Tornado Threat Means Major Business in Moore

Posted on by

In March of 2014, Moore became the first city in America to adopt a tornado-specific building code to ensure homes can withstand storms of EF-2 or greater. Within months of the 2013 disaster, hundreds had begun to rebuild their homes and their lives. Unfortunately, this desire to quickly move on and recover meant that their homes were not built according to the new, tornado-resistant building code. As a result, the Moore housing market is primed to support a massive tornado retrofit industry.

Rather than rush into a frenzy of tighter regulations immediately after the storm, Moore took the time to develop codes to address specific inadequacies that needed to be amended. According to Elizabeth Jones, Moore’s community development director, “In an ideal situation, you would be able to have the time directly after the event to come up with all of these things so everyone can be build back stronger and safer.” The research period was essential, Jones adds, because “we don’t want to make codes just for the sake of making codes. We want to be able to address real problems that exist out there and try to make them better.”

Of the 600+ building permits issued for rebuilding efforts in the storm-damaged areas, only 152 are being built to the new standards. This leaves more than 400 homes built to the older standards. In a perfect world, these homes would last 50-60 years. But as Tim Marshall, civil engineer for the Dallas-based Haag Engineering that consulted on the new code explains, “they’re going to last 50, 60, 80 years or until the next tornado comes along.”

However, all is not lost for new homeowners whose houses were built to the old standard. Tornado retrofitting will help make the structure and exterior finish tornado-resistant. Impact-resistant windows and reinforced doors, especially reinforced garage doors, can really make a difference when a home gets battered by storms. Door portal frames should be well-anchored and well-bolted. Gable walls should be braced to withstand high winds. The vertical attic joists should be reinforced with horizontal 2”x4”’s secured with 3” wood screws. Metal “hurricane strap” anchor plates and bolts will keep the walls together and anchored to the roof. The entire house should have a well-sealed sheath to keep moisture and debris out. Tornado retrofits are relatively straightforward, if time-consuming, and the increase durability brought by retrofitting will pay dividends during the next major tornado.

Meritage Homes Moves to Cypress Waters

Posted on by

In a move that immediately reflects the growth and potential of the DFW real estate market, Meritage Homes will be relocating its regional headquarters to the Billingsley Company’s new Cypress Waters development. This Arizona-based building firm specializes in developing master-planned communities for single-family homes in a variety of price ranges. Meritage has leased 15,760 square feet of the multi-tenant Offices at Cypress Waters complex, located at 8840 Cypress Waters Boulevard. The Offices building, which comprises 165,000 square feet, is currently under construction. Meritage will take possession of their new regional office in FQ15.

The move comes in response to the incredible growth Meritage Homes has experienced in recent years. it is believed that the move will position Meritage to more effectively reach their growth goals. According to Marijke Lantz, senior vice president of investments and build-to-suits for Billingsley Co., “Location and on-campus amenities really moved the needle in their decision to go to Cypress Waters.”

The Offices at Cypress Waters are build-to-suit spaces with a lakeside setting. The Offices building is situated within a mixed-use development featuring over 400,000 square feet of retail amenities and restaurants and more than 10,000 multi-family living units.

Meritage also purchased 90 acres of homesites from Billingsley as a part of their regional headquarters leasing deal. The homesites are currently a part of Billingsley Company’s Austin Ranch development, a small planned community of 202 single-family homes. Austin Ranch was designed for completion in two stages, with Meritage now slated to complete both stages of the development. Previously, Billingsley had planned to build a multifamily complex of 525 units on the acreage.

2014 NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE ADOPTED IN 12 STATES

Posted on by

For over a century, the IEEE Standards Association’s National Electrical Safety Code has been keeping America’s communications and electrical infrastructure safe, steady, and efficient. 2014 is ushering in the latest round of code revisions to the Code to reflect upon recently developed technology, standards, and best practices in the industry. As of august, 12 states have adopted the 2014 version of the code, with another 11 states set to adopt the codes by January 2015.

Many of the Code’s new and revised requirements will affect commercial, industrial, and residential electrical and communications installations. One set of major changes involves expansion of the AFCI and GFCI protection for indoor installations. Best practices in fire and shock protection features for residential electrical systems have been updated to include the needs of “smart homes” supporting heavy electrical and HVAC automation. New to this addition is advice for first responders dealing with homes equipped with photovoltaic electrical systems.

