Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The second phase of the Bottleworks District project will include a red-brick triangular building at the corner of Massachusetts and College avenues (see right side of rendering) and then a multifacade office building that runs north along College Avenue (left side of rendering). (Rendering courtesy of Hendricks Commercial Properties)

The developer of the massive Bottleworks District along downtowns Mass Ave plans to break ground next summer on the nearly $100 million second phase of the project, with a larger focus on office space than originally planned.

The second phase, which was delayed due to the pandemic, will feature about 250,000 square feet of new leasable spacemost of it for office users. Initial plans for the phase called for about 60 apartment units, but those were converted to office space due to increased demand, according to Wisconsin-based developer Hendricks Commercial Properties.

Weve been pleasantly surprised with the amount of office interest weve hadits kind of been counterintuitive from the narrative thats out there more globally about what the workplace looks like post-pandemic, said Gavin Thomas, vice president of development for Hendricks.

I think a lot of these companies are looking at where they want to be long-term, and were fortunate that a lot of them are looking at Bottleworks, Thomas said.

Hendricks also began to question whether the 60 apartment units were financially feasible.

The second phase will include a six-story, 140,000-square-foot building at the northeast corner of College and Massachusetts avenues. Another 90,000-square foot, multi-facade building is planned for the southeast corner of Ninth Street and College Avenue. The buildings are expected to feature retailers at street level.

Hendricks also plans to double the size of the Bottleworks parking garage, from 274 spaces to about 550. Its expected to be tucked behind phase two and parts of the first phasethus out of view from outside the development.

No office leases have yet been finalized for either of the new buildings, but discussions are ongoing for each available space. Thomas said the first lease could be signed as early as Thanksgiving, with more expected to follow in December.

The smaller office building will have floor plates ranging from 1,800 square feet for the shorter portion of the structure to as much as 13,200 square feet on the upper end. The northernmost portion of the property will be about four stories, with five-story middle and southern sections. Floor plates on the bigger building at College and Massachusetts will be about 21,000 square feet.

Retail spaces on the structures will range from about 1,500 square feet to 5,400 square feet, with 10 openings on the infill property and seven on the corner building.

Hendricks on Wednesday will seek approval for its planned changes to Bottleworks phase two from the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission, largely focused on minor cosmetic changes and a height increase of about six inches to the infill building.

We dont want to anything for granted, but its almost like Wheres Waldo? with whats changed on this, Thomas said. It was more of a structural change where they had to put the steel in differently. So thats that was driving that change more than anything elsejust the practical buildout of office versus residential.

Thomas said the second phase alone is likely to take about three years to build, with construction commencing in mid-2022 at a tentative cost of nearly $100 million. The entirety of Bottleworks was originally expected to cost about $300 milliona figure he said Hendricks is already nearing with its investments in the first two phases.

Its going to bed pushing $100 million investment on [phase two], so were very close to $300 [million] already, meaning it will likely be more than that once we completely build up the site, he said. But full build-out will take another seven to 10 years.

The second phase will begin with the corner building, with work set for the infill buildings along College Avenue about one year later. The staggered approach allows for easier construction amid what Thomas described as challenges with the site pertaining to construction logistics.

Hendricks plans to begin building the residential component of Bottleworks with about 200 apartment units at about the same time that work continues on the latter part of phase two. The apartment buildings would be located north of phase two and west of the existing Garage Food Hall, south of 10th Street.

Eppstein Uhen Architects and Ratio are the architectural firms on the project.

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Bottleworks' second phase moving ahead with no residential but greater emphasis on office space - Indianapolis Business Journal

Bamboo Farm Office: Headquarters of a Prototype Farm Growing Sustainable Construction Materials / Ingvartsen Architects

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Text description provided by the architects. The Bamboo Farm Office is the new headquarters of a prototype farm in Korogwe, northern Tanzania, where different species of bamboo are being grown to assess their suitability for use as construction materials. The Farm Office building showcases different ways to utilise industrial bamboo, including bamboo corrugated roof sheets, doors,cladding and furniture. The project was designed by architects Jakob Knudsen, Hannah Wood and Otis Sloan Brittain, with consultancy from Salum Mshamu and Lorenz von Seidlein, and constructed by a team of builders headed by Kiondo Mgumi.

