Design Detailings: Permit waivers sought for new library

Another step in the permitting process has begun for the new downtown library at Fourth and Madison. The Seattle Public Library is seeking Council Concept Approval for the 11-story, 355,000-square-foot building designed by world-renowned architect Rem Koolhaas.

The Department of Design, Construction and Land Use will accept written comments on the project, No. 2005663, until Aug. 30.

The library request includes a modification or waiver of development standards for the building, uniquely designed with five platforms of "floating layers," enmeshed in steel tubes and glass.

Hoffman Construction is the general contractor/construction manager. The design team includes Koolhaas' Office for Metropolitan Architecture and its Seattle partner LMN Architects. Work is expected to begin April 2001 and finish in 2003.

Comments can be sent to 710 Second Ave., Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98104-1703, attn: Jess Harris. For more information, contact DCLU land-use planner Jess Harris at (206) 684-7744 or e-mail jess.harris@ci.seattle.wa.us.

Milbor-Pita wins Union Pacific job

Milbor-Pita & Associates has received a contract from Union Pacific Railroad for investigation, design, bid package preparation and construction monitoring services for clearance improvement work at more than 20 rail tunnels along the Interstate-5 corridor in Oregon and California.

Leading the job will be the firm's project manager, Gerald Millar, who has extensive tunnel design, rehabilitation and repair experience on rail, highway and hydroelectric tunnels throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America and South America.

Milbor-Pita geotechnical engineering firm is based in Bellevue.

New book about city parks

"Inside City Parks," a new publication sponsored by the Urban Land Institute and the Trust for Public Land profiles 25 park systems in the United States, highlighting recent efforts to revitalize municipal parks.

Written by urban park consultant Peter Harnik, the book includes profiles of park systems in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and New York. "Inside City Parks" describes innovative programs, and examines the link between park departments and other public agencies, as well as the private sector. Successful initiatives include those involving park conservancies, business improvement districts, greenway networks, waterfront parks, brownfields reuse and conversion of former federal facilities.

Copies of the book are available for sale to the general public by calling (800) 321-5011 or by visiting the Web site http://www.uli.org.

Exhibit showcases architecture by women

The Association for Women in Architecture is opening its exhibit, "Women Projects," and is holding a reception at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22 aboard the Kalakala. The exhibit will be followed by a reception at the Lake Union Cafe.

Organizers said the exhibit will feature work from various architects that is by, for or about women. Donations and project submissions are being sought. Ticket prices will be announced soon. All proceeds will go to the Kalakala Foundation. For more information, contact Tyra at (206) 971-5617, e-mail TyraS@mithun.com; or Tami Chen (206) 675-9100, e-mail tamichen@hotmail.com.

UW's new slate of PEPL courses

The University of Washington has posted its recent course lists for the Professional Engineering Practice Liaison program. For a list of complete course descriptions log onto www.engr.washington.edu/epp/Pepl/peplcal.html.

• Quaternary and engineering geology of the central and southern Puget Sound lowland; 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Sept. 7-9; $425 early registration / $455

• Stormwater treatment: chemical, biological and engineering principles; Class meets in Vancouver; 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Sept. 12-13; $495 early registration / $525

• Stormwater treatment by media filtration; 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Oct. 12-13; $515 early registration / $545

• Design and retrofit of culverts for fish passage in the Northwest; Class meets in Spokane; 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Oct. 18-19; $445 early registration / $475

• How to successfully use value engineering in capital projects; 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Nov. 16-17; $375 early registration / $405

Design Detailings: Team chosen for Redwood interpretive center

A team of design firms from Washington, Oregon and Vancouver B.C. was recently selected to develop a site master plan for Redwood Gateway Interpretive Center in southern Humboldt County, Calif. The team was selected through an invitation-only proposal process initiated by the San Francisco-based Save-the-Redwoods League. Lead by the Portland landscape architecture and design firm Walker Macy, the team includes Seattle's Miller Hull Partnership, ECONorthwest of Eugene and Aldrich/Pears Associates from Vancouver, B.C. Of the 35 submitting firms, the Walker Macy team is the only one not physically located in California. The design team will address the recent acquisition by the Save-the-Redwoods League of the Hartsook Inn, a historic lodging house on Highway 101, and the surrounding property. It will develop a master plan that restores the landscape and enhances visitor experiences while assessing the feasibility of redeveloping the site into a self supporting educational and interpretive facility.

