As always, the Gainesville Home show this weekend was a great treat. There was a lot of interest and excitement, as thousands of people came to the O'Connell Center to learn about issues related to home and garden. There were some great exhibitors, and as I predicted last week, two of the highlights were the cozy theatre seats offered by Custom Home Entertainment, and the rock-climbing wall at the Robinshore, Inc. booth. We probably stood for an hour, and watched the kids attempt the wall. We also had many laughs over whether Andrew Rocco's hair would get messed up if he tried. There were more builders and developers at this Home Show then I remember in some time, which is good for everyone.
With the Home Show, spring is in full force. Ocala's Home Expo kicks off Saturday, April 26 at CFCC in Ocala, Klein Center. This is sponsored by the Ocala Business Leaders. For more information, contact Paul Joranlien at (352) 274-5172 or fljorney@cs.com. Columbia County's Spring Showcase is coming up later this month. For more information, please contact Lynda Yearney at (386) 754-5355. Then we go full bore into the Parade of Homes™. Alachua County's Parade is April 19 to 27. Marion County's Parade is April 19 to May 4. There are 50 builders in over 75 homes between the two parades this year.
There is great news to share in that Marty McFall is awake, and off the ventilator. He is breathing on his own, and his eyes are open. That is indeed a blessing. So many people expressed concern about Marty, the owner of Martin P. McFall Builders, Inc., who suffered a serious accident a few weeks ago, that a website was established for those who want to keep up with his progress. Go to www.caringbridge.org, and type in 4martymcfall. We continue to hope and pray for Marty's full recovery.
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www.BuildingEdgeMagazine.com
Our March issue is online, and in the mail. You should have received your copy last week. The cover story is on Jay and Randy Robinson with G.W. Robinson Remodeling, LLC. The National Feature is on Windows: Style, efficiency, architecture, and glass technology. You can also view it online at www.BuildingEdgeMagazine.com
Our April issue, with its annual spotlight on the Builders of the Parade of Homes™, is in production. The National Feature is on kitchens. Our Developer Spotlight in this issue is on Deltona Corporation. We will be covering the parades in Alachua and Marion counties. This issue will also include the inaugural Buyer's Guide. Once we finish producing the guide, it will be available through this email and online, as well as in print.
Our May issue is open. It 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 and the BANCF Home Show.
In June, we return to Ocala, and feature Claeys Construction. The National Feature will be on Doors: entry, interior, patio and overhead. This will be the issue that we recap the Spring Parade of Homes™.
We are excited about these issues, and look forward to your participation.
Our Winter 2008 Commercial issue, featuring Trunnell Construction, is online, and has arrived in the mail.
The Spring 2008 issue of Commercial Building Edge has been sent to production. 2007 Marion County Small Business of the Year Stentiford Construction Services, led by Paul Stentiford 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:
We are in production now on the Spring issue of HOME: Living in the Heart of Florida. Distribution is at over 450 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. I have heard many times lately that someone has gone into the tag office in Alachua County, and of the 10 people waiting, eight were reading HOME. Music to my ears! If you would like to view the Winter issue online or subscribe to the magazine, please view us at www.LivingintheHeartofFlorida.com . The Spring issue should arrive the second week of April.
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County OKs New Retail, Residents Off SR 20
The folks living in the Cherrywood Estates, Countryside Farms and Prince Rose Estates subdivisions along the State Road 200 corridor can expect some new neighbors in a few years. And some of them shared their displeasure about it during Thursday's Marion County Commission hearing on land-use change applications. "The proposed housing goes right behind me - right where the cows are right now," Cherrywood Estates resident Roberta Letendre said of property directly north of the retirement community. The County Commission voted unanimously to forward the plan for that property, which proposes a mix of retail and residential development on 81.5 acres, to the Florida Department of Community Affairs.
