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March 2010 – KJG Building Bulletin – Focus on Glen Acres site revitalization

March 22nd, 2010 artisanchris No comments

KJG Architecture

March 2010
Published by KJG Architecture Inc.            Volume 2 No. 2

Highlights
& Hot Spots
A roundup of local construction activity, real estate information and projects designed by various firms, including KJG Architecture:
New Commercial Construction
Healthcare: Lafayette Orthopedic Clinic, Women’s Healthcare at Raintree Medical Park
Purdue Research Park: Dow Agro-Sciences greenhouse and office remodel
Purdue University: High Performance Buildings Center at Herrick Labs
Subdivisions
Lot approvals in 2009: 128
Residential Building
Single family permits, January 2010: 27
Residential Sales
January 2010: 68 units, $7.4 million, average sales price of $108,743
February 2010: 91 units, $12 million, average sales price of $132,842
On the Market
Warehouse: 3701 David Howarth Dr.
Historic: 635 Ferry St.
Office: 20 N. Ninth St., 840 Sagamore Parkway North.
Glen Acres Neighborhood
Revitalization Underway

Chatham Square

Demolition crews clear the site for Chatham Square,
one of the exciting projects happening in Lafayette’s
Glen Acres Neighborhood.

Glen Acres Neighborhood residents are seeing dramatic improvements take place as a nearly $20 million,
multi-faceted improvement project moves along.

Bridgeway Gone, Homes Acquired
Milestones already marked in the Glen Acres Neighborhood:
  • Demolition of 27 buildings formerly known as Bridgeway Apartments
  • Purchase of the first four of 14 neighborhood homes by the city of Lafayette, which will remodel or rebuild them, then re-sell.
Infrastructure, Remodeling Work Begins
Coming by early summer:
  • Infrastructure construction to begin for the new Chatham Square residential development on Bridgeway’s 19-acre site.
  • Remodeling/rebuilding of existing single-family neighborhood homes already purchased.
  • Additional single-family home acquisitions and renewal.
“My hope is we can have everything ready to go for the contractor to start in April,” Tim Kraft, planner/project manager, Neighborhood Stabilization Program, City of Lafayette, says of the initial single-family home work. “We’re looking at 60-day completion times.”

The Chatham Square project, targeted for first-phase completion by year end 2011, will include 10 new
single-family homes and 92 rental units in what developer Brinshore Development LLC calls a new urbanist project, with generous green space and a mix of housing options. The city purchased the declining property in January 2009 to spur redevelopment.

$7.8 Million Grant
Transformation of the area bounded by Sagamore Parkway, Creasy Lane and Greenbush and Union streets is getting a $7.8 million boost from the Indiana Housing & Community Redevelopment Authority. The city’s plans also include providing rehabilitation funding assistance to improve about 30 owner-occupied homes and improvements at Munger Park.

Spotlight:  Cash In on Energy Efficiencies

Energy Star

Energy savings, tax credits and even cash rebates are helping business and home owners cash in when they replace furnaces and air conditioners.

“Now is a very good time to buy a heating and cooling system that’s more economical to operate,” says Troy Helderman, owner of Climatek Heating and Cooling in Flora, which serves a 100-mile radius.  Efficiency ratings have improved dramatically, he notes.  “Right now, if your furnace is running at 72 percent, $28 out of every $100 you spend is going out the flue stack.” New furnaces, he notes, can deliver 95 percent efficiency.

Indiana Giving Rebates
Cash rebates became available February 1 in Indiana under the Energy Star Appliance Rebate program. Rebates of $500 are available on Energy Star-rated heating and cooling systems or gas furnaces with an annual fuel utilization efficiency of 92 percent or greater. Geothermal heat pumps can net a $1,000 rebate.

The $6.1 million in Indiana incentives are funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The rebates last until the money runs out. For qualifying information, visit www.energy.in.gov. Rebate applications must be postmarked within 30 days of equipment purchase.

Other Incentives Also Available
Federal tax credits and utility company incentives may also be available. Check with your supplier, accountant or utility about eligibility before purchasing new equipment.

