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Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

A barn that was transformed into a luxurious, 10,000-square-foot home in New Hope, PA, has hit the market for $10 million.

Known as “The Gatsby Barn,” the six-bedroom, 6.5-bath residence spans four levels.

Jazz singer-songwriter Leon Redbone, who died in 2019, was the prior owner and sold it to the current sellers in 2018 for about $1 million.

Over a two-year period, the owners transformed the former red barn, built in 1878, into a remarkable Art Deco-inspired beauty, and they’ve certainly priced it to reflect the upgrades.

The sprawling interior was the brainchild of two New York City designers, who were looking to combine the nostalgia of the Roaring ’20s with modern amenities.

“The special part about this home is the history of the property,” says listing agent Maureen Reynolds, of Serhant Pennsylvania LLC. “To get a large black barn that is 40 feet in height in Bucks County is really quite special. … I think the juxtaposition of old versus new was the key to the design.”

Exterior

(Realtor.com)

From a cozy living room with a stylish gas fireplace to an enormous dining room designed for hosting, there are plenty of spaces to welcome guests and enjoy family time.

“Everywhere you go, you will find a sitting area,” Reynolds notes. “The home offers this unique ability to stop and spend time together anywhere you are. There isn’t any place in the house where you can’t do that.”

Restored, antique balcony railings from the Waldorf-Astoria New York’s Starlight Room provide added history and luxury.

A four-story elevator and four-story, glass-encased, steel stair tower come with major wow factor.

Living area

(Realtor.com)

Dining room

(Realtor.com)

A sleek chef’s kitchen features high-end appliances, including a custom-built La Canche range from Paris and matching hood from RangeCraft. The culinary space also features a steam oven, custom cabinets, and an eight-seat, 16-foot island.

A professional-style bar with tin ceilings, smoky mirrors, and custom-lit glass shelves is situated nearby. There are also two separate wine rooms designed to accommodate up to 900 bottles.

“If someone loves cooking, there is also a kitchen on the lower level; and there is an entertainment area, where they put in over $1 million in that alone,” Reynolds says. “They have had professional and celebrity chefs come and cook there. The lighting system alone is amazing.”

Wine room

(Realtor.com)

Bar

(Realtor.com)

A home theater with a bar spans the top floor of the home.

The 10.5-acre property also features a heated pool and spa, imported palm trees, and an outdoor shower.

A nearby pavilion is outfitted with a 22-seat bar and a hanging fireplace imported from France. And an upscale outdoor kitchen comes complete with a pizza oven, Japanese hibachi tables, and a custom-built smoker.

There’s also a guest cottage and a carriage house with a fitness center and dance studio.

Home theater

(Realtor.com)

“They designed this home for their busy, active family to enjoy both indoor and outdoor living,” Reynolds says. “It is edgy but has a lot of comforts, like a large kitchen that it is so well thought out and designed. They thought of every detail to make the home comfortable. It’s not formal or stuffy; it’s just fun.”

She believes the dwelling will be used as a primary residence, possibly by someone who appreciates the property’s outdoorsy locale and edgy, urban-inspired design.

“It’s just so special,” Reynolds says. “We have had a lot of international interest, as well as from the West Coast. … The buyer could also be looking for somewhere to escape and get away from the city.”

Outdoor cooking area

(Realtor.com)

Source: realtor.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

In the charming Sonoma County town of Sebastopol, roughly 50 miles north of San Francisco, amidst picturesque landscapes, rolling hills, vineyards, and apple orchards, sits an enchanting two-parcel, 8.82-acre property with a very unique claim to fame.

The larger parcel, spanning 7.32 acres, was once owned by Charles M. Schulz, the creator of the beloved comic strip Peanuts, and still houses the cartoonist’s former studio, which has been carefully preserved — and turned into an inviting one-bedroom home.

It’s now being brought to market for the very first time in 47 years. Asking $3,950,000, the former studio and the land that surrounds it is listed with Mark Stevens and Gail Gijzen, affiliated with the Sebastopol office of Coldwell Banker Realty.

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

Schulz had the studio built in 1966 and used it as a creative space where he penned the adventures of beloved characters like Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the “Peanuts” gang. His house at the time sat on an adjacent lot that was part of the same property, which was later broken down into several lots due to its massive size.

“The main house where the Schulz family lived was initially part of the same property as the art studio,” says one of the property’s current owners, Eric Rogers, whose grandparents bought the property 47 years ago.

His father, Timothy Rogers, chimes in to provide a little more background on just how massive the Schulz estate was back in the day: “Schulz’s property encompassed roughly 27 acres with the main house, the grandmother’s house and other structures including a large pond, baseball field, miniature golf course, large swimming pool and an enclosed entertainment pavilion.”

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

“The studio was the last structure built at the western end of the property, isolated on a dead-end road with surrounding vineyards and apple orchards and a tight-knit group of neighbors.” 

Charles Schulz’s art studio lives on as a one-bedroom home

The midcentury modern home was built by Steele & Van Dyk, the same architecture firm that built the Redwood Empire Ice Arena (more commonly known as “Snoopy’s Home Ice,” now part of the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, CA) where Schulz held annual hockey tournaments and hosted tennis exhibitions.

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

“My grandparents, Don & Helen Rogers, bought the property in 1976,” Eric Rogers tells us.

“My grandfather was intrigued when he saw an ad in the paper about a property belonging to a famous celebrity for sale in Sebastopol. Out of curiosity, he made an 80-mile trip from where they lived and discovered it was owned by Charles Schulz. The original property was divided into three sections: the main house, recreational area, and art studio. My grandparents ended up buying the art studio parcel which included the golf course.”

SEE ALSO: You can rent Walt Disney’s storybook house in Los Angeles – but it won’t be cheap

The original 7+ acre property has been in their family ever since, and there have been many discussions over the years about whether or not to enlarge the existing structure. But in the end, their love for the history behind the studio surpassed any desire to change the home.

