Builder articles from January 2001

Builder archives from January 2001

HOLY HOUSING?(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... BUILDER overheard rumors that the Vatican is evaluating the feasibility of a new large-scale development on an undeveloped site outside of Jerusalem that the Vatican has owned for centuries. Sacred tours or new housing? Stay tuned.

ALTERNATIVE ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITIES.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Arbours Development Group of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has announced plans to build six active adult communities targeted to gay home buyers. The first, aimed at gay boomers, is a $112 million community located near Palm Springs, Calif. Over $500...

GREENS A "GO".(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... A study by the Renewable Energy Policy Project in Washington reveals a promising future for green building. The study reveals that using more energy-efficient technologies and renewable energy-generation methods brings appreciable financial...

Fallingwater, Bear Run, Pa.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... WEARING WADERS, PHOTOGRAPHER WILLIAM HEDRICH and 70-year-old Frank Lloyd Wright stood in roiling Bear Run waters. Wright sketched, then crumpled and tossed the drawings away. His favorite among Hedrich's 1938 images nearly hid Edgar J....

Subtle Craftsman Style.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Subtle Craftsman style is evident in this three-bedroom home, with its rafter-tails and pillars supporting the shed roof. Inside, formal entertaining is easy in the dining room, with a vaulted living room just across the hail for after-dinner...

Spectacular Natural Light.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Columns and keystone lintels lend a European aura to this stone-and-siding home, Arched openings and decorative columns define the formal dining room to the left of the foyer. A ribbon of windows with transoms above draws sunshine into the...

Beautiful Breakfast Room.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... The favorite gathering place of this beautiful home is certain to be its sun-filled breakfast and keeping room complemented by the full kitchen. Thoughtful placement of the kitchen provides easy service to both formal and informal eating areas....

Covered Porch Adds Charm.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... A covered porch and interesting window treatments add charisma to this cheerful ranch home. The entry opens onto a sunny great room warmed by a center fireplace framed with transom windows. Nearby, an efficient kitchen is highlighted by an...

New Small-Town Neighborhoods.
January 1, 2001... Minnesota developer achieves neo-traditional design with low maintenance James Hardie[R] siding products. As consumers grow weary of today's fast-paced lifestyle, they continue to search for ways to simplify their lives. Perhaps the aspects...

Many Views.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... A mixture of siding-and-brick on the facade, two arch-top dormers and multi-level flared eaves lend this four-bedroom home both country charm and city elegance. Homeowners will love the many views inside, including the see-through fireplace,...

NATIONWIDE HOMES.(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2001... * Ready for the Future Nationwide Homes, a modular systems manufacturer, is on a roll. Revenues have steadily increased, production capabilities expanded, awards won and most importantly of all they have happy customers. Builders rave...

Distinct Design.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... This home s distinctive design personality is complemented by a large covered porch with a wood railing. The living room is distinguished by the warmth of a bay window and French doors leading to the family room. In the well-appointed kitchen,...

Welcoming Front Porch.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... This home's covered front porch says welcome! Shuttered windows, dormers and a cupola offer a farmhouse look. A vaulted foyer introduces the formal dining room to the right and the vaulted family room with a fireplace straight ahead. The...

Country Charm.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Two dormers balanced with a double gable and arch-top windows impart poise and charm to this efficient three-bedroom home. Inside, a cathedral ceiling and windows on two walls lend a bright and fresh feel to the great room. The dining room...

Pozzi[R].(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Pozzi[R] Glad Wood Radius Patio Doors Aluminum clad wood exteriors feature an extruded frame and stretch form panel. This means the arch of our Pozzi radius patio doors, whether clear, primed or aluminum clad, is a remarkably clean, extremely...

DoorCraft[R].(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Exterior Steel doors You'll find wood or steel edge options along with 24- and 25-gauge galvanized steel faces that are ready for a variety of finishes, or ready to install with no finishing required. These rugged, rust-proof and...

