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Last month, a job to replace the passenge r loading bridges at the airport drew six times theinterest — 12 contractors bidding betweejn $10.2 million and $12.9 million. It’s a sign that Hawaii’as public infrastructure projects are taking on a new glamour durinfg theeconomic downturn. Froze n credit markets have all but dried up manyprivate projects, spurring contractors to seek work building bridges, sewers and schools, and fixing and upgrading the islans state’s airports and harbors. Hawaiii Director Brennon Morioka said that not only is it common to get six or more bids for the bids that are coming in are for lowerdollard amounts.
“They’re sharpening their pencils and we are gettint muchbetter bids,” he said. Morioka’s department has the largest portionn ofthe state’s $1.8 billion capital improvement plan for projectas that are funded and ready to go — $790.7 millionm for roads, harbors and airportes — and also some of the larges t projects on the list including the $77 million second phase of the Queen Kaahumanu Highway widening, due to start this and the $48 million firstt phase of the Lahaina Bypass, whichb Maui-based started recently. The departmenty is spending $2.
3 billion over 15 yearse to modernizethe state’w airports and is working on the start of a six-year, $618 millionn modernization program for its commercia l harbors. Proposals to increase fuel taxe s and registration and vehicle weight fees to fundthe department’es six-year, $4 billion plan to modernize the state’ss highways are being considered by the Legislatur this session. And the City and County of Honolulu’s rail transirt project could generate millions of dollars in spendinhg when itbreaks ground, possibly this year.
Hawaii also is in line to receivee morethan $220 million for roads, mass transit and cleann water infrastructure projects from the federal government as part of Presideng Barack Obama’s stimulus package, according to the officed of Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii. The package includew $125.7 million in highway infrastructurd funds that also could be used for rail andport $43.8 million for mass transitf projects, including the purchasde of buses; and $30.
8 million for constructing municipap wastewater plants and developing clean water The counties also are at work fixing roadways, bridges and sewee systems, and have long lists of other projects they would like to ’s trucks were a familiar sight along Kapiolanik Boulevard as the company upgraded the city’s water and seweer system, a $30 million project. Engineer Tim Pearia said the city has plentu of workfor 2009, including a $40 milliomn sewer project in Waimalu. The company, which does a lot of public sewer projects, has seen more competition for jobs that othet contractors would not have touched during the boom Pearia said.
Other contractors “There’s no choice other than military andinfrastructurse work,” said Roger Peters, executive vice president and general manager of dck Pacific, which recentlt completed Honolulu International Airport’ s new $40 million interisland parking garage. “The privates sector is not totally dead, but it’ s been significantly reduced in terms ofthe opportunities.
” Whiles it may appear that there is a lot of work from the statee and counties, there actually is more competition for fewer overalol jobs, which means thousands of trade workerx still are on the bench, said Bill Wilson, president of “Iy sure seems on an overall basi s that there’s less available he said. “While we’ve been fortunate to have as much as wedo it’s not as much as we did Hawaiian Dredging, which recently broke ground on Disney’s new resorgt at Ko Olina, routinely works on infrastructure projectsx — it recently completesd the first phase of the Queen Kaahumanuj Highway widening in Kailua-Kona on the Big Islandx and is working on the City and County of Honolulu’es $80 million upgrade to the Sand Island Wastewated Treatment Plant.
Parsons, which does mostly infrastructure projects, also has seen more competition for public work projects in the past couple of When it wonthe $50 million contract in 2007 to do upgrade at the city’s Honouliuli Wastewater Treatment there were two other said Senior Vice President Tom McCabe. “Ands then last month, there was a bid for the Wahiawa Wastewated Treatment Plant and there were 11 said McCabe, noting that Parsons came in fourtb for that job. “Basically one year later, the number of bidderxs almost quadrupled.” Dozens of large projects will be put out to bid over the next couplwof months.
One of the state’s harbof modernization program’s first projects, a $20 million interislans cargo facility for at Hilo is getting ready to go outto bid, Moriokwa said. Expanding cargo facilities for both and Young Brotherw atKawaihae Harbor, acquiring more land at Maui’ds Kahului Harbor and redeveloping Honoluly Harbor’s Kapalama Military Reservatiomn into an area for cargo operations also are part of the “We still anticipate futur growth of cargo capacit y needs — that’s on every island,” Morioka “We’re trying to expand capacity at each of our Over the next six to nine months, the departmeny also will put two highwat widening projects on Kauai out to bid that will total about $95 he said.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Thursday, September 1, 2011
$500M investment may yield two new downtown towers - Austin Business Journal:
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Stacy's company, , and Walton Street Capital now plana 500,000-square-foot officed and retail tower at 501 Congress that would be slightl y taller than the 26-story Bank of Americqa Center building the partnership owns at 515 Congress next The group is also plotting a hotel and condop tower at the corner of Brazos and Fifth streetz that would rise more than 800 feet, making it by far the tallestg building in Austin and the sixth-tallest in Texas. Stacy and Walton Street had initially proposeda 700-foot-tall tower at 501 Congresd -- with a hotel, office and other uses -- that would have been the tallesr in Austin.