Instead, they made minor enhancements meant to make the small house more livable.

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions
Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

Changes to the home include the addition of a stove/oven and custom-matched cabinetry in the kitchen on the opposite wall of the sink, Velux skylights installed in the kitchen, living room, bathrooms, and bedroom. All windows and sliding exterior doors were replaced with double-pane insulated glass but the Rogers made sure not to alter the nature of the design and had them all custom-made to match the unique originals.

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions
Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

In what was the original art studio space, some of the shelves and drawers were removed to accommodate a recessed king-size bed.

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions
Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions
Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

The end result is an inviting one-bedroom home with one full bath and a powder room, a stone fireplace, and 1,176 square feet of living space. Since the owners weren’t living on the property, they turned it into a licensed vacation rental for a few years.

“We started renting out the property in April 2016 and have had a growing number of people stay year after year. We ended up booking more people than we imagined — mostly couples looking for a romantic getaway to the wine country,” Eric says. “We stopped renting in 2022.”

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

While they always wanted to enjoy the property as it was originally designed, the family has long considered building an additional structure. They purchased an adjoining lot that can be developed but decided to keep it as an open space instead, and they’re now including that vacant parcel of land (spanning 1.5 acres) in the sale.

The 8.82-acre property is now hitting the market for $3.95M

While Charles M. Schulz’s former studio may be the centerpiece, the entire property is a semi-secluded paradise.

“The grounds are a combination of a four-hole golf course, Redwoods groves, walking trails surrounded by numerous rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, dogwoods, numerous varieties of ferns, fruit trees and a vast variety of flowers,” Timothy Rogers tells us.

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions
Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions
Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

“After I retired as a helicopter pilot over two decades ago, I have developed and taken care of the landscaping as a labor of love. I will miss all those moments of sheer beauty that I have experienced at the passing of each season and sharing all that time with the wildlife that has shared it with me.”

And Timothy’s labor of love is showcased throughout the sprawling property, whose beautifully landscaped grounds are accented by walking trails with wood-carved benches and statues.

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

There’s also a massive deck (approximately 1,340 square feet) and a 4-hole, par-3 golf course that dates back to Schulz’s ownership — one that the Rogers family has revamped after it was left in disrepair.

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

It wasn’t uncommon for them to find golf balls owned by Schulz’s many famous friends. They found golf balls with names like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Robert Mitchum inscribed on them, hinting at the many star-studded charity tournaments that once took place on the property.

The Peanuts creator’s ties to his former art studio haven’t been fully severed over the years. Schulz’s two sons would occasionally stop by to visit and reminisce.

“The sons have come by the property at different times to take trips down memory lane. It sounded like the childhood we all dream of — living on a large property amongst beautiful redwoods and surrounded by animals and livestock,” Eric shares.

Photo credit: Jim Nevill Productions

“They would tell hilarious stories about driving their dirt bikes up and down the property and riding horses. It is rumored that the family hosted charity events on the golf course that drew in celebrity friends. Their love and effort went into building this amazing and magical place that we got to share as a family for decades.”

Now, it’s time for a new family to create memories here.

After 47 years and three generations of ownership, Eric and Timothy Rogers are selling the property for $3,950,000, and have enlisted the help of Mark Stevens and Gail Gijzen, affiliated with the Sebastopol office of Coldwell Banker Realty, to find the right buyer.

“We have built memories here that we’ll cherish forever. It is the perfect place to find serenity without being too far from civilization,” Eric tells us. “But the time has come for someone new to find a home here. We know they’ll love it as much as we have, and hopefully, continue the legacy that was left to us by the Schulz family when they created this loving place that we were fortunate to help build upon.“

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Mark Twain’s houses: From his Connecticut mansions to the NY brownstone known as ‘The House of Death’

Source: fancypantshomes.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

Suzanne Cotton is a collector at heart and has been since childhood. As a custom dress designer and chair of the Columbus College of Art & Design Fashion Department, Cotton’s eye for style is impeccable. She’s a regular at antique shows and tag sales, and takes annual road trips to Vermont to visit antique shops along the way. Her Facebook Marketplace searches are endless, and she’s a top contributor to the Facebook Maximalist Design and Décor group.

Her collections are varied, ranging from travel hankies and tea towels to punk rock memorabilia, vintage buttons and fezzes. So when she stepped inside her 1963 1,800-square-foot Westgate house for the first time, she knew she had found the venue to showcase her lifelong curations of beloved belongings.

westgateneighbors.org

Cotton was looking for a new place to call home after 14 years in a Hidden Lake condo at the Quarry, which she shared with her late husband. “I’d driven through [Westgate] a few times, liked the homes, and the price was right,” Cotton says. “I really wanted a house that I could make my own, put work into, and get everything fixed up just the way I wanted it. The affordability of the neighborhood made that very doable for me.”

One of the neighborhood events is the Westgate Home and Garden Tour, which will feature Cotton’s home as one of its seven stops on Saturday, June 10. Committee member Kate Futty, who has lived in Westgate for close to 30 years, adores Cotton’s home. “When I’m in there, it feels like I’m in a genie’s bottle. A lot of people try to do midcentury modern, but they’re missing the mark. Suzanne is hitting the nail on the head.” And Futty admires Cotton’s skill in incorporating her collections into her design. “She just knew that this was her style. What she wanted to fill her childhood bedroom with has blossomed to her entire house,” Futty says.

Before moving into her home in August 2018, Cotton completed a five-month, DIY remodel. Making the place her own was no small feat, as every room had wallpaper and she changed the flooring in the majority of the house.

The kitchen required the most work, with a wall removal, doubling of countertop space, removal of a second entrance to a restroom, and the addition of a bar and floating shelves. For the kitchen, she worked with Justin Collamore from Collamore Built. But she remained in charge of the project, selecting the lights, quartz countertops and matching backsplash, and even the perfect kitchen door handles from Etsy. Collamore helped her source her Wellborn cabinets, and they worked on the layout together.

