Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

After years of back-and-forth with neighbors and the city, developers behind the $2 billion Brookridge project in Overland Park say they are expecting to break ground this fall.

Driving the news: Overland Park-based developer Curtin Property presented an update about the 200-acre, mixed-use development near the Brookridge Golf & Fitness club at Antioch Road and 103rd Street to the Overland Park Finance, Administration and Economic Development Committee earlier this month, outlining the projects latest timeline.

The timeline: In order for construction to begin, Messer said a stipulation on the project plan regarding the rights-of-way at 103rd Street must first be discussed and approved by the Overland Park City Council in November.

Background: The project to develop part of the Brookridge golf course property at the southeast corner of Antioch Road and 103rd Street was intensely disliked by residential neighbors. It took about five years from its inception before a development agreement on the financing package was reached in 2019.

The stipulation modification will be discussed by the Overland Park Planning Commission Monday, Oct. 10, before being voted on by the council in November.

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Brookridge project could break ground in Overland Park this fall - Shawnee Mission Post

Labor Day might be a time to remember the achievements of the labor and union movements in this country which brought us little things like the 40-hour workweek and unemployment benefits but many companies are using the holiday as the end of something many workers want to continue: full-time remote work.

Goldman Sachs will lift all COVID-19 protocols in its offices including vaccine mandates and mask-wearing after Labor Day, which many see as a less than gentle nudge for all staff to come in five days a week. Meanwhile, archnemesis JPMorgan Chase has not been so quietly pushing its employees to do the same, and Apple wants its workers to return at least three days a week after Labor Day.

Those might be the largest firms calling workers back in droves, but theyre far from alone as companies large and small have started calling employees back. All of this might feel like we jumped into a DeLorean with Doc Brown and went back in time to 2021, but employers apparently mean business this time.

But a five-day-a-week, full-scale return to the office might be as elusive as the location of Jimmy Hoffas grave as study after study finds people want a hybrid model and many are willing to quit over the loss of their home office.

Apple has faced numerous complaints from workers about its return to office edict, causing the tech giant to pull back on the number of days required, while Google employees have been angry over the companys three-day-a-week policy even after they keep contracting COVID.

Landlords are expecting a much larger return of tenants this week but many have more realistic expectations, with Silverstein Properties CEO Marty Burger telling CNBC he anticipates most companies to return only three to four days a week.

Feel the pain

It might have been a quiet week as many surely holed up in vacationland for one final summer weekend but there were still plenty of reminders of the current state of the U.S. economy.

Female-focused coworking provider The Wing announced that it would shutter its remaining six locations permanently after not enough members visited the spaces. The company debuted in 2016 with much fanfare and came out strong with $100 million in fundraising.

However, the wheels started to fall off and the company faced allegations of mistreatment of staff and people of color, lawsuits over its women-only admittance policy, and nearly went bankrupt in 2020.

On the retail front, Bed Bath & Beyond announced it would close 150 stores nationwide and lay off about 20 percent of its corporate and supply chain workforce after the struggling company secured $500 million in new financing to right its ship. And thats after it shuttered 37 stores in February.

In other retail news, Urban Outfitters subsidiary Free People couldnt break free of its bills as a judge ruled it will have to pay Delshah Capital $13 million in skipped rent for its 58-60 Ninth Avenue storefront.

And in a tale turning into a long and winding saga fit for a Bruce Springsteen song, the long-awaited Gateway tunnel project had its cost increase by $2 billion and the start of construction delayed a year.

The group shepherding the project which calls for renovating an existing underground rail tunnel between New Jersey and New York and building a new one blamed inflation for the bill increasing to $16.1 billion and has been seeking additional federal funding.

Labor Day deals

There was some good news last week as the deals kept flowing.

Luxury retail contractor Michilli and fashion designer PatBO each took 7,000 square feet at 126 Fifth Avenue; custom embroiderer Penn & Fletcher grabbed 3,400 square feet at 309 West 36th Street; and four tenants signed leases for a total of 21,000 square feet at 20 West 55th Street. And, in news sure to please bibliophiles, book seller McNally Jackson secured a 7,000-square-foot space at 1 Rockefeller Plaza for its fifth store, set to open in the winter.

But New York couldnt hold a candle to the Sunshine State lease-wise. Newspaper the Sun Sentinel renewed the lease for its 290,503-square-foot printing plant in Deerfield Beach, Fla.; the State of Florida Department of Revenue inked a deal to relocate to 28,610 square feet within Doral; a Sports & Social bar will open a 20,000-square-foot Miami location; kid clothier Carters and The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill took a combined 7,142 square feet in a Boca Raton shopping plaza; and wine bar The Blind Monk will debut a 2,209-square-foot West Palm Beach outpost.

