Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Mark your calendars!

Upcoming Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce events. (For a complete calendar of events, visit http://www.lakesareachamber.com):

Friday, November 5: First Friday Coffee Connect, 8:30 9:30 a.m. at LaFontaine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Walled Lake, 1111 S. Commerce Road, Walled Lake 48390

Monday, November 8: Ribbon cutting celebration, noon to 1 p.m. (cut at 12:30 p.m.) at Qamaria Yemeni Coffees second location, 40200 W. 14 Mile Road, Commerce Township 48390

Tuesday, November 9: Ribbon cutting celebration, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. (cut at 10 a.m.) for SB Financial Solutions (to be held at the chamber office), 305 N. Pontiac Trail, Walled Lake 48390

Wednesday, November 10: YPG Bowling for Business, 5 to 8 p.m. at Wonderland Lanes, 8265 Richardson Road, Commerce Township 48390. Register online at lakesareachamber.com.

Thursday, November 11: Member Orientation Breakfast, 8:30 to 10 a.m. at Independence Village of White Lake, 935 Union Lake Road, White Lake 48386. Register online at lakesareachamber.com.

Tuesday, November 16: Spotlight Lunch,

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Commerce Public House, 2215 Haggerty Road, Commerce 48390

Wednesday, November 17: Ambassador meeting, 10 a.m. at the chamber office, 305 N. Pontiac Trail, Walled Lake 48390

Thursday, November 18: Third Thursday Coffee Connect, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Center for Performance Arts and Learning, 28243 Beck Road B-2, Wixom 48393

Thursday, November 25: Chamber office is closed. Happy Thanksgiving!

Welcome!

The following companies have recently joined the Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. Please support them by shopping local!

Centropix, Gina Costa 248-520-7127 or http://www.centropix.us/drbrooks

Ace Handyman Services West Oakland & Wayne Counties, Claire South 248- 983-3900 or http://www.acehandymanservices.com/ offices/ west- oakland- nwayne counties/

Custom Plus, Inc., Sally Brush/Katie Mitchell 248-889-8251 or http://www.customplus.net

Airworthy Productions, Ric Mixter 989- 928-3400 or http://www.airworthy.tv

Springfield Urgent Care, Randa Murray 248-942-5888 or http://www.springfieldurgentcare.com

Waldo Wealth Partners, Caleb Sheng, Esq. 248-504-0553 or http://www.waldowealthpartners.com

Qamaria Yemeni Coffee, Mohamed Al-aidarious 248-956-7917 or http://www.qamariacoffee.com

Stevenson & Bullock, PLC, Ernest Hassan 248-354-7906 ext. 2229 or http://www.sbplclaw.com

At Home Urgent Care, Alia Malik 248- 305-0440 or http://www.athomeurgentcare.com

Law Office of Linda Hyaduck, Linda Hyaduck 248-762-8405

Biggby Coffee #739 (Highland Road, White Lake), Phillip Raubinger 810- 730-3662 or http://www.biggby.com

Michigan Solar Solutions, Christina Hagerty 248-923-3456 or http://www.michigansolarsolutions.com

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Chamber Corner | The Spinal Column - Spinal Column Online

Mobile home parks are not what they used to be. Now they offer tree line landscape and amenities such as pools, spas and clubhouses with weight rooms often found in high-end communities. Date and location not specified. (Brett VA via Wikimedia Commons, St. George News)

Estimated read time: Less than a minute

ST. GEORGE High-end mobile home parks with additional space for recreational vehicles may be coming to St. George in the near future.

Salt Lake City-based Mountain West Commercial Real Estate is eyeing St. George and Washington County for a potential expansion of their business model to Southern Utah, which will include manufactured homes a euphemism that once upon a time referred exclusively to a mobile home design.

Today's manufactured homes bear little resemblance to the mobile homes that were bought prior to 1976 when all manufactured homes were considered "mobile."

Now, the term mobile homes has been exchanged for manufactured homes, which also includes prefabricated homes and recreational vehicles with more than 400 square feet of living space.

In the past year, Mountain West has continued to expand and broaden its services with its latest extension in developing manufactured housing parks for mobile homes as well as recreational vehicle investment opportunities for its clients.

The advantage, industry analysts say is that high-end mobile homes usually offer a choice of floor plans and high-end interior options.

Read the full article at St. George News.

Continued here:
High-end mobile home parks may become part of the St. George landscape - KSL.com

The Loft The Loft is just one of many floor plan options available to future homeowners at The Oaks of Kokomo.

A subdivision on the outskirts of the northeast side of the city is offering residents great options for home ownership, while also handling financing for future residents.

The Oaks of Kokomo, 2000 County Road N. 250 E., a manufactured subdivision, has steadily grown over the past year, bringing life and community to a location better known for its cornfields.

As the community takes shape with a mix of young families and retirees, development manager Jennifer Haasz is excited to expand into phase two, which will offer an additional 20-plus land home sites within the subdivision very quickly.

Over the past year we have become a thriving little community, and Im excited about the new opportunities for growth as we near the start of phase two, Jennifer said.

The Oaks of Kokomo is being built with the working families in mind. Homes start at $80 per square foot, with house sizes ranging from 1,000 to 2,400 square feet. The homes feature very similar construction specs as site built housing, along with northern wrapped insulation and smart home technology.

Customization is one of the core attractions at The Oaks of Kokomo. Future residents may choose from a variety of cabinet and countertop styles in the kitchen and decide whether they want a walk-in shower or soothing tub in the bathroom.