Design firms show revenue growth

The 2000 "Zweig White & Associates Finance & Accounting Survey of Architecture, Engineering and Planning Firms" shows that earnings (before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization expenses) grew from 12.4 percent to 13.4 percent of net revenues between the 1999 and 2000 editions. While Zwieg White analyst Ian Rusk points out that strong economic conditions have contributed to revenue growth, he believes that industry-wide increases in profitability are more attributable to lower overhead levels. Meanwhile, net revenue per employee has grown with each year of the survey, jumping from $72,948 in 1997 to $79,683 in the 2000 edition.

Design Commission Opening

Mayor Paul Schell is seeking three new members for the Seattle Design Commission. They include one member-at-large, one urban/environmental designer and one landscape architect, to replace members whose terms will expire in October of 2000. Those interested in being considered for an appointment should send a letter of interest and resume by Friday, August 18, to Alex Field, Administrator, Boards and Commissions, Mayor's Office, 600 Fourth Avenue, 12th Floor, Seattle, Washington 98104.

Orenco Station recognized

The Orenco Station Town Center, near Portland, recently won three Gold Nugget Awards in a national housing awards program sponsored by Building Magazine.

The project, designed by Fletcher Farre Ayotte of Portland, won three merit awards for design in the categories of Community/Town Plan over 100 acres; Mixed Use Project; and Condo or Attached Home. Orenco Station has now received eight awards including the First Place Award for Livable Communities Transit Design given by the US Department of Transportation, and has been published in several national magazines. The dense, mixed use development is designed around a light rail stop.

IBC 2000 seminar

The International Conference of Building Officials and the Continuing Education arm of the American Institute of Architects will sponsor a seminar on the non-structural provisions in the new 2000 International Building Code. The two-day seminar will be held on October 19 and 20, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Seattle. The cost is $395, $345 for registration 30 days before the session. For more information, call (562) 692-3853, or visit www.icbo.org.

Rail-Volution conference

Rail-Volution 2000: Building Livable Communities with Transit will be held October 4-8 in Denver. The conference covers financing, land use issues, concurrent transportation issues, coalition building and community development related to rail. It is sponsored by a partnership of 18 government agencies and rail organizations. The registration fee is $325 before September 8 and $375 after that date. For more information, visit railvolution.com or call 1-800-788-7077

Prezant merges with Stewart & Associates

Prezant Associates, a safety consulting and laboratory service company, has added a new ergonomics division by merging with Stewart and Associates. The new division will offer services in compliance with WISHA ergonomics regulation, regular open-enrollment training courses and custom courses at various sites in Seattle or Spokane. For more information, call 281-8858 or 328-2084.

Camp Nor'wester opens

Campers, staff and supporters of Camp Nor'wester gathered at the camp's new John's Island location this month to celebrate the reopening of the camp. Jones & Jones provided design services for the camp relocation, much of it on a pro bono basis. The camp has been closed since 1996 following the sale of Sperry Peninsula on Lopez Island, where the camp had operated since 1945. A number of buildings were relocated from the old site.

Art Anderson managing hospital demolition

Art Anderson Associates has been selected to provide construction management services for the $2.3 million demolition of the old Alaska Native Medical Center near downtown Anchorage. The building, which has become functionally obsolete, narrowly survived a 1964 earthquake. A new, state-of-the-art complex has been constructed on more stable ground in south anchorage at a cost of $92 million. Significant amounts of asbestos-containing material are being removed and disposed of, and non-hazardous materials are being recycled.

Dull Olson Weekes wins award

Alpha High School, designed by Dull Olson Weekes of Portland, has received a Best Community Service Use award from the City of Gresham Planning Commission. It is the seventh award for the project. Located at the edge of the Gresham Downtown Plan District, Alpha High School establishes the design and density precedent for future development within the district. Located near a light rail station, the project anticipates a growing percentage of students and teachers relying on public transit. The high school is designed with limited parking and with showers for bikers.

Reid Middleton wins award

The American Galvanizers Association recently awarded Reid Middleton a 1999 excellence award for creative and innovative use of hot-diped steel in the water or marine environment.

The project honored is the Port of Everett's Public Access and Transient Moorage Facility. Completed in 1998, the facility serves as a public access point to boats at the Port of Everett Marina, the second largest marina on the West Coast. It features the first gangway system in western Washington to fully comply with American with Disabilities Act slope requirements. All together, 40 tons of hot-dipped or galvanized steel went into the moorage. The steel makes up the piles, float-stop frames, connections between concrete piles and timber caps, and the guard rails.

Air conditioning fundamentals

A course on air conditioning fundamentals, sponsored by the University of Washington Department of Mechanical Engineering, will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from October 24 to December 5, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The fee for the course is $595. Air Conditioning Design will be offered at the same days and times from January 9 to February 15, 2001, also for $595. It is possible to enroll in both courses for the reduced fee of $1050 if registered by October 16. For a registration folder or more information, contact Engineering Professional Programs, University of Washington, 10303 Meridian Avenue North, #301, Seattle, WA 98133-9483, 543-5539, uw-epp@engr.washington.edu.

