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Ensemble activity and perception

The mechanisms by which sensory percepts are encoded in neural ensembles are still incompletely understood. Chong et al. used single-spot optogenetic stimulation to control neuronal activity in mouse olfactory glomeruli in space and time. Animals were trained to recognize a learned activity pattern that was likely perceived as a specific odor. The authors then systematically varied the activity patterns by changing either the activated glomeruli or the timing between activation of glomeruli to evaluate their impact on odor recognition. Glomeruli that were activated early during the synthetic odor contributed more to odor recognition than glomeruli that were subsequently activated. This approach allows neuroscience to explain how features combine in complex patterns to generate perception.

Science, this issue p. eaba2357

Advances in monitoring brain activity at large and fine scales have revealed tremendous complexity in how the brain responds to, and represents, the external world. Although many features in brain activity patterns (which brain cells fire and when) are found to correlate with changes in the external sensory world, it is not yet known which activity features are consequential for perception and how they are combined to generate percepts. Some studies have shown that many of these correlated changes in activity may be redundant or even epiphenomenal.

To address how brain activity generates perception, we directly and systematically manipulated neural activity in the mouse olfactory system while measuring perceptual responses. Mouse olfaction is an attractive model system because the relevant brain circuitry has already been carefully mapped out and is accessible for direct manipulation. We used genetically engineered mice in which brain cells can be activated simply by shining light on thema technique known as optogenetics. Optogenetics allowed us to directly generate and manipulate brain activity in a precise and parametric manner. We first trained mice to recognize light-driven activity patterns in the olfactory system, or synthetic odors. Subsequently, we measured how recognition changed as we systematically manipulated learned activity patterns. Some manipulations led to larger changes in recognition than others, and the degree of change reflected the importance of each manipulated feature to perception. By the additional manipulation of multiple features simultaneously, we could precisely quantify how individual features combined to produce perception.

The perceptual responses of mice not only depended on which groups of cells were activated, but also on their activation latencies, i.e., temporal sequences akin to timed notes in a melody. Critically, the most perceptually relevant activation latencies were defined relative to other cells in a sequence and not to brain or body rhythms (e.g., animal sniffing) as previously hypothesized from observational studies.Moreover, earlier-activated cells in the sequence had a larger effect on behavioral responses; modifying later cells in the sequence had small effects.To account for all results, we formulated a simple computational model based on template matching, in which new activity sequences are compared with learned sequences or templates.The model weighs relative timing within each sequence and also accounts for the greater importance of earlier-activated cells.Based on our model, the degree of mismatch between the new sequence and learned template predicts the extent to which recognition should degrade as neural activity changes across many different manipulations.

We developed an experimental and theoretical framework to map a broad space of precisely and systematically manipulated brain activity patterns to behavioral responses. Using this framework, we uncovered key computations made by the olfactory system on neural activity to generate percepts and derived a systematic model of olfactory processing directly relevant for perception. Our framework forms a powerful, general approach for causally testing the links between brain activity and perception or behavior. This framework is especially pertinent given the continued development of advanced tools for manipulating brain activity at fine scales across various brain regions.

(A) We trained mice to recognize synthetic odor patterns: artificially stimulated neural activity in the olfactory bulb. Patterns were defined in space (top right) and time (bottom right). (B) Perceptual responses were measured across systematic modifications of trained patterns. (C) Template-matching model of pattern activity (left) accounts for perceptual responses (right).

How does neural activity generate perception? Finding the combinations of spatial or temporal activity features (such as neuron identity or latency) that are consequential for perception remains challenging. We trained mice to recognize synthetic odors constructed from parametrically defined patterns of optogenetic activation, then measured perceptual changes during extensive and controlled perturbations across spatiotemporal dimensions. We modeled recognition as the matching of patterns to learned templates. The templates that best predicted recognition were sequences of spatially identified units, ordered by latencies relative to each other (with minimal effects of sniff). Within templates, individual units contributed additively, with larger contributions from earlier-activated units. Our synthetic approach reveals the fundamental logic of the olfactory code and provides a general framework for testing links between sensory activity and perception.

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Manipulating synthetic optogenetic odors reveals the coding logic of olfactory perception - Science Magazine

In April of 2019, we told you about the upcoming new Flying Pie Pizzaria location on Overland Rd. in West Boise. The new restaurant the local chains sixth would bring habanero pies, beers and more to the area.