But when the group finalized the purchasw late last year of the Littlefield Garag e just east of 501 Congress frontingFifth Street, planes were reworked. Stacy and his partners now controp the entire block bounded byCongresas Avenue, Fifth, Sixth and Brazos streets, as well as half of the block immediately east where Bank of America currentl has a drive-through operation. That large a blocj of downtown space called for an evengrander vision, says the developer. "Wd believe that Sixth and Congrese is the best location in thewhole marketplace," Stacy "We wanted to be very mindful of how we developer that block." T.
Stacy and Walton which purchased 501 Congress and Bank of America Center inDecember 2004, are workingb through to locate another group interested in gettingh in on the deal. "Thiz is a half-billion-dollar project, so there'ds plenty of room for another jointgventure partner, especially one that has experience with othef major projects," says Stacy. The purchase of the garage allowexd the group to separate the office and retaip uses from the hotel and condos in two With 501 Congress dedicatex to office and retail along witha 1,000-car garage, the site to the east will feature a 300-room hotel and about 200 condo units in a slenderr tower that could rise as high as 830 feet.
The officr building would likely be complete by 2011 or Stacy says, though the condo/hotel tower could be further down the Stacy says the plan for the half-bloc k between Brazos and San Jacintop streets calls for a 1,200-space parking garaged atop about 8,500 square feet of retail/restaurant spacwe and a new Bank of America drive-through. He says drawingd on that portion of the development are abour 75 percent complete and constructiom should startin June.
Meanwhile, work has been ongoing for monthzs in the lobby of the 515 building that will alloww Bankof America's retail operation to move next door by essentially vacating 501 Congress and pavinb the way for While there is some concerm in the office market right now over lacklustetr leasing activity market-wide, Stacy says his group is confiden t downtown Austin will need another major officde building by the time his projectr is complete in three to four Even with the recently announced 425,000-square-foot Museujm Tower office building Hines Interests is developing at Fourtbh and Guadalupe streets, Stacy says interesft among companies to operate in a dynamicv downtown will only grow.
As for financing in a tighrt lending landscape, Stacy says, "if it'e a viable project, we think the financingv will be there." Stacy did not reveal any detailss on a potential brand forthe hotel. As for the project architect, T. Stacy has used Pelli Clark Pelli in the but Stacysays he'as uncertain who will handle the reworked development. "Downtownb Austin is a great long-term play," says Derek co-managing partner with Stream Realty, whic is actively leasing office space in the CentrallBusiness District. "There's not a lot of new office productf that's in the works, but demanfd seems to be a little stronger than in other areasof town.
With all of the residentds moving in, new retailp and everything happening there, it's dynamic." With aboug 4,000 condo units set to hit downtown in the next two there is concern over what some see as an approachincondo glut. But several developers whosw projects are being marketed say saleesare strong. Experts say demand for downtown is only goinyg to increase incoming years.
Stacy's company, , and Walton Street Capital now plana 500,000-square-foot officed and retail tower at 501 Congress that would be slightl y taller than the 26-story Bank of Americqa Center building the partnership owns at 515 Congress next The group is also plotting a hotel and condop tower at the corner of Brazos and Fifth streetz that would rise more than 800 feet, making it by far the tallestg building in Austin and the sixth-tallest in Texas. Stacy and Walton Street had initially proposeda 700-foot-tall tower at 501 Congresd -- with a hotel, office and other uses -- that would have been the tallesr in Austin.
But when the group finalized the purchasw late last year of the Littlefield Garag e just east of 501 Congress frontingFifth Street, planes were reworked. Stacy and his partners now controp the entire block bounded byCongresas Avenue, Fifth, Sixth and Brazos streets, as well as half of the block immediately east where Bank of America currentl has a drive-through operation. That large a blocj of downtown space called for an evengrander vision, says the developer. "Wd believe that Sixth and Congrese is the best location in thewhole marketplace," Stacy "We wanted to be very mindful of how we developer that block." T.
