Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

There are many aspects of your homes exterior that you can improve to make a good impression on potential buyers. You dont need a huge budget or lots of time; just a bit of creativity and effort will go a long way. Here are some tips to get started:

This includes keeping the lawn mowed, the bushes trimmed, and the paint or siding in good condition. A well-maintained home looks cared for and is more likely to sell for a higher price. Inspect your home regularly and take care of any repairs that need to be made. For example, if your roof is leaking, fix it right away. A leaking roof can cause extensive damage, depending on where it is located, and the repair costs can be extremely high.

A new coat will make your home look fresh and clean. It also improves insulation and energy efficiency, which can save you money in heating and air conditioning costs. Youll need to do some research to find out if painting is cost-effective for your area. You mightdiscover that a fresh paint job is not worthwhile since paint now lasts so long, especially with low or zero VOC paint. Newer homes often have a much longer life span than older homes, meaning they dont need as many repairs as often as older homes do. Some newer homes might not even require any major exterior repairs for the first 10 to 20 years.

Plant some flowers, lay down some new sod, or add a few decorative stones to make your home look inviting from the street. Your landscaping doesnt have to be elaborate, but it should look tidy. If you need help making over your landscaping, some professionals can help you with planting designs or new materials.

Newer windows are better insulated and energy-efficient than older ones. A few replacement windows can increase the overall value of your home significantly. Installing new windows may cost a significant amount of money upfront, especially if you need more than just a few replacements. Youll want to determine how much your utility bills would go down due to the improved insulation to decide whether its worth it for you financially. Some homeowners have even found that their utility bills went down so drastically after a window replacement that they ended up making a profit on their investment.

This includes washing away any dirt, mildew, or algae from your siding or deck and power-washing wood to restore its natural color and shine. Your home will look much better with a clean exterior, but make sure you keep this work up if its not too high of an ongoing maintenance cost for you.

A new front door can help increase the overall value of your home because it increases curb appeal. Because many homeowners tend to neglect their exteriors, a beautiful front door can be an easy way to stand out from the rest. There is a wide range of materials and designs you can choose from for a new front door.

You can even repaint your existing one in a color that suits your tastes better. If youre unsure what kind of door would look best on your house, some professionals can help you with the design process. And dont forget to add outdoor doormats to help keep dirt out of your house.

This can be done to match or improve upon your homes existing exterior. You might also want to check the condition of your current siding. You might discover that it needs replacing due to wear and tear, weather damage, rot, or other factors. New siding could increase the value of your property because it improves insulation and energy efficiency, making your home easier to heat and cool. Its also often better at keeping out water than older types of exterior materials. However, if the cost is too great for you, some alternatives accomplish similar results.

If there are spots near or around your home that arent accessible by potential buyers, spruce them up! For example, if theres a patch of grass between two driveways that seem out of reach, add some plants and shrubs to create a more inviting path for owners. It doesnt take much work to make a good impression on people who are thinking about buying your home. Just by making a few small changes, you can make a significant impact on the overall appearance of your exterior.

A new coat of paint or shingle can go a long way in improving the look of your homes roof. If you have any broken or missing tiles, now is the time to replace them. Be sure to take care of any other roof repairs that may be necessary so that your home doesnt start to leak during bad weather. Neglecting your roof can lead to much more expensive repairs down the line.

In conclusion, there are many ways to improve the exterior of your home without spending a fortune. By taking some time and effort, you can make your home look more inviting and increase its value in the eyes of potential buyers.

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How to Improve the Exterior of Your Home - Fife Free Press

1. Important safety messages

This accident demonstrates the importance of train drivers that are undertakingpermissive moves into sections occupied by another train doing so at speeds that:

allow them to stop in the distance that they can see to be clear ahead

take account of any limitations of visibility from the active driving position due tothe type of rolling stock and the layout of the location.

At 10:32 hrs, a class 20 diesel-electric locomotive entering platform two atGrosmont station, on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR), collided with therear of a stationary passenger train. The locomotive had just uncoupled from a trainin platform three that had arrived from Whitby and was undertaking a movement towait behind the train in platform two that was due to depart later to Whitby.

