text:
The Past of RiverPark Place – Insider Louisville
The Past of RiverPark Placeby RiverPark PlaceThe current location of RiverPark Place – historically known as "The Point" – has long been a prosperous area and home to many upper income socialites and successful entrepreneurs. Starting in the 1840s, well-heeled residents of New Orleans moved to Louisville for the summer to escape the Louisiana heat. These movers and shakers gathered at The Point on the Ohio River and built mansions, relaxing on their verandas and balconies to enjoy the cool river breezes. So many New Orleans residents built summer homes in Louisville that The Point's Fulton Street became known as "Frenchmen's Row" because of all the French-speaking residents that lived there.Today, RiverPark Place carries on that distinction of elegance, relaxation and luxury. Nestled amid trees and greenery along the peaceful water, the new EdgeWater luxury condominiums harken back to an earlier time of summer mansions, boating, sumptuous meals and prominent friendships – a time when residents kept an exclusive and lively social calendar. In the past, beautiful ladies in silk dresses strolled beside the river, fanning themselves with delicate lace fans. They carried parasols under the sun and watched river boats paddle through the crisp water. The Point was always a place to see and be seen, a chance to catch the eye of an influential new acquaintance. As ladies took in the sights and sounds of a stylish river life, well-bred gentlemen and entrepreneurs enjoyed cigars and afternoons on grand boats. Residing in homes at this fashionable and cultured location was the reward for financial success and business savvy. Today, the address represents similar accomplishments.One of the lovely old mansions, Padget House, still stands at 1562 Fulton Street and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. The restoration of Padget House is part of the RiverPark Place master plan — the elegant home will serve as part of a new restaurant that will have upscale pub food, light dinner and custom cocktails, the name of which will soon be announced. In a vintage article in the Courier Journal under Women's News, the author states that the Padget House "has always been known as 'Mansion House,' one of Louisville's finest architectural landmarks." The Padget House is the last remaining element of this once-gracious residential neighborhood, and its architecture shows a New Orleans influence that is not found anywhere else in Louisville.Paget House and, therefore, RiverPark Place have a long and distinguished history. Margaret Wright Paget, who purchased the original elegant house in 1838, is the great-great niece of Gen. George Washington, America's first president. Washington himself is a descendant of King Henry II of England. The original structure dates back to the 1780s, and a five bay Georgian Style masonry addition was built in 1838 that included a unique ornamental cast iron balcony that spanned the front of the building. The romance and lineage of Padget House lends depth and meaning to the beautiful grounds and affluent amenities of RiverPark Place and the EdgeWater condominiums.In the 1840s, the mansion that stood next door was the Heigold House, completed in 1853. Its ornate, detailed façade with the faces of early American leaders engraved on it was the handiwork of immigrant stonemason Christopher Heigold. Also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Heigold House façade now stands at a welcoming intersection on Frankfort Avenue.Residences at The Point – both past and present – share in the sophistication and lively energy of affluent business leaders and wealthy women who long ago brought the charm and excitement of New Orleans to this gracious neighborhood. Today, the glamor and excitement of The Big Easy can still be felt in the lush lawns, extraordinary buildings, and upscale life at RiverPark Place.Please join Insider Louisville and RiverPark Place on July 29, 2015 for a fun, social meetup around the new resort amenity area at RiverPark Place.Insiders will gather around poolside starting at 4:30 p.m. Light appetizers will be served and a cash bar with beer and wine will be available. Representatives from Poe Properties will be on hand to showcase the EdgeWater condo tower plans.After you have enjoyed this poolside meetup you can take the path to Waterfront Park for Waterfront Wednesday and truly get a taste for river life. This meetup is not one to miss.
Source: The Past of RiverPark Place – Insider Louisville
Posted in Blog | Tagged construction, downtown louisville, Edgewater Condos, Falls City Hospitality Group, riverpark place, RiverPark restaurant, Urban Living
The people behind RiverPark Place: David Karem
Bringing a 40-acre, $1 billion-plus commercial/residential project to fruition that will alter the landscape and lifestyle of Louisville's riverfront requires top talent. Rock stars of design and development, if you will. In the coming months, we're going to feature the "Rock Stars of RiverPark Place" to help you get to know some of the brilliant and dedicated people behind the project.
The Ohio River is in David Karem's blood, and he's passionate about preserving the magic of life on the water's edge for future generations.
Karem has been a driving force in the redevelopment of Louisville's waterfront since 1986. The first and only president of the Waterfront Development Corp., he fell in love with the Ohio as a small child, spending summers with his family in a cabin on the water.
"I grew up by the river," he said. "Once you have that kind of connectivity with the river's edge, it remains indelible in your mind, and you have an affection for it."
Karem earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning. Then, like others in his family, he went on to earn a law degree from the University of Louisville. He served four years in the state House of Representatives before spending 29 years in the state Senate, leaving that post in 2004.
Karem and the Waterfront Development Corp. were asked to develop a request for proposals for the site of RiverPark Place, handle the selection process and ultimately oversee the project that was chosen.
"It is one of the most beautiful sites in the area," he said. "It leaps out and says 'this is wonderful site for a residential marina development to take place.' Because of Towhead Island, the marina is very protected. The setting is so green and so wonderful for residential development."
Karem knew from the beginning that he wanted a project that would fit with the park's mission.
"Our mission was to build a green, urban, 85-acre park that would then compel development around it," he said. "And that's exactly what has happened. RiverPark Place is a perfect example."
He added that he wanted a world-class development that would complement what has become a world-class park.
"We've been visited by officials from all over the United States, Europe and Asia, studying the park," Karem said. "USA Today did a national poll, and Louisville's Waterfront Park was ranked as one of the top 10 riverfronts in America." The park attracts 1.5 million visitors a year and hosts an average of 150 events, which is a huge selling point for RiverPark Place residents and visitors.
Poe Companies is an ideal partner in the project, he said. "It's a synergy of two very supportive elements. They know they enhance Waterfront Park, and we know the park enhances their development."
The mix of residential uses at RiverPark "creates the kind of community that we had hoped from the beginning would come to that site. It's creating almost like a small city with lots of diversity, which is very appealing" to young people, empty-nesters and everyone in between, Karem said. "I think it's woven together as a wonderful tapestry of offerings that make it available to a broad spectrum of customers."
Those customers will expect the Waterfront Development Corp. to maintain the park in a quality way, he said. "They will become allies with us to continue the world-class maintenance that this park deserves. RiverPark is our next-door neighbor who will insist, long after I'm gone, that the public and government entities maintain this park in the highest possible way. From a very selfish perspective, RiverPark Place is a great favor to the park because the residents will become the engine that goes to the mayor, goes to the Metro Council and says, 'this is a fabulous park, and you've got to support and maintain it properly.' RiverPark is going to be our best friend."
Karem is excited that RiverPark Place is continuing the transformation of the waterfront that he and his team started.
"One, it's bringing more people into an urban setting. That's a national trend. That kind of movement enlivens the core, it strengthens the downtown area. RiverPark Place is a huge engine for the kinds of urban development you want to see in your city," Karem said. "These folks will go the arts, the restaurants, the museums, to the YUM Center for ballgames. They will bring friends from out of town to the Hillerich & Bradsby baseball museum. They will take their kids and their grandkids to the Science Center."
With all those elements in place, it's a no-brainer that RiverPark would be a success, he added. "The numbers speak for themselves. Before the first building was completed, it was all rented. The second one is well on its way. It's doing exactly what we hoped it would do."
That success is due, in part, to the excellent working relationship Karem has had with Poe Companies and other players in RiverPark Place from the start.
"While we monitor and oversee the project for Metro Government, we also really see ourselves as partners," Karem said. "Have there been bumps in the road? Of course there have. By and large, working with these folks has been great. We never have any problems communicating. It's an easy marriage. All marriages should be as easy as this one.
The people behind RiverPark Place: David Karem.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged apartments, Big Four Bridge, condos, construction, David Karem, downtown louisville, edgewater, forecastle, louisville, riverpark place, Urban Living, Waterfront Park | Leave a reply
The people behind RiverPark Place- David Spillane, master planner
David Spillane spent his childhood near the water in Ireland. No matter where he has lived since then, he's never been far from it. In fact, as president of Goody Clancy in Boston and principal for the firm's planning and urban design practice, Spillane has built his career on a passion for design that transforms waterfronts.
"We've worked a lot of places and done a lot of things, but the most exciting projects for me are waterfront projects," he said. His firm has completed waterfront projects "all the way from Vermont to Texas."
This lifelong passion is why serving as lead architect for RiverPark Place is an ideal fit for his talents. It also means Louisville is incredibly lucky to have him on board.
Fascinated by design since he was a child, Spillane earned a bachelor's degree in architecture from University College Dublin (Ireland) and a master's degree from Harvard University. His work has included planning in Mississippi and New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, replacing an aging interstate highway in Hartford, Conn., and redefining Boston's Fort Point Channel waterfront.
