Master Landscaping
http://www.masterlandscaping.net

When she noticed a number of newly planted trees seemed to be languishing on city streets Pool Landscaping, including those in her neighborhood, she searched for the root of the problem. In the city’s fast-growing residential areas, the landscaping, installed for instant aesthetic effect, is often neglected.

“We have so many new neighborhoods in the city, and one of the first things developers do is plant the trees; and no one is there to care for them,” Ambusk said.

Associate city planner and interim planning director Cathyann LaRose said developers want to install landscaping as quickly as possible in order to sell property — which isn’t good for the trees.

“They’ve been grown in a pot, and the roots can continue to take over and strangle the tree if it’s not properly planted,” Ambusk said. Some of the trees are planted while still encased in wire baskets that contain their roots.

So Ambusk has taken the stewardship of South Burlington’s saplings into her own hands — along with a pair of pruning shears. Every Monday evening, from workday’s end until sundown, she and a team of volunteers known as “TREEage” hit the streets of South Burlington to care for the young trees.

The work isn’t difficult, Ambusk said: It really comes down to planting the tree properly and giving it daily care. Following an initial investment of time and watering in the early years, it will do quite well on its own for 100 more, she says.

TREEage evolved from Ambusk’s experience in the Master Gardener and Stewardship of the Urban Landscape programs offered by the University of Vermont Extension. The group has grown in number and knowledge in its second year, thanks to city arborist Craig Lambert’s pruning and maintenance clinics, Ambusk said. TREEage volunteers cared for 250 trees last year.

“We have literally been going tree-to-tree. It’s pretty slow work,” she said. She estimates South Burlington has 6,000 trees, Pool Landscaping and says Lambert has his hands full just dealing with day-to-day hazard maintenance.

Lambert offers public workshops on proper tree maintenance practices as part of the project. With his instruction, volunteers have undertaken root collar excavations and pruning on some of the more recently planted trees in South Burlington’s residential neighborhoods.

Lambert said Ambusk’s project is proving to be quite a benefit to the city: Her efforts have raised public awareness of the need to maintain the city’s tree resource, and her latest project will increase the number of trees the city will be able to plant.

This month, Ambusk planted 30 Princeton elm trees in a new community nursery with a $1,000 grant she received from GE Healthcare, where she works in finance Pool Landscaping. The city gave her permission to use land located at the National Gardening Association on Dorset Street for the nursery.

The elms are 2 years old and cost about $15 each. In another three to four years, they will be worth more than $200 each and will be ready to transplant to public land in South Burlington. Ambusk plans to add 30 new trees, in a variety of species, to the TREEage nursery each year.

LaRose says the nursery will also give the city credibility toward its goal of becoming a designated “Tree City, U.S.A.”

The Tree City U.S.A. program aims to encourage better care of community forests and advance urban forestry practices while providing cleaner air, shadier streets and aesthetic beauty in populated areas. The designation will also open additional avenues for grant funding: With a tree budget of $1,000 per year (enough to purchase about three trees), the city can use all the help it can get, LaRose said.

The young elms are destined for a future lining South Burlington’s streets, especially in older neighborhoods that haven’t been getting much landscaping attention, LaRose said. They’ll be useful as the city’s recreation path extends through new neighborhoods, and there’s a potential the nursery project will be used for educational outreach in the schools. While the project hasn’t officially been linked to the development of the City Center downtown district, LaRose said the timing will be perfect.

Tags: aesthetic effect, city arborist, city planner, city streets, craig lambert, developers, elm trees, initial investment, landscape, Landscaping, master gardener, neglect, planning director, pool, Pool Landscaping, pruning shears, residential areas, rta, s south, saplings, stewardship, sundown, university of vermont, urban landscape, vermont, wire baskets
0

• Zoofari event peppered with Cajun flavor
• Zodiacal light Mars and Saturn
• Zero Interest Offers A Great Deal For Kubota Minis
• Youthbuild Gives Young Adults Constructive Future Landscaping Software
• Youth and old heads in quality field
• Yourself Equipment Landscaping
• Youre Credit Report During a Divorce What to Avoid
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your First Apartment

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

Tags: apartment, backyards, city planner, Landscaping, melba, residential areas, retail stores, rta, sidewalks
0

• Zip off to Mexico for cruise filled with fun food
• Zero Interest Offers A Great Deal For Kubota Minis
• Youthbuild Gives Young Adults Constructive Future Landscaping Software
• Youth and old heads in quality field
• Yourself Equipment Landscaping
• Youre Credit Report During a Divorce What to Avoid
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your News NABOR leadership class works to help Care Club of Collier County Participate Naples Daily News
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your Guide To Cleaning Fireplaces