Earlier this spring, most of the construction work wrapped up on the new restaurant in the Elms Park Shopping Center at Overland and Five Mile. Hiring started. Now, with summer days away, the restaurant sits empty.

While our attempts to contact Flying Pies ownership went unanswered, they recently started the hiring process again in the wake of COVID-19. Scores of social media comments from customers asking when the new restaurant also went unanswered.

The $1,000,000 buildout converted two spaces in the shopping center next to Hooligans Pub. The location will use the bistro format first launched at Flying Pies Broadway location, adding items like pastas, chicken wings and more to the traditional pizza menu.

The chain launched its first restaurant in 1978 and grew slowly over its first few decades. It built up to three locations, then back to just two after closing a spot near Boise State.

In 2011, original owner Howard Oliver (the guy behind theexclamation point on the Boise Library!)sold the businessto Florian Penalva. Under Penalvas ownership, Flying Pie started to expand again, nearing six locations.

More here:
Construction on the new Flying Pie is done. When will it open? - boisedev.com

I'm hearing a great deal of frustration from folks who are upset that today'sstory didn't name the five local restaurants experiencing outbreaks of COVID-19.

Last week, it was churchgoers wondering if an outbreak at a place of worship was at their own. All along I've been hearing from families with loved ones in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and group homes calling for more specifics.

Unless a business, church, restaurant, construction site, etc., tells people it is having an outbreak, there is no way to know and to verify.

The Virginia Department of Health claims state code bars it from identifying any restaurant, church, nursing home or any other place of business where an outbreak of the virus has closed. The business can choose to do so itself, but state government bars itself from such disclosures.

The Northam administration interprets state code this way:

The State Health Commissioner is required by Va. Code 32.1-41 to preserve the anonymity of each patient and practitioner whose medical records are examined as part of a disease investigation. Disease reports submitted to VDH are confidential per 32.1-36, and that section provides that the patients identity and disease state shall be confidential. VDH is not able to release disease information at the facility level to the media, because that would compromise the anonymity of the patient.

In addition, per 32.1-38, neither the name of any person reported to VDH nor the name of any person making a report shall be disclosed to the public. According to Va. Code 32.1-3, person means an individual, corporation, partnership or other legal entity. Thus, VDH cannot release the name of a facility that made a disease report.

The administration has chosen not to disclose the county or city in which the business is located, providing information only at a "health district" level, which mostly includes multiple counties.

If you think this hampers your ability to understand risks from a public health perspective, to decide where you would like to eat, whether you are comfortable sitting in a church pew or if the people caring for your mom have been exposed to the virus, tell the governor, your delegate or your state senator.

While I don't mind answering your calls or replying to your emails, I have no power beyond asking the same questions and getting the same answers.

If you want change, go here to find your delegate and senator, and here to contact the governor.

And here's the other thing. It really doesn't matter if the outbreak is at the ABC or the XYZ restaurant. What you need to know is that COVID-19 is still widespread and as people move about, so does the disease.

Act accordingly. Myself, I leave home only when necessary. I wear a face covering, wash my hands, wipe down my car and other surfaces, and visit with family and friends only outside and at a distance. We get takeout, but I'm not ready for outdoor dining. And last I saw my youngest daughter was in March Pre-pandemic, she came home for 24 hours every other week just for a hug and for us to take her to dinner.

Our social calendars used to be as packed as our work ones. I miss much and would like to reclaim some of the old normal. But for my age and my health, this is my level of risk.

Perhaps, your risk tolerance is greater. Just be aware that anyone, including you, could be carrying the virus and spreading it. So wear a face covering and patronize only places that require them. Thank you.

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Med Beat: Here's why we don't tell you every restaurant and place there is an outbreak of COVID-19 - Roanoke Times

Claus Bienek was the chef-owner of Claus on Juneau, an influential high-end restaurant at 134 E. Juneau Ave. from 1985 to 1989. Bienek died June 7 in Norway.(Photo: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel files)

Not all customers knew what to make of the fine-dining restaurant Claus on Juneau, which operated in downtown Milwaukee from 1985 to 1989with crystal, Villeroy & Boch china and Italian silver settings on the tables.

The food wasn't heaped on the plates, it wasbeautifully arranged so much so that itwas the subject of a cover story in the Milwaukee Sentinel's Food section in April 1986.

"The dishes are sheer art," wrote the Food editor, Lee Aschoff.