His designs have been recognized with more than a dozen national awards from the American Institute of Architects, the American Planning Association, the Congress for the New Urbanism and the Waterfront Center, including the 2013 American Planning Association's "National Planning Excellence Award for a Firm."
As an extension of his affection for cities' waterfronts, Spillane serves on the board of directors for Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, where he has been an active participant in promoting public access to a cleaner and more vibrant Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay. He has also served as a member of Boston's Municipal Harbor Plan Advisory Committee and is a design advisor to the Capitol Center Commission in Providence, R.I.
Despite his experience with waterfronts across the country, Spillane believes there is always more to learn. That's why he and the RiverPark team traveled to Boston, Portland, Ore., and Vancouver, Canada, to study what makes each of their waterfronts so successful.
"In all those cities, we saw principles of what it takes to create a great waterfront — providing public access along the water's edge, creating public amenities with a mix of uses," said Spillane. "Residential housing is a huge part of that, and so are open spaces and restaurants that draw people to the area who don't live there. Also, they each provide water access for small boats, canoes and kayaks and have the ability to host events and other activities."
As a result of these fact-finding trips, Spillane said he and the RiverPark team have been able to incorporate all of the very best elements from each city's waterfront they visited, one of which is density.
"When Steve Poe invited us to be part of the team and the city started this project, I think that the kind of density that was envisioned was far less than what's happening now," said Spillane. "The density being envisioned now is like what we saw in Boston, Vancouver and Portland. It's essential to RiverPark and what this project can ultimately become to the city. We're seeing all around the country more and more interest in urban living and urban environments, where you can walk from your front door to a restaurant or a park or a marina and you don't have to drive. Those are some the benefits we get from density."
Spillane is proud that he's had a hand in a project that brings people together in such a transformative way. "It's a place that invites other people in, who don't specifically live there, to have access to the restaurants on the water's edge. I think the marina adds a whole other dimension to life, providing the ability to get out on the river.
"When you mix all those ingredients together — the mix of uses, walk-able areas, density, public access and access to the water, you have all the ingredients of a great waterfront. This is the vision we talked about from the very beginning — a place which is vibrant and active and dense."
Spillane believes that an important part of the project, one that's easy to overlook, is the way parking is being incorporated out of sight.
"Parking is below the building, and that creates far better views and access to the waterfront and the river. I think that's really exciting," he said. "There was a lot of very careful attention in design to maintain those views of the waterfront from as many units as possible, both the ones built to date, and the ones in the future."
Though RiverPark is in its early stages, Spillane believes it already has lots of momentum. As it attracts more people and new amenities, it's going to become even more compelling over time, he added.
"Louisville is a really vital place, and it's become even more vital since I started with the project," Spillane said. "At that time, Waterfront Park had just opened. I remember being in the offices of the Waterfront Development Corp., seeing the pictures of the wall of what it had been just a few years before where it was primarily industrial, and how quickly it has transformed into a major part of the city's shared public space."
Spillane added the he thinks the transformation of Louisville's waterfront is an amazing story. "It's one of the great waterfront transformations nationally, and it's a model for many other communities. RiverPark is an incredibly important part of that story."
Insider Louisville
Posted in Blog | Tagged amenities, apartments, Big Four Bridge, condo tower, condos, construction, downtown louisville, edgewater, louisville, riverpark place, Urban Living, Waterfront Park | Leave a reply
The people behind RiverPark Place – The EdgeWater architect – Insider Louisville
Now a celebrated architect, Rob Chandler initially chose his field by accident. In fact, it happened while getting his hands dirty.
Chandler, principal with Goody Clancy in Boston and lead architect for the RiverPark Place condo towers, was pursuing a bachelor's degree at Colby College in the late 1970s. The lack of jobs available to English majors prompted him to start a small construction firm. An architect with whom Chandler worked on home building in New England encouraged him to look into design as a career, so he did, earning a master's in architecture from Harvard University.
Today, Chandler provides design leadership across a wide spectrum of Goody Clancy's academic, civic and residential projects. His work for colleges and universities includes the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, Rawls Hall at the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University and the College of Informatics in Griffin Hall at Northern Kentucky University. His residential work features many award-winning housing developments in Massachusetts, notably the internationally acclaimed Tent City, with its 269 units of affordable housing in Boston. He also has designed all of the homes he has owned since college.
Chandler said that academic and residential styles "reinforce each other, although they are very different in use. Academic buildings are made of different size pieces — they have auditoriums and offices. They are not repetitive, they are singular or one off.
"Great housing takes advantage of the fact that there are multiple small pieces that build up into a larger pattern," he added. "There is so much promise in housing to shape cities."
Urban housing is particularly exciting to Chandler. He said it connects places, shapes outdoor spaces and creates gathering places for people.
"It's not simply creating objects in the landscape, but it's part of a larger system that makes streets compelling places to be," he said. "The great thing about urban housing is that it builds outdoor spaces that people love to occupy, and it lines them with active public uses on the ground floor."
Chandler and the team at Good Clancy are known for transforming cities, and he said he was eager to use his expertise in urban housing to help transform Louisville's downtown. "RiverPark is a destination that will reinforce the city's investment in Waterfront Park. It's going to build a community. Once it's complete, it will be a neighborhood of its own with strong, memorable qualities that many of the other neighborhoods in the city have."
Chandler was first introduced to Louisville when RiverPark's lead architect, K. Norman Berry, brought Goody Clancy in on the project. Chandler is charged with designing the high-rise residential buildings at RiverPark Place, while Berry focuses on the low-rise structures. Chandler is currently in the process of designing the larger buildings' core systems, character, appearance and building materials, and he's excited to present the newest renderings in late April.
Chandler said he sees RiverPark as a chance to contribute to a development of comparable quality to the awarding-winning projects he designed earlier in his career. He also is thrilled to take part in the revitalization of downtown housing.
"I think Louisville needs even more people downtown," he said. "There seems to be a larger number of young college graduates migrating to the city, and I think that's going to continue to contribute to making it a vital place. Having housing and destinations like RiverPark are going to make the city an even more desirable and dynamic place for people who are young and starting their lives."
When asked what his favorite elements of RiverPark are, Chandler said he couldn't choose just one.
"I think the Plaza is going to be a great space," he said. "I'd love to live in one of the units that are higher up because they are all going to have wonderful views. I also love the experience of moving up and down River Shore Drive, which visually connects to the river. You guys probably take it for granted, but we don't have rivers of that scale in New England. It's really beautiful and engaging."
Chandler added that the marina, the paths on both the river level and plaza level, further connect residents and visitors to the Ohio, which he believes is a fundamental part of the RiverPark experience.
Density is a key element to the success of RiverPark, Chandler said. "By having the density, there are resources available to build public spaces, take advantage of the riverfront location. When you build that many units, you can also afford to build high-quality, open space and high-quality destinations that invite everyone onto the site."
The high-rise buildings are large enough to accommodate retail, restaurants and other public-use components that will distinguish the development and make it truly an active, urban environment, Chandler added.
Through his work on RiverPark, Chandler said he has come to love Louisville. "Louisville has a great scale. I love walking around on Main Street — there are some great new developments there. 21c is a fun place; NuLu is really intriguing. Louisville has a really accessible social space for someone coming from outside. You walk up and down the streets and feel at home."
Chandler said he has been especially impressed with Waterfront Park. "Louisville has a great park system that distinguishes it from a lot of other American cities. It has taken advantage of what was once an industrial waterfront and made it a central part of the experience of living there."
RiverPark is simply a continuation of this great asset. "RiverPark isn't a park itself, but it carries some of those same characteristics. It's public, you can walk through it, it focuses on views to the river, and not just for the people who live there. It's such a great spot … connected to the park, within walking distance from downtown, with those great views of the bridges looking out over the skyline. It's really a distinctive and memorable public space."
The people behind RiverPark Place – The EdgeWater architect – Insider Louisville.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged condos, construction, downtown louisville, edgewater, louisville, riverpark place, Urban Living, Waterfront Park | Leave a reply
RiverPark Place continues to grow on multiple fronts
Poe Companies has been hard at work during the 14 weeks of this series to make the RiverPark Place development a reality. With that in mind, it's time for an update on all that has taken place:
One of the biggest stories on the Louisville restaurant scene was the closure of riverfront Tumbleweed on Nov. 15. Falls City Hospitality Group, which plans to open a restaurant at RiverPark Place, also reportedly is close to a deal to operate a Mexican restaurant at the 12,000-square-foot riverfront site.
That would give the group two restaurants within less than a half-mile. It operates Doc Crow's on West Main Street and had La Coop, a French restaurant, on West Market Street, though it closed that operation on Jan. 1.
Taking on the Tumbleweed site won't affect plans for the RiverPark Place restaurant at all, according to investor and attorney Chip Hamm.
"We had sort of settled on the RiverPark Place concept and menu before the Tumbleweed opportunity came up. We were already believers in the waterfront, so the Tumbleweed opportunity was an easy decision," he said.
The RiverPark Place restaurant will serve roadhouse type of food – buckets of seafood and burgers – sort of like the chain Yard House, Hamm said, along with about 120 beers on tap.
Here's the latest on the development overall from marketing director Nicki Sibley:
Construction on the restaurant began during the last quarter of 2014; it's expected to open in the third quarter of 2015.
The first half of the new apartment building, Waterside East, is ready for occupancy and the first renters moved in last weekend. The second half should be ready within the next 60 days. About 30 percent of the units were pre-leased. The existing apartment building, Waterside West, remains 100 percent leased.
Five condos in the planned 16-story condo tower have been sold, and interest remains steady.
Poe Companies is close to securing the financing for the apartment tower, likely to be called EdgeWater East. "It's quite possible we could be breaking ground on both towers this year," Sibley said.
The marina has been open for just over two years and is nearly 60 percent leased/purchased. She has fielded inquiries about reserving boat slips for Thunder and four major events are already on the schedule for the marina this summer.
The amenity/pool area will be open by Memorial Day. "We expect it to be quite the hotspot with residents and their guests especially on nights of Waterfront Park events," Sibley said. "We're even looking at providing some kind of shuttle between RiverPark and Big Four or the Great Lawn for special events."
For Louisville, the planned 16-story, 85-unit condo tower at RiverPark Place among the few luxury high-rise developments in the works.
The $289 million Center City project, to be developed by Omni Hotels & Resorts, however, has gained steam. The 30-plus-story tower, expected to be completed by 2018, will be topped by at least 225 swanky apartments. The complex also will include a 20,000-square-foot grocery store, a badly needed amenity for bolstering downtown living.
InsiderLouisville
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged amenities, apartments, condos, construction, downtown louisville, louisville, marina, river, riverpark place, Urban Living, Waterfront Park | Leave a reply
Botanical gardens to enhance riverfront
The master plan for the proposed Waterfront Botanical Gardens was unveiled in November to much excitement. While "everyone wants the gardens to be done by spring," as board president Brian Voelker put it, there's still much work to be done to make the vision a reality.
Nevertheless, it promises to be yet another gem in the revitalization of Louisville's waterfront.
Plans call for a visitor's center, children's garden, a tropical conservatory, an elevated platform overlooking Beargrass Creek and an educational pavilion among the garden's key features.
The board behind the project – the group's known as Botanica, originally composed from The Louisville Area Iris Society, The Louisville Area Daylily Society and Hostas of Kentuckiana – is busy preparing to launch its capital campaign. That means deciding exactly what will be part of each phase of the project and firming up the cost estimates, Voelker said.
The board expects to spend two years raising the projected $10 million needed for the first phase, then two to three years building it, Voelker said. Three phases are planned, he said, though that might be compressed if there's enough contributor support. The full project is expected to require around $35 million.
It's not the first effort to create a botanical garden in Louisville. Voelker said he knows of at least two previous projects that ran into trouble with acquiring land. The proposed property for this project, at the corner of River Road and Frankfort Avenue, was used as a dump for building refuse from damaged homes after the devastating flood of 1937. The landfill was closed in the 1960s. Though previously considered a Superfund cleanup site, it's been removed from that list. The property now has a dirt fill cap 25 feet deep.
Voelker's confident this effort will materialize, with the board having taken a lot of time to choose the 23-acre property.
"We've found a lot of excitement from a lot of different people," he said. "People are really jazzed about it. I think it will be an important feature for the community. We've gotten a lot of support from Metro government, which is really important. The community is really rallying behind the idea. … I think this is the time."
He said the proximity to downtown was considered a major plus.
"Tourists who are in the area, people who are working downtown – they can drive out and see it. We just loved the location. It's handy for residents in the area, too," he said.
A major focus among botanical gardens these days, he said, is inspiring people to care for the environment.
"This land had just been thrown away for 50 years. Reclaiming this land will be a wonderful addition to the community. It will be inspiring people to live their values of caring for the environment."
The project starts off with a Founders' Garden planted around the Heigold Façade, the structure that looks like a brick doorway just across River Road from RiverPark Place. Volunteers to the project will be recruited for work days during the spring and summer, Voelker said, while other volunteers can help with fund-raising events, marketing and other tasks.
With its Buy a Brick campaign, donors of $100 or more, can have an engraved brick placed in the Founder's Garden.
Supporters Emil and Nancy Graeser also have offered to match every gift to the garden up to $225,000
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged botanical gardens, insider louisville, riverfront, riverpark, riverpark place | Leave a reply
A lot of good things happening on the riverfront for urban dwellers
The growth of Louisville's riverfront events, such as Forecastle and the recent Centennial Celebration of Riverboats, is one of the biggest success stories in the city's waterfront redevelopment, according to David Karem, president of the Waterfront Development Corp.
Forecastle, for instance, drew more than 70,000 people to the Great Lawn over the three-day music festival, and presale tickets for the 2015 event, to be held July 17-19, already have sold out.
Come time for Thunder Over Louisville, invitations from those living downtown with balconies or river views are some of the hottest tickets in town. But for the myriad other downtown events, a downtown residence means not having to fight traffic or find parking. It also eliminates the need for a designated driver if you're hoofing it to the events.
The ability to produce a crowd – possibly as many as 400 people at a recent marina event on a Wednesday when the weather was not that great – was among the things that convinced Chip Hamm the new restaurant planned at RiverPark Place could be successful.
There's an array of festivities within walking distance for the urban dweller in Louisville. "People [here] like to gather down on the river for any old reason at all," as Ralph Ross, who rents an apartment at RiverPark Place, put it.
Among the possibilities:
Thunder Over Louisville Festivities – The myriad Thunder events would be just an easy walk from your front door. Indulge in a funnel cake at the chow wagons and catch an open-air concert. Another spectacular celebration and fireworks show takes place for Independence Day.
Waterfront Wednesdays –sponsored by radio station WFPK, these free concerts with a happy hour atmosphere take place on the last Wednesday of each month, April through September.
Hike Bike and Paddle — on Memorial Day and Labor Day, these events encourage local residents to be active as part of the Mayor's Healthy Hometown initiative.
Abbey Road on the River –a five-day music festival honoring the music and spirit of The Beatles. This year's event, May 21-25, will feature a stage dedicated to violinist Rachel Blanton, who passed away on Christmas Day.
WorldFest — one of the region's largest international festivals, this three-day event at Labor Day celebrates global music, cuisine and culture. A similar event, Greekfest, takes place in June.
Humana Festival of New American Plays – downtown, but not on the river (you might have to catch the trolley), this nationally known event will feature six world premieres in 98 performances between March 4-April 12.
IdeaFestival – Held each fall at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts (you might need to catch the trolley for this, too), this series of thought-provoking talks celebrates innovation, imagination and world-changing ideas.
Charity events – An array of fund-raising walks, runs, and other events, such as Dare to Care Food Bank'sPaddle for Hunger, take place along the riverfront. RiverPark Place renters Ralph and Joan Ross said they enjoyed watching the Ironman Triathlon from their balcony.
Light Up Louisville – What could be more magical than the awesome light display that Louisville turns on each year the night after Thanksgiving? Though it might be a brisk walk, with a mug of hot chocolate, it can be an invigorating and inspiring outing.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged apartments, condos, downtown louisville, events, forecastle, louisville, riverpark place, Urban Living, Waterfront Park, waterfront wednesday | Leave a reply
Has the rent versus buy dynamic changed?
Developer Steve Poe tells the story that around the time he mothballed the RiverPark Place project in 2008, potential tenants had to have better credit to rent an apartment in Louisville than to buy a home. He decided it wasn't the right time to add more apartments to the city's inventory.
Things have shifted more back toward buying since then, but it's still a major decision whether to rent or buy.
While the tax incentives and freedom to customize the property to suit your tastes – not to mention the idea that home ownership is basic to the American dream – add up on the plus side for buying, thousands of Americans found themselves unable to wrest themselves from their mortgages during the recent financial crisis.
Ralph and Joan Ross, who now rent at RiverPark Place, took a beating on their Florida mortgage when he was offered the chance for promotion to district director for the Small Business Administration, involving a move to Louisville. Unsure of how many years Ralph will continue working – they plan to retire in a home they own in Omaha, Neb. – they weren't eager to take on another mortgage.
