Blogs

Construction

The Great Sprinkler Debate

In one corner, we have the firefighters and sprinkler manufacturers arguing that sprinkler installation in homes and townhouses will save lives and reduce property damage. In the other corner, we have the home builders arguing that adding a sprinkler requirement is piling on more costs on an already battered industry without appreciable benefits. This debate…

October 23, 2009

Construction

Details, Details, Details: What it takes to convey an easement in Virginia

Please contact commercial leasing attorney John Kelly jkelly@beankinney.com should you have any questions concerning this article or require assistance. In the recent case of Burdette v. Brush Mountain Estates, LLC, the Virginia Supreme Court tackled head on what it takes to convey an easement. Burdette acquired two parcels of land by deed, which stated that…

October 21, 2009

Construction

DC Contractors and Construction Managers License

A recent reminder e-mail from ABC-Metro Washington highlighted that the licensing regulations for the District of Columbia have changed dramatically. Traditionally, the District of Columbia only required that home improvement contractors have a license. That has changed. The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs now requires that general contractors and construction managers have licenses as…

October 19, 2009

Construction

Good News! More on Tax Amnesty for Virginia, Maryland and DC Residents

As a follow up from an earlier blog post discussing tax amnesty programs in the Washington Metropolitan area, Nancy Trejos’s article in the Washington Post today discussed Maryland’s tax amnesty program that extends until October 30 and Virginia’s program that gives residents until December 5. The District of Columbia has also approved a tax amnesty…

October 18, 2009

Construction

Basic of Payment Bond Claims in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia

Cash flow and payment related issues continue to be of critical importance on construction projects. We recently posted on Basics of Mechanics Liens in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. We now turn to basic terms relating to notifications and required actions for payment bond claims in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.…

October 16, 2009

Government Contracts

Government Contracts Seminar with ABC-Metro on October 29

We are pleased to invite our readers to a seminar on October 29, 2009, The “Other” Kind of Contracting: Best Practices for Government Sales Success. As active members of Associated Builders and Contractors – Metro Washington Chapter, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to speak at this ABC-Metro Washington event.

October 15, 2009

Construction

Basics of Mechanics Liens in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia

We have recently discussed the need for construction industry players to know the basics of liens and bonds. We have also examined one case example of what can go wrong in mechanic’s lien matters by examining the failed Granby Tower project in Norfolk. Expanding on this thread, we will now turn to laying out some…

October 14, 2009

Construction

The Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor in Arlington Makes the NY Times

In case you missed it, Arlington County’s Rosslyn-Ballston corridor made the NY Times on Thursday. The article, entitled “An Oasis of Stability Amid a Downturn”, provides how well Arlington County is weathering the current real estate market as compared to other locations of the country. The article cites Arlington’s 8.6% office vacancy rate against the…

October 12, 2009

Construction

LEED 3.0: Changes Reflect the Need to Increase Energy Focus

We have previously discussed the New York Times article criticizing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating systems developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for its arguable lack of translation to improved energy efficiency. We also discussed energy codes and their interplay with LEED and ongoing reporting. More recently, similar concerns…

October 12, 2009

Construction

Modifications to Virginia’s Historical Preservation Statute – A Recipe for Mischief?

I don’t know how many people out there have been paying attention, but the General Assembly made an interesting addition to Virginia’s historic preservation statute (VA Code Section 15.2-2306) this past spring. Prior to this addition, Section 15.2-2306.A.1. of the Code of Virginia used to allow a locality to adopt or amend its zoning ordinance…

October 11, 2009