As primary nears, Mayor Aftab Pureval touts Connected Communities at new rowhouse development
In order to build 29 new townhomes in Evanston, developer Onyx + East needed 36 variances from Cincinnati's zoning code, more evidence the Connected Communities zoning reforms passed in 2024 were needed, Mayor Aftab Pureval said.
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Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aurora plans for road resurfacing, water main projects
The city of Aurora is planning for three infrastructure projects, including road resurfacings and water main replacements. The projects, expected to cost in total roughly $9.3 million, were approved by the Aurora City Council on May 27. None were discussed at that meeting as they were passed as part of the consent agenda, which is typically used for routine or non-controversial items that are all approved with one vote. The most costly of the infrastructure-related items approved at the meeting late last month was the 2025 Citywide Street Resurfacing-EAST project. Builders Paving, LLC, of Hillside was awarded a nearly $5.9 million contract to resurface almost 26 'lane miles' of city-maintained streets, according to a staff report included with the May 27 meeting's agenda. The company, which is certified by the Illinois Department of Transportation and has previously done resurfacing work for the city, submitted the lowest-cost bid that met the city's requirements, coming in around 2% under the estimated project cost, staff said in the report. The majority of the project's funding — $3.5 million — is coming from state Motor Fuel Taxes, according to the report. The resurfacing project will also be funded by municipal motor fuel taxes, water and sewer funds, the 9th Ward projects fund, neighborhood improvement capital funds and federal money through the Community Development Block Grant program. The work is expected to begin this month and be done by October. Staff said in the report that each street will be under construction for eight to 10 weeks, which will have some impact on local traffic. The 2025 Citywide Street Resurfacing Project as a whole is set to resurface a total of 43 'lane miles' of city-maintained streets, the staff report said. The project was broken up across two contracts: one covering streets on the East Side of the city and another covering the North and West Sides of the city. The resurfacing project's other contract, awarded to Geneva Construction Co. of Aurora for around $3.4 million, was approved by the Aurora City Council earlier in May. Geneva Construction's bid came in under projected costs by 9%, according to a different staff report about that contract. Construction has already begun on this earlier-approved phase of the resurfacing project but has not yet started on the East Side part, a city spokesperson said. Staff said in their report about the West Side part of the resurfacing project that the city maintains nearly 1,300 'lane miles' of streets which have a pavement surface life expectancy of 20 to 25 years. Last year, the city resurfaced around 38 'lane miles,' and in 2023 resurfaced around 43 miles of street lanes. Also approved at the May 27 meeting was a nearly $3.2 million contract with Miller Pipeline LLC to replace a water main off Sullivan Road on the city's West Side. The Beau Ridge North Water Main Improvements project looks to replace a water main prone to breaks in the area of Calico Drive, according to a staff report included with the meeting's agenda. Plus, staff said in the report that the 128 water service lines off the existing water main, most of which are currently lead, will also be replaced. Because the project is being done in a quiet, residential area, there will not be any major lane closures, the staff report said. Traffic will be minimally impacted, the report said, and water shutdowns will be planned and coordinated with impacted residents. Miller Pipeline's bid for the project was the lowest that met the city's requirements and came in around 4.5% under the project's expected cost, staff said in the report. Another water main project was also approved at the late May meeting: the Fox Valley Center Drive Water Main Replacement project. Fox Excavating, Inc. was awarded a roughly $210,000 contract for the project planned to replace a portion of the water main near Fox Valley Mall, which also has a history of frequent breaks, according to a separate staff report. Unlike the other water main replacement project, this one only has to replace two water service lines off the existing water main, the staff report said, and those two will only be partially replaced because they are both copper. In addition to the three infrastructure projects, the Aurora City Council also approved various vehicle and vehicle-related purchases as a part of its May 27 meeting consent agenda. One of the resolutions approved at that meeting, which had a price tag of a little over $1.7 million, allowed the city's Fleet Maintenance Division to purchase listed vehicles when there is the opportunity to do so. According to the staff report about the resolution, current market conditions make it difficult for the city to buy vehicles through the city's standard bidding and approval processes. In total, the city is looking to buy 27 vehicles, most of which are replacement hybrid squad cars for the Aurora Police Department. The Animal Control, Water and Sewer Maintenance, Downtown Maintenance, Electrical and Street Maintenance divisions are also set to get new vehicles. When it makes sense, electric or high-efficiency vehicles will be purchased, staff said in the report. In a separate resolution, the Aurora City Council approved the purchase of a new Ford Hybrid Utility Police Interceptor for around $52,000, which a staff report said will replace a similar car that was totaled in an accident. The City Council also approved, in a different resolution, the purchase of squad car cameras and related equipment for the Aurora Police Department from Axon Enterprises for almost $100,000. This equipment, a staff report said, will go to support the police department's growing vehicle fleet. Squad car cameras, in addition to body cameras, are required by police department policy and legal mandates, staff said in the report. Another vehicle-related purchase approved by the Aurora City Council was a pair of vehicle repair lifts for the new Public Works Facility. The two lifts will cost the city a total of roughly $98,000. rsmith@