“She was more involved than most [clients] because she had a specific vision for what she wanted. Because she’s in the design profession, it was fun to work with her because we speak the same design language. She was able to make some choices that others may shy away from without that vision,” Collamore says.

Cotton’s style can be best described as maximalist, with attention to detail and a love for colors that pop. Space is important to her. “I love to be able to see all four corners of a room,” she says. “I like to see under my furniture.” The living room, with its granite fireplace, was the starting point for her remodel. She used that and a set of green chairs to inspire a cohesive color palette that works throughout her home, with shades of blues, greens and turquoises taking center stage. Downstairs, she opted for a navy palette that gives the area a more intimate and relaxed feel.

Cotton’s midcentury swung glass collection is the visual focal point of the living room (and perhaps the entire home). The collection—composed mostly of Viking, Smith and Empoli—envelops the fireplace, bringing the room to life. Cotton prefers the multicolor, clear glass that was sold in midrange department stores like Sears during the 1960s and ’70s, but also values her Italian Empoli pieces. Her love for this type of glass began in her teenage years and only has grown stronger over time. She continues to search out pieces in thrift shops and antique shows.

“I don’t mind [having] a lot of something,” Cotton says. “Like the glass. I love the fact that it’s a ton of glass.” As such, the living room is her favorite in the house.

Seeing her items displayed throughout her home has reenergized Cotton’s passion for collecting. “It’s made me start collecting stuff again. For years, I didn’t. But I really enjoy it now. I love being surrounded by things I love. It just has to be done in a way that’s thoughtful. I don’t just buy anything. If I see something, I really think about it: Will it fit? Is there a space for it? Will it add to my collection?”

This story is from the June 2023 issue of Columbus Monthly.

Source: columbusmonthly.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

As you may have noticed, updates about the ongoing remodel of our San Francisco Victorian have been rather few and far between these days. I’ve come to learn remodels are like molasses – they move at a pace you cannot control! And while progress is in fact being made, there’s not a lot of excitement related to rough-in plumbing, insulation or rewiring. I am getting super excited to share our plans as the designs are coming together! But in the meantime I thought it’d be fun to play what-if with some of my favorite designers. What if they had their hands on this house and could do whatever they wanted! I knew they’d have as much fun dreaming  of what could be done with the space as I have. So for the next few weeks you’re going to be treated so some major design inspiration from a bevy of design studs! I’m thrilled my dear friend and interior stylist extraordinaire Kirsten Grove is kicking things off with some serious kitchen inspiration!

To jog your memory, when it comes to the kitchen we’re basically starting from scratch because this is the house’s current “kitchen”:

 

This is the floor plan for our new kitchen:

While not a terribly big space, we hope to maximize storage with a separate pantry woot!. I’ve toyed with the idea of a kitchen island too. And I’m still debating what the cabinets should look like. And lighting?? Oh the lighting dilemmas. I am excited the kitchen will be directly connected to our living room via a breakfast bar. Obviously, it’s a very blank slate at the moment as we’re still in our demolition phase, so I’m excited to see what Kirsten thinks we might do with this design!

Kirsten’s Designer Take: Hi everyone! My name is Kirsten Grove and I am an interior Stylist/Blogger from Boise Idaho. I am a huge fan of Apartment 34 and I think the world of Erin and the team! She definitely has her work cut out for her with this renovation. But it’s something that I know she will successfully complete.

We all know that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Whether we cook or not, we all want the perfect kitchen. Of course they are the biggest money takers, but it’s well worth it at the end.

I have always been a fan of modern, minimal kitchens. Especially in older homes. The juxtaposition is always stunning! Right now cabinet slabs are on point. No molding, no panels. Just clean slabs. Paired with hardware or just kept plain, these doors are simple yet beautiful.

Here’s a kitchen with simple hardware that doesn’t take away from the doors. I also love the style of hood that mirrors the cabinets. It’s a nice, clean look. This same thing can be assigned with the refrigerator.

Another trend is two toned cabinets. Above we have a dark paint on the top and natural wood on the bottom. You could also do one color on top and another color on the bottom. It breaks the kitchen up and adds stylish personality!

Here’s another example of two-toned cabinets. This kitchen also has another favorite trend of mine. Square tiles! It’s a refreshing change from the classic subway tiles. White grout keeps it more traditional while dark grout keeps it modern.

Kitchens can be a lot of fun to design! Good luck, Erin! We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

I love that Kirsten named a few of my favorite kitchen trends – and a couple that just might make their way into my final kitchen design. But you’ll have to wait a little longer before I can reveal all of that. For now, follow more of Kirsten’s design savviness on her blog, Simply Grove!

Image 1 via Simply Grove  // 2 via 30 Collins // 3 via The D Pages // 4 via Emma’s Design Blog

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Source: apartment34.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

Sustainable living has become an increasingly important focus in today’s world, with individuals and communities alike seeking ways to reduce their carbon footprints. When it comes to building or renovating homes, sustainable practices and energy-efficient design have taken center stage. In response to this growth, several organizations offer certification programs to measure sustainability and push people to achieve more. But with numerous certifications and standards available, navigating the realm of sustainable building can be overwhelming.

Luckily, this Redfin article has everything you need to know. Learn what these programs are all about, and which one is right for your home. Whether you live in a house in Wilmington, NC, or are building a new home in Tampa, FL, read on to learn about the different certifications and requirements, so you can make informed decisions and choose the right path towards a greener home. 

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

  • Focus areas: Whole building efficiency, including water, energy, materials, and air quality.
  • Property types: Commercial, residential, and public properties, and communities and cities. 
  • Benefits for homeowners: Pairs well with other certification programs and has a wide range of certification levels. 
  • Downsides: May not go far enough to reduce your carbon footprint.
  • Cost: $225 + additional fees. Pricing is reduced for members.

Established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1993, LEED is arguably the most widely recognized green building certification system. LEED provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings. It offers certification across a spectrum of building types and focuses on several key areas: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, innovation, and regional priority. 