The chef-owner, Claus Bienek, told Aschoff, "the most important thing is the color. For example, we might have a plain white fish. So what you try to do is build it up, using the red tomato-butter sauce underneath, black mushrooms, some fresh dill and a red crayfish.

Then you have a little picture there, he said. It looks nice and, if they taste it, its even better.

Claus on Juneau, which was at 134 E. Juneau Ave.,was awarded four stars by The Milwaukee Journal's dining critic, Dennis Getto, who later called it "one of Milwaukee's star restaurants in the 1980s." As such, Bienek was at the vanguard of chefs modernizing dining in Milwaukee.

The funeral was this week for Bienek, who died June 7, the day before his 74th birthday. The German-born chef died in Norway, where he had lived and worked before moving to Milwaukee with his young family, and where he returned after his time in Wisconsin.

Before coming to Milwaukee, he led Blom in Oslo, a restaurant frequented by artists and authors since the 19th century; was afood and wine critic for Norway's national newspaper, Aftenposten; and openeda restaurant called den Glade Laks (the Happy Salmon) on a fishing trawlerthat took daily trips around Oslo's fjords.

"His guests were so lucky to see him dive into the ocean from the boat and pop out with a salmon in his hands," Bienek's daughter Charlotterecalled via email from Norway.

Christopher Kuranz, now a partner in Public Table restaurant in West Allis, supplied Bienek with hard-to-find produce, game and fish through Kuranz's company at the time, The Fresh Connection.

That meant items like radicchio, baby zucchini with the flowers still attached (so the chef could stuff the flowers), and Belgian endive, which he'd halve, roast,braise with white wine and aromaticsand serve with a warm blue cheese sauce.

"I havent made that in a long time. I should make that," said Kuranz, who also helped in the kitchen at Claus on Juneau on occasion and kept in touch with him over the years.

Evenfresh herbs were exoticathatcouldn't be found in grocery stores then, Kuranz said. In summer, the chef kept a garden behind the restaurant where he'd grow herbs and vegetables, Charlotte Bienek recalled, and visited farmers markets for local ingredients.

The menu was brief usually four appetizers, four entres and a few desserts that changed fairly frequently, Kuranz recalled.The dining room likewise was small for the era, about 50 seats.

Bienek conceded he initially lost customers who expected a strip steak and onion rings, but the restaurant soon thrived.

His plating was considered unusual for the time but elements becamestandard in fine dining, such as placing the sauce under the fish instead of over.

Who in the hell can see the monkfish (on the plate) whenthey come in? The construction of the fish is so nice and it looks so nice, so let the fish be a fish and look like a fish, Bienek said at the time.

"He would just constantly push the envelope," Kuranz said of Bienek.

Bienek would acquire live turtles and butcher them at the restaurant for turtle soup and other dishes, Kuranz recalled.

Who knows how to butcher a turtle? Whos buying turtles? I didnt know anybody who was doing that but him, Kuranz said.

Bienek sold his restaurant after having heart surgery in early 1989. His first turn back in the kitchen was a private dinner that June for 125 people where former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter were the guests of honor.

Tom Sietsema, then the Food editor of The Milwaukee Journal and now food critic for the Washington Post, referred to Bienek's restaurant as"the late, great Claus on Juneau" in writing about the Carter dinner.

The chef was in chargeof appetizers, sides and dessert, preparing dishes like jumbo white shrimp marinated with gingerroot and cilantro, andimported prosciutto with asparagus and lemon mayonnaise.

After selling Claus on Juneau, Bienek became chef at what was then Strong Corneliuson Capital Management in Menomonee Falls from 1990 to 2004, according to Charlotte Bienek.

Besides overseeing the company cafeteria, he prepared VIP dinners for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, publisherSteveForbes, singer Jimmy Buffett and others.

Bienek is survived by his wife, Anne Brita, whom he met after winning a culinary competition in Germany that led to a job atthe hotel in Norway where she also worked; their children Charlotte, Henriette, Kai Boris and Therese Maria; and six grandchildren.

Contact dining critic Carol Deptolla atcarol.deptolla@jrn.com or (414) 224-2841, or through the Journal Sentinel Food & Home page on Facebook. Follow her on Twitter at @mkediner or Instagram at @mke_diner.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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Bienek was one of Milwaukee's top chefs in the 1980s, helping usher in a modern era - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

This week, we caught up with Michael Babcock and Wayne Coats, best known for their past work at Welcome Diner and now partners at Instrumental Hospitality. With two other partners, Paul Waxman and Robert Cissell, they had planned to open a two-story southeast Asian eatery in spring 2020. But Belly has been delayed. And the restaurant scene has capsized.

