Ex-Bears Fullback Pleads Guilty In Minority-Contractor Scam

Former Bears Roland Harper pleaded guilty Tuesday to fraud for allowing his to be used by a white-owned firm to obtain contracts set aside for minority-owned businesses.

Harper, 55, of , pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of and agreed to cooperate with . In return, agreed to recommend he serve about 16 months in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 14.

Harper, who is African-American and was president of Rohar Construction, admitted he obtained contracts from on behalf of Landscape Co., which got more than $1.5 million in payment.

The landscaping business, based in , is headed by , 58, of , who pleaded guilty last week to . faces up to almost 5 years in prison when he is sentenced in September.

According to records, Rohar in 2003 was awarded a contract from the schools to oversee on some of its property, even though trucking, not , was Rohar’s specialty.

spokesman said that when Rohar was awarded the contract, Rohar was believed to be “a with capabilities.”

“But when our Office of got involved, they questioned whether Rohar had capability,” Vaughn said. That office then notified the ’ ’s office, which investigated and notified authorities.

Once Rohar was hired, Assistant U.S. Atty. said, used his equipment for and controlled Rohar’s bank accounts.

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Friday, June 20th, 2008

Landscaping Design No Comments

Build Your Own Backyard Oasis

For the DiCarlo family in , staying at home is the next best thing to vacation - thanks to their backyard pool and .

said the family had Verbank-based NeJame Specialist Inc. install a and soon after buying the house, about three years ago.

DiCarlo said the is central to his family’s .

“Although we do vacation and take trips, it’s like having a right in the backyard,” he said. “It’s a family-oriented healthy activity our family uses on a virtually . We open the (in May) and don’t close it until after the kids go back to school.”

Building a is a major , a commitment in terms of time and expense. There are often multiple phases, so long-term planning is very important.

“People should be thinking about the whole landscape picture … have a plan for the whole future,” of the property, said Jack Kind, owner-president of -based Kind Pools, a since 1972.

Kind said when he meets with prospective clients, the is often like an interview. He asks about expectations, how the customer expects to use the and the overall budget.
Discuss costs

Chris NeJame, president of NeJame Specialist, a family-run business since 1958, said homeowners must prepare themselves for these discussions and costs.

“The is just a part of the expense. You still need fencing, electrical, water, landscaping, hardscapes, softscapes, etc., to make that overall backyard scene what you are visualizing in your head,” NeJame said

NeJame said his approach to building a backyard oasis is to start with the homeowner’s and working backward to determine what the contractor and homeowner can best do with that number.

First, the homeowner must be sure there is enough property, including setback space, for the and .

Although a will likely apply directly for the required permits, homeowners may want to call their town government and get a sense of the applicable zoning and setback laws very early in the process to be sure it’s permissible.

NeJame drew a distinction between being in-formed and trying to coordinate such a large project yourself, saying it’s much better to find a single builder who can handle several aspects of the project.

“Most homeowners should not be general contractors,” NeJame said. “It’s too involved and they wind up costing themselves too much money. They try to save by having Tom do the deck and Paul do the and John do the and then you have one contractor stumbling over another and it can become a problem.”

Kind said to allow at least 40 feet by 60 feet or more for the area itself and suggests this is best in a backyard of at least a half-acre.

The shape, style and size of the is obviously a fundamental decision. Included with this choice is the material. Common choices for pools include fiberglass and polymer prefabricated pools, gunite (sprayed and shaped cement forms) and steel-wall pools. The finishing surfaces for each type vary.

Contractors may specialize in one or all of these forms, and opinions vary on suitability for the local climate and soil conditions.

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Monday, May 19th, 2008

Landscaping Stone No Comments

Spa celebrates restoration and reopening of the Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Lagoon

The historic Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Lagoon has been returned to the people of Hawaii.  The Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort &; Spa, together with Hilton Grand Vacations Company, closed the lagoon in 2006 for an unprecedented, $15 million restoration project.  It reopened recently as Waikiki’s most unique recreational area for water enthusiasts.

Named after Hawaii’s aquatic legend, the lagoon is a man-made body of water that was part of Henry J. Kaiser’s Hawaiian Village development in the early 1950s (the hotel became a Hilton in 1961).  Together he and the government expanded the old Fort DeRussy Channel, creating a beach and a lagoon fronting his new hotel.  In the early days after the lagoon opened, many island families enjoyed the ocean-fed lagoon.  However, over the years, a variety of marine life made their home in the lagoon, including puffer fish and jellyfish.  The lagoon’s bottom also began to turn murky and dark from the decomposition of organic material, making it an unpleasant swimming experience.

The magnificent, 5-acre jewel re-opened slightly smaller in size, but with a state-of-the-art water circulation system featuring seven saltwater wells 195-250 feet below the surface of the ocean.  The wells draw in about 15,000 gallons of water per minute from the ocean, helping to turn over the water about five times a day.  The lagoon’s depth has gone from about 12 feet to approximately , and more than 33,000 tons of sand replenished the beach and bottom of the lagoon.  In addition, new aesthetic features of the project include an island with a two-tier waterfall, a board walk, park benches and landscaping that create a park-like setting.  About 60 coconut trees have been added, along with a number of native Hawaiian plants, making the area even more inviting than ever before.  Recreation opportunities include the rental of a variety of beach equipment from the Hilton’s Waikiki Beach Activities desk fronting the lagoon, including aqua cycles, kayaks, stand-up paddle surfboards and rafts.

“The lagoon opening reflects the continuing commitment Hilton is making to our guests and our community,” said Jon Conching, vice president of sales and marketing for Hilton Hawaii.  “We are pleased to contribute to Waikiki’s with these environmental improvements that restore a unique landmark for the benefit of both local residents and visitors.”