The four LEED certification levels include Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, which correspond to the number of points a project earns across these categories. Buildings receive annual audits to ensure they continue meeting necessary standards.

For more details, read our definitive guide: What Is LEED Certification? Tips for Homeowners

ENERGY STAR

  • Focus areas: Energy efficiency.
  • Property types: Products; commercial, residential, and public properties. 
  • Benefits for homeowners: ENERGY STAR buildings require 15% less energy than standard buildings, meaning you’ll save money over the long run. 
  • Downsides: ENERGY STAR is a fairly basic certification that only applies to energy use. This is best paired with other certifications.
  • Cost: $0-$1,500

The ENERGY STAR certification is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy. It aims to help businesses and individuals save money and protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. Most people associate ENERGY STAR with efficient appliances, but it also applies to buildings and houses.

Buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR label have to meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency, typically making them at least 15% more energy-efficient than standard buildings. Apart from energy efficiency, ENERGY STAR also provides tools and resources for improving water efficiency. 

For more details, read our definitive guide: ENERGY STAR Certification: What Homeowners Need to Know

Living Building Challenge

  • Focus areas: Complete building and property sustainability and regeneration. 
  • Property types: Commercial, residential, and public buildings and properties, and neighborhoods and cities. 
  • Benefits for homeowners: The LBC provides the most comprehensive certification, so you can be confident your home is actively restoring the environment. Living Building Certification also applies to an entire property, while most others only apply to just the building. 
  • Downsides: It is extremely difficult and time-consuming to fulfill every requirement, and can be expensive. 
  • Cost: $50-$250

The Living Building Challenge (LBC), administered by the International Living Future Institute, is likely the most rigorous and comprehensive green building certification in the world. It uses a regenerative design framework that requires projects to operate positively instead of just passively. 

The LBC comprises seven performance categories, or “Petals”: Place, Water, Energy, Health & Happiness, Materials, Equity, and Beauty. To be certified, a project must meet a series of ambitious performance requirements over a minimum of twelve months of continuous occupancy. Because of its difficulty, only four residential properties have received full certification. However, the LBC offers other certifications, including Petal certification and net-zero building certification.

For more details, read our definitive guide: Living Building Challenge Certification for Homeowners: Pros and Cons

BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method)

  • Focus areas: Whole property sustainability, including where materials come from and how much your home contributes to pollution. 
  • Property types: Commercial, residential, and public buildings and properties. 
  • Benefits for homeowners: Accessible worldwide.
  • Downsides: Not as comprehensive or flexible as some other programs.
  • Cost: Depends on the size and scope of the project. Assessors are also paid separately. 

Established in the UK in 1990, BREEAM is the world’s longest-running method of assessing, rating, and certifying buildings. BREEAM encourages designers, clients, and others to think about low-carbon and low-impact design, minimizing the energy demands created by a building before considering energy efficiency and low carbon technologies. BREEAM is comprehensive and also focuses on where products come from and who makes them.

Earth Advantage

  • Focus areas: Residential and low-income homes, and providing green home data for the general public through the Green Building Registry. 
  • Property types: Residential buildings. 
  • Benefits for homeowners: Extremely affordable and promotes sustainability in low-income developments. 
  • Downsides: Not as comprehensive as other certifications.
  • Cost: $0

The Earth Advantage Certification focuses on promoting sustainable building practices that improve the environment and society by creating better model codes, building standards, and certification systems. It certifies residential buildings, including single-family and multifamily, using different rating systems for both. Earth Advantage can also certify projects for LEED.

In general, Earth Advantage buildings are healthier, more energy-efficient, and offer a lower cost of ownership over the lifetime of the building. To receive certification, a home must meet stringent criteria across five categories: energy, health, land, materials, and water. 

SITES (The Sustainable Sites Initiative)

  • Focus areas: Planning, design, construction, and management of landscapes and other outdoor spaces. SITES does not verify buildings except in specific circumstances.
  • Property types: Commercial, residential, and public outdoor spaces. 
  • Benefits for homeowners: Promotes sustainable landscaping and healthy outdoor living. 
  • Downsides: Expensive and only applies to landscaping and outdoor areas. Best for large properties or paired with other certifications. 
  • Cost: $6,500-$9,500 (less expensive for members).

SITES is a sustainability-focused framework that ushers landscape architects, engineers, and others toward practices that protect ecosystems and enhance the benefits of ecosystem services. Landscape architects, designers, engineers, architects, developers, policy-makers, and others use SITES to align land development and management with innovative sustainable design.

SITES also partners with LEED to create complementary rating systems that you can use independently or in tandem. LEED applies to your project building and the site it is located on, and SITES applies to everything on your site, except your building (with a few exceptions). 

WELL Building Standard

  • Focus areas: Relationship between sustainability and human health, primarily in new construction.
  • Property types: Primarily commercial new construction, but offers residential as well.
  • Benefits for homeowners: WELL buildings are healthier for you and your family than many other certifications.
  • Downsides: It can be time-consuming or prohibitively expensive to incorporate WELL standards into an older building. 
  • Cost: $2,500 for registration + $0.16 per square foot of property.

The WELL Building Standard, founded by the International WELL Building Institute, focuses on building features that affect people’s health and well-being. Areas of concern include air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, community, and innovation. The WELL Building Standard is the first standard to integrate human health and wellness into building certification.

WELL also partners with LEED to create a streamlined process for getting dual certification. 

Passive House (Passivhaus)

  • Focus areas: Reducing energy use in buildings.
  • Property types: Commercial, residential, and public.
  • Benefits for homeowners: Significantly reduced energy bills and comfortable indoor temperatures year-round. 
  • Downsides: Focuses entirely on energy use and is extremely rigid.
  • Cost: Determined by the examiner and varies widely depending on the square footage of the building. 