The locomotive entered platform two at about 10 mph (16 km/h) and was intendedto stop in the section of unoccupied track behind the Whitby service. However, thelocomotive collided with the rear of this train at about 5 mph (8 km/h).

Five minor injuries were reported amongst the 175 passengers on the Whitbyservice, and all were treated by first aiders at the scene. There was some damageto the passenger train coaches, which were removed from service for severalweeks to allow inspection and repair. There was no damage to the locomotive, norto the track or other infrastructure

The locomotive entering platform two, just before the collision (courtesy of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway)

The accident occurred because the locomotive was travelling too fast to be able to stop in the distance available when the stationary coaches ahead first came into the drivers view.

The class 20 locomotive, designed in the 1950s, is only fitted with a cab at one end. This means that a drivers visibility of the line ahead is much more restricted when the nose end is leading, with the driver having to look through a narrow window past the side of the locomotive, in a similar manner to a driver of a steam locomotive.

The class 20 locomotive involved in the accident was privately owned and was made available for use by the NYMR while some of its own locomotives were undergoing maintenance. It was not scheduled to be used on that day but was required at short notice after the Automatic Warning System (AWS) equipment on the scheduled steam locomotive failed an operational test. AWS equipment is required for NYMR trains operating on Network Rails Esk Valley line between Grosmont and Whitby, and the class 20 locomotive had operational AWS equipment to allow it to operate on this section.

Driver view of the line ahead from cab-leading and cab-trailing driving positions

The driver held the competencies required to drive the steam locomotive intended to be used for the first Whitby service that day. Although he had held the relevant competencies to drive diesel-electric locomotives, such as the class 25 and class 37, for about five years, and had driven them on many occasions, he did not hold the specific competency to drive the class 20 being used as a replacement. As a result, he sought the assistance of a traction inspector to accompany him. The traction inspectors role was not to teach the driver how to drive the locomotive but to assist him in gaining familiarity with the locomotive and its operation and to assess his competence. North Yorkshire Moors Railway explained that it considered that the traction inspector held the overall responsibility for operation of the locomotive by the driver.

Details of the move resulting in the collision at Grosmont station

The driver and traction inspector operated the class 20 on the first train on the Network Rail route to Whitby, along with a fireman and a cleaner. At Whitby, the locomotive ran round the train so that the cab was leading for the journey back to platform three at Grosmont.

Once at Grosmont, the class 20 was intended to be replaced on that train by the originally scheduled steam locomotive, which would take the train forwards to Pickering and back, over the NYMR lines not fitted with AWS. As the class 20 would be required to operate a later journey from Grosmont to Whitby, the signaller and the train crew communicated by radio and agreed that the locomotive would be stabled in siding two at Grosmont, from where it could easily be coupled to the later service.

To carry out this move, the class 20 locomotive had to move forward over the crossover, behind signal 11, and then back through platform two. However, the move to siding two was blocked by the presence of the train waiting in platform two for departure to Whitby. The signaller and crew intended that the class 20 locomotive move from behind signal 11 into the free space in platform two, behind the Whitby-bound service. The locomotive would then wait there until the Whitby train departed, before moving to siding two.

This move from signal 11 was a permissive move, where a train is authorised to enter a signalling section occupied by another train on the basis that the driver must stop before reaching the occupying train. The NYMR rule book and the signalling system allow for this move, and it is usually used when coupling a locomotive to a train that is already in the platform. The rule book requires a locomotive undertaking the move to stop a minimum of six feet from the stationary train. To avoid a collision during the move, the locomotive should be driven so that the driver can stop it within the distance ahead that they can see to be clear of obstructions.

The driver undertook the move from platform three to a position behind signal 11 with the locomotives cab leading. He then changed driving desks and started the move back towards platform two, with the cab end trailing, once signal 11 had cleared. He accelerated the locomotive to around the 10mph (16 km/h) speed limit for the line. The initial part of this move was on straight track, with the drivers view of the line ahead limited by the body of the locomotive ahead of him. On approach to the platform, the line starts to curve to the right and the body of the locomotive further obscures the drivers view ahead. A reconstruction by RAIB of the approach and entry to the platform showed that the driver would only have been able to see the rear of the last coach of the train ahead when the front of the class 20 was approximately 16 metres from it.