One of the unique features of the lagoon is its with plant species that are either endemic, indigenous, or those native to Polynesia.  Chief landscape architect Teresa Law of Belt Collins Hawaii, Ltd. used to reflect a typical Hawaii shoreline with the use of Pohuehue and ‘Akulikuli along the beach.  Beach Naupaka is used in the backdrop to separate the lagoon from a parking area, while Beach Heliotrope and Pohinahina are also used around the lagoon’s perimeter.

In addition to Law of Belt Collins, several other Hawaii-based firms assisted with the rejuvenation project, including Delta Construction Corporation, who was the design/build .  The concept design for the water circulation system was provided to the design/build contractor by Tom Nance Water Resource Engineering, Inc.  Alcon and Associates served as the civil engineer, and overseeing the project were Oswaldo Lopez of Hilton Hotels Corporation and Paul McElroy of Rider Levett Bucknall.

A private blessing and official opening ceremony were held to commemorate the opening of the lagoon.  In attendance were Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona, other politicians, dignitaries, as well as several relatives of Duke Kahanamoku, including his grand-niece, Ms. Jo-Ann Kahanamoku-Sterling from Kailua-Kona on the island of Hawaii.

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Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

Landscaping No Comments

Bill Brown of Tampa develops Ocoee Business Park

“Plus, it has rail access,” said Brown, who met with brokers, business people and politicians during a recent unveiling of the site plans at the Citrus Club in downtown Orlando. Ocoee Mayor Scott Vandergrift was among those who attended. “I think rail is going to be more important than ever in the future,” Brown said. Brown said that, while the local home market has slowed and even commercial development is throttling back because of a credit crunch, the future for the region and particularly west Orange is bright. There are, he said, numerous “barriers to entry,” including the rising costs of land and . “It took me five years” to clear Ocoee’s regulatory hurdles, said Brown, who has completed construction of the park’s first two buildings. One is leased and the second, which was recently completed, is being marketed by William “Bo” Bradford of Southern Commercial Real Estate Advisors LLC. Brown and other family members own the Ocoee property, and they still have other holdings in west Orange County. He is a grandson of Phil C. Peters, a pioneer citrus grower and juice processor in the Winter Garden area in the early 1900s. Bill Brown’s father, Alexander Z. “Jerry” Brown, who died in 1995, owned and operated the Florida Food Products plant in Eustis for many years — and now another one of his sons, Jerry Peters “Gator” Brown, runs the juice business there. Headquarters move The headquarters and a retail branch of Go Travel, which operates nine full-service travel agency locations in Florida, will be moving to a larger location in Longwood, owners Susan and Clint Bales say. The 1,800-square-foot office on State Road 436 in Altamonte Springs has served as Go Travel’s headquarters and one of its branches for the past 25 years. The new, 2,100-square-foot building, on West S.R. 434 in Longwood, will provide more retail space for client-agent interaction and additional work area for the agency’s Internet, accounting, marketing and other headquarters functions. About 20 Go Travel employees will work at the new location, company representatives said. David Runnels of Winter Park is the architect on the project. Jim Macon, a building contractor in Altamonte Springs, is the . Construction is expected to be completed in May, with a move-in immediately following. School architecture SchenkelShultz Architecture of Orlando designed Brevard County Public Schools’ new $64.7 million, 321,666-square-foot Palm Bay High School. Work on it is under way by W.G. Mills Inc. of Bradenton. The school is on Malabar Road in Palm Bay. Slated for completion in July 2009, the 10-building campus features three two-story classroom buildings, a secure central courtyard, a 869-seat auditorium, a gymnasium and a cafeteria. In addition, the new state-of-the-art facility includes 14 science laboratories as well as art labs with kilns and classrooms for 2-D and 3-D art. The gymnasium and cafeteria can serve as hurricane shelters capable of withstanding Category 5 winds. SchenkelShultz is commemorating 25 years in Florida under the leadership of J. Thomas Chandler, president and chief operating officer. The company established its Orlando office in 1983 and subsequently expanded with additional offices in Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Naples, Tampa and West Palm Beach. The headquarters is at 200 E. Robinson St. in Orlando. Industrial NAI Realvest recently completed the sale of a 4-acre industrial development site in the Poinciana Office and Industrial Park, on Poinciana Boulevard and U.S. Highways 17-92 in Osceola County. NAI Realvest principals Robert Blackwell and Michael Heidrich represented seller Avatar Properties Inc. of Coral Gables. The buyer, Williams Properties Ltd., paid $273,000 for the site and was represented by Jeff Gindi of Results Real Estate Partners. NAI Realvest, with offices in Orlando, Daytona Beach, Clermont and Lake Wales, is a fully integrated commercial real estate operating company specializing in brokerage, development, investment, leasing and management, consulting and research services in the U.S. and worldwide. Apartments The multifamily and residential division of Tri-City Electrical Contractors Inc. is working on The Village at Lake Lily Apartments, a 265-unit community in Maitland, under its contract with Morgan Construction of Tarpon Springs. The project is slated for completion in summer 2009. Tri-City has more than 1,200 employees statewide. Landscaping Bellomo-Herbert %26amp; Co. Inc. was selected to provide continuing landscape-architectural for Deltona and Mount Dora. Bellomo-Herbert, with offices in Orlando and New Smyrna Beach, has been providing design for municipalities across the state for nearly 20 years. Jerry W. Jackson can be reached at 407-420-5721 or jwjackson@orlandosentinel.com. JERRY W. JACKSON/ORLANDO SENTINEL

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Wednesday, March 19th, 2008

Landscaping No Comments

Remodeling offers practical emotional benefits

Whether we love our homes or hate them, there is always something we dream of changing about them.

As residential architects, we naturally question what triggers someone to turn those remodeling dreams into reality.

There are three areas that motivate people to get the ball rolling. The first is the tangible need for a different physical arrangement. Things such as the anticipated birth of another child, a change in jobs with a plan to work from home or the need to bring a parent or relative into your home on a permanent basis are examples.

