Flipping Out the 'Flophouse'
Developers in San Francisco are hoping to make single-room occupancy (SRO) projects more appealing to the public. These apartments comprise just 350 square feet or less and historically have required tenants to share bathrooms and kitchens. They have long been called "flophouses," relegated to the poorest neighborhoods and infested with crime. Now, however, developer Charles Breidinger will build 102 SRO units in South Beach, ranging in size from 240-270 square feet and featuring their own bathrooms and kitchenettes. The units, with monthly rents of $750 to $1,000, are expected to attract students and new college graduates. Developers Joe Cassidy, Amon Murphy and the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center may soon follow suit with new projects; while landlords may seek permission to convert existing commercial buildings and other structures into SROs. "These conversions could help fill the gap of affordable housing and create a successful downtown," remarks landlord attorney Brett Gladstone. However, such projects are generating opposition from land-use experts and others who do not approve of the relaxed open-space requirements enjoyed by SRO developers. (www.sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com)
San Francisco Business Times (10/18/04) Wilson, Lizette
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Aging Baby Boomers Buying Larger Homes Instead of Retirement Condos
Not all retirees want to downsize into condominiums, a trend that is evident in Pennsylvania's Bucks and Montgomery Counties. No less than eight active-adult communities comprised of single-family homes are in the works there, with dwellings averaging 2,200 square feet and priced at about $439,000. Like those who move into smaller homes when they retire, these baby boomers want maintenance-free lifestyles. Single-family, age-restricted developments cater to their needs by offering numerous social activities and recreational amenities while charging a monthly fee for landscaping, snow removal and other upkeep. (www.ap.org)
Associated Press (10/18/04) Wilen, John
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Speak Clearly and Carry a Manual
The Microsoft Home — a 3,000-square-foot prototype built off a conference center at the company's Redmond, WA-based headquarters — features an array of gadgets that may or may not catch on with home owners in the coming years. A computer network links all of the dwelling's systems to the Internet. In the real world, many existing home owners already have the building blocks of so-called smart homes, namely security alarms and programmable dimmers and thermostats; however, they are not all connected like they are in the demonstration residence. The Microsoft Home, among other things, allows visitors to leave front-door voice-mail messages, which are sent to a universal inbox with e-mail and telephone messages. It also boasts numerous microphones that launch certain systems by way of simple voice commands; hand scanners that permit residents to enter without keys; and scanners that read radio-frequency identification tags to determine the contents of pantry shelves, the cleaning instructions on clothing labels and whether or not children's clothes meet pre-specified dress codes. "We're not saying everything will turn out this way, that this is the vision of the future," says Microsoft's Pam Heath, who gives tours of the demonstration home. (www.nytimes.com)
New York Times (10/21/04) P. D1; Barron, James
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Metal Going Over Top
More than a quarter of new homes built in 2002 had metal roofs, according to the National Roofing Contractors Association, rising from 4.2% in 1996. The group also estimates that 15.6% of re-roofing work involved metal roofs in 2002, versus just 3.2% in 1996. Aluminum, steel, tin, and copper roofs are gaining popularity for their appearance, wind resistance and energy efficiency. According to the Florida Power & Light Co., homes with white galvanized metal roofs cost about 23% less to cool in the summer months than those with dark-gray shingle roofs. Home owners can choose from a wide range of colors and styles, but they must be prepared to fork over anywhere from $5 to $7 per square foot. In comparison, asphalt shingles cost just $2-$3 per sq. ft. Moreover, home owners must spend extra to install snow rails to prevent injuries and damaged gutters and downspouts, considering that snow and ice slide off metal roofs. By installing them over plywood or oriented strand board, meanwhile, they can block out some of the din resulting from rainstorms. (www.baltimoresun.com)
Baltimore Sun (10/17/04) P. 1L; Rivera, Patricia V.
