Builder articles from January 2000

Builder archives from January 2000

Pride in Chicago's South Side.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Construction of a $9.1 million North Kenwood shopping center, anchored by Co-Op Markets supermarket, not only created more than 200 jobs for the area, but also brought the community a new sense of identity. In fact, in the last eight months,...

David gains on Goliath.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Twelve small- and mid-sized independent builders collectively stole 2.4 percent of the housing market by puffing together to compete against the area's dominant building giants. By joining forces in South Jersey's Homes on Parade, the group...

Moddulars Make Affordable Infill.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Modular homes are playing an important role in helping mid- and lower-income families near Newark, N.J. become homeowners. HANDS, Inc.; a nonprofit community development organization, builds and rehabilitates affordable housing in Orange and...

Extra Steps.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Future residents will be easily convinced by this design when they see the vaulted family room, master bath, and breakfast sitting area. The open space from the family room leads upstairs where you have the hallway balcony. Extra steps come in...

Wrap It Up.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... This eloquently designed great room, which is surrounded on three sides by a columned and covered porch, makes a great gift for any homeowner. If they wish to relax indoors, the oversized hearth fireplace just cries out for someone to curl up...

Spacious Living.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Residents of this home will adore the master bathroom. They'll thoroughly enjoy the his/her closets, linen closest, glass shower, whirlpool tub, and a dual sink counter. The kitchen can accommodate people working or eating in the breakfast...

Natural Distinction.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Oversized bays in the breakfast room and master bedroom add distinction and ample natural light. An immense screened verandah inflates the casual living space with an ideal outdoor room. The walls of transoms in the living room and dining room...

Reminiscing.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... This quaint exterior is reminiscent of a European country cottage while the interior is thoroughly modern. A fireplace graces the center of the great room and an island is the focus of the kitchen. A second fireplace is found in the study. The...

Snack Away.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... This decked out corner kitchen has plenty of room for several cooks and helpers, plus a big snack bar for the tasters. When everyone is full, move into the cozy great room that boasts eleven-foot ceilings and a hearth fireplace. In order to...

Crystal Light.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Have you ever eaten breakfast with a fire roaring just a few feet away? Well prospective owners of this lovely plan will have the satisfaction of three rooms in one--the vaulted great room with fireplace, a gourmet kitchen, and adjoining...

Idea Homes Showcase Top-Notch Designs and Products.
January 1, 2000... During the next eight to 10 years, America's most influential and affluent generation, the Baby Boomers, will reach the peak of their spending potential. According to the nation's top trend analysts, the home is not just where the heart is,...

Circular Motion.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... A few round and several half-round windows make for great curb appeal. Twin front-facing gables with eve returns also add distinction, and don't miss the engaging dormer in the middle. The interior--with its two-story foyer and family room...

Hopeless VI?(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Residents of Sanford public housing community Lake Monroe Terrace pulled together to oppose the request of the city's housing official for Hope VI funding. The residents fear if the city gets the grant money from the new Hope VI program, HUD's...

Swinging Single.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... This design may only have a single level but it certainly doesn't lack panache. The facade stands out with its decorated gable backed by a squared cornice topped with globe finials. The cornice detailing is repeated on the garage door and over...

Double the Suites.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Not only does this opulent design have a downstairs master suite, but the fourth bedroom upstairs has a private bath plus its own secluded sitting room with an additional walk-in closet. Add to this roomy second floor two other bedrooms and a...

Head Over Heels.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... The future buyer of this home will walk into the foyer and fall head over heels for the accessibility from the kitchen to the breakfast room to the dinning room and into the living room. The kitchen also features an island with an eating bar...

Masterful Treatment.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... The ten-foot tray ceiling in the master bedroom is repeated in the master bath, so prospective buyers will truly feel like the master of their domain in this suite. A garden soaking tub, a separate shower, dual vanities, and a linen closet all...

Delicate Details.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... The details on the facade of the house begin with an enormous round-headed window above the entrance. They continue with the delicate molding above the double-hung windows and they are topped off by a canted bay window with attached crown...

Show Stopper.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... A fantastic roofline and covered porch catch the eye for irresistible curb appeal. Dormers punctuate the hipped roof and add light to the attic that could be finished as a playroom or hobby room. The interior design of this home is as stunning...