The second driving force is more emotional or psychological. This impetus stems from a desire to upgrade our current situation to make our homes more functional, livable and/or attractive.

While a new mudroom may not be critical to the family’s survival, the increased control of clutter and the ability to find coats and backpacks easily on a school morning will contribute to your family’s quality of life on a .

As we have stated previously, architecture is more than looking pretty. It has real and tangible effects on how a person or family functions.

Our physical affect us psychologically and can either add to %26#151; or detract from %26#151; our emotional and . People need some beauty and inspiration in their , and if this can be obtained from our everyday environment, all the better.
Story continues below

Progress is also important to : While we may look back fondly on the early days of marriage with its hodgepodge of hand-me-down furniture in a basement apartment, as the years go by we expect our situation to improve. The home we live in is one measure of this expectation to progress in life.

The third incentive to plunge into remodeling is money. A sudden windfall (winning the lottery, etc.) would make the decision to remodel much easier. However, we don’t recommend waiting for this option.

It is difficult to save up for a major remodel, because the bill always runs quickly from the thousands of dollars into the tens of thousands, and very often into the hundreds of thousands. Like anything worthwhile, remodeling doesn’t come cheap. Deciding to incur debt is serious business and requires a thoughtful analysis of benefits vs. cost.

Current economic conditions also play a part in this decision. We have all heard about the crisis in the mortgage industry and the downturn in housing starts in our country. Fortunately, we in Utah have been somewhat insulated from the national problems. Still, we currently have what is commonly termed a “buyer’s market” in the housing industry. This means that you can get a good deal on another house, but you will get less when you sell the house you own.

There are some real benefits of the current situation that favor remodeling. The downturn in new construction has left general contractors %26#151; and particularly subcontractors %26#151; looking for work. A year ago, you couldn’t hire a good framer to save your life, but they are now out there ready and willing to work for about half of what they were charging last year.

Materials, such as lumber, are also cheaper today, thanks to the decrease in demand. And, while it may be harder to qualify for a loan these days, if you do you can take advantage of the lowest interest rates seen in years.

Take some time to review your physical and emotional needs and the current market conditions to see if now is the time to turn your remodeling dreams into reality.

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Friday, February 8th, 2008

Backyard Landscaping No Comments

Dreams of museum wouldn’t die

For more than a generation it’s been a dream, a hope, a plan and, at times, a source of bitter controversy. It’s been the site of an occupation by activists, the focus of countless community meetings and the subject of a fundraising campaign still working toward its $22.6 million goal.

But on March 8, it will finally become a reality: The Northwest African American Museum will open its doors in the former Colman School in Seattle’s Central Area.

“We’re getting down to the very finishing work, the part that will really make things sing,” said Barbara Earl Thomas, deputy director/curator. In shaping the museum’s content, Thomas tapped churches, schools, longtime residents and an array of civic and community groups.

A Seattle native and artist and writer by background, Thomas, 59, acknowledges she’s still new to the museum business, but she’s certain of this: If the public thinks of this as her museum, it is doomed to fail.

“It’s just an institution and it’s an inanimate object,” she said. “It only comes alive when people come through the door.”

Slices of history

Visitors entering the brick 1909-vintage school building will be greeted by a timeline that spans the hallway, depicting journeys that brought African Americans to Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Boise. It will detail African Americans’ contributions and significance in local and national history.

Farther inside, the opening exhibit in the museum’s largest gallery will highlight the lives and works of two prominent African-American artists who lived in Seattle, Jacob Lawrence and James Washington Jr.

In another area, museumgoers, African American or not, will be able to trace their own roots and learn about their own slice of Northwest history. Additional rooms will accommodate lectures, workshops and artist work spaces.

If the museum works, Thomas said, visitors will see aspects of their own lives inside and will leave feeling as if they’ve been in a stimulating conversation, not lectured to.

Early controversy

The question of just whose museum it is has been a sensitive one for decades.

The three-story school was closed in 1985 when Interstate 90 was expanded next door. But even before its closure, the idea of having a black-history museum in the neighborhood had been discussed.

In November 1985, a group of African Americans moved into the vacant school and announced that they wouldn’t leave until the building became a museum and community center.

School officials wanted to avoid a confrontation, so they simply told the activists that they were trespassing and decided to wait them out. A core group of the activists stayed in the building for more than eight years, until they got an agreement from the school district that the building would become a museum.

But years of uncertainty and followed. Two separate groups purported to represent the museum. The school district severed ties with the original activists and in 2003 sold the building to the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle for $800,000.

Michael Greenwood was one of the activists who occupied the building. He said last week that his group still feels the school district improperly cut them out of the project.

“After all the time and energy and effort we put into it, to not have been included in how it came about, I do have a problem with that,” he said.

Now, while Greenwood isn’t sure if he’ll go to the museum, he said “to know that it’s coming alive, I rejoice in that. I would hate to think all our efforts and energies were in vain.”

Carver Gayton, who was tapped to be the museum’s executive director in late 2004, said his focus has been on moving the project forward with the broadest possible support. Although the original activists have not been directly involved, their efforts will be acknowledged in a museum display.

“They set the groundwork,” Gayton said. “We need to honor the contributions and the sacrifices folks made in the past, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to be satisfying everybody’s perspective of what needs to be done.”

Gayton, 69, a former state employment-security commissioner, Boeing executive and longtime educator, helped line up key sources of support. Six-figure contributions have come from, among others, Microsoft, Safeco, Boeing, Key Bank, Washington Mutual, the Bill %26amp; Melinda Gates Foundation and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. More than $4 million has been obtained from federal, state and local government.

The Links Inc., an association of African-American business and professional women, has committed $70,000. And Gayton said he is particularly grateful for a host of small-to-medium-size donations from individuals.

Personal touches

The 19,000-square-foot museum will occupy the school’s main floor. The top two floors have been transformed into “Urban League Village,” 36 apartments for families of moderate means.