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New Software Suite Promises to Link Costs, Schedule, More
Hungarian software vendor Graphisoft has developed a new product suite aimed at improving planning and cash-flow analyses for construction projects. The company calls the package a Virtual Construction solution, and like Graphisoft's previous design-related software, Archicad, the new products use 3D models. However, rather than allowing contractors to use 3D tools for the creation of 2D plans, the newest products generate 3D construction models in order to help contractors improve the cost- and time-efficiency of the planning, estimation and construction processes. "We want to take 2%-3% out of the cost of really large construction projects through constructibility analysis," says Graphisoft CEO Dominic Gallello. The company is also offering negotiated construction services, such as set-up and administration support for small projects. The total software package is priced around $6,000, and a stand-alone model to be used for estimation is also available for $4,000. (www.enr.com)
ENR (10/18/04) Vol. 253, No. 15, P. 25
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Suddenly Steel Has Industrial Strength
Steel makers, both in the United States and worldwide, are benefiting from an increase in global demand for steel that has tripled prices for some types of the material and boosted investor interest in the industry. The present boom is being attributed to economic conditions in China over the past several years that have helped increase the demand for steel by an expected 17% this year. With the Beijing Olympics scheduled for 2008, analysts predict China's demand for steel will remain strong for at least another three years. The much-awaited upswing is also expected to be sustained because steel makers do not appear poised to significantly boost capacity or build more major plants. In the United States, steel makers are generally improving production and capacity at existing facilities rather than building new ones. Likewise, capital spending has not risen much among Chinese and other foreign steel makers. Meanwhile, consumers — especially smaller companies and those in the auto sector — are feeling the pinch as steel prices continue to rise with no significant decline in sight. (www.businessweek.com)
Business Week (10/18/04) Vol. 3904, P. 133; Aston, Adam; Arndt, Michael
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In Cement, There's an Ebb, Flow
Florida and other states across the country are experiencing a cement shortage due to building booms in both the United States and China and slower delivery of overseas shipments. As a result, the cost of materials and new-home prices have jumped while building schedules have been drawn out. However, the recent hurricanes slowed construction in hard-hit areas of Florida, allowing contractors in other parts of the state to get their hands on enough cement to satisfy existing orders. To remedy the shortage, which is expected to worsen once again as soon as widespread rebuilding begins, the Florida Home Builders Association is pressuring federal lawmakers to eliminate tariffs on cement imports from Mexico. These tariffs are equivalent to over 60% of wholesale prices. (www.sun-sentinel.com)
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel (10/14/04) Gerena-Morales, Rafael
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The Sibling Squeeze
Owners of large dwellings increasingly are forcing their children to share bedrooms to keep from spoiling them and to help them learn to share. One San Francisco-based real-estate agent says 33% of buyers snapping up $3 million-plus homes put their children in the same bedroom. Others note that parents often keep shared-room arrangements after they trade up to bigger houses. With 37% of new homes having four or more bedrooms and married couples having an average of just 1.92 children, experts say most families have plenty of space for separate bedrooms. However, many parents prefer to have their children bunk together so extra bedrooms can be transformed into home offices and media rooms, among other things. (www.wsj.com)
Wall Street Journal (10/15/04) P. W1; Jeffrey, Nancy Ann
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Single Family, Condo Style
The national homeownership rate is on pace to hit a whopping 70% next year, with much of the growth tied to retirees between the ages of 55 and 74. Homeownership in this age category rose just 9% during the 1990s but will likely post a 15% growth rate for the 2000-2005 period. Between 2005 and 2015, homeownership in the age 55-to-74 group is expected to soar 36%. Most older home owners would rather pay $500-$1,500 per month on maintenance than perform such tasks themselves, making condominiums a popular alternative to the traditional single-family home. With single-family dwellings outnumbering condominiums 15-to-1, according to the Census Bureau, builders could find it profitable to "condo-ize" conventional single-family homes in the future. Demand for condominiums already has pushed the median price close to the $200,000 mark, surpassing the median single-family home price, says Economy.com economist Celia Chen. (www.demographics.com)
American Demographics (10/04) Vol. 26, No. 8, P. 47; Francese, Peter
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The Look of Tax Software
Tax-preparation software vendors are increasingly adopting Microsoft interfaces to make tax preparation easier for companies that work with Microsoft programs on a daily basis. For instance, preparers using CCH's IHand can access its Tax Research Network without exiting Microsoft Word or Excel. Meanwhile, Intuit plans to use an Outlook interface with its ProSeries software; and TaxSimple will make it easy for preparers to create letters, invoices and cover pages in Word. Vendors like Petz Enterprises are also turning to Web-based processing, which allows companies to consolidate results via the Internet instead of installing software at every location. Others are rolling out Web-based tax organizers, but Creative Solutions marketing vice president Jack LaRue says the fact that two-thirds of accountants lack Web sites poses a challenge. (www.webcpa.com)
Accounting Technology (10/04) Vol. 20, No. 9, P. 16; Scott, Robert W.
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