The traction inspector stated that he recognised the locomotive was travelling a little too fast for the visibility as it entered the platform. However, before the traction inspector was able to suggest the driver slow down, the fireman told the driver that he thought he should slow down. The driver applied a very gentle locomotive brake as the front of the locomotive entered the platform, 27 metres from the rear of the train ahead of it. The locomotive only started to slow down about 20 metres later, after the driver significantly increased the brake application, probably in response to the firemans request. By this time, the coaches ahead had come into the drivers view, and he moved the train brake into the emergency position. However, although braking slowed the locomotive to around 5 mph (8 km/h), it collided with the rear of the stationary train.

Following the accident, the driver of the train stated that, although he was aware of the train standing in platform two, he thought that it was further along the platform and that there was more space in which to bring his locomotive to a stop. It is also possible that the limited forward visibility compared to that from the class 25 and class 37 diesel locomotives, and the drivers unfamiliarity with driving this locomotive, affected his perception of the locomotives speed and his decision making.

RAIB considers it is likely that these factors combined to cause the driver to enter the platform at a speed from which he was unable to stop in time to avoid a collision. Although there were four people in the cab of the locomotive when the accident occurred, RAIB has found no evidence to suggest that this caused a distraction to the driver.

During its preliminary examination, RAIB found that NYMR was unable to provide documentary evidence that the traction inspector involved in the accident held the relevant driving competency for the class 20 locomotive. This is of concern as it means that the class 20 was operated on Network Rails infrastructure with neither the driver nor the traction inspector being able to demonstrate the relevant competence for that class of locomotive. The traction inspector had worked on NYMR since 1997 and had been a volunteer for 23 years prior to that. He had maintained and driven all the diesel locomotives that NYMR operated. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) issued an improvement notice on 7 October 2021 requiring the railway to be able to demonstrate the competence of its drivers for operation on both its own infrastructure and on Network Rails Esk Valley line.

RAIB report 35/2007 (Collision at Swanage station) describes the collision between a diesel locomotive and a set of coaches that were stabled in a platform on a heritage railway. The locomotive was being driven from its rear cab, and the resulting lack of visibility contributed to the collision. The recommendations made included avoiding driving locomotives from the rear cab, where there is a choice, and planning moves to avoid the risk of collision.

RAIB report 02/2017 (Collision at Plymouth station) describes a collision between two passenger trains in the course of a permissive move into an occupied platform. A recommendation was made to the train operating company relating to driver training on permissive moves, and to Network Rail on the management of operational risk during authorised permissive moves. It also highlighted a learning point for drivers about undertaking permissive moves at a speed at which they can stop short of any obstructions, taking account of any sighting limitations.

RAIB report 08/2019 (Collision between road-rail vehicles at Cholmondeston) describes a collision that resulted from a vehicle with poor visibility of the line ahead being driven at a speed inconsistent with that visibility. The learning points from this investigation flagged the importance of drivers recognising any visibility limitations when driving such vehicles

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Collision between a locomotive and a passenger train at Grosmont, 21 September 2021 - GOV.UK

This house in Edmond, at 19200 Terra Place, is the former home of Governor Edmondson back in the sixties. It was days from being torn down when Beautiful Restoration stepped in.

Beautiful Restoration and it is a ministry to women that are in any area of brokenness, and now we minister to men and children as well, said Kaylene Balzer one of the founders of the nonprofit ministry.

When Kaylene, her husband Bryan and her best friend Lisa Clark first saw the mansion, even in its worst state, they knew it was for them.

The mansion had been gutted it had been scheduled for demolition. When they got our letter, they were ten days out from demolition, said Balzer.

The nonprofit group was able to obtain the property and began the restoration process. They all had grand ideas of how the property should look for Christmas.

It was always our desire to have beautiful lights in the trees, said Balzer.

But where would the moneycome fromfor this grand project? Enter Ed James.