The idea that Millennials, too, favor the freedom to move easily to change jobs has been much in the news lately. Indeed, the share of homes sold to first-time buyers dropped to 33 percent in 2014, down five percentage points from 2013. They make up the smallest proportion of the market in 27 years, according to the National Association of Realtors.
And a study by lending giant Fannie Mae found that among "prime" first-time buyers — married couples in their early 30s with a college degree, a child and household income of at least $95,000 — home ownership fell by more than eight percentage points from 2006 to 2012.
Pat Simmons, director of strategic planning in Fannie Mae's economic research group, points to tight lending requirements, high student debt, an unsettled job market, but also a changing view of home ownership.
"Baby boomers saw a decline of nearly $1 trillion in home value during the bust," Simmons told the Los Angeles Times. "Younger folks saw that experience among their parents. I think that's going to leave an impression."
Online real estate site Zillow, however, challenges the idea that young buyers eschew home ownership, pointing out that young people are marrying later and having children later – pivotal life events that often lead to home buying.
"It's very difficult to come up with a down payment when so much of your monthly paycheck – especially on an entry-level salary – is going to your landlord instead of into your savings. Buying conditions are getting better every day, and in time the allure of fixed housing payments and building wealth through home equity will draw more buyers out of rentals and into homeownership," Zillow says in a report.
A recent report from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority found 74 percent of renters have household incomes below $50,000 compared to 41 percent of homeowners, and 39 percent of renters are married compared to 63 percent of homeowners.
However, according to Zillow: "Our economists believe that 2015 will be an important year for first-time homebuyers, as Millennials who have delayed home ownership overtake Generation X as the largest generational group of homebuyers."
Meanwhile, another Fannie Mae economist says consumers remain leery, saying 2015 "likely [will] not be a breakout year for housing,"
Zillow maintains that buying makes more sense than renting in most parts of the country – California and New England excluded.
A New York Times calculator puts the magic number at $961 – if you can rent the home you want for less than that, then renting makes more sense.
One bedroom apartments in Louisville rent for $922 a month on average and two bedroom apartment rents average $847, according to the site Rent Jungle.
That could explain the preference for buying in Louisville, in which 64.5 percent of households own their home, compared with 63.4 among 75 other cities, according to a report from Louisville's Metropolitan Housing Coalition. Louisville's ownership rate, however, was 70.3 in 2003, but dipped to 61.7 percent in 2011.
Housing prices have increased 6.9 percent in Louisville since 2009, the report states.
The site Mortgage Calculator puts the median price of an existing single-family home is $133,000, compared with the national average of $172,900.
With the apparent desire, and need, to satisfy both renters and buyers, RiverPark Place is now pre-selling condos in its Edgewater at RiverPark Place tower, adding to its luxury apartments for renters.
Insider Louisville.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged apartment, condo, louisville, riverpark place, waterside | Leave a reply
Big Four Bridge the source of fun and expectations
For years, while driving by that lopped-off end of the Big Four Bridge, 53 feet off the ground, it was hard to imagine how that rusting "bridge to nowhere" could become a recreational treasure.
Yet "good things come to those who wait, and wait, and wait," David Karem, president of the Louisville Waterfront Development Corp., said when the completed pedestrian walkway across the Ohio River finally opened in May 2014.
The $41 million project was part of the 13-acre Phase III of Louisville's waterfront redevelopment plan. Though the half-mile circular ramp to the bridge on the Louisville side opened in February 2014, there was no way down on the Indiana side until more than a year later.
Since then, more than 1 million people have hoofed it from one state to another across the bridge.
Now, like Cincinnati's "Purple People Bridge," which allows people to park in the northern Kentucky side and walk to games at its riverfront stadiums, Louisville's Big Four offers a similar function.
To many people though, walking the bridge is the destination itself. On warm summer evenings, it can be packed with gawkers at the boats along the river and the changing colors as the sun dips from the sky.
"It's very egalitarian," says Joan Ross, who lives at the RiverPark Place apartments. "You see old people, you see teenagers, you kind of see everybody. You can walk there and watch the sun set."
Going to dinner across the bridge – the half-mile span has a quarter-mile ramp on each end, making crossing the bridge a two-mile walk by itself – involves about 8,000 steps on her Fitbit step counter. And it's right in their back yard.
They like to take their bikes across and connect up with the Ohio River Greenway on the Indiana side.
"That's one of the great things about it," says Joan's husband, Ralph. "You don't have to put your bikes on the car to go there, then afterward put the bikes back on the car."
Like many dog lovers, though, they lament that a few irresponsible pet owners led the city to ban dogs from the bridge. And new signs aim to help bicyclists and pedestrians better co-exist.
The bridge has been a boon to existing businesses on the Jeffersonville side, such as Ann's by the River and Schimpff's Confectionery, but also bring in new ones such as Red Yeti Brewing Co. and Flat 12 Bierwerks. Jeff's $3 million marina project, expected to be completed by next October, could bring in more day-trippers.
Though the bridge has been a boon to local businesses, Jeffersonville has been dealing with issues of its own since the bridge opened, including concerns about pedestrian safety, accessibility for residents and businesses and a perceived lack of parking.
With Tumbleweed closed on the Lousiville side and the restaurant planned at RiverPark Place yet to be built, there are fewer dining options for foot traffic coming from Indiana.
"Unfortunately, we haven't seen that [positive effect] on this side of the river because of the Bridges Project effectively cutting Nulu off from Waterfront Park and the walking traffic that the bridge has generated," says Rick Murphy, vice president of the Nulu Business Association, the East Market Street business district.
The association hopes that will change with completion of the Bridges Project, which should coincide with the completion of the Nulu streetscape improvement project.
"In anticipation of that, we have discussed ways to encourage people to include Nulu in visits to Waterfront Park and the Big Four Bridge," he said.
There have been discussions about possible shuttles operating on weekends and the new bike-share program planned for next year that will place racks at the bridge, in Nulu and downtown.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Big Four Bridge, edgewater, riverpark place, Waterfront Park | Leave a reply
An urban lifestyle perk – the ability to walk for fun, health, purpose
Beyond its more apparent attractions, RiverPark Place offers residents a walk in the park.
"I think this is one of the best places in the Midwest to live," developer Steve Poe told those attending one of its recent meetups. "People want to live in a park or on the water. This is a park on the water."
It's also one of Louisville's most walkable neighborhoods. With plans for a botanical gardennearby, the options for walking will only increase. And improved access by foot to the restaurants and shops of Frankfort Avenue from the waterfront remains on the city's agenda, Poe said.
The health benefits of walking have been well-documented, but research from the University of Kansas linked walking not only with health benefits such as lower body mass and blood pressure, but also decreased cognitive decline as we age.
John Gilderbloom, director of the University of Louisville's Center for Sustainable Urban Neighborhoods, also has published research linking neighborhood walkability with increased home values, less crime, fewer foreclosures and even longevity.
"Even during the economic downturn, housing values in The Highlands were not really affected because people value walkability," Gilderbloom said.
"Walkable neighborhoods translate into more 'eyes on the street,' which lead to less crime. Demand is shifting from unwalkable suburbs to neighborhoods with characteristics such as safety, walkability, gentrification, environmental ethos, mixed uses and the proximity to jobs and school," his paper states. "Relocating to a sustainable neighborhood means a better return on the initial investment, the option of being less dependent on automobiles, and the opportunity to live in denser neighborhoods with greater diversity."
The website walkscore.com rates the RiverPark Place area as the eighth most walkable area in the metro area, outdone by Old Louisville, The Highlands and similar areas.
"Walk scores aren't really on the radar here," Gilderbloom says, but more attention to walkability will help revitalize neighborhoods.
So, with brains in your head and feet in your shoes (apologies to Dr. Suess), here are some of the destinations you could choose (via Google Maps):
Slugger Field for a Bats game – 1.5 miles. (That was too obvious, but you can catch thetrolley there and go to 4th Street Live or even the downtown library. The trollies, by the way, are to be replaced with electric buses.)
Skateboard at Louisville Extreme Park – 1.3 miles
For a concert or to eat at the Chow Wagons during Thunder – 1.3 miles (For Thunder, watch from your balcony!)
Dinner at one of the NuLu restaurants – 1.5 miles
To appease a sweet tooth – 1.5 miles
Ride the Belle of Louisville – 1.7 miles
Yum Center for a Cards game—1.8 miles. Fleetwood Mac, Nickelback and Maroon 5 concerts are slated for the coming months.
Frazier Museum, Kentucky Science Center, Louisville Slugger Museum —2.2 miles
At 2 miles across, The Big Four Bridge opens up a whole 'nother range of walking options for frozen yogurt, craft breweries, restaurants and handmade candy.
While a grocery store isn't too far away – the closest is the Crescent Hill Kroger – you'll need a car for that. However, a planned Omni Hotel development that would include an upscale grocery store downtown reportedly is "on track." That would put a grocery store roughly 2.2 miles away on more walkable streets.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged botanical gardens, condos, downtown louisville, louisville, Urban Living, Waterfront Park | Leave a reply
SALES CENTER 502-292-6800 / 1250 River Road, Louisville, KY.
info@edgewateratriverpark.com
A Joint Venture of And