Washington.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Mortgage Shopping. HUD and the Mortgage Bankers Association of American awarded a $400,000 grant to the Research Institute for Housing America (RIHA) to study how consumers shop for mortgages. RIHA is an independent research organization...

www.milgard.com.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Milgard Windows' new Web site adds new features and sections to aid consumers, builders, dealers, architects, and remodelers in their decision process. New features include a CAD drawing library with downloadable DXF and DWG files; online...

www.ccpnetwork.com.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Looking for a certified insulation contractor? This Web site, a partnership between the NAHB Research Center and Certain-Teed Corp., helps builders locate certified contractors by state. The Certified Contractor Program has established quality...

Georgia.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Habitat Legacy 2001. The Legacy Program is a collaborative effort between the building community and building products manufacturers to build six Habitat for Humanity houses for low-income Atlanta families around the time of the International...

New York.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Twisting Terms. Realtors and developers in Manhattan are rewriting the definitions of some common real estate terms like penthouse, townhouse, and luxury. They are even changing the number of stories in a building. For example, Random House's...

www.necanet.org.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) has redesigned its Web site in conjunction with the association's 100th anniversary. New features include new, user-friendly one-click navigation, a weekly poll, and a regularly updated...

www.ilumin.com.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... iLumin's Digital Handshake Server is a fully automated technology solution that enables businesses to securely and privately complete real-time, legally binding, online transactions. There are three components to the server: the Online Signing...

Beyond the Bulb.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Solid-state surfaces could offer alternative to conventional lighting. IF A GROUP OF ARCHITECTS AND LIGHTING engineers is successful, solid-state walls and ceilings may become an alternative to standard light fixtures. "Successful lighting...

www.planetHVAC.com.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... PlanetHVAC.com has released a new version of its Web site, a B2B portal for the HVAC/R industry. The new features include the PlanetHVAC Surplus Exchange, a forum to buy and sell inventory; a lob opportunities board; regular editorial features...

Techno Wish List.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... How do you sell networks to home buyers? "You don't," says Richard Holtz, president of Infinisys, an Ormond Beach, Fla., electronic architecture firm. "People don't want networks. They want home theater, they want music in the bedroom, they...

Quick Cooler.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2001... General Electric has added a host of new technologies to its refrigerator line. All models will include better lighting and storage and more--even air distribution. GE's high-end Arctica now removes ethylene gas (a by-product of decomposition)...

Heating Zone.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Honeywell's new B2B Web site, launched on October 12 (http://customer. Honeywell.com), may prove of more interest to the heating guy, but there are times a builder wants information on anything from thermostats to zone dampers. Not only does...

Shake and Break.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... A unique research project tests the limits of standard framing. A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND RESEARCH project under way in California holds the promise of better building codes for seismic zones. A consortium of universities outfitted a wood-framed...

Providing high-speed Internet access to a new home isn't an option anymore.
January 1, 2001... DTE is excited to announce our new consumer brand name, LightSource Telecom LLC. New home buyers will soon associate the name LightSource with the most advanced telecommunications services available to the residential market. New Realities...

BUILDING BLIND.
January 1, 2001... Q: What happens when nomadic homeowners employ by-the-book builders who rely on products designed by myopic manufacturers? A: Things fall apart. IN OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES' poem, "The Deacon's Masterpiece," a clever craftsman builds a...

WIRED TO BUILD.
January 1, 2001... STUDY SHOWS BUILDERS ARE MUCH MORE INTERNET SAVVY THAN PREVIOUSLY BELIEVED. HE BASIC PERCEPTION BY MANY IN THE HOME BUILDING INDUSTRY IS THAT builders are a stodgy bunch, always late to adopt new technology. A recent study conducted for...

HouseLab.
January 1, 2001... E-House2000 embodies the best of sustainable technologies and the Internet. Check out this living laboratory for the future of housing: It will change the way you look at building homes. LOOKING BACK, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT HAD IT figured out....

Internet: The New Utility.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... A Web pad in every kitchen? SOME OUTSTANDING PRESENTATIONS WERE made at Parks Associates' Forum2000, held late last year in San Francisco by the Dallas-based home technology research firm. But the real action at the event, themed...

Child's Play.
January 1, 2001... DON'T NEGLECT THE IMPORTANCE OF MERCHANDISING CHILDREN'S ROOMS, BECAUSE KIDS ARE PEOPLE TOO. INTERIOR MERCHANDISERS AGREE THAT DEsigning kids' rooms can be great fun, but they also know that these strong memory points are an integral part...

