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| Renovation of the Milford Square family shelter exterior  Demonstrating its commitment to the community, CertainTeed recently donated materials to renovate the exterior of the Milford Square family shelter, one of six properties operated by Bucks County Housing Group (BCHG), a non-profit organization assisting homeless and low-income families attain permanent housing and financial security. The 120-year-old, 3,700 square-foot building houses six families, support staff and a community food pantry, which provides meals for 60 families each month. "Bucks County Housing Group makes a real difference in the lives of families," said Matt Gibson, manager of contractor programs for CertainTeed Siding Products Group. "We are pleased to support the organization's mission by helping to renovate one of its oldest facilities to create a more welcoming environment and encourage others to do the same." While BCHG has been able to keep pace with interior improvements and necessary electric and plumbing upgrades, attention for the last three years has been on securing funding to replace the deteriorated original wood siding on the building. "We strive to be good neighbors wherever we are," said Nancy Szamborski, executive director for BCHG. "We want the building to look good and that is not the case with our Milford Square site, as the paint is peeling and much of the wood is rotting. The new, insulated siding will improve curb appeal and energy efficiency. We are so grateful to CertainTeed for stepping up and showing such commitment to families we serve and the community as a whole," she said. The donation includes all materials necessary to replace the century-old cladding, including CedarBoards Insulated Siding, molded from real cedar and backed with polystyrene insulation, which will help reduce future facility heating and cooling costs. The enhanced thermal performance will also block sound infiltration with added strength and rigidity for outstanding impact resistance five times stronger than traditional hollow vinyl siding. BCHG has set a target installation date of April 2012; however, due to the age and size of the building labor estimates are high, hovering around $25,000 to complete the project. Despite the large figure, fundraising volunteers are optimistic about reaching their goal. "We have some community members who are very interested in making sure the renovation is completed," said John Kunes, Milford Square volunteer fundraiser coordinator. "It's a lot of money, but there are some repairs that have to be done before installation. I think dedicated volunteers can make anything happen." write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Construction News :: home page |