Meanwhile, in the equally sunny (but with far less alligators) Los Angeles, Hudson Pacific Properties acquired soundstage and production services firm Quixote Studios for $360 million, and BLT Enterprises bought the North American headquarters of South Korean video game developer Nexon for $27.3 million.

Dont get too jealous, New York. The Big Apple had some major financing agreements this past week.

The Vanbarton Group landed $272.5 million in construction financing for its new office-to-residential conversion project at 160 Water Street; RXR secured a $260 million refinancing of 75 Rockefeller Plaza; a joint venture between Dynamic Star, Namdar Realty Group and Gorjian Acquisition sealed $70 million to refinance its planned mixed-use development in the Bronx; and First Elite Management got a $31.5 million construction loan for its condo development in Long Island City, Queens.

Long reads for the long weekend

What better way to drown out your familys infighting during Labor Day barbeques than digging into some of Commercial Observers recent features.

Learn about how, even in the wake of politicians decrying ESG as part of a woke agenda, real estate has stayed the course in its efforts to make its buildings greener and its workforces more diverse. Or how Adam Neumanns new, loosely defined startup could actually solve at least one housing problem, if it manages to live up to its billion-dollar hype. If not, were sure Jared Leto cant wait to bust out his Israeli accent again.

Finally, read about how real estate power lawyer Terri Adler came from out West to launch a career in New York City, starting with what might be a record for the shortest job interview ever.

Until next time, solidarity forever!

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Sunday Summary: Back to the Office Commercial Observer - Commercial Observer

US Route 1 is the primary federal highway south of Miami (where I-95 ends), and consists of a 5-7 lane suburban arterial on the 25 mile stretch to Florida City, Florida. Theres nothing like a human-scale public space on that corridor, but that reality is changing.

Developers A&E Partners are proposing a 10-acre mixed-use development with a public square facing the highway. Designed by Valle & Valle Partners, town planners and architects, the development is going through approvals with the Town of Cutler, enabled by transit corridor district zoning. The town recently updated that zoning category near three bus rapid transit (BRT) stops on the South Dade TransitWay, a $100 million, 20-mile transit line which broke ground in 2021. The BRT extends the existing Metrorail from South Miami, linking to the regional transit system.

US Route 1, the nations longest north-south highway, goes from Key West to the Canadian border in Maine. It was designated in the 1920s from what used to be called the Atlantic Highway. It was the main street of the Eastern Seaboard, replaced in importance by I-95 in the 1960s. Increasingly, it took on the characteristics of a classic stroad. The introduction of placemaking could be called a return to the roots of US 1, as the highway originally had a much stronger sense of place. The width of the thoroughfare, however, requires placemaking techniques on one side of the highwayand thats where the square comes in. It will be a protected public space, bounded on three sides by buildings, and yet visible from Route 1.

The site is bounded on one side by the highway, and the other side by the busway, which will include an iconic station. The site today is another big box with tons of parking, as you can see along the entire stretch of the US 1 corridor; completely unmemorable, notes designer Erick Valle.

The site is large enough to include a diverse development program. A seven-story building will have 274 units of senior housing with about 10,000 square feet of first-floor commercial space. Another two buildings include 338 market-rate living spaces, and 19,000 square feet of commercial space. A courtyard building will have 162 units of workforce housing. The project is very compact, with 774 living spaces in totaleven while providing the new public square.

The proposed design will be introducing the first publicly visible square off US 1 corridor, Valle says. It will be also be creating an urban edge with 30-footwide sidewalks full of shade trees with continuous retail for a two-block stretch. This transit-oriented development will be providing desperately needed housing for the nearby Homestead Airforce Base, seniors, young families, and for people who made the choice not to rely on the car for transportation.

Cutlers transit corridor zoning grew out of a 2008 charrette, but had never been used. With the construction of the transit line, town commissioner Robert B.J. Duncan recognized an opportunity to modify the ordinance to make it more viable for development, Valle says. Modifications include higher densityand reduced parking requirements, leading to this development proposal.

This project is designed to demonstrate suburban retrofit, a future trend that makes sense as cities continue to handle growth, he adds.

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US 1 is getting a public square | CNU - Congress for the New Urbanism

From left: Rockefeller Groups Daniel Moore and Park Tower Groups Marian Klein with 16 Dupont Street (Green Pearl, Rockefeller Group)

Rockefeller Group and Park Tower Group have secured a $200 million construction loan to build a 40-story residential tower at 16 Dupont Street as part of the Greenpoint Landing development.

Japan-based Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank took over financing on the project with a $230 million agreement that retires $30 million originated by Signature Bank, records show.