PrimeCel[TM] Works at Home.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Vision. Function. Technology. All these combine to make Live/Work 2001 an innovative concept that's right for the time. With home-based businesses proliferating, the Live/Work design project meets the challenge of combining both work and living...

WOOD FLOORS.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... On the first-floor office space of the Liveabove unit, the designers wanted a new product with an old look. They settled on this antiqued wide-plank engineered wood flooring, called Rockwell Plank. The glue-down planks, part of the "Best...

WALLBOARD.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... This building products company, part of a Texas-based holding company, supplied a wide range of gypsum drywall products for all three Live/Work units. Wallboard used included 5/8-inch thick, fire-rated sheets and both 8-foot and 12-foot long...

UTILITIES--GAS.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... The utilities for this project are provided by the American Gas Association and power appliances like the KitchenAid stainless steel cooktop. It features four sealed gas burners that range from 6,000 to 14,000 BTUs, and infinite-position...

WALLPLATES AND CONTROLS.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Many of the manufacturer's advanced wallplates, controllers, and switches can be found in all three Live/Work units. Leviton's extensive product lines integrate seamlessly with the company's network wiring and can be quickly and easily upgraded...

WINDOWS.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... These extruded cellular-PVC "PrimeCel" windows boast an R-value of 2.1, almost twice that of pine (1.3), says the manufacturer. The units come in double-hung, casement, and transom styles with frames featuring sealed corners and three screws...

TILE BACKSPLASH.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... The eye-catching hammered-copper finish on this AV53 Umbrian Castle tile (shown behind the Whirlpool electric cooktop in the kitchen) is just one of a large variety of specialty finishes and textures from this manufacturer that are featured...

WATER CLOSET.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... This concealed tank toilet saves space and looks cool in the process. The Tessera model is adjustable from a 15-inch to 9-inch rim height. The tank can be accessed through a wall-mounted flush actuator and access panel.

SUPER CONTROLLER.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... With a suite of integrated products, this manufacturer provides for climate control, indoor air cleaning, and even Web surfing in the Live/Work units. The wireless WebPAD Internet Appliance (shown) offers a fast, portable Internet connection...

STOVE.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... A 30-inch black on black slide-in gas range blends in with the Loft's edgy decor. The self-cleaning range features an AccuBake Advanced Temperature Management System, porcelain spill guard cooktop, and is available in black, white, and biscuit....

PLUMBING--COPPER.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... With more than a century of field-tested durability, copper plumbing can rightly claim to be one of the best-tested, most reliable building materials available. It resists corrosion, retains its integrity and strength, and is a familiar friend...

PROTECTIVE COVERINGS.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Various durable, nonadhesive protective products kept the homes' finished surfaces free of scratches, stains, and foot-traffic damage during construction. These included carpet covers, wood flooring runners, masking systems, and a complete line...

ROOFING.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... The standing seam steel roofing is a throwback to the affordable, long lasting roofing of the industrial South. A local fabricator, Fabral, cut and formed the gray panels on site. U.S. Steel provided the sheeting, which includes a thick,...

SECURITY SYSTEM.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... The system provides monitoring services 24 hours a day. Pictured is the digital command center for a multi-zone system incorporating perimeter protection and interior motion detection. This unit can be enhanced to include e-mail and Internet...

DOORS--PATIO.(Smooth-Star fiberglass exterior doors - information on product)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2001... The Live/Work project features more than 25 Smooth-Star fiberglass exterior doors, most measuring 8 feet high and 3 feet wide. Durable, compression molded fiberglass with a smooth, paint-grade surface make the doors an ideal spec in heavy...

EBUILD.(web site offers virtual tours of construction sites)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Ebuild worked with BUILDER, DPZ, and Beazer Homes to create a virtual tour of the Live/Work project. Visitors to the Web site can learn about the concept behind the project, meet the team, zoom in on location using satellite imagery, take iPIX...

ELECTRICAL PANELS.(for Live/Work homes - information on product)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... The heavy-duty electrical load panels in the Live/Work homes, located near the rear of the units, feature their manufacturer's fast-response (1/60th of a second), single-pole circuit breakers. The panels can also be fitted with reliable surge...

