Finance and Commerce Daily Newspaper, MN articles from November 2005

Finance and Commerce Daily Newspaper, MN archives from November 2005

Earl "Doc" Smith overcomes the odds with his MN-based EDS consulting business.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Brian Johnson Earl "Doc" Smith knows what it's like to swim against the current. Smith is the owner of EDS Consultants and Construction Managers, a Lakeland-based small business that provides consulting, construction management,...

Hugo resident hopes to save water tower from demolition.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Brian Johnson Katie Riopel understands that the old water tower in downtown Hugo doesn't have much to offer from a practical standpoint. It no longer holds water, and it could use a new coat of paint. Truth be told, it isn't much...

Two Minnesota building projects delayed because of higher costs.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Brian Johnson At least two east metro public building projects are on hold because of rising construction costs. In mid-October, St. Paul school district officials said that a Nov. 8 groundbreaking for a new alternative school...

Construction industry must adapt to new technology.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Paul Snyder (This article originally ran in The Daily Reporter, Milwaukee, WI, another Dolan Media publication.) Builders who want to survive must "innovate or evaporate," said Ric Jackson, executive director of FIAtech of...

Developers plan 670-acre housing project near Boise.
November 1, 2005... Byline: Brad Carlson (This article originally ran in Idaho Business Review, Boise, ID, another Dolan Media publication.) Plans have been announced for a 670-acre development near Garden Valley, about 40 miles north of Boise. The...

Panel of Minnesota businessmen to discuss design/build process.
November 1, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Client perspectives on the design/build process will be examined in a joint meeting of the Society for Marketing Professional Services and the upper Midwest chapter of the Design/Building Institute of America on Friday....

Howard R. Green hires project manager in St. Paul.
November 1, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Jim Brault has been named project manager at the St. Paul office of Howard R. Green Co., based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Brault will work with the municipal group, specializing in helping clients determine their...

Sales and marketing exec hired at Cemstone Products Co. of Mendota Heights.
November 1, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Eric Soe has been named vice president of sales and marketing for Cemstone Products Co. of Mendota Heights. Soe will be responsible for business development, customer relationship management, product marketing and...

Associated General Contractors of America reports material prices are on the rise.
November 2, 2005... Byline: Paul Snyder (This article originally ran in The Daily Reporter, Milwaukee, WI, another Dolan Media publication.) The prices of construction materials are up, and Ken Simonson says they might not be going down anytime soon. ...

Minneapolis-based Lander Group development firm follows a green path.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Mark Anderson Green construction has been slow to arrive in Minnesota. Some find it puzzling that a state that traditionally has prided itself on being progressive and prudent hasn't been quicker to embrace construction design,...

Former employees sue Uptown developer in money dispute.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Burl Gilyard Six former employees of Minneapolis-based Financial Freedom Enterprises Inc. have sued the company in Hennepin County District Court, alleging the business refused to pay them wages and commissions. The plaintiffs...

Minneapolis officials make fifth pitch for developing north side site.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Burl Gilyard City officials are continuing their efforts to attract new commercial development to north Minneapolis. The city's latest request for proposals (RFP) seeks redevelopment plans for the property at 1101 W. Broadway...

Plymouth-based Dominium Management Services team wins Maintenance Olympics.
November 3, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff A team from Plymouth-based Dominium Management Services took first place in the Maintenance Olympics sponsored by the Minnesota Multi Housing Association. The squad, composed of Jeff Krickle, Jeff Gondreau, Jay...

Acquisitions manager hired by Naterra Land.
November 3, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Mark Sharockman has been named acquisitions manager at Minneapolis-based Naterra Land. He will manage the purchase and development of vacation home sites and recreational property offered by the company's Brainerd...

Odyssey Development hires development director.
November 3, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Greg Schendel is the new development director at Duluth-based Odyssey Development. The company specializes in developing resorts on Minnesota's North Shore, including Caribou Highlands Lodge, in Lutsen, Grand...

Old Republic CEO to lead land title group.
November 3, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Rande Yeager, president and chief executive officer of the Old Republic Title Insurance Group of Minneapolis, has been named president of the board of governors for the American Land Title Association. The...

Governor Pawlenty appoints nine to real estate recording panel.
November 3, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Gov. Tim Pawlenty has named nine people to the Electronic Real Estate Recording Task Force. They are Timothy Anderson, F. Charles Baggeroer, Regina Brown, Teresa Bulver, Shirlee Heitz, Geri Kane, Frederic "Fritz"...