The project reconnects with the history of bamboo cultivation in Tanzania to explore the potential of this carbon-sequestering material for use in construction today. Bamboo can grow fifteen times the net weight of timber species such as pine over the same timespan and fares well in a hot, tropical climate. This makes bamboo-based construction products a viable alternative in a current construction market currently weighted towards cement, glass, plastic and unsustainably sourced timber.

Finding alternative material options is critical as according to UN projections, Tanzania's population is predicted to more than double over the next 30 years, which will involve significant material resources directed towards the expansion of the built environment. In addition, Tanzania was ranked fifth in the world for the greatest annual average net loss of forest area over the past decade, felling net421,000 hectares year on year.

The Bamboo Farm Office building utilises passive design principles inspired by traditional Asian and African architecture, where construction techniques have evolved for a hot, tropical climate. The timber frame creates large openings with low thermal mass to ensure the inside spaces remain cool throughout the day and night. Ancillary spaces, including a boot store and toilet on the ground floor, are enclosed with rendered locally produced bricks.

The ground floor shared office and first floor bedrooms are clad in agricultural shade net and wire mesh, with split bamboo screening on the upper floors for privacy. A bespoke kitchenette, furniture and doors were constructed locally, and include woven bamboo board facing produced by start-up Eco-Shelter. The roof is constructed using bamboo corrugated sheets fixed to a timber truss. The project is the first of its kind in Tanzania to be constructed from these novel bamboo products and hopes to highlight bamboos potential as a viable material for future buildings in the region.

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Bamboo Farm Office: Headquarters of a Prototype Farm Growing Sustainable Construction Materials / Ingvartsen Architects - ArchDaily

Minots new City Hall is taking shape after the city council approved plans and design for construction.

An old Wells Fargo building in downtown Minot will be repurposed for the new City Hall.

Officials said they hope the new building will help to alleviate cramped working conditions and scattered work locations.

But the biggest takeaway they hope will be to make it easier for Minot residents to interact with leaders and access services.

Public Information Officer Derek Hackett, who himself has no designated office space inside City Hall, talked about the need to centralize key services.

We have outgrown our current footprints, the police have outgrown their current footprints which is attached to this building, Hackett said.

He added the city will make good use of taxpayer dollars, good use out of federal funding and improve the work environment and the overall governing ability of the city of Minot.

With the design approval, construction firms will be able to bid for the project.

Officials are looking to begin advertising for bids by the end of this week.

City Engineer Lance Meyers told KX News moving City Hall is also about safety.

Our existing central dispatch area is located in a 100-year flood plain, Meyers explained that thats why there is a need to relocate that critical facility and make sure it is completely out of the flood plain and has no flood risk.

Meyers said people working in hallways and closets was also not conducive for good public business.

The citys estimated cost for the project is $13 million. About half of that amount is sourced from federal grants.

Construction is expected to begin early next year. It is estimated the building will be ready for use 12 months after that.

The Minot Police Department will take over the use of the current building when City Hall moves out of it, according to officials.

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New Minot City Hall design approved, bids for construction to begin soon - KX NEWS

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Yet another delay in Washington post office's construction? - Rappahannock News

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The Eastchester consignment store known as In Your Wildest Dreams is moving to F Street. Unremarkable news, to be sure. Funny, though, how one stores movement can set the dominoes into motion and change things all throughout downtown Bakersfield.

A couple of changes of address, or ownership, or purpose, can set imaginations, and business plans, on a dramatic new course when it comes to the personality of a citys downtown core.

In Your Wildest Dreams, the quaint little consignment shop on 19th Street which is in the process of moving, is an example. It soft-opens in a couple of weeks with the grand opening set for Dec. 3. Owner Dixie Brewer is jazzed.

Were all excited about the future, she said. All the new developers and stuff that are coming in are really building it up. Weve got some good money people coming in downtown creating some new retail downtown, some new breweries downtown. Weve built up F Street over here really really well. We have a solid, solid group over here, so Im extremely optimistic about downtown.

Shes been working closely with Bakersfield City Councilman Andrae Gonzales, who at Wednesdays council meeting was scheduled to ask the council to approve an Economic Opportunity Area Plan Business Incentives Grant Agreement for Wildest Dreams dollar amount not set that will help Brewers store meet some start-up expenses.