The Passive House Institute (PHI) based in Germany developed this certification system. Buildings that are certified as a Passive House must meet strict energy usage requirements, focusing on high-level thermal insulation, stringent airtightness, and maximum energy gains from the sun. The result is a building that uses significantly less energy for heating and cooling than traditional buildings, often reducing the energy needed by up to 90%.

Final thoughts

There are hundreds of other certification programs that focus on specific aspects of a building, such as water management and light pollution. Some are also catered to specific regions. If you’re looking to certify your home, do your research and establish a budget for membership, applications, and certifications, as well as design, planning, and maintenance. Additionally, you can hire a 3rd-party to certify your home, although that may cost more. 

Working towards a certified sustainable home is important and beneficial, but it can be cost-prohibitive. If you don’t have the budget for certification, read about a program’s requirements and try to incorporate them into your project; you don’t need to certify your home to make it more sustainable or even regenerative. No matter what you choose, incorporating sustainable practices into your lifestyle can help reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a greener future.

Source: redfin.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

If you’ve ever wanted to live on an off-grid, private island, this might be the opportunity for you.

Located in Groton, CT, Mouse Island is home to just three residences and accessible only by boat.

One of the houses has just hit the market for $900,000. The four-bedroom dwelling was built in 1939 and offers a cozy 1,531-square-foot, seasonal retreat.

“Having a cottage to unplug [in] on an island is a special thing, but what is extra special about this home is not only its location but the convenience to be able to get to it, and it is surrounded by breathtaking views,” says listing agent Nassim Saad, of Re/Max on the Bay.

Although on an island, the house isn’t so far from land.

“It’s at the mouth of the Mystic River and off the coast of Morgan Point Lighthouse,” says Saad. “Fishers Island is on the south, and Ram Island is to the east. You can hop on a dingy, and get dinner at a popular clam shack on the river or downtown Mystic, as well.”

Aerial view

(Realtor.com)

Dock

(Realtor.com)

Dock your boat and enjoy the coastal views from the front farmer’s porch, complete with Adirondack rocking chairs. The all-white interior boasts oceanfront views from every room.

‘Like a boat on land’

“The home functions like a boat on land,” Saad says. “It has a full, functioning bathroom. There are solar-powered batteries and rainwater cisterns for the sink. The owners also bring their own water to the island, as needed.”

While the island offers totally green, off-grid living, the towns of Mystic and Noank, CT, are just a quick boat ride away.

“It’s a great way to be one with nature and is a unique place to escape,” says Saad.

The four-bedroom home is being sold fully furnished, including all appliances, furniture, and even a generator. An Eastern, 18-foot skiff motorboat is included for water transport.

The first-floor, open floor plan features wood-paneled walls, exposed beams, and preserved wood floors.

Kitchen

(Realtor.com)

Dining room

(Realtor.com)

A bright and airy kitchen has updated appliances and large windows with lovely views. A nearby dining room has a built-in hutch.

The cozy living room features a working fireplace, and the home’s one full bathroom is situated nearby on the main floor.

Four cute bedrooms, including the spacious primary bedroom, are upstairs.

Living room

(Realtor.com)

Bedroom

(Realtor.com)

From back and front decks to a side patio with fire pit, there are plenty of outdoor spaces for enjoying the spectacular waterfront vistas.

Saad said he believes the home’s next owner will be someone who is comfortable with its current setup as a vacation getaway.

“You could explore other options, but it’s designed to be a seasonal property for someone who wants simple living,” he explains. “The current owners didn’t want to make it more than that. They loved the simplicity of it and hope the next owners will, as well.”

Porch

(Realtor.com)

Fire pit

(Realtor.com)

Source: realtor.com

Apache is functioning normally

Apache is functioning normally

Radford Studio Center, a storied movie lot in Studio City that has been home to generations of landmark television shows — including “Gunsmoke” and “Seinfeld” — is set to get a $1-billion upgrade to expand its facilities and bring them further into the digital age.

The owners of the lot formerly known as CBS Studio Center submitted plans to Los Angeles officials Friday to revamp and enlarge the aging studio and broadcasting complex, adding as much as 1 million square feet of new soundstages, production facilities and offices.

Street signs on the lot of the Radford Studio Center in Studio City.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Founded by movie comedy legend Mack Sennett in 1928, the lot became known as “Hit City” in the decades after World War II as popular TV shows such as “Leave It to Beaver,” “Gilligan’s Island,” “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Will & Grace” were made there. Current shows include “Big Brother 24” and “Physical.”

The Mill Building, left, built in the 1940s, will be relocated on the lot at Radford Studio Center in Studio City.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

“It’s got this mystique that if you come there you’re going to make it,” said studio President Mike Klausman, who has worked on the property since he started there as a CBS page in 1971.

The Radford complex was the very studio lot that gave rise to the name Studio City. It’s had numerous incarnations, including decades as Republic Studios, home to such screen legends as Roy Rogers, John Wayne and Joan Crawford. Among Republic’s popular movies were “The Quiet Man,” “Sands of Iwo Jima” and “Johnny Guitar.”

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The current state of the 55-acre studio is less glamorous than its heritage would suggest, having evolved like an old city where new additions, often built on a tight budget, were layered over and around existing structures.

“There was never really a master plan,” Klausman said. “You would never tear down anything, just add on. We had to work around what was there.”

Bungalows for writers and stars — often quaint structures from Hollywood’s Golden Age on other historic movie lots — are clusters of mobile homes delivered in the 1990s when times were lean, he said. The vast roofs of soundstages used to drain rainwater directly onto the asphalt roads below.

Bungalows made from mobile homes, right, used by writers and stars and a parking structure in the background at Radford Studio Center in Studio City.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

New York Street, where “Seinfeld” was shot, at Radford Studio Center.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

“You almost needed a boat to get from one studio to another,” Klausman said. “It was like a river in that place.”

The drainage issue has been fixed, and times are no longer lean as the rise of streaming has escalated demand for soundstages and other production facilities and prompted the development of new studios in the Los Angeles region. Radford and other studios are booked year-round.