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O'Dome Hosts Annual Home Show
Grasping the hold of a 26-foot rock-climbing wall, 4-year-old Sallie Tanner stretched her 3-foot-tall body as far as she could, inching closer to the next open hold. "Go," said Leslie and David Tanner, her parents. "Come on. Keep going. That's the highest you've ever been." Ever determined, Sallie cheered as she reached the top of the wall - one of many attractions Saturday at the 8th Annual North Central Florida Home Show at the O'Connell Center. The show continues today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some 140 home-related businesses and service providers have set up booths this weekend throughout the O'Connell Center - and many are giving away prizes and offering discounts on their services. For instance, Gainesville contractor Robinshore, Inc. is giving away two Wii's and a 42-inch LCD high-definition TV over the course of the two days.
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Gilchrist Fly-in Community Sought
An aviation community proposed at the Alachua and Gilchrist county line would include 624 residences built around a runway, allowing residents to fly small planes to their second homes. But Gilchrist County Planning Director Taylor Brown is recommending against a comprehensive plan change that would allow the project. The project would put Gilchrist County's largest-ever single development in a rural area far from infrastructure and emergency services, he said. "It would essentially be creating a new town," he said. Oak Tree Landing is planned on 815 acres across from Watson Farm on County Road 232, between High Springs and Newberry. Called an aviation or fly-in community, the project would include aviation facilities, an 18-hole golf course and a commercial development with small businesses.
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County Rejects 600 New Homes in Dunnellon Area
A proposal for 600 homes between the Dunnellon/Marion County Airport and the Dunnellon city limits ended up between a rock and a hard place during the Marion County Commission's land use hearings Wednesday. Dunnellon elected officials and residents said plans for the Blue Run Ranches property along the north side of County Road 484 did not fit in with the rural land to the west inside the Dunnellon city limits, or the airport and industrial development planned to the east. They also relayed concerns about traffic gridlock on CR 484 and school crowding when the elementary, middle and high schools in the city already exceed their capacity. Mayor Fred Ward said the development could put a strain on the city's fire and police departments, because they have a mutual response agreement with county departments.
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Most Local Businesses Expect Growth This Year, EDC Survey Finds
Although economic indicators for Marion County don't look promising for the near future, nearly two-thirds of businesses surveyed recently by the Ocala/Marion County Economic Development Corp. say they're in a growth strategy for 2008. The EDC surveyed area businesses, concentrating on manufacturing or distribution, business and professional services, health care and construction. Of 77 responses from companies representing nearly 20,000 local workers, 51 said they were looking to increase their business this year. Fourteen more companies said they expected to remain stable, while seven were cutting back. "The idea was to get a feeling for local employers about the current economic conditions here," EDC President and CEO Pete Tesch said. "I guess it's a good sign that there's no clear trend across the board on job loss or declining sales."
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Alachua County Forms Task Force to Evaluate Annexation Statutes
A set of laws unique to Alachua County to govern annexation will not be eliminated but likely will be changed. Representatives of the county and cities within the county have decided not to scrap the Boundary Adjustment Act entirely, as some cities favored, but to instead modify it. A task force has been formed to develop a set of recommendations for those modifications.
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County Drops Landfill Expansion in Favor of Incinerator
The Marion County Commission will scrap expansion of the Baseline Landfill and pursue construction of a waste-to-energy incinerator facility if they stick to a plan approved Tuesday. Commissioner Andy Kesselring proposed the plan, which would have the county reopening the transfer station at Baseline on Oct. 1 and shipping 75 percent of its trash out of county through that station until a waste-to-energy plant is up and running at the property. The plan has that happening by Oct. 1, 2013. "I think that what this really does is say our long-term solution is going to be a waste-to-energy facility in Marion County," Kesselring said. Of course, when it comes to trash disposal issues in the county, nothing is written in stone. Future County Commission votes would have to be scheduled to go forward with design, permitting and construction of the plant.
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Loften Gets Energy-Efficient
Sometime later this month, after all the FCAT answer sheets have been boxed up and shipped to Tallahassee for scoring, many teachers and students on the Loften campus will be boxing up their classroom materials and shipping themselves across campus to test Alachua County's newest classrooms. The new $4.1 million, 19,324-square-foot classroom and multi-purpose/dining room at the Professional Academies Magnet at Loften will open after FCAT testing is done. The two-story building houses 16 classrooms with space for 400 students. It will replace 16 relocatable classrooms - some more than 20 years old - and a cafeteria built as a temporary solution at Lincoln Middle School 25 years ago and moved to the Loften campus in the late 1980s.