This chapter contributes to the advancement of scholarly knowledge in the context of the longstanding innovative work of Mariane Hedegaard. Specifically, we draw together the major themes that have emerged as members of the cultural–historical research community has engaged with Hedegaard's wholeness approach to researching child development and promoting learning. The key concepts that make up the approach, and the methods she developed, are brought together in the chapters in relation to how others have used and further theorised her work. The collection of chapters, therefore, also reveals new concepts and ways of researching learning and development. We discuss the content and concepts of a wholeness approach, through the lenses of: studies of child development from a wholistic perspective ; life in schools; and methodological approaches and philosophical considerations. What is unique about this book, is that all contributors have been engaged in conversations with Hedegaard and her work over many decades. The present chapter captures and advances the mutual connections of cultural–historical theory, practice and research methodology that are elaborated in the individual chapters.
The editors of this volume are grateful to Elsevier publishers and Prof. Mariane Hedegaard for permission to reproduce Chap. 2, which was first published in Learning Culture and Social Interaction: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2018.04.008.


In what is the largest venture capital award in San Diego this year, Brain Corp, a NOVO Engineering client, has raised $114 million dollars in Series C funding. Brain Corp is a San Diego-based software company that develops intelligent, autonomous systems to automate commercial equipment. The first commercial application of Brain Corp's proprietary operating system is EMMA (Enabling Mobile Machine Automation), an award-winning artificial intelligence system that autonomously drives commercial floor-cleaning equipment. NOVO performed sensor mounting and tuning, integration of navigation technology, and other mechanical engineering services on an accelerated schedule and following a process that generates predictable results, enabling Brain Corp to create test hardware and execute successful product demonstrations, which were key factors in generating funder interest.
The funders, led by SoftBank Vision Fund, also included Qualcomm Ventures, Brain Corp's first institutional investor. Brain Corp is planning to incorporate its operating system into Qualcomm Technologies' Snapdragon mobile platform.