The 2014 Code also includes comprehensive articles on increasingly popular technologies. Low Voltage Direct Current Distribution systems, Modular Data Centers, Fire Resistive Cable systems, and Energy Management systems are all be given significant coverage in the 2014 edition.

The National Electrical Safety Code is updated every 3-5 years, with the next edition slated for 2017. From September 1, 2014- May 1, 2015 the NESC is holding an 8-month open commentary period, which will allow members of the public and industry professionals to affirm the new code, suggest additional changes, and make alternate proposals for the 2017 code. Definitions of equipment, clearance rules, eliminating certain exemptions, and OSHA harmonization initiatives will be foregrounded in the 2017 code.

Renovation Gives Alabama Landmark New Lease On Life

Posted on by

The Federal Reserve building in downtown Birmingham has been purchased for renovation and development by Harbert Realty Services. The $1.3 million purchase was motivated by a desire to capitalize upon the revitalization of downtown that has occurred with the influx of millennial homebuyers to the area. This landmark property was built 1926 to host the Atlanta Federal Reserve bank branch, and an annex was added later.

The property sat fallow for years until The Stewart Studio, LLC optioned the property. Robert and Susan Stewart, the company’s owners, had planned to renovate the property into retail space, an event venue, and a boutique hotel. When their option expired in April, Harbert Realty snapped up the building.

The possibility of turning the historic property into a mixed-use space is still in play. “All of those options are available – mixed-use, retail, office, hotel,” Tynes explained, adding that the Stewarts might still be involved in the process, because “We’re open to work with anybody who has great ideas and a good vision that aligns with ours.”

Harbert Realty has partnered with Capstone Real Estate Investments to finish developing the historic property. According to Harbert Realty vice president, Norman Tynes, “We have a branch bank who has already approached us about this (building) – the 1927 building in particular.” The historic stature of the property means that the redevelopment is carefully proceeding according to Alabama Historic Commission standards.

Harbert Realty expects that Alabama’s historic redevelopment tax credits will aid in redeveloping the property. Of the Commission’s involvement, Tynes says, “They have guidelines we have to adhere to, and we’ve got to submit our vision in hopes that they agree with our vision.”

Harbert Realty is already well underway to making their vision a reality. Demolition crews have already torn the interior completely down, leaving a structurally sound historic shell.  “The options are wide open,” says Tynes, “It’s like a clean, new canvass.” Regardless of the final plans, the building’s electrical, mechanical, and plumbing infrastructure will be completely modernized to meet the demands of 21st-century tenants. Nonetheless, a few of the interior surface features will remain, because “You can’t replicate [them] and have it be remotely cost-effective.”

Joel Blackstock with Williams Blackstock are the architects of record for this ambitious project. Architectural renderings of the new building will be available within the next month.

 

Keeping Your Home Strong on Shaky Ground: Seismic Retrofitting

Posted on by

While California is certainly famous for its earthquake activity, the rate of seismic activity has been drastically increasing of late in Oklahoma, Kansas, and even New York. While most homeowners in these states shouldn’t expect massive earthquakes any time soon, it’s important to know that a succession of frequent, low-intensity quakes can cause nearly as much structural damages as the big ones. To best protect their investment, homeowners in areas prone to low-intensity-quakes should consider retrofitting their homes.

There are three different ways that earthquake forces can affect a home. The lateral, or shear,  forces cause a home to move from side to side in what is called a racking motion. Shear forces can also cause a house to slide right off of its foundation. Uplift forces, which are vertical forces that push a house up, causing it to crash back down, can cause a house to lift off the foundation altogether and overturn.

Regardless of the force or affect, the structural region of the house which are most prone to earthquake motions is the area between the first-floor joists and the foundation. Most seismic retrofitting involves creating a continuous load path between all the elements of the house.  This involves three basic types of structural reinforcement: bracing, bolting, and attaching.

Bracing the cripple walls, or the walls sections between the foundation and the first floor, will keep them from collapsing and dropping the house directly onto the foundation. Brace the cripple walls with sheets of plywood.