They were from Nashville, they had moved to Oklahoma during the height of covid, because Nashville hadkindashut down, said Balzer.

Ed was an event designer, so he did backdrops for a lot of the acts that traveled, like Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith, said Balzer.

And after a 4-hour meeting with the team and seeing the mansion, an unexpected offer was made.

He said I have two warehouses full of Christmas lights, that I havent used, theyre all brand new, and I just feel impressed to donate them to Beautiful Restoration, said Balzer.

The lights on Terra place in Edmond are now a huge attraction.

The entire property is decorated with chandelier lighting, which is in the trees, said Balzer.

The Christmas lights will be on displaythroughJanuary seventh, everyone is welcome to drivethroughand see this beautiful Christmas display.

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Nonprofit Restores Former Governor's Home In Edmond - news9.com KWTV

Talk about a winter wonderland.

Grass Valley received between 9 inches and a foot of snow Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service. The storm downed trees, knocking out power to thousands of people and shuttering the main highways into and out of western Nevada County.

If you dont have to go somewhere, dont, because most of the state routes are closed, California Highway Patrol Officer Chris West said. If you dont need to come to the area, dont.

The storm system, which started last week, yielded 100 inches of snow at North Star, Sugar Bowl, the Central Sierra Snow Lab and Palisades Tahoe. According to Meteorologist Katrina Hand, those same resorts received 2 to 3 feet in a 24-hour period.

Under a half-inch of snow could fall today in Grass Valley, with another 1 to 2 inches tonight. One to 3 inches could fall Wednesday, forecasts state.

After Wednesday, it clears up a bit, Hand said. With that, though, the temperatures will drop with highs in the 30s and lows in the upper 20s.

The snow was wet and heavy enough to threaten power throughout Sunday night, with lights flickering throughout the Glenbrook Basin.

According to PG&E spokesperson Megan McFarland, 69,000 households were without power as of 2:35 p.m. Monday.

Some of the major outages in the area were in Grass Valley (20,406), Colfax (4,444), Nevada City (7,954) and Placerville (11,914).

PG&Es Sierra Division includes El Dorado, Nevada, Placer and Sierra counties. According to McFarland, 27,000 households have been affected in El Dorado County, 31,000 in Nevada County, 9,800 in Placer and 1,300 in Sierra counties.

This is an all hands on deck situation for PG&E. We are bringing in crews from other areas and working closely with first responders, including Caltrans, to gain access, McFarland said. Access is a major challenge as we are seeing lots of snow, downed trees and road closures, which can make it challenging to reach locations where we need to make repairs.

McFarland said the utility company is in the assessment phases of responding to the crisis, which includes gaining access to all the outages to see what went gone wrong and what kind of solutions are required.

Once our crews make initial contact I will be able to provide more information on estimated times of restoration, MacFarland said.We want customers to know that we are working around the clock to make assessments, make repairs and get the power back on.

MacFarland said with a storm this strong, customers should keep their eyes open for downed power lines.

If you see a line down, please assume its energized and stay away, MacFarland said. Please call 911 and PG&E so we can make the area safe.

Rebecca ONeil is a staff writer with The Union. She can be reached at roneil@theunion.com

Excerpt from:
Snowed in: Authorities advise drivers to avoid the roads and stay home, if possible - The Union

A 443-acre tidal wetland habitat restoration project in Oregons Tillamook Bay designed to reduce flooding and improve salmon habitat also brought a host of other socioeconomic benefits to the community, a new report from Oregon State University researchers shows.

Since the $11.2 million project was completed in 2017, the restoration has led to water quality improvements; flood mitigation; salmon habitat improvements; increased carbon storage; added recreation opportunities; and increased home values, the researchers found.

This study provides strong evidence that ecosystem restoration is beneficial to communities as well as the environment, said Steven Dundas, the reports co-author and an environmental and resource economist in Oregon State Universitys College of Agricultural Sciences and the Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station in Newport. The positive impact on housing values near the restored site alone likely justifies the investment in this project.

The reports lead author is Graham Shaw, who recently completed his masters degree in marine resource management at OSU. The Tillamook Estuaries Partnership and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Restoration Center, two of the partners in the restoration project, commissioned the economic impact report.

