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The two- story Phase III Fenwick plan at Naples Square offers 3 ,238 square feet under air. Phase III purchase agreements are being accepted. (Photo: Picasa) The Ronto Group announced Phase III purchase agreements worth nearly $32 million have been processed at Naples Square . Construction of the Phase III building is expected to start in fourth quarter. Just two residences in the completed Phase II building remain available for purchase and feature Ronto ’s Franklin and Denison floor plans . The two- story Franklin residence offers 3 ,378 square feet, including 2,857 square feet under air, a 196-square- foot private balcony , and a private oversized one- car garage accessed from the residence. Priced at $1,425,422, the Franklin showcases upgraded features and finishes. The plan presents three bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a living room with a two-story ceiling and double-stacked windows, a dining room, an island kitchen, and a second floor with a 330-square- foot flex room , the owner’s...

Of all the gleaming high- rise residences anchoring the Streeterville neighborhood, perhaps the new Optima Signature is one of the most artistic. You can't help but notice the striking red glass panels that wrap the lower seven floors of the modern apartment tower or the bright yellow free -form sculpture that stands in the plaza in front of the building. The color bursts are a signature of renowned architect and developer David Hovey of Glencoe. The 57- story Optima Signature at 220 E. Illinois St. is a joint venture between Hovey's firm, Optima Inc., and DeBartolo Development. The two also partnered in 2013 on the sister building next door, Optima Chicago Center . The base of that apartment tower is similarly clad in black glass. "Our focus is on architecture and contributing to the built environment but doing it in a way that resonates with the broader community and our residents," Optima Senior Vice President Mark Segal said. "We didn't design in ...

At the Torresdale home of Paul and Heather Owens, the renovation is well underway: a two-story addition with a bathroom that meets disability access standards . It even has an elevator. All that work is necessary because a year ago, another elevator — this one in Center City — lifted off at high speed, rose 15 stories , and exploded into the concrete ceiling of its shaft at the top of Philadelphia’s Criminal Justice Center . MARGO REED / Staff Photographer Paul Owens of the Sheriff’s Office and his wife, Heather, stand behind their home, which is being renovated to accommodate his disability.  Owens, then a sergeant in the Sheriff’s Office, was alone in Car 2B as it sped at more than twice its rated speed of 350 feet a minute. “I grabbed the railing, and I just remember holding on,” Owens, 49, said last week at his home, his first interview since the accident. “After that, I don’t remember anything until I woke up in the hospital.” ...

And if you were a nine-year-old girl at any point during the last 30 years, you are almost certainly familiar with American Girl. It very well may have been an essential part of your nine-year-old girldom. From the beginning, from the time it was a mere kernel of an idea scrawled on a postcard, American Girl was engineered for nine-year-old girls. It all began when Pleasant Rowland, who was working for an educational publishing company at the time, took a trip to Colonial Williamsburg. Rowland had had a varied career; she'd been an elementary school teacher , a TV news reporter , a textbook writer. History and education were her passions, and while she was in Virginia, inspiration struck. She sent a postcard detailing her plan to her friend Valerie Tripp , a children's author. As she recalled at American Girl's 25th anniversary celebration , it went something like this: "I've been down in Williamsburg this week and had an idea. What do you think of it? A series of...

Remember that juice and milk cannot be brought through security (and may not be available on board). Buy them once you have passed through the Transportation Security Administration ’s checkpoint and pour contents into sippy cups and bottles before boarding the flight. Make sure to account for flight delays with sustenance. Photo A flip-top snack cup from Skip Hop. Germ Warfare Studies by the Federal Aviation Administration have shown that viruses can lurk on airline surfaces for up to seven days. How can you keep your family healthy? You can try by stuffing your carry-on with germ-avoidance products. Portable anti-bacterial wipes are mandatory. Use them to disinfect tray tables , armrests and seatbelts. Avoid direct contact with the bathroom sink, the toilet flush and door handles by using either a paper towel or tissue paper. Table toppers, disposable adhesive place mats , can be slicked over the grimy tray table (where travelers have been known to change diapers) for a clean play...