Wildest Dreams is changing addresses but not landlords. Property owner Tomas del Toro Diaz says the Eastchester dynamic is changing, in large part because of The Cue, an upscale apartment building nearing its May 2022 opening.

Were trying to kinda create something, a new vibe down here, he said. This was a blighted area and now its kind of up and coming. Its exciting, you know. 18th street has really transformed and my goal is to kind of transform 19th Street. Its really exciting.

Del Toro Diaz says hes considering dividing the old Wildest Dreams in two and among the possibilities is a brewpub.

I would like to see this become a district thats similar to, maybe, to the Funk Zone in Santa Barbara, he said. Something like that. You know? Everyone can come and enjoy themselves.

Hes bullish on downtown. So are the people at Sage properties, developers of the Cue and another project on the site of the old Sinaloa restaurant, also set to be apartments, opening in January 2023 and this 21,000 square foot office building at 20th and N streets, being marketed by Cushman and Wakefield.

Look for more dominoes to fall in the next month or two. Downtown Bakersfield is changing.

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Downtown business dominoes are falling thanks in part to ongoing multi-unit housing construction - KGET 17

TAMPA Altura Bayshore, the luxury waterfront condominium tower being built in Tampa, is moving its sales gallery to make room as crews prepare to begin work on the second phase of the project.

Alturas sales gallery has been onsite on Ysabella Street but must move to clear out in orderfor equipment to move and foundation work to begin. It will first move to the Smith & Associates Realty office on West Bay to Bay Boulevard for several weeks and then, at the start of the new year, will move to a permanent location about a half mile east.

The move will clear the way for the phase two of the project, which is the construction of the actual 23-story condominium tower. Site work is underway, and the area is being prepared for the foundation.

Altura Bayshore is a 67-unit complex with six penthouses. Each unit has a private elevator foyer and ranges in size from 2,176 square feet to 3,575 square feet. Prices start at $1.425 million and top out at $3.5 million.

The first three levels of the tower will consist of anaccess controlled, resident-only parking garage. The fourth floor will havea dog park, pickleball courts, bocce courts, outdoor pavilion and bar.

The Ronto Group, developing Altura, says the tower will be the only one along Bayshore Boulevard with an outdoor rooftop experience that includes a pool with lap lanes, rows of cabanas, outdoor bar and clubroom. Residents will have views of HillsboroughBayandBayshoreBoulevard to the east, Old TampaBay to the west and downtown Tampa to the north.

Work on the property began in August with the construction of a parking garage to serve an office building next door.

As work on phase two begins, Ronto says 50% of the units have already sold with nearly $50 million in contract and that, because of the early interest, several floors only have a single unit available.

Construction of the tower is expected to be finished in late 2023.

Altura is just one of several luxury condo projects on the Gulf Coast that Ronto is currently working on.

The developer is building Omega Bonita Bay in Bonita Springs, a 26-story tower with 67 condos and is also building Seaglass at Bonita Bay, another 26-story offering with 120 units, next door.

In Naples, Rontobegan work in February on the second of three planned buildings at Eleven Eleven Central, with 72 units.

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With nearly $50M in sales booked, developer begins work on phase two of luxury tower - Business Observer

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced completion of the initial $25 million phase of Pueblo Nuevo in Rochester's El Camino neighborhood. Phase I includes 75 affordable homes in sixteen buildings across the neighborhood. Construction is also underway on the $13 million Phase II, which will create an additional 29 affordable homes and a community center.

"Every New Yorker deserves access to safe, affordable housing and the stability that foundation provides towards pursuing a stable and prosperous future,"Governor Hochul said,"My administration is fully committed to working to end housing insecurity in New York and the completion of this initial phase of PuebloNeuvois the latest example of these efforts. We will continue to make these types of strategic investments that not only ensure New Yorkers have a reliable place to call home, but that also help grow vibrant communities throughout the state."

Pueblo Nuevo I was constructed on 20 vacant and underutilized or dilapidated lots across a five-block area near North Clinton Avenue and just south of St. Michael's Church. A separate city-owned lot at 12HoeltzerStreet was converted into community green space with gardens, walking paths, a playground and picnic pavilion.