The primary aim of the wetlands restoration was to reduce severe and disruptive flooding in the city of Tillamook and on U.S. Highway 101 as well as improve habitat for salmon, some species of which are considered threatened or endangered. NOAA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency were the primary funders of the project.

The goal of the new report was to better understand the breadth of economic benefits a tidal restoration project might produce, said Lauren Senkyr, a biologist with the NOAA Restoration Center.

This kind of information helps us to be able to talk about the community benefits of restoration projects, Senkyr said. Projects like this have ripple effects. Not only do they help the fish, they also help people.

A concurrent NOAA economic impact analysis showed that during the four years the restoration work was underway, the project supported 108 jobs and $14.6 million in total economic output for the state of Oregon.

Shaw worked with Dundas to identify and quantify additional socioeconomic benefits of the project. They reviewed data from before and after the restoration, made comparisons to spot changes and conducted an analysis of the housing market to identify changes to home values near the restoration area.

Homes within three-quarters of a mile of the restoration site increased in value by 10%, or an average of $19,000, compared to homes further away. Modeling estimates the total benefit of the project on housing values to be approximately $19.1 million.

Reductions in flooding on Highway 101 in Tillamooks business corridor may lead to reductions in costs associated with travel delays of up to $7,200 per flood event.

The number of juvenile chinook salmon and staghorn sculpin using the affected wetlands has increased since the restoration was completed.

Sediment from the Wilson and Trask Rivers is likely to be trapped in the restoration area, improving water quality in Tillamook Bay and potentially reducing the frequency or need for dredging. That latter impact could save anywhere from $1,500 to $8,000 per year.

The restored wetlands may store as much as 27,000 tons of carbon, at a value of up to $736,000 based on current social costs of carbon.

The publicly accessible restoration site offers increased opportunities for recreation, including walking, fishing, kayaking, birdwatching and educational activities. Activities such as kayaking and wildlife viewing have an estimated value of $60 to as much $471 per person per day.

The restoration project created a large area for increased recreation that wasnt there before, Shaw said. It wasnt accessible for people in the community the way it is now.

Anecdotally, the project so far is meeting its intended goals of improving salmon habit and reducing flooding. Since the restoration project was completed, Tillamook has only experienced two minor, five-year flooding events, and in both cases, the flooding was less severe than previous floods.

In both cases, the amount of flooding was 9 inches less than previous floods. It took two to three hours longer for the city to flood and the floodwaters receded two to three hours sooner than it would have previously, said Kristi Foster, executive director of the Tillamook Estuary Partnership.

More study is needed to better understand the impacts of the restoration project over time, the researchers said. They also suggest engaging in socioeconomic analysis work early in a project, rather than waiting until the project is complete.

There were some challenges associated with trying to study the socioeconomic changes after the fact, Dundas said. Starting earlier in the process would allow researchers to collect more before-and-after data and better understand peoples perceptions about the value of a project in advance.

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Benefits of wetlands restoration extend far beyond the scope of project - Coos Bay World

JOHNSTOWN, Pa (WTAJ) Officials gathered Tuesday to discuss the progress on the Clara Barton house restoration project, which is located on Main Street.

Clara Barton is an American nurse who founded the American Red Cross. Shes recognized for having significant historical ties to Johnstown, delivering supplies and medical equipment days after the 1889 flood. It helped the citizens get a bit of relief after the disaster.

The Main Street building is claimed to serve as the headquarters of Barton following the flood. The restoration project is being led by the Vision Together 2025 capture team members.

The project for the 145-year-old is part of the project to upgrade Main street. The team is almost done with phase one of the restoration project, which stabilizes the home. By that, it means installing a new roof, gutter, and window repairs.

However, the team now faces the problem of raising $10,000 to help complete the phase one renovations. They initiated a campaign to raise $50,000 to match the states $50,000 grant. Treasurer of the Clara Barton Home and Garden organization Bob Eyer said the team is looking to raise the $10,000 by the end of the year.

