February 2016

In this Newsletter

• Announcing Our Newest Community 
• February's Featured Project: Georgia Heights
• AVB Wins 2015 AIA Chicago Design Award
• Save the Date: 2016 Parade of Homes, June 10th - 18th
• AVB Launches New Website
• AVB IN THE COMMUNITY
• Gull Road Justice Complex Facility to Open
• AVB Winter Maintenance Tips

Announcing Our Newest Community

AVB is excited to announce our newest community, Whisper Rock, located at the corner of Oakland Drive and Centre Avenue in the City of Portage, Whisper Rock is in the perfect location! Not only is it in the heart of downtown Portage but it is also less than five minutes from US-131, the popular commuter highway, and 15 minutes from the thriving downtown Kalamazoo.

The site work has already begun, including clearing trees and site level grading, for this new luxury condominium community that is following in the footsteps of the popular Oakland Hills Community.

Connect with AVB on Facebook for updates and stay tuned for more information as Whisper Rock is developed.

February Featured Project: Georgia Heights

AVB was hired by the project owners EdR (Memphis, TN), GEM (Chicago, IL) and Schenk Realty (Chicago, IL) to be the development manager for this mixed-use student housing project. The project includes 242 units, over 40,000 square feet of retail space and two levels of underground parking, immediately adjacent to the University of Georgia campus. The first floor retail includes frontage on three different streets and includes restaurants and clothing retailers. The exterior takes its cues from surrounding historic buildings.

AVB Wins 2015 AIA Chicago Design Award

The Newell Rubbermaid Design Center won the 2015 American Institute of Architecture (AIA) Chicago Design Award for Interior Architecture!

This world-wide design center features immersion rooms denoted by ash wood slats for the design teams of various divisions of the company. The open floor plan work areas, consumer testing area, a design and innovation center, and a 3D printing lab for prototypes all inspire innovation.

AVB was the design builder the project, and Byce & Associates and Perkin Williams provided design direction.

This building also achieved a Two Green Globes Certification for the building’s energy efficiency and sustainable features.

Save the Date: 2016 Parade of Homes, June 10th - 18th

AVB Launches New Website

AVB is excited to announce the launch of our new website! Thanks to the help of Ignertia and their team, our website now has improved functionality. It is now easy to maneuver and user friendly, something we try to bring to our clients during every construction process. Additionally, updated information is clearly displayed within our new website and is now easier than ever to access! Check it out at www.avbinc.com and discover how AVB can help you to Build Something Better!

AVB IN THE COMMUNITY

AVB sponsored the new Kalamazoo Institute of Arts (KIA) Exhibit: Suspended. You can view this exhibit through: March 13, 2016. Visit the KIA website at: www.kiarts.org

Gull Road Justice Complex Facility to Open

The new 81,000 square foot Gull Road Criminal Justice Facility (GRCJF) on Gull Road is almost finished, the ceremonial ribbon cutting is scheduled to take place in February. The stunning glass front elevation is made with over 400 panes of glass and the building interior features extensive casework, porcelain tile and carpet flooring. The Court House is equipped with state of the art security, including CCTV, card access, intercoms and 2 way communication systems. It is connected to the Juvenile Detention Center with an enclosed walkway for easy access. Due to the steeply graded site, AVB used cast-in-place concrete and gravel pier sub-grade improvements to ensure the building was firmly in place. The GRCJF is also energy efficient. It features LED lighting equipped with occupancy sensors and timers to reduce energy consumption, high-efficiency HVAC systems and 990,000 pounds of recycled content asphalt.

AVB Winter Maintenance Tips

Winter is the time to assess the interior of your home or office and check for anything you may have overlooked. AVB asked our Customer Service Manager, Paul Carroll, to give us some helpful tips on how to keep your space at its best during the winter weather. Below are a few things from his winter checklist:

• Regularly check for ice dams and icicles. They’re incredibly heavy and can cause damage to people and your home, or building.
• Test your electricity to the extent that you can. Always exercise caution when working with electricity. Check that all outlets work and if they don’t, call a licensed electrician. Also, be sure to test your GFCI outlets.
• Tighten any handles, knobs, etc. Go through and inspect anything that could have a loose screw.
• Check all locks and deadbolts on your doors and windows. If anything doesn’t work right, replace it.
• Check caulking around showers and bathtubs and repair as needed.
• Remove shower heads and clean sediment. This prolongs its life and helps with water pressure as well.
• Give your basement a good inspection at least once a year. Basements are notoriously overlooked, especially if they’re primarily just storage areas. Dust them up, clean any windows, make sure there isn’t mold anywhere, etc.
• Have furnace and AC serviced at least once a year.
• Clean and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace batteries immediately if needed.

These are just a few things on a much more extensive list. Not all experts will agree on when to preform each maintenance task and there are several other great tasks that can and should be performed throughout the year. For more information about tips to keep your home or office in good condition, contact Julie in our customer service department at 269.329.3638 or by email at julie@avbinc.com.