We linked up by phone to chat about projects, curveballs, strange days, long trips, and good food. Coats was sitting outside within sight of the sand of Venice Beach, California, cloudy but refreshing in a picture he texted. He was sipping nitro cold brew a block outside his Airbnb, watching everyone strolling around in masks as California takes the pandemic, compared to Arizona, much more seriously.

Babcock was in Phoenix, laying low after a busy Hood Burger popup the day before. This charitable project he is co-heading has been fundraising for various causes, including some connected with domestic violence and Black Lives Matter. Hes about to go camping on the Mogollon Rim with his dog, seeking escape and a little isolation time.

Left to right: Michael Babcock, Wayne Coats, Paul Waxman, and Robert Cissell, together the Instrumental Hospitality Group.

Matt Martian

Phoenix New Times: How has your 2020 been so far?

Michael Babcock: A living, breathing nightmare.

Wayne Coats: Definitely a sense of a dreamlike world so far in 2020. Constantly shot. Constantly wondering what the hell could even happen next.

New Times: How has your charitable Hood Burger project been?

WC: It has been inspiring to do the Hood Burger project, led by Michael and [chef-bartender] Tyka Cheng. Doug [Robson] at Gallo [Blanco] was really helpful in providing the parking lot in Garfield. That turned into other homies being really generous. Genuine Concepts loaning us a food truck. Going to Thunderbird [Lounge].

As the Hood Burger project evolved, it was really inspired by that generosity. It was kind of a reminder of what it was like to be around people, to run a service, figure things out, work as a team. It has been the opposite of Michaels nightmare.

MB: The menu has changed a couple of times as the partnerships have changed. Yesterday, we did a classic Royale burger with cheese and chips. It was cool to go to Gracies [Tax Bar, where that popup was] and not be squished.

New Times: Last year, you guys traveled to research for Belly, your forthcoming southeast Asian restaurant in Melrose. How was that?

MB: That trip deserves its own documentary. It was just so epic and absurd. We were only supposed to be gone for nine days in one country. We ended up going for 20-something days and going to three countries. We stayed for three days in Tijuana, seven or nine days in Japan, and seven or nine days in Vietnam. We just went on a global bender around the world.

The point of the trip was to gain inspiration through southeast Asia. We want to be able to offer something more unique than pho and banh mi. I love those things. I eat that shit daily. Theres just a whole palate to explore within southeast Asia that we wanted to throw some shine on. We were really inspired by the street food vendors in particular.

New Times: Belly will have strong southeast Asian roots. How do you approach cooking foods outside your cultures?

MB: The thing about being a professional chef, our whole job, if done right, is to absorb the culture around us, honor it, interpret it, and share it with others. Im opening up a Vietnamese restaurant with a lot of reverence. The research trip was just a drop in the bucket in my relationship with Vietnamese food.

WC: Yeah, he was cooking Vietnamese for dinner parties at 22 years old.

MB: I was raised in part by my Japanese grandmother. My palate for Asian cooking is geared to that. Its how I eat at home.

Chefs have a responsibility to honor the culture theyre representing. If you do things right with the right intentions, all youre doing as a chef is celebrating the cultures youre inspired by. Making fried chicken and biscuits [at Welcome Diner, where he was head chef until last year], this is something Ive thought about a lot.

Belly is set to open in spring 2020.

AWE Collective

New Times: How is Belly coming along?

WC: Construction delayed our opening, which was first looking like the middle of March. I cant imagine what our industry brothers and sisters went through in March and what theyre still dealing with.

Through all this, the construction has been going. We put the countertops in. The walls are painted all the tiles laid and set. Were getting really close to the construction guys handing over the keys to our team.

MB: We have no trajectory on when our opening date is. Were very elastic on that.

New Times: Will we see any more of Belly, maybe through popups, before opening?

MB: I think with the climate were in, we want to focus on the causes that matter now. Bellys going to be an awesome project, but its not really time for us to be focused on that. Were focused on our charity efforts.

New Times: How are you feeling about the future of Phoenix dining?

MB: I dont know, man. I dont think its going to be good, though. I dont mean to be super negative, but the reality is the restaurant industry was unsustainable to begin with. The way our labor networks work. The way food costs work. Price points. If theres any positive from this, maybe it accelerates what that transformation needs to be.

