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On Monday, November 25, 2013, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Parks Commissioner Veronica M. White, Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability Sergej Mahnovski announced that the largest solar energy installation in New York City will be installed at Freshkills Park on Staten Island. SunEdison was selected through a public bidding process to design, construct, install and operate a solar power facility with the potential to generate up to 10 MW of power on 47 acres of property leased from New York City. This is boasted to be 5 times more than any solar energy system in New York City and enough to power approximately 2,000 homes.

Freshkillspark.jpg

At 2,200 acres, Freshkills Park is 3 times the size of Central Park and reportedly the largest park developed in New York City in over 100 years. This area was formerly the world’s largest landfill and the park represents a remarkable example of land reclamation. It is being transformed into a productive and beautiful cultural destination, symbolizing renewal and an expression of how society can restore balance to its landscape. Freshkills Park’s design, ecological restoration and cultural and educational programming is intended to emphasize environmental sustainability and a renewed public concern for our impact on the earth.

Additional Resources: The Official Website of the City of New York

Related Articles: NY Governor Announces SUNY to Develop First-Of-Its-Kind CNSE Photovoltaic Manufacturing and Technology Development Facility

Photo: Kristine Paulus, Taken Oct. 1, 2011 – Creative Commons

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The light at the end of the tunnel moved further away for California’s high speed rail project on Monday, as a California court’s rulings placed much of the project’s funding in limbo.

In one ruling, in an action brought by the High-Speed Rail Authority and High-Speed Passenger Train Finance Committee to validate the Finance Committee’s decision to authorize issue of over $8 billion in bonds, the court refused to validate the bonds. Two state agencies were involved in the issuance: the Authority, which is charged with building the project and requested the bonds, and the Finance Committee, which is responsible for authorizing the bonds and did so. The court held that the Finance Committee was required by law to rely on evidence other than the bald request by the Authority for the bonds. As noted by the court, “[a]n agency that is specifically assigned to the task of building a project . . . may have a very different view of what is desirable than the public officials who sit on the authorizing committee, whose responsibilities include taking a view of the State’s finances that is broader than a single project.” The court found no other evidence in the record than the Authority’s request and denied validation.

In the second ruling, the court issued a writ of mandate directing the Authority to rescind its funding plan because it had not obtained all required environmental clearances, but declined to order rescission of the existing construction contracts, including the Tutor-Perini-Parsons contract we last blogged about in June.

What these two rulings mean for the future of high-speed rail in California is open for debate. According to the Associated Press’s Juliet Williams, the Authority’s CEO said the Authority did not think that addressing the rulings “will have any material effect on the project.” On the other hand, Ms. Williams also notes the observation of Michael Brady, an attorney for parties suing to halt the project, that “[I]t’s taken them five years to [get environmental clearances for] 28 miles, so how long will it take them to do 300 miles?”

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2016 Update: Death of Del Paso; Sponsor A Dream: Iceland Ice Skating Rink

Update: Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento Business Journal, North Sacramento public market plans official debut (Sep. 9, 2014); Domus looks at Del Paso Boulevard parcels for mixed-use projects (Aug. 15, 2014); Sacramento Business Journal, Enotria plans to reopen (Mar. 26, 2014); Comstock’s Magazine, Words of Art (Feb. 2014) — “[T]he Del Paso Design District has earned a Good Design Award for green urban planning from the European Centre for Architecture and the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.”

Monday, The Sacramento Bee announced that city officials and neighborhood activists have come together with what they believe will “reverse the downward spiral of Del Paso Boulevard, the gritty main street of north Sacramento.” It was reported that “[l]ocal business owners and developers are in negotiations to purchase some of the 12 properties the city owns” along Del Paso Boulevard. In addition, the Del Paso Boulevard Partnership is “a marketing consultant working for the neighborhood’s business association is attempting to brand the area as a ‘design district’ that appeals to small businesses.” These 10 uninterrupted blocks provide a rare development opportunity.

enotria bldg.jpgAn existing draw to this area is Enotria Restaurant Wine Bar located at 1431 Del Paso Boulevard. Enotria’s website describes its recent renovation and vision for its future: Enotria “underwent a multi-million dollar renovation in 2010 and now boasts an exciting new Winebar, beautiful courtyard, and brand new finishes in the original restaurant. Chef Pajo Bruich and his culinary team prepare contemporary California cuisine with fresh, local ingredients and change the menu seasonally. Enotria’s food is designed to pair with over 700 unique wine selections in house.” It also boasts that “[u]nder the direction of general manager, Jenny Yun, Enotria provides guests with a wine and food pairing experience that will be memorable for years to come.”

