News

As we approach the closing of 2011 we wanted to share with you some of the highlights from this past year. We are delighted to report that By the River is now completely full, and we are providing affordable housing and life-enhancing programs for 41 seniors.

Our residents are building community within By the River in a multitude of ways. One building has proudly displayed the residents' photos with the banner "We are Family". Residents are encouraged to participate in community development within each building and throughout the campus. Each building selects a representative to meet with management monthly to provide input into the decision making process. Frequent community barbecues have become the norm.

We continue to expand our programs including a recent holiday craft fair where residents sold beautifully woven and crocheted items among other wares, which were all hand made by residents. Weekly classes focus on nurturing the body, mind and spirit through art, music, health lectures, yoga, breathing, and exercise. One of our residents has even taken on the role of instructor for an exercise class and fills in for the instructor of our "Living with Stress" class!

Volunteerism is encouraged with our residents. Three days per week residents help prepare food for the "Feed Everyone" program, which distributes healthy meals to needy families in Gifford. Once a month, they assist with preparing packages that contain vital medications for the sick and impoverished people of Haiti.

As our programs evolve to suit the growing needs of low-income seniors, we are also challenged with providing financial assistance to help fill in the gap as many seniors are faced with choosing between buying medication or food when they reach the end of each month. All donations make a difference and are so gratefully received. It takes only $14 a day for a senior to be housed for a full year, fed one hot meal per day, and be given the opportunity to have community and to participate in wellness-fostering programs. Your generosity can make a big difference in our ability to care for our frail, low-income seniors in an environment where they feel well and maintain their sense of independence and dignity.

Please take a few moments to read the attached card and consider how you might help the low-income seniors in our community. Thank you so very much for your time, interest and support. The staff and residents of By the River wish you and your loved ones a beautiful holiday season.
 

With Gratitude,
Durga Das Hutner
President

BY THE RIVER WEBSITE

PROJECT PAGE

Peter S. Horstman (PSH), a leader in Hospice design in Florida, and Carlson Studio Architecture, one of the state’s leading green design firms, have joined together to deliver state of the art hospice design throughout Florida.  The combination or Mr. Horstman’s 10 years of experience in the design of over a dozen hospice projects and Carlson Studio’s 15 year history of award winning and sustainable design throughout Florida,  create a winning group of professionals with expertise, creativity, and rock solid project delivery.

PSH/Carlson Studio Architecture has the experience to provide a complete range of design services for your hospice related projects:

• We have a strong background in healthcare related projects with an emphasis on Inpatient Hospice facilities.
• Our experience extends into Assisted Living, Independent Living and Skilled nursing facilities.
• We are experts in the preparation of architectural data for CON applications, and are able to follow the CON from pre-design through design and construction.  We work closely with your legal team and AHCA.
• We have a proven record of designing award winning, sustainable, energy efficient buildings.

PSH/Carlson Studio Architecture is dedicated to designing facilities that are healthy environments for the user, and are healthy for the environment itself.  As LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) Accredited Professionals and members of the USGBC (US Green Building Council), we have the expertise to advise your organization in selecting construction materials and methods to meet this goal.

We believe that a successful construction project is based on communication of the owner’s and occupants’ needs combined with the technical knowledge of the professional consultants.  We are certain that you will find our team has both the reputation of being good listeners and interpreters of your needs into a building that is functional, efficient, and aesthetically pleasing.

Sarasota’s Carlson Studio Architecture, a regional leader in sustainable design, won 3 awards at the USGBC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter LEEDership Awards ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 19 in St. Petersburg. CSA received awards in the following categories:

Outstanding Project of the Year LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors) for the design and construction of the firm’s own offices, located in downtown Sarasota.   The offices of Carlson Studio Architecture received LEED- CI Silver Certification from the USGBC in 2007, making it only the third LEED-CI Certified project in Florida at the time of certification.  Sarasota’s RC Moore Construction was the General Contractor.

Outstanding Project of the Year LEED for Schools (K-12) for the Learning Gate Community School, located in Lutz, FL.  This project received LEED Platinum certification from the USGBC, and was also recognized as the first LEED Platinum Public Charter School in the Country.  Local consultant Two Trails was the LEED administrator for the project, and Charles Girard was the General Contractor.