Though it is outwardly unassuming with its main entrance tucked around a corner from Ventura Boulevard on Radford Avenue, the Radford studio is among the most valuable in the world based on price. It sold in 2021 for $1.85 billion to Hackman Capital Partners, one of the largest providers of entertainment production facilities, and New York real estate investor Square Mile Capital Management.

“The history of hit shows that have been produced at Radford trace the trajectory of culture and entertainment in Los Angeles,” said Zach Sokoloff, a senior vice president at Culver City-based Hackman, who plans to complete its makeover.

Its location in an upscale Los Angeles neighborhood near other illustrious movie studios beloved by filmmakers made Radford highly sought after when it hit the market nearly two years ago, said real estate broker Carl Muhlstein of JLL, who represented seller ViacomCBS in the deal. There were multiple bidders for the property, he said.

Rendering of the proposed Radford Studio Center in Studio City.

(Radford Studio Center)

“Between Studio City and Burbank there are four iconic studio lots. Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal haven’t changed hands for over 100 years,” he said. “Here was an opportunity to buy something that only became surplus with the merger of CBS and Viacom” in 2019.

In addition to the real estate assets, ViacomCBS (which now goes by Paramount Global) turned over its lucrative studio operations business at the former CBS Studio Center, which includes stage rentals, facilities management and production support services on the Radford lot.

ViacomCBS sold another former CBS property, Television City in L.A.’s Fairfax district, to Hackman for $750 million in 2019. Paramount Global controls legendary Paramount Studios in Hollywood.

CBS’ two L.A. television stations, KCBS-TV (Channel 2) and KCAL-TV (Channel 9), are housed at the CBS Broadcast Center on the Radford lot, and the local news operation will stay put as part of a long-term lease-back.

A rendering of the proposed makeover of Radford Studio Center. The project would add more than 4,000 workers upon completion, doubling the number of people employed there now, according to a study by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.

(Radford Studio Center)

CBS, which acquired the property from Republic Pictures in the 1960s, will continue to occupy stages and produce content on the Radford lot. CBS-produced shows there now include “SEAL Team,” “Entertainment Tonight,” “The Neighborhood” and “The Talk,” which is recorded before a live audience.

In its present form, Radford Studio Center offers tenants 18 traditional soundstages and four other stages. The site also has about 210,000 square feet of production office space and its own mill to provide carpentry services and special effects, a commissary and a carwash.

It has a backlot with a “Central Park” and a “New York Street” with 11 building fronts, including four brownstones. It also includes simulated residential neighborhoods with a hodgepodge of houses in different architectural styles, including a facade used as the Cleaver residence in the sitcom “Leave It to Beaver.”

Hackman’s proposal calls for creating a largely new studio with 2.2 million square feet of buildings, including up to 25 soundstages and 300,000 square feet of production support space such as wardrobe, storage and a mill. There would be 725,000 square feet of offices to support productions and an additional 700,000 square feet of offices available for rent to companies in the entertainment industry.

Zach Sokoloff, left, senior vice president and asset manager for Hackman Capital Partners, talks with Mike Klausman, Radford Studio Center president, at the studio lot.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Historic structures, including the Mack Sennett Building and Stages 9 and 10, would be preserved.

To improve access, an entrance off Ventura Boulevard at Carpenter Avenue would be “resurrected,” Sokoloff said. The studio once had an entrance there, but it closed several decades ago.

Also planned is a new bridge over Tujunga Wash at Moorpark Street that would make Radford Avenue a through street. Only vehicles going to the studio could cross the bridge, but it would be open to members of the public on foot or on bicycles. The Los Angeles River Greenway, a 51-mile bike and pedestrian path, is currently interrupted at Radford Studio Center and a new bridge would close that gap.

Hackman owns five studios in the L.A. region, along with facilities in New York, New Orleans, Ireland, Canada, London and Scotland.

The company plans $1.25 billion worth of improvements to Television City that will add soundstages, production support facilities and offices for rent.

Though the Los Angeles area has the largest number of soundstages of any city in the world, studios are operating near 100% capacity with waiting lists as long as five film productions deep for those spaces, financial advisor Deloitte said in a 2021 report.

“To meet the booming demand, supply would need to more than double in Los Angeles County” in the next few years, Deloitte said. Planned projects for more studio space fall far short of that.

The Radford Studio project would add more than 4,000 workers upon completion, doubling the number of people employed there now, according to a study by the L.A. County Economic Development Corp.

Source: latimes.com

Apache is functioning normally

Growing up in Orange County in the late 1970s, KL DeHart often wandered the Westminster Mall with her mother, checking out the latest fashions and seeing what movies were playing.

As a teenager, she spent many weekends there with friends playing pinball and skeeball at the arcade and shopping for trendy Chemin De Fer jeans.

Now, the mall is pocked with empty storefronts. At the remaining businesses, employees eagerly jump to help the few customers passing through.

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What may rise in its place, if developers and city officials have their way, is a new kind of mall, one that will include lawns, walking trails and thousands of apartments.

“It was the hip place to be, and it’s really faded out, but it’s just sad to see it go,” said DeHart, a 55-year-old massage therapist who still lives near the mall, in the house she grew up in. She is among the residents worried that the new apartments will increase traffic while doing little to solve the region’s affordable housing crisis.

In Orange County, the San Fernando Valley and suburbs throughout America, the mall was a gathering spot where there were few other places to hang out. It was where kids stocked up on the latest fashions and roamed in packs after school, spawning the term “mall rat.”

The 1980s cult classic “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” began and ended at the mall where the teens worked. In the 1995 film “Clueless,” a Beverly Hills teen retreated to the mall, which she described as a “sanctuary,” after failing to persuade a teacher to boost her grade.

Now, teenagers text with their friends and make TikTok videos. Their parents are more likely to shop online than at a brick-and-mortar store.