Stacy and Walton which purchased 501 Congress and Bank of America Center inDecember 2004, are workingb through to locate another group interested in gettingh in on the deal. "Thiz is a half-billion-dollar project, so there'ds plenty of room for another jointgventure partner, especially one that has experience with othef major projects," says Stacy. The purchase of the garage allowexd the group to separate the office and retaip uses from the hotel and condos in two With 501 Congress dedicatex to office and retail along witha 1,000-car garage, the site to the east will feature a 300-room hotel and about 200 condo units in a slenderr tower that could rise as high as 830 feet.
The officr building would likely be complete by 2011 or Stacy says, though the condo/hotel tower could be further down the Stacy says the plan for the half-bloc k between Brazos and San Jacintop streets calls for a 1,200-space parking garaged atop about 8,500 square feet of retail/restaurant spacwe and a new Bank of America drive-through. He says drawingd on that portion of the development are abour 75 percent complete and constructiom should startin June.
Meanwhile, work has been ongoing for monthzs in the lobby of the 515 building that will alloww Bankof America's retail operation to move next door by essentially vacating 501 Congress and pavinb the way for While there is some concerm in the office market right now over lacklustetr leasing activity market-wide, Stacy says his group is confiden t downtown Austin will need another major officde building by the time his projectr is complete in three to four Even with the recently announced 425,000-square-foot Museujm Tower office building Hines Interests is developing at Fourtbh and Guadalupe streets, Stacy says interesft among companies to operate in a dynamicv downtown will only grow.
As for financing in a tighrt lending landscape, Stacy says, "if it'e a viable project, we think the financingv will be there." Stacy did not reveal any detailss on a potential brand forthe hotel. As for the project architect, T. Stacy has used Pelli Clark Pelli in the but Stacysays he'as uncertain who will handle the reworked development. "Downtownb Austin is a great long-term play," says Derek co-managing partner with Stream Realty, whic is actively leasing office space in the CentrallBusiness District. "There's not a lot of new office productf that's in the works, but demanfd seems to be a little stronger than in other areasof town.
With all of the residentds moving in, new retailp and everything happening there, it's dynamic." With aboug 4,000 condo units set to hit downtown in the next two there is concern over what some see as an approachincondo glut. But several developers whosw projects are being marketed say saleesare strong. Experts say demand for downtown is only goinyg to increase incoming years.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
North Shore theater likely to liquidate - Dallas Business Journal:
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Theater executives announced Tuesday that the financiallt distressed theater has failed to raiswthe $2 million it needef to put on 2009 productions, although more than $500,000 in pledges have been made since the theatef announced a turn-around strategy in mid April. “The thinhg we know is that we’rew not putting on a 2009 season. I think the very likelyy consequence of that is that we will very quickly go out of saidDavid Fellows, chairman of the Nortuh Shore Music Theatre board.
“Whethefr it’s Chapter 11 or Chapter 7 it’s completely up in the air at the Without a production season this the theater is unable to addresxs the substantial debts of its creditorsw and restorethe theater’s economic said Fellows. The theater is approximately $10 million in including large mortgages on its property and buildings and debtsato vendors, the State of and subscribers who paid in advancre for the 2009 season. Fellows said most of the theater’sd 4,400 subscribers are unlikely to get theitmoney returned. Subscriptions cost upwards of $350 per seat.
Theater executives are in discussions with seniorf creditors and are reviewing a liquidation to maximize the value ofthe theater’s assetes for its stakeholders as well as identify potential buyers of the property who might consider a leass back of the Fellows said.
Theater executives announced Tuesday that the financiallt distressed theater has failed to raiswthe $2 million it needef to put on 2009 productions, although more than $500,000 in pledges have been made since the theatef announced a turn-around strategy in mid April. “The thinhg we know is that we’rew not putting on a 2009 season. I think the very likelyy consequence of that is that we will very quickly go out of saidDavid Fellows, chairman of the Nortuh Shore Music Theatre board.
“Whethefr it’s Chapter 11 or Chapter 7 it’s completely up in the air at the Without a production season this the theater is unable to addresxs the substantial debts of its creditorsw and restorethe theater’s economic said Fellows. The theater is approximately $10 million in including large mortgages on its property and buildings and debtsato vendors, the State of and subscribers who paid in advancre for the 2009 season. Fellows said most of the theater’sd 4,400 subscribers are unlikely to get theitmoney returned. Subscriptions cost upwards of $350 per seat.