"The American Farmhouse kitchens with industrial accents throughout the rest of the home are huge right now, Jennifer said. The five bedroom, three bathroom loft floor-plan best demonstrate the latest available amenities in today's market.

Endless possibilities extend to the exterior as well. Is your new home blue with a white picket fence or tan with a landscaped front yard ready for spring flowers?

These homes also have two decks, concrete driveways, sidewalks and private mailboxes. Personal touches and options abound.

Jennifer recommends clients work directly with the team at The Oaks to professionally assist them through the entire the process. They have many years working directly with banks that specialize in this type of financing.

We are here to make the entire process much easier and flow quickly to get you into your home as quick as possible, Jennifer said.

Turnaround for home completion is relatively short, with units ready in a matter of months compared to potentially waiting up to 18 months or more for a site-built house.

Since the Kokomo workforce is at the heart and soul of the community, The Oaks of Kokomo is focused on offering the best options possible for home ownership. They work with banks specializing in manufactured homes that offer FHA loans, conventional loans, flexible terms and approvals for those with lower credit scores.

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Our payments for owning your land and your home are often times cheaper than the current going rate for rent, Jennifer said.

Most importantly, dont qualify yourself, she said of those who might believe themselves unable to attain a home in the community. Let us help qualify you.

One of the many benefits of The Oaks of Kokomo is location. Residents get the best of both worlds: a quiet country setting with the amenities of city life only minutes away. Indiana 931 is a quick drive down 100 North, and with it comes restaurants, fast food options, Wal-Mart and the Markland Mall.

Convenience is key when it comes to a healthy work and life balance. A home in The Oaks of Kokomo is within an easy drive to GM, Chrysler, Community Howard Regional Health and Ivy Tech, making it the perfect location for those who want to spend as much time at home with their loved ones as possible.

The location also falls within the highly sought after Northwestern School District.

Our current as well as future residents love that such a beautiful community is right here in Northwestern! There are very few homes available in Northwestern, Jennifer said.

Jennifer has made Kokomo her home over the past few years. Originally from northeast Ohio, she has owned multiple manufactured housing retail sales centers in Kentucky and Tennessee before moving into land development and housing subdivisions. After taking a short break from the industry, she joined up with business partner and investor Tupper Baker.

We both have an absolute passion to help people, she said of their friendship.

Thats what makes me proud to work for Jen and Tupper, said sales manager Mike Huskey. Their hearts are in the right place.

The Oaks of Kokomo opened sooner than expected, Jennifer said, due to a demand for housing. Because of this, much of the land is still under development, but the final product will have below ground utilities, new streets with decorative lighting, street signs and an entrance way welcoming residents and visitors.

If a Kokomo resident already owns land but wants a new home, as a retail manufactured housing dealer, Jennifer said there are many available floor plans and styles to choose from. Jennifer provides an easy turn-key, start-to-finish service, helping you get into your dream home on your own property. All someone has to do is call.

Jennifer can be reached by calling or texting 765-614-8807. Mike can also be reached at 765-210-3856. You may also email kokomohomes181@gmail.com for more information or visit theoaksofkokomo.com for pictures, virtual tours and links to social media accounts.

The experienced team at The Oaks of Kokomo is looking forward to showing you just how easy it is to own your own home and land. They look forward to meeting you.

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Paid Advertisement: Oaks of Kokomo brings home ownership options to community - Kokomo Perspective

BILOXI, Miss., Oct. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --The future of housing is here with the 2022 Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show. Registration and housing are now open for this one-of-a-kind industry event taking place March 28 - 31, 2022 at the IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Members of the media are encouraged to secure their complimentary media credentials to learn more about manufactured homes and their role as a quality affordable housing solution.

The historic Biloxi, Mississippi is located in the southeastern region of the country and can be found nestled on the Gulf of Mexico between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama. This city surprises visitors with year-round celebrations, extensive dining options, casinos, and more. The event's venue, IP Casino Resort Spa features exquisite water views, bustling restaurants, easy access to the main throughways, and close proximity to all the action. And most importantly, this new venue brings the exhibitors and home displays closer than ever before. Attendees will be able to easily and quickly explore between the expo hall and home display lot.

Manufactured housing professionals are encouraged to register and secure their hotel rooms today, so they can: CONNECT, LEARN, TOUR and PROGRESS in Biloxi. The following are highlights of the upcoming show:

For full details, registration and information on exhibiting or sponsoring at the manufactured housing's premier event can be found at http://www.biloxihomeshow.com.

About Biloxi Manufactured Housing ShowFormerly known as the Tunica Show, this new city and venue will be the home to over a thousand professionals, the newest home models, educational workshops, and exhibitors in the MH industry for three days. The event is being hosted by the South Central Manufactured Housing Institute (SCHMI) and managed by the industry-centric digital marketing agency ManufacturedHomes.com.

CONTACT:Kaitlyn Palatucci Phone:949-216-0521Email:[emailprotected]

SOURCE Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show

http://www.biloxihomeshow.com

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2022 Biloxi Manufactured Housing Show: Registration and Housing Now Open - PRNewswire

Moving a mobile home is a unique challenge that will require the assistance of the best mobile home movers available. Merely hooking up a house and hauling it away oversimplifies the complicated process of inspecting the house, obtaining permits, ensuring proper licensing, and the actual moving of the entire house itself. With the right mobile home movers on your side, youll be well positioned to reposition your beloved house to its new location.