As prices rise, interest in energy-efficient buildings grows.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Mark Anderson Minnesota builders, developers and investors generally have been reluctant to invest heavily in buildings that are highly energy efficient. But with energy prices expected to stay high, is that reluctance...

Metropolitan Airports Commission chair featured speaker at BOMA meeting.
November 3, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Vicki Tigwell, chair of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, will be the guest speaker at the November meeting of the Greater Minneapolis Building Owners & Managers Association. The luncheon meeting will be held...

Colliers Turley Martin Tucker hires real estate management executive.
November 3, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Dean Freeman has been named senior vice president in charge of real estate management services for the Minneapolis office of Colliers Turley Martin Tucker. Freeman previously headed real estate management services...

Gina Ciganik named VP of housing development at CCHT.
November 3, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Gina Ciganik has been named vice president of housing development at Minneapolis-based Central Community Housing Trust (CCHT). In her new job, Ciganik will lead a six-member team that is responsible for meeting...

Consultant Kate McEnroe featured at next meeting of CoreNet Global.
November 3, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Consultant Kate McEnroe will be the keynote speaker at a meeting of the Midwest chapter of the CoreNet Global real estate professional group next week. The meeting is set for Tuesday, Nov. 8, at the DoubleTree Park...

Eagan deal shows industrial rebound.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Burl Gilyard Eagan-based Citi-Cargo & Storage Co. Inc. has signed a three-year lease to occupy all 312,265 square feet in the Apollo Distribution Center in Eagan. The deal marks one of the largest industrial leases this year...

Hope Lodge planned for former hotel site near U of MN campus.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Mark Anderson Some Twin Cities cancer patients can stay in a homier environment during their treatments, thanks to a redevelopment project near the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota. The university and the Twin...

Condo conversions set for apartments in Lake Harriet area.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Bob Geiger Five apartment buildings on the east and west sides of Lake Harriet in Minneapolis are being converted to condominiums. On the east side of the lake, four apartment buildings on the 4300 block of Bryant Avenue South...

MN Real Estate Briefs: November 3, 2005.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Burl Gilyard Houston-based Hines formally announced the sale of 50 South Sixth last Thursday to the KanAm Grund, based in Frankfurt, Germany. Terms were not disclosed. But the GlobeSt.com Web site reported the price at $197...

Idaho Pacific Lumber grows, but not in Idaho - yet.
November 3, 2005... Byline: Brad Carlson (This article originally appeared in Idaho Business Review, Boise, ID, another Dolan Media publication). Idaho Pacific Lumber Co. Inc. aims to grow - possibly even in Idaho. Despite its name, Boise-based Idaho...

State of Minnesota seeks bigger piece of sales tax.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Charley Shaw (This article originally ran in the St. Paul Legal Ledger, St. Paul, MN, another Dolan Media publication.) Minnesota and other states expect to bring in more revenue by fixing their sales tax systems. The...

Minnesota waiting on a wealth of federal transportation funding.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Charley Shaw (This article originally ran in the St. Paul Legal Ledger, St. Paul, MN, another Dolan Media publication.) A state official told a House committee this week that Minnesota faired well in the new federal...

MN's Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson names chief of staff.
November 4, 2005... Byline: Charley Shaw (This article originally ran in the St. Paul Legal Ledger, St. Paul, MN, another Dolan Media publication.) John Pollard has been named chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Dean Johnson, DFL-Willmar. ...

Minneapolis firm mono designs Hitachi campaign.
November 5, 2005... Byline: Bob Geiger Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, the world's No. 2 maker of computer hard disk drives, has launched a print and online ad campaign created by Minneapolis ad agency mono. San Jose, Calif.-based Hitachi, which...

Use of green design by public sector is increasing, according to nationwide survey.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Brian Johnson When the city of Edina began planning for a new city hall a few years back, city officials wanted a building that was functional and energy efficient. They ended up with more than they bargained for. Edina's $10.4...

Charging contractors for closing highway lanes during construction gains favor with MN officials.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Brian Johnson Highway heavy contractors are paying a price for closing lanes. The Minnesota Department of Transportation, in an effort to keep lanes open and minimize disruptions to traffic, is charging contractors up to $2,000...

Contemporary minimalism among trends in architecture.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Mary Medland (This article originally ran in The Daily Record, Baltimore, MD, another Dolan Media publication.) When it comes to architecture these days, pretty much anything goes, according to a Baltimore architect. "It's...

Wisconsin awards $14.2M for housing projects.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Paul Snyder (This article originally ran in The Daily Reporter, Milwaukee, WI, another Dolan Media publication.) Gov. Jim Doyle announced last week the distribution of $14.2 million in grants for statewide housing projects. ...

