted with a shotgun in both his knee and foot and had a weapon pressed against his teeth in a terrifying robbery, a court heard.

An armed, masked gang stormed the home of Charles Baldwin and his partner Patricia Musselle near Ormskirk and used "excessive violence" to steal jewellery, bank cards and firearms.

Preston Crown Court was told how two shots were fired against 65-year-old Mr Baldwin and left him with a "devastating" foot injury. The raid also "blew the patio door away".

Prosecutor Francis McEntee told a jury that Mr Baldwin was sleeping in his summer house behind his home on Home Farm, Back Lane, Aughton, at the time of the raid and there remains a "moderate risk of amputation".

Six men are accused of carrying out the violent robbery, but deny all the charges.

The court heard that Mr Baldwin had drunk five gin and tonics and was suddenly awoken when the patio doors were blown off by the gunfire.

The victim recalled how he was fast asleep when he heard a commotion, the ECHO reports.

He got up to investigate with his small dog and saw up to four masked men brandishing shotguns, which were used to fire at him, causing him to duck in horror.

The robbery happened between 8.30 and 9.30pmon July 28, 2019.

It led to Mr Baldwin being "frogmarched" in through the French doors to his home, in front of his partner.

Mr McEntee told the jury: "He had been deeply asleep, startled to be awoken by four armed men and in a daze, having had a shot fired close by him.

"From that moment Mr Baldwin was under the control of the offenders, and any further violence was wholly unnecessary."

Mr McEntee told the jury Mr Baldwin was immediately confronted by demands for cash amid threats he would be shot.

He told the court Mr Baldwin was shot after offering to show the gang his cash box before he was sat at his computer desk, where watches were taken from the drawers.

But the apparent ringleader was "not satisfied" with this haul, the court heard, and insisted Mr Baldwin "kept loads of cash."

When he denied having more money, he was again shot, this time in the foot, Mr McEntee said.

The ringleader asked Mr Baldwin if he had guns, to which Mr Baldwin replied that he did, but he was reluctant to hand them over if they were used to hurt someone else.

Mr McEntee said: "Under threat of having the end of a firearm pressed into his teeth, Mr Baldwin, indicated that the keys for his gun cabinet were in a clock on the wall.

"During the subsequent search of the premises, the robbers seized jewellery, bank cards together with PIN numbers and firearms.

"One particular item stolen during the robbery was a gold bracelet, taken directly from Mr Baldwins wrist.

"Mr Baldwin had been concerned not to lose the bracelet, and had fashioned a cable-tie to keep it secure.

"In order to remove the cable, Mr Baldwin had to use a paper knife that was on his desk, supervised very closely by the lead offender, who warned him against getting any ideas about using the knife.

"Whether it was a consequence of Mr Baldwin feigning that he was having a heart attack, or whether the robbers had realised all that they could from their raid on the premises, the offenders left, giving a clear warning as they departed."

One of them, brandishing two guns, told him: "Don't call the police for an hour, cos if you do I'll come back and kill you."

Thomas Cunningham, 58, of Back Lane, Aughton, who is a neighbour of Mr Baldwin, Anthony Hill, 40, of Oakdale Close, Kirkby, Craig Reynolds, 36, of Birchmuir Hey, Kirkby, and Alan Hemmings, 45, of Balmoral Close, Kirkby, Dean Sanders, 32, of St Andrews Court, North Shields, and Anthony Shrimpton, 32, of Kirkby Row, Kirkby, all deny conspiring to commit robbery.

Sanders also faces two charges of Section 18 grievous bodily harm and having a firearm with intent which he denies.

The jury was told how a man called Alan Daniels, 37, from Kirkby, has pleaded guilty to his part in the incident.

The court was told Daniels shot Mr Baldwin twice, and his DNA was found on the paper knife used to free the gold bracelet.

After the gang left, Mr Baldwin and his partner Ms Musselle were scared enough to not call the police, and so called relatives and others living on his farmland.

By this time, the jury heard, the offenders were "clear away."

Mr Baldwin's injuries needed repeated surgeries and while his knee has recovered well, his foot was far more seriously injured, the trial was told.

There remains a "moderate risk of amputation and he will be left with a "significant functional loss in this foot."

After the robbery, Mr Baldwin's bank cards were used at a cash point on Longmoor Lane, Fazakerley, about an hour later, when 300 was withdrawn and then amounts of 300 and 275.

Mr McEntee said, aside from Daniels, there is no "direct evidence" the other six defendants were involved in the armed robbery, but there were "strands which when brought together establish the fabric of a strong case against each."

Proceeding

For the latest news and breaking news visit the LancsLive website.

Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.

To keep updated, follow LancsLive on Facebook and @LiveLancs on Twitter.

Have you got news for us? Contact our newsdesk on lancslive@reachplc.com

Read more:
Farmer shot twice and had gun pressed against teeth in terrifying home invasion - Lancs Live

The town of Aspen is known for more than just skiing, it's an outpost of culture, fashion, food and ... [+] music.