At the same time, Orange County is desperate for housing, with rents and home prices escalating and state laws requiring cities to zone for new construction. In a region where there is little undeveloped land and neighbors are likely to push back at new housing, some see declining malls as ideal places to build.

The Westminster Mall is “probably one of the largest areas of developable space that still exists in our time in this area,” City Manager Christine Cordon told the City Council during a meeting last November.

Cordon remembers taking the bus to the mall decades ago to pick out CDs at Best Buy.

“You’re too young as a teenager to hang out in an actual nightclub, so back in the day, where would you go? The mall,” said Karen North, a USC professor who specializes in social media and psychology.

“It became this default place to go because it had something for everybody. You never knew who you were going to bump into, but you were always guaranteed there was something going on and there would be people around.”

An aerial view of high-density housing in Huntington Beach in what used to be the footprint of the old Huntington Beach Center, which was long ago redeveloped into Bella Terra shopping mall, background.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

As envisioned in a plan adopted by the City Council last year, the new mall would contain at least 600,000 square feet of retail space. It would include up to 3,000 residential units and up to 425 hotel rooms, surrounded by a park with 17 acres of green space.

Teenagers could still hang out there — it just wouldn’t be the echoey indoor turf that Alicia Silverstone claimed in “Clueless.”

Orange County is catching on to a trend that has already taken hold farther north in the Los Angeles area, led by developer Rick Caruso with his Americana at Brand and Palisades Village malls and residences.

“This is really our opportunity to create something that we can be absolutely proud of for the next generation to create those same fond memories that I have and that others have in a fashion that is consistent with what the times are now,” Cordon said.

Bill Shopoff said his company, which purchased the Macy’s store and the former Sears store in the Westminster Mall last year, hopes to draw people back with shops, a hotel, townhouses and apartments.

Shoppers at the Irvine Spectrum Center.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Upscale malls like South Coast Plaza are thriving because “they have entertainment, food, there’s a reason to go there,” said Shopoff, president and CEO of Shopoff Realty Investments. “I think we need to do that in Westminster to
create a sense of something.”

As for who will rent or purchase the homes in his preliminary plan, Shopoff is counting on a modern type of suburban dweller — one who would rather walk to restaurants and other amenities than live in a single-family home with a yard.

Experts say that new laws, along with increased pressure from the state to build more homes, have convinced some local officials who might have been resistant to rezoning commercial properties in the past.

Roughly every eight years, California cities are assigned a certain number of new housing units they’re required to zone for. As part of the 2020 assessment, Orange County needs to make space for about 183,000 new units, shared among all its cities.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two pieces of legislation aimed at spurring housing development in corridors otherwise zoned for large retail and office buildings.

“Whether you want to call Orange County urban suburbia or suburban urbanism, it’s definitely shifting,” said Elizabeth Hansburg, co-founder and executive director of People for Housing Orange County. “We have an interesting mix of historic districts and tract housing of the ’40s, ’50s, ’60s and even the ’70s, but I don’t see us building like that again. It’s going to be interesting to see how families evolve in denser spaces.”

Colten Caballero plays on his scooter outside the MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana.

(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

Elsewhere in Orange County, similar mall conversions are at various stages.

In Santa Ana, a 309-unit apartment complex is under construction on the parking lot of the Mainplace Mall, part of a larger project that will include more apartments, restaurants, courtyards and a music venue.

Simon Property Group has said it is open to adding residential zoning to its mall in Mission Viejo. In Brea, the company has proposed redeveloping 15.5 acres of the mall to include shops, a resort-style fitness center, apartments and a large central green space.

A proposal to redevelop the Village at Orange mall to include housing along with retail has run into stiff opposition. Residents are voicing concerns about tall residential buildings looming above nearby single-family homes.

In Westminster, DeHart said that she and her neighbors who live in tract homes adjacent to the malls are not “NIMBYs” — an acronym for “Not In My Backyard.”

“That’s not what this is,” she said. “We’re asking legitimate questions, and we’re not getting answers.”

A view of what’s left of the Laguna Hills Mall, which will be turned into a mixed-use development.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

In Laguna Hills, the mall is being repurposed along the lines of Caruso’s Los Angeles-area developments, with up to 1,500 apartments, an upscale hotel, commercial office space and 250,000 square feet of stores surrounding a large green space.

On a recent day, a chain-link fence wrapped with a blue tarp surrounded the partly demolished main building, with the “Laguna Hills Mall” lettering barely legible.

A sign affixed to the fence featured a rendering of the new homes, asserting that “a brighter future is coming soon.”

The Macy’s sign has been removed from the Laguna Hills Mall.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Residents have voiced concerns similar to those of DeHart and her neighbors — traffic, overcrowding. But Laguna Hills Mayor Janine Heft said a change is needed.

“There’s a lot of nostalgia for what the mall used to be,” Heft said. “What we didn’t want was a blight, and that’s really what we had. We had this mall that hadn’t been kept up in years.”

On a recent afternoon, most of the sprawling Westminster Mall was deserted. The only activity was at an indoor playground near JCPenney.

Corrie Essex watched her 5-month-old son playing on a blanket as rain pounded on the glass ceiling.

She grew up in the San Fernando Valley and recalls listing the Northridge Mall as one of her favorite places in an elementary school assignment. Her mother took her and her siblings there to get burgers and go to the movies — a relatively inexpensive way to keep four kids occupied.

“We’d go all the time,” said Essex, 30, who now lives in Huntington Beach. “It was fun. Now, I hate the mall. It’s just not the same.
Nothing’s beautiful anymore.”

But on a rainy day like this one, it was a good place to take her son. And, noted her sister, 27-year-old Jessie Lane, there’s little danger of spending money — “it doesn’t have any bougie stores that we would want to buy anything from.”

Their mother, 57-year-old Rachel Lane, said she likes the idea of adding housing to malls.

But with the new outdoor designs, she wondered, “Where are we going to go when it rains?”