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Building Official Hurst Retires
Carol Hurst, a groundbreaking Alachua County employee, has said goodbye to blueprints, the code book and the detailed rules of county building regulations that have helped save the lives of residents. Hurst, who retired Friday, started at a time when women were all but unheard of in the building field. She ended her career of 32 years as a rarity still - she is one of the few female county building officials in the state. "I was told that people were going to eat me alive, but I went out in the field and said, â€̣Here is the code book.' I carried it with me. And I knew people I could ask who were educated in the field. I worked my way up," Hurst said. "I don't think there are many women building officials. There are a lot of women getting into architecture and building. But building and code enforcement - it's kind of difficult because you are telling a man, and usually a superintendent in field, who is not happy with what you are having to say."
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New GRU Manager Takes Reins
Monday was the official starting date of the new general manager for Gainesville Regional Utilities. Bob Hunzinger, 47, spent the day breaking in his new position. As the top manager of the municipal-owned utility, Hunzinger will report directly to the Gainesville City Commission. "I would like to be able to get a feel for the community and utility employees over the first three to four months," Hunzinger said. He is moving here from western Kentucky, where he had resigned in September after four years as general manager for the Owensboro Municipal Utilities. "I think that Bob is just going to be ideal for GRU," said Karen Johnson, the former general manager. "He's already struck me as being a good listener, and he has a good sense of humor."
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Hills of Minneola Lands Final Approval From City
The Hills of Minneola has cleared one of its last big hurdles, getting final approval from a split City Council for the massive plan for thousands of homes, a large business center and an interchange on Florida's Turnpike. The decision could have a huge impact on Minneola's future, although this week's meeting attracted few residents. The Hills has carried majority council support since the city first voted to annex and rezone the nearly 3-square-mile property in October 2006. The council voted 3-2 Tuesday night to approve comprehensive development plans required for the community to begin planning construction. Council members Sue Cordova and Ed Earl dissented.
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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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Panel Urges Lawmakers to Review Sales Tax Exemptions
Florida's tax commissioners Friday urged lawmakers to set up a special committee that would draft repeal bills for sales tax exemptions if they fail to serve a public purpose or meet other criteria. If the Legislature doesn't do that, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission may later ask voters to force lawmakers to do it. "It would just be as a hammer," said Commissioner Randy Miller. "They have the authority to do it, but sometimes they need a little prodding." There are nearly 250 exemptions from Florida's 6 percent sales tax. That includes exemptions for cell phone towers; charter fishing boats; other boats and airplanes sold to out-of-state purchasers; religious items; bottled water; gold, silver and platinum bullion in excess of $500; motion picture video equipment; feed for poultry, livestock, race horses and ostriches, and crab bait purchased by commercial fishermen.
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Budget May Be Tallahassee's Main Focus
After years of budgetary plenty, this is the year of scarcity for Florida lawmakers as they begin their regular legislative session on Tuesday. The state budget, hamstrung by a weak economy and declining tax revenues, shrunk below last year's $70 billion level this year and in 2008-09 will drop again. With less money comes fewer political tools -- to prompt reforms, lure votes and win favors -- and that means fewer new laws. The budget will not only overshadow the session, it will dominate the first two weeks as legislators figure out how to slice an estimated $542 million from the current year's budget and another $2.5 billion from the 2008-09 proposed spending plan.
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Proposed Palm Beach County Increase in Impact Fees Unlikely
A proposed new countywide impact fee for solid waste is not likely to be imposed because it wouldn't generate much money to help pay for hundreds of millions of dollars of improvements planned by the Solid Waste Authority. A consultant for the county's impact fees division projected a $94 fee for each new single-family home. But at that rate, 11,100 new homes would bring in just $1 million, said Willie Swoope, the county's impact fee manager. County commissioners, who double as the Solid Waste Authority board of directors, suggested looking into a solid waste impact fee two years ago. A similar proposal was considered, but scrapped, in 1994. The authority is now planning several facility refurbishments, as well as building a new waste-to-energy plant and acquiring a new landfill.
