Last week roughly 100,000 members of the building industry descended on Orlando for the International Builders Showcase. I hope many of you had the opportunity to attend, so you could see and hear the optimism about the future of our industry.
The exciting thing about IBS was that people were there, working together to help find a way to turn this industry around. One thing many of the economists will agree on is that it is the building industry that will help turn the U.S. economy around.
There were signs everywhere of the positive things to come - especially with the launch of NAHB's Green-Building Program. A clear message delivered by NAHB that will be promoted within local association is that Now is a Great Time To Buy!
Barry Rutenberg, twice Past President of BANCF and FHBA Past President, was certified last week by the Nominations Committee of the National Association of Home Builders to seek the office of NAHB Vice President/ Secretary for 2009. We wish Barry luck. If Barry wins, he will be the first Senior Officer from the State of Florida in 25 years.
The National Housing Endowment honored Emmer Development Corporation for their "Building Hope" initiative and environmentally friendly shopping bag program at its third annual Builder Achievement Awards for Outstanding Community Service during the 2008 International Builders' Show in Orlando.
GW Robinson was one of the Speakers at IBS on Market Differentiation and Increased Sales Through Energy Efficiency. GW also received an award for the head of Department of Energy. GW is the only builder in Florida with the HERS scores of 60 and below. |
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www.BuildingEdgeMagazine.com
The February issue of Building Edge is online, and the print version should have arrived last week. Our cover story is on Sparks Construction. The National Feature is on Surfaces & Finishes: Countertops, floorcoverings, walls & ceilings. If you did not receive your copy, please let us know.
Our March issue is now in production. The cover story is on Jay and Randy Robinson with G.W. Robinson Remodeling, LLC. The National Feature will be on Windows: Style, efficiency, architecture, and glass technology.
Our April issue, with its annual spotlight on the Builders of the Parade of Homes™, is now open. The National Feature is on kitchens. We will be covering the Parades in Alachua and Marion counties.
In May we will feature, The Enclave Apartments developed by Collier Enterprises, and constructed by Davis and Sons Construction. The National Feature will be on Outdoor Living: decking, landscaping, fencing, outdoor lighting, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces. We will also recap the Columbia County Showcase of Homes.
In June, we return to Ocala, and feature Claeys Construction. The National Feature will be on Doors: entry, interior, patio and overhead.
We are excited about these issues, and look forward to your participation.
Our Winter 2008 Commercial issue, featuring Trunnell Construction, is online, and should have arrived in the mail last week.
The Spring 2008 issue of Commercial Building Edge is getting ready to be sent to production. Paul Stentiford and Stentiford Construction Services is our cover story. We are also in the process of developing a website for Paul and his team with a hopeful launch date right around the time this issue is published. Please call us for details.
In the Summer, we will feature Nathan Collier and Paradigm Properties.
HOME™: Living in the Heart of Florida:
Our winter issue is still available. Distribution is at over 400 locations, including the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce, Ocala Marion County Chamber of Commerce, Newberry/Jonesville Chamber of Commerce, Williston Chamber of Commerce and the Gainesville Regional Airport. The cover story is a feature on Sister Hazel'sAndrew Copeland. If you would like to view the issue online or subscribe to the magazine, please view us at www.LivingintheHeartofFlorida.com .
We will be closing next week on the Spring issue, and are very excited about our cover story. Paige Beck, of WCJB TV20, has been keeping us well informed about news in our area for some time. For more information, please email us at info@advantagepublishinginc.com or call us at 352-372-5854. If you have not seen our first issue, please visit our website at www.livingintheheartofflorida.com.
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Condos at Prairie Get Approval
A project that would put a three-story complex of 176 condominiums and townhouses near the edge of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park at Gainesville Golf and Country Club got initial approval Tuesday night from the Alachua County Commission, which voted to send the project to the state for review. The club said the work would actually improve conditions on Paynes Prairie, but it drew considerable opposition from environmental advocates and fans of the prairie, who say it would mar views and disturb wildlife. Commissioners voted 4-0, with Mike Byerly absent, to have the state review the proposed changes. Byerly had written the commission to urge it to defer a decision. "Part of what I've wrestled with is whether this is going to have more or less impact. It's not an easy decision," Commissioner Paula DeLaney said. "This is not the final decision. It's asking the folks in Tallahassee if they agree with us. I'll be open-minded and listen to what the state has to say."