The tower will have 378 residential units, and 2,700-square-feet of retail space. A portion of units will be set aside as affordable per the citys now-expired Affordable New York Housing program, said Park Tower president Marian Klein. GKV Architects is listed as the architect of record for the 470,000-square-foot building, according to the Department of Buildings.

Excavation of the buildings foundation is underway, New York YIMBY reported. Park Tower bought development rights for the site last summer for $23 million, and Rockefeller joined the project in December 2021. Rockefeller Group did not immediately return a request for comment.

The 22-acre Greenpoint Landing development will deliver 5,500 units to the Brooklyn neighborhood, near where the East River meets Newton Creek. ANd 1,400 will be permanently affordable across 11 building sites.

Park Tower is working on four other Greenpoint Landing developments with Brookfield Property Partners, which last year secured $500 million for a pair of residential towers with 745 units at 227 West Street. Brookfield has already completed three buildings at the megaproject: One and Two Blue Slip, and 1 Bell Slip where market-rate one-bedrooms list from $3,100 to $5,400.

L+M Development Partners is spearheading the megaprojects three affordable housing buildings, located at 5 Blue Slip, 21 Commercial Street and 33 Eagle Street.

Contact Orion Jones

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Rockefeller, Park Tower land $200M to build at Greenpoint Landing - The Real Deal

Sep. 2JEFFERSONVILLE Plans are underway to build 264 multi-family apartments connecting with Jeffersonville Town Center near Veterans Parkway.

Denton Floyd Real Estate Group is seeking to develop The Warren Apartments in Jeffersonville in partnership with The Koetter Group. The development would feature market-rate apartments at the 18-acre property located along Town Center Boulevard, Indiana 31 and Hamburg Pike.

The project has received a favorable recommendation from the Jeffersonville Planning Commission, and the Jeffersonville City Council will consider an amendment to the zoning map at Tuesday's meeting. This would change the zoning at 4405 Hamburg Pike, a portion of the land that would be used for the development, from business park/light industrial to planned unit development (PUD).

The planned development includes 11 apartment buildings with 24 units each, and there will be 400 parking spaces for residents. The development will feature amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, dog park, fire pits, a playground and more than six acres of green space, according to Clayton Pace, director of development and construction at Denton Floyd.

The clubhouse would include an exercise room, cybercafe, mail room and leasing office.

Pace said bringing in residential development will create a mixed use space to complement the businesses at Jeffersonville Town Center on Veterans Parkway, which was also developed by The Koetter Group.

"This is a great example of how connectivity and mixed use work together," he said.

Pace said it's a "terrific location" to combine residential and commercial developments.

"Within a walking distance, you have Menards, you have a gas station across the street, you have all the retail, and a bank is right there," he said. "Then there's some more upcoming retail that's just broken ground."

Chad Reischl, director of planning and zoning for the City of Jeffersonville, said he is excited about the opportunity to create a multi-use site featuring offices, restaurants, retail and apartments.

Story continues

The residential development will be beneficial for helping business grow in that area, he said.

"It's a place where people could live, work and go down the street and grab a coffee or a burger at a restaurant without having to go far," he said.

The goal is to break ground on The Warren Apartments at the end of the year, according to Pace.

Read the rest here:
Developers seek to build 264 apartments near Jeffersonville Town Center - Yahoo News

Labor Day weekend is great news on its own but for everything else weve rounded up all the news you might have missed when it comes to the goings on in Hoboken + Jersey City. Catch up on all there is to know, including the following headlines: Six26 honors transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson; Prato Bakery is expanding to Jersey City Heights; 400 people attend Hobokens Spaghetti Dinner Block Party; and so much more. Keep reading for all the news you missed this week in Hoboken, Jersey City, + beyond.

Theres been a lot happening this week in North Jersey news, including a 2.3 magnitude earthquake that rattled Morris County on Tuesday, August 30th. The quake was located just under 3 miles away from Morris Plains and hit at 5:14PM on Tuesday, August 30th, per USGS.NBC New Yorkreported that the quake lasted about 30 seconds and was located about 3 miles underground. This event was likely related to the Ramapo Fault Line, which is considered an active fault line and runs through Morristown. Just after the earthquake, a small aftershock (1.7 magnitude) was reported in nearby Lake Telemark, perPatch. Click here for everything we know.

We know Jersey City ismany things to many people, and starting in 2023, it will be the site of a USA Track and Field sanctioned marathon and half marathon event. In fact, the marathon will be a Boston marathon qualifier and the course will be designed to show off the best of all of JCs neighborhoods for both local runners and out-of-town participants. The Jersey City Road Runners organization is working with the City to host the event, and they have a lot to do to prepare for the big day on April 23rd, 2023. Registration officially opened for both the marathon and the half marathon on September 1st. Click here for what we know so far about the upcoming 2023 Jersey City marathon and half marathon as well as how to register.