text:
Write once, test everywhere
By Sandra Taylor
The original selling point for Java was its PLATFORM INDEPENDENCE. The promise of compatibility soon became associated with the slogan: WRITE ONCE, RUN EVERYWHERE. Now, in the harsh light of experience, the promise is somewhat suspect. Application developers tell us there are too many platforms, too many Java virtual machines and too many JAVA DEVELOPER KIT versions. The slogan that emerges is: Write once, test everywhere. From widgets through class libraries, from classes to models, from models to packaged apps -- it all has to be tested. THINGS HAVE TO BE TESTED INDIVIDUALLY. They have to be tested in context. Thus the new Java mantra: Write once, test everywhere
The good news is that we live in a time of tremendously expansive technologies that are both evolving and converging. But that is also the bad news. Developing today's generation of business applications is akin to doing brain surgery while riding Space Mountain. Just when you naively believe everything and everyone is stable, the world takes a hard right.
Perhaps the most indicative of this technological roller coaster phenomena is component-based development using the increasingly popular Java. Make no mistake here. Component-based Java development involves two very significant yet different technologies that tend to overlap in many people's minds, and as is the case with Java, also overlap technically. There are the language-independent issues that surround any plug-and-play component-based development. There are also the language-specific issues relating to Java.
That Java use is accelerating should come as no surprise. In Natick, Mass.-based SPG Analyst Services' recent market survey of information systems (I/S) organizations, Java ranked as the fastest growing language being used to implement distributed systems -- on both the client side and the server side. The survey questions specifically attempted to hone in on the languages used to develop distributed applications (versus informational Web pages). If these prediction levels hold, Java will become the second most popular client-side language, and second by only a hair's breadth to Basic/VB. On the server side, the growth rate is even more pronounced, and Java enters the space traditionally reserved for C++ and SQL.
These penetration rates are astounding given the youth of the language. But they are not unjustified, given the two-fold promises associated with this upstart. On one hand, there are the technically-oriented robustness and self-protection features -- sandbox security, strong typing facilities, garbage collection, elimination of pointers and pure object orientation. But more important -- especially to development and operations staffs who have suffered through the development/deployment process on the sort-of-but-not-really-compatible Unix variants and a mixed client environment -- is the portability promise of write once, run everywhere. A manager's dream is to develop once and deploy to all the clients and servers comprising the application runtime environment. Not having to write code representing the least common denominator among the target systems is a developer's dream. While this portability is the Java dream, it is also the largest obstacle that Java has, is and will continue to face.
Problem definition versus problem solution
Stating the problem is easy; it is only the first of many steps, however. While press coverage at times gives the impression that Java is fully-developed, the truth is that developing a comprehensive solution will take time, even with advancements moving at Web speed.
<>Evolving Java Development Kit (JDK) and Virtual Machine (JVM) Functionality Even within the organization that spawned Java, one can track the evolutionary process at work. The history of the Sunsoft JDKs is one of discovery, enhancement and more discovery. This process has not been without its speed bumps that require an upgrade on the part of the users of those JDKs and JVMs. On the other hand, it is only through such a process that Java will mature and truly deliver on its potential.
<>Version-Sensitive System Elements The intimate intertwining of Java and companion elements, most notably browsers, have not lessened the administrative complexity of the development/deployment process. While the documentation regarding prerequisites has generally improved, coordinating the new releases of companion elements is still an issue that I/S organizations must be prepared to address.
Evolving Developer Community Expertise Consider that there are no developers today who can satisfy the traditional clause in employment ads -- "five plus years of (Java) development experience required." Technically, Java's similarity to C++ is an advantage, and the leap from the C++ environment to Java is better likened to a short hop. However, it is quite possible to write Java code that functions quite adequately, but is not truly portable. And therein lies an exposure that only learning and experience can address.
Five years ago if you described the bullet-paced environment of today and asked I/S managers if this were an environment they would opt to work in, most of them would graciously decline. But now is now and there are few, if any, alternatives. In this fluid, volatile environment, SPG Analyst Services believes there is only one logical way to validate and verify the Java components being developed -- automated testing.
Dr. Roger Hayes, senior software engineer at SunTest, said he agrees. While his name may not be a household name among Java developers, his work is. Those who have spent time with the 100% Pure Java Cookbook on the SunTest and/or KeyLabs Web sites have indirectly spent time with Hayes.
For those who chase the Java portability promise, Hayes said he believes there are three facets of component-based testing:
1 A Java component must be tested for platform independence (purity);
2 A Java component must be tested to ensure it performs the functions it was designed to perform (functionality); and
3 Java components must be tested to ensure they work together (compatibility).
To this list, SPG Analyst Services would also add the dimension of performance. While performance might be considered an element of functionality, the newness of Java and its anticipated use in mission-critical applications demand that the application components operate in a responsive manner.
4 Java components must be tested to ensure reasonable levels of performance (responsiveness).
PURITY What exactly is 100% pure Java? According to information in the 100% Pure Java Cookbook, a pure Java program (an application, an applet, a class library, a servlet, a JavaBeans component or some reasonable combination of these components) is one that relies only on the documented Java platform -- utilizes the documented Java APIs. This is the crux of the testing performed by Provo, Utah-based KeyLabs - the testing lab chosen by Sun to certify Java code. For an initial charge of $1,000, KeyLabs does a static, visual inspection of the code as well as a dynamic automated test that looks for violations. Note that this testing provides a purity check as well as a code coverage check. Note also that the tool suites used for the certification process are available -- free -- for downloading and testing.
The most common violations? According to Hayes, platform-specific references top the list of violations. But Hayes also warned about using "neat things" that one may well find buried in a given vendor's JDK. Just because a JDK is from a well-known vendor does not guarantee it is pure.
Purity does not necessarily guarantee portability. Purity tests go a long way in catching and identifying platform-specific references, but they are not infallible. In some cases, the culprit may be one of the issues discussed above. In other cases -- threads, for example -- platform-specific behavior may be the result of inherent differences in the underlying operating system. As Java matures, some of these issues will naturally be addressed. For others, the 100% Pure Java Cookbook should be considered mandatory reading as it also attempts to provide a clearing house for the capture, definition and presentation of pure Java work-arounds for many of the commonly-encountered problems. In any event, the watch words for development organizations moving to Java are still write once, test everywhere.
According to Hayes, there is another issue to keep in mind regarding purity and portability. In certain situations, platform-specific code can be acceptable -- as long as that decision is consciously made. The worst case scenario is accidental platform specificity.
Where the purity tests are unique to the Java environment, the classes of test described below are in reality the same types of tests frequently performed in the distributed client/server world. Many of the vendors are, in fact, the same vendors that cut their testing teeth on client/server applications and are now expanding their product suites to include Java. Centerline, Mercury Interactive, NuMega (recently purchased by Compuware), Segue, and Rational are addressing different aspects of Java testing and test management. There are the new players, such as RSW and SunTest. And finally, there are the developer-oriented debugging facilities offered by all Java development tool vendors.
FUNCTIONALITY Purity tests do nothing, nor can they, in terms of validating that a component is functioning properly. Such testing requires knowledge of either a) what the authoring developer intended or b) what the consuming developer expects. In dealing with component functionality, opportunities abound for miscommunication between developers, as well as for the eccentricities caused by technological issues previously discussed.
And herein enters the regression test designed to exercise a reasonably granular unit of work. Care must be taken to understand and set up the pre-conditions, invoke the component or component set, and validate the resulting post-conditions.
COMPATIBILITY System-level regression testing is for the skeptic who believes individual components may operate as expected, but the integration of such components may well introduce errors. Such skepticism was well justified within the realm of large-scale client/server applications. SPG Analyst Services sees the world of distributed objects as more fragile than client/server, with markedly younger technologies. Add the high load potential generated by use of these applications in an Internet-enabled environment, and for those large-scale systems, system-level regression testing becomes an almost obvious requirement.
RESPONSIVENESS As with system-level regression testing, the idea of load testing an application is not new. And as with system-level regression testing, the unknowns are the performance characteristics of the new technologies.
Java in a maturing QA testing market
Peter Skrzypczak, SunTest system engineer, is a member of SunTest's SWAT team. For customers about to embark on a major Java initiative, Skrzypczak is among the staff chartered to initially point the program in the right direction. For customers who might have hit a snag in their testing program, Skrzypczak will work with the customer team to get the program back on course.
We asked Skrzypczak what was the most commonly asked question he had to answer. Two or three years ago, when the QA testing market was still in its adolescence and before mission-critical client/server had become a generally accepted practice, that question would have been 'Why do we need to go through these testing procedures?' Today Skrzypczak sees that question as being 'Where and how do we start?' While that general shift in the lead question indicates a maturing market, it also highlights the fact that an automated QA testing effort is still a new discipline for many organizations.
For those companies embarking on a formalized testing program, there may be few surprises in store. One will be the level of personnel required to plan and manage the implementation of the program. As noted by Skrzypczak, "Some organizations believe they can take some of their bright administrative personnel and mold them into QA specialists. Well, it just doesn't work that way. Even though we've tried very hard to make our testing products easy to use, they are sophisticated technical tools. Remember, we're using software to test software, and that's not a simple process."
"Another thing that tends to make the process more complex is the rate at which developers seem to be turning out code. Whoever's managing that QA process must have developed a testing philosophy and a plan to implement that philosophy. By that, I mean it's impossible to test all the variables in a large, complex system. So what approach do you take? Test the most commonly used code paths? Test the most critical paths in terms of business impact? Or some combination of the two? Knowing what to test is a function of QA experience (or training), as well as knowing what the application is all about. And those things mean you're talking about a QA specialist."
Skrzypczak continued, "And speaking of turning out that code, it's really important that QA and development keep in sync. The process we recommend is one of develop, test, develop, test, develop, test, etc. If you wait too long before starting to test, any errors can really snowball and it becomes a nightmare to figure out what's going wrong."
SunTest's Hayes also brought up this concept of what he calls spiral development and some in the industry call iterative development. The process involves building and testing a small functional kernel. That test, by the way, is not merely a technical test, but also a functional test that involves representatives from the business side of the house and representatives from the user community. The idea here is to shake out not only the technical bugs, but the functional bugs as well.
These functional adjustments are just as important as bug fixing. Business conditions can change in the flash of an eye. Additionally, the business analysts may not have thought of every applicable business rule during the design phase. Seeing the application grow in small manageable increments gives both the technical and business staffs time to shift directions if conditions warrant. Waiting until the end of the development cycle to conduct these reviews is far too late in the process.
Other things also remain constant, regardless of development paradigm. Not all applications can justify the investments in money and resources normally associated with a formal QA process. For simple applications, subjecting the application to corporate standards verification and a self-conducted purity check might be all that is required. On the other hand, the bar is a lot higher if we talk about a net-enabled order entry system or a full-blown supply chain management system. Huge costs can be incurred by a mission-critical application that goes south because of a software error. And while QA testing cannot absolutely guarantee the application is bug-free, it certainly moves closer to that goal.
A view from the developer community
Founded in November 1996, C-bridge Internet Solutions designs and builds large-scale net-enabled business applications, utilizing new wave technologies including client and server-side Java, Object Request Brokers (ORBs), and the net triumvirate technologies (Internet, Intranet and Extranet). C-bridge's customer roster includes Liz Claiborne, Harley-Davidson, Informix and Trane.
We spoke with Ron Bodkin, C-bridge cofounder and chief technology officer. With his business-oriented cofounder hat on, Ron plays a key role in defining company strategy and raising financing. As a CTO, Bodkin directs the technical evaluation and specifications of all tools and practices, as well as managing a core team of experts who provide ongoing advice to project teams.
"The biggest complicating factor is multiple platforms. Open standards have reduced the proprietary lock-in. And even though portability is better than ever before, we're expecting more. The nature of our business forces us to deliver code that works in many environments. But guess what? Those operating systems, those JVMs, and ORBs ... they're all from different vendors and they don't all work identically. As a result, we've implemented strong structured testing and benchmarking procedures," explained Bodkin, a strong advocate for the testing discipline.
Procedures are not the only thing being formalized. Bodkin and his technology team are creating an expanding library of pre-built components and frameworks for use in their projects. Said Bodkin, "We're evolving our library, in part with standard off-the-shelf component sets, and in part with our own components and a growing set of frameworks." A portion of the C-bridge library is virtually predetermined by the company's business needs. But C-bridge also learns from experience and its project teams are constantly feeding informational ideas and suggestions to the core team.
Bodkin appears to be the ultimate skeptic. On assuming that off-the-shelf components work as advertised, Bodkin said he believes "it doesn't make any difference whether the component set is from a major system provider or from one of the new commodity component providers, you have to validate those components in the context of your particular environment.
"You need to understand -- really understand -- the behavior of those components, as well as the pre and post conditions for those components. Even more basic than that, you need to make sure those components work at all. We've had experience with a few components -- a very few -- that made me wonder if they were run through any QA process at all. At C-bridge, we're fanatical enough about the quality of the components we use that we've set up our own validation process."
His advice for dealing with purchased components? "If at all possible, try to get the source code for the component. You may never need to look at it, but if something goes wrong and the component's not behaving as you anticipated, having that code to look at can tell you a lot. The other issue is the ability of someone to do an accurate and complete job of documentation. Even though components inherently provide a cleaner interface, we're still talking about the human factor in documenting that interface, and more importantly, the behavior of the component behind that interface. The more complicated the behavior, the greater the potential for misunderstanding. And the only way you can be sure of that behavior is to test it."
Functionality is not the only facet of components that C-bridge has addressed. Said Bodkin, "You also have to think about your application infrastructures -- from a technical viewpoint and from an application function viewpoint. We've set up our system so it's as easy as we can make it to drop new components -- new functionality -- into the app without having to tear things apart. We do that on the technical side, too. For example, we found it was taking far too long to instantiate objects and then remove those objects when they were no longer being used. So we create and manage our own dynamic object pool. But we've done it in a way that's clean and modularized ... one of the benefits of component-based development. If our system software ever provides that function as a standard, we'll be able to pull out our code and switch to the standard software."
Bodkin continued, "We've spent a lot of time optimizing our systems for components. And it's paid off. But the key to successful systems is the quality of our applications. And that means testing for quality from the very beginning. You can't retrofit quality."
This all may be called waiting for a slow waiter on a fast train. By nature, we are impatient animals. We want a totally portable Java -- today, not tomorrow. But we also tend to forget how far we have come, and how fast. The journey will continue. In the meantime, there will also continue to be incompatibilities. The solution to finding and dealing with these issues? Write once, test everywhere.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Tritodynamia longipropoda is een krabbensoort uit de familie van de Macrophthalmidae. De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 1980 door Dai, Feng, Song & Chen.