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Builders Accept Green Challenge
Three Gainesville builders on Thursday pledged to take part in an effort to construct 220,000 energy-efficient homes by 2012. The builders should have no problem meeting their end of the bargain: They're already building homes in Alachua County that meet the U.S. Department of Energy's efficiency goal. G.W. Robinson Homes, Tommy Williams Homes, and Spain and Cooper Construction agreed to the energy department's Builders Challenge at the International Builders Show in Orlando. While the builders are already meeting the standard, the idea is to keep reducing energy use in homes, said Gay Cain, president of G.W. Robinson. "There is room to continually improve upon efficiencies," she said. The challenge is intended to lead to affordable, zero-energy homes available by 2030 by encouraging research to make homes more efficient, said Todd Lewis, a sales representative for Tommy Williams. Features such as solar panels and hot water heaters are expensive today, he said, but could eventually be a standard part of homes and collect enough energy to be sent back to the electric grid.
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Alachua County to Get First LEED-Certified, Green Fire Station
Alachua County could get its first nationally certified "green" fire station by about February 2009. Officials broke ground Tuesday on the new environmentally friendly station, which will replace Jonesville Fire Station #17 on Northwest 143rd Street. The station is being built on the north end of the Jonesville Park Complex soccer field. The 6,000-square foot building will be certified by the United States Green Building Council for meeting its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design guidelines, said Charlie Jackson, county facilities manager. The station is expected to cost $2.9 million. Jackson said construction of a LEED building costs about the same as an ordinary building and saves tax payers money in the long run by lowering utility bills. "Building green simply makes sense," he said. The building will have energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems,he said. Native landscaping and devices like water-free urinals will cut back on the facility's water use. The location is accessible by alternative transportation like buses and bicycles, he said.
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New Urbanism Helps Create Sustainable Communities
Gainesville is seeing a revival of community-based neighborhoods due to New Urbanism, a development philosophy that creates sustainable communities that are walkable distances to shops, schools and jobs. The construction movement is modeled after traditional neighborhoods. In recent years, several communities have popped up around Gainesville sporting New Urbanist architecture and planning, according to David Coffey, a land-use attorney and former mayor of Gainesville. "Haile Village Center and Plantation is an excellent example of the proper execution of New Urbanism," Coffey said. To build a New Urbanist structure, all the essential elements must be present, such as the right placement of the building in relation to the street and enough space for pedestrians, he said. Although there are not many examples of New Urbanist structures in Gainesville, a lot of the development is moving in that direction, Coffey said. The movement helps the environment, he said, but the structures differ somewhat from green buildings.
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School District Hopes Four-Day Summer Work Week Will Cut Utility Bills
Students always get the summer off. This year, school buildings will get a vacation, too. The School District will close its facilities every Friday. This lights-off summer policy should save at least $100,000, mostly in lower utility bills. To make it work, faculty and staff at 48 schools and most all other district offices will work four, 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday. It's a decision that officials say will not only help refresh the minds of some students and faculty, but put more money in the pockets of the School District, which is facing more state funding cuts, possibly up to $500,000, by the end of this school year. School District spokesman Kevin Christian said when all the schools are in full operation that it costs about $22,000 per day in electricity and water bills. That means with nine Fridays off in the summer there should be substantial savings. Of the $198,000 in potential savings, the School District anticipates that they will pocket $100,000, considering some electric devices and air conditioning units will still be operational on those Fridays.
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Millennium Bank to Change Its Name
Gainesville-based Millennium Bank will change its name to RBC Bank on April 4, the closing date for parent company Alabama National BanCorporation to merge with RBC Centura, according to an RBC spokeswoman. As part of the $1.6 billion deal, all ANB bank locations in Alabama, Florida and Georgia will take the name RBC Bank at that time. Customers will have new accounts with new names, with the conversion taking place over that weekend for reopening Monday, April 7.
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Animal Hospital Planned for UF
The University of Florida will soon have a new small-animal hospital. The new building will be completed around 2010, according to Sarah Carey, director of public relations at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine. Carey said the hospital will represent a new face for the south end of the UF campus, and construction costs could exceed $50 million. Carey said the hospital will contain all the new "bells and whistles" in addition to the equipment the current hospital has. She said the new building will make things easier for everyone with more space to operate, which translates into more room for students to learn, she said. Robert Hockman, associate director at the veterinary college, said the new hospital will have a linear accelerator, which produces and delivers radiation with precision that was previously unavailable - precision as close as millimeters. In addition, a heart catheterization lab and more physical therapy space will be available, he said. Also, an emergency center will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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City of Wildwood Eyes Villages Land
In a move that would plant an urban downtown in the Wildwood landscape, city officials are taking steps to annex a commercial section of The Villages. Wildwood city commissioners have accepted a petition for voluntary annexation from The Villages officials for 200 acres. One tract of the unincorporated property in Sumter County will primarily include the upcoming Brownwood project, a mix of dining, entertainment and shopping. The other tract will house Pinellas Plaza. It may include offices and smaller businesses. Robert Smith, the town's development services director, said the acquisition of the prime property should double the city's tax base as well as draw in more businesses, residents and visitors to the city - population of about 4,800.