Once they complete phase one funding, they will begin phase two. Eyer said that phase two is dedicated to the homes interior parts.

The goal is to have the house become a museum also a place where tourists can stay. Eyer has the vision that this restoration will make Johnstown a destination city for its history.

We believe this will be a national destination site, and were going to attract visitors from all over the country, Eyer said. Theyll be wanting to come here and know about the history of Johnstown and live in the building where Clara Barton used as her headquarter in the 1889 flood.

According to Eyer, phase two of the project costs around $500,000. Bartons birthday is on Christmas Day.

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Clara Barton house restoration making progress ahead of her 200th birthday - WTAJ - http://www.wearecentralpa.com

Weve been seeing our homes in a new light since the pandemic started.

Though this year we werent always cooped up inside our four walls, we continued to find projects to work on around the house. They ranged from minor redecorating to major repairs put on hold during the uncertainties of the previous year.

Here are our top eight stories from this year on how to save money on home improvement projects.

1. Organize Your Home Without Overspending

Keeping your home tidy doesnt require a trip to the Container Store to spend hundreds on various organizational tools.

2. Know Which Home Repairs You Need to Address Immediately

It may be financially convenient to put off certain repairs around the house, but ignoring some issues can cause major problems and increase the costs.

3. Keep Up With Routine Home Maintenance

One way to avoid expensive home repairs is to adhere to a schedule of regular maintenance projects. Letting little issues go untreated can lead to a much more serious and more costly problem to address later.

4. Know When to Hire a Pro

Taking on home projects on your own doesnt always save you money. If you take on something you cant handle, you could wind up making a costly mistake thats more expensive than hiring a professional from the start.

This article breaks down what types of home projects are safe to DIY and which you should leave to the experts.

5. Learn How to Hire the Best Contractor

Hiring a professional contractor for a home improvement project can be a significant financial investment. You want to know youre hiring the right person for the job.

6. Remodel Your Bathroom on a Budget

Making your bathroom feel like a sanctuary is important especially when youre spending so much time at home. But bathroom remodels can be expensive.

7. Spruce Up Your Outdoor Space for $100

Big landscaping projects can cost big bucks. But that doesnt mean there arent ways to revamp your outdoor space for less.

8. Spend Less at Restoration Hardware

Love the goods at Restoration Hardware but could do without the high prices?

Nicole Dow is a senior writer at The Penny Hoarder.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, a personal finance website that empowers millions of readers nationwide to make smart decisions with their money through actionable and inspirational advice, and resources about how to make, save and manage money.

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What We Learned in 2021 to Save on Home Improvements - Yakima Herald-Republic

Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced a $40 million allocation of funds to restore the historic Childrens Pool and the former Rose Garden in Prospect Parks Vale of Cashmere. The capital fund is the largest single allocation for maintenance, upkeep, and restoration since 1867, when Brooklyns most historic park first opened to the public.

Prospect Park is Brooklyns backyard, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. Its where I got married and raised my family, and where New Yorkers of all backgrounds come to spend time in nature. This historic $40 million in funding will ensure the Vale is restored to its full glory.

The Vale refers to a 26-acre swath of land in the parks northeast corner and is characterized by dramatic changes in elevation, cliffs, and dense forest.The former 2.5 acre Rose Garden was originally a childrens playground complete with the parks first horse-driven carousel. The area was later converted into a formal rose garden, but quickly fell out of public interest with the opening of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in 1911.

In 2017, Prospect Park Alliance embarked on an intensive community outreach campaign, Reimagine Prospect Park, to identify a new vision for the area. This included an exchange with more than 2,000 members of the community. The team identified several possible amenities for the former Rose Garden including a sensory garden and rustic arbor, a nature play area for families, a landscaped amphitheater, a small building with flexible gathering space, and public restrooms.

The site of the historic Childrens Pool originally featured ornamental trees, shrubs, and a small pond where children sailed miniature boats. In the 1890s, architects McKim, Mead and White installed a marble and granite balustrade at the ponds edge that still exists today. Red-brick walkways, lights, and benches added in the 1960s have since fallen into disrepair.