The Temp Gallery.jpg Just down the block at the Sacramento Temporary Contemporary located at 1616 Del Paso Boulevard art installations are often hosted. The November Art Installation, which runs from November 7 through November 24, will feature artists including Julie Didion, Susan Ballenger, Sally Shapiro, Susan Aulik, Mary Curtis Ratcliff and Marilyn Jennings.

DSC_0317.JPG Not far from them is another popular draw to the area. Prime Time Boxing is located at 1931 Del Paso Boulevard. Prime Time Boxing is the self-proclaimed “creator of the ‘boxing class’.” Now, Prime Time Boxing explains, “the old boxing class has become the new boxing camp. We are committed to changing your life in a positive way!” It promises that “[y]ou are never just another face in the crowd at Prime Time. Once you commit to this program we promise to keep you motivated, sweating and achieving the goals you have set for yourself.”

Iceland.jpgThe nostalgic Iceland Ice Skating Rink is also located along this corridor at 1431 Del Paso Boulevard. Iceland “opened in 1940 and for almost 70 continuous years provided skating fun in Sacramento. Iceland was burned down by arson fire on March 28, 2010.” It reopened as a seasonal rink in November, 2010. Iceland is now managed by Sacramento Iceland, Inc. Iceland is preparing to open for the winter season on November 22, 2013.

The beautiful Woodlake neighborhood is also not far. Woodlake is a stately 1930s and 1940s neighborhood within the boundaries set by Arden Way to the north, N. Sacramento Freeway to the south, Royal Oaks Drive to the east and Del Paso Boulevard (Uptown Art District) to the north-west. Woodlake is mostly inhabited by career professionals and is often cited in Sacramento publications as one of Sacramento’s most desired neighborhoods.

Andrea Lepore, a co-owner of the popular Hot Italian restaurant in Sacramento’s midtown, recently confirmed to The Sacramento Bee that four local business owners are in talks with city officials to buy properties on Del Paso Boulevard. Although Lepore did not identify the business owners negotiating to buy the properties, she reportedly confirmed that the projects that they would be seeking to build along Del Paso Boulevard would include “a local graphic design firm, a local brewery and a developer interested in building a midsize apartment building on the boulevard.” She also reportedly confirmed that “a well-known local chef wants to open a “culinary center” that would include not only a restaurant, but also other food-related amenities.” Negotiations are reportedly ongoing, which kept Lepore from providing further details.

In addition, Lepore also indicated that the plan would involve rehabilitation of the “the former Grand Theatre, which opened in 1942 but closed in 1960.” The Grand Theatre is located at 1917 Del Paso Boulevard. The proposed concept for the Grand Theatre, “which once featured a neon sign facing Del Paso Boulevard, is to reopen the space as a movie theater serving full meals and adult drinks, similar to the Parkway Theater in Oakland.” Another new draw to this area could include plans for a public market to cover multiple properties on Del Paso Boulevard. The market – reportedly “the idea of prominent designer and furniture retailer Dan Friedlander” – is expected to include “permanent vendors selling meat, bread and produce.”

Additional Attractions on Del Paso Boulevard: Stoney’s Rockin’ Rodeo, 1320 Del Paso Blvd.; North Sacramento – Hagginwood Library, 2109 Del Paso Blvd.; Big Idea Theatre, 1616 Del Paso Blvd.; Fenix Studios, 2110 Del Paso Blvd.; The Green Boheme, 1825 Del Paso Blvd.; Mama Kim Eats, 1616 Del Paso Blvd.