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Ocala Consultant Sees Horse Park at a Crossroads
The Florida Horse Park outside Ocala is at a financial crossroads: It can continue to depend on donations and handouts to muddle through, or get the money to invest in infrastructure and become one of the most successful equine parks in the country. The horse park "has held a lot of shows [last year] without even a flushing toilet on the grounds," William Fruth told the Star-Banner Friday after presenting his economic impact study to park board members. Fruth is a consultant hired by the park to study its economic impact on the community. "What they've accomplished in such a short amount of time is amazing," he said. But after his presentation to park board members and elected officials about the park's potential, Fruth said that the park "is not going to be able to grow very much anymore. They've pretty much maxed out ... unless they build."
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Lake County Commission Candidate Aims for Business Growth
Many say Lake County has enough houses. Jim Miller, the Leesburg real estate broker who Wednesday threw his hat in the ring for the Lake County Commission District 1 seat, said he has the expertise and experience to expand the county's commercial and industrial development. "I feel like it's my time to take this on," he said. Miller, 59, has worked as a commercial and industrial real estate agent in the area since 1984 and has the experience to bring in more jobs and commercial development to augment the deluge of housing that has come to Lake County in the past years, he said. He is a member of the East Lake, Eustis, Mount Dora, South Lake, Tavares, Lady Lake, Leesburg and Umatilla chambers of commerce, chairman of the Leesburg Sesquicentennial Committee, participant in Take Stock in Children, Rotary International and Kiwanis clubs and a board member for the Educational Foundation of Lake County.
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Vote on Taylor Development Delayed
State intervention has again stopped a vote on a controversial development along the Taylor County coast. The Suwannee River Water Management District governing board was scheduled to vote Tuesday on Dr. J. Crayton Pruitt's proposed residential and golf course development near Dekle Beach. District staff initially recommended the long-delayed project be approved. But Department of Community of Affairs Secretary Thomas Pelham wrote in a Feb. 1 letter that the project violated state coastal protections and could not be approved. He wrote that the department was prepared to defend its position in court. His opposition caused the district to reverse course and recommend denial, leading Pruitt to pull the project from consideration. The retired St. Petersburg heart surgeon said he'll now try to negotiate with the department. "It's not quite there yet, but we hope to work it out amicably," he said. "I'm not interested in suing the state."
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Lake Shore, LCCC Look to Partner in Facility
The Lake Shore Hospital Authority and Lake City Community College could soon enter a partnership which will provide local college students with a more realistic look into the medical field. Hospital Authority members unanimously agreed to lease the Authority's clinic building to the college for $1,200 a month during action at the boards regular monthly meeting on Monday. The building will be used as a classroom for some LCCC Academy of Allied Health programs. The entire clinic has not been used since the hospital's primary care provider left the facility nearly two years ago. Lake City Community College Executive Director of the Academy of Allied Health programs Abraham I. Pallas, addressed the authority board members with the proposal during Monday's regularly scheduled meeting. Pallas' presentation suggested using the Lake Shore Hospital Authority's Clinic as classroom space for community college students in the allied health field.
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Renovation Begins at Richardson
The Richardson Community Center was buzzing with activity Wednesday morning as work crews began giving the facility a face-lift. The ownership of the facility was recently transferred from the City of Lake City to the jurisdiction of the Columbia County Commission, through an interlocal agreement, based on a 20-year lease. The county plans to upgrade and renovate the facility. "This is an agreement between the city and the county that will put the county in charge of that facility for the next 20 years," said Mario Coppock, Lake City/Columbia County Director of Parks and Recreation Department athletic director. "This is a very amicable agreement between the two entities because the county had the financial means to develop the center in a way that the city, just because of its budget constraints, could not." Columbia County commissioner Ron Williams agreed that the move was made with the best interest of the community in mind.
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MCBIA Calendar of Events
BANCF Calendar of Events
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USGBC Heart of Florida Chapter
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Conservationist's New Role Helps Reward Builder's Efforts
As one of Central Florida's longtime conservation leaders, Teresa Watkins gave homeowners advice on landscaping tips, yard plants that require less water, when to irrigate, and how to reduce demands made on the environment. But Watkins, who spent eight years with the Orange County Cooperative Extension Service, working with horticulture experts such as Tom MacCubbin, said she realized that, in most cases, the builder and developer had already made many of the major decisions that determined how much water would be used -- or conserved -- by a residential property before the new homeowner took possession. Watkins was recently hired by the St. Johns River Water Management District as a trainer and coordinator for the Florida Water Star program, a project that tackles the water-conservation challenge at the builder-developer level. Builders and developers who voluntarily agree to follow the agency's best practices guidelines for initial landscaping, irrigation systems and indoor plumbing, for example, will be able to earn the Water Star "seal of approval" for marketing purposes.