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Developer Sets Aside Land for Eagles, Praised by Environmentalist
Bobby Ginn gave up the nicest lots in his luxury golf course community to a couple that just flew in and made themselves at home. Three years later, Ginn is happy with the deal. So, apparently, are the bald eagles nesting with a multimillion-dollar view: They recently had babies. Some developers would have seen an obstacle in the eagles, sitting in a dead pine tree overlooking a lake and surrounded by acres of nothing but nature. Ginn saw an opportunity not just to protect the environment in one of his latest multimillion-dollar ventures, but to make the eagles a selling point.
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Users May Be Able to Sell Power to FPL
In a move that could dramatically expand renewable energy in Florida, state regulators are expected on Tuesday to approve a rule that will require utilities to pay homeowners and businesses for the extra energy they produce from solar panels on their property. The concept, called ''net metering,'' comes before the Public Service Commission for final approval after a year of discussions and workshops. ''There's clearly a large demand for this,'' said Bob Reedy at the state-funded Florida Solar Energy Center. "What's been so successful in other states certainly should work in the Sunshine State.'' About 40 states already are using the concept, Reedy said.
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Legendary Builder Arthur Rutenberg Says Housing Slump Is Near Bottom
Take it to the bank: The home-building bust is at or near the bottom, according to legendary home builder Arthur Rutenberg. Rutenberg, 80, was in west Orange County last week checking on some of the latest Rutenberg custom homes for sale near Windermere. As he relaxed in an Arthur Rutenberg Homes luxury model for sale on Lake Butler Boulevard -- list price $1.5 million -- Rutenberg reminisced about the booms and busts of days past and says that, while this slump may well be the sharpest downturn on record for builders, it's over or, at least, nearly so. "It's like the stock market. No one can call a bottom, and it's true in housing," he said. "You can only see it in hindsight."
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Housing Priorities Set for '08 Legislative Session
When the Florida Legislature kicks-off the 2008 Legislative Session this week in Tallahassee, the Florida Home Builders Association will advocate a member-defined housing agenda that goes a long way toward boosting the state's economy, keeping the cost of housing within reason, and helping more Floridians achieve the American dream of home ownership. Affordable housing, building codes/mitigation, growth management, impact fees, onsite and springshed protection, and property insurance and property tax reform have been identified as target housing priorities by FHBA members. Leading the charge to champion these priorities is a strong legislative advocacy team spearheaded by David Hart, FHBA's Vice President of Legislative and Governmental Affairs.
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Bill Tries to Iron Out Save Our Homes Glitch
Local legislators are weighing the merits of a new bill that would stop homestead assessments from rising when the market value of residential property is falling. Since the Save Our Home Amendment went into effect in 1995, Florida homesteaders have enjoyed a maximum annual increase of 3 percent on the assessed value of their property. Save Our Homes locked in this amount no matter what was happening in the real estate market. For the first decade of Save Our Homes, the 3 percent cap worked to the advantage of homesteaders. Only recently has a little-noticed quirk in Save Our Homes become a perceived threat to some homesteaders. The 3 percent assessment cap applies whether the market or "just value" of a homestead is rising or falling -- as long as the assessed value is less than the market value.
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Orange County Will Speed Up Permitting for Energy-Conscious Projects
Orange County developers who go green could avoid regulatory red tape. Commissioners decided Tuesday to streamline the construction permit process for projects that embrace eco-friendly and energy-saving designs. The proposal follows a pledge by County Mayor Rich Crotty to reduce carbon emissions and "roll out the green carpet" to community partners willing to help reduce pollution output and energy consumption. Crotty pledged to reduce county government's emissions 40 percent by 2020 at a climate summit he had last year and recently pledged to recruit eco-oriented technology companies. The latest plan is meant to be an incentive for commercial and residential developers. "We really need to extend this to the private sector," Crotty said. "And this is the first step."
