Old Colony built in a minute and a half...sort of

The New England Carpenters Labor-Management Program is proud to provide an interesting look at the work of union contractors and carpenters at the Old Colony Housing Project in South Boston. The time lapse video, synchronized to music was shot over the course of a year, during the project's first phase. Suffolk Construction was the Construction Manager.

Union carpenters employed by Suffolk Construction and numerous subcontractors were proud to recently complete Phase One of the redevelopment of housing at Old Colony in South Boston. The project involved demolition of old buildings and construction of 116 energy efficient affordable apartment units as well as a 10,000 square-foot community center and other improvements and amenities. As the largest property managed by the Boston Housing Authority, demolition and construction was completed on a 15 acre occupied site containing 850 housing units. The project changes the face of a community and the lives of many who will live there.

Video of the three buildings in the piece was gathered over the course of a year, from December 2010 through December 2011 during almost weekly visits. Videographer Ellen Webber of the New England Carpenters Labor Management Program produced the video. It can be watched here

Retrieved from: http://www.nercc.org/blog/p/1687

From South Africa: Awards for excellence (Govan Mbeki best woman partnership award)

Zola Ntshiya, Picture: GALLO IMAGES

Peter Luhanga

Some state-funded housing projects in the Western Cape have scooped the prestigious Govan Mbeki Awards for delivering exceptional work.

The annual awards for outstanding work in housing development were initiated in 2006 and named after Govan Mbeki in honour of the role he played in human settlements by partnering with key stakeholders in order to further the cause of building a nation free of inequity.

At a ceremony held this week 11 state-funded housing projects received the prestigious award in different categories namely best finance linked individual subsidy programme project, best upgrading informal settlements programme project, best rental stock, best priority project and best enhanced people's housing project.

Additionally, two students, Gerhard Hanekom and Merli Koen, were awarded the Govan Mbeki merit student award and the organisation,

South African Women in Construction walked away with the Govan Mbeki best woman partnership award.

Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Zou Kota-Fredericks, who presented the awards together with human settlements

MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela, said through the efforts of partners the government was able to build sustainable human settlements and create jobs.

Madikizela said the state-funded housing projects that had won awards had showcased hard work.
However, he said the provincial housing backlog was not dented despite delivering houses.

The N2 Gateway housing project, which had built 3012 houses in Delft, scooped the best priority project award. – WCN

Retrieved from: http://www.thenewage.co.za/50506-1011-53-Awards_for_excellence