Known as a glamorous winter paradise, people flock to Aspen every ski season for more than the slopes, because unlike many other ski towns Aspen is a hub of art, foodie culture, and fashion.

Although, like most places in the world right now, Aspen has been in and out of lockdown with careful precautions in place to ensure the town is able to be enjoyed safely. At the time of this articles publication, Aspens indoor dining was just allowed to reopen at 25% capacity.

What it all means, though, is that Aspen is seeing fewer visitors this season, which may be a dream scenario for true winter sports enthusiasts who want to enjoyall of its mountains in a nearly private way. Its absolutely possible to take runs without encountering very many skiers at all, which makes it the ultimate in socially-distant outdoor winter fun.

In addition, lifts and gondolas are not shared (unless by members in the same party) masks are strictly enforced as is sanitization, and with plenty of space to keep distance in the open air, the Aspen Skiing Company is following COVID guidelines toa tee. Pitkin County, where Aspen is based, is also enforcing negative COVID test results to enter its borders.

Of course, with any travel done during this time, it is best advised to stay at home or practice utmost caution. If driving to Aspen is an option, its an incredibly safe way to get into town.

For those who are able to travel safely to Aspen, here are the top tips to enjoy it.

GETTING THERE

privately owned jet planes are parked on the apron of Aspen airport during the Christmas and New ... [+] Years holiday in the ski resort town of Aspen in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA

Aspen's airport is the equivalent of a one-stoplight town. With one small room for check-ins and one skinny, lonely belt for baggage claim, only tiny commuter planes and private jets fly into Aspen. This scenario means there are no airport crowds to contend with and a myriad of private charter options or sparse commuter planes that would get you into town without coming into contact with people. To be ultra-precautious, check airline seating before booking to make sure your flight doesnt have many people on board.

WHERE TO STAY

The Little Nell is Aspen's only ski-in, ski-out hotel with immediate access to the mountain's ... [+] high-speed gondola and special early access for guests to the slopes one hour before lifts open to the public.

The Little Nell is Aspen's only ski-in, ski-out hotel with the mountains Silver Queen gondola only a 30-second walk from most rooms in the hotel. With early access to the lifts before they open to the public reserved just for Little Nell guests plus other incredible perks like a slopeside ski concierge, the hotel is a well-positioned place to enjoy a safe, Aspen getaway.

Everything in the hotel is hyper-sanitized including the mini-bar treats and room service. Also, hotels are only permitted to operate at 50% capacity currently which means only every other room is empty to keep a healthyamount of distance.

While bars and restaurants generally remain closed, The Little Nell has created a daily aprs-ski service presented at guests doors at 4 and 6 pm with masked bartenders who bring to life a full cocktail and wine menu along with special treats.

WHERE TO SHOP

Performance Ski is every Aspen enthusiast's go-to for fashion and clothes that fit the Aspen ... [+] lifestyle.

All the shops are open which means hitting Dior, Prada, or Armani are still available for the itinerary (socially-distant of course), but the real in-the-know place to shop is Performance Ski. It is a ski shop, so everything there is picked with the outdoors in mind, but only to help create an authentic Aspen look. With brands like Aztech Mountain, Moncler, Nick Fouquet, and Elder Statesmen it contains a designer spread that is curated to have you outfitted and fitting into the local vibe in no time.

WHERE TO APRS

Dante, The Surf Lodge's Aspen outpost, is running aprs-ski on its massive outdoor patio where hot ... [+] mulled cider is the house specialty.

While outdoor dining is the safest option at the moment in Aspen, it is tough to find as it drops as low as 12 degrees in the evenings. This has hardly stopped Dante at The Snow Lodge from operating a safe and fun Aprs scene. The Aspen outpost of the East Coast's Surf Lodge, Dante has a massive patio alongside the Silver Queen Gondola where tables are spread far more than six feet apart with clear, plastic safety screens separating them from each other. Heaters are aplenty, the DJ's music is blaring, and the cocktails are flowing.

WHERE TO EAT

One of the mainstays of Aspen foodie life known for its flowing fondue, French Alpine Bistro, brings ... [+] the European chalet to Aspen.

It would hardly be Aspen without fondue in which case French Alpine Bistro istheplace to indulge in a bit of cheese soaked bread. A popular place to dine while in town with more than just fondue on the menu, the cozy, European ski lodge-inspired atmosphere was created with dark, reclaimed woods and maximally-adorned walls which give the space a well-worn feel. To dine indoors, guests are treated to a prix fixe, $150 per person menu. As for outdoor dining, there are only two outdoor tables so reservations should be planned in advance, but prepare to imbibe on the Dom, as in consideration of its very limited outdoor capacity the table minimums for these two are set at $1800 each.