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Crist, Lawmakers Make Clean Energy a Priority for Session
Gov. Charlie Crist wants to spend a record amount of money on energy diversity and fighting climate change this year, and lawmakers are looking to create an energy policy that better protects the state's natural resources. In his budget released last month, Crist proposed spending $200 million - more than double the current budget - to promote alternative sources of energy and combat climate change. Legislators, meanwhile, say they expect to take up wide-ranging energy proposals during the legislative session that begins in March, and both the governor and a state energy commission want to work on ways to reduce pollution. "This package is designed to stimulate economic development in renewable and alternative energy fields," Crist said when he announced the budget. "It will establish alternative energy as a targeted industry for our economic development efforts."
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Lawmakers Will Look at More Property Tax Cuts in 2008 Session
Before voters passed Amendment 1 in January, Gov. Charlie Crist, top lawmakers and other backers promised it would be just the start of property tax relief. Now Crist says he's unsure what the next step should be. House Speaker Marco Rubio and other tax-cutting advocates, though, have laid out a wide range of options for the Legislature to consider during its 2008 regular session beginning March 4. One proposal would cap taxes at a certain percent for all properties. Other proposals would repeal rules that can currently increase taxes for homeowners. "If we don't take that next step, then come September people throughout Florida are going to get a tax bill that looks very similar to the one they got last year," Rubio said. "And they'll know who to blame, and that's us up here." Rubio, R-West Miami, had been saying Amendment 1 was not enough even before the Legislature passed it last year. The estimated annual savings are $240 for the average owner of a primary home, or homesteader. It's more for homesteaders who move, but there's relatively little relief for owners of businesses, second homes and other properties.
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Tax Cap Might Go Before Voters
A tax panel that has the power to put reforms on the ballot pushed forward a constitutional amendment Monday that would cap the amount of taxes and fees that could be collected by Florida's cities, counties and school districts. The goal of the proposal before the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission is to prevent local governments from cashing in if property values soar again. The Finance and Tax Committee of the commission's panel approved the measure, but it still needs approval from 17 of the 25-member panel before it goes on the November ballot. ''Florida governments are experiencing growth like never before and are spending it as fast as it comes in,'' said commission member Mike Hogan, the Duval County tax collector who sponsored the amendment. "Taxpayers want to have a say in how government grows and how government taxes.''
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Legislators Rethink State Storm Fund
Soon after the insurance reform bill was passed last January, some lawmakers and state officials started to worry about the big tab Florida taxpayers would have to cover if a massive storm hit the state. The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund was expanded to cover up to $28 billion in hurricane losses in order to give insurers an opportunity to buy less expensive back-up insurance. Their savings were to translate into lower insurance rates for their policyholders. This year, lawmakers are looking to backtrack and reduce that CAT Fund exposure by $3 billion. A bill sponsored by Sen. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, has been introduced in the Senate and a companion is in the works in House of Representatives that would require insurers to buy more reinsurance in the private market. Why make changes after just one year? Several factors are at work. The private reinsurance market has recovered so the state doesn't have to provide the cheaper back-up insurance. Reinsurance rates dropped 10 to 15 percent last year and are likely to fall an equal amount this year, said James Massie, lobbyist for the Reinsurance Association of America.
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Visit Florida Begins First National Ads
Florida hopes to blunt the effect of an economic slowdown with the state's first national ad campaign aimed at drawing tourists. Besides a 30-second TV spot, the roughly $9 million campaign that began Monday includes print advertising and a heavy emphasis on a Web-based promotion for Florida's top industry. Some cities -- mostly cold, northern ones -- will be targeted more intensely by the campaign, state officials said. While Florida attractions such as Walt Disney World and some individual cities have advertised for tourists elsewhere in the country, this is the first time the state has undertaken a national campaign to boost visits, said Leon Corbett, Visit Florida's director of advertising and marketing.The ad campaign is run by Visit Florida, the corporation created by the state in 1996 to promote tourism. It is funded mostly by the surcharge paid on rental cars, and by the industry itself. Last year, the Legislature gave the agency about $9 million for advertising, which is going for this campaign.
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Federated Investors to Manage Local Government Investment Pool
Florida chose Federated Investors Inc. on Tuesday to take over management of its local government investment pool, hoping the private investment firm will help reassure investors who withdrew more than $15 billion in a panic last year. The pool had been managed by the State Board of Administration when it was rocked by a run after mortgage-related securities it held were downgraded. The fund takes cash from cities, school boards and other local governments and invests it in a way similar to a money market account. The run that drained more than half the investments shut down the pool temporarily, but some confidence was restored under the interim management of outside investment firm BlackRock Investors Inc. BlackRock was one of three firms seeking to be the permanent manager, but lost out to Federated, the lowest bidder.
