WASHINGTON, D.C. ?EUR??,,????'??? Sales of new and existing condominiums jumped almost 13 percent during the first nine months of 2003 and, according to a recent report prepared by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), that upward trend is likely to continue through the new year.
Existing condo and co-op sales rose an unprecedented 12.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 971,000 units in the third quarter of 2003, up from the previous record of 860,000 in the second quarter. Production has been slower to ramp up, however; 33,000 multifamily condos and co-ops have been started so far this year, compared to 35,000 started in the first nine months of 2002.
David Seiders, NAHB chief economist, suggested that the sales trend may continue, at least in the near term, thanks to strong price appreciation in the market. ?EUR??,,????'??The benefits of low mortgage rates have encouraged buyers for condos in the same way as for single-family homes, but condo supply hasn?EUR??,,????'???t kept pace with demand,?EUR??,,????'?? Seiders said. ?EUR??,,????'??This lag has continued to add upward pressure to condo prices in many markets.?EUR??,,????'??
Median condo resale prices rose 10 percent in 2001 (to $123,200) and 15 percent in 2002 (to $142,200), and have been climbing throughout 2003, averaging $161,000 through the first nine months of the year. ?EUR??,,????'??That?EUR??,,????'???s an increase of 15.2 percent compared to the same period in 2002,?EUR??,,????'?? Seiders added. ?EUR??,,????'??Year-to-date resale prices for single family homes increased by only eight percent.?EUR??,,????'??
Congress has passed, and the president has signed, Public Law 108-26, which includes an amendment to ?EUR??,,????'??protect and preserve the integrity?EUR??,,????'?? of a ?EUR??,,????'??reserve?EUR??,,????'?? within the Washington, D.C. Mall. The reserve extends from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, and from the White House to the Jefferson Memorial, and empowers the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) to limit development of memorials and museums within this central axis.
The NCPC has lobbied for years to amend the Commemorative Works Act of 1986 to prevent overbuilding of memorials on the Mall. The reserve concept was first outlined in the NCPC?EUR??,,????'???s 2001 memorials and museums master plan, which was supported by the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission, and the Commission of Fine Arts.
While the NCPC has gotten its authority to limit the building of new memorials and museums in the reserve, it has identified in a master plan more than 100 potential sites in the city where future works could be located.
The NCPC provides planning guidelines for federal land and buildings, not only within the District of Columbia, but for Prince George and Montgomery counties in Maryland; and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties in Virginia.
The NCPC is comprised of 12 members. Who appointed them Mall keepers? The commission includes five civilians with planning experience: three are appointed by the president of the United States (one must reside in Maryland; one must reside in Virginia); the other two civilians are appointed by the mayor of the District of Columbia and must reside in the district.
The seven other commissioners, i.e., the majority, are ?EUR??,,????'??ex officio?EUR??,,????'?? members, a nebulous, authoritative Latin phrase for ?EUR??,,????'??by virtue of office.?EUR??,,????'?? These members are the mayor of D.C., the chairman of the city council, and members of House and Senate Committees with ?EUR??,,????'??oversight responsibility for the District of Columbia.?EUR??,,????'?? The NCPC points out that the ex officio members ?EUR??,,????'??often delegate alternates to represent them?EUR??,,????'?? at the monthly meetings.
ORLANDO, Fla. ?EUR??,,????'??? The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) announced its 2003 Hall of Fame inductees during IAAPA Orlando 2003, the association?EUR??,,????'???s 85th annual convention and trade show.
The 2003 inductees include Roberto Ortiz, founder of Parque de Diversiones in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Also inducted to the IAAPA Hall of Fame is Werner Stengel of Munich, Germany. Stengel has been active in the amusement industry for nearly four decades, having begun designing amusements in 1964. His designs have been used for many popular amusement rides. Stengel?EUR??,,????'???s ride designs often employ spinning, and he is known for innovative dark rides. Alpenblitz, Bayernkurve, Polyp, Enterprise and Big Wheels all bear the stamp of this industry pioneer.