Chicago Tribune
18 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Aurora plans for road resurfacing, water main projects
The city of Aurora is planning for three infrastructure projects, including road resurfacings and water main replacements. The projects, expected to cost in total roughly $9.3 million, were approved by the Aurora City Council on May 27. None were discussed at that meeting as they were passed as part of the consent agenda, which is typically used for routine or non-controversial items that are all approved with one vote. The most costly of the infrastructure-related items approved at the meeting late last month was the 2025 Citywide Street Resurfacing-EAST project. Builders Paving, LLC, of Hillside was awarded a nearly $5.9 million contract to resurface almost 26 'lane miles' of city-maintained streets, according to a staff report included with the May 27 meeting's agenda. The company, which is certified by the Illinois Department of Transportation and has previously done resurfacing work for the city, submitted the lowest-cost bid that met the city's requirements, coming in around 2% under the estimated project cost, staff said in the report. The majority of the project's funding — $3.5 million — is coming from state Motor Fuel Taxes, according to the report. The resurfacing project will also be funded by municipal motor fuel taxes, water and sewer funds, the 9th Ward projects fund, neighborhood improvement capital funds and federal money through the Community Development Block Grant program. The work is expected to begin this month and be done by October. Staff said in the report that each street will be under construction for eight to 10 weeks, which will have some impact on local traffic. The 2025 Citywide Street Resurfacing Project as a whole is set to resurface a total of 43 'lane miles' of city-maintained streets, the staff report said. The project was broken up across two contracts: one covering streets on the East Side of the city and another covering the North and West Sides of the city. The resurfacing project's other contract, awarded to Geneva Construction Co. of Aurora for around $3.4 million, was approved by the Aurora City Council earlier in May. Geneva Construction's bid came in under projected costs by 9%, according to a different staff report about that contract. Construction has already begun on this earlier-approved phase of the resurfacing project but has not yet started on the East Side part, a city spokesperson said. Staff said in their report about the West Side part of the resurfacing project that the city maintains nearly 1,300 'lane miles' of streets which have a pavement surface life expectancy of 20 to 25 years. Last year, the city resurfaced around 38 'lane miles,' and in 2023 resurfaced around 43 miles of street lanes. Also approved at the May 27 meeting was a nearly $3.2 million contract with Miller Pipeline LLC to replace a water main off Sullivan Road on the city's West Side. The Beau Ridge North Water Main Improvements project looks to replace a water main prone to breaks in the area of Calico Drive, according to a staff report included with the meeting's agenda. Plus, staff said in the report that the 128 water service lines off the existing water main, most of which are currently lead, will also be replaced. Because the project is being done in a quiet, residential area, there will not be any major lane closures, the staff report said. Traffic will be minimally impacted, the report said, and water shutdowns will be planned and coordinated with impacted residents. Miller Pipeline's bid for the project was the lowest that met the city's requirements and came in around 4.5% under the project's expected cost, staff said in the report. Another water main project was also approved at the late May meeting: the Fox Valley Center Drive Water Main Replacement project. Fox Excavating, Inc. was awarded a roughly $210,000 contract for the project planned to replace a portion of the water main near Fox Valley Mall, which also has a history of frequent breaks, according to a separate staff report. Unlike the other water main replacement project, this one only has to replace two water service lines off the existing water main, the staff report said, and those two will only be partially replaced because they are both copper. In addition to the three infrastructure projects, the Aurora City Council also approved various vehicle and vehicle-related purchases as a part of its May 27 meeting consent agenda. One of the resolutions approved at that meeting, which had a price tag of a little over $1.7 million, allowed the city's Fleet Maintenance Division to purchase listed vehicles when there is the opportunity to do so. According to the staff report about the resolution, current market conditions make it difficult for the city to buy vehicles through the city's standard bidding and approval processes. In total, the city is looking to buy 27 vehicles, most of which are replacement hybrid squad cars for the Aurora Police Department. The Animal Control, Water and Sewer Maintenance, Downtown Maintenance, Electrical and Street Maintenance divisions are also set to get new vehicles. When it makes sense, electric or high-efficiency vehicles will be purchased, staff said in the report. In a separate resolution, the Aurora City Council approved the purchase of a new Ford Hybrid Utility Police Interceptor for around $52,000, which a staff report said will replace a similar car that was totaled in an accident. The City Council also approved, in a different resolution, the purchase of squad car cameras and related equipment for the Aurora Police Department from Axon Enterprises for almost $100,000. This equipment, a staff report said, will go to support the police department's growing vehicle fleet. Squad car cameras, in addition to body cameras, are required by police department policy and legal mandates, staff said in the report. Another vehicle-related purchase approved by the Aurora City Council was a pair of vehicle repair lifts for the new Public Works Facility. The two lifts will cost the city a total of roughly $98,000.