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Congress on Road to Tackle Insurance
Florida's property insurance problems are spreading quickly to other states, four congressmen said Monday as they pushed for federal intervention to shore up the marketplace. "It is important to understand that insurance availability and affordability problems have become a national issue," said U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, D-Boca Raton. "Hundreds of thousands of homeowners across the county have already had their insurance coverage dropped or are currently slated for nonrenewal by their insurance company." Klein is a member of the House Financial Services Committee's subcommittee on oversight, which convened a field hearing Monday afternoon in West Palm Beach. At the hearing, Klein said states such as New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Texas have seen insurance companies cancel or stop issuing new policies in the past year. The solution crafted by Klein and U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Palm Beach Gardens, includes creating a federal backstop to limit insurance company losses. But the plan faces an uncertain future. The Homeowners Defense Act passed the U.S. House in November but has yet to emerge from the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Development Committee.
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Panel to 'Tweak' Insurance Laws
After taking in more than 19 hours of testimony from insurance companies, a special Senate panel now plans to recommend possible law changes. But agreeing on the best solutions won't be easy. "I'm afraid there will be vast disagreement on the committee. Some members believe the most important thing to do is to reduce premiums. Some other members want to reduce the exposure of the state in case we face a catastrophic storm," said Sen. Steve Geller, a Democrat from Cooper City who co-chairs the Senate committee. "The two positions are inherently in conflict," said Geller in an interview after the committee concluded its sessions earlier this week. The Select Committee on Property Insurance Accountability was set up in January to investigate why insurance rates hadn't declined as much as expected after lawmakers passed a massive insurance reform bill a year ago. But the risk the state took on - to make the lower rates possible - wasn't far from the minds of the 20 senators on this panel.
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Even With Drop in Attendance, Builders Put on Really Big Show
Practice makes perfect: Having hosted the International Builders' Show for the past three years, Orlando seems to have gotten the hang of handling 100,000 convention-goers at one show -- and it helps that many of those attending are old hands at it, too. "No problem at all," Branden Greer, from Venice, Fla., said of his first full day at the 2008 conference and trade show. "Then again, I've been [to the convention center] a number of times." A break in the stormy weather Wednesday morning allowed people to get to the show without incident, said Jessie Allen, general manager of the Orange County Convention Center. "Obviously, there was a number of folks coming to the building, so it wasn't as if the streets were empty," he said. "Floor activity is very busy, and from my standpoint, it's an A-plus right now."
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NAHB Goes Green for IBS
Green was definitely the theme at the International Builders Showcase (IBS). From the green shirts worn by National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) staff and volunteers to the announcement made Thursday about the launch of the association's National Green Building Program, green was ever present. The launch of the new NAHB program took place Thursday during a standing-room-only news conference at the Orange County Convention Center, home to the four-day IBS. During the first of four news conferences about NAHB's green-building initiatives, Bob Jones, the association's vice president, said this initiative will provide flexibility in green-building practices, while providing a common national benchmark for builders, remodelers and developers.
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Country-wide Financial Corp. Aims to Help More Subprime Borrowers Manage Payments
Countrywide Financial Corp., under pressure to help stem growing home loan defaults, says it will expand programs to help borrowers manage their mortgage payments regardless of the type of subprime loan they have or whether they have already fallen behind on payments. Full details of the initiative, the result of a pact with the national community advocacy group, were to be disclosed Monday. Initial plans to disclose the deal were postponed last month after Calabasas-based Countrywide agreed to be acquired by Bank of America Corp. for $4.1 billion in stock. Countrywide, the nation's largest mortgage lender and home loan servicer, has sought to address the growing number of defaults on its books by modifying loan terms, working out long-term repayment plans and other actions. The company said last month it helped more than 81,000 borrowers keep their mortgage payments manageable in 2007.
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Administration Proposes Housing Plan
Homeowners threatened with foreclosure would in some instances get a 30-day reprieve under an initiative the Bush administration announced Tuesday. Critics attacked the proposal as far short of what is needed to resolve a serious financial crisis that is threatening millions of families with the loss of their homes. Under the new program, six of the nation's largest financial institutions said they will begin contacting homeowners who are 90 or more days overdue on their monthly mortgage payments. The homeowners will be given the opportunity to put the foreclosure process on pause for 30 days while the lenders look for a way to make the mortgage more affordable. The new program will be available to the holders of all types of mortgages from prime to subprime and represents a widening of an initiative announced by President Bush in December that offers a freeze on subprime mortgage rates that are scheduled to reset to sharply higher rates for borrowers who qualify for the assistance.