DKA, a black-owned architect firm, designed the apartments and museum. Another black-owned company, Leajak Construction, has been the prime subcontractor on the museum; the RAFN Company of Bellevue is the .

By the end of this month, trucks will begin arriving from Portland, where the museum’s exhibits have been created by a company called Formations. Already, volunteer docents are being trained in weekly sessions by Brian Carter, 28, the museum’s education director, a Yakima native with a master’s degree in museum studies from the University of Washington.

Interactive displays will pose questions for visitors to answer and invite peeks into certain exhibits, such as a duffel bag of a World War II soldier, or the suitcase of an immigrant from Ethiopia in the 1970s.

Personal mementos of particular significance will be featured, such as the helmet that belonged to Claude Harris, Seattle’s first African-American fire chief, and a trumpet owned by the late jazz musician Floyd Standifer.

The exhibits and activities will change over time, to give people reason to return. It’s an approach that has paid off for Seattle’s Wing Luke Asian Museum, which is opening its expanded quarters in May.

“We want to make sure all the loose ends are tied together,” Gayton said. “So that by the time we open up, the African-American community and the broader community are going to be fascinated, they’re going to be interested and they’re going to want to come back.”

Jack Broom: 206-464-2222 or %26#106;%26#98;%26#114;%26#111;%26#111;%26#109;%26#64;%26#115;%26#101;%26#97;%26#116;%26#116;%26#108;%26#101;%26#116;%26#105;%26#109;%26#101;%26#115;%26#46;%26#99;%26#111;%26#109;

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Monday, January 21st, 2008

Landscaping Rock No Comments

Magical conservatories

Borrowing an idea from the glass houses traditionally used in England as horticultural buildings to grow delicate plants, some high-end homeowners are adding conservatories and orangeries to their residences to combine the comfort of being indoors with the splendor of the great outdoors.

They’re vibrant and roomy, and enhance a home’s existing architecture without the worries of adverse weather or climate changes ruining the experience of bringing nature inside. Families are finding them to be a great everyday gathering space, not just a room for or parties.

“People today are looking for a different way of living and of connecting with the outdoors,” says Peter Marston, author of “The Conservatory Book” and founder and design director of Marston and Langinger, the U.K.-based firm he started in 1978 with Adrian Langinger that is at the forefront of this design movement.

“The delights of living under glass have transformed the conservatory from its functional beginnings (as greenhouses) to an imaginative modern space,” says Marston, whose own passion for gardening (and growing his family’s own tomatoes, peppers and camellias) introduced him to the idea of greenhouses as a living space.

Boasting a growing list of affluent U.S. clients with high-end luxury homes, Marston’s firm designs elegant glass structures that lend sophistication and .

“In a lot of homes, it’s what’s missing,” says Marston, whose firm has designed and constructed some 1,500 conservatories and orangeries, including several in California, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan and Washington D.C. “You’ve got the swimming pool, the home theater, the library, the wonderful garden and you need the conservatory or the orangery to go with it.” It doesn’t come cheap: Construction costs for a conservatory or an orangery range in price from $50,000 to $500,000 to $1 million, says Marston.

Some recent Marston projects include a $260,000 conservatory for entertaining (AP Photo)and an adjoining patio renovation at the historic Georgetown town house (built in 1850) of Washington D.C. attorney Richard and Pamela Hinds.

“The idea of being outside, but in a controlled environment without bugs and air-conditioned in the summer really appealed to us and was our motivation for the project,” says Richard Hinds, who served as the , overseeing the work involved with the 25 feet by 17 feet addition to their five-story home.

“Now we have a year-round outside room inside.” The Hinds’ conservatory addition has helped to widen their eating space into a much larger room and made the outdoor patio more accessible, says Pamela Hinds.

“When it’s finished (by September), it will be a fabulous sitting room and breakfast room off of the dining room with spectacular views of the first snowfall in the winter,” she says.

Conservatories are used for a variety of reasons: entertaining, home offices, houses, casual family dining, indoor gardening and as havens for those who need a place of respite from the household chaos.

But if you live in a region where sunshine and warm weather dominate, glass-encased buildings can get too warm in direct sunlight, creating a greenhouse effect that’s not conducive for everyday living. It still can work for , though.

“The biggest use I’ve had among clients with larger homes and estates is with orangeries, which are used essentially as green houses to keep delicate fruit trees indoors during the winter,” says Kevin Harris, an architect in Baton Rouge, La. “In the summer, these spaces are used as conservatories to grow exotic and as large spaces for entertaining large events.” Conservatories and orangeries are similar to glassed-in or greenhouses, but a conservatory is primarily wood and glass construction and an orangerie is masonry (brick) and glass.

Electric and manual roof blinds can soften sunlight, help to control temperature and protect furniture and shade-loving .

Designers can also use double glazing on glass panels to reduce the transmission of ultra-violet light and install “self-cleaning” roof glass to reduce the frequency of cleaning.

An orangery is considered to have the most straightforward architectural design, with a central building large enough to house different activities, and with tall, glazed window or door sets, says Marston, whose design team provides a no-fee consulting service from the company’s showroom in New York City’s design-trendy SoHo neighborhood.

In Springfield, Mass., Peter A. Picknelly, president of Peter Pan Bus Lines, and his wife, , opened up a dreary breakfast room into a light-filled, kid-friendly $300,000 conservatory and orangery with a new eating space, studio and garden room with fireplace, adding about 1,500 square feet to the 12,500-square foot home.

The gothic-style project was completed so seamlessly that the Picknellys were recognized by the area’s historical society for flawlessly maintaining the integrity of the home’s design, including using the home’s existing bricks to extend a wall into the new construction.

The upgraded living spaces are more commonly known by the Picknellys and their four children (twin girls, 11, a son, 7 and a daughter, 4) as the family eating area a casual room for family meals that’s less formal than the dining room and family room.