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Is Quiet Luxury Over? Top Designer André Fu Believes It's Here To Stay
A calming, luxurious suite at Dusit Thani Bangkok To say interior architect André Fu is in demand is quite the understatement. In the past year alone, his eponymous André Fu Studio (AFSO) had a hand in four headline projects: The Emory in London, the city's first all-suite hotel; Dusit Thani Bangkok, a reinvention of a historic flagship property; Capella Taipei, styled as a modern mansion and the eighth opening of the award-winning hospitality group; and Waldorf Astoria Osaka, the luxury brand's first foray in Japan. So while fashion has become disillusioned with the quiet luxury aesthetic, Fu's popularity is testament to the power of elegant restraint. Known for his East-meets-West aesthetic and a calming yet textured palette, his worldly approach is far from 'boring beige'—he creates spaces with warmth, character and sophistication in spades. We speak to the lauded interior architect and founder of André Fu Living, on his timely yet timeless designs, his creative process and what's next. Plume is the elevated lobby bar at Capella Taipei You often describe your style as 'relaxed luxury'. What would you say are the ingredients of the André Fu style? Perhaps it is my approach to design—it is never about capturing a particular trend of style. I would typically immerse myself in walking around the site, conducting engaging conversations with the locals and conjuring the narrative for the project. This serves as the backbone for the project to evolve and develop, but it is always about bringing everyone back to the original vision and being truthful to it. Your projects span new builds and historic spaces. Do you approach them differently? Each hotel takes years to realise so whenever I accept a new project, I need to convince myself that there is something unique that I want to tell. This mindset allows me to see each project as a way to capture a new side of my aesthetic world. Andre Fu used Jim Thompson Thai silk and handmade ceramic tiles at the Dusit Thani Bangkok For the Dusit Thani Bangkok, you were able to weave a lot of the hotel's history into the space. Walk us through the creative process: It was about paying homage to the original hotel's distinct character, while also offering something fresh and innovative. I imagined a visual journey to celebrate Thai culture and design sensibilities, art and craftsmanship throughout each destination within the property. I adopted a vast variety of local materials, including Jim Thompson Thai silk and handmade ceramic tiles to celebrate the local artisan offerings, and juxtaposed them with European fabrics and stones. Palette wise, one may notice an expansive use of exotic tropical colors to celebrate the sense of place. One of the key highlights in the project can be found in the main lobby: multiple freestanding bronze screens, designed in collaboration with Bangkok-based projecttSTUDIO. This handcrafted sculpture has intricate interwoven patterns to conjure a layered visual experience, evoking a dynamic sense of movement and ascension. The level of intricacy for the scale we have dreamt up is highly ambitious. The stunning Peacock Alley at Waldorf Astoria Osaka From post-pandemic recovery to economic uncertainty and ongoing wars, the world seems more chaotic. Do you think this has changed how many of us view hotels? I think hotels are an ultimate expression of lifestyle—it ought to elevate one's senses on a 360-degree level. Guests are also seeking for each hotel to have a point of view and a story to tell, akin to reflecting on their own personal values. On that note, it perhaps explains why I have always challenged myself with coming up with a particular vision and narrative for each project. Sometimes it is about the brand that I'm working with, sometimes it's about revolving around the context of the hotel, or everything in between. What would your dream holiday look like? My bucket list at present includes a trip to Brasilia to admire the works of Oscar Niemeyer. Every summer, I also take a few days to return to Villa La Coste—one of my favorite projects nestled in Aix-en-Provence to immerse myself in its world of art, architecture and wine culture. Lastly, can you share future plans that you're personally excited about? Other than some key addresses and hotels in the making, my next step involves taking my own brand, André Fu Living, outside of Asia.