Take a Look:  Religious Design

Delphi United Methodist Church

Delphi United Methodist Church’s new facility will provide desperately needed space and increased visibility from the new Hoosier Heartland Corridor.

Ever since KJG Architecture’s inception in 1997, church designs and religious projects have been a steady focus.  Previous projects for KJG include Sunrise Christian Reformed Church, Grace Lutheran, Crossroads Christian Church, Saint Lawrence Parish Hall, Temple Israel, Calvary Apostolic in Noblesville, and Temple Baptist in Kokomo.  KJG is current designing new facilities for Saint Alexis Orthodox Church and Delphi United Methodist Church.

While designing a religious space that meets the needs of the entire congregation as well as budget constraints is often challenging, KJG owner Kelly John Good says, “Churches
are one of the most rewarding types of projects we work on because we are to see first hand the excitement of the congregation when they move into their new space.”

While economic concerns have caused many congregations to delay plans to build or expand, KJG anticipates many local congregations pursuing building projects in the very near future.
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KJG Architecture – Greater Lafayette Building Bulletin

January 27th, 2010 artisanchris 1 comment

Our good friends at KJG Architecture put out this great “building bulletin” every month.  I finally got around to asking the owner if I could use the letter in our blog – he warmly agreed.  If you are even casually interested in the local building community, real estate or local business I think you will find a lot of the information presented interesting and useful.
KJG Architecture
January 2010
Published by KJG Architecture, Inc.           Volume 2 No. 1
Highlights
& Hot Spots
A roundup of local construction activity, real estate information and projects designed by various firms, including KJG Architecture:
New Commercial Construction
Purdue University completed $107 million in construction in 2009, including First Street Towers, Discovery Learning Center and Niswonger Aviation Technology Academic Building.
Underway: $224.6 million in projects, among them Mackey Arena and Hockmeyer and Hanley Halls.
Hicksgas is building in Park 52
Ground was broken for the $1.3 million Purdue Crew Boathouse
New funeral home and crematorium announced for two-acre site at Schuyler and Colfax
Residential Building
Permits through December 31, 2009: 405 homes; 85 in Lafayette; 72 in West Lafayette; and 248 in Tippecanoe County.
Commercial Sales
1307 Tower Drive, fraternity, $4 million, Reef & Michael LLC to Roger and Kathleen Bauer
122 W. Wood, apartments, $2.6 million, F2M Capital to Brett Gutwein, Beograd
3215 S. 18th, retail, $700,000, to KANB LLC
220 S. Salisbury, apartments, $500,000, Greg Sutter to John and Connie Basham
3131 Concord Road, warehouse, $400,000, Jamac Corp. to Henry Ebershoff
138 S. Chauncey, apartments, $400,000, F2M Capital to Beograd
Residential Sales
All of 2009: 1,774 homes, $245.5 million
On the Market
Downtown: buildings at 124 and 216 N. Fourth St., 120 N. Second St., and 529 Main St.
Retail: 3600 S.R. 38 East
Commercial: 725 Sagamore Parkway North; Elmwood Plaza, 1904 Elmwood; 811 Earl Ave.
Industrial: 3150 Bencyn Court
Office: 3504 Morehouse Road
Warm Up with This Winterizing Checklist
Winterize Your Home
Implemeting energy- and cost-saving measures
can make winter much more comfortable.