Source: latimes.com

Apache is functioning normally

I am constantly changing. While many people are much the same today as they were yesterday (or last week or twenty years ago), I’m always evolving. This isn’t necessarily good or bad — it’s just who I am. Some of my friends think I’m fickle. I get that. (Kris tells me that I go through “phases”.) I prefer to view this constant change as growth. I don’t want to be the same person tomorrow as I am today. I enjoy the evolution.

But this continued growth creates complications. For one thing, it’s difficult for the Present Me to predict what the Future Me will like. Sometimes I’m right — but sometimes I’m wrong. (It’s not just me. Happiness expert Daniel Gilbert says that people are surprisingly bad at guessing what will bring them joy.)

Over the past couple of years, a variety of forces have been acting on my mind, subtly forcing me in new directions. (Mental glaciation!) I’ve been traveling. I’ve been reading. I’ve been talking to folks with unconventional lives. Pressure has been building. Then, earlier this month, the World Domination Summit burst things open. Now I find that I’m eager to shake up my current life and try something new.

I want to meet new people and see how they live. I want to see natural wonders — and man-made wonders, too. I want to try new food. I want jump out of airplanes and swim with the sharks, trek over mountains and get lost in the jungle. (But not too lost.) I want to taste the world.

And so, I came home one night last week and announced, “I don’t want to live here anymore.”

Dream House

Kris and I own an 1800-square-foot farmhouse set on two-thirds of an acre. Our land is park-like: We’re surrounded by trees and shrubs, and we’ve spent the past eight years building a food-producing garden filled with herbs, vegetables, berry canes, and fruit trees. Despite the rural feel, our home is located in a typical suburban neighborhood about fifteen minutes from downtown Portland, which makes the place unique. (“I’ve never seen a property like this,” our real-estate agent told us when we first toured the house.)

When we bought this house in 2004, it was my dream home. I fell in love with it instantly. I’d always wanted to live in an old farmhouse, a place with charm and character. I was so emotionally invested in the house that I was willing to make a poor financial decision to buy it. (Thus setting into motion the course of events that would lead to my financial nadir and, eventually, the creation of Get Rich Slowly.)

Over the years, though, the house has become less of an oasis and more of a chore. Today, it seems like a burden. Yes, the yard is beautiful, but it requires constant maintenance. I’d rather be writing than pruning shrubs. And ninety minutes to mow the lawn? Ugh. Plus, the house itself seems too big for two people — even with all of our Stuff. We have whole rooms we rarely use. In short, this is no longer my dream house.

I’ve made oblique references to this problem for years now. (And sometimes, in the comments, the references have been decidedly non-oblique.) But until recently, my discontent has never taken any form other than mumbling. Now, though, I feel moved to action.

No Quick Fix

Unfortunately, it’s not easy to simply say “I don’t want to live here anymore” and move on to someplace new. Selling (or buying) a home is a huge undertaking. There are many things to consider.

For one, I’m not sure what I really want. I know what I don’t want — which is this house — but I’m not sure where I’d rather live. An apartment? A smaller house? In the country? In the city? It’s tough to choose something different when you don’t actually know what you want.

Also, the Stuff is still an issue. Yes, I’ve been slowly purging things for the past four years, but I still have way too much. I still feel overwhelmed. (This is primarily because my definition of “needs” keeps shrinking. I mean, I can live out of a single carry-on suitcase for a month when I travel. Why do I need rooms filled with Stuff when I’m home?) If we’re going to move, I don’t want to take all of this with me.

Note: One idea that appeals to me: Move to a smaller place, but only take the bare essentials. Then, for six months (or a year or whatever), whenever we need something from the old house, move it over. At the end of six months, sell whatever hasn’t been moved and sell the old house.

And, of course, there are financial ramifications. Does it really make sense to sell in this market? I’m fortunate to be in a position that allows me to work from anywhere. Kris has a job that she loves, though, and it’s tied to a specific location. How do we account for this? (Also, what about the costs of my proposed travel?)

But the biggest reason Kris and I don’t just pick up and move to someplace smaller is that she still loves our home. This is her dream house. I’ve changed; she hasn’t. I may be unhappy here, but she’d be unhappy moving elsewhere — especially when I don’t even know what it is I want.

Thus, there’s no quick fix to this situation. I remain discontented.

Stumbling Toward Happiness

I’m not sure what we’ll do in the long-term. This isn’t one of those posts where I describe a problem and then share a solution. We haven’t found a solution. Instead, after a couple of talks, Kris and I have decided on some stop-gap measures:

    • I will explore solo travel. It may be that I won’t even like extended travel alone. It appeals to me right now, but what if I hate it? There’s no way to know unless I try. So, for the rest of the year, I’m going to head out on a series of personal adventures. (Thanks to the many GRS readers who have written with advice and offers to host me, by the way. You’re very kind.)
    • I’ll hire somebody to do the yardwork I’m neglecting. It pains me to pay for this, but I have to face reality: I hate doing yardwork. I’d rather be writing and/or traveling. (And besides, the writing makes me money.) I’ll do what I can around the house, but hire somebody to do the rest. This will require giving up my comic-book habit, but I’m okay with that. I’d rather travel.
    • I’ll be more diligent about purging my Stuff. As Adam Baker can attest, my workshop is filled with books and magazines and games and outdated electronics. There’s no need for me to keep all of this. Instead of just thinking about it, I need to actively shed this physical (and mental) baggage.

These are first steps. They’ll buy us time while I’m trying to discover who I am and what I want to do. If I’m still feeling oppressed in the winter or the spring, Kris and I will explore other options. Though, to be honest, I have no idea what those options might be.

Recently, Tammy Strobel from Rowdy Kittens offered an hilarious solution. Tammy and her husband are building a tiny house. She suggested that I could build a tiny house and put it in the middle of our huge lawn. “Then you could have what you want and Kris could have what she wants,” Tammy said. Clever. We’re not to that point yet, but who knows? Maybe next year at this time, I’ll be living like a gypsy in the middle of our yard.

Source: getrichslowly.org