Conceptual Site Plan for Vale Restoration Prospect Park Alliance

Conceptual rendering of the proposed Vale Restoration Prospect Park Alliance

Conceptual rendering of the proposed Vale Restoration Prospect Park Alliance

Thanks to Mayor Bill de Blasios $40 million investment, the gateway to Prospect Parks treasured Vale, the boroughs last remaining forest, will soon be renewed, restored, and revitalized, said NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff. We are excited to work with our partners at the Prospect Park Alliance who provided the vision and advocated for this multifaceted project. Upon its completion, the Vale will be home to an amphitheater, a pollinator meadow, and so much more.

Restoration of the Vale is the centerpiece of a larger initiative to improve and preserve historic destinations at Prospect Park. Preparation of design documents for the Vale restoration is expected to begin in 2022. The project will then be subject to review by the New York City Parks Department and likely fielded to the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and local community groups for feedback and critique.

Once approved, construction is expected to last 12 to18 months.

Our vision of equity for New York City has always been to make all neighborhoods across the five boroughs safer, more welcoming, and, thus, more livable than we found them, said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. As we march on in our fight against COVID, we must prioritize our green spaceswhere loved ones gather to celebrate life and where we often venture alone to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. This investment drives home not only the importance of our parks, but the citys passion for creating and maintaining holistic communities where New Yorkers are proud to live, work, and play.

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Mayor Bill de Blasio Announces $40M Fund to Restore the Vale of Cashmere in Prospect Park, Brooklyn - New York YIMBY

APPLETON - There'sgood news ahead for Appleton residents who have water service lines comprised of lead or galvanized steel leading into their homes.

City officials are developing a program that woulduse federal and state money, including $1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA),to cover the cost of replacing those pipes on private property.

The proposed program isn't based on income and would be open to all property owners in the city who are identified as having lead or galvanized service lines.

"It's a good deal," Public Works Director Paula Vandehey told The Post-Crescent. "We're excited. We thought it was a great use of the ARPA funds."

TheAmerican Rescue Plan Actis a $1.9 trillion package designed to facilitate the nation's recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Appleton will receive$14.9 million in ARPA funds, and using $1 million to replace lead service linesdrew widespread support from the Common Council.

The allocation "directly impacts the health and well-being of a broad swath of the citizens of Appleton while serving to improve the infrastructure of the city," council member Sheri Hartzheimsaid in an email to her colleagues.

In addition to the $1 million in ARPA funds, which must be spent by the end of 2024,Appleton is applying for a $500,000 grantfrom the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to enhance itsreplacement program.

RELATED:Appleton pursues outside funding to help cover high cost of library

RELATED:Appleton transfers $750,000to develop Ellen Kort Peace Park

A water service line is a pipe that runs between a property's water meter and the water utility's curb stop, which is a shut-off valve usually located behind the curb on public property. The property owner is responsible for the maintenance and replacement of the service line up to the curb stop, and the water utility is responsible for everything from the curb stop to the water main.

Older water service lines commonly were made of lead, a toxic metalthat can leach into drinking water and accumulate in the body over time, causing serious health problems, including brain damage in children. Other lines were made ofgalvanized steel, which can corrode and alsocontaminate drinking water.

The Environmental Protection Agency has set the goal for the maximum contaminant level of lead in drinking water at zero because lead can be harmful to human health even at low exposure levels.

The Appleton council recently passed an ordinance that requires property owners to replace lead or galvanized service lines, at the owner's expense,within one year of written notification by the Appleton Water Utility.The vote was 14-0.

Previously, property owners weren't required toreplace lead service linesunless the lines leaked or failed. Then they had replaced the lines with another materiallike copper or plastic.

The new ordinance might have been a harder sell had the council not set aside the $1 million to pay for a property owner's replacement, which typically costs $3,700to $5,000.

"We will replace the lead service," Vandehey said, "but the property owner will be responsible for any restoration costs such as basement flooring, flower beds, porches, etc."

The program also won't cover the replacement of lead pipes inside a home.

Appleton hired Arcadis, a consulting firm, to help develop the lead service line replacement program. It will be brought to the council for review early next year.