WHERE TO CULTURE

The Aspen Art Museum known for its incredible architecture and world-class shows is operating at 25% ... [+] capacity to account for social distance.

The Aspen Art Museum, known not only for its collections but also for its world-class architecture by Shigeru Ban Architects, is still up and running at 25% capacity. It's currently showing Barbra Kasten andMaryWeatherford exhibitions along withWinterfest: An Exhibition of Arts and Crafts,a show of works by local artists and craftspeople. The limited number of guests permitted to attend the museum gives visitors a semi-private cultural excursion between runs.

WHAT ELSE

Ice skating under the stars with Aspen Mountain as the backdrop is a unique Aspen experience.

For a little bit of winter magic, there's Aspen Sports Silver Circle Ice Rink. The outdoor ice-skating rink is nestled at the base of Aspen Mountain which gives it a backdrop like no other. Its sweet twinkle light decorations combined with starry-skies above while night skating make for a one-of-a-kind Aspen experience.

More:
Fashion, Art, And Aprs: How To Enjoy Aspen Safely - Forbes

Sarkis has put his unmistakable, mustachioed visage back together, applying methods of stained glass and the Japanese pottery technique of kintsugi, literally translated as golden repair. Thin, and young, from his earlier days ripe for the streets of Paris, he stares back into time from the installation of lead, steel and LED. It is, titled, V 06 (2012), one of only a pair of editions from the Rabia-Ali Greli Collection, chairpersons of Contemporary Istanbul.

V 06 appeared recently at Dirimart, a prestigious international gallery, often showing German and American artists alongside Turkish innovators. Using pieces of stained glass as kintsugi, Sarkis effected a kind of Christian nostalgia for spiritual tragedy, imbued with a Japanese accent on impermanence. The piece looks across the institutional, whitewashed hall at a neon-lit installation by Frat Engin.

Frequency Series I, by Engin, includes a polyester frame, wood and decota, which is a polyvinyl chloride foam sheet. The neon, frequently employed by Sarkis, makes a number of appearances in the show 6 Artists in Search of a Precedent as it emanates with the passage of time. The pinkish-blue hue reflects off a darkened space that would otherwise house a mirror within its oval frame, elaborated with floral designs in metal.

Engins work dominates the immediate visual field in the entrance room of 6 Artists in Search of a Precedent, particularly his installation, Istila, which is, occupation, or plague, in Turkish. It is essentially comprised of polyester coffee cups, grande-size, painted in a subdued gold. Some of the cups are knocked over, perhaps to communicate a context in which material that is trashed comes back to haunt the world, in a more malign form.

The first law of thermodynamics, also referred to as the Law of Conservation of Energy, states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed. In that sense, the deluging proliferation of coffee cups is analogous to the rampancy of free-market capitalism in confrontation with the prevailing era of the global pandemic. The floor is taken over by the useless objects of waste at the end of which Engin installed, Breath IV (2017), a found broken window, an apt symbol.

The curatorial choices of Kahraman are suggestive of broad, historical influence within the present, cultural moment. The placement of an object in the intellectual laboratory of a public art exhibition has the potential to grab unsuspecting eyes and make them realize that, simply by seeing that they may open doors, that lead to doors, unlocked and waiting for new entrants. That is just the effect of Carpet with Horses (1986) by Glsn Karamustafa.

The artists reputation precedes her, where, with younger artists at the show, they are preceded by their predecessors who made art history in which their works are situated, or advance toward some unforeseen, critical horizon. Carpet with Horses, to the weary and untrained, might appear naive, unworldly and even random. But its collagist emergence through the materials and figurative display conveyed are couched in perennial intrigues.

Karamustafa received her passport in 1987. The year she created Carpet with Horses was her very last confined to Turkey. Apparently, she had been focusing on rural migrants, and their culture, which would explain the rather kitsch piece of carpet craft. Another female artist who works with textiles, Gne Terkol, is curated alongside the piece by Karamustafa, only Terkols installation, Holographic Record (2014-2020), has a more directly complex tone.

Eight pieces of double stitched fabric hang suspended from the ceiling, floating in the interior air. They show human figures carrying signboards, as walking advertisements on the corner of certain inner-city roads in the United States. And in the background, a projection animates the cold rattle of metal fencing, and a textile piece, like that physically in the room, swaying in the wind on what looks to be a sunny, winter day.

A blast of electric light bursts through retinas upstairs, on the second floor of the Akbank Sanat show, 6 Artists in Search of a Precedent. And approaching the hybrid piece of neon, carpet, wood and plexiglass by Ramazan Can, titled Feel at Home (2020), there is a warmth that can be felt. Its crimson-purple luminosity is almost palpable, as the artist reconstructed the intricate weave of a traditional Turkish carpet with glowing neon tubes.

Can has subverted ordinary perception with his distinctive material fusions, which touch the nerves of life in Turkey. His piece, Attic (2017-2018), merges concrete and weaving over 35 unique pieces. Attic could be seen as the upstairs corollary to Engins Istila, exploring the spread of both concrete, as basic to the widespread construction zones of Istanbul, and woven carpets, a key part of Turkish national consciousness.