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Crist: State Can Meet Its Obligations Even in Hard Economic Times
Gov. Charlie Crist wants lower property taxes, cleaner energy, thinner kids, healthier Floridians and better schools and he said in his State of the State speech Tuesday that he isn't daunted by bad economic times. Crist acknowledged the state is going through tough times, but, forever an optimist, he said state government can still keep its obligation to improve the lives of Floridians. "Florida's families and business are faced with extraordinary economic times - skyrocketing gas prices, the threat of foreclosure and a softening housing market. And, like Florida's families, these challenging times will require us to meet the demands of declining revenue," Crist said. "Pessimists see problems, optimists see opportunities. You know I am an optimist, but no matter what your perspective, we must dare to be great."
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Impact Fees in Indian River County May Increase by 27%
Prices for new homes and other structures are expected to rise, and maybe dissuade some customers from buying, if county commissioners agree to a consultant's proposal for 72 percent increases in impact fees. Impact fees are one-time charges assessed against builders by local government - and passed onto buyers. The fees are meant to help pay for the expansion of specific services, such as roads or schools, which new residents or new business customers will demand. "The issue is the more development you have, the more demand on your (roads and services)," county Community Development director Bob Keating said Monday. "If you don't want to increase the capacity of the roads, you're going to have congestion."
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Bernanke Visits Orlando, Calls on Lenders to Help with Foreclosures
Mortgage lenders must step up the pace of helping troubled homeowners avoid foreclosure or the housing and mortgage crisis will certainly worsen, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told an Orlando audience Tuesday. Absent a stronger effort, the rising foreclosure rate could easily send hundreds of thousands of additional unsold homes into the nation's already glutted inventory, further eroding home values and prices, the Fed chief said at a community bankers convention. "This situation calls for a vigorous response," he said. "Measures to reduce preventable foreclosures could help not only stressed borrowers, but also their communities and the broader economy."
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Senate Votes to Cut $500 Million From Current Budget
State spending this year would be about a half billion dollars less than planned under a bill the Senate passed Thursday. With Florida's economy in a tailspin and residents not spending money, incoming taxes are expected to be about 13 percent lower this year than what legislators initially expected to have when they wrote the budget last year. Senators passed the roughly $500 million reduction in the current year's approximately $70 billion budget to bring state spending in line with lower-than-expected tax collections. The House passed its budget-cutting proposal a day earlier and representatives of the two chambers worked out many of the differences between the plans Thursday afternoon. Lawmakers were hoping for a final vote on the shrunken budget by next Wednesday.
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NAHB Condemns Actions of Terrorist Group Near Seattle
Following is a statement released today by National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) President Sandy Dunn in response to the terrorist burning of several show homes in Woodinville, Wash. early Monday morning: "The 235,000-member National Association of Home Builders strongly condemns the criminal actions of the radical and violent environmental group known as the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) in a suburb north of Seattle, Washington this morning, where at least four new homes were destroyed by arson. The FBI has previously identified ELF members as domestic terrorists and attributed many millions of dollars worth of damage to new homes and communities to this extremist group."
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Simple Steps Can Keep Local Governments in Compliance with Fair Housing Act
The recent resolution of litigation in South Carolina demonstrates that local governments can run afoul of the federal Fair Housing Act even when government officials do not intend to discriminate. The effect of a local government action related to development can trigger serious fair housing concerns for racial or ethnic minorities. Fortunately, local governments can take steps to make sure they are in compliance with the federal Fair Housing Act. The key is to be attentive to the needs of minorities and families within the community and to work closely with developers who seek to meet those needs by producing affordable housing. The issue has gained national attention because of a settlement in a fair housing lawsuit brought by South Carolina developer Connelly Development LLC and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) against the City of West Columbia, SC. NAHB's litigation team worked closely with Benjamin E. "Ned" Nicholson V and others at the McNair Law Firm in Columbia, S.C.