WC: Im really proud of our homies fighting hard to hit those numbers to stay open. There are people out there really pushing and trying to adapt to how things are changing. Its inspiring and motivating to see that.

Note: This conversation has been condensed and lightly edited for speed and clarity.

Chris Malloy, former food editor and current food critic at Phoenix New Times, has written for various local and national outlets. He has scrubbed pots in a restaurant kitchen, earned graduate credit for a class about cheese, harvested garlic in Le Marche, and rolled pastas like cappellacci stuffed with chicken liver. He writes reviews but also narrative stories on the food world's margins.

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Q&A: Michael Babcock and Wayne Coats on Belly, Hood Burger, and the Future of Phoenix Dining - Phoenix New Times

When schools shut down in March, we lost the usual traffic that we get, he said. Most undergraduate students went back home if they werent from Massachusetts.

College-dependent businesses always anticipate the exodus of students in May and June, but they typically are replaced by tourists and a crop of summer interns. This year, however, those numbers will be greatly reduced. And because of the pandemic, college students left the city two months earlier than they usually do, so school-year revenue for many shops and restaurants fell far short of expectations.

Shiranian said he is excited that schools such as Northeastern have announced that they will be holding some in-person classes this fall, and hopes other schools follow suit. Boston University, for example, has said that it would give undergraduate students the choice of in-person and online classes, and Boston College announced similar plans.

We feel like we are a part of the campuses, he said. That means business will get back to normal.

With or without bustling campuses, Shiranian said Amelias will try to increase delivery sales by revamping its presence on online delivery platforms.

Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh, a new restaurant in an Emerson College building on Boylston Street, had hoped to open in April, but the coronavirus sent students and staff home early and pushed back the construction timeline. Like Amelias, Garbanzo will focus on delivery and takeout when it opens in mid-July.

We are going to change with the times, said Derek St. George, the director of operations. We redesigned the inside of the restaurant while we were shut down to add more area to the kitchen and give ourselves a second service line just for to-go orders and catering.

Garbanzos location across from the Boston Common is usually crowded with college, theater, and Financial District pedestrian traffic so much so that Emerson is in the process of widening the sidewalk. But St. George said he expects the sidewalk will be less busy in the fall if office workers continue to work from home, so a return of Emersons 4,500 students is even more important.

If the rest of the business world was still active, I wouldnt be as concerned, because there is so much happening around that area anyway, he said. Now it is a ghost town around here.

Last week, Emerson announced that most classes for the fall semester will incorporate in-person and online components, but students will not return to Boston after Thanksgiving break. College President Lee Pelton said he anticipates the spring term will be more traditional.

Harvard University is still considering its options for the fall, but one scenario would result in the majority of students not returning to campus, according to The Harvard Crimson. That would not bode well for nearby businesses.

For Harvard Squares Caf Pamplona, its too late. The restaurant recently closed after 62 years because the European-style caf said it cant survive without the students who make up nearly 90 percent of its customer base.

John Schall, owner of El Jefes Taqueria in Harvard Square, also is hurting, but he hopes to see students including the regulars from the schools sports teams in September.

We have an incredible relationship with students at Harvard, it is an important part of who we are and what we do, Schall said. It was a huge blow to have Harvard leave early.

He said students make up about half of sales at the taqueria, which stays open until 4 a.m.

And Schall isnt just betting on students returning to Cambridge in August, El Jefes will open its second Massachusetts location on the ground level of an Emerson College dormitory, about a block away from Suffolk University. Schall said he is counting on the effectiveness of safety protocols at all colleges. An outbreak that sends students home again, is not going to be good for anybody, he said.

Business owners also said some students may return to Boston with less spending money because of cancelled jobs or internships. Shiranian said Amelias would not raise its prices even though produce and meat has become more expensive and St. George said Garbanzo will offer a student discount.

I would imagine that a lot of students who normally would be working summer jobs have not been able to do so, St. George said. We want to cut them a deal because we know they are affected by this.

Other businesses popular with students include Dig Inn in Copley Place, Dumpling Cafe in Chinatown, Trident Booksellers and Cafe on Newbury Street, and the Thinking Cup coffee shop.

On any given day during the school year, the cafe counter at Trident is packed with students working on their laptops, said general manager Michael Lemanski. The absence of students in the fall is a scary thought, so hes glad to hear that some colleges are planning to hold in-person classes.