Mobile home transport can be a tricky process since there are a number of factors to consider. It takes due diligence to find a qualified mobile home moving company that can legally transport the mobile home to its new destination. Evaluating key considerations can help you make an informed decision.

Its important to choose a moving company that is qualified and licensed to haul a mobile home as far as it needs to be moved. Local mobile home movers might be able to move it within the state, but they must have interstate licensing to haul it through states and into the destination state. If the mobile home is being moved across international borders, additional licensing and permits are required. Another consideration is the type of roads that need to be traveled. A wide load doesnt turn easily, so the semitruck may need to use alternate routes to arrive safely. These detours can increase the time and distanceand therefore costof the relocation.

According to Statista, as of 2021, Texas, Florida, and Louisiana are the states with the most mobile homes. We chose to focus a select number of our top providers from those states.

Mobile homes need to be assessed to determine if they are structurally sound enough to be moved. If they are, then the size and weight are evaluated to in part determine the cost. Older mobile homes tend to weigh 35 to 40 pounds per square foot, while recently built manufactured homes weigh 40 to 45 pounds per square foot. The heavier weight means additional equipment is typically needed for the deconstruction and hauling of the home. A mobile home that is 800 square feet means there could be 40,000 pounds of materials being moved, so its possible that more than one truck will be needed to complete the move.

The size of the house also needs to be considered. Single-wide trailers can be hauled on a highway with minimal interference (though it is considered a wide load), but a double-wide trailer or larger has to be deconstructed and hauled in two or more pieces. Excessively large pieces may even require lane closures on some roads, which requires the help of local law enforcement to ensure the safety of all drivers.

Many mobile homes require a fair amount of preparation in order to be moved, and some services are expected to be completed by the homeowner. At minimum, utilities need to be shut off and any outer attachments like porches should be removed. Other services like removing and reinstalling the foundation and other features, or removing and reconnecting a double-wide trailer might apply as well. Depending on your needs, check with each moving company to see which services they offer and how they charge for each service.

An existing mobile home insurance policy might cover the home during relocation transport, but if not, then its necessary to obtain liability insurance. This is important to have on top of the insurance that the mobile home movers are required to havemake sure to verify that they have liability insurance of their own.

Since moving a mobile home is a more complex job than RV trailer moving, each job presents its own unique challenges that can affect the total timeline. The distance and the size of the house are two primary factors that influence timing. Once permits are obtained, it can take 3 to 10 hours to prepare a traditional mobile home for moving. A large, manufactured house could take days. The trucks used to haul the home will travel more slowly than other vehicles, so if its being hauled a few hundred miles, it may take several days to arrive. Reconstructing the mobile home at the new site can take from a few hours to a couple of days to complete. Choose a company that can get the job done within a similar timeline of these estimates to help ensure youre working with a reputable company.

The cost to move a mobile home is difficult to nail down since there are so many factors to consider. According to moving.com, on average, a short move of 50 miles could cost between $5,000 and $8,000 for a single-wide trailer, including permits and setup fees. A double-wide trailer with the same circumstances could cost between $10,000 and $13,000. Moving a mobile home across state lines will increase the cost due to time and distance, so its possible for the total cost to reach $20,000 or more.

Accidents happen. If one occurs, you want to feel confident that there is a company representative ready and willing to help. Part of the vetting process may need to include speaking with one or more company representatives to build confidence in their attentiveness and willingness to provide solutions in the event of an emergency.

The decision to hand over the move of a home thats unique and special can be daunting. Choosing the right company to handle the challenging process of moving a mobile home builds confidence and ensures a smooth transaction. To help homeowners transport their homes safely, quickly, and legally, we recommend Heavy Haulers as our top choice for mobile home movers.

Photo: heavyhaulers.com

Why It Made the Cut: Heavy Haulers can transport mobile homes of all sizes nationwide to all 50 statesplus Canada and Mexicousing a team of bonded, licensed, and insured drivers and movers.

Heavy Haulers, a division of Nationwide Transport Services, is capable of getting movers to your house and relocating it to its new, accessible destination (as long as the house is structurally movable), regardless of where you live in the United States. They have offices throughout the country to help assist people looking to move mobile homes, freight, and heavy equipment. Since they offer a variety of services, its a safe bet that they have the equipment necessary to move even a complicated manufactured house.

Though Heavy Haulers cant guarantee exact pickup or delivery datesthere are complexities to ensuring drivers are accessible anywhere in the countrythey have several available points of contact and great 24/7 customer service to help homeowners feel secure in booking with them. The fact that its also a family owned and operated business is also a nice touch.

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Photo: nexusautotransport.com

Why It Made the Cut: Nexus Auto Transport specializes in transporting cars across the country, but they have branched out into transporting mobile homes for reasonably affordable prices.

Nexus can accommodate mobile home transport across the lower contiguous 48 states. Their specialty is auto transport, which is helpful for mobile home owners who also need a car moved. Nexus can accommodate short notice mobile home pickup and delivery in many caseslikely in more populated areas. Since this company is still growing, they do occasionally broker out some moves to other companies who have a greater presence in some areas. As a bonus, you can also book a car shipment with them if you have more cars than drivers.

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Photo: uship.com

Why It Made the Cut: As a transportation marketplace, UShip helps bring feedback-rated movers and clients together to fill the exact needs of the mobile home thats being moved.