Lead service lines began to be phased out in the 1960s. There is no hard deadline for when their use was discontinued, however.

"We know if your house was built in the 1980s, you do not have a lead service," Vandehey said.

Appleton has about 27,000 residential water service lines. About halfof them have been inspected, identifyingapproximately 100 lead service lines in need of replacement.

Vandehey said the $1 million in ARPA money will be enough to replace all of the known lead service lines.

The remaining service lines in Appleton will be inspected by city staff in the next couple of years to determine how many additional lines must be replaced.

"We know that we're going to find more," Vandehey said. "That's why we're applying for the DNR grant. We'd like to be able to continue a program of financially helping to replace those lead services."

In the past, Appleton has concentrated on replacing lead service lines owned by the water utility. The city has replaced several hundred of them in recentyears and has 11left to replace.

Contact Duke Behnke at 920-993-7176 or dbehnke@gannett.com.Follow him on Twitter at@DukeBehnke.

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Appleton plans to pay for replacing lead water service pipes on private property, using federal and state funds - Post-Crescent

Musical superstar Nellee Hooper who has produced albums for everyone from Bjrk to U2 turned his hand to home renovation in sympathetically restoring The Old Manor House in West Sussex. Now, he's moving on and is selling this timeless property that benefits from the best of both traditional and modern worlds. Penny Churchill takes a look.

In West Sussex, but still within the National Park, the pandemic has seen music legend Nellee Hooper redirect his considerable creative talents to the restoration and upgrading of Grade II-listed The Old Manor House at Milland, 2 miles from Liphook and seven miles from Haslemere. Hooper who has recorded songs with Madonna, Tina Turner and dozens more stars is now moving on, and his house is for sale at 3.95m.

Although a Roman posting station in ancient times, Milland was a scattered farming community until a handful of council houses were built there in 1948. Nowadays, village life revolves around the Rising Sun gastro-pub, service station, pottery and book exchange.

Having bought the house in a state of progressive disrepair in 2018, Mr Hooper has extensively, but sympathetically renovated the stone and timber-frame house, which carries a date stone of 1651, although its listing suggests that the oldest part is probably 16th century.

It now presents as a period home of great charm and authenticity that, beneath the skin, bristles with the latest technology. Theo James-Wright of Savills quotes a guide price of 3.95m.

With strong ESG credentials evident throughout, the entire house has been stripped down to the bare bones, re-plumbed and rewired and all walls lined with traditional lime plaster. A high proportion of the building materials used have been reclaimed or recycled, including stone from France and Italy, and 16th-century wood panelling from Belgium.

In contrast, modern convenience comes in the shape of smart home-control, internet and security systems, large flat-screen televisions and air-conditioning in the main bedrooms.

Set in 1 acres of landscaped gardens, The Old Manor House (previously known as Mill Cottage) provides 3,072sq ft of atmospheric living space in the main building, including three reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, principal bedroom suite, two/three further bedrooms and two bath/shower rooms.

A former stone barn, rebuilt in 1980, has been redesigned as a self-contained, two-bedroom guest annexe.

The Old Manor House is currently on the market via Savills at a guideprice of 3.95 million see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details.

Location: Near the South Downs National Park in West Sussex on the border of Hampshire, just over 7 miles from Petersfield. The village of Liphook is just 2 1/2 miles away. There are train stations located at Liphook which runs services to London Waterloo and Haslemere.

Atmosphere: The quiet village is home to a primary School plus several shops. Nearby Liphook has a range of further facilities including a large supermarkert, doctors surgery and the well regarded Bohunt School.

Things to do: Thanks to the villages close proximity to the South Downs National Park, running, walking, cycling and riding are all available within the area. Nearby Haslemere is a charming market town with an array of cafes, shops and restaurants to explore.

Schools: Hollycombe Primary School is local to the village whilst Bohunt Secondary School in Liphook is well regarded and rated outstanding by Ofsted.

Catch up on the best country houses for sale this week that have come to the market via Country Life.

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A 16th century, Grade II-listed property thats been totally transformed by a music legend, now seeking a new owner - Country Life