Design Detailings: Mulvanny Architects designs health clinic for Tulalips

Mulvanny Architects is designing a new health clinic for the Tulalip Tribe. The clinic will be located at Tulalip Shores, north of Seattle. It is expected to serve nearly 12,000 people during its first year.

Charles Fritzemeier, one of Mulvanny’s two lead architects on the 25,000-square-foot, $7 million project, said the clinic’s design will reflect the culture of the Tulalip people while providing contemporary medical treatment in connection with traditional methods. The clinic is scheduled for completion in January 2001.

The design capitalizes on the Tulalip Bay location by incorporating traditional and contemporary entrances. One entrance is consistent with historical tribal villages that traditionally faced the Puget Sound because most transit was via canoe. But there is also a contemporary front door with street access. The overall facility resembles a collection of long houses and incorporates interior connections to multi-use terraces and decks located outside. Building materials for the project are commensurate with traditional construction in appearance and texture.

When completed, the clinic will offer a variety of services including family practice, dentistry, pharmacy, and community health. In addition to contemporary health services, the grounds will contain a healing garden that provides indigenous plant species and medicinal herbs significant to the Tulalip culture. Fritzemeier indicated that the grounds will also include walking paths, sitting areas, and wetlands to take advantage of the spectacular waterfront and mountain views.

The clinic will employ approximately 75 individuals. Clinic staff, strategic planners, Tribal Council and Elders of the Tulalip people have worked together with Mulvanny Architects to design and direct thes project.

Bellevue-based Mullvanny Architects is the third largest architecture firm in the Northwest with more than 320 employees in 4 states and in Taiwan.

R.W. Beck to design transfer station

Snohomish County has hired R.W. Beck to assist with the siting, design and construction managment of a new, 1,000 ton-per-day solid waste recycling and transfer station. Designated the Central Recylcing and Transfer Station, it will be located near Everett. The project will include a 40,000-square-foot, flat-floor style transfer building with a 17-foot grade separation between the main floor and the lower, trailer parking yard. The new station will replace the current Everett Recylcling and Transfer Station, which is located on land leased from the City of Everett. Paine Field is one of the sites under consideration for the new facility. If it is selected, the design consultants contract will be expanded to include public workshops and support facilities for the county's fleet maintenance and roads divisions.

Gehry Exhibit

"Frank O. Gehry: The Architect's Studio" will open in the East Gallery of the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington on August 18 and run until November 12. A free opening reception and curator's talk will be held on Thursday, Aug. 17, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The exhibit consists of a dioramic replication of the working studio and includes hundreds of preparatory and working models for Gehry's most important international commissions including the Bilbao Guggenheim and Seattle's EMP.

Applied Business Solutions

Caryn Spain, president of Applied Business Solutions and author of "Strategic Insights: Decision-Making Tools for Business Leaders," will be at the Pacific Place Barnes & Noble for a booksigning on Wedensday, Aug. 9, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. She is the author of two other books that take owners of small and medium-sized businesses through a strategic planning process.

Racing to the Future

Racing to the Future 2000 will be held in Las Vegas on November 28-30, 2000. The three-day program, exslusively for CEOs of design and environmental consulting firms, includes two days of motorcycle racing at Freddie Spencer's Hig Performance Riding School and one day of discussing real estate issues in an interactive forum. For more information about the event, call (800) 466-6275 or visit the Web site at www.zweigwhite.com/events/racing2000. .

Design Detailings: Grand Gateway opens

The massive Grand Gateway project in Shanghai has opened. The 1.1 million-square-foot project, which includes a seven-level retail podium and a 34-story residential tower, is designed to expand to even larger proportions as the economy grows.

Grand Gateway Shanghai Photos courtesy Callison/Chris Eden

Designed by Callison Architecture for developer Hang Lung, the multi-use complex placed retail, entertainment and residential space next to Xuijahui subway station, one of Shanghai's main transportation arteries. There are strategic links through the subway to the retail and residential areas.

The project introduces Western-style retailing in Shanghai, with a kaleidoscope of environments. Visitors have a choice of areas that intentionally evoke Paris and Hollywood as well as traditional Chinese zones.

Callison has been involved in the $600 million project since 1993, leading the efforts of a 25-member design team and an associate architecture firm. The project included dozens of subconsultants and specialists, the contractor and more than 100 government agencies.