UShip operates as a marketplace broker that facilitates the decision-making process of finding qualified haulers to move a mobile home (and other goods). The advantage of this system is that you can quickly compare prices and feedback of qualified movers to help make a decision about who to hire by choosing from any available moving company. In addition, there are movers available for hire who can take care of the packing and moving of all your personal items. However, since its only a brokerage marketplace, any problems or concerns with a mover can only be solved directly between the two parties. UShip will help facilitate communication between the two parties, but wont handle disputes. The contracts are also somewhat loose to allow for unexpected circumstances, so haulers can cancel at frustratingly short notice. Fortunately, there are plenty of other movers to find on this platform to fill the gap if needed.

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Photo: innovationmovers.com

Why It Made the Cut: Innovation Movers is an all-service mobile home moving company in Texas that offers friendly customer support and additional services for special circumstances.

For mobile home owners moving within Texas, Innovation Movers is our top choice since they are locally owned and operated. This company also specializes in the before and after services involved in simple or complicated moves, such as grading the new location if needed. If you need to move within a week, its likely theyll be able to accommodate you. Its important to note that they only operate within Texas; however, they do provide the legal permits homeowners need to move within the state. Innovation Movers strives for transparency in their communication and services, and they have customer support available by phone and email.

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Photo: mhmove.com

Why It Made the Cut: J&S Homes is a proven, 40-year business with lots of experience moving mobile homes throughout Florida (with a primary focus on central Florida), with the added perk of free estimates.

Businesses that have been around for decades tend to have a reliable track record of successful operations and happy customers, and J&S Homes is no exception. They state that they can move mobile homes to their new location within Florida (not out of state) within a weekbarring severe weather challenges. This short turnaround is helpful for homeowners, especially since J&S also helps with all permitting needs. They also boast transparency when it comes to insurance and permits.

There are no online quotes available, but thats due to the company preferring to meet with you in person to provide an accurate assessment and quote. Site and home preparation services are also included to help homeowners move smoothly into their new location. Most importantly, J&S Homes provides tie-down and anchoring services for mobile homes to meet FHA hurricane regulations in Florida that are intended to reduce damage and protect homeowners.

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Photo: bbsmobilehometransport.com

Why It Made the Cut: BBs Mobile Home Transport specializes in moving mobile homes of all typesand foundationsin addition to raising mobile homes as a flood countermeasure.

With over 40 years of mobile home moving experience, BBs Mobile Home Transport is capable of handling just about any unique situation that comes their way. Though they primarily service homes within the state of Louisiana, theyre familiar with the challenging terrain and elements that Louisiana has, which means they can ensure a mobile home is relocated safely. There are only limited options for moving in the Gulf Coast area, so potential customers are encouraged to call or email for details.

BBs can handle mobile homes on blocks or anchors and build a raised foundation to protect the home against flooding that may occur. In addition, they now offer FHA foundation retrofitting to provide mobile homes with more security against severe weather events. Its an extra service that helps homeowners feel safe and secure in their newly relocated mobile home.

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Photo: nationwideunitedautotransport.com

Why It Made the Cut: Offering nationwide mobile home transport, Nationwide United Auto Transport is licensed, bonded, and insured to move manufactured homes, mobile homes, tiny homes, and more.

Nationwide United Auto Transport is a large logistics firm that is capable of offering expedited transport options for many customers. They have 15 years of experience, so theyre well positioned to have the equipment and manpower necessary to handle just about any moving complexity. While their prices may be more expensive than others, they offer 24/7 support, which gives customers confidence that any questions or challenges can be resolved quickly. They help each customer assess the additional services needed to remove and place the mobile home, survey the route for logistical challenges, and assess the permits needed for a local or cross-country move. Note: As of the publication of this guide on 10/29/2021, Nationwide United Auto Transport has suspended its mobile home transport service until further notice.

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Great customer service, adequate service area, and extra services are all key components to choosing the best mobile home movers. Thats why we chose Heavy Haulers as our top choice, since they have the largest service area, all the necessary equipment, and a proven track record of helpful, accessible customer support. Some homeowners might prefer using the UShip marketplace where they can easily price shop and book directly with any number of moving companies.

While much depends on the location of your move and any unique circumstances you may be in, there are a few elements that stood out to us when reviewing the top mobile-home moving companies. We evaluated companies that have local, statewide, nationwide, and international moving options to provide the coverage needed for any homeowner. We evaluated the websites of each company and took the overall customer reviews and experiences into account to make sure most customers enjoyed a satisfactory or pleasant experience.

Since the highest concentration of mobile homes exists in Texas, Florida, and Louisiana, it was important to include top local companies who have expert knowledge of the terrain and weather that impact mobile homes in those regions.

Its not uncommon for a mobile home to be moved due to a change in ownership of the land where its placed. These moves are usually local and fairly easy to accommodate for a reasonable price. On the other hand, considering moving a mobile home across state lines can become complicated and expensive fairly quickly. This is even more true for manufactured homes that are a double-wide size or larger. Movers also have to assess whether the home is structurally sound enough to be taken apart and put back together, not to mention whether it can handle the jostling of a long road trip.

If the cost to move a mobile home is more than its worth overall or the risk is too high to the structural integrity of the home, it may be best to consider simply purchasing a new mobile home near your preferred destination.