Macrophthalmidae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Terrence L. "Terry" Blair (November 23, 1946 – June 26, 2014) was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, serving the 38th District from 2009 to 2014.

Career
A graduate of Notre Dame and Loyola, Blair formerly served as a Washington Township trustee. He also served as the President of Buckeye Pools, Incorporated before retiring

Ohio House of Representatives
When incumbent Representative John White was term limited, Blair was one of two who sought to replace him. In the 2008 primary, Blair faced Dayton resident Tom Young, and went on to defeat him by 1,400 votes.  He went on to easily win the general election, and reelection in 2010. He later served on the committees of Commerce and Labor, Financial Institutions, Housing, and Urban Development, Local Government (as Chairman), and Ways and Means.

Blair won reelection with 65.64% of the vote in 2012 over Democrat Aaron Buczkowski.

Death
On June 26, 2014, it was reported that Blair had died, according to Ohio GOP officials.

References

External links
Votesmart.org.-Terry Blair
Terry Blair for State Representative campaign website

2014 deaths
Republican Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives
1946 births
People from La Porte, Indiana
People from Montgomery County, Ohio
University of Notre Dame alumni
Loyola University Chicago alumni
Businesspeople from Ohio
21st-century American politicians
20th-century American businesspeople


text:
~Torres to Bridge.~
"Go ahead, Lieutenant."
~I'm detecting traces of dilithium from an M-class planet approximately one point six light years from our position.~
Chakotay tried not to grin with relief. "Inhabitants?"
~Can't tell yet, sir, but -~
"Sir, I'm picking up a small vessel on an intercept course," Kim interrupted. "Unknown signature. Should be in hailing range within three minutes."
"Acknowledged. B'Elanna?"
~I can't tell for sure, Captain, there's some kind of interference disrupting long-range scanners. Trying to remodulate.~
"Keep me informed. Chakotay out." He turned. "Harry, what can you tell me about that ship?"
"Uh -" Ensign Kim looked flustered. "Not much, sir. It looks like the same interference B'Elanna's detected is throwing off our sensors. Maybe it's their planet."
"If that's the case, let's hope the natives are friendly. Hail them as soon as they come into range, Tuvok." Chakotay glanced at his executive officer. "Could be our lucky day."
She didn't respond.
She'd barely said a word since coming on shift. He leaned over a little. "Kathryn?" She turned, and he thought her eyes looked dead. "Are you alri -"
"Captain, the ship is in range. Hailing now." Tuvok paused. "No response."
"Hail them again. All subspace frequencies." Chakotay stood, trying to ignore his unease.
"This is Captain Chakotay of the Federation starship Voyager. We are on a peaceful mission through this region of space -"
~Greetings, Voyager!~ The viewscreen flickered to life as Chakotay was enthusiastically interrupted. On screen, a melee of small smiling humanoids blinked happily at him. Taken aback, he returned their smiles. "Hello," he said cautiously.
~Welcome to Ruatan space,~ came the response. ~I am Zigan. How may we be of service?~
Beginning to relax, Chakotay replied, "Well, now that you ask, we are in need of dilithium crystals for our warp drive, as well as several other supplies. If you would consider a trade -"
~Consider it done!~ Chakotay thought Zigan's face might split if he smiled any wider.
"That's - that's wonderful." For once Chakotay was at a loss for words. "Perhaps you'd like to beam over so we can discuss it?"
~We thought you'd never ask!~ Zigan bounced in his chair and one of his companions clapped his hands delightedly. The viewscreen went black.
Chakotay exchanged a raised eyebrow with Tuvok. "Lieutenant, transporter room one -"
There was a sizzling yellow flash and twelve Ruatans materialised, giggling, on the bridge. Janeway jumped to her feet.
"Oh now, no cause for alarm!" chirped the one Chakotay recognised as Zigan. "My apologies, Captain, we were in such a hurry to meet you that we quite forgot our manners."
Chakotay motioned Tuvok and Ayala to re-holster their phasers. "I'm very pleased to meet you. Perhaps you'd like to step into the briefing room. Commander, Lieutenant -"
"Lovely!" Zigan clapped his six-fingered hands. "But my crew is rather interested in a tour of this ship. What is your top speed? What's your anti-matter flow conversion rate? What's the range of your transporters? What's -"
"Mr Zigan -" Chakotay interrupted, trying to hide his grin. "I'm sure Commander Janeway would be pleased to show your people around the ship while you and I discuss our trade agreement. Commander, perhaps you could take Lieutenant Paris with you. Tuvok, you're with me." He led Tuvok, Zigan and one of the other Ruatans into the briefing room.
Janeway stared in dismay at the gaggle of boisterous Ruatans. Some were now marvelling at the size of the viewscreen, some peering over Kim's shoulder at the operations console, and one was poking at the helm controls. "Don't touch that!" Paris warned, more sharply than he'd intended. The little Ruatan leapt back and began to - to cry? Janeway blinked in disbelief.
"Sorry," Paris said hastily. "I didn't mean to yell, but you were about to warp us right into your ship."
"Oh. Oops." The Ruatan blinked its - her, Janeway decided - eyelashes at him, tears forgotten. She rolled her eyes, trying to suppress uncharitable thoughts concerning Paris and weeping females. "Lieutenant," she said evenly, "shall we?"
"Of course, Commander." Paris stood and Seska slid into his place at the helm. "Uh - where to first?"
Janeway considered it and smirked. "Engineering."
"B'Elanna's going to love this," she heard Paris mutter sotto voce as they ushered their visitors into the turbolift.
::You're a telepath!::
Tuvok's face registered the Vulcan equivalent of surprise as Zigan spoke inside his mind. "That is correct," he replied aloud.
"What's correct?" asked Chakotay.
::The others are not?::
Tuvok said stiffly, "Captain, it seems our guests have telepathic abilities. To answer your question, Mr Zigan, there are a number of species on board this ship. Some of us are telepathic. However, most are not, and will not be able to communicate with you in that manner."
"How rude of me!" Zigan covered his eyes. "I beg your forgiveness. We shall speak aloud."
Chakotay gestured him to a chair. "Mr Zigan, you mentioned before that we've entered Ruatan space. Can you tell us a little more about this region? We're a long way from home and have little knowledge of this quadrant."
"We know, we know! We've heard all about your ship. The great Federation starship Voyager from the other side of the galaxy. How exciting for you, to explore the great unknown!"
"I'm glad you agree," Chakotay grinned. "Where exactly is Ruata? How far does your territory reach?"
"Our home planet isn't far from here," Zigan bubbled. "Your sensors probably detected it ."
"If you are referring to the M-class planet one point six light years from this position, then they did," confirmed Tuvok. "However, they were unable to fully penetrate the atmospheric interference. We were able to detect traces of dilithium, but not humanoid life or any signs of a civilisation."
"Sadly, we've found it necessary to develop cloaking technology in order to protect ourselves from more aggressive races." Zigan looked as if this actually caused him pain. "Our planetary sensor net can detect alien ships up to twenty-eight light years distant, and automatically suppresses our bio-signs. Our ships are equipped with similar technology. We can make a science vessel look to sensors like a hovercraft!"
"Why would you wish to appear less powerful than you are?" Chakotay was genuinely intrigued.
"It's a necessary, if distasteful, precaution, particularly in light of the Lodian and Numiri presence in this sector. And so far we have been successful in diverting the attentions of the Vidiians away from our planet. If we're to continue our association, we can extend the cloak to conceal your ship, so long as you remain in orbit of our planet."
"And your space?"
"Our territory is not large, but we have no desire to expand it. Conquest is not our way. We are explorers, like you, and wish only for peace and understanding of other races."
"You have no idea how glad I am to hear that," muttered Chakotay. "After the Kazon and the Vidiians we were beginning to wonder if we'd be fighting the whole way home."
"Oh no!" Zigan answered brightly. "Of course, your troubles are far from over."
"Zigan, shh!" The other Ruatan spoke for the first time. Chakotay turned. This one seemed older than the rest of the group. "I'm sorry, I don't think we were introduced -"
"I am Orta, Zigan's advisor. It is our way to travel with an elder, to provide counsel when making first contact with a new species. You may have noticed our people are rather ... excitable."
Chakotay hoped Tuvok's eyebrows would remain attached to his head.
Orta continued, "Our people have a tendency to voice what should be left unspoken. We are not merely a telepathic species. We also have precognitive abilities."
"You can see into the future?"
"Yes, on a limited scale. Our visions are non-specific; we receive a collection of emotions and images rather than a clear linear understanding. Our prime directive forbids us from revealing future events to those of other races; however, as you can see, it is sometimes necessary to remind our younger members of that rule." Orta twinkled at them. "We mean no harm."
Tuvok bowed a little. "We also follow a prime directive: a policy of non-aggression and non-interference. Perhaps our two cultures share other similarities."
Zigan bounced on his chair. "I don't think it breaks our directive to tell you that I foresee a mutually beneficial acquaintance between our peoples."
"You have to be kidding!"
"Oh come on, B'Elanna. They're kinda cute, aren't they? So enthusiastic and ... uh -" Paris trailed off as the half-Klingon's dark eyes flashed with ire.
"Enthusiastic? Try incredibly annoying! That little squirt just uncoupled the magneton relays in Jeffries tube 17. I spent four hours recalibrating them this morning! Now get them the hell out of my engineering room before I disembowel them with a hyperspanner!"
"Lieutenant Torres, is there a problem?" Janeway folded her arms.
"Uh, no, Commander, it's just -"
"Good." She stalked away.
Torres glared after her. "What's up with her?" she muttered.
"Leave her alone."
"What?"
"I said leave her alone. Why are you so hard on her?"
Torres gaped at him. "I - what are you talking about, Paris?"
"Everybody treats her like she's some hard-assed bitch."
"That's because she is."
"So you think it's easy for her, giving up command of her ship and crew and toeing the Starfleet line under Chakotay's command? You think she's living it up out here in the Delta quadrant while all her Maquis friends are dying like flies back home? You think -"
"Hey!" B'Elanna stepped up to him, toe to toe. "In case you've conveniently forgotten, those are my Maquis friends as well. I was on her ship, Tom, I was a member of her crew! I know what it's like to be stuck out here, helpless, knowing that every day my friends are fighting the Cardassians and I can't do a damn thing to help them -"
"So show a little compassion sometimes, okay? She's not some heartless automaton, despite what everyone on this ship seems to think." He glared at her for a moment longer and then stomped away.
B'Elanna stared at Tom's retreating back. "Now what the hell is up with him?"
"Commander, wait!"
She didn't break stride, and Paris had to run to catch up with her. "What is it, Lieutenant?"
He gulped for breath. "I asked Neelix to collect the Ruatans from Engineering and take them to the mess hall. I figured his ... exuberant personality would be more their style." He grinned sideways at her, but she didn't crack a smile.
He tried again. "Commander, about the other night ..."
Janeway sent him a humourless look. "Forget it, Lieutenant."
"I'd rather not forget it, sir."
"Then consider that an order," she snapped. They reached the turbolift and she waited impatiently for the doors to open.
"Commander, please -" Tom sighed. The turbolift arrived and he followed her in. "Deck one," she barked. They stood in silence on opposite sides of the lift and Tom mentally counted down the decks. Ten ... nine ... Was she ever going to talk to him again? Eight ... seven ... It was now or never.
"Commander, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what happened. I don't want you to feel - ill at ease around me."
Five ... four ...
"And I wanted you to know that if you ever need a ..." a what? A friend? "... uh, a pool partner, I'm here. I know you outrank me and I ... behaved like an idiot and hey, you probably don't even like me anyway, but ... the offer stands."
Three ... two ... one. The doors opened onto the bridge.
She looked at him and he saw a shadow of the woman he'd seen in Sandrine's. She opened her mouth to speak and stopped. And then she smiled.
It wasn't the radiant, open smile he'd have wished for. It was small and unsure and it wavered almost instantly. But it was there, and he wasn't prepared for the hot double-thump in his throat at the sight of it.
Then she stepped onto the bridge and it was gone altogether. "Take your station, Lieutenant," she said coolly, and he followed her order.
Chakotay led Zigan, Orta and Tuvok back onto the bridge. "Lieutenant Paris, lay in a course for the M-class planet we detected earlier. As soon as Mr Zigan and his crew are back on board their ship we'll be following them to Ruata to continue our association." He smiled around at the bridge crew. "Looks like we've earned ourselves some shore leave."
Tuvok addressed the Ruatans dryly. "Shall I escort you to our transporter room, or would you prefer your own means of departure?"
Zigan gurgled with laughter. "Again, I apologise for our ... enthusiasm. Actually, I'd quite like to see your transporter technology. And, Mr Tuvok ..."
"Yes, Mr Zigan?"
"Could we communicate telepathically on the way? We find it quite tiring to speak aloud for long periods of time."
Nobody heard Tuvok's response.