Prato Bakery recently announced that it is officially opening a fourth location. After years of customers asking for a location to open in Jersey City Heights, the Prato Bakery owners are granting their wish. Coming to 296 Palisade Avenue, Pratos new space will be opening its doors this fall and will be the new home base for the Italian cafes kitchen. Click here to read allabout Prato Bakery expanding.

Community members gathered at Six26 Lounge + Rooftop in Jersey City to celebrate the life of LGBTQ+ activist Marsha P. Johnson. Marsha was a veteran of the Stonewall riot who has been credited with the birth of the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. Marsha grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey and eventually moved to Hoboken. Click here to learn more about Marsha P. Johnson.

Local wine shop Wine Dads announced this week that it will be opening a second New Jersey location in Jersey City any day now. According to the new Instagram account @WineDadsSohoJC, the new shop will be housed within SoHo Lofts, located at 273 16th Street in Jersey City.

On Monday, September 26th, White Eagle Hall in Jersey City will host a pro wrestling concert in conjunction with the release of The Last Match: A Pro Wrestling Rock Musical. According to Broadway World, the musical features wrestling superstar Matt Cardona, Tony-nominated actor Ramin Karimloo, and Broadway favorite Amber Ardolino.

Local officials announced the return of the First-Time Homebuyer Program, known as the Golden Neighborhood Homeownership Program, with major impact. Pre-applications for the First-Time Homebuyer Program started being accepted online as of September 1st. The program is designed to assist low- to moderate-income residents looking to buy a home within Jersey City with down payment assistance and closing costs up to $150,000. For more information about the application process, please contact the Division of Community Development by phone at 201-547-6910 or at GNHP@jcnj.org.

Local officials announced this week that the City of Hoboken will distribute over $750,000 to the Hoboken Housing Authority and other local non-profits that service low- and moderate-income residents. According to the press release, this funding comes from the Community Development Block Grant.

A Federal appeals court upheld Jersey Citys short-term rental regulations last week, per TapInto. A city ordinance doesnt ban short-term rentals like Airbnb but it does restrict the total stays per year to 60 days. It also prohibits short-term rentals in buildings with fewer than 4 units.

The 2022 Annual Women Rising Celebration of Service Gala has been announced for Thursday, October 20th. The event will be held at 6PM at Liberty House restaurant, located at 76 Audrey Zapp Drive in Jersey City.

As of Wednesday, August 31st, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the nations first variant-specific COVID-19 vaccine, per Patch. This new vaccine will specifically target Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. Updated boosters could be available in New Jersey as soon as the next few days.

The state is recommending a 25-year sentence for a man who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of a Bayonne woman in 2019. Sentencing is scheduled for Friday, December 5th, according to Patch. The Bayonne Police Department responded to 484 John F. Kennedy Boulevard on September 22nd in 2019, to find an unresponsive female, later identified as Diamond Robinson, who was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:30AM.

A redevelopment project in downtown Jersey City has begun with a new section restoring a historic factory, according to Jersey Digs. The industrial building will be converted into loft-style residential units and include ground-floor retail space. The property is located at 301 16th Street in Jersey City.

Jersey City Police Department detective Joel Chaviano has been charged with forging insurance documents to a private company, reported TapInto. Chaviano was arrested on Tuesday, August 30th and taken to the prosecutors office where he was released on a summons pending a September 13th court date.

In a recent statement, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy criticized the proposed congestion pricing plan in New York, per NJ.com. The plan would charge as much as $23 to drive in the Central Business District south of 60th street in Manhattan. Murphy pointed out that New Jersey commuters who work in the city are already double taxed. He also cited previous funding to build two new rail tunnels under the Hudson River and renovate Port Authority Bus Terminal, plans for which have been slow to progress.

Every year, Hoboken holds a block party with spaghetti as the main dish of choice, per Patch. This year, about 400 people attended the waterfront event to eat pasta, chat, and make new friends. The block party was catered by The Brownstone and featured pasta, meatballs, sausage, eggplant parmigiana, salad, bread, and of course cannolis.

Two individuals were shot in an early morning incident outside a bar in the West Side neighborhood of Jersey City. According to NJ.com, the victims were brought to the Jersey City Medical Center on Thursday, September 1st around 1AM. The shooting occurred outside the Halftime Bar + Grill, located at 746 West Side Avenue in Jersey City.