THE NEW AMERICAN HOME 2000.
January 1, 2000... More than a house for the new millennium, The New American Home 2000 is a study in effectively integrating people, technology, and changing lifestyles in the new century. TO SIMPLY LOOK AT IT, THE NEW American Home 2000 is an attractive,...

AMERICA'S BEST BUILDERS 2000.
January 1, 2000... Meet five builders whose achievements extend far beyond an impressive bottom line. VISION. DRIVE. TALENT. A passion for what they do. The leaders of these five companies have demonstrated those qualities and more. By choosing them as...

LOOK WHAT'S COOKIN'.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... A MIX OF TRADITIONAL AND CUT-TING-EDGE ELEMENTS COMBINE TO MAKE THIS YEAR'S COOLEST KITCHENS. KITCHENS ARE GETTING LARGER, fancier, and are equipped with more bells and whistles than ever before. Products that were unheard-of a few years...

Heat-N-Glo Carries Its Long Tradition of Innovation Into the Next Millennium.(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... Heat-N-Glo, a division of Hearth Technologies Inc., has been producing high quality, energy efficient fireplaces since 1975. As an innovator in the fireplace industry, Heat-N-Glo continues to strive to improve products, performance and customer...

HERE COMES THE NEIGHBORHOOD.(modular homes)
January 1, 2000... What can six men, two semis, an expectant homeowner, and an 80-ton crane accomplish in one day? BUILDER went to Stamford, Conn., to find out. A WOMAN IN HER MID-50S, right arm straining to heel her well-muscled Dalmatian, stands frozen on...

House CALL.(building industry consulting)
January 1, 2000... Caught up in a hot, almost fevered, market, Puder-Siegel Homes in Delray Beach, Fla., was selling homes so fast the owners couldn't keep up. They called on profit doctor CHUCK SHINN and his team of experts for a diagnosis. PARTNERS JODI...

SONORAN SANCTUARY.
January 1, 2000... Two art collectors built a desert oasis to display their glasswork, but this sleek, contemporary custom home stands on its own as sculpture. WHEN THE BOUDELIER FAMILY DECIDED TO RELOCATE FROM CHILLY Wisconsin to the most renowned master...

Wired to Sell.
January 1, 2000... More and more builders are taking care of business by investing in technology and watching their profits zoom. In 1991, G & D HARR CONSTRUCTION IN SIOUX Falls, S.D., was putting up 30 house a year but was stuck in a rut. Things were out of...

The Great Divide.
January 1, 2000... New survey results confirm what builders have long suspected: Homeowners worship technology, but fear more complexity. THE PUBLIC HAS SPOKEN: "WE WANT TO LIVE on the cutting edge, but we don't like risks. We can barely program a VCR, but we...

An Engine That Could.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Trouble with search engines? We hear you. Check out the newest research engine on the block. IF SEARCHING THE WEB SEEMS like an exercise in futility, that's because there is no perfect way to access what you need, even for a seasoned...

Internet to Go.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Builders love their phones. And manufacturers, eager to make these beloved mobile communication devices more useful, are adding a host of features to make them indispensable. Nokia's latest offering is the 7100 series wireless ap-plication...

Wood Wide Web.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Need a pallet of oak laminate flooring or a load of 2x4s? Check out E-Wood.com, a new auction site where those items are on the block, along with furniture-quality hardwoods and more. Good deals for bargain-hunters can be found on E-wood, but...

Wired.(home internet access and telecommunication wiring)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Home networks will revolutionize the way consumers live and work in the home," said Tricia Parks, president of Parks Associates, in her opening address at the company's Forum '99 conference. "Builders of power," she added, "are paying...

Top 10 Peeves.(home owners)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... what do Americans hate about their homes? Lack of natural light? Bad location? Not enough room for stuff? According to a 1999 survey conducted by an independent research firm for Honeywell, those typical gripes didn't even make the list. Here's...

Smooth Sale-ing.(home sales, housing plans)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... IT'S OFTEN DIFFICULT TO PRESENT CONSISTENT, timely information to customers. This is especially true when floor plans and design choices change quickly or often. "We find that builders' Web sites are out of step with their sales brochures,...

Perpetual Paper.(electronic paper)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Just when you thought everything had already been "e'd"... XEROX AND 3M ARE ABOUT TO BRING YOU E-paper. That's right, electronic paper--a digital display that is as portable as the stuff made from trees. Developed by Xerox's Palo Alto...