It’s also important to bolt the reinforced cripple walls to the foundation. This will keep the house from sliding off of the braced cripple walls and overturning.

The house floor should also be attached to the cripple walls, in order to keep the house from sliding off of the cripple walls. Bolting the floor to the cripple walls will keep the house from sliding off of them and overturning.

To learn more about seismic retrofitting, check out the Institute for Business & Home Safety’s seismic retrofit guide. If you’re interested in encouraging your local government to participate in a seismic retrofit incentive program, take a look at this FEMA resource.

 

 

College Football Hall of Fame Construction Complete

Posted on by

Birmingham contractor and developer Brasfield & Gorrie have just completed construction on the $68.5 million dollar College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in Atlanta. Immediately neighboring the Centennial Olympic Park and the Georgia World Congress Center, the three-story attraction opened to the public last weekend.

The 94,256-square-foot attraction was built to entertain and educate football fans on the history and traditions of college football. Previously located in South Bend, Indiana, the College Football Hall of Fame has been combined with a “fan experience” that includes interactive exhibits and museum-grade memorabilia.

Designed by tvsdesign-Turner Properties, construction on the Hall of Fame and Fan Experience began in January 2013 and was completed ahead of schedule. Brasfield & Gorrie Division Manager Chris Britton credits the “the strong partnership between Atlanta Hall Management, Brasfield & Gorrie, Cousins Properties-Gude Management, tvsdesign, BenchMark Management and other team members,” for the projects early completion, adding that “the commitment of each stakeholder was integral to this project’s success.”

One of the most unique aspects of the multi-media, interactive exhibits is that the experience can be tailored to each visitor, courtesy of the RFID badges that they are issued upon entering the exhibit. The first stop is a kiosk where visitors enter their email address and school of choice. Every exhibit from that point on will highlight that school’s accomplishments, and all of the featured videos, images, and recordings related to that school are made available through email link, for free on the Hall of Fame’s website.  One particularly interesting exhibit is the booth which shows footage of each team’s field entrance traditions, from the point of view of a person standing at the bottom of the hill.

According to Hall of Famer Kevin Butler, kicker for the University of Georgia Bulldogs, “What they’ve done is taken the technology that we use in everyday life and joined it with the history of college football.” Butler, who went on to play professionally for the Chicago bears and Arizona Cardinals, added that “This facility is the new age of hall of fames.”

 

Offices Break Ground in New West Belt Submarket

Posted on by

 

The area along Sam Houston Park Drive is so hot it recently scored a new submarket designation from the CBRE real estate services marketing company. HBW subscribers who have followed the development activity along Sam Houston Park Drive and participated in the development projects being built there are not surprised that the area has finally been designated as the “West Belt” submarket. West Belt has captured areas that were formerly in the North Loop, FM 1960, and Katy Freeway submarkets. Building professionals seeking commercial construction job leads would fine it worthwhile to check out what’s happening in West Belt.

 

Last week, the Woodlands-based real estate firm D’Agostino Companies broke ground on The Offices at Sam Houston, a four-story, 113,363- square foot office building located at 10203 Sam Houston Park Drive. The new building is within the 42-acre Sam Houston Crossing Business Park, which lies along Beltway 8 between US 290 and Texas 249. The project is slated for a June 2015 completion date. CBRE is marketing the property, which has been designed by Browne McGregor Architects. Metzger Construction Company provides the general contracting services.

 

The building already has 60% of the building leased, with Caterpillar, Inc. and Solar Turbine anchoring the complex. CBRE will handle the leasing for the remaining 46,000 feet of office space. D’Agostino Companies is seeking LEED-Silver certification for the tilt-walled project. The developers currently own more than 25 projects in the Houston area, with their most recent developments being 2051 Greenhouse Road and Vision Park Plaza.

 

The West Belt submarket is currently comprised of 53 buildings totaling over 4.7 million square feet. The vacancy rate is 5.5%, with rents averaging $19.21 per square foot. Last quarter, Transwestern Development Company’s 150,000 square foot Westway Plaza office complex, broke ground, with Sugar Land-based E.E. Reed Construction Co. serving as general contractor.The California-based Panattoni Development Company is currently building a three-story, 135,000 foot Class A office project, with Houston-based Arch-Con Construction serving as general contractor and Powers Brown Architecture providing the design.