Attic, however, facilitates curious insights, where the concrete and weaving interact, as the woven material fades, piecemeal, fragmented and nonexistent over some of the bare, rock cubes. The use of carpets and empty space is curated, in direct line of sight with Attic, in the piece Untitled (2019) by akir Gkeba. It is of a carpet that has been cored, a circle cut out of its center. But the circle is completed outside of its frame.

Through artists Burcu Yacolu, Murat Akagndz and Alpin Arda Back, Kahraman has curated with a deepening sense of blur, or the perceptibility of transience in the objective spatiality of two-dimensional works. Yacolu, integrating a skeletal jaw, also included a video and drawings of pencil and acrylic on paper. These defy gravity, as a swimmer floats under a marine sky upside down, and the chaotic atmosphere swirls like a living organism.

Akagndz, using graphite material on paper, explored abstract washes of nebulous transparency, multilayered with varying degrees of density and technicality. In 2016, the writer Asl Seven curated a show of Akagndz's works at Arter, titled Vertigo. In the catalog essay, she wrote: The intangible movement of light between the shades of white never relinquishes the possibility that this meaning reached by a gaze stretched in time, might, at any moment, slip away and disappear into the void of an endless abyss.

The curatorial decisions that Kahraman made to exhibit works by Avni Lifij, who died in 1927, or Semiha Berksoy, born in 1910, round out the exhibition as encompassing almost the entire breadth of modernism in Turkish painting toward a renewed grappling with issues that have prevailed since, yet, to contemporaries, might seem utterly unprecedented. These artists are in search of a precedent, after all. And what Kahraman is perhaps asking is whether or not the world of art-making can be presumed to follow the first law of thermodynamics.

Excerpt from:
On creativity and the past: A curation of 6 artists | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah

SC&H Capital, a leading investment bank specializing in sell side M&A and ESOP advisory services for middle-market companies, is pleased to announce the successful sale of its client, Carpet & Wood Floor Liquidators, to an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). The transaction provides an opportunity for the companys 60 plus employees to gain equity ownership in the company as participants in the ESOP, a move that research shows contributes to more productivity, faster growth, increased profitability and lower turnover.

Headquartered in Baltimore, MD, Carpet & Wood Floor Liquidators began as a wholesaler of excess inventory for the carpet mills, and over the past 30 years has evolved and grown into a full-service distribution business focused on residential, property management and commercial sales and installations in the mid-Atlantic.

Randy Pleasant and I had hoped and planned to one day transition the ownership of the company to our employees, but we werent sure if it would work or how to accomplish our goal, said Bob Nichols, CEO of Carpet & Wood Floor Liquidators. SC&H Capital was instrumental in leading us through the analysis, providing us with the best options, and implementing the transaction. They gave us the confidence to know that becoming an employee owned company was a viable option for us to achieve our goals, reward our employees and continue to serve our customers.

We were very pleased to have the opportunity to assist Carpet & Wood Floor Liquidators throughout the transaction process, said Greg Hogan, Managing Director at SC&H Capital. Randy and Bob were steadfast in their desire to effect a transaction that allowed their employees to become owners and provided for the continuity of the business as an independent dealer serving their dedicated customers. An ESOP transaction was a great fit to allow them to accomplish both of those goals.

The transaction was lead by Greg Hogan at SC&H Capital. Rick Mapp and Christopher McLean of Kaufman & Canoles served as legal counsel to the company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About SC&H Capital

SC&H Capital, an affiliate of SC&H Group, is an investment banking and advisory firm providing merger and acquisition (M&A), special situations, employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), capital raising, and business valuation solutions to middle-market and growth companies nationwide. SC&H Capital delivers investment banking and advisory services across numerous industries, including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, and government contracting, to help owners achieve their exit planning goals and liquidity objectives. To learn more visit http://www.schcapital.com.

Continue reading here:
SC&H Capital Advises Carpet & Wood Floor Liquidators on the Sale of Stock to an ESOP - Citybizlist

COLUMBUS -- Recently allocated $1.25 million of the State of Ohios 2020 capital budget, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) has combined a portion of the State funds which must be used for the repair, reconstruction, or construction of physical property with donations from private sources to begin a $900,000 renovation of the historic Ohio Theatres loge, mezzanine, and balcony.

A complete overhaul of the Ohio Theatres loge (or first seven rows of upper-level seating) began last week to reconstruct the aisle steps and implement new handrails. The railings lining the front and back of the loge will be upgraded and replaced as well, and new carpeting will be installed.

In addition, new handrails and carpet will be installed in the mezzanine and balcony (the remaining 25 rows of upper-level seating) and the railings lining the front and rear of each section will be upgraded and replaced.