Molehill out of a mountain.(housing development)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... San Francisco's City Council approved a slimmed-down version of Phoenix-based SunChase's Terrabay II housing development on San Bruno Mountain, cutting the Point neighborhood of 181 duplexes and triplexes from the project, but approving two...

ROSEMARY BEACH.(planned community in Florida)
January 1, 2000... Neo-traditionalism reaches a new level of elegance and practicality in this impressive addition to Florida's panhandle. SUGAR-WHITE SAND AND clear gulf waters have made the northwest coast of Florida a resort destination for generations....

NIMBY.(not in my backyard)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Vail mayor Rob Ford resigned last November after receiving heated scrutiny over his proposal to build affordable dwellings--priced at $200,000--in seven sites around town. The dwellings would house prospective employees for new commercial...

NAHB's Statement of Policy on SMART GROWTH.(National Association of Home Builders)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... THE CONCEPT OF SMART GROWTH HAS EXPLODED ONTO THE NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS as one of the most critical issues confronting America today. It touches on choices we Americans hold close to our hearts--where we live, work and play, the education of...

NAHB SURVEY.(National Association of Home Builders)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... Smart Growth Means Housing Choice WHILE AMERICANS EXPRESS CONCERNS about growth and related issues, particularly traffic, they are generally satisfied with the quality of life in their neighborhoods and prefer current growth patterns over...

Smart Growth Means Revitalizing Urban Areas.
January 1, 2000... FILLING IN THE GAPS--One way to accommodate some of the nation's housing demand without expanding urban cores is by building within those cores, replacing vacant and unattractive lots with vibrant new communities. Infill housing can be...

A NEW DAWN.(trends in building industry)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... The first few days of the new millennium began like many others. But beneath this calm facade lies a vortex of change. Here are 10 trends bound to revolutionize the industry and the way you'll do business in the new century. SOME PRETTY...

A NEW FACE FOR AMERICA.(demographics and home construction industry)
January 1, 2000... Changing demographics are creating new challenges--and opportunities--in home sales. WHEN BILL OFSTREM surveys the remaining 2,000 acres of rolling hills, crepe myrtle, and cactus that will become part of East Lake, he can only take an...

PUTTING THE BRAKES ON SPRAWL.(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... The automobile gave home buyers the freedom to choose where they live. Now the question is whether builders can survive the coming gridlock. IN HIS FAMOUS BOOK THE AFFLUENT SOCIETY, AUTHOR John Kenneth Galbraith expounds on the futility of...

THE HOME AS A COMPUTER.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Just how smart can a new home become? That depends on how much money you are willing to spend. MULTIBILLIONAIRE BILL GATES HAS A PRETTY cool house. High-definition televisions mounted throughout the public rooms display classic paintings....

TOP DOGS TAKE BIGGER BITES.(corporate acquisitions in building industry)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Predator companies' fever-pitch acquisitions have cooled, but for how long? WAYNE HOMES, RADNOR, UDC, LEWIS, DiVosta, C. Richard Dobson... all are well-known builders of the '90s swallowed up by expanding big builders. Access to...

WHO WILL BUILD TOMORROW'S HOMES?(labor scarcity for home construction)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... The labor shortage has builders struggling to figure out how to build more homes with fewer hands. THIRTEEN YEARS AGO, TOLL BROTHERS MADE A decision that has given the company an edge in dealing with today's labor shortage: It opened its...

TAKING THE HIGH-TECH ROAD.(builders use software)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... By streamlining their operations with the latest software, builders are reaching new levels of productivity PAUL SCHUMACHER IS AMONG THE GROWING ranks of the converted. It took him only seven years to ratchet his business up to 350 homes a...

FAIR WARNING.(builders have impact on global environment)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... New data on world resources and population confirm that the choices builders make now will impact the ecological future of the planet. We've COME A LONG WAY FROM the self-sufficient days when homes were built from trees felled in nearby...

BUILDING SCIENCE GROWS UP.(energy efficient homes)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... Only a few weak links remain in the energy efficiency of homes. In the future the focus will be on creating a new generation of energy-efficient products and systems that may turn homes into energy producers. FROM AN ENERGY PERSPECTIVE,...