Hoboken is no stranger to water main breaks, and this week, Veolia Water alerted the community to avoid one in downtown Hoboken, per Patch. On Tuesday, August 30th, the company tweeted, Crews are conducting emergency repairs on an 8-inch main at Adams Street between Third and Fourth streets. The previous water main break in Hoboken was located one block away, just the week before.

On Monday, August 29th, the Stevens Institute of Technology campus received a shelter in place order following reports of a man with a weapon near campus. The man was eventually located with a rifle-style BB gun. He was charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes after allegedly getting into an argument with construction workers about beginning their work too early. Click here for everything we reported on the incident.

The Jersey City Planning Board approved an application to redevelop the vacant parcel of land on top of a former railroad embankment that runs along 10th street in Newport. According to Jersey Digs, Newport Associates Development plans to construct a 246-unit residential building to the 3-acre plot near Hamilton Park. The building will be called Rampart House, located at 535 Monmouth Street.

Local tech company Propelify announced information for this years Propelify Innovation Festival, reported Patch. The event will take place on Thursday, October 6th at Maxwell Place Park in Hoboken. Speakers include TV personality Al Roker, Pricelines Jeff Hoffman, CMO of MindMed Dr. Dan Karlin, founder of Primary Ventures Ben Sun, and more.

New Jersey real estate moguls the KRE Group plan to build two new skyscrapers in Journal Square, just behind the historic Loews Jersey Theatre. According to NJ.com, the buildings would top out at 55 stories and 49 stories tall with 1,189 units between them, none of which are affordable housing. The land is currently used as a parking garage. The Jersey City Planning Board is scheduled to review the proposal on Tuesday, September 6th.

A relatively unknown law went into effect about nine months ago, requiring shoppers to be above the age of 21 and show ID when purchasing canned whipped cream. According to Today, the cartridge inside the can which uses nitrous oxide to expel the cream is the issue. New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo received numerous complaints from constituents of whipped cream cans littering the streets, allegedly used to do whippits, or inhaling the nitrous oxide to get high.

The next Hoboken Public Safety meeting is scheduled for this Friday, September 9th at 8:30AM at Onieals, located at 343 Park Avenue in Hoboken. According to TapInto, the meeting will focus on public safety initiatives. The meetings are held every other month and hosted by Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante and Councilman Joe Quintero.

On Monday, August 29th, road closures along Route 440 began for emergency sewer repairs, reported Patch. The specific section being repaired runs along western and southern Jersey City, passing Route 9. Construction is expected to take about 14 days.

A lawsuit, which was filed in 2019 against Hoboken Councilman DeFusco for campaign donations, has been dismissed, according to Patch. It is anticipated that the dismissal will trigger a controversial Hoboken ordinance to go into effect, which impacts how much unions can donate to political campaigns.

Last week, we reported on the passing of Hoboken mom Kyelia Colon on Friday, August 19th. According to Patch, a GoFundMe account has been launched in her honor to help support the financial burdens now placed on her six children. At this point, $2,138 has been raised. Little information has been released about circumstances related to her passing.

The Jersey City Police + Fire 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive is happening on Friday, September 9th to honor the heroes of 9/11. According to @JerseyCityNJ, The community is invited to participate and donate blood by making an appointment at redcrossblood.org using sponsor code: Jersey City 911. The blood drive will take place at Hyatt Regency Hotel from 8AM to 6PM.

Photo credit: GoFundMe

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched with the goal of raising $90k for a Hamilton Park bartender and community friend Mel, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. According to the GoFundMe page, she advocates mutual aid, raising money and often paying out-of-pocket to support community fridges, local causes, and small businesses. Shes also a talented artist, a loving dog mom, and incredibly caring friend. She most likely has memorized your drink order, too. At this point, $29,697 has been raised to support Mel as she faces surgery and chemotherapy.

Local officials recently announced that Jersey Citys on-demand, affordable transit service Via has surpassed one million rides since it was launched in 2020. Today, Via is a go-to form of transportation for around 50,000 Jersey City residents and visitors each month, most of whom, according to Mayor Fulop, are lower-income and people of color. The system was put into place to serve areas previously recognized as transit deserts where public transportation was less available.

On Monday, August 29th, industry icons, friends, and family gathered at Liberty House in Jersey City to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Landmark Hospitality. Over the past two decades, Landmark Hospitality Group and its founders, Jeanne and Frank Cretella, have built up a portfolio of restaurants, venues, and boutique hotels in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The first property developed by Landmark Hospitality was Liberty House, located at 76 Audrey Zapp Drive.

The Newport Liberty Half Marathon will take place on Saturday, September 24 beginning at 6AM. The course will span from Newport Green Park to Liberty State Park in Jersey City. According to @JerseyCityNJ, the race will start just north of Newport Green Park and feature seven water stations before finishing at 12th Street and Washington Boulevard. Street closures for the race will affect traffic patterns during these hours so drivers should be aware this may affect normal routes.