FAUCETS.(Asceri faucets - information on product)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2001... Asceri faucets, done in Lifeshine Nickel with matte black accents, provide a Sleek and sophisticated complement to the white American Standard Ceramica Decorativa lavatory.

FIREPLACES.(gas fireplace - information on product)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Surrounded by gleaming copper tile, this gas fireplace is the off-center centerpiece of the Liveabove great room. The direct-vent model shown features a modulating flame control, easily removable glass, a removable burner, and a fire that looks...

FRAMING LUMBER.(for Live/Works homes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... The Live/Work units employ traditional stick frames plus a few "extras," such as truss floors. This Southeast supplier provided more than half the dimensional 2x4 and 2x6 lumber used in the project, along with the truss systems.

DOORS--INTERIOR.("Safe-N-Sound" doors - information on product)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2001... These traditional-looking, fiberboard-faced raised-panel doors come primed, ready for stain or paint. The company's latest line of solid-core "Safe-N-Sound" doors is well suited to urban infill homes, where sound transmission is a major...

THE LIVEABOVE.
January 1, 2001... With a large downstairs "retail box," three floors, and three bedrooms this unit squeezes big functionality into a modest floor area. SEPARATE LIVES. THAT'S A DISTINCtion made vividly clear using color, texture, and form in the Liveabove...

THE LIFESPAN.
January 1, 2001... Designed for the urban sophisticate, this unit provides a convenient, comfortable home that changes to meet its owner varying needs over time. THE LIFESPAN, OR "LIVE-BEHIND" unit, is just that, a two-story commercial space in the front and...

THE LOFT.
January 1, 2001... A wide-open plan and unique finishes make for cool, 21st-century living and working spaces. AFTER A QUICK MIDDAY COFFEE break, a young Web site designer swings open the door to his in-town loft, hangs his mountain bike on the wall, and...

A Real Jewel.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... As interest in housing all those graying boomers grows, NCOSH, the NAHB's National Council on Seniors' Housing, is expanding too. And it's looking for sponsors as jewels to glitter in its crown-- specifically at the levels of Diamond, Emerald,...

Housing Eastern Europe.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... The NAHB has published "Making Affordable Housing a Reality" and the "Centraland Eastern European (CEE) Housing Market Report." Both reports resulted from the association's first international conference, held in Budapest, Hungary, April...

Pivotal Progress.
January 1, 2001... The millennium agenda must include housing. THE NAHB REALIZED SIGNIFICANT progress during this past year as the housing industry crossed the threshold toward a new century. Most important, the association worked diligently to ensure...

The Stock Market and Housing.(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2001... Despite lackluster stocks, housing should appreciate. MASSIVE INCREASES IN STOCK prices during the second half of the 1990S fueled home buying activity in the United States as wealth creation in equities stimulated demand for both primary...

Life After Retirement.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... In October, several industry pros and analysts spoke at the second annual Seniors Housing Show 2000 held in Detroit. Americans retiring today will likely have another 30 to 40 years and are asking, "What am I going to do for the second half of...

Parade Celebration.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... "The Family Tree" float kicks off 2001 Care campaign. THE TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE on January 1ST showcased the Home Builders Care float, "The Family Tree." The float kicked off the NAHB's 2001 Home Builders Care campaign, a celebration...

Potomac Powerhouse.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... California builder John Laing Homes is scoring big on both sides of the Potomac River with its Arts and Crafts--inspired designs. NOT FAR FROM OUR NATION'S CAPITAL, JOHN LAING Homes (JLH) is hyped up from sales success. In Northern Virginia...

Design of the Times.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Michigan's picky young buyers hold out for what they want--and get it. DELCOR HOMES' PRESIDENT PHIL MCCAFFERTY knows that choosy Gen-Xers want all or nothing. The builder's newest product line is born out of the 25- to 35-year-olds' desire...

Work of Art.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Inspired by the Spanish artist of the same name, Brookfield's Miro community painted a first-phase sellout. YOUNG FAMILIES AND SINGLES IN SAN DIEGO ARE FINDING THEMSELVES in a real estate market that may soon resemble the expensive Bay...