BUILDING BEYOND WOOD.(new building materials developed)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... Dwindling natural resources are forcing builders to turn to a new generation of engineered building materials. IF YOU WATCH IT LONG ENOUGH, SAY LUMBER purists, one of today's studs is likely to twist and jump right off a stack before your...

MADE TO ORDER.(houses)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Builders must keep pace with sophisticated clients who want a distinctive home--without the hassle. IN THE NEXT CENTURY IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO DECIDE what physical and mental characteristics our children will have, so it certainly seems...

THE NAUGHTY '90s.
January 1, 2000... Hindsight, of course, is nearly always 20/20. Here are our top 10 trends for what actually happened in the 1990s. IF THE JULY 1989 ISSUE OF BUILDER IS ANY indication of our forecasting accuracy, about two-thirds of what you read in this...

Let Milgard Windows Frame Your View of the Next Millennium.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Many companies are using the Year 2000 milestone to re-examine the way they do business--to reshape, restructure, and retool for the future. But as we enter Year 2000, Milgard Windows will remain true to the philosophy that has quietly earned...

FORWARD THINKERS.
January 1, 2000... We all know someone who has vision, whose thinking and actions seem always to be a few steps ahead of everyone else's. We asked known visionaries, each representing an important tenet of the housing industry, to offer their takes on the...

SMART GROWTH.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Executive Summary NAHB's Smart Growth Report BUILDING BETTER PLACES TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY has been the guiding principle driving the home building industry for decades. Home builders have always worked hard to make the communities...

DIVERSE DESIGN.
January 1, 2000... With demographics showing that only 9 percent of households now resemble the "Ozzie and Harriet" family of the '50s, builders need to cre ate homes that reflect the way we really are. IANE MILLER HAD AN IDEA. Like most creative brainstorms,...

New Horizons.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... BUILDER'S redesign gives you the information you need to succeed in the new millennium. A RECENT SURVEY OF NEW-HOME BUYERS FOUND THAT 40 percent had looked on the Internet for a home. In Loudoun County, Va., voters elected eight top...

Change Order.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Business as usual in 2000? Think again. THE WAY TYPICAL STICK-BUILT, SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES ARE BUILT hasn't changed much in the past 80 years. But change is in the air. BUILDER conducted quantitative and qualitative research during the first...

Presenting the NEW BUILDER Online.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... WE'RE CHANGING. THIS month, you'll see the results of a project that began last spring: the new, redesigned BUILDER Online. These changes will make it easier for our readers to find articles covering the range of home building...

The Immigrant Factor.
January 1, 2000... Marketing and Design Tips for Ethnic Diversity The American home buyer is changing. In addition to demographic shifts that now include a range of nontraditional household formations, there is a wider variety of ethnic and cultural...

Black Tie Optional.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... This adept design allows owners to host formal affairs starting with hors d'oeuvres in the living room, then moving to main course in the dining room, and finishing with dessert in front of the fireplace. Or they can just as easily have...

Building Blocks.(house features large windows)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... The bold statement made by combining sharply peaked gables with smoothly curved windows will appeal to traditional and contemporary buyers. No one could resist the way natural light will flood into this footprint especially in the master suite...

Steps Aside.(house features side stairs)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2000... Teens will love the side staircase that offers clandestine access to the second floor so they can theoretically come and go as they please. Having the master suite at the end of the hallway also gives everyone solitude. Plus, all of the...

Good Point.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... The five front-facing gables with eve returns distinctly make the designer's point on the facade of this home. The point is well taken inside with vaulted, cathedral, and tray ceilings in almost every room. For flexibility, the front study can...

The Art of Understatement.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... This understated facade with its long, gently sloped and gabled roofline conceals an interior layout that is much larger than it looks. The living room, dining room, and kitchen form the central core of the home and provide open, inviting space...

Safe Keeping.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... With a vaulted dining room that moves directly into the vaulted family room, it's a safe bet that there will be ample opportunity to host an abundance of visitors. The rear covered porch is tucked nicely away in the corner providing outdoor...

Reston, Va.
January 1, 2000... ANTECEDENT OF OUR NATION'S FOUNDERS. DESCENDANT of Ebenezer Howard's Garden Cities. Child of the '60s. Robert E. Simon Jr.'s pure vision. Last gasp of the International School--cold and lasting concrete, heavy on brick shoulders. First of the...