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32 Hoboken + Jersey City News Stories You Missed This Week - hobokengirl.com

A vacation resort in the northwest Cape Coral is pending approval by the city and could arrive by 2025.

The Lake Shadroe Resort will be located at 218 Burnt Store Road and will feature 48 resort-style waterfront units with unobstructed views.

The four-floor resort is being brought to life by Cape Coral based developer White Stone Developments, LLC.

It was a real honor to be able to share our vision for the future of the northwest Cape, stated Robert Knight, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of White Stone. Not only will it bring visitors to this beautiful area of the country, it will bring business and jobs to this quickly growing part of Florida.

The Lake Shadroe Resort also includes a two-floor commercial space with spa facilities, retail stores, coffee shop (Because Coffee Co.), waterfront restaurant, tiki bar, and on-site management offices. The marina will have slips and boat rentals, a fuel pump station, and is conveniently located next to the Burnt Store public boat launch.

There will also be a bait and tackle shop where guests have access to marine supplies, souvenirs, and snacks. The Pool Deck will have a resort style pool and Jacuzzi, plenty of lounging chairs and a small private beach.

Its retail, dining, and waterfront amenities will provide great additions to northwest Cape Coral, Knight continued.

The city accepted permits from White Stone Developments in July, and once approved, construction will begin.

Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj

Originally posted here:
Vacation resort planned for northwest Cape Coral | News, Sports, Jobs - Pineisland Eagle - Pine Island Eagle

Photo courtesy Senator Skinners office

By David M. GreenwaldExecutive Editor

Sacramento, CA This week the state legislature approved two bills that they hope will spur housing development (assuming the governor signs them).

AB 2011 and SB 6 would allow for the development at underutilized commercial and retail spaces such as largely vacant strip malls.

These bills will change the trajectory of Californias housing crisis, said Assemblymember Buffy Wicks. The impact will be historic no longer will lack of land be an issue for housing production.

These are the latest efforts by the legislature to attempt to streamline housing and address the housing crisis where some experts believe around 2.5 million additional homes need to be constructed over the next eight years.

As Smart Cities Dive pointed out this week, Housing experts and real estate industry leaders during the Urban Land Institutes spring meeting in April said retail space is overbuilt in the U.S., and the shift to online shopping has prompted retailers to reduce their square footage.

Thus, Replacing those vacant and underutilized strip malls and shopping centers with developments that mix residential housing with stores, restaurants, hotels and commercial space could help the state address its affordable housing needs.

However, many believe that local laws have prevented residential housing in commercially designated zones.

Naturally, California YIMBY praised the effort. In a tweet, Darrell Owens, policy analyst for California YIMBY, praised AB 2011 noting that it upzones for more than 2.4 million additional homes and offers around a 45 percent reduction in GHG over sprawl.

This bill could result in 400,000 low income subsidized units, many of which may be in my own NIMBY backyard, Owens added.

In a statement, state Sen. Anna Caballero said the Senate bill would spur the creation of housing in existing commercial and retail space, and help make homeownership more attainable for working families.

The assembly bill, meanwhile,would accelerate production of millions of affordable and mixed-income housing along transit-friendly commercial corridors, Caballero added.

But, of course, the bill has attracted complaints.

Livable California for instance, called it the worst bill of 2022 for taking away local control.

Among other things, It requires ministerial approval of construction across a broad category of zones including office, retail, and parking.

They add, AB 2011 is a massive state taking of flexibility needed by local jurisdictions to place housing where it best meets the needs of the community. CEQA is circumvented on these projects. CEQA is an important source of information to the community and developers and helps protect the environment.

On the other hand, the bill comes with affordability requirementsfor infill and mixed-use housing, often affordable requirements fall short.

The Senate Bill analysis points out a housing development project may submit an application for a housing development that shall be a use by right and subject to a streamlined ministerial review in a zone where office, retail, or parking are a principally permitted use but one of the keys to ministerial review is that it must meet the affordability requirements where 100% of the units are affordable to lower income households.

It also offers a path for mixed-income housingwhere it requires the project to meet the 15 percent affordability for lower-income households or 8 percent for very low and 5 percent for extremely low. For owner-occupied units, 30% of the units are required to be affordable to moderate-income or 15% affordable to lower-income households for 45 years.

If people dont want peripheral development, then there has to be a way to build housing that is infill. One of the best places to do so is with antiquated and underutilized commercial parcels.

The problem as we know is that it is difficult and expensive to build infill, and especially to redevelop existing structures. While this bill isnt going to address cost, it will make it easier to gain approvals.