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

Tags: apartment, backyards, city planner, Landscaping, melba, residential areas, retail stores, rta, sidewalks
0

• Zip off to Mexico for cruise filled with fun food
• Zero Interest Offers A Great Deal For Kubota Minis
• Youthbuild Gives Young Adults Constructive Future Landscaping Software
• Youth and old heads in quality field
• Yourself Equipment Landscaping
• Youre Credit Report During a Divorce What to Avoid
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your News NABOR leadership class works to help Care Club of Collier County Participate Naples Daily News
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your Guide To Cleaning Fireplaces

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

Tags: apartment, backyards, city planner, Landscaping, melba, residential areas, retail stores, rta, sidewalks
0

• Zip off to Mexico for cruise filled with fun food
• Zero Interest Offers A Great Deal For Kubota Minis
• Youthbuild Gives Young Adults Constructive Future Landscaping Software
• Youth and old heads in quality field
• Yourself Equipment Landscaping
• Youre Credit Report During a Divorce What to Avoid
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your News NABOR leadership class works to help Care Club of Collier County Participate Naples Daily News
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your Guide To Cleaning Fireplaces

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

Tags: apartment, backyards, city planner, Landscaping, melba, residential areas, retail stores, rta, sidewalks
0

• Zip off to Mexico for cruise filled with fun food
• Zero Interest Offers A Great Deal For Kubota Minis
• Youthbuild Gives Young Adults Constructive Future Landscaping Software
• Youth and old heads in quality field
• Yourself Equipment Landscaping
• Youre Credit Report During a Divorce What to Avoid
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your News NABOR leadership class works to help Care Club of Collier County Participate Naples Daily News
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your Guide To Cleaning Fireplaces

SANDUSKY, Ohio — Sarah Cable hopped onto a single water ski and surfed around on a giant, man-made wave inside the Kalahari Resort water park.

The 20-year-old Sandusky resident darted left and right, showing off her skills on one of the park’s most popular attractions.

“I love it here,” Cable said after her turn on the FlowRider, which shoots water quickly toward skiers, allowing them to surf without moving forward as long as they keep their balance. “This place is absolutely amazing.”

Kalahari unveiled a 93,000-square-foot expansion two weeks ago, and now touts its Sandusky location at 173,000 square feet as the largest hotel indoor water park in the United States.

The bragging rights, though, aren’t expected to last long.

Hotel indoor water parks are the hottest lodging concept this decade, experts said. Families love them for the entertainment. And, more importantly, hotel owners adore them because they can charge higher room rates and boost hotel occupancy year-round.

“It’s really that aspect that’s caused the current growth, if not explosion, in water-park resort development,” said John Gerner, managing director of Leisure Business Advisors, a consulting company in Richmond, Va.

Forty-eight new hotel indoor water parks were expected to open this year and another 49 were under construction or set to break ground, according to an industry report released in July. Today, there are more than 180 in the United States a 283 percent jump in the last five years.

With so many markets untapped, industry analysts expect that trend to continue.

The first hotel indoor water park was created by accident in 1994.

Stan Anderson, owner of the Polynesian Water Park Resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., wanted to fill more rooms at his hotel so he added a water-play feature. Reservations jumped and competitors began to copy the concept.

Today, there are 21 water-park resorts in Wisconsin Dells. In Sandusky, there are three: Kalahari, Great Wolf Lodge and Castaway Bay; and a fourth, Maui Sands, is slated to open in April.

Anderson’s decision also has spawned indoor water-park chains, such as Kalahari and Great Wolf Lodge.

“By 2000, word had gotten out that this concept was a boost to the lodging industry,” said William Haralson, president of William L. Haralson %26amp; Associates Inc., a water-park consulting company in Alto, N.M. “It was like dropping a pebble in a pond and seeing the rings go out.”

He and Jeff Coy, of JLC Hospitality Consulting in Cave Creek, Ariz., compile a report each year detailing trends in the hotel water-park resort industry. They also will hold a workshop on hotel water parks in February at Kalahari in Sandusky. Haralson expects about 400 people.

While the industry appears to be going crazy over the concept, Haralson and Gerner warned that indoor water parks aren’t automatically successful and there is a potential for saturating a market. In the past, indoor water-park resorts were built near tourist destinations, but now they are moving into large residential areas, Gerner said.