Passing 50.(baby boom generation)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Right now a baby boomer reaches 50 years of age every eight seconds, but the pace is accelerating, says American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) spokesperson Thomas H. Otwell. Next year a boomer will pass 50 every 6.8 seconds. By 2005,...

Saturated or Insatiable?
January 1, 2000... You can build it, and they will come IT IT'S BUILT IN BROWN-SHADED STATES, that is, But for the states shaded in beige, better to wait for housing demand to pick up before developing the field for dream homes. The map above shows the...

Home For The Hollandaise.
January 1, 2000... Multiple rooflines, quoined corners, and a fanlight French entry door add zest to this Country French plan. The grand foyer opens immediately into the great room that has its own French doors leading onto an immense deck. Columns define the...

Clean Home, Alabama.(Qualified Credentialed Inspection Professional Certification program)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Builders and government officials collaborate to save money and the environment. Nobody was happy the way it was. Alabama home builders were required to pay a third-party consultant $100 to $400 per subdivision of five acres or more each...

Second Time Around.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... For all Avian at Grayhawk's early problems foe Contadino is betting that this time will be a charm for the innovative community. TO PHOENICIANS, TIRED OF BUILDING the same old, same old, Avian at Grayhawk was an inspiration. Its distinctive...

Brand on the Run.
January 1, 2000... To brand or not to brand? That is the new marketing question. Yes, smart builders can and are branding their companies -- with super sales results. THE BUSINESS WORLD IS ABUZZ ABOUT branding. It seems to be the marketing objective for the...

Active Adult Arrangements.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Q: I'd like to build an active adult community. Can you give me some design advice on floor plans, elevation styles, and site plans? A: THAT'S A BROAD QUESTION BECAUSE ACTIVE ADULT COMMUnities come in all shapes and sizes. Single-family...

2000 ECONOMIC FORECAST.(housing starts)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... 2000 ECONOMIC FORECAST FORECAST CHANGE IN TOTAL HOUSING REAL GDP STARTS [*] Evans, Carroll & Assoc. 4.2% 1.55 Blear Stearns & Co. ...

What Goes Up.(housing starts to potentially increase in 2000)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Not bad, just less good, is the word from forecasters. THE FINAL YEAR OF THE '90S brought a welcome surprise, economically speaking. A year ago, the top 50 forecasters (see chart, top) were calling for 1.49 million starts, on average, in...

Turning to Green.(environmentally friendly paints)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Eco-conscious consumers and tighter emissions restrictions are spurring demand for water-based paints, which are easier on the nose and save time on the job. ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND ADVANCES in water-based paint technology mean that...

Easier Does It.(caulks and adhesives are easier to apply)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Applying caulks and adhesives is becoming less of a hassle. BEYOND BEEFING UP CAULKS AND adhesives for extra moisture resistance and strength, manufacturers are now trying to make the application process a little easier: Their latest...

Fancy Free.(free software packages as marketing technique)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Some manufacturers hope their free software -- which comes in many versions and varieties to choose from--steers your business in their direction. CHOOSING A NEW SOFTWARE PACKAGE can be a nightmare for anyone trying to streamline business...

Global Housing Needs.("Making Affordable Housing a Reality" conference)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... In Central and Eastern Europe, economic strength is growing, and there is real demand for quality affordable housing. In an effort to introduce U.S. home building methods and products to this dynamic region, the NAHB will hold its first...

Cuomo Praises Housing Industry.(Andrew Cuomo)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... We do [housing] better than anyone on the globe," exclaimed passionately HUD secretary Andrew Cuomo at last November's NAHB-sponsored 50th anniversary how to reduce costs and increase the purchasing power of prospective homeowners. Cost: $23.60...

A Fond Farewell.(from former president of the National Association of Home Builders, Charlie Ruma)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Charlie Ruma reflects on the industry's accomplishments during his tenure as NAHB president. WITH THE CONFETTI STILL settling from the worldwide millennium celebration, now is the perfect time to assess the events of the past year and set...

January Showcase Project.(Greater Grand Rapids Home Builders Association Through Hope builds shelters for abused and neglected children in Kent County, Michigan)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2000... Greater Grand Rapids HBA builds shelters for abused children. ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN IN KENT County Mich., now have refuge and shelter thanks to contributions from the Greater Grand Rapids Home Builders Association through Hope a...