The spinning pendulum amusement park ride is a kind of thrill amusement park rides which makes circular motion along the horizontal axis, similar to the swing rides. Sometimes, in Pakistan, some people also call it Frisbee rides, giant pendulum rides, swing pendulum rides, delirium rides, discovery rides or pendulum meteor hammer rides and so on. It is a large scale amusement equipment and popular among the majority of teenagers while many children love the small/mini pendulum amusement rides for kids. Generally, the giant Frisbee rides is composed of the main support, hanging device, pendulum rides, circular gondola and electrical system. When the pendulum thrill ride starts working, the gondola begin to spin while it swings back and forth. Nowadays, the swinging pendulum ride is famous for its extreme thrill feeling, beautiful appearance, scientific structure, grand and magnificent, and so on. Beston supplies spinning pendulum amusement park ride for sale for customers in Pakistan for many years in China and has becoming top manufacturer and supplier of various theme park rides.
As for the pendulum thrill rides, riders sit in the circular gondola and face outside making a circle along the gondola. In general, pendulum rides are designed to press the shoulder as the safety restraint with the safety belt as the additional insurance. When the gondola starts rotating, the main axis hanging under the circular gondola begins to swing back and forth. The whole process is driven by the gravity force and the friction and automatically controlled. Passengers cannot only experience the centrifugal force, but also enjoy the distant beautiful scenery when they are in the top in the sky. It is so thrill and exciting that everyone cannot help scream out to relax themselves.
There are various pendulum swing rides in Pakistan and most of people love to ride on this games. However, little people know the differences between them. Though they look the same on the appearance, they are different from the working principle, which leads to the big difference of the prices. The main difference between them is the transmission model: top/upper drive and bottom drive.
1. The top drive giant Frisbee rides, just like the name shows, the transmission part is in the top. That is to say, the electric motor is in the top of the pendulum rides. It is popular recognized as the most thrilling amusement park rides and has its own unique charm. The top driven pendulum carnival rides can show the ability to the greatest extent. The swing amplitude is relatively bigger and the maximum swing angle can reach to 120°. Because power is coming from the top, there is no big shake when it is spinning.
2. The transmission part of bottom driven pendulum rides is below the game. The power is coming from the bottom and swing of the thrill rides is driven by the friction. So the swing amplitude is not too big but also can reach 60°. However, compared with the top drive Frisbee rides, it has higher safety factor and excellent stopping capacity, which is suitable for visitors who would not like to try the extreme thrill rides. As for the prices, because of the complex structures and high design requirement of top drive Frisbee rides, the bottom drive pendulum rides are cheaper, which suits for the investors lacking in funds.
Beston supplies various Frisbee rides to export to Pakistan. The main parts are manufactured with superior quality stainless steel, surface materials is 5mm to 8mm fiberglass reinforced plastic (which is short for FRP) and paint the fadeless and durable painting, making it last long, reliable, corrosion resistance, environmental friendly and attractive appearance. And unique designed cabins and safety belts can guarantee all customers' safety. The whole producing process is in our factory by our professional staff, which make sure the prices are relatively lower. Please contact us to buy your favorite from Beston – the most professional manufacturer and supplier of various amusement park rides.


text:
package org.kymjs.example.fragment;

import org.kymjs.aframe.ui.ViewInject;
import org.kymjs.aframe.ui.fragment.ChoiceImageTemplate;

import android.view.View;

/**
 * 多图选择界面展示
 *
 * @author kymjs(kymjs123@gmail.com)
 */
public class ChoiceImageExample extends ChoiceImageTemplate {

    @Override
    protected void OnClickCommitEvent(View v) {
        if (!checkFile.isEmpty()) {
            ViewInject.toast("已捕获选择的图片,共有" + checkFile.size() + "张");
        } else {
            ViewInject.toast("没有选择图片");
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


HADOOP-153. Provides a way to skip bad records. Contributed by Sharad Agarwal.
HADOOP-2302. Provides a comparator for numerical sorting of key fields.
+          //so that we don't buffer other records surrounding a bad record.
+        //so that we don't buffer other records surrounding a bad record.
// a common reason to get here is failure of the subprocess.
// Document that fact, if possible.
+    //on the no of bad records.
+    //used by the framework.
+      ReduceValuesIterator values = isSkipping() ?
+ * settings related to skipping of bad records.
+   * them on further attempts.
+   * try to skip them on further attempts.
+   * those are skipped.
+   * or buffer the input records. For example streaming.
+   * In such cases applications should increment this counter on their own.
+ * Keeps the Ranges sorted by startIndex.
+ * The added ranges are always ensured to be non-overlapping.
+ * stored in this object.
+   * Get Iterator which skips the stored ranges.
+   * The Iterator.next() call return the index starting from 0.
+   * Get the no of indices stored in the ranges.
+   * If the range is of 0 length, doesn't do anything.
+   * @param range Range to be added.
+        endIndex = endIndex>=previousRange.getEndIndex() ?
+   * If range is of 0 length, doesn't do anything.
+   * @param range Range to be removed.
+   * Index Range. Comprises of start index and length.
+   * of type long.
+     * Get the start index. Start index in inclusive.
+     * Get the end index. End index is exclusive.
+     * Range is empty if its length is zero.
+   * Index Iterator which skips the stored ranges.
+     * Returns true till the index reaches Long.MAX_VALUE.
+     * @return true next index exists.
+     * Get the next available index. The index starts from 0.
+     * Remove is not supported. Doesn't apply.
+   * Get failed ranges.
+   * Set failed ranges.
+   * Is Task in skipping mode.
+   * Sets whether to run Task in skipping mode.
+            //currentRecStartIndex to the next.
+            //finished and is still in task's stomach.
+   *  Reports the next executing record range to TaskTracker.
+   * @param nextRecIndex the record index which would be fed next.
+    //and is still in task's stomach.
+   * Get the next record range which is going to be processed by Task.
+   * Set the next record range which is going to be processed by Task.
* objects rather than strings.
+   * Report the record range which is going to process next by the Task.
/** Periodically called by child to check if parent is still alive.
* An adaptor to run a C++ mapper.
+    //records could be different(equal or less) than the no of records input.
+            //so that we don't buffer other records surrounding a bad record.
+      //so that we don't buffer other records surrounding a bad record.


Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough, is an interesting and controversial figure of the late Georgian and early Victorian British Army. It is said he commanded in more battles than any other British soldier of this period, save for the Duke of Wellington.
Hugh Gough, 1st Viscount Gough, is an interesting and controversial figure of the late Georgian and early Victorian British Army. It is said he commanded in more battles than any other British soldier of this period, save for the Duke of Wellington. Despite this there are many who have questioned his command capability and his competence, particularly where the two Sikh Wars are concerned.
In this, the first major account of his life for over one hundred years, the author seeks not to defend Gough but to better understand him. This is done by attempting to draw out the other periods of his life. By so doing we gain a greater understanding of his background, experiences and influences.
Gough, like so many British officers, was part of the Anglo-Irish community. However unlike many he wore his Irish heritage with pride, and would always refer to himself as an Irishman. Yet he was a'Unionist' and fiercely proud of the British Empire.
Born into a military tradition he first wore the King's uniform at the age of thirteen. He saw extensive service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. He fought in Southern Africa and the Caribbean. During the Peninsular War he commanded the 87th Foot and was said to have been the most experienced battalion commander of the conflict. After the war he served in southern Ireland during the counterinsurgency response to the'Rockite' movement.
After a lengthy period on half-pay and promotion to major general he was appointed to command a battalion in the Madras Army. It was from here that he was despatched to command British forces fighting in China. He worked closely and effectively with his civilian and naval counterparts and was considered to have been an extremely effective commander. Returning to India he was overlooked for command of the Madras Army but was instead rewarded with the appointment of Commander-in-Chief in India.
In this capacity he conquered the Gwalior State and the Sikh Empire and greatly enhanced British India. However his victories came at a high price in terms of casualties, and he was much criticised for this. Despite this he never lost a battle. He was loved by his men, largely because he suffered with them and was always willing to share in the danger. In battle he wore a white fighting coat, which made him easily identifiable to both his men and the enemy.
Whilst his command ability was sometimes questioned, his courage never was. His life is an interesting tale of a career soldier, a fighting soldier, who was, as an officer who served under him remarked,"as brave as a lion".
Included in MHM's round-up of the best military history titles for February 2018.
If you are studying the life and times of Hugh Gough this is definitely the place for you. I see it on the bookshelves of Sandhurst and the National Army Museum.
Christopher Brice sets the record straight on 1st Viscount Gough - an amazing, larger than life commander od British forces from the early years of the Victorian army.