“These types of projects sometimes lend themselves to what I call the ‘Build it and they will come’ philosophy,” he said. “Sometimes that happens but really these type of projects rely on a good strong market. Either the resident market or tourist market.”

The average hotel occupancy in the U.S. is 63 percent, with average room rates expected to hit $103 this year, according to Haralson and Coy’s report. It’s difficult to know how hotel indoor water parks perform as a group, they said.

But some hotel indoor water parks average 26 percent better on occupancy and top locations average more than $200 for room rates.

A Saturday room rate in January for two adults and two children ranges from $259 to $799 a night at Kalahari in Sandusky, according to the company Web site. People also can purchase an all-day pass for the water park only for $34.

Haralson considers Kalahari, which carries an African theme throughout, one of the best because it caters to adults as well as kids. The company has locations in Wisconsin Dells and Sandusky and plans to build a $200 million facility in Fredericksburg, Va.

The Kalahari locations include convention centers, spas, restaurants, bars, shops and game rooms. They are Vegas-esque in scale.

The Sandusky location has 884 hotel rooms. Hallways are lined with authentic African art, including hand-carved, wooden sculptures, masks, and fabrics adorning the walls. A lion cub is in a small glass enclosure in the lobby.

The indoor water park there’s also an outdoor one is huge. It includes a wave pool, hot tubs, fast-moving slides, meandering rivers, little kids’ play area, multiple bars and thatch hut cabanas for rent. One giant wall is painted as a savannah extending out from the water park. A portion of the roof is made of Texlon, allowing sunlight in.

Don’t expect to jump into a regular swimming pool for a few laps.

“You want that, go to the Y,” joked Kristann Hartley, marketing manager for Kalahari.

The water park has been packed since the expansion opened Dec. 20, she said.

On a recent Thursday, there were about 2,000 people inside bobbing up and down in the wave pool, coasting lazily on a raft, or waiting in line for one of the slides and other attractions.

Outside, the temperature was about 30 degrees. Inside, it was 86.

“Just the idea of being in a water park in the middle of the winter in Ohio is pretty cool,” Chris Strolia-Davis, 36, of Fairborn said.

WATER PARK FACTS

%26#149; The first official water park created was Wet ‘N Wild in Orlando, Fla.

%26#149; About 73 million people in North America visited a water park during the summer of 2004.

%26#149; In North America, there are more than 1,000 water parks, ranging from municipal-owned pools with water features to resorts.

%26#149; The first U.S. indoor water park was the Polynesian Resort Hotel %26amp; Suites in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., in 1994.

%26#149; The largest indoor water park in the world is the Ocean Dome in Japan at 322,752 square feet. Source: World Waterpark Association

%26#149; More details online about the industry:

World Waterpark Association: http://www.waterparks.com/

William L. Haralson %26amp; Associates Inc.: http://www.wlhainc.com/

JLC Hospitality Consulting Inc.: http://www.jeffcoy.com/

Tags: amp, marketing manager, pool, residential areas, rta, sculptures, spas, square feet, tapp, water feature, water features
0

• Youths in highspeed car chases Power cut to island houses
• Youth and fatigue can make for deadly driving
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your Guide To Cleaning Fireplaces
• Your First Apartment
• Your Complete Attention is a Wonderful Gift to Your Kids
• Young gun on the fast track
• Young fans get chance to wave chequered flag
• You Need To Avoid Using Certain Carpet Cleaning Chemicals

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said.

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No carwashes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

A version of this story may have appeared in your community Republic.

Tags: apartment, backyards, city planner, Landscaping, melba, residential areas, retail stores, rta, sidewalks
0

• Zip off to Mexico for cruise filled with fun food
• Zero Interest Offers A Great Deal For Kubota Minis
• Youthbuild Gives Young Adults Constructive Future Landscaping Software
• Youth and old heads in quality field
• Yourself Equipment Landscaping
• Youre Credit Report During a Divorce What to Avoid
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your News NABOR leadership class works to help Care Club of Collier County Participate Naples Daily News
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your Guide To Cleaning Fireplaces

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

%26#149;Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

%26#149;Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

%26#149;Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

%26#149;Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

%26#149;Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

%26#149;Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

%26#149;Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

%26#149;Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was completed in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built by the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said. “Even if they don’t sunbathe nude, they want the option.”

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe-repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public-works manager.

“No car washes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, and service-oriented businesses, McClaren said.