Theres no easy answer to determine the cost of moving a mobile home since location, size, weight, distance, preparation, and any additional services all factor into the final cost. However, local moves are easier to estimate since there is a shorter distance to cover. As a general baseline, you can expect a single-wide trailer to cost $5,000 to $8,000 to move 50 miles. Larger trailers or longer distances quickly increase that price. An average cost per mile is $5 to $10, which may or may not apply to local moves within a certain radius. Its not impossible for a quote to reach $20,000 or more, depending on the complexity and distance of a move.

No matter how powerful a truck and trailer are, moving a mobile home any measurable distance on your own is not recommendedand in many situations, its illegal. Mobile homes are massive, unwieldy objects that take skill and training to move successfully, which is why its so helpful to have experienced professionals do the hard job of taking it apart, transporting it, and setting it back up. Most importantly, licensed movers have the proper permits and interstate licenses to transport the home. Here are several reasons why its beneficial to hire mobile home movers.

Choosing a great mobile home mover can be a challenging process, but with enough information, the right company can be found. The more details you understand about the process, the better position youll be in to make an informed decision. Consider the answers to these frequently asked questions.

Anyone who is looking to relocate a mobile or manufactured home to a new destination. As long as the home is in good condition to be moved, and it works with the homeowners budget, mobile home movers can transport it to almost any location.

The cost to move a mobile home depends on several critical factors like the size, weight, and location of the mobile home. In addition, the total distance heavily influences the final price. On average, it costs approximately $7,000 to move a mobile home less than 100 miles.

Each state has a requirement for homeowners (or the moving company) to obtain a moving permit to transport the trailer to a new location. If the mobile home is being transported across state lines, additional permits are required to meet national transportation regulations.

Most states require a licensed mover to complete any kind of transport of a mobile home. Proper permits are also required, and in some cases, the home might even need to be inspected before and after arrival. If any taxes are overdue on the property, they will need to be paid first as well. Check with the local HUD department to learn which laws will apply in your region.

Sources: HomeAdvisor, MyMove, Move.org, SFGate, Moving.com

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The Best Mobile Home Movers of 2021 - BobVila.com

The 1,500-square-meter villa was constructed between 1927 and 1930 on a 3,000-square-meter plot of land. With a vision to rehabilitate the building to its former glory, the villa was acquired in 2015 by Minerva Corporation, investing over US$20 million into its restoration. Specialists Palazzo Spinelli Institute for Art and Restoration from Italy and Stonewest from the UK, whose respective body of work include estates, cathedrals, and other historical and cultural institutions, were appointed to undertake a full-scale restoration of the property.

Villa le Voile's name is inspired by voile (French for "veil"), symbolizing its extensive seven-year journey of studies and restoration as well as the many layers of history unveiled in the process. Comprised of a main villa, a flexible space for exhibitions and pop-up events, and an outdoor landscape area, the villa will house three dining destinations punctuated by artistic spirit, cultural sensitivity, and heritage promotion.

A place for inspiration, community, and cultural exploration, Villa le Voile will offer a venue for exchange and understanding of Vietnam through exhibitions, workshops, and other programs year-round.

About Villa le Voile

Villa le Voile is set to become Ho Chi Minh City's premier destination for dining, heritage, and culture. Characterised by an eclectic yet harmonious blend of French, Chinese, and Vietnamese architectural and design elements, Villa le Voile is an embodiment of Saigon's unique history and culture. Opening its doors to the public in Q4 of 2022, the Villa will house three distinctive dining concepts that elevate perception of Vietnamese cuisine, alongside temporary exhibitions, pop-up events, and robust cultural programming year-round. Follow Villa le Voile on Instagram and Facebook: @villalevoile. http://www.villalevoile.com

To access the full press kit and high-resolution images, click here.

Press Contacts:

Manica Tiglao: [emailprotected] | [emailprotected] (Asia)

Alison Buchbinder: [emailprotected] (USA & Europe)

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1677954/Rendering_Villa_le_Voile_s_fa_ade_Credit_Villa_le_Voile.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1677955/01__VLV_LOGO_Logo.jpg

http://www.villalevoile.com

SOURCE Villa le Voile

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Revitalised Heritage Property Villa le Voile to be Unveiled in 2022 - PR Newswire India

This article is part of our latest Design special report, about creative people finding fresh ways to interpret ideas from the past.

When Joyce Poulson was awakened by her fire alarm in the early morning of Nov. 12, 2018, she didnt see any flames or smell smoke. She went upstairs in her butterfly-roof house in Los Angeless Silver Lake neighborhood to try to turn off the alarm and, failing at that, called the alarm company.

While I was on the phone a tornado of fire came up the stairs, she said. I had to run by it to get to the door. I dont know how my nightgown did not catch on fire.

By sunrise it was clear that her 1,640-square-foot, wood-frame home had burned to the studs because of an errant ember that had been trapped, invisible, between the fireplace and the wall. Her insurance company would soon call the historically important building a total loss.

Today, the 69-year-old house, originally designed by Ain, Johnson and Day for Marjorie M. Greene, an artist and early childhood educator, looks as fresh as it did in 1952. It has been painstakingly restored by Escher GuneWardena Architecture, thanks to archival research, preservation of the remaining structure and forensic reconstruction of the plans as even the original blueprints, stored in a closet in the lower floor, were burned to char.

A week or two after the fire, Ms. Poulson, 78, contacted the firms partners, Frank Escher and Ravi GuneWardena, at the suggestion of a neighbor who knew Mr. GuneWardena from having studied abroad, and asked them to rebuild it.