Right now, the more customers we could have the better, Lemanski said, noting the lack of tourists. For our business to survive, we are going to need to do indoor dining outside is fine, but it wont be enough. The state could allow limited indoor dining as soon as next week, under Governor Charlie Bakers phased-in reopening plan.

One staple of the college scene for students 21 and older, however, likely will be missing or severely restricted come September: bars. They are slated for the states final phase of reopening, which according to the states plan depends on the availability of a COVID-19 treatment or vaccine.

For some bar owners, holding out is not an option. On June 9, Conor Larkins Grill & Tap a popular Huntington Avenue spot for Northeastern students said it would close after 18 years.

Max Wildstein, a 2019 graduate of Emerson, said he believed students will rely on liquor stores if bars dont reopen, bringing social gatherings to their residences instead. And he hopes that social distancing is observed if students go in large groups.

A staple of my college experience was going to South Street Diner near the train station late at night, he said. I hope its safe enough for them to be able to keep providing services to those in the city this fall.

Anissa Gardizy can be reached at anissa.gardizy@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @anissagardizy8.

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For restaurants that cater to students, worries about the fall - BetaBoston

The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on the Bay Areas economy, shuttering beloved bars and music venues,pushing formerly high-flying tech companies to lay off hundreds of workersand leading one economist to dub it the Great Recession 2.0.

But the current crisis has differed from the 2008-2009 financial crash in some key aspects, including who is bearing the brunt of the job losses.

A recent report from the Public Policy Institute of California found that industries such as finance and insurance, which took some of the biggest hits during the Great Recession, have been barely touched by the coronavirus crisis. Meanwhile, restaurant cooks, hotel concierges, barbers, custodians and other service industry workers have had the biggest job losses during the current crisis though they were less affected in the last recession.

Those are all jobs you cant really do from home, it requires people to be in person, to be out and about, said Julien Lafortune, a research fellow at PPIC that worked on the report.

Arts, entertainment and recreation, as well asaccommodations and food services, had a 47 percent decline in jobs statewide between February and April. During the Great Recession, between December 2007 and February 2010, those sectorswere far more resilient, loosing between 6-7 percent of jobs.

Jobs in health care and social assistance declined by 11 percent earlier this year. During the Great Recession, those jobsgrew 6 percent during the Great Recession. And jobs in education services are down 10 percent this time around, but declined just 0.04 percent after the financial crash.

The Bay Areas highly paid residents those in technology or other industries more suited for working from home cant protect the region from economic pain because they cant go out to restaurants or concerts or retail stores as easily as they normally could.

Even if they didnt lose the jobs, its been shown at least nationally that theyve been cutting their spending, Lafortune said. Its a trickle-down, in a sense of the crisis, in that it just compounds it.

Some of those jobs could be gone for the foreseeable future, making a quick bounce back from the crisis less likely. For example, each basketball game at the Warriors gleaming new Chase Center arena means work for more than 1,000 custodians, security guards, vendors and more.Its unclear when that kind of activity will be allowed to resume, and when people will feel comfortable in such large groups, Lafortune said.

At the same time, some industries that were battered by the Great Recession have so far avoided a repeat this time.Manufacturing, wholesale trade, and mining and logging all saw larger job declines between 2007 and 2010 than they have so far this year. Finance and insurance jobs, which dropped by 13 percent during the great recession, are down less than 1 percent in 2020.

Construction jobs are down 17 percent this year a significant loss but nothing like the Great Recession. Back then, when the housing market collapsed nationally, the industry suffered a 34 percent decline.Lafortune said work seems to be picking back up after restrictions on construction were lifted in the Bay Area, but the industry as a whole could still be in for more job losses down the line if worried developers start to cancel or postpone future housing or commercial construction projects.

You kind of have to anticipate the demand for those and if you dont know what thatll look like in the future, you might hold off, he said. I wouldnt be surprised to see that tick down some of those new starts.

See the rest here:
How Bay Area job losses during the coronavirus crisis and the Great Recession compare - Vallejo Times-Herald

Construction continues to move forward on Tower 300 at Kalea Bay.

Kalea Bay, the luxury residential high-rise community located on Vanderbilt Drive, two-tenths of a mile north of Wiggins Pass Road in North Naples, is nearing completion on the renovations of its Presentation Center.

We are on target open the newly remodeled center by the second week of July, said Inga Lodge, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Kalea Bay.