There are 16 residential buildings in total: a newly constructed multifamily building with 16 apartments on Sullivan Street; 13 newly constructed three-family homes across the development area; and a renovated two-family home onHoeltzerStreet. In addition, a Romanesque brick building on Clifford Avenue originally constructed in 1905 was reconfigured into a multifamily building with 18 apartments.

Seventy-one of the apartments are affordable to households earning up to 60 percent of the Area Median Income or less, with the remaining four units reserved for households earning up to 80 percent of the AMI. Eight households will receive project-based Section 8 vouchers from the Rochester Housing Authority. Nineteen homes are reserved for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who will have access to support services provided by theIbero-American Action League.

The buildings all have high efficiency heating and cooling systems, LED high efficiency lighting, low-flow plumbing fixtures and Energy Star appliances.

Phase II Construction BeginsThe second phase of Pueblo Nuevo will create an additional 29 affordable homes across 19 locations. Six homes will be reserved for formerly homeless households who will have access to supportive services funded through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and administered by the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Services will be provided by the YWCA of Rochester and Monroe Counties.

In addition, a 10,000 square foot vacant warehouse at 200 Clifford Avenue will be converted into the El Camino Community Center. The ECCC will provide ADA compliant office spaces for business development, workshops, educational programs, cultural programming, entertainment, and other services that support economic and social advancement.

The developer for both phases is theIbero-American Development Corporation, the development arm of theIbero-American Action League, Inc.

State investment in Phase I includes $1.2 million HFA First Mortgage, $11.5 million in federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity and $6.2 million in subsidy from New York State Homes and Community Renewal. The New York State Office for PeopleWithDevelopmental Disabilities provided $2.8 million in financing and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority provided $56,400 through its Low-rise Residential New Construction program. Additional financing was provided by the City of Rochester and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.

Pueblo Nuevo Phase II was awarded Federal and State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that will generate $9 million in equity and an additional $3.5 million in subsidy from HCR. NYSERDA will provide $36,000 in support.

Pueblo Nuevo is part of the state's unprecedented $20 billion, five-year Housing Plan to make housing accessible and to combat homelessness by building or preserving more than 100,000 affordable homes and 6,000 homes with supportive services. Since 2011, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has invested more than $348 million in Rochester, which has created or preserved nearly 3,500 affordable homes.

HCR CommissionerRuthAnneVisnauskassaid, "The Pueblo Nuevo development is transforming El Camino by replacing and renovating run-down structures with modern apartments for individuals and families, while also building important new community spaces. When both phases are complete, we will have created 104 affordable and energy-efficient homes, including 25 with supportive services, and a new park and community center. This is a holistic approach that will benefit all who call El Camino home. Thanks to our partnership with theIbero-American Action League, we areexpanding opportunities in Rochester and that keeps the Finger Lakes moving forward."

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren said,"Safe, quality and affordable housing is a fundamental human right and providing homes to as many people as possible has been a hallmark of my time serving our community. Pueblo Nuevo will give our citizens a source of stability and the foundation for success. I am thankful for the city's ongoing partnership with our local leaders and community stakeholders to invest in Northeast Rochester."

County Executive Adam J. Bello said,"The completion of Phase 1at Pueblo Nuevo is encouraging and a great step forward in creating more vital affordable housing for our residents. This is a wonderful addition for the residents of the El Camino neighborhood. Thank you to our partners at New York State for making Pueblo Nuevo possible, and I look forward to the seeing the completed project."

State Senator Jeremy Cooney said,"As downtown continues to be revitalized, it is essential that affordable and accessible housing be part of the equation. I am grateful to the work ofIbero-American Action League and the diverse funding partners at the federal, state, and local levels that came together to make Pueblo Nuevo's development possible for the benefit of our El Camino neighborhood and surrounding communities. The completion of the first phase of energy efficient construction is an exciting development for this community. I look forward to seeing this project through its final phase and experiencing the lasting positive impact it will have for our neighbors."

State AssemblymemberDemondMeeks said,"I am grateful to see a clear investment towards improving living conditions for members of our community. We cannot expect to begin uplifting disenfranchised members of our community without providing sustainable homes. Safe, clean, and affordable housing is a basic necessity that too many community members and families continue to be denied. A dignified home is essential for building generational wealth and escaping the cycle of poverty. I want to thank theIbero-American Development Corporation for their commitment to our neighborhoods and the welfare of our families. I hope that Pueblo Nuevo will continue to deliver effective resources and dependable homes for the most vulnerable residents of our community."