She could not have selected more eager and experienced architects. The 25-year-old firm had also worked on the conservation of the Eames House and the restoration and the remodeling of John Lautners Chemosphere house. While less well known than Lautner or Charles and Ray Eames, Gregory Ain (1908-1988), a principal designer of the house, was an integral part of Los Angeless Modernist movement and American architects search for low-cost, innovative and flexible housing for the masses.

His Mar Vista Tract, also designed with Joseph Johnson and Alfred Day and completed in 1948, was designated Los Angeless first Modernist historic district in 2003. It showed how even identical houses, their plans mirrored or rotated and oriented toward lush common green space, could create a neighborhood of variety and charm.

Ains firm followed that up with Community Homes, a racially integrated cooperative designed for 280 families, including those of the landscape architect Garrett Eckbo (a friend and frequent collaborator) and the singer and actress Lena Horne, but was unable to get government financing. Ain and Eckbo, both Socialists, decided to let the project die rather than undertake it as a whites-only suburb. The California Senate Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities would later declare Ain among the committees more notorious critics.

Ms. Poulson, a retired computer software salesperson, embarked on a love affair with modern architecture long before 1988, when she bought the Greene house, of which she was only the third owner. In the early 1960s she rented one of the apartments behind the architect Richard Neutras studio (Ain worked for Neutra in the 1930s.) In the 1980s she lived in the guesthouse of the Neutra VDL House, where she attended classical music concerts featuring the architects widow, the musician Dione Neutra.

Every time she started to describe anything she was very emotional, said Mr. GuneWardena, about his initial conversations with Ms. Poulson. She said it was a Gregory Ain house, it was in a magazine she had, but that was in the house. Several times she said, Ill show you the photos, then she remembered the photos had burned. They arranged to meet at the skeleton of the house. The designers immediately realized this was an important house and said, Dont tear down anything, Mr. GuneWardena recalled.

Among their first tasks was proving that the Greene house was, in fact, by Ain, a necessary step if they wanted to add the house to the inventory of HistoricPlacesLA, a preservation database, and apply the citys preservation codes to the restoration. The building permit named only Johnson and Day, Ains onetime partners, as did the plans in the Eckbo archive at the University of California, Berkeley.

But the Ain archive at the University of California, Santa Barbara, had a folder of unidentified projects and there, lo and behold, they found two presentation drawings marked Marjorie Greene, 1952. Rereading a chapter on Ain in Esther McCoys Second Generation, a 1984 book about California architects, Mr. Escher and Mr. GuneWardena noticed a reference to a singular, unpictured Ain house with a butterfly roof just like the Greene house. Sasha Plotnikova, the project manager for the research phase on the house, also noticed that the plan was very similar to one of Ains most famous works, the 1950 Exhibition House for the Museum of Modern Art, intended as a demonstration of a subdivision-ready house of high-quality modern design a corrective to the traditional, boxy forms of nascent Levittowns.

(Until recently, the Ain house for MoMA had long been thought to be a lost design. Christiane Robbins and Katherine Lambert, a filmmaker and an architect, who have been researching Ain for more than a decade and sharing parts of their documentary-in-progress, had asked MoMA for documentation on the house and received only a slim file. In early 2021, however, George Smart, the North Carolina-based historian who founded and runs the preservationist nonprofit USModernist, discovered the house had survived, auctioned off and reassembled in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., where a family named Kelly has lived in it since 1979.)

The Los Angeles version is now on record as a sibling. This house is super site-specific, located on a hillside rather than in one of the flat suburban tracts Ain wanted to reform, said Anthony S. Denzer, a professor of architectural engineering at the University of Wyoming and author of Gregory Ain: The Modern Home as Social Commentary (2008). It seems to me that probably Marjorie Greene came to Ain because she had seen the MoMA house and said, I really like that, but then he adapted it to the site. Greene herself had an architectural pedigree: she was the niece of the prolific Pasadena architects Greene & Greene.

If it were simply a remodel job of a nonhistoric house, they would have to bring it up to new seismic codes and new energy codes, said Mr. Denzer. This would have likely required the addition of solid shear walls within the two-story glass wall facing Silver Lake, radically altering the open look and feel of the house. (One new code that does apply: sprinklers.) I can say with confidence he designed the house, Mr. Denzer said, but he doesnt know why Ain didnt include it in his own archive. Ains preference for perfecting a detail, and then using it in project after project, came in handy, as the designers could look to his other buildings of the same era for window or cabinetry details.

Mr. Escher and Mr. GuneWardena estimated that, in the end, 50 percent of the houses original materials were retained, including the framing of the butterfly roof, sections of the subfloor and floor structure, the brick fireplaces and almost all the concrete. Most of that is under cover, with new birch plywood cabinetry, new cork tile and new plaster over wood framing that is sometimes original, sometimes replaced, and sometimes sistered new elements tied to the old with nails or screws for strength.

The reconstruction took 18 months and was completed in April. Ms. Poulsons favorite spaces in the house remain the same: the nook in which she can read in her Eames lounge chair and look across the length of Silver Lake; and the highly efficient kitchen, in which she can reach sink, stovetop and pantry with a minimum number of steps.

Its beautiful to be in the living room and be able to look into that kitchen area it is like one long extension of itself, she said. Even though there are homes on either side of me, I dont hear or see a single thing except the lake and my garden.