“It’s a four-season room for us,” says Peter Picknelly.

As the third family to live in the 1929 English Tudor home, Picknelly says the new rooms give the home her family’s personal touch, calling it, “The nicest area of our home.”

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Saturday, January 19th, 2008

Landscaping Stone No Comments

Various Aspects of Home Improvement Projects

Home Improvement Projects are basically done to alter the structure of the existing home. It can also include renovation of the rooms, lawns and gardens or even outbuildings like garages. Sometimes the aim of such Home Improvement Projects is just to beautify the home and add some extra features to it. Just replacing wallpaper or painting the walls, installing wood paneling, replacing sidings and windows could be part of the project. Additions could be fencing or a Jacuzzi for the house.

Additions in the Home Improvement Projects need not only be new items, but also creating additional space in the home. If an attic is made into a bedroom, it requires a lot of . Or if the basement is made into a recreation room, it needs to be furnished properly and heating arrangements too have to be made.

Maintenance and Repair

Let us not forget the maintenance and repair that is required in every home and has to be attended from time to time. The plumbing and the electrical systems have to be repaired and replaced; the heating has to be modernized, if the house is old. There are sometimes concrete and masonry repairs to be done in different parts of the house and has to be taken up sometimes as an emergency in the Home Improvement Projects.

Comfort

Nevertheless, comfort plays a very important role in all Home Improvement Projects. As time goes by and the house has been well equipped with all that one needs, one tends to start upgrading things. Air-conditioning systems, ventilation and heating could be upgraded. Rooms could be made soundproof. The capacity of several systems could also be increased like the plumbing and electrical systems.

And in doing so, one can pay attention to the energy saving devices like energy efficient lamps or insulation. Home Improvement Projects for security measures like fire and burglar systems are often installed. There could be security doors and shutters or even storm cellars as protection from hurricanes and tornadoes.

How to Handle Projects

The expenses of Home Improvement Projects depend on the way you implement it. If you can do it yourself, it is the best way to handle the project. But it is not always possible for each one to do it, and some jobs definitely need professional handling. So you can hire a who can do more than one specialized job. Of course you can hire the specialized contractor yourself, if it is only one tradesman%26#039;s job.

A can supervise Home Improvement Projects that involve multiple jobs. He may perform some aspects of the job, but he generally supervises, hires tradesmen, coordinates work schedules and even arranges to remove the debris. But this is the most expensive option, as the contractor is the middle man and you have to pay him to supervise. On the other hand, if you can supervise the work yourself, it is ideal to hire the tradesmen individually and get the project done.

The %26quot;Do-It-Yourself%26quot; strategy is being taken up by many to work out the Home Improvement Projects themselves. Many American retailers sell materials and tools for DIY home improvement. Besides, there are classes offered and many books are available to teach customers to work on Home Improvement Projects independently. This can save you a lot of money and you can enjoy beautifying and improving your home just the way you want.

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Friday, January 11th, 2008

Landscaping Idea No Comments

Business Licenses August

Licensed in Knox County July 27-Aug. 2

McGruff Safe Kids Total I.D. System, 1845 Ridge Creek Lane, Knoxville 37938, printing trade services, Andrea Nelson, proprietor

Tennessee Machine Tool Supply Inc., 1919 Shady Hollow Lane, Knoxville 37923, wholesale trade-durable goods, David J. Hunter, president

Wash Wholesale Moulding Inc., 5300 Homberg Drive, Knoxville 37919, durable goods wholesale other, James Miller, president

C&;J’s Turf and Landscaping, 8105 Chapman Highway, Knoxville 37920, landscape and horticultural, Ronald McAbee and Crystal Dent, partners

Two Chicks &; a Hoe, 308 Snowbird Drive, Knoxville 37922, and horticultural, Susan E. Stockbridge, proprietor

DR Lawn , 1409 Neubert Quarry Road, Knoxville 37920, lawn and garden , Andrew P. Underwood and Rusty L. Johnson, partners

Rent Ready, 7733 Queensbury Drive, Knoxville 37919, building construction-general contractors, Cliff Daniels and Daniel Ernst, partners

De Lorie Door Service LLC, 328 Peterson Road, Knoxville 37934, construction - special trade, Joseph F. De Lorie and Isabel A. De Lorie, members

Rick’s Painting and More, 2708 Shipetown Road, Mascot 37806, construction - special trade, Rick W. Beeler, proprietor

Top Notch Painting, 811 Banks Ave., Knoxville 37917, paint/paper hanging/decor, Jesse Davis, proprietor

Regal Painting, 7136 Periwinkle Road, Knoxville 37918, paint/paper hanging/decor, Christopher Elgin, proprietor

Built Right Roofing, 11130 Pike No. 1, Farragut 37934, roofing and sheet metal work, Cliff Daniels, member

Ducks Hardwood, 605 Highland Ave., Knoxville 37920, special trade other

Courtney Brooke Designs, 3100 Lake Brook Blvd., Knoxville 37909, women/juniors/misses dress manufacturing, Courtney B. Yates, proprietor

More for Less, 4216 Mascarene Road, Knoxville 37921, general merchandise stores, Celeste Felici, proprietor

Asheville Highway Marathon, 5708 Asheville Highway, Knoxville 37924, convenience markets, Robert Hurst, proprietor

Truck Tire Man, 1732 Huckleberry Springs Road, Knoxville 37914, auto and home supply stores, Ira V. Bailey, proprietor

Aeropostale 932, 11311 N.W. Parkside Drive No. 1210, Knoxville 37934, family clothing store, Alan Sicbels and Julian Geiger, presidents

Captains, 4101 Bruhin Road, Knoxville 37912, eating and drinking places, Kimberly Fennell and Boyd Fennell, members

Papa Murphy’s Pizza, 5214 N. Broadway, Knoxville 37918, fast food restaurant, Jack Stalker and Jeff Cornish, members