This renovation was originally slated for the summer of 2020, but was suspended indefinitely as CAPA and other local arts organizations battle the effects of the pandemic, stated CAPA President and CEO Chad Whittington. These funds come at the perfect time, allowing us the opportunity to make use of the shutdown in a positive way.

"This renovation is an important safety enhancement for our patrons when we are able to welcome them back to the Ohio Theatre again, enabling us to offer an even better customer experience. We are very grateful to the State of Ohio for its acknowledgement of the beloved Ohio Theatre.

CAPA will employ all local contractors for the renovation which is expected to conclude in mid-May.

While plans are still in development, CAPA will utilize the balance of the capital budget allocation funds and private donations to implement further improvements to the Ohio Theatre including renovation of the mezzanine concessions area, enhanced wayfinding signage, and ADA accessibility upgrades.

All of the performance spaces owned or managed by CAPA closed March 12, 2020, as a result of the Governors executive order prohibiting gatherings of more than 100 people.

Upon the Governors August 2020 reopening guidelines allowing public events at 15% of venue capacity, the Ohio Theatre has hosted a small number of public, socially distanced events such as an abbreviated CAPA Summer Movie Series and Columbus Symphony performances.

About the Ohio Theatre

The Spanish Baroque-style, 2,791-seat Ohio Theatre, designed by world-famous architect Thomas Lamb as a palace for the average man, opened on March 17, 1928, as a Loews movie house complete with its own orchestra and theatre organ.

In addition to movies, vaudeville found a home on the Ohio stage, boasting performances from legends such as Milton Berle, Cab Calloway, Buddy Ebsen, Jean Harlow, and Ginger Rogers.

The Ohio Theatre thrived as a movie house until the suburban sprawl of the 1960s drew traffic out of downtown, and Loews closed its doors on February 24, 1969. Sold to a local development company with plans to raze it, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA) was established on May 21, 1969, with the immediate mission to save the theatre from being destroyed.

The newly formed non-profit leapt to rally the community in a Save the Ohio campaign that ultimately raised more than $2 million in less than a year. The unprecedented effort met its mark, and the glorious and beloved Ohio Theatre was saved.

Today, the Ohio Theatre hosts more than 100 performances of BalletMet, Broadway in Columbus, the Columbus Symphony, CAPA-presented performances, and a wide variety of touring artists and shows each year. The beloved venue is also now proudly listed on the National Register of Historic Places, been declared a National Historic Landmark, and is the State Theatre of Ohio.

# # #

The Ohio Arts Council helped fund CAPAs 2020-21 season with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, education excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. CAPA also appreciates the generous support of the Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Lois S. and H. Roy Chope and Helen W. Wildermuth Fund for Drama and Music funds of The Columbus Foundation.

About CAPA

Owner/operator of downtown Columbus magnificent historic theatres (Ohio Theatre, Palace Theatre, Southern Theatre) and manager of the Riffe Center Theatre Complex, Lincoln Theatre, Drexel Theatre, Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts (New Albany, OH), and the Shubert Theatre (New Haven, CT), CAPA is a non-profit, award-winning presenter of national and international performing arts and entertainment. For more information, visit http://www.capa.com.

Our stories will always be free to read, but they aren't free to produce. We need your support. To help our news organization tell Knox County's story every day, join our team. Become a member today.

Here is the original post:
CAPA puts capital budget allocation toward Ohio Theatre renovation - knoxpages.com

CHICOPEE City Councilors overwhelmingly agreed they are interested in moving forward with a second phase to rehabilitate City Hall as construction on the crucial first phase comes to a close.

While the about $14.2 million first phase of the project focused on shoring up the tower and most of the exterior stone and brickwork that was crumbling, repairing the slate roof, replacing the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, installing new windows and renovating the auditorium, the second phase of the project would focus on less crucial areas of the building.

Construction is coming to a close and the auditorium, which will have a new meeting space for all boards and modern recording equipment that will ease problems with broadcasting public meetings, sometime in March. Stonework on the building has slowed because it is taking longer to get larger stones that are being replaced and those pieces cannot be set in very cold weather, but it is anticipated to be completed in the spring, said Lee Pouliot, the city planner.

The first phase had to be done to make seriously-needed structural repairs on the about 150-year-old building. More than six years ago, plaster chunks started falling from the molding in the auditorium and stained glass windows loosened from their frames. Then a piece of the support frame that holds City Halls iconic rose-shaped stained glass window broke off and crashed to the stairs below.

A study produced found bad news. The brick facade was bowing out, sandstone columns were badly eroded, an interior brick arch had deteriorated and poor-quality brickwork in the tower was failing. During construction even more problems were found such as plaster ceilings started falling down because they used cut nails.

Phase two is anticipated to focus on the interior of the building, Pouliot said.

That will include renovating and possibly moving offices to better serve the public, increasing document storage which is at a minimum, installing new carpeting, replacing lights with LED bulbs, replacing the outdated chair lift which allows people with limited mobility to reach the City Clerk and Mayors office and making other cosmetic improvements, he said.