Edina-based BDH & Young Space Design adds five to staff.
November 8, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Five people have joined Edina-based BDH & Young Space Design. They are Laurie Day and Angela Moore, interior designers; Patrick Harder, architectural drafter; and Annie Greulich and Stacy Dennis, resource...

New Hope-based LDI Composites buys decking and roofing product business.
November 8, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff New Hope-based LDI Composites Co. has reached an agreement to purchase the composite decking and roofing business from Kadant Composites LLC of Acton, Mass., for $11 million. LDI Composites is an affiliate of...

Waconia-based Medallion Cabinetry opening plant in northern Illinois.
November 8, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Waconia-based Medallion Cabinetry Inc., which specializes in making cabinets for the residential remodeling and new housing sectors, is opening a factory in Lanark, Ill. The 180,000-square-foot plant - a former...

Minnetonka-based Opus Northwest developing new phase of industrial park.
November 8, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Minnetonka-based Opus Northwest LLC has been named master developer for the next phase of the Cottage Grove Industrial Park in Cottage Grove. Opus will develop a variety of single-use industrial buildings,...

Oregon program encourages energy efficiency in buildings.
November 8, 2005... Byline: Alison Ryan (This article originally ran in the Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, Oregon, another Dolan Media publication.) A new program from Energy Trust of Oregon Inc. aims to keep large commercial buildings operating as...

Minnesota state architect featured at meeting of construction group.
November 8, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Minnesota state architect Heidi Myers will be the featured speaker at the next meeting of the Minnesota Construction Association. Myers will present updates and trends in state building projects. She heads the...

Portland officials have high hopes for planned residential tower.
November 9, 2005... Byline: Kennedy Smith (This article was originally published in the Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, Ore., another Dolan Media publication.) On the corner of Southwest Second Avenue and Oak Street in downtown Portland sits the...

Wisconsin counties' group applauds pothole liability law.
November 9, 2005... Byline: Paul Snyder (This article was originally published in The Daily Reporter, Milwaukee, Wis., another Dolan Media publication.) The Wisconsin Counties Association is celebrating the passage of AB-509, which addresses county...

New plan emerges to save Hollywood Theater in Minneapolis.
November 10, 2005... Byline: Burl Gilyard Minneapolis-based Master Development may be taking its act to a new stage - the long-languishing Hollywood Theater redevelopment in northeast Minneapolis. At a meeting of the Audubon Neighborhood Association on...

Study finds that density, open space have high economic value for residential properties.
November 10, 2005... Byline: Bill Clements A new study for the McKnight Foundation turns the tables on the well-established idea that bigger lot sizes in residential developments mean higher property values. The report, "The Economic Value of Open Space,"...

Minneapolis-based Geneva Organization capitalizes on rush to real estate investing.
November 10, 2005... Byline: Mark Anderson Many local companies have benefited from the headlong rush of new capital into real estate markets over the last three years, but one of the busiest has been The Geneva Organization. The Minneapolis-based firm has...

Local partnership buys Park Square Court building in downtown St. Paul.
November 10, 2005... Byline: Burl Gilyard A local partnership that includes local businessman Jim Crockarell purchased the Park Square Court building in downtown St. Paul last week from the privately held BGK Group of Sante Fe, N.M. The new ownership...

Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank and Principal Real Estate venture taps commercial mortgage market.
November 10, 2005... Byline: Mark Anderson U.S. Bank is a longtime heavyweight lender in the local construction and development industry. Now it's going to compete for a piece of the long-term commercial mortgage market, too. The Minneapolis-based...

Study gives Twin Cities retail real estate a bill of good health.
November 10, 2005... Byline: Mark Anderson The Twin Cities retail real estate market remains strong, with local vacancies standing at 6 percent, down from 6.2 percent a year ago, according to a new study from the Minnesota Shopping Center Association (MSCA)....

MN ad agency Colle + McVoy planning campaign for malls owned by MI-based Taubman.
November 10, 2005... Byline: Bob Geiger In its first foray into shopping center advertising, Bloomington ad agency Colle + McVoy plans to launch a marketing campaign in February for 10 malls owned by Bloomfield, Mich.-based Taubman Centers Inc. The...

St. Louis Park-based Sela Roofing & Remodeling enters condo conversion market.
November 10, 2005... Byline: Bob Geiger A St. Louis Park building that was converted from condominiums to apartments in the 1980s because of high mortgage rates is being converted back to condos in response to the hot condo market in the Twin Cities. The...