New York State Office for PeopleWithDevelopmental Disabilities Executive Deputy Commissioner Roger Bearden said,"Projects like Pueblo Nuevo provide the opportunity for integrated living, empowering people with developmental disabilities to be participating members of their communities. These 19 units, dedicated to the people OPWDD supports, will go a long way to achieving that goal while ensuring residents receive the services they need."

President and CEO of NYSERDA Doreen M. Harris said,"With the progress on the PuebloNeuvodevelopment, some of Rochester's most vulnerable residents will now have access to homes that provide high performance energy efficient technology andsystems that offer increased comfort while reducing energy bills. The project demonstrates that underutilized lots and dilapidated buildings and can be brought into a low carbon future to revitalize the communities they are located in, which supports the state's goals to reduce harmful emissions and bring the benefits of clean energy investments to all New Yorkers."

Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Executive Deputy Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said,"Supportive housing helps families and individuals address the issues that may have contributed to them experiencing homelessness. This project will be transformative for the community, providing safe, affordable housing as well as easy access to services for residents of the Pueblo Nuevo Development."

IADC's Executive Vice President Eugenio Marlin said,"Pueblo Nuevo is key to the transformation of the El Camino neighborhood in northeast Rochester. It takes advantage of a unique opportunity that will not only provide safe and affordable housing but, because of its proximity to the main business corridor, along Clinton Avenue, and to the International Plaza, it will be a catalyst to business development as it brings more families into the area. The project includes Pueblo Nuevo Community Park at O'Brien Street which will elevate the quality of life of the residents because of its amenities."

Accelerating Finger Lakes ForwardToday's announcement complements "Finger Lakes Forward," the region's comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture and food production, and advanced manufacturing. Now, the region is accelerating Finger Lakes Forward with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The State's $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion - and the region's plan, as submitted, projects up to 8,200 new jobs. More information is availablehere.

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Governor Hochul Announces Progress on $38 Million Affordable Housing Development in Rochester - Homes and Community Renewal

When it comes to construction technology, there is a lot of noise. For a large contractor like Swinerton, teams must filter through the static to help parse out which solutions can actually be helpful on the jobsite.

This summer, the San Francisco-based contractor opened its first office in New York City, helmed by vice president Andrew Pearl, who hopes to bring Swinerton's West Coast building style to the traditional New York City market.

The builder is also hoping to bring some of its high-tech solutions and techniques as it expands into the new market. Here are some of the solutions that Swinerton has rolled out and invested in.

Swinerton has begun to utilize a human-operated drywall taping and finishing machine developed by Canvas, a San-Francisco-based firm. Combining a scissor lift with a robotic arm, the robot delivers a Level 5+ finish on walls, and can cut a seven day job to two.

Andrew Pearl

Permission granted by Swinerton

Pearl said the robot can be immensely helpful to projects where it applies, but it does have limitations. For example, the robot doesn't do curved walls well; it's best done on straight sections of walls. The robot is also large weighing around 2,000 pounds which can make it a challenge to get it up onto higher floors.

Where it fits, however, Pearl said it's an example of when technology and automation can not only save time and energy, but put workers in safer positions.

When operating a robot like Canvas', the worker is often 10 to 15 feet away from the action. They're able to observe and operate, as opposed to being up close. Drywall may not be the most dangerous work, but in scenarios where a worker can be operating a machine doing the work up close, that can keep them out of harm's way.

Swinerton has also been utilizing a product from Dusty Roboticsthe Field Printer, which Pearl compared to a Roomba vacuum cleaner.

The robot (pictured at top) follows the BIM layout of a project, transcribing the layout of rooms and walls by spraying chalk with accuracy inside 1/16 of an inch, according to its website.

That accuracy is key, Pearl said. The layout is already a labor intensive process, requiring moving and bending over, which can cause strain. On top of that, a small, understandable bit of human error can have "devastating"effects down the line.

Swinerton's Automated Data Capture project became a group development effort between Swinerton, Boston Dynamics, AI startup Avvir and 3D capture firm Kaarta.

