| AIA plans courthouse restoration
The Tampa Bay chapter of the American Institute of Architects will share its plans to restore the historic federal courthouse during a reception and exhibition April 4 at Gallery AIA in downtown Tampa. The exhibit will feature renderings and plans for the building, architectural photography and artwork related to the future of downtown Tampa. AIA representatives will also be available for questions. AIA approached the city of Tampa with its proposal for the courthouse in October 2007, and a month later, a letter of agreement was reached. Restructuring will include re-doing the mechanical and electrical systems. Preliminary work has begun. Once restoration is complete, the building will be refashioned as the AIA center, a mixed-use facility focused on "architecture, urban planning and art with an international twist," a release said.
Shock therapy: New seat belt simulator
DOHA � Mowasalat, the exclusive public transport provider in Qatar has introduced electric-powered seat belt simulator at its driving school, in a move to create safety awareness among the public, particularly the Karwa drivers. The state-of-the-art equipment, called Seat-Belt Convincer Duo has been introduced in Qatar for the first time, a company official said yesterday. The equipment is meant to simulate a real-life collision, making the user realise its impact. The facility is available at Mowasalat's driving school in the Industrial Area, where Karwa drivers are trained. Admission to the school is open to members of the general public as well. The newly-introduced Seat-Belt Convincer is the advanced version of the manually-operated seat-belt simulator. It uses a retractable motor and is able to accommodate two simulating drivers, providing the same impact experience.
Gibbes Museum director stepping down after 2 years
After serving as executive director of the Gibbes Museum of Art for two years, Todd D. Smith, often credited for bringing the museum into the 21st century with modern technology, has announced he will step down effective April 1. The announcement was made Monday at a scheduled meeting of the board of directors of the Carolina Art Association, which is the governing body of the museum. The museum's executive committee also announced that Smith, 42, will remain employed by the museum as director of special projects through June 30, a plan approved by Tom White, board chairman, and other executive committee members Eric Friberg and Elizabeth Bradham. White said a search committee to find another permanent executive director would be formed immediately. White said that Smith makes $155,000 as executive director.
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