Quiznos, 10901 Parkside Drive No. 101D, Knoxville 37922, family dining restaurant, Clyde Webb, president, Joey Carlton, treasurer

St. Mary’s Medical Center North Cafeteria, 7551 Dannaher Way, Powell 37849, cafeteria

All That Glitters Gemstone Jewelry, 926 Luttrell St., Knoxville 37917, jewelry stores, Dru K. Shelby, proprietor

RMB , 2013 Madison Grove Lane, Knoxville 37922, miscellaneous other, Robert M. Brown Sr., president

Three Sisters Fruit Baskets and More, 4046 Towanda Trace, Knoxville 37919, miscellaneous other, Julie Settle and Missy Kennedy, members

Unified Armies of America LLC, 1838 Cumberland Ave., Knoxville 37916, miscellaneous other, David J. Jamison, member

Rock Hill Mortgage Consultants LLC, 1312 Morrell Road No. B, Knoxville 37919, insurance agents, brokers, Lewis R. Toms Jr. and Terry Henly, members

Dutch Girl Cleaners, 5103 Pike, Knoxville 37919, dry cleaning plants, Young Seun Yoon and Duk Young Yoon, members

Denise Retallack Photographer, 5912 Grove Park Road, Knoxville 37918, photographic studios, Denise Retallack, proprietor

Connie’s Cut ‘N Style Salon, 8107 Ballcamp Pike, Knoxville 37931, beauty shops, Connie Floyd, proprietor

Babylon Salon, 5816 Pike, Knoxville 37909, barber shops, Eula M. Tassey, proprietor

Da Peng LLC, 608 Road, Knoxville 37932, miscellaneous personal

R and D Enterprises, 7026 Stair Drive, Corryton 37721, miscellaneous personal , Diane Williams and Richard Williams, proprietors

Vivid Salon, 5612 Pike No. 4, Knoxville 37919, miscellaneous personal , Sarah Hurst, proprietor

On Site Cellular, 7337 Emerald Farm Way, Corryton 37721, miscellaneous personal , Benjamin Volk, proprietor

William Knapp, 4107 Meredith Road, Knoxville 37921, miscellaneous personal , William Knapp, proprietor

Hilton Displays Inc., 125 Hillside Drive, Greenville, SC 29607, advertising (other), Stephen H. Hilton, president

Nancy’s Housecleaning Service, 1304 Gray Creek Lane, Knoxville 37923, cleaning and maintenance other, Nancy Clay, proprietor

K2 Remediation , 2415 Toressa Lane, Knoxville 37922, cleaning and maintenance other, A. Kucera and Stephen P. Kucera, partners

Breeden Investigative Group LLC, 6965 Wyndham Point Lane, Knoxville 37931, detective and security agency, Donald M. Breeden, member

Learn and Play Childcare Center, 1719 Reynolds St., Knoxville 37921, business other, Ruby G. Rucker, proprietor

Jones Lawn Care, 736 Gamble Drive, Heiskell 37754, business other, Clint Jones, proprietor

Javelin Recruiting, 12826 Heathland Drive, Knoxville 37934, business other, Jack Kyle Johnson, proprietor

Seasons and Memories, 8324 South Burchfield Drive, Oak Ridge 37830, business other, Susan E. Vance, proprietor

Cox Interior Inc., 10920 Murdock Drive, Knoxville 37932, business other, Barry G. Cox, president, Kay Legg, treasurer

Isaiah 40 31 , 8437 Norway St., Knoxville 37931, business other, Harlan Henson, proprietor

Rowland Communications, 4619 Sunflower Road No. 60, Knoxville 37909, business other, Andrew Rowland, proprietor

Firestop Solutions, 1712 Cherrybrook Drive, Powell 37849, business other, Robert W. White and Jimmy R. Coleman, partners

Coventry Workers Comp , 2908 Tazewell Pike No. J, Knoxville 37918, business other, James E. McGarry, president

Volunteer Document Solutions, 1021 Brantley Drive, Knoxville 37923, business other, Carmen Soto and Delores Williams, proprietors

Volunteer Judgment Recovery, 7617 Westdale Drive, Knoxville 37909, business other, Michael B. Parisi, proprietor

Madison Anenue Designers, 7936 N. Forest Road, Knoxville 37909, business other, Carol Hudgins, proprietor

J’s Auto Salvage &; Repair, 1012 Adams Ave., Knoxville 37915, auto repair shops, Joseph E. Brown, proprietor

El Camino Real, 6100 Washington Pike, Knoxville 37918, general auto repair shop, Andey Chaparro, proprietor

Auto Glass of America LLC, 411 Road, Knoxville 37934, general auto repair shop, John Scharbach and Sean Holloway, members

Dependable Fleet Maintenance, 3320 Miami St, Knoxville 37917, general auto repair shop, Michael Wilkerson, proprietor

Scott H. Rodney, 509 Karla Drive, Knoxville 37920, auto repair shop other, Scott H. Rodney, proprietor

Colormaster Inc., 400 Road, Knoxville 37934, carwashes, Eric L. Lohman, president

Broadway Lock and Key, 4725 E. Emory Road, Knoxville 37938, repair shop other, Rocky Humphries, proprietor

The Valarium, 1213 Western Ave., Knoxville 37921, theatrical producers, Gary Mitchell, proprietor

Curves, 7212 Oak Ridge Highway, Knoxville 37931, physical fitness facility, Robert Demison and Betty Demison, members

Curves, 7631 Clinton Highway, Knoxville 37849, physical fitness facility, Robert Demison and Betty Demison, members

Cedar Bluff Cme Corp., 9512 Grassy Meadow Blvd., Knoxville 37931, educational , Susan J. Jaeckel, president, Lisa A Wallace, treasurer

Cedar Bluff Assessment Corp., 9512 Grassy Meadow Blvd., Knoxville 37931, educational , Susan J. Jaeckel, president, Lisa A Wallace, treasurer.

