Construction Maison

By Katherine Shaver The Washington Post From the rooftop terrace of their new townhouse, Keisuke and Idalia Yabe take in their suburban Maryland neighborhood : a staid, 1970s- era office park of glass office buildings and concrete parking garages . The Yabes say they have found the advantages of urban living in a shorter commute and the ability to walk to shopping centers and a park. They also have what feels like the best of suburbia -- mature trees, plentiful parking , Bethesda's sought-after schools and a more affordable mortgage. From the Washington and New York suburbs to North Carolina's Research Triangle Park , traditional corporate campuses that have struggled since the Great Recession are trying to transform from sterile worksites into vibrant mini-towns. In addition to housing, they're adding restaurants, grocery stores, playgrounds and outdoor concert spaces -- anything to draw people in and make them want to stay. Although it might sound strange at first, th...

Change is coming to Hicksville. It may not come easily. It will take time, and the right combination of local leadership, private investment, community engagement, innovative thinking and, perhaps most important, a new Oyster Bay way. Most Popular But it is coming. The pieces of the puzzle that hopefully will bring new energy to downtown Hicksville have been slowly falling into place: the $ 121 million upgrade of the Long Island Rail Road ’s busiest station; renovations of the Hicksville athletic center and the once vibrant Broadway Mall ; and the repaving, cleanup and drain repair of Routes 106 and 107. And the recent approval of the third track expansion project will mean vastly improved LIRR service and the potential to lure workers to Hicksville businesses. Now, town and state officials are starting to fill in critical missing pieces that could turn this tired crossroads into a major hub with housing for younger adults starting out and older ones wanting to downsize, entert...

There comes a time for most San Diego couples when they get sick of renting and, for the Whites, it came around the 40th birthday mark . Shawna White, 40, spent countless hours researching a place she and her husband Nathan, 39, could afford that wouldn’t break the bank. In addition to getting away from the region’s explosive rent hikes , they saw a home as an investment. Eventually, the Navy couple landed in Otay Ranch on the eastern fringes of the county near the border with Mexico. They bought a new 1,504-square-foot townhouse for $378,000, around $200,000 less than what something similar would have cost them closer to downtown. “We were able to buy something new instead of an older home with issues,” she said. “This was a good buy.” More and more new homeowners are being drawn to Otay Ranch, the largest residential development in San Diego County history at 25,000 acres. After being hit hard in the housing crisis , it has reemerged as a viable option for homeownership in a cou...