Additional Sources: The Sacramento Bee; Del Paso Boulevard Partnership; Bennett Engineering Services

Photos: Del Paso Boulevard Partnership, All Rights Reserved; Prime Time Boxing Inc., All Rights Reserved; Comstock’ Magazine

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On October 31, 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a new concentrating solar power (CSP) project that will be led by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD). CSP technology uses sunlight to produce steam, which is then used to generate electricity, and improves the efficiency and performance of traditional fossil fuel-powered plants. The SMUD project will integrate utility-scale CSP technology with SMUD’s 500 MW natural gas-fired Cosumnes Power Plant, and it will help design, build and test cost-competitive CSP-fossil fuel power generating systems in the United States. When completed, the project will feed solar-produced steam directly into the Cosumnes Power Plant’s turbines – generating at least 10 MW of new electric generation capacity. The project will also include energy storage technology to improve system performance and meet peak and off-peak power needs.

As reported by the DOE, “[t]oday, between 11 and 21 gigawatts of CSP could be built and integrated into existing fossil fuel plants in the United States – enough to power to between 3 million and 6 million homes.”

Additional Sources: U.S. Department of Energy

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On November 1, 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy opened the competition to select up to 20 collegiate teams to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2015. The teams selected will begin a 2-year project to build solar-powered, highly energy-efficient houses that combine affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence. The U.S. Department of Energy reported in its announcement that, for the first time in the Decathlon’s history, the houses constructed for the U.S. Solar Decathlon 2013 all generated more electricity than they consumed during the 10-day competition.
2013 Solar Decathlon Closing Ceremony.jpg The Vienna University of Technology won the U.S. Solar Decathlon 2013 that took place in Irvine, California in October.

The U.S. Department of Energy released a funding opportunity announcement (“FOA”) to support the participation of up to 20 college and university teams in the Solar Decathlon 2015. Important dates for the Solar Decathlon 2015 teams FOA:
• Issue date: Nov. 1, 2013 • Submission deadline: Dec. 20, 2013, at 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST • Expected notification date: Feb. 14, 2014 • Expected timeframe for award negotiations: Feb. 14 – Apr. 14, 2014.

To apply to theFOA, applicants must register with and submit application materials through EERE Exchange, the Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s online application portal. Questions regarding the FOA must be submitted to solardecathlon2015@go.doe.gov no later than 3business days prior to the application due date.The Solar Decathlon 2013 Rules will be the basis for the Solar Decathlon 2015 competition, though the rules will be revised prior to the 2015 competition based on lessons learned and technology advancements at Solar Decathlon 2013.

Additional Sources: Vienna University of Technology Shines at US Solar Decathlon 2013

Photo: Dept of Energy Solar Decathlon (Oct. 12, 2013) – Creative Commons

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UPDATE: The Sacramento Bee, A King’s crown? A crushed can? Architects analyze arena design (Feb. 2, 2014)

BREAKING NEWS: The Sacramento Bee, Mayor Kevin Johnson Formally Unveils Drawings Of New Sacramento Kings Arena and Proposed New Arena To Include Farm-To-Fork Elements (Jan. 28, 2014)

On Tuesday, October 29, arena designer Mark Friedman of AECOM presented the latest concepts for Sacramento’s new sports center and entertainment complex to Sacramento’s City Council at a public meeting. The latest drawings of Friedman’s concepts show that it would involve both indoor and a possible second level outdoor use option. Friedman also proposed that the arena for Sacramento Kings’ and other events would be built below ground with the main concourse area to be constructed at street level. The proposed u-shaped structure would not have a “back”, which would help to open up the area around K Street, said Sacramento Kings President Chris Granger.

Additional Sources: Sacramento Kings Owners Announce Indoor-Outdoor Facility Concept for New Arena; Turner Construction Company to Build New Sacramento Kings Arena; The Sacramento Bee; CBS Sacramento; News 10

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UPDATE: The Sacramento Bee, West Sacramento setting the table as a major food industry hub, Mark Glover (Feb. 2, 2014) and Growing pains assail the senses in West Sacramento neighborhood, Darrell Smith (Jan. 5, 2014)

West Sacramento appears to be a growing global food hub. Today, it was announced that Shinmei Co. Ltd. of Kobe, Japan (“Shinmei Co.”), is on a fast track to build a $10 million factory to make rice buns in West Sacramento and a 28,000-square-foot building in the Southport Business Park. Sacramento builder Potter Taylor & Co., a locally and family owned business, has been slated to develop the site and build the plant. Construction is expected to commence early next year.