MN Real Estate Briefs: November 10, 2005.
November 10, 2005... Byline: Burl Gilyard Bob Pounds and Tim Prinsen of Welsh Cos. brokered the sale of the Town Centre Plaza building in Eagan. The 44,000-square-foot building changed hands for $8.5 million, which works out to a healthy $193 per square...

Groundbreaking set for Duluth hotel/condo project.
November 10, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Officials will break ground today on a hotel and condominium project in Duluth. The 11-story building at Superior Street and Third Avenue East will feature a 145-room Sheraton hotel on the first six floors and 35...

Dominium Development & Acquisition completes $7M Plymouth renovation.
November 10, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Dominium Development & Acquisition of Plymouth has completed its $7 million renovation of Willow Wood Estates. The 40-unit Section 8 townhouse community in Plymouth received new roofs, patios, siding, appliances and...

St. Paul-based Ecolab opens R&D facility.
November 10, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff St. Paul-based Ecolab has opened a 200,000-square-foot research and development center at the firm's Allan L. Schuman Campus in Eagan. At a grand opening event on Monday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty credited Ecolab...

Minneapolis-based Geneva Organization hires CFO.
November 10, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Adam Mikkelson has been named chief financial officer of the Minneapolis-based Geneva Organization. Mikkelson previously was senior manager at the Virchow, Krause & Co. LLP accounting and consulting firm,...

CSM Lodging hotel in Minneapolis recognized by Marriott chain.
November 10, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff The Marriott hotel chain has presented its 2005 conversion of the year award to CSM Lodging of Minneapolis. CSM won the award for its renovation of the Marriott Minneapolis West hotel in St. Louis Park. The...

Minneapolis-based Griffin Cos. associate completes sale, lease deals.
November 10, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Griffin Cos. sales and leasing associate Ron Moss recently completed two deals. He represented Sorenson Properties in the purchase of an 8,010-square-foot retail center at 11700 Jefferson St. N.E. in Blaine. ...

Minnesota real estate group honors property manager.
November 10, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Anne Kreiser has been named 2005 Certified Property Manager of the Year by the Minnesota chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management. Krieser, a St. Paul native, began her real estate career in 1990 with the...

Minneapolis-based Project for Pride in Living wins excellence award.
November 10, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Project for Pride in Living (PPL), a Minneapolis-based nonprofit group that provides housing, jobs and training for low-income residents, has won the Nonprofit Excellence Award. PPL was recognized in the large...

MN-based United Properties buys St. Paul building for $8 million.
November 10, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff United Properties of Bloomington has completed the purchase of the 81,000-square-foot Doctors Professional Building in St. Paul. The firm is planning a major renovation of the building, located at 280 Smith Ave. on...

Film board head sees sequel for Minnesota-made movie projects.
November 11, 2005... Byline: Charley Shaw A Minneapolis producer who was tapped recently to lead the Minnesota Film and TV Board thinks the state's film-making industry is on a roll. "Right now we seem to be on an uptick, and it's very exciting," said...

MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty names leader for faith-based services initiative.
November 11, 2005... Byline: Charley Shaw A former Northwest Airlines executive has been tapped by Gov. Tim Pawlenty to run a new faith-based and community services office. Lee Buckley, the former director of labor relations at Northwest, started her job...

MN Marketing Briefs: November 12, 2005.
November 12, 2005... Byline: Bob Geiger Andersen Corp. is considering other agency options after working exclusively on its advertising with Minneapolis-based Campbell Mithun for 72 years. An industry observer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said...

Gov. Pawlenty turns up the heat on energy efficiency.
November 12, 2005... Byline: Charley Shaw It wasn't by accident that Gov. Tim Pawlenty chose the Battle Creek Environmental Magnet School in St. Paul as the site for announcing his new energy security package Thursday. The school is an example of the...

Bloomington-based Braun Intertec Corp. names Hubbes to lead expansion effort.
November 15, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Bloomington-based Braun Intertec Corp. has named geologist Ted Hubbes to help expand the company's environmental services business in north-central Minnesota, the Iron Range and Duluth. Hubbes is an environmental...

University of MN architectural students receive $4,500 Krank scholarships.
November 15, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Two graduate students in the College of Architecture and Landscape at the University of Minnesota were awarded the Ron Krank Vision Award. The honor was presented to Natasha Skogerboe and Nathan Burt, who each...

Twin Cities construction financial group plans Dec. 1 seminar.
November 15, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff The Twin Cities chapter of the Construction Financial Management Association (CFMA) will sponsor a day-long seminar at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Hilton, 3800 American Blvd. E., on Thursday, Dec. 1 A variety...