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Fed Auctions Another $30B to Combat Credit Crisis
The Federal Reserve, seeking to combat the effects of a serious credit crisis, said Tuesday it had auctioned $30 billion in funds to commercial banks at an interest rate of 3.010 percent. It marked the fifth in a series of auctions that so far have pumped $130 billion in money into the nation's banking system in affort to provide cash-strapped banks with extra reserves. The Fed's hope is that the increased resources will keep banks lending and prevent a severe credit squeeze from making the current economic slowdown worse. The latest auction results showed that the Fed's effort is having success. The 3.010 percent interest rate is the lowest rate for any of the five auctions held so far. It was slightly below the previous auction where the interest rate had been 3.123 percent.
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With Stimulus Package, the Big Winner Could Be Small
Businesses, large and small, will be directly helped by the new economic stimulus legislation passed by Congress last week. But small businesses, in particular, may get the biggest lift indirectly - from consumers spending their tax rebates. The $168 billion measure, which was approved by both houses of Congress with uncommon swiftness, includes rebates for taxpayers and incentives for businesses, all intended to bolster the sagging economy. President Bush is expected to sign it this week. Bars, restaurants and other retailers are counting on increased business from consumers who will start getting their tax rebate checks in May. "That's where small businesses will benefit the most," said Barbara Weltman, a lawyer and small-business tax specialist in Millwood, N.Y. Smaller companies like Dahm Trucking in Woodstock, Ill., and McCutcheon's Apple Products in Frederick, Md., are poised to benefit from the provisions aimed at businesses. The National Federation of Independent Business, an advocacy group in Washington, lobbied on their behalf.
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Consumers Haven't Given Up Just Yet
Although retail sales showed a surprising rebound in January after a dismal slump in December, some economists say there are plenty of signs that consumer spending is slowing even if it hasn't completely hit the skids. "We have to be very careful in interpreting the January sales report. I think the report is far weaker than the headline figures suggest," said Scott Hoyt, director of consumer economics with Moody's Economy.com. The Commerce Department reported Wednesday that total retail sales rose 0.3%, compared to a 0.4% decline in December. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com expected a 0.3% drop in retail sales for the month. Stripping out volatile auto sales, sales rose a slightly better-than-expected 0.3% compared to a 0.4% decline in December. Economists had anticipated a 0.2% in the measure. However, overall January sales were aided by a 0.6% increase in auto purchases, while a strong 2% surge in gasoline station sales - which have benefited from record-high gas prices - pushed up the core retail increase. Click Here>>
Proposal Eyes Green Construction
Annapolis aldermen are considering legislation that would require certain new buildings and major renovations to meet established green standards, a prospect that already has some support in the environmentally conscious city. The proposed ordinance, one of two pieces of "green" legislation the council is considering, would call for newly constructed or heavily modified buildings of greater than 10,000 square feet to meet the lowest standards in the LEED Green Building Rating System. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ratings, developed by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, are among the leading national benchmarks for green construction. Buildings of any size must meet the second-lowest, or silver LEED standards; and single-family dwellings must meet the lowest LEED standards, according to the legislation introduced by Annapolis Mayor Ellen O. Moyer, a longtime environmental advocate.
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Home Builders to Cut Off Contributions
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) decided Tuesday to cut off contributions from its political action committee (PAC) to congressional candidates. In a statement, NAHB President Brian Catalde said that lawmakers and the Bush administration over the past six months "have not adequately addressed the underlying economic issues that would help to stabilize the housing sector and keep the economy moving forward." NAHB's BUILD-PAC is a sizable player in Washington's fundraising arena. During this election cycle so far, the PAC has given $1.2 million to other committees and candidates - 45 percent to Democrats, 55 percent to Republicans - according to CQMoneyLine. The PAC was responsible for $3.5 million in donations for mmidterm election candidates. The housing industry was lobbying Congress for the economic stimulus package to include a provision that would help companies with losses to trim prioryear mtax bills. The effort failed.
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Going Green
When 1,800 workers lost their jobs after a Maytag appliance factory and headquarters closed last year in the small town of Newton, Iowa, a wind turbine blade company saw opportunity -- an available, skilled work force in the middle of one of America's hardiest wind energy production regions. TPI Composites Inc. is building a new plant there as the energy industry aims for a cleaner, more sustainable future. With proper incentives, thousands of "green-collar jobs" could be created, from ethanol production to wind turbines and solar panels, and all the maintenance and construction to support them, industry officials said. TPI used to build boats, but switched to turbines in 2001 for the "major growth opportunity," said Steve Lockard, chief executive officer of the Phoenix-based company. The idea, he said, is to "transform the work force away from the Maytag-type jobs of the past into jobs that can withstand the test of time going forward."
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High-Tech Houses Let You Run Things By Remote
Imagine pre-heating the oven from a cell phone. Or getting an e-mail when your teenager's bedroom window opens after hours. Or having the DVD you are watching automatically pause when the doorbell rings so you can see live video of the person standing at your front door. At this week's International Builders' Show, several companies are pushing home-automation technology that lets users control virtually everything in the house by pushing a button on a remote or touching a screen with a finger. Home-automation technology has been around for several years, but it has historically been offered mostly in new homes. With the soft real-estate market preventing a lot of people from selling their homes and buying new ones, technology companies are now aggressively marketing home automation as a retrofit or remodeling option.