Today’s announcement follows closely on the heels of Japan’s Nippon Shokken’s August 2013 announcement that, after 18 months of construction, it was opening its 70,000 square foot facility to make sauces for the global market. Nippon Shokken and Shinmei Co. will be next door neighbors.

Just weeks before Nippon Shokken’s announcement, Norway’s Tomra Sorting Solutions announced that West Sacramento would soon see work beginning on its 60,000 square foot building that will be the North American headquarters for Tomra. West Sacramento’s Brown Construction Inc. is building this factory and VLMK Consulting Engineers of Portland, Oregon will be acting as the project’s engineer and architect. Tomra expects to occupy the building by March.

Last but not least, Germany’s Bayer CropScience moved into a 164,00 square foot building in West Sacramento in late July. It expects to acquire an additional 10 acres somewhere close to construction a greenhouse facility.

These companies join various domestic food distribution and manufacturing companies that have been located in West Sacramento for many years, including Farm Fresh to You, Tony’s Fine Foods, Nor Cal Beverage and Raley’s Family of Fine Stores.

Additional Sources: Sacramento Business Journal

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The U.S. Department of Energy announced Monday that, as part of the Department’s SunShot Initiative, it will provide $60 million to support innovative solar energy research and development. It confirmed that will be investing/awarding:

  • “more than $12 million across 17 companies to help commercialize a wide range of technologies and services – from online tools that can map a rooftop’s solar potential in seconds to automated installation systems for utility scale photovoltaic plants”
  • “approximately $16 million to four projects that will help develop solar devices that near the theoretical efficiency limits of single junction solar cells, or about 30 percent efficiency”
  • “about $7 million to develop stronger, more reliable solar components as well as dependable performance tests for microinverters and microconverters”
  • “about $8 million to help utilities forecast and integrate high levels of renewable energy generation into the grid, while ensuring reliable and affordable power”
  • “about $15 million to develop power engineering curriculum and launch four regional training consortiums.” These consortiums, led by U.S. universities, utilities, and industry, will train the next generation of energy engineers, system operators and utility professionals.
  • “about $1 million to Delaware State University and the University of Texas at Austin to provide solar energy research and education opportunities to minority students”

The Department estimated that the “U.S. solar industry employs about 119,000 workers at more than 5,600 companies across every state.” It also estimated that, since 2010, the solar industry has created nearly 20,000 new American jobs. These investments and awards are expected to “help lower the cost of solar electricity, advance seamless grid integration and support a growing U.S. solar workforce.”

Additional Source: U.S. Department of Energy; U.S. Department of Energy, SunShot Initiative

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The California State Contractors License Board and California Department of Public Health warn that construction and other workers who disturb soil are at risk for contracting Valley Fever, and encourage employers to include protective measures in workplace health and safety plans. The Coccidioides immitis fungus lives in the soil in parts of California, particularly in the Central Valley, and in several southwestern U.S. states, and in Central and South America. Valley Fever is contracted by inhaling fungal spores that live in the dirt and that are stirred up by activity, including but not limited to construction, digging or driving, or working in dusty, wind-blown areas. Typically those who become infected experience pneumonia and flu-like symptoms.

Workers at higher risk for Valley Fever include wildland firefighters, construction workers, archaeologists, military personnel, and workers in mining, gas and oil extraction jobs. In 2007, 10 members of a 12-person construction crew excavating a trench developed Valley Fever (also known as coccidioidomycosis), an illness with pneumonia and flu-like symptoms. Seven of the 10 had abnormal chest x-rays, four had rashes, and one had an infection that spread beyond his lungs. Over 1000 Californians are hospitalized with Valley Fever every year. About 8 of every 100 people hospitalized die from the infection annually.