This will allow housing projects to get approved and permitted by staff without further approval from elected officials.

The bill analysis notes, Projects reviewed ministerially, or by-right, require only an administrative review designed to ensure they are consistent with existing general plan and zoning rules, as well as meet standards for building quality, health, and safety. Most large housing projects are not allowed ministerial review. Instead, these projects are vetted through both public hearings and administrative review.

Unlike SB 9 and SB 10, with huge amounts of underutilized commercial centers, this bill has a chance to be the kind of gamechanger that the legislature needs to address the housing shortfall.

Excerpt from:
Commentary: Will Housing Bills Help Address Housing Shortfalls? - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis

Building or renovating your home? What an exciting time: it's that rare opportunity to really think about how you like to live and what you need from a space.

Of course, you can choose flooring, think about appliances, the colours you love, etc - but one area that has a huge impact on both design impressions and quality of living, but is often overlooked in the early stages, is electrical design.

Whether you're a typical aesthete, with countless home inspiration Pinterest boards and a love for interiors; or someone who wants their home to perform - to be liveable, smart, and a good investment - speaking to your electrician early will pay serious dividends, in terms of both the finished project and your ease of living in the home.

Homes are becoming smarter by the day, and there are now a huge range of electricinnovations that are about enhancing living. A good electrician can speak to you about your needs, dreams and aspirations, and suggest solutions that will help your home come alive.

SUPPLIED

Bad lighting ruins good design, so if this is top of mind, electrical should be too.

Robert Knight, Residential Electric Design Consultant at PDL by Schneider Electric, says that in the past, homeowners tended to approach the electrical considerations of their home as a kind of afterthought, instead of thinking about it early in the process and as part of the grand scheme.

"By the time some people get to the electrical, they've used up much of their budget and are forced to make critical sacrifices, which means their home doesn't operate as well as it could. We hear it time and time again, people wishing they put in more power points, or thought about their lighting plan earlier on. It really impacts how much they can enjoy their day-to-day use of their home."

He says that simple aspects such as drawing up aplan with an electrician and installing enough power points can make a huge difference to the overall outcome of the build or renovation.

For starters, homes these days can contain literally dozens of devices, including phones, tablets and computers, so having ample USB chargers is a must.

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A good electrician can speak to you about your needs, dreams and suggest solutions to help your home come alive.

Knight also notes that modern households rely on the convenience of wireless Wi-Fi in their everyday lives more than people often realise. However, not all devices arewireless, so it's wise to run data cabling whenever possible for bandwidth-heavy streaming and gaming, for example.

"Even fridges can be smart appliances these days, so plan to put a data cable behind yours."

He says fixtures such as heated towel rails chew up power if they're left on permanently, but now you can set them on timers and even control them from your phone (as you can with many other appliances). Keeping energy consumption at a minimum.

"Motion sensors are another useful feature, allowing you to move around your house safely as lights come on at night or when you open the pantry - or even your wardrobe." Another wonderful space for a motion sensor is the laundry - a space in which we often have our hands full.

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Another wonderful space for a motion sensor is the laundry - a space in which we often have our hands full.

Knight has also noticed that Kiwis have a tendency to under-light their homes in a general sense, but he believes it's actually better to overdo the lighting in the first place, and then make it customisable so that you can dial it back using tools such as dimmers.

Bad lighting ruins good design, so if the latter is top of mind, electrical should be too: plan so that you can have lighting that complements and showcases the elements you're most proud of in your home, such as a special artwork or a feature staircase. You don't want your most beloved items to end up in the shadows.

Savvy designers should also consider the design and style of light switches and power points. PDL has ranges that include anodised aluminium, modern matte and fingerprint-resistant finishes, and in a variety of shades and styles. "You often see this beautiful kitchen with every element considered, except the look of power points, it completely changes the whole aesthetic. Homeowners often just don't know that there are switch and power point design choices out there that actually contributes to the overall design and feel of the space."

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More people are getting online to research all the electrical options for their new build or renovation, and are showing an increased understanding of the benefits of thinking ahead about electrical.

Other key things to consider are security cameras, two-way switches in hallways or large rooms, outdoor power access to create alfresco spaces that are perfect for entertaining and remote access and control of a home.

Knight says that the most compelling reason for factoring in an electricalplan at the outset of a project is the fact that much of this groundwork is difficult to do retrospectively not to mention more expensive.

But he's pleased to note that more and more people are getting online to research all the electrical options for their new build or renovation, and are showing an increased understanding of the benefits of thinking ahead about electrical.

"Good electric home design adds value to your property and is something that will always pay off in the end, especially how much you enjoy just living in your home and it being suitable for your day to day needs."