Callison is currently involved in several projects in Korea.

The Suwon Gateway Plaza and the Guro Center Complex are located in urban transit hubs. Suwon is a public/private partnership being developed as a regional retail center for the city of Suwon. Guro Center, in Seoul, features three residential towers, a retail galleria, a multi-screen cineplex, a swimming pool and sports centers, restaurants and parking.

One of Korea's largest development firms, Daelim Construction, has selected Callison to design the Chamsil Acrovill residential towers in Seoul. Callison is providing architecture and master planning services in collaboration with Seoul-based Heerim Architects and Engineers, and Group-3 of Korea. Construction is expected to begin in September 2000 and once complete, the project will be a five-tower, 1,000-unit residential complex on top of a six-level podium that includes office, retail, residential and athletic facilities. Acrovill is the heart of an area known for sports complexes that will host the 2002 Asian games.

Design Detailings: Architecture in perspective

Architecture In Perspective, the 14th annual exhibition of the American Society of Architectural Perspectivists is coming to Seattle. The exhibition will be hosted by NBBJ Design, from August 10th to August 31st, at the NBBJ Office Gallery, 111 South Jackson Street. On August 10th, an opening reception will be held at NBBJ Gallery from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The public is invited.

Each year since 1986, the American Society of Architectural Perspectivists has sponsored Architecture In Perspective, a juried international architectural delineation competition that has included work by the most accomplished architectural illustrators around the world. The Architecture In Perspective exhibition consists of approximately 50 pieces of award winning artwork, and travels to various venues throughout the US. The Seattle exhibit is also sponsored by the University of Washington.

PEPL courses

Here is a course calendar for the Professional Engineering Practice Liaison program at the University of Washington:

Quaternary and Engineering Geology of the Central and Southern Puget Sound Lowland, Sept. 7-9, 2000, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $425 early registration / $455.

Stormwater Treatment: Chemical, Biological and Engineering Principles - Vancouver, WA, Sept. 12 and 13, 2000, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $495 early registration / $525.

Stormwater Treatment by Media Filtration, Oct. 12-13, 2000, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $515 early registration / $545.

Design and Retrofit of Culverts for Fish Passage in the Northwest - Spokane, WA, Oct. 18 and 19, 2000, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $445 early registration / $475.

How to Successfully Use Value Engineering in Capital Projects, Nov. 16-17, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $375 early registration / $405.

Construction Site Erosion and Pollution Control - Vancouver, WA, Dec. 11-12, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $545 early registration / $575.

Winter/Spring 2001

Stormwater Treatment: Chemical, Biological and Engineering Principles, Jan. 24 and 25, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $495 early registration / $525.

Alternative On-Site Stormwater Management Techniques, March 20-21, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $445 early registration / $475.

Fundamentals of Urban Surface Water Management, March 28-29, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $445 early registration / $475.

For a list of complete course descriptions log onto: http://www.engr.washington.edu/epp/Pepl/peplcal.html

For more information, contact Stephanie Strom at the University of Washington Engineering Professional Programs, Box 358725, 10303 Meridian Ave. N., Suite 301, Seattle, WA 98133, phone: (206) 685-9682, fax: (206) 543-2352, sstrom@u.washington.edu, www.engr.washington.edu/epp.

Design Detailings: More Samis apartments opening

Samis Land Co. has just opened its newest development, the Corona Lofts, located one block north of the Smith Tower at 606 Second Ave.

The Corona consists of 20 units with rent ranging from $1,000-$1,100 for studios that are 640-850 square feet. Rent for one-bedroom units is $1,700-$2,200 for one-bedroom units that are 1,050-1,330 square feet. Five units are still available.

Stickney Murphy Romine Architects of Seattle designed the restoration work; Spaces, also a Seattle firm, did the interior design. The building has been restored to retain many of its circa 1903 characteristics, such as original millwork and wood floors, high ceilings, exposed brick walls and a refurbished lobby with a marble staircase. The Corona is also equipped with high-speed Internet access and cable television access.

For information on tours or leasing, contact Tamara Hahn at (206) 854-4400.

Architects push for ADA clarity

With the 10-year anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act approaching on July 26, the American Institute of Architects this week urged the U.S. Department of Justice to provide greater clarity and certainty in the ADA.

"Architects have been striving to meet the intent of the ADA since its adoption 10 years ago, but can never be certain they've met the requirements unless they get sued," said R.K. Stewart, a member of the AIA Accessibility Task Force and an architect with Gensler in San Francisco. He cited a recent case in which the defendant was found by a district court to be non-compliant with the ADA even though the design and building was pronounced in compliance with the Texas Accessibility Standard -- which had been certified by DOJ as meeting ADA accessibility requirements. Another complaint: While architects are, on one hand, required to design ADA-compliant facilities, the DOJ will not certify beforehand that a design meets those requirements, he said. He added that current discussions between the AIA and DOJ to bring about improved clarity in the requirements have been well received.