WARRENTON, VA ?EUR??,,????'??? The Virginia Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects recently awarded the M. Meade Palmer Medal to Barry W. Starke, FASLA, at its annual meeting and awards ceremony held in Williamsburg.
Starke is the first recipient of the medal newly created in the name of the late M. Meade Palmer, FASLA, a revered figure in the landscape architecture profession in Virginia over the past 60 years.
The medal is awarded to a landscape architect, whose career exemplifies excellence in design, mentoring of young professionals and stewardship of the land. Starke, FASLA, AICP, is president of Earth Design Associates (EDA) located near Warrenton, Virginia. Prior to founding EDA in 1974, Starke was employed by Meade Palmer. Starke?EUR??,,????'???s work, which has included notable projects such as the Maymont Park master plan and Japanese garden design, the Science Museum of Virginia master plan and site design, the Virginia Historical Society site design, the Arthur Ashe monument, and campus planning and design at the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Union Theological Seminary and Virginia State University.
His work has been recognized through numerous state and national awards. Starke?EUR??,,????'???s career has included service as the first landscape architect member and president of the Virginia State Board of Architects, Engineers, Land Surveyors and Landscape Architects. He served as a member of the Rappahannock State Scenic Rivers Advisory Board, the Virginia Outdoors Plan Advisory Committee and was recently an invited participant in Governor Warner?EUR??,,????'???s summit on the environment. In 1999 Starke served as national president of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
ORLANDO, Fl. ?EUR??,,????'??? The Gatehouse Companies, a Massachusetts-based real estate development firm, has selected Foster Conant & Associates (FCA) to provide the landscape architectural design of amenities and site improvements for an apartment complex in Tallahassee, Florida. Jamestown Woods, located on an 11-acre parcel near Interstate 10 in Leon County, Florida, includes four buildings housing 150 apartment units. The FCA team is providing landscape planting and irrigation design, a study and layout of pedestrian walks, a study and layout of entryway elements including walls, structures and signage.
Forum Architecture of Altamonte Springs, Florida, provided architectural services; civil engineering is provided by Tallahassee-based Poole Engineering.
Foster Conant & Associates has provided site-specific landscape architecture for projects around the globe since 1969. Known for its diverse experience designing award winning public and private spaces, the firm?EUR??,,????'???s projects include parks, hotels, resorts, luxury single-family residential, theme parks, airports, office buildings and churches.
FCA is a 14-person landscape architectural practice. Richard Conant, FASLA, is the managing principal; Keith Oropeza, ASLA, is responsible for design; and Ren????(C) Ramos, ASLA, is in charge of production.
Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context?EUR??,,????'???a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.
Eliel Saarinen, Time, July 2, 1956
NORTHAMPTON, MA ?EUR??,,????'??? Knowing how valuable greenery can be to a community, the Northampton City Council unanimously voted to approve four nominations for membership on the Citizen Tree Committee. Already $2,500 in state grants has been used to plant 17 trees in the greenway in front of Northampton High School.
Ann-Renee Larouche, who has worked as a landscape architect and planner, was selected to the eight-member committee. It also includes a member each from the planning board, board of public works, conservation commission and department of public works.
The Citizen?EUR??,,????'???s Tree Committee had already been in existence more than a year, before Larouche read in a local newspaper about seeking new members to the committee. ?EUR??,,????'??My real interest has been in promoting sustainability through master landscape design and planning,?EUR??,,????'?? Larouche told LASN. ?EUR??,,????'??People need to see that trees play an important role in making the environment a better place and cleaning up the air.?EUR??,,????'??
With her wide range of experience, Larouche said the committee was an ideal place for her. She now has the opportunity to contribute to her home town. ?EUR??,,????'??My background will be beneficial from the standpoint of understanding how trees grow, their aesthetics and environmental considerations,?EUR??,,????'?? said Larouche. ?EUR??,,????'??I know what trees need to thrive, how they affect the microclimate and how to handle erosion control.?EUR??,,????'??
Larouche said she can contribute to the committee in a number of ways, especially in selecting plant species and determining where they?EUR??,,????'???re planted. She?EUR??,,????'???s interested in specifying native plantings, which would help keep the wildlife close to the site.