The center will include new kitchen cabinetry, flooring and quartz countertops, which mirror the finishes in Tower 300, now under construction.

With just 10 units remaining in Tower 200 and closings slated for mid-August, the timing was perfect for the beginning of construction on its third spectacular high-rise tower.

Like our first two towers, Tower 300 will offer its residents phenomenal views of the Gulf of Mexico, not to mention spectacular onsite amenities, both on its roof, and in the communitys main amenity area, Lodge stated.

Tower 300 is 22 stories in height and includes 120 residences. Specifically, its 20 floors of residences over two floors of parking. Rooftop amenities are similar to those found in Tower 100 and 200 including a rooftop pool, open-air fitness center and a sky lounge.

The penthouse residences recently released offer incredible views of the Gulf of Mexico.

Six floor plans are available in Tower 300 ranging between three-bedroom plus den/three-and-a-half-baths to four-bedroom/ four-and-a-half-baths. The size of the residences ranges from 3,722 to 3,919 total square feet.

Each floor plan, following an open-concept design, allows the living, dining and kitchen areas to spill out onto an expansive lanai, creating a true outdoor living room.

Kitchens include such standard features that most consider upgrades such as luxury cabinetry, quartz countertops and a large island, as well as SubZero and Wolf appliances.

The master bedroom includes an over-sized walk-in closet while the master bath has his and hers vanities, quartz countertops, luxury cabinetry, a soaking tub and a glass-enclosed shower.

Kalea Bays main amenity area includes the communitys clubhouse with three separate pools, an indoor/outdoor restaurant, fitness center, open-air bar and Internet caf.

Additional residential features include floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors that retract across the entire living area bringing the outdoors in. The large lanais are constructed with glass rails for uninterrupted views of the gulf. Smart home ready and fully equipped laundry rooms round out the list of features.

Residences in Tower 300 are currently priced from $1.5 million.

For the past couple of years, residents of Kalea Bay have been able to enjoy their communitys phenomenal clubhouse and the many amenities that surround it.

This clubhouse is truly the social and recreational centerpiece of the community, said Lodge. Residents and visitors cant help but be impressed as they drive into Kalea Bay, as the clubhouse provides not only a dramatic backdrop to the community, but is also the envy of many in the Naples area.

Kalea Bays 88,000-square-foot main amenity area is located on the north side of the large lake at the communitys entrance.

The rooftop amenities atop Tower 300 will include a pool, open-air fitness center and sky lounge.

The 25,000-square-foot clubhouse features three individual pools, including a resort pool, an adults-only pool and a childrens pool, plus an expansive pool deck, an open-air bar, an indoor/outdoor restaurant, a fitness center, the caf Bistro, a lakeside fire pit, kids game room and event lawn.

All three pools overlook the lake and provide a multitude of recreational options. Expansive sun decks with lounge chairs and native, tropical plants separate each of the three pools for the ultimate in privacy. If basking in the sun or taking a refreshing dip in the pool isnt on a residents schedule, perhaps meeting friends for lunch, dinner or drinks is.

We have the perfect place for all three, said Lodge. Our restaurants serve incredible meals throughout the day. And what better way to celebrate the good life in Florida than meeting family and friends for drinks while watching the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico. This is what living in Florida is supposed to be.

Kalea Bays third tower features 120 luxury residences.

There are actually two restaurants at Kalea Bay: the Driftwood Caf and the Salt and Oak Restaurant. The Driftwood Caf is open for breakfast and lunch. The Salt and Oak Restaurant is designed for an elegant evening dining experience and includes such features as a private dining room, a banquet room and wine tasting room among others.

For those residents who have young children or grandchildren, the clubhouse will delight one and all with a teen lounge, complete with virtual reality and PS4 games, foosball, WiFi and multiple TVs, and a kids game room with child-size furniture, books, chalkboard and TVs.

Adjacent to the clubhouse lies the tennis pavilion with four Har-Tru tennis courts, as well as eight pickleball courts. Guest suites for overnight guests are also located near the clubhouse.

While the current state-of-the-art fitness center features Peloton bicycles, assorted strength machines, free weights and stretch area, Lodge recently announced that the communitys already outstanding amenities will be expanded to include a Wellness Center.

We have finalized our designs for our 14,000 square foot Wellness Center, she said. Dedicated to the health and well-being of our residents, the Wellness Center is expected to include a dedicated yoga studio, sauna, spin room and Pilates. The spa will include treatment rooms while locker facilities and a large cardio and free weight area are also planned.