Although there is no vaccine against Valley Fever, the Department of Public Health suggests that employers and workers can take protective measures including but not limited to “incorporating the following elements into the company’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program and project-specific health and safety plans:
1. Determine if the worksite is in an area where Valley Fever is endemic (consistently present). Check with your local health department to determine whether cases have been known to occur in the proximity of your work area. See the map on page 2 to determine whether your company will be working in an endemic county.
2. Train workers and supervisors on the location of Valley Fever endemic areas, how to recognize symptoms of illness (see page 3), and ways to minimize exposure. Encourage workers to report respiratory symptoms that last more than a week to a crew leader, foreman, or supervisor.
3. Limit workers’ exposure to outdoor dust in disease-endemic areas. For example, suspend work during heavy wind or dust storms and minimize amount of soil disturbed.
4. When soil will be disturbed by heavy equipment or vehicles, wet the soil before disturbing it and continuously wet it while digging to keep dust levels down.
5. Heavy equipment, trucks, and other vehicles generate heavy dust. Provide vehicles with enclosed, air-conditioned cabs and make sure workers keep the windows closed. Heavy equipment cabs should be equipped with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters. Two-way radios can be used for communication so that the windows can remain closed but allow communication with other workers.
6. Consult the local Air Pollution Control District regarding effective measures to control dust during construction. Measures may include seeding and using soil binders or paving and laying building pads as soon as possible after grading.
7. When digging a trench or fire line or performing other soil-disturbing tasks, position workers upwind when possible.
8. Place overnight camps, especially sleeping quarters and dining halls, away from sources of dust such as roadways.
9. When exposure to dust is unavoidable, provide NIOSH-approved respiratory protection with particulate filters rated as N95, N99, N100, P100, or HEPA. Household materials such as washcloths, bandanas, and handkerchiefs do not protect workers from breathing in dust and spores…”

They can also become vigilant about watching for warning symptoms, and seeking early medical attention if typical symptoms appear (between 7 and 21 days after breathing in spores) and include:
•Cough •Fever •Chest pain •Headache •Muscle aches •Rash on upper trunk or extremities •Joint pain in the knees or ankles •Fatigue
Additional Resources: California Department of Public Health; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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UPDATE: CSLB Industry Bulletin No. 14-05, CSLB Reminds Licensees about New Law to Help Identify Subcontractors Bidding on Public Works Projects (May 2, 2014)

UPDATE: CSLB Industry Bulletin No. 14-02, Compliance Dates Delayed For Some Energy-Related Regulations in CA Building Standards Codes (Feb. 10, 2014) — New Effective Date Jul. 1, 2014
UPDATE: New Construction Laws Effective This Wednesday

UPDATE: CSLB Summarizes New Laws That May Impact Licensees In The Coming Year

Contractor-related bills recently signed by California’s Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and chartered into law include:

Assembly Bill 44 Subletting and Subcontracting Fair Practices Act: Bidding Practices: AB 44 amends California’s Public Contract Code 4104 to require that prime contractors specify the contractor license numbers of subcontractors who will perform work on bids for public work projects. Cal Legis Seal.jpg

Assembly Bill 164 Infrastructure Financing: AB 164 extends California’s Little Miller Act by requiring a lease agreement between a governmental agency undertaking an infrastructure project and a private entity to include performance bonds as security to ensure the completion of construction, and payment bonds to secure payment of claims of laborers, mechanics, and materials suppliers employed on the project under contract.

Assembly Bill 433 Contractors: Fire Protection Systems: Fire Safety: State Fire Marshal: AB 433 adds and repeal Business & Professions Code § 7026.13 to, among other things, authorize, until January 1, 2017, the installation of a residential fire protection system for a 1or 2-family dwelling by a contractor holding a fire protection contractor classification or a plumbing contractor classification.

Assembly Bill 811 Excavations: AB 811 amends existing law to require regional notification centers to post on their website statewide information provided by operators and excavators regarding legal violations and damages resulting from violations.

Assembly Bill 1236 Contractors: Limited Liability Companies: AB 1236 amends Contractors State License Law that states insurance policies secured to satisfy limited liability company provisions are required to be written by an insurer or insurers licensed by the State of California and also permits those policies to be written by an eligible surplus insurer.

Senate Bill 822 Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development, Professions and Vocations: Among other things, SB 822 amends Business & Professions Code § 7026.1 to provide that the term “contractor” or “consultant” does not include a common interest development manager, and a common interest development manager is not required to have a contractor’s license when performing management services, as defined in Business & Professions Code § 11500(d).

Additional Resources: California Contractor-Related 2013 Legislation and Bills to Watch

Photo: Edward Headington, Taken March 20, 2012 – Creative Commons