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Wednesday, December 26th, 2007

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Public records Building permits

Pellissippi Pointe II LLC, $3,200,000, Merit Construction Inc., shell space on first floor of new three-story 24,059-square-foot commercial office buildingBU07-1557, 10416 Parkside Drive, T&;W Properties Partnership, $2,100,000, Wood Brothers Construction Co., new pre-engineered metal building to be used for light automotive service and cleaning for Toyota and Lexus dealerships

BU07-1592, 4627 Greenway Drive, Knoxville Levcal LLC % Marvin F. Poer &; Co., $2,000,000, J. A. Fielden Co., changes to new one-story 30,000-square-foot retail building for Circuit City

BU07-1672, 600 Academy Way, Christian Academy of Knoxville, $1,700,000, Evans Contracting Co. Inc., addition to Christian Academy of Knoxville

$1 million to $500,001

BU07-1605, 5352 N. Broadway, Jack W. Amyx, $1,000,000, Christopoulos and Kennedy Construction Inc., 2nd floor - suite 201 in new 4,810-square-foot 2-story building for Broadway Title

BU07-1537, 2055 Alcoa Highway, M.K.A.A., $825,000, Brownlee Construction Inc., new hangar for Tac Air at McGhee Tyson Airport.

$500,000 to $250,001

BU07-1520, 1430 East Weisgarber Road, Mountain View Partners Limited Partnership, $500,000, Ramsbottom and Associates Inc., new one-story shell building

BU07-1551, 1901 Clinch Ave., Fort Sanders Presbyterian Hospital, $472,500, Image Construction Inc., pharmacy renovations to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center

BU07-1519, 7600 Pike, West Town Mall Joint Venture % Simon Property Group, $450,000, CDI Contractors LLC, interior repairs where roof leaked in Dillard’s at West Town Mall

BU07-1664, 6901 Pike, First Heritage National Bank % Regas Real Estate, $380,000, Branch Building Group LLC, removal of front portion of restaurant

BU07-1540, 8923 Linksvue Drive, Gettysvue Center LLC, $350,000, Sequoyah Limited LLC, alterations for new tenant Jupiter Entertainment

BU07-1629, 122 W. Scott Ave., Hospitality Pantries Inc., $300,000, Richardson Turner Construction Co. Inc., new one-story pre-engineered metal building with 8,000-square-foot warehouse/office for food ministry distribution

$250,000 to $100,001

BU07-1609, 2305 Callahan Drive, All Points Development LLC, $250,000, The Strauss Co. Inc., new one-story 5,000-square-foot building for Sherwin Williams

BU07-1660, 516 S. Gay St., City of Knoxville, $250,000, Blaine Construction Corp., complete structural re-roof of buildings 516-524 on Gay St.

BU07-1679, 9352 Park West Blvd, Fort Sanders-Park West Medical Center % Danny Ed, $200,000, Rentenbach Constructors, MRI buildout on 2nd floor of previous shell space at Park West Hospital

BU07-1680, 501 Dutch Valley Drive, Dodson Brothers Exterminating Co. Inc., $184,700, David A. Johnson , new addition to two-story building and also alterations to existing portion to be office for Dodson Pest Control

BU07-1562, 11311 Parkside Drive, Parkside Drive LLC % Colonial Realty LP, $182,000, Build Retail Inc., first time tenant finish in space 1210 for Aeropostale

BU07-1666, 1111 Tree Top Way, Woodlands of Knoxville II LLC, $180,000, Dovetail Builders Inc., two new in-ground swimming pools and a pavilion structure for the pump equipment to be accessory to The Woodlands phase 2.

BU07-1628, 700 Merchant Drive, William E. Monday III % SunTrust Bank, $120,000, Wood Brothers Construction Co., drive-thru addition and renovations to SunTrust Bank

BU07-1655, 3001 Knoxville Center Drive, Knoxville Center LLC, $116,000, Arlington Construction Inc., renovations for existing tenant Lenscrafters

$100,000 to $50,001

BU07-1539, 10984 Parkside Drive, DDRTC Turkey Creek LLC % Developers Diversified, $100,000, Pbc Inc., interior of space for Rack Room Shoes

BU07-1541, 2018 Western Ave., Cherokee Health Systems Inc., $100,000, Johnson &; Galyon Inc., interior of lower level (partial) and upper level (partial) for Cherokee Health System

BU07-1589, 121 Hawthorne Ave., Maxey Co. LLC, $100,000, Signal Point Systems Inc., new 130 feet communication tower

BU07-1595, 835 Huckleberry Springs Road, Bash Group LLC, $98,000, Creative Structures, new paint booth and mixing room with new dealership for Tennessee RV

BU07-1645, 7600 Pike, West Town Mall Joint Venture % Simon Property Group, $87,000, Weekes Construction Inc., interior alterations to space no. 1480 in West Town Mall for Lenscrafters

BU07-1611, 5214 N. Broadway, JBCH Properties LLC, $80,000, R.J. Prather Construction LLC, interior alterations to shell space to be Papa Murphy’s Take ‘n’ Bake Pizza

BU07-1550, 501 Nineteenth St., KPG Lab Partnership, $75,000, Image Construction Inc., Renovations for Tennessee Orthopedic in Trustee’s Tower suites 600 and 603

BU07-1564, 1608 Midpark Road, Melinda P. &; Joel W. Connell, $60,000, Owens Construction Inc., first-time tenant finish to building

$50,000 to $25,001

BU07-1527, 5814 Walden Drive, Walden Park Partnership, $50,000, Sequoyah Limited LLC, tenant buildout of one side of new one-story shell

BU07-1546, 118 S. Central St., James K. &; Sherrie D. Zaring, $48,000, Trammell Construction Co. Inc., interior alterations to store building