According to Lodge, the construction of the Wellness Center is anticipated to begin late Summer 2020. For more information visit Kalea Bays onsite sales center. It is located on Vanderbilt Drive, two- tenths of a mile north of Wiggins Pass Road. For more information call (239) 793-0110 or visit KaleaBay. com.

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New Kalea Bay Sales Center to Reflect Tower 300 Selections - Florida Weekly

The Construction Insurance market study Added by Market Study Report, LLC, provides an in-depth analysis pertaining to potential drivers fueling this industry. The study also encompasses valuable insights about profitability prospects, market size, growth dynamics, and revenue estimation of the business vertical. The study further draws attention to the competitive backdrop of renowned market contenders including their product offerings and business strategies.

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According to the latest research report, the Construction Insurance market emerges as one of the most proactive business verticals. This research report anticipates this space to garner substantial returns over the forecast period, on account of the broad range of driving forces that is set to transform the market outlook throughout the projected duration. An essence of these driving forces, in conjunction with and excess of additional dynamics related to the Construction Insurance market, such as the threats that are prevalent across this market as well as the growth opportunities, have also been emphasized in the report.

One of the key pointers that makes the Construction Insurance market report worth a buy is the extensive overview it delivers regarding the competitive landscape of the industry. Based on the competitive hierarchy, the study expertly segments the Construction Insurance market into The major players covered in Construction Insurance are:,Allianz,AXA,ACE&Chubb,AIG,Zurich Insurance,Tokio Marine,Munich Re,QBE,XL Group,Beazley,Berkshire Hathaway,Mapfre,Liberty Mutual,State Farm,Manulife,Travelers andNationwide. These companies have been competing with one another in a bid to attain a successful status in the global market.

A brief outline of the Construction Insurance market scope includes:

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The report provides enough data regarding the market share that all of these companies presently account for throughout this vertical, alongside the market share that they are expected to acquire over the estimated period. The study also expounds on particulars related to the product manufactured by each of these companies, that would help industry entrants and key stakeholders develop their competitive analysis and strategy portfolios. Additionally, their decision-making process is set to become more convenient due to the fact that the Construction Insurance market report also highlights an essence of the trends in product pricing and the revenue margins of the major players in the industry.

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Some common questions the report answers with regards to the segmentation of the Construction Insurance market

Key takeaways from the study:

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Development Trend of Analysis of Construction Insurance Market

Marketing Channel

Market Dynamics

Methodology/Research Approach

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Originally posted here:
Comprehensive Analysis on Construction Insurance Market based on types and application - 3rd Watch News

OTTAWA -- Residents and business owners in Little Italy are dealing with the impact of construction of stage 2 of LRT, but there are questions about the sustainability of the system, as much of the city's workforce is out of the office indefinitely.

For Trattoria Caffe Italia, the noise and blasting from construction of the new Gladstone Station is creating some challenges, just as they open their patio.

"It's definitely a bit loud for the customers!" says manager Jasmine Chan. "We have a wine cellar that has over 6,500 bottles of wine. Sometimes the bottle shake and we are worried they might fall, But they are all safe right now."

Crews are excavating rocks and blasting to widen the O-Train trench in order to construct a station and lengthen existing passing tracks on the Trillium Line.

The work comes even closer to designer Christopher Solar's parking lot.

"The land we are standing on is not actually the driveway to my parking lot, it's part of the railway right of way, so this is all going to be taken over for the construction site," he told CTV News on Tuesday.

The planning for stage 2 LRT was all done before the pandemic and before most people started working from home, raising questions about what the workforce will look like when the construction is complete.

However, the councillor for the area says there is still a need to keep expanding LRT.

"Regardless of what is going on in the pandemic I dont want to assume that LRT is no longer going to be necessary in order to ensure the sustainability of our city," said Kitchissippi ward councillor Jeff Leiper.

Leiper says the city is growing. New developments are being built nearby, intensifying the area.

"The only way it is sustainable is if people have reliable, convenient transit, and the only way to provide that is with LRT," he said.

Still, the noise and construction is cutting into an already difficult patio season and the staff at Trattoria Caffe Italia are looking forward to it being completed in 2022.

"It is not the ideal timing but our customers are really understanding," Chan said. "They take it as it is. It's a little extra noise, but adds to the ambiance!"

See more here:
Noise and dust from LRT construction disrupt life in Little Italy - CTV News Ottawa