The marks of the fire are visible in only two places. You can see it outdoors, where the char on a built-in Eckbo-designed pentagonal table was scraped off and its newly irregular ends sealed. Now it is similar to something George Nakashima would have designed, with a free edge, because of the burning, said Mr. GuneWardena. Delia Hitz, a garden designer, updated Eckbos beds, their edges intact, with all native plants that should require less water.

And inside, damage is visible (barely) at the scene of the accident: I suppose if you looked really carefully at the fireplaces you could tell, said Ms. Poulson. They had to clean them to get the brick back to brick, but there is smoke damage inside the fireplaces where it is black. She said she would never light a flame there again.

Apart from those vestiges, the house looks and feels exactly as it did when she moved in, she said. I dont know how they did it. She is grateful to be back after her time in exile living above the Americana at Brand complex: For me it had a lot of bling, a lot of people, everything was too much there, she said.

Ms. Poulson also cherishes how the reconstruction process taught her so much about the house, about Gregory Ain and other architects too, she said. I love my house now more than before the fire it means so much more to me now.

Continued here:
Celebrating a Phoenix of a Home in Los Angeles - The New York Times

Virginias 61st governor, Linwood Holton, has died at the age of 98. Hes best known for fighting racial segregation, but was also a pioneer in Chesapeake Bay restoration.

Holton, who served as governor of Virginia 1969-1973, passed away peacefully on October 28 at home in Irvington, close to the Chesapeake waters he loved so much. A moderate Republican, he was best known for the integration of Virginias schools, escorting his children to formerly all-Black schools in 1970 (including what is now the Linwood Holton Elementary School on Richmonds North Side). As governor, he also created reduced sewage pollution in Virginias rivers and unified the Port of Virginia.

With the passing of former Governor Linwood Holton, Virginia has lost a hero whose actions as governor led the Commonwealth out of a dark period and into the modern era.His unflinching stance against racial segregation and his recognition that we must protect our waterways from sewage pollution place him among Virginias greatest leaders, says Peggy Sanner, Virginia Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Born in Southwest Virginia in 1923, Holton attended Washington and Lee University and Harvard Law School. He served in the Navy in WWII, then practiced law in Roanoke, where he married Virginia Jinks Rogers (who survives him) in 1953 and raised four children. After his term as governor, Holton continued to serve Virginia and her citizens with energy and enthusiasm.Later work included leading the Center for Innovative Technology, helping create the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and practicing law. He served on the boards of Amtrak, the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority, the Virginia Institute for Marine Science (VIMS), the Miller Center at the University of Virginia (which he helped found), the College of William and Mary, and Hampton University.Read his full obituary here.

Governor Holton loved oysters, as his involvement with the Center for Innovative Technology and VIMS indicates. As VIMS scientists began working on pioneering off-bottom techniques for restoration of the Chesapeakes depleted, disease-ravaged stocks in the mid-70s, they applied to the Center for research funding.

Always attuned to opportunity, Holton stipulated one condition: I want Mom and Pop to be able to do this. Write a manual for the rest of us.From that research came not only the beginnings of commercial aquaculture with floats and racks that drives Virginias current love affair with our iconic oyster, but also oyster gardening by private citizens, for both home consumption and restoration.The governor, of course, was an earlier participant in that work, adding a stout davit to the dock at his cottage on a creek off the Rappahannock to lift his oyster float when his research subjects grew too heavy to retrieve easily.His scientist friends noticed, however, that few oysters ever grew beyond three inches in that float, and the numbers seemed to diminish over time. He was a great mentor, said one of them, but a terrible co-investigator.He was eating his research subjects.

Characteristically, the governor had a great laugh over that comment.He also loved fishing on the Chesapeake Bay, especially for spot and gray trout. This correspondent had the pleasure of his and Mrs. Holtons excellent company aboard First Light several times, including a memorable day fishing the restoration oyster reefs in the Piankatank.All of us who knew him will miss him greatly, but were thankful for his life well lived with joy in public service.

John Page Williams

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Farewell to a Former Governor, the Godfather of Oyster Gardening - Chesapeake Bay Magazine

Aina Momona News Release

Aloha Molokai, we are Aina Momona, a Native Hawaiian nonprofit organization founded for the purpose of achieving environmental health and sustainability through restoring social justice and Hawaiian sovereignty. Our team of kiai are committed to restoring Molokai Aina Momona.

We are advised by a board of exceptional Native Hawaiians who work in concert with our staff on the ground. Our board members include Dr. Jon Osorio, Dr. Trisha Kehaulani Watson, and Molokais own, Dr. Keoni Kauwe, among others. Dr. Kauwe is a graduate of Molokai High and Intermediate (96) and recently became the eleventh president of Brigham Young University Hawaii and the first of Native Hawaiian descent. Together, our board provides cultural and scholarly expertise to guide and inform our efforts at our land base in the ahupuaa of Kaamola, Molokai.

Though Aina Momona is relatively new to Kaamola, our staff have a longstanding commitment to this ahupuaa. After restoring three other fishponds on the island, our kiai loko (fishpond protectors) began restoring Keawanui Fishpond in 2001. In addition to working on the fishpond, they also carried on the legacy of offering place-based education on site. Our kiai have been working in the Kaamola area for over 20 years.