Tags: backyards, city planner, Landscaping, melba, residential areas, retail stores, rta
0

• Zip off to Mexico for cruise filled with fun food
• Zero Interest Offers A Great Deal For Kubota Minis
• Youthbuild Gives Young Adults Constructive Future Landscaping Software
• Youth and old heads in quality field
• Yourself Equipment Landscaping
• Youre Credit Report During a Divorce What to Avoid
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your News NABOR leadership class works to help Care Club of Collier County Participate Naples Daily News
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your Guide To Cleaning Fireplaces

Yabes led a group of students in ASU’s architecture and environmental design college last year to study transit-oriented development along the Camelback corridor for Phoenix. The corridor is bounded by Colter Street on the north, Seventh Street on the east, Pierson Street on the south and 22nd Avenue on the west.

The class recommended, among other things, that Phoenix:

� Change the current zoning along the corridor to include mixed-use developments.

� Increase parking and parking garages with ground-floor retail and business space at light-rail stations.

� Incorporate varying height and density of one to 20 stories to promote pedestrian traffic and train ridership.

� Include transitional spaces to blend large-scale development with residential areas to create a “step-back” effect.

� Create plazas, courtyards, urban parks, public art and other public spaces that form a sense of community.

� Implement affordable housing policies and encourage a mixture of income and race/ethnicity.

� Install speed bumps, traffic circles and other traffic-calming devices, while expanding bike paths.

� Enhance streetscapes by planting trees and landscaping and adding benches.

The study, which was finalized in December, is similar to what Tempe is paying a private consultant to do. The Tempe study has not yet been released.

Yabes, who lives in Tempe, said the planning class attempted to set the stage for what is known as transit-oriented development around an expensive public project.

“Cities have to make commitments” to make light-rail projects attract riders and shoppers to nearby commercial developments, Yabes said.

“If the feds (federal government) are kicking in that amount ($1.4 billion), the whole system is probably worth $4.1 billion.”

To be sure, there has been $4.2 billion worth of commercial development proposed or being built around the starter line’s 28 stations, according to an informal review by city planners and the Metro.

“What you want in terms of businesses are the kinds of things that get you out of your car,” Yabes said.

She said that most people will walk five to 10 minutes, although 10 minutes “is pushing it, especially in Arizona’s hot summer.”

What’s tricky is meshing high-rise commercial developments with pedestrian-friendly areas and residential neighborhoods.

“People don’t want office workers looking into their backyards,” she said. “Even if they don’t sunbathe nude, they want the option.”

In Tempe, light-rail finally may transform Apache Boulevard into a more attractive area, Yabes said.

“Apache is kind of interesting in that regard because it’s surrounded by single-family homes,” she said. “If Tempe can be accused of having a red-light district, it’s on Apache between Price and McClintock.

“They’ve been trying to redevelop Apache for years. I think this is finally going to be what kicks it in.”

Don Cassano, chairman of the Tempe Transportation Commission, said he already sees Apache transforming and property values rising with light-rail development.

Cassano said he’s toured light-rail systems in Denver, San Diego and Portland to see what kind of businesses work best around light-rail stations. They include dry cleaners, florists, shoe repair shops and coffee shops, he said.

“It’s going to be the kind of stuff that’s more service oriented, the grab-and-go businesses,” he said.

Tempe adopted a transportation overlay district three years ago to encourage more pedestrians around light-rail stations, said Jyme Sue McClaren, Tempe’s deputy public works manager.

“No car washes, auto-related uses are restricted, no drive-throughs, no (plant) nurseries,” she said.

Instead, the city is encouraging the building of dry cleaners, coffee shops, retail stores, day-care centers, bookstores, service-oriented businesses and “things that you may see on Mill Avenue, like pedestrian-scale restaurants, neighborhood grocery stores,” she said.

Stores also should front the sidewalks and parking lots should be placed at the side or back of a development, McClaren said.

Jack Wierzenski, director of economic development and planning for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit System, said most developments around light-rail stations have increased property values.

“There’s a perception that bad things are going to happen, and bad things never happen,” he said.

Ram Pendyala, an ASU professor in civil and environmental engineering specializing in transportation systems, agreed and said that he expects to see a variety of mixed-use projects with apartments, condos and businesses “that cater to people’s personal errands.”

He said that successful light-rail systems foster a reciprocal relationship between riders and businesses.

“It’s definitely a two-way relationship there, definitely a synergy there,” he said.