PDL offers a comprehensive range ofelectrical solutions for seamless, stylish living on their website where you can discover more exciting possibilities for your home. Visit pdl.co.nz/homebodies

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Home design 101: why you need to think about electrical early in the process - Stuff

PEDESTRIAN.TV has teamed up with Blundstone to celebrate tradies.

We all know this world would be a dark place without tradies literally. They keep our lights on, our houses standing and our water flowing. Yet in return, the folks in fluoro seem to cop a lot of judgement from the rest of us.

Why is the world like this?!

Our mates at Blundstone know whats up though and have launched RotoFlex, a range of lightweight safety boots for men and women. Designed with all-new tech built to cushion, ventilate and control moisture, theyre made for next-gen tradies.

To celebrate, were giving five tradies the floor. Fellas from a range of trades are setting the record straight on some of the biggest misconceptions people have about them.

Lets dig in.

We often feel when we enter office spaces that those in a suit give us a certain look or simply perceive us as uneducated scum. From our point of view, this is so wrong because without us dumb tradies, those in suits would not be able to sit in their air-conditioned or fire-protected office space. Phillip, Sprinkler Fitter

Perhaps in the past, people had misconceptions about tradies, thinking they arent smart because they drop out of school, arent educated and have no skills. Which is completely incorrect. Being a tradie teaches you many great lessons which you can adopt in your everyday life, such as work ethic, structure, communication and problem-solving to name just a few. Will, Plumber

People often assume that you are from a low socioeconomic background and werent able to reach a higher education after high school. To become a top-level carpenter, you need to be switched on, have a great understanding of maths, quick problem-solving skills, and decisive delegation for tasks and the team youre presented with. Elijah, Carpenter

Being an electrician is not as physically demanding as some other trades but requires a higher level of thinking. Therefore being a tradie, especially an electrician, can often be mentally draining, rather than physical as you are constantly problem-solving throughout the day at work then, again, not switching off at night. James, Electrician.

People assume were there to rip you off and steal from you. With the prices of materials on the rise and the labour that goes into constructing something, people often dont understand the cost of getting a job done. This leads to people thinking youre trying to rip them off, when in reality, youre just trying to make a fair rate for yourself while giving the best product to your client. Transparency is your best friend here. Elijah

Being a tradie actually has great quality of life as it brings variety, allows you to work outside in the sun, you are part of a team, brings life skills such as problem-solving and youre not stuck behind a desk. It is more practical, active and hands on.

At school, there is a focus on getting a good ATAR to get into uni, only to come out earning $50,000 a year and having $100,000 HECS debt. On the other hand, tradies get paid while they study a four-year apprenticeship, with a $100,000 wage and zero HECS to pay. During school, kids arent made aware of the choice to become a tradie, or the major financial, physical and mental benefits. Instead, it is portrayed as the dumb or second option. Tom, Leading Hand Carpenter.

Every day on site we face different challenges and require problem-solving skills to ensure the job gets done. Im proud to be a tradie, and would much rather wake up and throw a fluoro on rather than having to iron my shirt and put a tie on every morning, Phillip

I also think that tradies are portrayed as grubs with the stereotype that everyone smokes during smoko. This is now inaccurate as most of our generation is actually quite health-conscious, exercising and eating well.

As a Plumber, people automatically assume that all we deal with is poo and blocked toilets when actually there are many different aspects I deal with week to week. Such as roof leaks from all the storms, water leaks from one unit to another, pipe relining due to cracked sewer pipes from tree roots and your general plumbing works and bathroom renovations. Will

As a small business owner, there is no such thing as nine to five. I think most people assume we start early, finish early, and [head] straight to the pub. We also do night shifts and most weekends! Looking back on the pandemic, most trades (if not all), continued to work. This in itself demonstrates not only that we are essential, but how trades of this kind keep the economy functioning. Phillip

A big misconception is that our job is easy. With reno shows like The Block and House Rules, a lot of people find themselves thinking that they can achieve whats on TV. In reality, it takes years of formal training and on-site experience to become a great carpenter. You need the knowledge, skills and physicality to get the job done five days a week. Elijah

I think the general biggest misconception about tradies is that females cant do trades or arent good at trades. There are many females in my company and it is becoming more and more common to see females on the worksite. Tom

And lets not forget, tradies get the ladies! Phillip

So, there you have it. If youve ever made a snarky judgement about a tradie, time to pipe down.

RotoFlex by Blundstone offers stability with the freedom to move. The range is available now, so you can suss out participating stores, here.

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Tradies Drill Down On What Peoples Biggest Misconceptions About Them Are So Time To Listen Up - Pedestrian.TV