FULL CIRCLE.
January 1, 2001... AS BUILDER'S Live/Work 2001 project opens in Atlanta, the lesson is clear Fine architecture and progressive planning can transform urban neighborhoods once left for dead. ASK AN ATLANTA CABBIE TO DROP YOU AT THE 200 BLOCK of Peters Street,...

Comic Appeal.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Spectrum Skanska builds up excitement for Valimar with a retro-cartoon campaign. YOU MAY NOT HAVE WANTED TO LIVE NEXT TO DENNIS THE Menace, but his neighborhood sure looked inviting. White picket fences. Friendly neighbors. Front porch...

Modular Mansion.
January 1, 2001... With a smart design and a bit of PR, owners of a modular house find acceptance in an upscale neighborhood. "WE MOVED INTO A hornet's nest of Yuppies." That's how George Bravante describes the resistance he and wife Nancy encountered when...

Back at the Ranch.
January 1, 2001... Turnaround whiz Roger Werbel brands success at Sierra Colony Ranch. WHEN RAY WATT STARTED THE 61-lot Sierra Colony Ranch in 1992, California's economy was on the cusp of a downturn that would wipe out the state's housing market like the...

Far-Out Destinations.
January 1, 2001... Builders putting up houses in exurbs must create 'destinations" or risk certain failure. BUILDERS ARE STARTING TO REALIZE that the old expansionist saying "Build it and they will come" applies to fantasy baseball flicks, not to marketing...

Housing Growth Continues to Level.(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2001... Despite a downturn, the housing decline will not reach recession levels. AN UNCERTAIN PRESIDENTIAL MANdate, volatile oil prices, and devalued tech stocks -- combined with the usual suspects of inflation, low GDP expectations, and...

Fashion Forward.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... A stylish campaign brings in scores of sales for Lennar. LENNAR COMMUNITIES' COTO DE CAZA COMMUNITY IN the California city of the same name needed some cachet for its marketing--cachet with a hard fashion edge, that is. The builder's...

Easy Being Green.
January 1, 2001... Many building products made from recycled and renewable materials are good for the environment while offering features that make them a worthy sell. As NATURAL RESOURCES RAPIDLY DIS-appear across our country and around the world, the need...

Design aCADemy.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... CAD software gives home buyers a sneak peek at their new home. BEFORE THE PAPERS ARE SIGNED OR the foundation is poured, builders can give clients a realistic glimpse of what their new home will look like using CAD. CAD (computer aided...

Road to Ruin?(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2001... A new study warns of increasing household transportation costs. NEW SATELLITE SUBURBS IN METRO AREAS like Chicago and Houston Sometimes Seem to come from nowhere--they just blink into existence like passing space debris caught in the...

Tort Reform Called For.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Wall Street says total asbestos liability for all companies could be as high as $50 billion divided among I20 defendants. IN THE WAKE OF THE RECENT BANKruptcies of several major construction suppliers, Wall Street investment banker Credit...

Vintage Selling.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Taylor Woodrow's "stealth campaign" builds name recognition for new luxury community. FORGET TYPICAL TACTICS. CANCEL THAT GRAND opening. Start earlier than previews. These were the ground rules for sparking interest in Taylor Woodrow's new...

On Parade.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... Builders must brand. Bloomfield Hills, Mich.--based Pulte Homes realized that after reviewing the results of a recently commissioned survey. After learning that only 40 percent of 855 survey respondents could identify any home builder and 60...

Behind the Walls.
January 1, 2001... Selling structural features boosts the value of your housing projects. A few years ago, Mercedes Homes in Melbourne, Fla., initiated its Homebuyers Construction Class, a two- to three-hour monthly seminar that introduces and educates...

Minority Loans.
January 1, 2001... HUD questions whether Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are doing enough to facilitate minority lending. MORTGAGES MADE TO MINORITIES increased substantially in 1999, even though the number of overall mortgage loans dropped by 7.1 percent. Loans...

Merger Mania Continues.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2001... In the latest round of consolidations sweeping the home building industry, Engle Homes of Boca Raton, Fla., and The Selective Group of Farmington Hills, Mich., are being purchased by larger builders. Technical Olympic, based in Athens,...