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Fed Chief Bernanke Predicts USA Will Avoid a Recession
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday that the USA will avoid a recession, but that the outlook has deteriorated. He suggested more interest rate cuts are likely. Bernanke's morning testimony before the Senate Banking Committee set the tone for a down day on Wall Street, its first this week. Dow Jones industrials closed at 12,377, down 1.4% "Growth looks to be weak but still positive," Bernanke said, while noting, "The outlook for the economy has worsened in recent months." In his first public comments since the Fed slashed interest rates in January, the chairman said a softer job market, high energy prices, stock market turmoil and declining home values likely were weighing on consumers. Their spending accounts for more than two-thirds of all U.S. economic activity.
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Signs of Life Percolating in Condo Market
The condo market is showing some signs of a revival in some markets across the country and that uptick in sales is also benefiting the rental apartment market, according to multifamily housing developers speaking at the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) International Builders Show being held here this week. "We are definitely emerging from a difficult time and seeing some light in the condo market," said Bill Donges, CEO of the Atlanta-based Lane Company, which has condominium developments in several cities, including Hollywood, Florida. "The condo lifestyle-especially in urban areas-is very attractive, and with the interest rates low and the selection good, we are seeing buyers come back into the market," Donges said. The slow but steady sale of condo units recently in selected markets is also helping the rental apartment market, according to Steve Patterson, vice chairman of NAHB's Multifamily Leadership Board and CEO of ZOM USA, which builds and manages apartments throughout the Southeast.
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Hooley Urges Federal Help for Green Schools
Congress should look for ways to encourage the construction of environmentally friendly "green schools" to help student achievement and save money at the same time, Rep. Darlene Holley, D-Ore., told a House panel Wednesday. "Green schools have plenty of light, high quality acoustics and air that is safe to breathe," said Hooley, who co-chairs of the 28-member Congressional Green Schools Caucus. "Green schools save money -- on average $100,000 a year." Hooley, a former teacher, told the House Education and Labor Committee, that the green schools movement is growing as state and local governments renovate old schools and build new ones. "Too many of our nation's schools are falling into disrepair and are potentially dangerous for both students and faculty," Hooley said. "I remember visiting a school in my district a few years ago where there were holes in the ceiling, water damage on the walls and mold growing around the windows."
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L.A. Ready to Enact Tighter Green Building Standards
Los Angeles, known for its choking smog and fuel-burning gridlock, is poised to adopt one of the toughest green building ordinances in the nation. Two City Council committees voted Friday to require that all major commercial and residential developments slash projected energy and water use and reduce the overall environmental footprint, placing the city on the cutting edge of an international movement to address the global warming effects of buildings. Under the ordinance, privately built projects over 50,000 square feet -- of which there are roughly 200 constructed annually -- must meet a "standard of sustainability" by incorporating a checklist of green practices into their building plans. The checklist includes a choice of such items as low-flow toilets, paints with low emissions, use of recycled materials, efficient irrigation, solar panels and use of natural light.
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West Virginia Builder Elected NAHB President
Sandy Dunn, a second-generation West Virginia home builder who has provided affordable housing to Mountain State residents for more than three decades, today was elected as the 2008 president of the 235,000-member National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) during the association's International Builders' Show in Orlando. Dunn is president of Point Pleasant, W. Va.-based B.J. Builders, Inc., a company founded by her father in 1953 that specializes in single-family, entry-level homes. "Our primary objective in 2008 will be to work with the nation's lawmakers and administration to implement policies that will resolve the credit crunch in housing finance markets and revitalize home building as the engine of economic growth," said Dunn. "Concurrently, we will strive to ramp up the political involvement of our 235,000 members so that home builders and their affiliates have the strongest possible voice in Washington during this election year and beyond."
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Stadium Club Building to Continue
Construction has stalled at the Stadium Club, but will resume for the eight-story condo and retail project across from the University of Florida on University Avenue, an owner said. "There were some minor holdups we are in the process of straightening out and it should be going forward without any difficulties," said Sharon Stock of Stock Real Estate Developers Inc. of North Redington Beach. She would not elaborate. A real estate broker and contractor on the project referred questions to her. Construction is up to the fourth floor and the project should be finished during next football season, Stock said. In the meantime, they are working on taking reservations, she said.