Aina Momona values the lessons learned from the work done here in the past and honors that dedication by continuing restoration and education efforts. It is our goal to revitalize the Keawanui area and wider Kaamola ahupuaa as a key local food production site for Molokai through restoring traditional food systems.

If you have recently driven by Keawanui Fishpond, you may have noticed the removal of invasive kiawe trees which have been replaced with taro patches and ulu trees. This is the beginning of a native food forest we are growing on site. Likewise, we are refamiliarizing ourselves with the landscape up mauka and working with indigenous researchers to document the changes in the landscape that have occurred over time.

As we collaborate with the current lessees to plan restoration work in the mauka area, we aim to continue our efforts inland of Keawanui. Ultimately, our team hopes to create a scalable model for community-led land restoration and food production. In addition to restoration work, we have also established ROOTed, an on-site home school program. ROOTed provides core subject curriculum appropriate for the individual childs learning level, ongoing parent support, and aina-based learning opportunities that focus on environmental stewardship, gardening, health and wellness, and community service.

We look forward to keeping our Molokai community updated and involved in our work, so keep an eye out for more articles to come! For more information, please visit kaainamomona.org and sign up for our monthly newsletter.

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Nonprofit Works to Restore 'Aina | The Molokai Dispatch - Molokai Dispatch

Todd Hansen

A nesting box in the CSRC remnant prairie waiting for a new family of bluebirds.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. In collaboration with the U of A Office for Sustainability, Will Kirkpatrick, a third-year doctoralstudent in the DuRant Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences, has established a new field site in his ongoing nest box system around Fayetteville. This site is on U of A land just south of the Cato Springs Research Center. They are investigating impacts of the thermal environment on two native bird species, Eastern Bluebirds and Tree Swallows.

Kirkpatrick's Ph.D. thesis aims to develop a deeper understanding of how temperature, specifically temperature variation, impacts eastern bluebirds and tree swallows. Both species nest in cavities in the trunks of trees or manufactured bird boxes. They are altricial, meaning that they hatch in a relatively early developmental stage and require time in the nest before they are developed enough to feed themselves or move significantly. Given that these species are confined to the nest as eggs and for their first 14-20 days of life, it is critically important that their parents are attentive and keep them from extreme hot or cold temperatures.

In each of the field sites located in Fayetteville, arrays of nest boxes are set up on poles five feet off the ground. The Cato Springs site is home to over 60 nest boxes. Both eastern bluebirds and tree swallows use these nest boxes for reproduction in the spring and summer when temperature data is collected. This is done by inserting egg-shaped temperature probes into and outside the nest. By comparing these temperatures, they can track when the mother is incubating her eggs. Incubation temperature has been linked to offspring physical development and general nest success. By monitoring these parental behaviors, Will and his team hope to discover if natural temperature variation in the environment significantly impacts each species' parental behavior and offspring development.

Kirkpatrick said, "It is important for the scientific community to understand how species interact with the natural environment to better anticipate what will happen when environmental change occurs. Climatic shifts, deforestation, and other sudden changes to the environment may have catastrophic results for wild animals across the globe. Regardless of the environment, all species are exposed to temperatures that influence development and behavior. Parsing how environmental temperature impacts native species is critical to understanding what is to come with anthropogenic climate change."

In preliminary analyses, the research team has discovered that native birds are altering their behavior to combat temperature variability. Unfortunately, there seems to be a limit to how much parental behavior dampens temperature swings in the nest; however, further data collection is needed across the relatively young field system to investigate how this impacts the survival of the offspring.

"When working on theUA Oak Savanna restorationat Cato Springs, we wanted to partner with other departments who could bring additional expertise," said Eric Boles, director of the U of A Office for Sustainability. "Bird nesting boxes are a natural fit that will hopefully lead to more birders visiting the site to watch the progress."

Using publicly owned land in Fayetteville opens opportunities for mentoring undergraduate researchers without the burden of long field excursions that could lead to exclusion from research. A primary goal of this research project is to provide opportunities for young researchers to get their feet wet (sometimes literally!) in the field.

"The prescribed burns, invasive plant removal, and native plantpropagationon this site will surely assist with making this a place that anybluebird family would want to call home." said Boles. To learn how to get involved with volunteer opportunities on the site such as invasive plant removal and native seed collection, visit the Office for SustainabilityGivePulse page.

The project is supported financially by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship and the DuRant Lab. In collaboration with the university and other landowners, associate professor Sarah DuRant and Will Kirkpatrick hope to shed light on how the natural thermal environment impacts native birds. The university's agricultural research farm and the Cato Springs remnant prairie site are crucial to ongoing research and future projects to help understand critical issues with native species and the ongoing climate crisis.

To learn more, contactKirkpatrick at whkirkpa@uark.edu or visitwww.whkecology.com.

About the Office for Sustainability:The mission of the University of ArkansasOffice for Sustainability(OFS) is tomotivate,facilitate, andcoordinateresponsible practices through partnerships withstudents, faculty,and staff across all campus departments. The OFS uses the campus as a living laboratory by overseeing the implementation of the University of Arkansasenvironmental goals. These programs are part of the UA Resiliency Center, hosted by theFay Jones School of Architecture and Design, and are supported byUA Facilities Management.

About the University of Arkansas:As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than$2.2 billion to Arkansas' economythrough the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the top 3% of U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity.U.S. News & World Reportranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world atArkansas Research News.

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Native Birds Find a New Home as Part of an Ongoing U of A Research Project - University of Arkansas Newswire