 

HBW proudly serves building professionals in the Houston markets, giving the very best in up-to-date building permit activity reports.  In addition to our Building Trend Activity for Residential Construction Reports, HBW can create a number of custom reports for any need you might have. We also offer exclusive White Paper Reports to help you market your business. White papers start by giving an overview of the trends in your area and then advice on how to turn your weekly building permit information subscription into successful business leads. To show you how we can help your business succeed, HBW is glad to provide you with complementary building data report or one of our specialized White Paper Reports. Contact us today and start making your business more profitable!

 

4 Projects to Avoid for a $mart Remodel

Posted on by

It’s inevitable that homeowners eventually have to re-evaluate whether their house meets their lifestyle needs. When they love their location and neighborhood, really like their house, and don’t want to waste money on closing costs and moving expenses, homeowners usually decide to stay where they are and  remodel their home. Knowing what features would improve your quality of life key, but it’s also important to know which remodeling projects might not pay off when it finally comes time to sell. Knowing about these four remodeling project types will help you avoid costly mistakes that could affect your home’s resale value.

1. High-Maintenance Landscapes

Unless you personally enjoy being outdoors enough to enjoy it, and unless you have a love of gardening or the resources to hire maintenance help, don’t add an exorbitant landscape to your home. The same thing is true of adding water features, which bring higher utility bills that might turn frugal, conservation-minded future buyers off.  Stick with a healthy, well-manicured lawn and tastefully arranged ornamental trees and flowers to give your home curb appeal, instead of adding landscaping that potential buyers might see as a headache.

2. Fussy Flooring

Carpet is certainly more comfortable and welcoming than hardwood. But carpet traps dirt and allergens, lacks the longevity of hardwood and tile, and can easily start to look dingy. Many homebuyers prefer to see if there is solid flooring beneath the carpeting, even to the point of ripping up the carpet and restoring the hardwood floor. So rather than adding new carpet to hard floor surfaces, consider investing in getting your hardwood floors cleaned and restored. If your hard floor surfaces are beyond salvage, then the next best flooring options are tile, linoleum, bamboo and cork, which have the benefit of also being green. Avoid vinyl and laminate.

3. Upscale Upgrades

Unless you are a foodie or aspiring gourmet chef who will get tremendous enjoyment from your upscale kitchen, don’t install higher-end kitchen equipment and appliances than would be found in comparably priced homes in your neighborhood. Unless your idea of unwinding after work every day involves luxuriating in a personal steam room or spa that is wired with internet-equipped television and surround-sound, it might not be a good idea to invest in these upgrades, either. Potential home buyers might not be willing to pay extra for features they deem unnecessary and the property values of your surrounding neighborhood will keep your own property value down.

4.Highly Specialized Rooms

If you are a committed hobby enthusiast who needs the space to pursue your passion, then you should make sure that your hobby room really is, for example, the woodworking shop of your dreams. But actually having a room that is so specifically purposed—yoga studio, wine and cigar cellar, art studio— that it doesn’t seem to function well for any other endeavor might harm your resale value. Make sure that specialized rooms can be easily envisioned as something else when potential buyers come to call. Having an extra, undesignated room in the floor plan is actually very beneficial for resale value because buyers will see it as a potential extra bedroom, an office, craft room, rec room, or home gym.

 

 

Pool & Spa Builder Certification Course Nov. 2-7

Posted on by

With the swimming season drawing to a close, many pool and spa builders are beginning to think about how to enhance their professional profile during the cooler months. One way to do this is to seek professional certification from the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP). During the annual International Pool/Spa/Patio Expo being held November 2-7 in Orlando, the APSP will be offering several certification courses in designing, building, and servicing spas and pools.

According to APSP CEO and President Rich Gottwald, “the economy is heating up and this is the time for pool and hot tub professionals to differentiate themselves with APSP training and certification.” The Expo is the perfect place to find this career-building credential. “With the largest group of pool, hot tub, spa and patio industry suppliers and manufacturers, retailers, builders, service professionals and landscape architects from around the globe in attendance at Expo,” Gottwald says, “we’re pleased to offer diverse training that meets the attendees’ expectations and needs.”

