Do You Want to Avoid Suprises During Home Renovations?

Getting to that extraordinary place has often required homeowners to endure an endless number of challenges. We all have heard of have lived through horror stories during a home renovation.

* Difficulties obtaining permits
* The contractor disappears in the middle of tearing out everything.
* Neighbors complain about dust and noise coming from your home
* Cost over-runs
* Construction Delays

All of these issues (and many more) stack upon each other until you feel that there is no painless way out.

This journal is designed to help you navigate through the design and construction process by using a simple seven step method. I believe that there is immense value in each of the seven sections in this journal.

Download a free copy of this journal by clicking on the book cover icon on the right side of this blog page.

You and your family will be glad that you did.
If you like this article and would like to keep informed about other important news of the day, please subscribe to this blog by clicking on the buttons along the right column.

Click on the "ReTweet" button below and follow me on twitter. I am LaneArch there.

How to Fill Vacant Commercial Properties

There is no place you should rather be than in Liberty, NY on November 1st and 2nd this year.

Liberty, NY is the town that was had to lend a helping hand to the wayward hippies that found themselves cold, hungry, and in need of first aid during the famous Woodstock concert.

Liberty, NY is now the destination of many movers and shakers who want to learn from experts how to revive their dying downtowns and create massive profits within their central business districts.

Come join other forward thinkers, NY and NJ state officials, town planners, merchants of downtown shops, architects, and leaders of a lot of townships throughout the east coast to become a leader of progress for your community.

For the third year in a row, I have been invited to speak at the Main Street Forum that is Monday, November 2nd, 2009. My topic will be for advanced thinkers at the Catskill Artists Gallery at 11:00 AM EST.

The title of my talk is, "How to Make Your Workplace Work for You."

As retailers close stores and corporations downsize, what are some new and productive uses for this excess space? We’ll look at new concepts, new uses, and old but half-forgotten solutions that can turn vacant properties into cash-flowing asset during our information packed 40 minute disussion.

You will also learn some key green design solutions that others are doing that immediately puts money back in their pockets for ZERO personal investments, and see successful case studies that will make you want to go make it happen at your own hometown.

Be sure to sign up for this event NOW! Just click on the black and white Main Street Forum icon at the blue column of information to the right of this blog post.

Oh, by the way, we will also be talking about some key proven stategies found in the book, "The Designed Office." Get your copy by clicking on the book icon to the right of this post to get a head start. Then, we can build upon what you already read from the book.

If you like this article and would like to keep informed about other important news of the day, please subscribe to this blog by clicking on the buttons along the right column.

Click on the "ReTweet" button below and follow me on twitter. I am LaneArch there.

Adaptive Reuse

When you are holding on a commercial property and can't find a buyer for it, what are your other opitions?

One of them is to propose a different use for the building.

Check with the zoning department in the town that the building is in. There, you will find out what uses are allowed for that property. You can also find other buildings of the same zone designation and learn what uses are allowed in the city that are not listed in the zoning books.

For example, there is a building in Union, NJ that was built in the early 1980's. Its original use was a office/warehouse for office furniture and office equipment. After some research, it was found that medical related uses were attractive to the locale zoning board. So, the commercial realtor contacted our office to help them illustrate to their potential clients how a health/wellness center would look within its walls.

Here is a before and after of just one of the interior areas for the warehouse area. There will be more images that will be posted on future blogs of this property.



This is a photo of the existing warehouse area. Notice the location of the columns on both the photo and the rendering. This is how you can match to two images.



This is a proposed lap pool in the existing warehouse. The wall to the right is all glass with water flowing down it to create a translucent barrier between the adjacent muscel machine room. Descriptive words such as uplifting, empowering, motion, health, and healing are just some of the experiences that a user of this space is to enjoy. This is an example of what Experience Architecture design philosphy is all about.

Click on the "ReTweet" button below and follow me on twitter. I am LaneArch there.