Mayor John L. Vieau said he wanted to know if the City Council had an appetite to move forward with the second phase of the project, which would also make the building safer in a situation with an active shooter as well as making cosmetic improvements.

We arent building it for us, we are building it for the next generations, Councilor James K. Tillotson said, adding it if they are going to renovate the building they should complete the work and improve the interior.

In a non-binding vote, councilors agreed that the Planning Department should move forward to find a firm which will begin working on the second phase of the project. The design will cost about $1.4 million and take about 16 months to complete.

Without a design, the cost of improvements is difficult to estimate but Pouilot said he expected it to be between $5 to $7 million. That will will bring the cost of the entire project to no more than $21 million.

Some of the loans the city has been paying for years are soon to be retired so the city will be able to take out more bonds without increasing the amount the city pays in principal and interest, Vieau added.

Along with the other improvements, the second phase also calls for the existing City Council Chambers to be renovated and a movable wall added. That space can be used as staff conference rooms during the day and will give the city more meeting space so they do not have to shoehorn people into offices when two commissions are meeting on the same night, Pouliot said.

There will also be a feed from the auditorium so broadcasting from that room will improve.

Here is the original post:
Chicopee City Council agrees to 2nd phase of City Hall renovations - MassLive.com

Battle Creeks Claras on the River opened to diners on Monday and the dining room looks unusually festive for this time of year. The restaurant, housed in a historic train depot in downtown Battle Creek is all decked out for Christmas. Owner Ross Simpson says theyre calling it Christmas in February.

Back on November 15th, we had just finished decorating the restaurant when the Governors shutdown order closed us down again, said Simpson. Nobody ever got to see it and the staff worked so hard that we decided to leave everything up. A lot of things are different at Claras, but customers probably wont notice them.

During the first state shutdown last spring and early summer, Simpson took advantage of the downtime to make many improvements to the restaurant, mostly for the safety of patrons during the pandemic.

They installed automatic doors, faucets, and flush valves, soap and towel dispensers in all six bathrooms. They put in new carpets, new booths that can be easily cleaned and sanitized, and built a new take-out station, and set up car-hop style dining. They even restored the clock in the tower.

This time, Simpson has installed four exhaust units in the ceiling that allow the air to be refreshed constantly inside. I think we may have the cleanest air of any building in town, including the hospital, said Simpson. He also replaced the old boiler with new, more efficient units, and expects that theyll pay for themselves in just a few years. Simpson says he applied early for state loans that allowed him to make the improvements.

The current state order only allows a restaurant to operate at 25% of capacity. Claras can normally have up to 380 inside. But that number is just 95 right now. Simpson says thats just about enough to stop the bleeding. Theyve been getting by on take-out orders, and a few hearty diners eating outside on the patio in heated cabanas. The challenge now is making sure they dont exceed the 95 capacity.

Simpson says the solution was to install a unit they installed at the restaurant entrance. It keeps count of people entering and leaving. Staff members can view the app on their phone and know exactly how many patrons are inside the restaurant.

Another app allows staff to do the required daily health assessment on their phone in just a few seconds, and get the ok to safely report for work.

Claras has outdoor propane heaters for the patio, once things warm up a bit, and Simpson also bought several propane heaters that are often used by fishermen in ice shanties to warm up the outdoor cabanas.

Simpson says all but about four staff members have continued to work at Claras during the shutdown, aided by a state program that allows them to collect partial unemployment while theyve worked reduced hours during the shutdown.

Simpson took advantage of a late afternoon lull to review some historic photos of the former train depot. He says Michael McCullough of Willard Library is working with local historians Randy Case and Kurt Thornton to do a special on-line program on Claras.

Continue reading here:
It's Christmas in February at Clara's On the River - wbckfm.com

To commemorate Black History Month, Robb Report is publishing a limited four-part series highlighting Black designers, thinkers and other creators whose pioneering work has shaped the luxury sector. This is installment one.

Its a story thats been told many times: How Paul Revere Williams, the most renowned Black architect of the 20th century, the acclaimed architect to the stars, taught himself to draw upside down.

The reason was simple: He did it for the benefit of white clients who might have felt uneasy sitting beside a Black man while he sketched designs for their future homes.

In the same vein, the quiet-spoken Williams would typically stand with hands firmly clasped behind his back as he toured construction sites. Again, he simply wanted to avoid making clients feel uncomfortable, removing the need to shake the hand of a Black man.

Despite the inequality and racism, both subtle and overt, the trailblazing architect, during a storied five-decade-long career from the early 1920s to his retirement in 1973, shaped the architectural look of Southern California, from residential projects to commercial and municipal ones.

He earned that architect to the stars tagline after designing homes during the Golden Age of Hollywood for a raft of A-list celebrities. From Tyrone Power to Carey Grant, from Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz to Frank Sinatra and silent movie legend Lon Chaney.