The contractor has begun to use Boston Dynamics' Spot the robot dog, Pearl said, mostly on healthcare and multifamily residential projects; ones that often have an easily repeatable floor plan. Using Spot's 360-degree camera, superintendents and managers can view project progress and detect issues onsite.

The program has access to the project schedule, Pearl said, which means it can actually identify if something is installed out of order or incorrectly.

"It's sort of like a robotic superintendent, so to speak,"Pearl said. "Plus it can be a good security officer at night."

Swinerton is also working on developing prefabricated offerings, Pearl said. The contractor has developed Perq, a parking garage solution, which Pearl compared to a piece of Ikea furniture assembled at home. The structures can be finished within 13 months compared to about 23 months for a site-built garage, and greatly reduce the need for onsite labor.

The Perq program offers eight different options to choose from, with bays that range from three to six levels, providing spaces for 300 to 1,100 cars.

Innovations like offsite building allow Swinerton to change up delivery methods toward a more collaborative process, where stakeholders are more on the same page.

If the builder can connect on issues like cost and timing, Pearl explained, and indicate a distinct timeline, even with limitations such as no curved walls for the drywall robot clients are more responsive to making design compromises.

Even as technology continues to solve problems, there will always be a need for humans to build, Pearl said. Construction is not manufacturing, which means even the most complex machines can't construct unique buildings in the way they can repeatedly assemble identical cars.

When it comes to advancements like modular construction or drywall robots, tech is designed to help improve safety and productivity. Pearl imagined a future with fewer workers on the jobsite, but more sites where work is happening at once.

"I look at construction technology as another tool in our toolbelt, but the tool is still worn by a person," he said.

Read more:
Swinerton VP: Construction tech just another tool for workers to wield - Construction Dive

Redding gets in the Halloween spirit

Go to the Shasta Halloween page on Facebook and see the Boo Cruise map for a list of the scariest homes in the Redding area.

Mike Chapman, Wochit

Ask the Record Searchlight is a newsroom-wide initiative to connect with you, our readers.If you wondered about something happening in town or had questions on a North State issue, please send us your questions. We'll do our best to answer.

Our mailbag handles questions we were not able to answer during our last live chat, which was held on Oct. 28. The next live chat will happen from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Nov. 11.

Scroll to the bottom of the story to find out how you can send us your question.

Q: What are the plans for improving the Churn Creek and Highway 299 interchange in light of Bethel's new construction?

A: There are several traffic improvements in and around that Highway 299 corridor that need to be done before Bethel Church opens its new campus.

One has been completed, the Highway 299-Churn Creek Road interchange in the area of College View Drive. Northbound and southbound lanes were added, a second left-turn lane was put in, and the former westbound thru lane was changed. Also, the area is more bicycle friendly.

But plenty more needs to be done.

For the record, in early August, Bethel broke ground on its $96 million campus at Collyer Road and Twin Tower Drive.

The occasion was marked by a gathering on the property, were we celebrated by singing songs, praying over the project and ceremoniously shoveling dirt, project manager and Bethel senior leadership team leader Charlie Harper said in an email.

Eddie Axner Construction is doing the site work under the supervision of Modern Building Company, the projects general contractor.

Harper said Bethel plans to modify its planned unit development permit to reduce the size of its second support building to provide a smaller building for office space.

As it stands now, the new campus will include a 171,708-square-foot campus with 1,851 parking spaces and 300 bike racks. There is a one-story worship center that seats 2,600 people and a two-story building for the School of Supernatural Ministry with classroom space for up to 3,000 students.

Bethel wants to start construction of the smaller office building next year, while construction on the worship center and childrens classrooms could start in 2023, Harper said.

Meanwhile, Bethelis spending about $10 million on the traffic improvements, which include road widening, new signals and roundabouts.

On the north side of the Highway 299 Interchange at Churn Creek Road is where two roundabouts will be built. They will go at the intersection of the westbound onramp/offramp and at Hawley Road and Collyer Drive.

Other traffic improvements to be done are:

Brandon Tenney, a projectmanager at the services firm GHD, said there is no set schedule for what portion of the traffic work will start next.

"If I had to guess, I think the Hawley-Collyer and Churn Creek interchange would probably go next," said Tenney, adding that that could start in the next year to year and a half.

