WASHINGTON, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The U.S. General Services Administration, manager of 8,600 federal properties across the nation and steward of 425 historic landmarks, has published a new workbook to help guide GSA property managers on how to enhance public spaces in federal buildings.

“Federal buildings in many communities are the government’s most prominent representative, a symbol of democracy,” said David Winstead, Commissioner for GSA’s Public Buildings Service. “It’s important that these spaces are accessible to the public and that they convey a positive image of the federal government.”

GSA produced, Achieving Great Federal Public Spaces - A Property Manager’s Guide in collaboration with the Project for Public Spaces. The workbook provides GSA property managers with a step-by-step process on how to enhance public spaces such as plazas, lobbies, atria and grounds. It suggests short, medium, and long-term improvements — from actions as simple as reducing clutter and inviting civic organizations to use public spaces for activities and events, to more elaborate measures such as buildings enhancements, including the streamlining of the security process in lobbies.

“When managed effectively, these spaces support neighborhood goals and play an important role in how our client agencies view their workplaces,” commented Anthony Costa, Deputy Commissioner for Public Buildings. “It is in our collective interests that we make the most of our public spaces.”

To Market to Market to Buy a Fat Pig is a celebration of market houses, market places and farmers’ markets across the United States. Rick Sebak checks out crab cakes in Baltimore’s Lexington Market, shops with a chef in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty Farmers’ Market and attends a tomato tasting in Asheville, North Carolina. This program looks at the joys of talking to people who grow our food and the fresh opportunities that are found in markets.

The DVD is available for $24.99.

Limitless, the Dubai real estate developer and part of the conglomerate Dubai World, has announced it will build a US$220 million, mixed-use project in Vietnam.

The announcement comes as HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, is on a state visit to Vietnam to discuss bilateral relations.

Halong Star, a 125 hectare development at Halong Bay on Vietnam’s North East coast, was confirmed at the signing of a joint venture between Limitless, Phuong Hung Joint Stock Company and International Property Investment Partners.

The Halong Star development will include a 250-room hotel, the first five-star property in an area designated a World Heritage site by the United Nations.

For one skateboarding advocate here, creating a system of skate parks in West Seattle isn’t just about building places to do aerials and flip tricks.

So far it’s just a blueprint with no funding, but the citywide skate park plan is gaining momentum in West Seattle, fueled by passionate skaters like West Seattle resident Matt Johnston.

Johnston, who served on the skate park advisory task force that helped develop the plan last year with Seattle Parks and Recreation, is also determined to change some minds along the way. At 36, he remembers what it’s like to be thought of as a delinquent simply for the kind of sport he enjoys.

“What we want to do in West Seattle is make sure skate parks are successful for everyone in the community and not just the skateboarders, because a successful skate park requires community support,” said Johnston. “The last thing we want to do is be skateboarding in a community who hates us or who doesn’t want us there.”

He brought up a community meeting held this past March to discuss the design of the future Myrtle Street park at the site of Myrtle Reservoir on 35th Avenue Southwest. The location was recommended for a skate facility in the citywide plan but so far the community has been largely opposed to the idea.

Some at the meeting said a skate park would attract “derelict teenagers” and be noisy. Johnston is concerned common fears like these associated with the sport will isolate West Seattle’s skate parks and its estimated 4,000 skateboarders.

Built in the right location, with an appropriate design and a welcoming community, skate parks can actually serve as a vibrant part of a neighborhood and discourage bad behavior. But anything pushed to the fringes, whether it’s a skate facility or a basketball court, can invite unsavory activities, he said.

“(Skate parks) actually deter bad activities because it programs the space and puts people there,” Johnston said. “You have to build it for some people to see how great it can be. This is something positive for the kids.”

HONOLULU — A signing ceremony for the sale of 298-acres at Kapolei between the University of Hawai‘i and Hunt Development Group was held earlier this week in Bachman Hall with University President David McClain, UH West O‘ahu Chancellor Gene Awakuni, Chris Hunt and Steve Colon of Hunt Development Group.

“The new UH West O‘ahu campus will go a long way towards meeting the needs of the growing Leeward community; today’s agreement with Hunt brings that vision one step closer to reality,” said McClain.

A very important day for Portland Main Street was held on Aug. 22, 2007. The Main Street program that economically revitalizes traditional downtowns was reviewed by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). Main Street is a nationally recognized program led by the National Main Street Center.

Currently, there are 13 Michigan Main Street Cities that also undergo the review process. MSHDA and its community assistance team provide trainings, education seminars for Main Street managers and offer guidance for grant opportunities. Communities that apply to become a Main Street wish to reach the goal of becoming a Master Community; a community that uses the Main Street four point approach; Organization, Revitalization, Promotion, and Design to revitalize their downtown.

A mixed-use development project that is getting mixed-reviews from resident in Grand Junction, CO.

Mixed-use development is springing up on First and Patterson Streets. People who live in the area say they are concerned about the impact it will have on their neighborhood.

Wendy Hoffman says she’s not sure what to think about the 20–acre development sprouting up in the backyard of her dream home. She is worried about traffic and noise the development might bring and she’s not alone.

Grand Junction’s planning department has been fielding calls from people who have concerns about the project as well.

Developers say people just need to give it a try.

Constructors West says the concept of mixed-use is exactly why people who live next door shouldn’t be worried about traffic. They say that a place that has retail, office and residential space helps clear congestion because people don’t have to drive to work, live and play.