Outstanding Project of the Year LEED-NC (New Construction) for the design of the Cancer Support Community’s new facility located in Lakewood Ranch, FL.  This project received LEED Gold Certification from the USGBC.  Willis A. Smith Construction, Inc. was the General Contractor.

The LEEDership Awards program, hosted by the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the USGBC, was started in 2010 as a way to support the chapter’s mission of encouraging environmental knowledge and values as they relate to the built environment. For more information, visit www.usgbc-fgc.org.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. (http://www.usgbc.org)

This week reporter Scott Denis from ABC 7 featured the LEED Certified Lakewood Ranch Plastic Surgery Office on his "Green Living" segment.

"A Suncoast doctor wanted his office to be not just a place that promotes health, but a healthy environment as well.  Plastic Surgeon Dr. Joshua Kreithen has accomplished both with one of the first LEED-certified doctor's offices in the state.

You feel relaxed from the moment you walk in. The soothing sounds, attractive building materials and the extensive use of natural lighting..." Click here for the full article

After extensive review, the judges for ENR Southeast's annual "Best Projects" competition met Sept. 8 and determined this year's winners. The judges chose 35 winners from a group of more than 100 entries from the states of Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. They picked a top winner in each category, along with "Award of Merit" winners in many of the categories. The Palm Avenue Garage earned and "Award of Merit" in the transportaion catagory.

The Palm Avenue Garage was designed by JPA Architects and built by Suffolk Construction. Carlson Studio Eco-Consulting provided green design & LEED Administration services for the project team. The Garage is seeking LEED CS Gold certification with USGBC's LEED Greenbuilding rating system.

Green featrures include LED lighting, shade structures on the west fascade, daylighting in the retail and parking spaces, and PV panels on the roof. Energy Effiecent mechanial units and low VOC materials were also included in the building.

see the other winners

What's the biggest reason your company builds green and the biggest reason your customers say they want to build green?

"Green buildings are better buildings for the money than non-green buildings.  Now that there is a widely recognized, sophisticated way to determine how green a building is, and have that tested and verified by an independent 3rd party (the LEED rating system from the USGBC) we can determine how much better each design is.  We designed our first green building in 2000.  Our clients are motivated differently to build green.  Most like the savings generated by energy and water conservation combined with higher quality of interior space that is healthier to live or work in.  Both are quality of life issues.  Some are motivated to save money while others share our concerns about the future of the planet." - Michael Carlson, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Florida Trend Magazine, Cynthia Barnett

In the recent Chariety Register issue of Sarasota Magazine, the Cancer Support Community's new home was described as an Instant Landmark.

"Best Proud Moment - The crowd at the gala celebrating the Cancer Support Community's state of the art new $6 million Building Hope practically levitated with excitment. This instant landmark, with its soaring arch, was the perfect backdrop for the heartfelt speeches, congratulations and dancing under the gorgeous tent." -Sarasota Magazine, Pam Daniel

The Cancer Supprt Community Florida Suncoast is a non-profit organization providing free psychological and educational services for cancer patients and their loved ones. Our programs adhere to the “Patient Active” concept and focus on providing support, education and hope for anyone affected by cancer. The project was LEED NC Gold certified under the USGBC's LEED Green Building rating system.

Carlson Studio Architecture (CSA), a Florida-based sustainable design firm, proudly announces that Jedd W. Heap, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, earned his Architecture License from Florida’s Board of Architecture and Interior Design, as well as the National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB).

Heap, a project manager at CSA since 2007, has more than 13 years of professional design experience. He has managed several LEED-certified projects including the recently completed Cancer Support Community and Lakewood Ranch Plastic Surgery’s new office. He is currently overseeing the construction of his latest design, the LEED-Gold-seeking Sun N Fun Lifestyle Wellness Center.

In 1998 Jedd graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in architectural design and after gaining several years of valued work experience he earned is master’s degree in architecture at the University of South Florida, Tampa. Heap serves on the Manatee County CRA Advisory Board and has served on both the local and state boards of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). In 2009, the Florida AIA awarded Heap the Associate Honor Award.