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Gainesville OKs Plan for Mallory Square
Despite talk of a saturated rental market, Gainesville Real Estate Management Inc. is forging ahead with the company's ninth apartment complex - Mallory Square. Keith Crutcher, president of Gainesville Real Estate Management, says he's well aware that "about 4,000 bedrooms" apparently will be ready for occupancy in nearby apartment complexes by this summer. Those numbers don't intimidate Crutcher, whose project could hit the market as early as summer 2009. "We think we have some advantages as far as location and also being mixed-use," Crutcher said. The City Commission approved a plan Monday night that would allow Mallory Square to be a combination of 30,000 square feet of retail space and up to 122 apartments. The proposal calls for six buildings on what is now a vacant 8-acre plot abutting SW 34th Street just south of Archer Road. The buildings that front the east side of SW 34th Street will have retail space on the first floor, and up to three floors of residential space above.
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Developer Sets Sights on Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce Location
Downtown redevelopment is not dead. In fact, it has refocused on what investors are calling the most important parcel in the revival initiative: the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce site. At Tuesday's City Council workshop, the Chamber of Commerce requested an 80-year lease extension on its current location. But their interest in the downtown spot is being challenged. A local development group says it's ready to go, both financially and conceptually, with a $55 million mixed-use project that would bring economic vitality downtown. If council members communicated one thing clearly at Tuesday's City Council workshop, it was their high confidence in a positive future for downtown. They funneled that into serious discussion on the Chamber of Commerce's proposal. For about 30 years the Chamber of Commerce - the nonprofit organization that focuses on community betterment through business, cultural and economic development - has leased the site from the city for $1 per year. All City Council members agreed that the Chamber of Commerce is an asset to downtown. However, they had concerns on whether extending the nonprofit's lease - which provides the city zero tax revenue dollars - made good economic sense for Ocala.
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Mactec's Contract Season
One major contract down, one to go. Mactec Engineering and Consulting Inc. was recently awarded a $5 million, five-year continuation of its contract to monitor air quality at Navy facilities in Gulf Coast states. Now the Jonesville office of Mactec will be seeking to renew a $24 million, five-year contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to continue monitoring the effects of acid rain at 80 remote stations across the U.S. The company has had the EPA contract continuously for 20 years, but will have to compete to renew it by August. The two contracts account for $5 million of the local office's $12 million annual gross revenue and form an important base as it continues to rebuild from the remnants of Environmental Science and Engineering. Founded by University of Florida professors in 1965, ESE was some 500 employees strong in the mid-1990s before the closure of an environmental lab and several ownership changes led to a mass exodus of employees, many of whom formed other local environmental consulting businesses, said Mark Diblin, vice president in charge of the Jonesville office.
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Expansion Plan Leaves Landfill's Neighbors Feeling Down in the Dumps
Some residents who live in the vicinity of the Baseline Landfill want the county to dump plans to expand the dump. In the 160-home Dalton Woods subdivision, northwest of the Baseline Landfill, they started an online petition of opposition to gather signatures quicker than they could going door-to-door. Standing on the back street of Dalton Woods, you can see the grassy hill of the landfill in the distance. If the expansion plan goes through, the landfill will push 500 feet farther to the north and west and closer to Dalton Woods, the Country Estates and High Pointe subdivisions and Forest High School. "When we bought, we knew there was a dump, but we were told it was going to be closed," said Karen Cunningham, who has lived in Dalton Woods for two-and-a-half years.
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ABC Seeks Volunteers for Grassroots Action Team
ABC is encouraging all of its members to join the ABC Grassroots Action Team, a growing network of ABC members working to ensure the election of pro-free enterprise majorities in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, as well as a pro-free enterprise president in the White House, this fall. As part of the Grassroots Action Team, ABC members will receive political updates, feedback regarding important campaigns, status of legislative issues, the results of direct email campaigns, activities of fellow ABC grassroots advocates, and tools to help educate others at their company. In return, Grassroots Action Team members are asked to respond to action alerts, stay informed about local and national issues involving merit shop construction, and maintain regular contact with lawmakers, whether through emails, telephone calls, faxes or in-person visits.
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The LEED Shade of Green
When the U.S. Green Building Council announced in November a program to rate the environmental qualities of new home construction -- one based on the highly successful Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design requirements for commercial buildings -- it marked a watershed of sorts for the two-decade old sustainable building movement. In the last year, public clamor for more responsible and energy-efficient ways of living, combined with the politics of climate change and the economic reality of soaring energy costs, has ushered the once-staid subject of how we build from the business section to the front page. A flourishing of supposedly "green" design firms has made low-energy, sustainable building smart, cool and lucrative. The U.S. Green Building Council, the foremost organization for promoting and rating the environmental sensitivity of buildings in North America, says the green building industry was worth $12 billion in 2007 and will top that in 2008, barring full-out recession. In a cratering real estate market, the green sector is the industry's fastest growing piece.
http://www.newwest.net/magazine/article/the_leed_shade_of_green/C555/L555/
AGC of Greater Florida Calendar of Events
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