Architect Paul Williams in his Los Angeles office.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

Then there were the commercial buildings that came off his drawing board: Saks Fifth Avenues flagship Beverly Hills store, the Los Angeles County Courthouse, the MCA headquarters, the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company headquarters and the landmark additions to LAs Beverly Hills Hotel.

When the architect passed away in 1980 at the age of 85, he left behind a prolific portfolio of more than 3,000 buildings that included homes, hotels, banks, churches, hospitals and schools, many of which have become Southern California icons.

Paul Williams was a trailblazing architect whose long career truly helped shape Los Angeles and Southern California, says Getty Research Institute director Mary Miller.

In June last year, Millers Getty Research Institute, together with the University of Southern California, was able to acquire Williams entire archive of roughly 35,000 plans and 10,000 original drawings that had been meticulously curated by his granddaughter, Karen Elyse Hudson.

The work contained in the archive tells many stories. It contains the creative expressions of an architect working across many different constituencies in a socially complicated time, says Milton S.F. Curry, dean of the USC School of Architecture.

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnazs Palm Springs home, built by Williams in 1954-1955.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

Paul Williams was born in Los Angeles in 1894, to parents who had moved to the city from Memphis. He was just two when his father died of tuberculosis, and four when his mother passed of the same disease.

Raised by church friends of his parents, he developed a passion for architecture and eventually earned a place at LAs Polytechnic High School. It was here a teacher famously advised him against pursuing his dream, telling him white clients wouldnt want to use a Black architect, and Black clients could never afford his services.

Yet Williams was undeterred. After becoming the first Black graduate from USC in 1919, healmost unthinkable at the timewas appointed to the Los Angeles Planning Commission in 1920. The following year, he got his California architects license, opened his own practice in 1922, and became the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1923. He was just 29.

His big break came during Californias 1920s housing boom with the new greenfield suburb of Flintridge, north of Los Angeles. The developer, former senator Frank Flint, hired the young Williams to design his new home in the suburb. That led to other commissions in the area. Business suddenly started to take off.

The unfortunate irony is that the strict, race-based segregation covenants that Flintridge adopted would have prevented Williams and his family from ever buying property there. Same with the hotels he designed, where he would not have been allowed to stay.

The Beverly Hills Hotel addition, which Williams completed in 1950.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

But the architect continued to attract new commissions through his talent for inspiring clients with his remarkable creativity. He was also determined not to be pigeon-holed into one design style. He could offer plans that ranged from Tudor and French Provincial to Spanish Colonial or Modernist.

And his quiet demeanor, his always-immaculate attiredouble-breasted suits even on gritty construction sitesproved to be key attributes in winning over clients.

In a 1937 essay for The American Magazine entitled I Am a Negro, he wrote that his aim was always to amaze potential clients within a few minutes of meetingthe upside-down sketching no doubt helped. This, he said, would let them focus on his skills and creativity, rather than his race.

It was without doubt his knack for connecting with Hollywoods A-list that defined much of his legacy. One of his landmark designs was for a 15,000-square-foot, 20-room Bel-Air mansion in 1936 for Jay Paley, of the wealthy CBS broadcasting family. A highlight was its breathtaking zodiac pool, designed by Williams and featuring thousands of multi-colored tiles, hand-painted and imported from France.

The zodiac pool was also designed by the homes architect, Paul Revere Williams.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton and Hyland

The estate was eventually bought by the late hotel magnate Barron Hilton who called it home for more than 50 years. Following Hiltons death in 2019, it just recently went on the market for $75 million.

Second only to Williams residential designs were his commercial projects, many of which resonated strongly with LAs Black community.

An early work was the 28th Street YMCA just off Central Avenue in one of the citys most historic Black neighborhoods. The four-story Spanish Revival-style building, completed in 1926, was LAs first club founded by and for Black boys and men.

The remarkable retractable roof Williams designed for the El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs from 1952 to 1953.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

Williams Late Moderne design for the new Golden State Mutual Life Insurance headquarters, at the corner of Adams and Western in South Central LA, was considered a masterpiece when it opened in 1949. At the time, Golden State Mutual was the largest Black-owned insurance company west of the Mississippi. It sold life insurance policies to Black Angelenos at a time when other companies refused.

While his worldwide recognition was a long time coming, Williams and his nearly 60-year career and gifted body of work, finally received its due. In 2017, the AIA posthumously awarded him its prestigious gold medal, the organizations highest honor. And his career was a recent subject of an acclaimed PBS documentary, Hollywoods Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story, which can be streamed online.

The pool courtyard at the El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs.Photo: Julius Shulman/J. Paul Getty Trust

As Williams wrote in that I Am a Negro essay for American Magazine in 1937: Without having the wish to show them, I developed a fierce desire to show myself. I wanted to vindicate every ability I had. I wanted to acquire new abilities. I wanted to prove that I, as an individual, deserved a place in the world. And he did just that.