Tags: apartment, backyards, city planner, Landscaping, melba, residential areas, retail stores, rta, sidewalks
0

• Zip off to Mexico for cruise filled with fun food
• Zero Interest Offers A Great Deal For Kubota Minis
• Youthbuild Gives Young Adults Constructive Future Landscaping Software
• Youth and old heads in quality field
• Yourself Equipment Landscaping
• Youre Credit Report During a Divorce What to Avoid
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your News NABOR leadership class works to help Care Club of Collier County Participate Naples Daily News
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your Guide To Cleaning Fireplaces

CHANDIGARH:

The upcoming tier-II cities across the country would still remain the best bet

for real estate investors, according to Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj. The real

estate consulting company that recently announced an investment of more than $1

billion in the Indian property market says cities such as Chandigarh, Guwahati,

Nashik, Indore, Dehradun, Vadodara and Vizag would be the hottest real estate

destinations for 2008.

US-based

Jones Lang LaSalle, the world’s leading integrated global real estate

services and money management firm, recently merged with Mumbai-based property

consultant Trammel Crow Meghraj. The saturation of metros and other tier-II

cities is one of the factors for the drift. However, in addition to this, the

proliferation of IT companies despite the poor performance of IT stocks in the

latter half of 2007 would be the other impacting

factor.

According to Jones Lang

Lasalle Meghraj chairman and country head Anuj Puri, IT companies — the

primary drivers in Indian real estate market, are not dependent on central

business locations. Since it makes more sense for foreign-based companies to

offload back-office functions and even serious research processes to India than

to undertake these in situ, IT/ITeS companies can operate from anywhere in

India, as long as there is access to skilled manpower and necessary resources.

Therefore, MNCs would want to

benefit from cheaper real estate prices and set up shops in tier-II and III

towns, driving up the retail, residential and infrastructure sectors wherever

they go.

Also

read

Kochi’s the

new realty hotspot

Realty market

may see major growth till April ‘08

UBS to expand

India, China property business

Realty firms

raise maximum through IPOs in 2007: Assocham

For

sound investments in the real estate sector, emerging areas are the market

drivers as they offer low entry level prices compared to the saturated markets

where getting space for market drivers such as malls is often very

difficult.

Hence, places like Vizag

that offers cheaper land compared to Hyderabad, low cost manpower, low

competition, better infrastructure coupled with high purchase power, are making

it one of the most sought after cities. Designated areas in Vizag like

Dwarakanagar, Seethamadhara, Gajuwaka, Rushikonda, Anakapalli, Bheemili and

Paarwada for commercial development and Madhurawada, Pendurthy, Parawada,

Bheemunipatnam and the areas towards the Anakapalli Corridor for residential

investment are considered

hot.

On similar lines comes

Vadodara with prime residential areas in Alkapuri, Race Course Road, Old Padra

Road, Jetalpur, Akota and Fatehganj. The Uttaranchal government is making a

60-acre IT Park in its capital Dehradun which is also driving the real estate

markets skywards. Places like Chakrata Road, Mussoorie Bypass and Sahastradhara

Road are the best locations for small to medium

investors.

In Indore, low-entry

costs in places like Vijay Nagar, Bypass, A B Road, Rau, Gulmohur Colony and

Green Park Colony offer great investment opportunities. While Nashik with its

proximity to Mumbai and connectivity makes suburbs of Anandwalli (Gangapur

Road), Indiranagar, Untwadi, Aadgaon (off Mumbai-Agra Road) and along Pathardi

Link Road a good catch. An upsurge in the retail market in Guwahati has made the

Khanapara, Zoo-Narengi Road, Basistha and Beltola as the new residential hot

spots.

Chandigarh scores very

high on property market, people, physical infrastructure, social infrastructure

and business environment. Coupled with rapid development on its outskirts, the

city has seen very encouraging real estate and retail trends. Other than the

city itself Panchkula, Mohali, Dera Bassi and Zirakpur offer interesting

investment options.

Tags: investments, money, residential areas, rta, Services
0

• Zoofari event peppered with Cajun flavor
• Zip off to Mexico for cruise filled with fun food
• Youth and old heads in quality field
• Youre Credit Report During a Divorce What to Avoid
• Your US Immigration Questions Answered
• Your Home Business and Your Kids
• Your Guide To Cleaning Fireplaces
• Your Complete Attention is a Wonderful Gift to Your Kids
• Young And Perspective Less Landscaping Idea
• You Need To Avoid Using Certain Carpet Cleaning Chemicals