Latest in projects

Making Alternative Dispute Resolution Work For You
on November 30,2002 in Feature

A few months ago I got a call from John, a small remodeler with a 10-year track record and a respectable reputation.

National Awards for Smart Growth Achievement
on November 30,2002 in Feature (Web Exclusive)
This National recognition program was created by EPA Administrator Christie Whitman in 2002 and is sponsored by EPA's Office of Policy, Economics and Innovation.
Look Beyond Obvious for Infill Properties
on October 31,2002 in Feature

The best parcels never make it to market. Developers know from experience that deals for choice land often start as solutions brought to landowners who initially have no intention of selling

Topos Add Aerial Photos
on September 30,2002 in Feature

A set of CD-ROMs with state-by-state maps of the entire country from the U.S. Geological Survey can be a handy tool for residential land buyers.

New Roads for New Urbanism
on September 30,2002 in Feature

One the biggest challenges facing advocates of New Urbanism is how to keep vehicles moving through narrow, pedestrian-oriented streets and alleys.

Feds Grant $61 Million for Land Buys
on September 30,2002 in Feature
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently awarded $61 million for the purchase of thousands of acres in eight states in support of habitat conservation.
Mayors Support Historic-Home Tax Credits
on August 31,2002 in Feature

The proposed Historic Homeownership Assistance Act received the support of the U.S. Conference of Mayors during its summer meeting in Madison, Wis.

Know Your State Laws
on August 31,2002 in Feature

'Buyer, beware!' might be advisable for consumers, but 'Remodeler, beware!' is appropriate when it comes to state laws concerning home-improvement contractors.

Report Lists Most Sprawl-Threatened Cities
on August 31,2002 in Feature

As the topic of suburban sprawl and anti-growth legislation heats up with the upcoming federal elections, the Sierra Club recently released its second annual report on sprawl.

Second Tahoe Property Rights Case Could Be in the Making
on August 31,2002 in Feature
Seeking to restore 'scenic equilibrium' to the shores of Lake Tahoe, the same regional agency that re-cently won a long-running property rights case is flexing its muscle again.
Fees Crack $100,000 in California City
on July 31,2002 in Feature
Now that the fees charged to a builder in a Livermore, Calif., project have topped $100,000, the natural question is how high they are everywhere else?
High Permit Fees in the Cross Hairs
on June 30,2002 in Feature

For years now, new and higher impact fees have been the nemesis of home building associations in most places across the country.

Making Redevelopment Easier
on March 31,2002 in Feature
Sometimes it’s easier to do a tear-down or to let an existing building stand empty rather than jump through the hoops required by complicated, out-of-date local building codes.
Close My House Today ... or Else!
on March 31,2002 in Feature
Florida home builders would have been subject to penalties of as much as $1,000 a day for missing promised delivery dates on new homes under a bill recently introduced by state Sen. Betty Holzendorf...
The Lowdown on Lots
on January 31,2002 in Feature

A phone call, a fax and a drive out to the site are the usual ways builders commonly track the progression of land development.

Getting the lead out
on January 31,2002 in Feature

Wherever they stand on the continuum — all-out effort to comply, head-in-the-sand denial that the rules exist, or somewhere in between — all remodelers face risks when it comes to lead paint and...

Cracking the Codes, Online
on January 31,2002 in Feature
The effort to merge the three major building codes — BOCA (Building Officials and Code Administrators), ICBO (International Conference of Building Officials) and SBCCI (Southern Building Code...
APA’s Growing Smart: the Good and the Bad
on January 31,2002 in Feature

The American Planning Association’s Growing Smart Legislative Guidebook could prompt states to review and change planning and land-use laws.

A New Urbanist Surge
on January 31,2002 in Feature

For the many builders who view New Urbanism as a passing fad, evidence to the contrary is pouring in.

Project Spotlight: On time, on target
on November 30,2001 in Feature

Working with real estate agent Marlene Graham on the master bath in her 1979 house, Tallahassee, Fla., builder and remodeler Mark Worley wowed her and her husband, Bill, by bringing in the project...