Read more here:
Paul Williams, Architect to the Stars, Designed the Buildings That Shaped Southern California - Robb Report

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris is undergoing a large-scale refurbishment while the park remains closed until April. Both it and the Main Street U.S.A. gazebo are currently surrounded with scaffolding and construction equipment as they are prepared for the parks 30th anniversary next year.

Disney has released a better look at Sleeping Beauty Castle since our previous post about the refurbishment. Some of the castles turrets will be replaced with new versions. For the parks reopening in April, the remaining construction will be covered with themed scrim.

Meanwhile, the Main Street U.S.A. gazebo is completely covered with a construction tent. Elements of the gazebo have been stripped down to only the steel supports and a significant portion of the roof has been removed.

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris is just the latest Disney castle to be refurbished. Sleeping Beauty Castle at the original Disneylandwas refurbished in 2019, whileCinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom was repaintedand thereimagined Castle of Magical Dreams opened at Hong Kong Disneylandlast year.

Related

See the rest here:
PHOTOS: Main Street USA Gazebo Being Refurbished Along with Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris - wdwnt.com

OAKVILLE

Location: 328 Trafalgar Rd.,

Cornwall and Trafalgar Rds.

Asking price: $3,188,000

Size: about 2,676 sq. ft., pus 953 sq. ft. finished basement

Lot: 89-by-170 feet, one-car detached garage, private drive

Taxes: $10,508 (2020)

Bedrooms: 4 plus 1

Bathrooms: 4

In the heart of Old Oakville, this Georgian Revival-style residence backs onto a ravine and Sixteen Mile Creek, and has full water rights.

Multiple decks, lookouts, sitting areas and a dock make the most of the natural setting. Built in 1922 and fully renovated, the sprawling two-storey home features large panoramic windows, Brazilian hardwood floors, and a cathedral ceiling in the principal bedroom.

Every view from the home into the ravine and to the shoreline is stunning in all four seasons, said homeowner Stacey Lewis.

In the summer, we enjoy boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, and watching sunsets in the gazebo ... In the winter, when the creek freezes, we spend many hours skating. After skating, we stay warm by the nearby firepit, said Lewis.

In the spring, our many perennial gardens begin to bloom, and we often spot swans, herons, owls, beavers and turtles, along with an array of songbirds and squirrels, Lewis added.

Loading...Loading...Loading...Loading...Loading...

The home is located between Lakeshore Rd. and the Queen Elizabeth Way for easy east- and westbound commuting. It is also a few minutes drive to the Oakville GO station, shopping, restaurants and cafes. A mall is nearby, as are parks, schools and Bronte Creek Provincial Park. From Sixteen Mile Creek in the backyard, the owner can boat south to Lake Ontario.

The designer renovations of the home achieve a fusion of character and charm with on-trend sophistication, said real estate agent Kim Cronk about highlights that include high baseboards, crown moulding, multiple built-ins, and large windows.

Featuring a painted wood faade, this home is highlighted by decorative shutters, a dormer window and front door bordered by stained-glass panels. The front, landscaped yard has an interlocking walkout and drive that leads to a detached garage.

The front foyer includes a double closet and hardwood floor.

A gas fireplace with carved wood surround is the highlight of the living room that also features a large picture window, hardwood floor, high baseboards, pot lights and crown moulding.

The dining room has a hardwood floor, box ceiling with pot lights, a pass-through to the kitchen, a picture window flanked with floor-to-ceiling shelves, and a sliding glass door walkout to the back deck.

Open to the dining room, the spacious family room features a hardwood floor, a large bay window, and a gas fireplace bordered with shelves and cabinetry.

The open-concept kitchen showcases a large island with granite countertop, gas stovetop, cabinetry and a built-in wine rack. Other kitchen highlights include granite counters, ceramic tile backsplash and built-in stainless steel appliances, plus an adjoining breakfast room and French door walkout to a mud room with a two-piece bathroom and outdoor access.

On the second floor, the primary bedroom is being used as a second family room and includes a cathedral ceiling, a picture and dormer window, hardwood floor, a walk-in closet and a five-piece ensuite.

There are three more bedrooms on this level, all with hardwood floors and double closets, and a three-piece bathroom.

On the finished lower floor are a recreation room, an office, and a guest bedroom all with laminate floors and pot lights plus a three-piece bathroom and laundry room.

The backyard on the ravine, and creek, features a dock, a firepit and natural rock gardens. Two large back decks, including a covered gazebo, have tiered stairs leading to the creek.

To have a look at this property contact listing agent Kim Cronk, Re/Max Aboutowne Realty Corp., Brokerage, 905-842-8000; http://www.kimcronk.com.

See the rest here:
Renovated, Old Oakville two-storey has a backyard ravine and shoreline: Home of the week - Toronto Star