As snow falls and winter winds roar, these winterizing tips can warm up your home or office.
Stop Drafts
Everyone knows to caulk windows. Less obvious spots to check for drafts:
– Outlets on outside walls: preformed insulation kits easily curb heat loss.
– Baseboards: seal those up.
– Mail slots: use an outdoor mailbox.
– Doors: install weather stripping.
– Pipes and vents: fill any gaps.
Interior Ideas
Inside your home, also consider:
– Furniture: Place it away from outside walls to increase air flow
and keep people further from cold spots.
– Fireplaces: Cover with a glass screen or door and close the damper when not in use.
– Insulation: Add additional to your attic and crawl space.
– Sunshine: Open window coverings to let the sun in; close at sundown. Consider skylights for more sunshine.
Some equipment tips:
– Fans: Turn off or reverse room fans to counter-clockwise to push hot air down.
– Humidifier: Get one—moist air retains heat better.
– Heating: Clean heat registers, change furnace filters and install a programmable thermostat. Make sure all heat ducts are insulated and connected; use metal-backed tape or an aerosol sealant to reconnect them.
Spring Landscaping
Take a look at your yard in the winter and note wind patterns and where snow drifts accumulate. In the spring, do some landscaping with shrubs, trees, walls and fences to lower wind speed and chill.
Plan Ahead
If you’re going to remodel, add on or build new, consider every opportunity for energy-saving tips.  Take note and evaluate all new materials and equipment coming on the market, keeping up with advancements that could make a significant energy and cost difference.  An architect can provide valuabe insight when designing a new home, addition or renovation and provide guidance on all options to help make your home more energy efficient.  When hiring an architect, it is important to verify that the designer is knowledgeable on new energy efficient technologies and can creatively incorporate these feautures into the owners’ existing home or new dream home.

Spotlight:  Snow Drifts

Snow Drift
The size and geometry of a building and the
proximity of its neighbors affect the size and
location of snow drifts on the roof.
Remember the childhood fun of playing or sledding on a huge snow drift?  With the right direction and magnitude of wind, just a few inches of snow on the ground could shape drifts several feet high, providing countless opportunities for fun.
Snow Can Damage Roofs
Few realize, though, the harm snow drifts can cause to buildings.  The Indiana Building Code stipulates how designers must account for the loads snow and drifts will place on a structure. Tippecanoe County and most of Indiana must be designed for 20-pounds-per-square-foot of ground snow load—about 14 inches of average-density snow. In northern Indiana, loads exceed 30 pounds per square foot, approximately 20 inches of snow.
The code also specifies how to calculate potential snow drift loads on roofs. That involves the height of any roof projections where snow can collect and the area of roof upwind where snow can be blown from to create drifts.
Aerodynamic Shade Important to Consider
Building owners often overlook the impact of constructing a new, higher building near a lower one. Neighboring buildings with different roof heights create aerodynamic shade, where snow from the higher roof blows onto the lower roof. This can be extremely dangerous, particularly if the lower roof was not designed to accommodate a higher neighboring building.
The Indiana Code requires that buildings within 20 feet or less of each other be investigated for aerodynamic shade effects.  Structural engineers and architects are a valuable resource when planning or designing new structures to ensure the roof is properly supported for those loads. With winter in full swing, the fun—and dangers—of snow are here. With the aid of a structural engineer or achitect, an initial assessment of your roof structure can be the first step toward assuring that your property can withstand the weight of Mother Nature.

Take a Look:  Rick Davis

Rick Davis
Rick Davis, Graduate Architect at KJG Architecture, Inc.
enjoys the company of some friendly tigers in Tibet.

The pyramids in Egypt, The Parthenon in Greece and Frank Lloyd Wright homes all around the U.S. are among many stops on Rick Davis’ travels. “That’s what our professors told us—visit the great architectural achievements,” says the Graduate Architect at KJG.
He’s been to Bali, Cambodia, Turkey and many European locales—39 countries in all—and 45 of the U.S. states. Still on his to-see list: Portugal, Beijing and the Galápagos Islands.
A Crawfordsville native who still calls the tree-filled city home, Davis earned a Bachelor’s degree in Building Construction and Contracting from Purdue University in 1976, spent several years as a carpenter, then earned his Bachelor of Architecture Degree and Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Design from Ball State University in 1999.
After graduation, Davis worked with C. Thomas Walgamuth & Associates until joining KJG Architecture in 2008 where he primarily works in the residential division, while often helping out in the commercial building division as well.
This diversity has afforded Davis the experience to design several vacation lake homes and many other high-end homes throughout Indiana.  His work with KJG’s residential department includes a wide variety of clients including restaurant owners, military generals, teachers, retired couples, and lakefront homeowners.
Architecture appeals to him, Davis says, because “it combines building and a lot of different disciplines, from math to art and everything in between.”  Davis enjoys home remodeling projects, and he waves pennants for Purdue basketball, the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco Giants.
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527 Sagamore Parkway West, Suite 101
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Tel: (765) 497-4598
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