From November 2-4, the ASPA will offer the Pool & Spa Construction Course. This course offers technical expertise that will help novices learn more about building quality pools and spas, and show veteran pool builders how to build more complex pools. During the 3-day course, novice participants will work through the APSP Builders Manual and prep participants for the APSP Certified Building Professional exam held Nov. 5.

Also held from November 2-4 is the Certified Service Technician Course. Geared towards professionals with at least two years of experience, this course will cover the key concepts and best practices found in the APSP Service Tech Manual, specifically hydraulics, water quality, troubleshooting, and repair. The course will prep attendees for the Certified Service Technician (CST) exam on Nov. 5.

The two-day Certified Hot Tub Technician Course taking place from Nov. 3-4 will focus on the unique challenges faced by technicians who specialize in repairing hot tubs and spas. The APSP Hot Tub Technician Manual provides the backbone of the course, which will focus on hot tub installation, structures, finishes, service, maintenance, water chemistry, seasonal care and troubleshooting. Participants will also be prepped for the Certified Hot Tub Technician (CHTT) exam on Nov. 5

Debuting at this year’s festival is the one-day Train the Trainer Course on Nov. 3. This course trains subject matter experts to teach APSP certification courses in the workplace and convention venues. Completion of this course enables participants to earn an honorarium for their instruction hours. In order to participate in this course, the attendee must have already received a Certified Building Professional or Certified Service Professional designation.

The Pool & Spa Construction and the Certified Service Technician courses confer 24 continuing education credit hours towards attendee’s re-certification requirement. The Certified Hot Tub Technician Course provides 16 continuing education hours, and the Train the Trainer course offers 6. All courses are taught by veteran spa and pool professionals who are members in good standing of the APSP. For more information, contact the APSP’ Career Institute at ci@APSP.org

Construction Begins on the Sonoma at Fiddler’s Creek

Posted on by

Because they’ve been keeping up with the latest residential building permit activity in Southern Florida, HBW subscribers already know that Lennar Corp. has begun construction on its new Sonoma Village of the Fiddler’s Creek community in Naples. Located on Collier Boulevard near the throughway to Marco Island, there are 44 homes slated for construction in this CIBA Community of the Year Award-winning development. Those seeking residential construction job leads would do well to investigate Naples.

The Sonoma is an 11-building  coach home village featuring Mediterranean styling. Each 2-story building features four residences. There are two floor plans available, the Verona and the Florence.

The Florence coach home is a fully furnished ground-floor home comprising 1,741 square feet of living space. This three-bedroom, two-bath, split floor plan includes a spacious living room, kitchen with granite countertops,crown molding and Colonial-style wooden casements, breakfast area, dining room, screened  porch, and two-car garage. Prices start at $289,985.

The 3-bedroom and two bath Verona is an upstairs coach home with 2,110 square feet of living space. The central living room area has an adjoining dining area, breakfast nook, and kitchen. The rear-situated master suite features an oversized walk-in closet. The Verona also features a screened patio and two-car garage. Prices start at $303,990.

Sonoma Village will be built from steel-reinforced concrete blocks and feature a built-in pest control system. The tile roofs and brick-paved drive- and entryways complete the Mediterranean styling. Energy-efficient appliances and fixtures, along with hurricane-resistant windows and doors, create a home that is both eco-friendly and durable.

Sonoma village amenities include a 54,000 Club & Spa complex for hosting parties and special events. The Club & Spa offer a tropical lagoon-style swimming complex, tennis courts, a fitness center, and restaurants. Residents are eligible to join the Fiddler’s Creek Golf Club, as well as the Tarpon Club for recreational water craft enthusiasts.

HBW serves building trades professionals in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Texas, and Oklahoma. Building professionals who are proactive and informed can count on HBW’s newsletter to deliver the latest in building trends, construction technology innovation, and regulatory activity. To show you how we can help your business succeed, HBW is glad to provide you with complementary building data report or one of our specialized White Paper Reports. Contact us today and start making your business more profitable!