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NAHB University of Housing Honors Five Members
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) University of Housing has honored five housing professionals for elevating the image of professional designations in their community. The members are William Slease, 2007 Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) of the Year; Ann Garvey, 2007 Certified Graduate Associate (CGA) of the Year; Allen Griffin, 2007 Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) of the Year; Eric Willson, 2007 Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) of the Year and Donny Mack, 2007 Graduate Master Builder (GMB) of the Year. "These five individuals are great examples of excellence in the housing industry. They continue to strive for professionalism and incorporate innovative practices and techniques into their workplace, which ultimately benefits their customers and shines a positive light on our industry," said Daimon Doyle, president of Doyle Custom Homes in Olympia, Wash. and 2008 chair of the CGB board of governors.
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Home Builders Go 'Green' To Seek New Selling Point
More builders are adding "green" features to their new homes. It is a strategy born out of necessity. In October, the Trilogy division of Shea Homes rolled out a program dubbed Shea Superiology for its 1,500 to 2,000 new homes this year. The homes will have environmentally friendly features such as increased insulation and energy-efficient electronic appliances. KB Home this year also began including appliances awarded the federal Energy Star rating for high energy efficiency as standard in homes, even though they cost more than those without the designation. And Pulte Homes Inc. is adding more insulation and energy-saving appliances at some of its subdivisions in the southwestern U.S.
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Turning Glare Into Watts
At first, as he adjusted pumps and checked temperatures, Aaron Boucher looked like any technician in the control room of an electrical plant. Then he rushed to the window and scanned the sky, to check his fuel supply. Skip to next paragraphArticles in this series will periodically examine the ways in which the world is, and is not, moving toward a more energy efficient, environmentally benign future. Mr. Boucher was battling clouds, timing the operations of his power plant to get the most out of patchy sunshine. It is a skill that may soon be in greater demand, for the world appears to be on the verge of a boom in a little-known but promising type of solar power. It is not the kind that features shiny panels bolted to the roofs of houses. This type involves covering acres of desert with mirrors that focus intense sunlight on a fluid, heating it enough to make steam. The steam turns a turbine and generates electricity.
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High-cost Mortgages Just Got Cheaper
Mortgage costs just got cheaper for buyers in high-cost areas. The size of loans that can be guaranteed by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae was raised today by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. The new, higher loan limits will stay in effect through the end of the year, allowing the government sponsored enterprises (GSEs), to buy much higher-priced mortgages in some areas of the country. Also today, the size of the loans that the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) can insure was raised by Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Both moves will lower borrowing costs for buyers of higher priced homes, and aim to boost flagging real estate markets.
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Inclusionary Zoning Acts as a Tax on Housing
Mandatory inclusionary zoning requiring builders to sell a certain number of homes at below-market prices is a complex market intervention that can act like a tax on housing and worsen the affordable housing problem it is meant to solve. But many alternatives to inclusionary zoning can help meet the housing needs of low- and moderate-income families. These are the findings of three studies commissioned by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). NAHB funded the research projects as part of its ongoing efforts to address the nation's growing housing affordability problem. The three research projects are: - Abt Associates, of Cambridge, Mass., studied innovative state and local programs designed to address the housing affordability challenge and produced a 350-page report that explains how these strategies work, how they're funded, where they've been used, and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
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Housing Finance System Reform Vital for Housing and Economy, Builders Tell Congress
To help bolster a faltering housing market, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today called on Congress to move quickly to enact comprehensive regulatory reform for housing government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks that will ensure their financial safety and soundness and allow them to vigorously pursue their housing mission. "At a time when the housing market needs them more than ever, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have failed to adequately respond to the mortgage crisis," Jerry Howard, executive vice president and CEO of NAHB, told members of the Senate Banking Committee. "Rather than aggressively pursue market solutions, they are hunkering down to shore up financial results and shareholder returns - and are even taking steps that will further burden struggling mortgage borrowers."