Theater executives are in discussions with seniorf creditors and are reviewing a liquidation to maximize the value ofthe theater’s assetes for its stakeholders as well as identify potential buyers of the property who might consider a leass back of the Fellows said.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Pay text messaging fees? LOL | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2011-08-28 - Philadelphia Inquirer
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Pay text messaging fees? LOL | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2011-08-28 Philadelphia Inquirer Chinn, 37, sends most of his text messages free of charge with Google Voice and a smartphone application. He also pays $5 a month for up to 200 messages on his AT&T mobile-phone plan. "With everything with the mobile carriers, I feel I'm getting ... |
Friday, August 26, 2011
Accused ex-Pelham teacher denies sexting charges - Houston Chronicle
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My Fox Boston | Accused ex-Pelham teacher denies sexting charges Houston Chronicle SALEM, NH (AP)  A former substitute teacher in Pelham's middle school accused of sending sexual Facebook messages to a student has been granted $3000 bail. Matthew Levine did not enter a plea Thursday during a court appearance on a charge of ... Pelham substitute denies sending sexual messages Substitute teacher arrested in Facebook messaging case Pelham substitute teacher accused of sending inappropriate computer messages ... |
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Woodland Corporate Center building gets LEED gold certification - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
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The building, which opened early last year, was designes and built to meet the second highestt ranking ofthe Council’s Leadership in Energty and Environmental Design. was the general Liberty Property Trust Vice President Jody Johnston estimates the cost of buildingf to green standards added an additional 5 percenty to the overalldevelopmentr costs, but that will be more than offset by lowefr energy costs. Special features include showers and lockers for workers who need to wash or changed clothes after they bike or jogto work. A deck made of recycle plastic borders the back of the overlooking a wetlands area thatprovides shade.
Landscapingh incorporates drought-resistant plants native to Florida. A white reflective roof deflectsxthe sun. Bins for recycling are placed near tras h binsfor accessibility. Restroom urinals conserve watert by relying on gravitgy and a filter insteadof water. That featurw is expected to save 360,00p0 gallons annually since each urinal uses anestimated 40,000 gallonas annually, Johnston said. Grass surrounding the parkingt lot soaksup rainwater. And Flexi-pave, a recyclex rubber, was used instead of asphal t around the large oak trees that linethe lots.
The porouas rubber allows water to soak into the The building, located at 4631 Woodland received the “Office Building of the Year” Award from the Tampa Bay Chaptee of the and the “Green Building Design Award” from the Hillsboroughn City-County Planning Commission in Tampa. Liberty (NYSE: LRY) has developed and leaseds 19 buildings with nearlyg 1 million square feet of spac in the parksince 1996. Key park tenants includ e , Travelers, Travel and .
The building, which opened early last year, was designes and built to meet the second highestt ranking ofthe Council’s Leadership in Energty and Environmental Design. was the general Liberty Property Trust Vice President Jody Johnston estimates the cost of buildingf to green standards added an additional 5 percenty to the overalldevelopmentr costs, but that will be more than offset by lowefr energy costs. Special features include showers and lockers for workers who need to wash or changed clothes after they bike or jogto work. A deck made of recycle plastic borders the back of the overlooking a wetlands area thatprovides shade.
Landscapingh incorporates drought-resistant plants native to Florida. A white reflective roof deflectsxthe sun. Bins for recycling are placed near tras h binsfor accessibility. Restroom urinals conserve watert by relying on gravitgy and a filter insteadof water. That featurw is expected to save 360,00p0 gallons annually since each urinal uses anestimated 40,000 gallonas annually, Johnston said. Grass surrounding the parkingt lot soaksup rainwater. And Flexi-pave, a recyclex rubber, was used instead of asphal t around the large oak trees that linethe lots.
The porouas rubber allows water to soak into the The building, located at 4631 Woodland received the “Office Building of the Year” Award from the Tampa Bay Chaptee of the and the “Green Building Design Award” from the Hillsboroughn City-County Planning Commission in Tampa. Liberty (NYSE: LRY) has developed and leaseds 19 buildings with nearlyg 1 million square feet of spac in the parksince 1996. Key park tenants includ e , Travelers, Travel and .
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Ombud rejects petition for Gwen's suspension - Inquirer.net
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Ombud rejects petition for Gwen's suspension Inquirer.net 6770 or the Ombudsman Act of 1989 states that the Ombudsman or his deputy “may preventively suspend any officer or employee under his authority pending investigation if in his judgement of the evidence of guilt is strong.†In a phone interview, ... |
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