BU07-1573, 923 W. Oldham Ave., Ronald &; Martha A. Burress, $45,000, Carl Gibson Construction, new one-story building to be Day Springs Church

BU07-1675, 510 Main St., First Baptist Church, $45,000, Johnson &; Galyon Inc., making part of existing parking area of First Baptist Church into playground

BU07-1610, 5915 Casey Drive, Gth Family LLC, $42,000, Stethen-Smith Construction, general repair to building to include loading dock repairs and minor interior repairs

BU07-1544, 1315 Todd Helton Drive, American Tower Corp., $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on an existing tower of 110 feet with ground equipment for T-Mobile

BU07-1545, 211 Bridgewater Road, Bridgewater Baptist Church Inc., $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on an existing tower of 130 feet; extending tower 14 feet and ground equipment for T-Mobile

BU07-1631, 211 Nixon Road, American Tower, $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on existing tower of 200 feet and ground equipment

BU07-1632, 128 Churchland St., Pedro E. Saez &; Laura E. Stagnari, $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on an existing tower of 177 feet, includes ground cabinets.

BU07-1633, 5289 Oakhill Drive, Tanasi Girl Scout Council Inc., $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., co-location on existing tower of 171 feet with ground equipment

BU07-1685, 916 N. Sixth Ave., Crown Castle International, $35,000, Westower Communications Inc., collocation on existing 160-foot monopole

BU07-1586, 1045 Cherokee Trail, Woodlands of Knoxville II LLC, $27,000, Dovetail Builders Inc., new one-story 38 feet by 25 feet maintenance storage building for Woodlands

BU07-1635, 509 W. Jackson Ave., Ernie &; Pamela H. Gross, $26,000, Total Demolition Services Inc., removal of debris from building due to fire

$25,000 and less

BU07-1658, 716 S. Gay St., Jake J. Breazeale, $24,000, owner-commercial, interior office

BU07-1547, 7600 Pike, West Town Mall Joint Venture % Simon Property Group, $23,900, Mastercraftsman, upgrading restrooms in JC Penney

BU07-1176, 9117 Executive Park Drive, White Realty Inc., $20,000, owner-commercial, general repairs to Chinese restaurant for new tenant Lemon Grass Thai cuisine

BU07-1579, 10415 Parkside Drive, T&;W Properties Partnership, $20,000, Wood Brothers Construction Co., removal of car wash canopy addition to rear of existing Toyota Dealership to prepare for new addition

BU07-1667, 543 N. Broadway, Old Gray Cemetery, $19,000, High Oaks Construction Co. Inc., alteration to gatehouse at old gray cemetery

BU07-1603, 5235 Village Crest Way, Ko Knoxville Portfolio LP % H &; R Real Estate Inc., $17,353, R.T. &; Sons LLC, replacing antennas and cable on Sprint cell tower

BU07-1669, 9361 Pike, Home Depot USA Inc., $16,000, Sun Belt General Contractors Inc., alterations Home Depot

BU07-1553, 11308 Parkside Drive, Parkside Drive LLC, $15,000, Craig Belitz, foundation only for new building for Smoky Mountain Brewery

BU07-1659, 6221 Pike, Hawk Family Properties LLC, $14,000, Engineered Retaining Systems LLC, demolition of old storage building and landscape at rear of property

BU07-1518, 4413 Central Avenue Pike, Mark H. &; Helen H. Boring, $12,000, owner-commercial, new 24 feet by 35 feet detached garage accessory in rear of building

BU07-1523, 600 Academy Way, Christian Academy of Knoxville, $10,000, Evans Contracting Co. Inc., interior demolition only to prepare for future addition and alterations at Christian Academy of Knoxville

BU07-1597, 2200 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Tennessee Conference of The AME Zion Church, $10,000, Owner-Commercial, alterations to space in two-story building for new tenant Mosiac Community Church

BU07-1531, 8029 Ray Mears Blvd, Wallin H. Myers, $9,741, Creative Structures, interior demolition

BU07-1585, 1109 Beaman Lake Road, Canaan Baptist Housing Corp., $9,000, L &; M Home Improvement Inc., general repairs to lobby at Golden Age Retirement Home

BU07-1575, 1111 N. Northshore Drive, Cooper Commercial Properties Ix LLC % Dee Ann Gi, $4,000, GSB Contractors Inc., interior demolition to suite s130 to prepare for future alterations

BU07-1543, 1714 Louisville Drive, Walgo LLC, $3,000, Sun Constructors LLC, interior demolition in suite A to prepare for future work

BU07-1634, 7355 Pike, James S Schaad Tr Leased Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, $3,000, Steve Cherry, 14 feet by 44 feet open to front of building for Alley Restaurant

BU07-1639, 1219 Maryville Pike, Gary L. &; Janice Y. Hines, $3,000, Owner-Commercial, general repair

BU07-1536, 1224 W. Fifth Ave., Alzaran Holdings LLC, $2,600, Burnett Demolition &; Salvage Co. Inc., complete demolition of one-story building.

BU07-1516, 1600 N. Central St., Carmichael Wayne E. &; Brenda F. Carmichael, $800, Owner-Commercial, emergency repair permit due to vehicle running into building

BU07-1607, 5352 N. Broadway, Jack W. Amyx, $1, Christopoulos and Kennedy Construction Inc., 1st floor shell in new 4,810-square-foot two-story commercial building for Broadway Title

BU07-1651, 9721 Cogdill Road, Pellissippi Pointe II LLC, $1, Merit Construction Inc., suite 101 in new three-story 24,059-square-foot office building

BU07-1652, 9721 Cogdill Road, Pellissippi Pointe II LLC, $1, Merit Construction Inc., suite 201 in new three-story 24,059-square-foot office building

BU07-1653, 9721 Cogdill Road, Pellissippi Pointe II LLC, $1, Merit Construction Inc., suite 301 in new three-story 24,059-square-foot office building

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Wednesday, December 26th, 2007

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