Minnesota's Hwy. 38 project takes holistic route to construction.
November 15, 2005... Byline: Brian Johnson There's been lots of talk in recent years about livable communities. But what about livable highways? Making highways more "livable" to both motorists and affected communities is the idea behind "context-sensitive...

Building industry recruits military veterans for jobs.
November 15, 2005... Byline: Brian Johnson Construction contractors are looking for a few good workers. And they're hoping to find them in the ranks of U.S. military veterans. That's the idea behind a new Web site - http://www.Veterans BuildAmerica.org -...

Oregon Health Science and University building expected to be Portland's first LEED platinum.
November 15, 2005... Byline: Alison Ryan (This article originally ran in the Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, OR, another Dolan Media publication.) Oregon Health Science and University's Center for Health and Healing is expected to be the first LEED...

Portland project taking mixed-use concept to the max.
November 15, 2005... Byline: Kennedy Smith (This article originally ran in the Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, OR, another Dolan Media publication.) You could say that Portland's newest planned development is the ultimate in mixed-use. With five...

Three architects promoted at Minneapolis-based Bentz/Thompson/Rietow.
November 15, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff The Bentz/Thompson/Rietow architectural, urban and interior design firm of Minneapolis has promoted three staff architects to associates. They are Michael Segal, Jonathan Strand and Sara Philips. Segal, who has...

Glassmaking firm Harmon Inc. in Minneapolis promotes Lohmann.
November 15, 2005... Byline: F & C Staff Heidi Lohmann has been promoted to small contract coordinator at Minneapolis-based Harmon Inc., with responsibility for the commercial glazing needs of general contractors, architects, property managers and building...

Maryland-based Host Marriott Corp. to expand into Europe.
November 16, 2005... Byline: Kara Kridler (This article was originally published in The Daily Record, Baltimore, Md., another Dolan Media publication). A blockbuster deal Monday by Host Marriott Corp. will expand the hotel owner into Europe, but under a...

MN Marketing Briefs: November 16, 2005.
November 16, 2005... Byline: Bob Geiger Andersen Corp., the 102-year-old Bayport-based window and door manufacturer, has hired Minneapolis agency Gabriel deGrood Bendt to create its 2006 corporate branding advertising after 72 consecutive years with...

Heavy damage slows recovery of Gulf energy production.
November 16, 2005... Byline: Richard Slawsky (This article was originally published in New Orleans CityBusiness, New Orlean, LA., another Dolan Media publication). When Hurricane Ivan roared through the Gulf of Mexico in mid-September 2004, oil and gas...

Return of Davis-Bacon Act to Louisiana gets mixed reactions.
November 16, 2005... Byline: Deon Roberts BY DEON ROBERTS Dolan Media Newswires NEW ORLEANS - Nov. 8 brought jubilation and frustration to the Louisiana commercial construction industry. It's the day the wage and paperwork requirements of the...

Commentary: Women in the workplace: We've come a long way, baby?
November 16, 2005... Byline: Sharon Pinder This year marks the 157th anniversary of the women's rights movement, launched at the world's first women's rights convention in Seneca Falls, N.Y. Because of the millions of women who planned, organized,...

Light-rail development in Minneapolis gets key test at Hiawatha-Lake transit site.
November 17, 2005... Byline: Bill Clements City planners' visions of Minneapolis as an outpost of "transit-oriented urbanism" became clearer on Halloween night when the planning commission approved a major redevelopment of the Hi-Lake Shopping Center. The...

Minneapolis-based Swervo Development buys four buildings in Warehouse District.
November 17, 2005... Byline: Bob Geiger Minneapolis-based Swervo Development has bought four adjacent buildings in the Minneapolis Warehouse District, including the seven-story, 243,648-square-foot Wyman Building at 400 First Ave. N. Other buildings that...

Twin Cities Community Capital Fund delivers gap financing for small businesses.
November 17, 2005... Byline: Mark Anderson Twin Cities small-business owners will have a new financial ally this fall when they march into their bankers' offices and declare that it's time to grow. That ally is the Twin Cities Community Capital Fund...

Mall of America officials mum about next phase.
November 17, 2005... Byline: Burl Gilyard Although many ideas have been floated for Phase II at the Mall of America, the details of the plan probably won't be clear until next spring. For the moment, mall officials aren't saying much about the plans. ...

Commentary: Now it's Best Buy's turn to save downtown Minneapolis.
November 17, 2005... Byline: Burl Gilyard The Business Journal ran a story the other week about electronics retailer Best Buy scouting downtown Minneapolis for a new store. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak was enthused about the possibilities for bringing the big...