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Lease-to-own is Option in Slow Housing Market
In the past year, Becky Marlowe McPartlin, a real-estate developer, has been able to sell three of four units in a condo building on Chicago's South Side. The first sold last spring, the second in June and the third in October. Since then, as banks have tightened lending standards, the fourth unit has remained unoccupied. So McPartlin is taking another approach: a lease-to-own contract. "With 100 percent financing out of the picture now, we felt this would be a good opportunity for people to get back into the game," McPartlin said.
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AGC Equips Contractors to Build Green
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) today announced that it will debut new green programs at its 89th Annual Convention in Las Vegas, which begins on Sunday. These new initiatives are efforts designed to help educate and prepare contractors about trends in the green building arena. "We are at the forefront of educating members on building green and providing the most up-to-date information on industry standards," said AGC CEO Stephen E. Sandherr. "Our members are building our nation's leading green projects." AGC will debut a new full-day course for contractors, Building to LEED®-NC: Overview and the Impact on Construction Practices, to explain the contractor's role in a project intended to achieve certification under LEED-NC. The debut is sponsored in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Clean Diesel Program. This new course outlines all of the prerequisites and credits within the LEED-NC rating system and identifies which have a major, moderate, or some impact on construction practices. It also provides a more detailed analysis to the ways those credits with a "Major Impact" will affect estimating decisions, scheduling, documentation, contracts, and other construction activities.
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Virginia Contractor Bill Fairchild Sworn in as ABC National Chairman
Bill Fairchild, president of R.W. Murray Co. in Manassas, Va., was sworn in as ABC's 2008 national chairman during a special March 5 ceremony, one day before the opening of ABC's 2008 National Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Fairchild officially began his one-year term as ABC national chairman on January 1, 2008. "The experience that Bill brings to his role as ABC national chairman and his dedication to the principles of free enterprise and open competition are real assets to this association and its members," said Kirk Pickerel, ABC president and CEO. "His spirit and passion for the industry will serve him well as he carries out his national responsibilities."
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Hotels Taking the LEED on Green Building
When choosing where to lay our heads, we weary travelers generally want a comfortable bed, clean surroundings and, perhaps, free in-room movies. But virtuous travelers often want more than that. We also want accommodations that suit our principles-those that boast energy-efficiency, water conservation, perhaps even a local organic menu in the restaurant. These days, a few progressive hotels are taking the concept of "green" one big step further-by building or renovating their establishments to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design criteria, widely considered the gold standard in environmentally responsible construction. And an increasing number hotels are "taking the LEED" on going green. LEED-building projects are still relatively rare, says Glenn Hasek, publisher of GreenLodgingNews.com, an online publication for those in the hospitality industry, but "there's a lot of buzz and momentum."
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City Council Puts Golf Course Makeover on Hold
The outlook isn't pretty for Muni's makeover. City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday to keep the Ocala Golf Club, often called the Muni, the same - no changes in par, no rearranging of holes. Many avid local golfers, like Randy Briggs, spoke at the meeting. Briggs did so on behalf of the underdog, he said. "Nobody disagrees that improvements need to be made at Muni. But if it means that you destroy Pine Oaks golf course to get it done, then I'm not in favor of it until there's a convincing argument that Pine Oaks can't make it on its own." At the meeting, the council also decided to preserve the status quo at Pine Oaks. In that same vote, members shelved a plan to sell land with nine of the course's 27 holes. The decisions marked the latest in the city's topsy-turvy battle to make its golf enterprise profitable.
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Research Company Gets Keys to Library
The former downtown library is about to go high-tech as a new branch of a Pensacola-based research lab. The Ocala City Council voted 4-1 with no discussion Tuesday to approve the sale of the former library building and land at 15 S.E. Osceola Ave. to the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition. Councilman Kyle Kay cast the lone vote against the sale. The vote concludes more than two years of talks to bring a branch of IHMC to Ocala. Earlier Tuesday, IHMC director Ken Ford told the quarterly meeting of the Ocala/Marion County Economic Development Corp. that the nonprofit research organization was looking forward to opening a branch in Ocala. "I'd like to say how happy we are to be coming to Ocala," Ford said. "We're looking forward to it very much."
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AGC of Greater Florida Calendar of Events
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HOME: Living in the Heart of Florida
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