Blog

I watched Chicago’s Cool Globes exhibit rise slowly over the past few months — from its installation to being surrounded by gawking tourists — because I run almost daily along the lakefront area where they’re on display. And, for weeks, I was confused. I didn’t see any signs; I didn’t see any articles about it; all I saw? Giant globes (whose bases I tripped over on a regular basis.) Summer outdoor displays are a rich tradition in Chicago. Since the 1999 cow show, in which more than 300 life-sized decorated cow statues were placed downtown, we’ve had other giant art…

Although some reports have suggested condos are faring better than most residential projects in the housing slump, a recent Washington Post article says nearly 20,000 condo units in the past 12 months have been removed from the construction schedule in the DC area alone — disheartening news. Also discouraging: Developers have abandoned plans for 22 local condo projects, the Post reported. That’s not exclusive to Washington.     * Charleston, S.C. has seen a number of housing projects stall. Housing 2000 Inc. put its 314-unit Daniel Island project on hold, partly due to market forces, president Fred Morgan told the…

I was reading an article in the Community Times today about a new shopping center in Maryland that will be built with green design when something caught my eye. The actual project details weren’t anything too out of the ordinary for green building — the structure will include use of natural light, a high efficiency HVAC system and possibly a green roof. What stuck out to me was one sentence — "Eldersburg will get the first green shopping center in the mid-Atlantic region with the addition of Main Street Eldersburg, a 90,000-square-foot shopping center on 12.5 acres on Londontown Boulevard…

The Commerce Department released its report on housing starts and building permits in July today, and it isn’t good news. The report said that construction starts hit their lowest point in a decade in July, and that the year-and-a-half housing recession is nowhere near over. Construction is down 21 percent from July 2006; housing starts dropped even more than expected from June to July. But that’s not all. Things to note from the report, courtesy of Bloomberg: Construction of single-family homes fell 7.3 percent in July. Multifamily home starts decreased 1.6 percent. Regionally, construction starts fell 11 percent in South,…

Yesterday’s ruminations on condohotels inspired a new question: How are condo sales in general doing? Interestingly enough, research on some major cities and areas showed that condo sales are indeed down — but in many locations, condo prices are actually stable, or rising. For example: Condo sales for the second quarter in Illinois were down 13.9 percent; however, median condo prices for the state were up 5 percent, to $223,000. Florida existing condo sales declined 25 percent in the second quarter of 2007, although the price of condos remained fairly stable at $208,400, according to the Florida Association of Realtors….

A recent article about Tampa’s strong hotel market and declining condo starts brings a question to mind: What ever happened to the condohotel? When residential real estate was on the upswing, high-end hotels were paired with condos in several projects, within the past several years when condohotels were a hot new real estate trend. The condohotel concept involves selling a percentage of renovated or new hotel suites as residential units, offering amenities like hotel service and the ability to make money off your unit when not residing in it. The industry embraced the trend — several high-profile projects, including the…

Today’s MHN Industry News postings included a story about a Chicago couple who recently renovated their house to include sustainable features — and a little flair. Frank and Lisa Mauceri will be running Frank’s Smog Veil indie record label, which moved to Chicago about two years ago from Reno, out of their home in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. As with many Chicago two- and three-flats that are now living spaces, the Mauceri’s building itself was a form of recycling; it had, in the 1880s, once been a tavern. Renovation plans included more material reuse,  grinding up old vinyl records with…

Wednesday’s blog discussed construction site waste management issues — and on the heels of that post comes news of an exemplary program in Canada that unites builders and local government to encourage responsible debris removal. The need for reducing construction waste is not a new topic — but it’s one cities have faced repeatedly as construction boomed in recent years. Recycling can help. But how does a city encourage the private building sector to put forth the added time and effort to categorize and drop off materials in the midst of construction? Several Canadian towns have a clever, yet simple…

Savannah, Ga.’s United Community Bank recently announced a special financing program for green building projects. It’s not the first bank to offer green incentives, but the bank’s program itself — and really, all programs like it — is a nod to sustainable building. Here’s the deal: Property owners, qualified builders and general contractors can receive a 25 basis point reduction in construction financing for any commercial or residential project that achieves sustainable LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council or EarthCraft certification from Southface Energy Institute. “In the spirit of stewardship and sustainability,…

Using sustainable materials during construction is a hot concept these days. From recycling wood, glass and other items to purchasing eco-safe alternatives to the usual supplies, builders are touting the long-term savings and positive environmental effects homeowners can receive from going green. And yet, there is less discussion about the waste created by construction — green or otherwise — and the challenges disposing of said waste can pose. Just ask Houston (the city, not Whitney.) Facing a proposed landfill increase and the recent demolition of several historical houses, Houston has realized making room for progress can also mean making a…