Q:I like your idea about readers and the community writing in to ask questions.My question is this: I am notable to make the live chats, but I want to read (or view if I have to) everything that gets asked and answered in them later.Where can I view all past and future live chats after-the-fact, since Im not able to attend them in real time?

A:There are two ways you can get to all published Ask the R-S live chats and Ask the R-S mailbags, an effort that the newsroom started in March of this year.

Go to Redding.com and right under the Record Searchlight masthead, you should see a menu bar with a black background that strips across the page. There on the right hand side next to the weather/temperature, click on the magnifying glass. You can type Ask the Record Searchlight or Ask the R-S to see all our content related to our effort.

We also keep a running list of all live chats and mailbags at the bottom of this story:

The Record Searchlight welcomes your questions. Here's how to get them to us:

David Benda coversbusiness, developmentand anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly "Buzz on the Street"column.Hes part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, coverbreaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-225-8219. To support and sustain this work, please subscribetoday.

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Ask the R-S mailbag: $10 million in traffic improvements needed for new Bethel campus - Record Searchlight

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. The Contemporary Theater Company is expanding with a new rehearsal studio that will help the ensemble broaden and further develop its offerings to the community, says Chris Simpson, CTC executive director.

We are at a limit at what our (present) facilities will allow, Simpson said about the construction of the new building that is an addition to its existing and much smaller space for meetings, office space and rehearsals.

Planning for the addition began more than a year and a half ago with final approvals from the town coming this past March. Construction on the 1,250-square-foot building has a $450,000 price tag before costs started increasing earlier this year, Simpson said.

This new building will provide about 800 square feet for rehearsals and some limited classroom area on the second floor with the first floor having an expanded administrative office area, a new bar and kitchen area that replaces cramped quarters in the front of the main theater.

However, he said, there will be a new and exciting treatment for the outside of the building, which is adjacent to CTCs frequently used outdoor patios.

For the first time in its more-than-decade-old history in providing performances, CTC will have two outdoor balconies overlooking the patio, he said. The audience will be able to sit in those balconies and have an different view of the productions from a place other than the same level as the performers.

Simpson said that the new building will be named the Jean Mason Carpenter Rehearsal Room in honor of this local resident who died earlier this year. She had been a long-time supporter and director at the CTC.

She really helped to make us who we are today, Simpson said. She was well known for her career as a musician and music educator. She was a piano and voice instructor, collaborative pianist, composer, and music director.

She was involved in youth orchestras for the Rhode Island Philharmonic, taught at Lincoln School in Providence, and worked as a piano instructor at the University of Rhode Island. She organized solo festivals and evaluation festivals, and served as chair for the regional National Piano Playing Auditions for National Piano Guild.

She also was artistic director and accompanist with the South County Chamber Singers. With Contemporary Theater Company, she music directed numerous shows most notably Sweeney Todd for which she was honored as Best Musical Director in 2016 by Motif Magazine.

She also directed Candide at Contemporary Theater as part of the area-wide Leonard Bernstein Centenary Celebration she initiated and produced.

Its really a fitting tribute to a person who was so important to this theater and whose passing we feel deeply, said Simpson.

Beyond just this expansion, future plans include other changes with different buildings in the CTC compound area, which is just off 323 Main Street and borders the Saugatucket River.

In 2012 the theater announced that it moved into the then location of Hera Gallery. It opened with a nearly 100-seat renovated theater, a new lobby and entryway in addition to new workspace and restrooms.

That announcement came after seven years of existence for the nomadic CTC, which had performed in more than a dozen venues in South Kingstown and Narragansett.

At the time, CTC founder Simpson said, This new theater places us at the heart of our vibrant downtown district while providing us space to grow. The fact that Wakefield is a great walking community, its something that weve been looking at for a while. When the opportunity came, it seemed like a no-brainer.

Today he and Joe Viele, executive director of the Southern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce, see that as an investment well worth taking.

Every increase to those business enterprises on main street, Viele said, brings new life. Businesses that have seen the transformation and success of bringing life to that main street are building on it, like the Contemporary Theater.

Simpson said, Weve made miracles happen by our passion as an ensemble, volunteers who support us, our audience who is committed to us and sometimes just sheer will power in space not conveniently well suited now after almost a decade, Simpson said.

Its now time for a change, he added.

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As CTC winds down its 2021 slate, its future looks bigger than ever literally - The Independent