Creative Capital director visits Seattle

Ruby Lerner, founding executive director of Creative Capital, a national organization that provides funding to individual artists, visited Seattle last week to introduce herself and her foundation to the arts community. The event was co-sponsored by SAM/Open Studio, Seattle Arts Commission, King Co. Arts Commission, Artist Trust, and the Seattle Independent Film & Video Coalition. Founded in 1999, Creative Capital is committed to working with artists in long-term partnerships, providing advisory services and professional development assistance along with financial support.

For more information on Creative Capital's schedule and upcoming events, visit the website at www.creative-capital.org.

Artists needed for 15 library projects

The Seattle Public Library and the Seattle Arts Commission are seeking artists to complete up to 15 projects in branch libraries over the next three years. Artists are sought in all media, including permanent materials such as metal or glass, surface treatments including etching or mosaic, and new media such as video or digital work. The Library is particularly interested in finding artists who want to explore, through their work, the meaning of a library as a repository of information and an icon of community identity. Branches for which work will be commissioned from roster artists include: Ballard, Beacon Hill, Broadview, Capitol Hill, Columbia, Douglass-Truth, Greenwood, High Point, Lake City, Montlake, North East, Northgate, Rainier Beach, and Southwest.

The artists selected will become part of a roster of no more than 30 artists pre-qualified for library projects. When public art commissions become available at branch libraries, a panel of library and community representatives will be assembled to select an artist for each project.

Chosen artists will work with the architectural design team, representatives from the branch library, and the community to discuss the appropriate integration of art into the building, to develop an art concept and design, and to fabricate and install the work.

The Library, as part of its art plan, has developed a collaboration program called Art Partners. For some of the branch library projects, the Library will pair artists from a roster with an artist from the local library community who will have excellent artistic skills but little or no experience working in the public realm. The experienced roster public artist will help select his or her teammate. This program is being established to encourage participation by local artists working in traditional or non-visual art forms, such as Chinese papercutters or community storytellers, whose work historically has not been articulated as permanent public work.

The program is open to established professional visual artists living in the Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia). The library projects vary in budget size from $12,000 to $50,000 or more. For more information, please call Seattle Arts Commission project manager Lisa Richmond at 684-0998.

Methodologie, Traver merge

Local brand and design firms Methodologie and The Traver Co. are merging. The combined company will be the city's fourth largest brand and design firm with total billings of over $6 million.

Since its inception in 1988, Methodologie has grown from five employees to 35, with over 50 clients including Microsoft, Immunex and Primus. Methodologie is led by two high-tech industry veterans, Janet DeDonato and Bob Grindeland. The husband-and-wife team have over 40 years of combined experience: Grindeland in technology, multimedia and online communication, and DeDonato with primary expertise in investor communications and identity.

The Traver Co.'s 20 years of experience in brand strategy and design has focused on high-profile local and national companies including Vulcan Northwest, Chateau Ste. Michelle and the Seattle Times. Led by Anne Traver, the 14-person firm has had significant involvement in the arts, including local art museums and theatre companies, as well as the tourism and hospitality industry. The combined firm, now totaling 49 employees, will work out of Methodologie's current offices at 808 Howell St.

Aviation expert to address CECW

John Nance, air safety analyst and advocate, will be the keynote speaker at the fall conference of the Consulting Engineers Council of Washington, Sept. 14-16, at Sun Mountain Lodge, Winthrop. Nance is best known to television audiences as aviation analyst for the ABC network and as the aviation editor for Good Morning America.

"Learning to break down the barriers that prevent need information from flowing to those who need it and learning to identify and change those barriers to teamwork and collaboration that hamstring every organization are the focus of this presentation," Nance said. The theme of the conference is "A 21st Century Model for Real Time Leadership."

For more information about the conference or to register, call Loy Young at CECW, (206) 623-5936.

Design Detailings: Callison/TVS to design two retail centers

Callison Architecture and Atlanta-based Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates will jointly design two retail centers for the Richard E. Jacobs Group of Cleveland.

One is the Triangle Town Center, a 1.2 million-square-foot super-regional retail property located in Raleigh, N.C. The the design partnership is based on Callison's market orientation and the contextual and planning resources of TVS. Construction will begin in this fall for completion in the spring of 2002.

The same design team will also work on the renovation and reconfiguration of Vallco Fashion Park, a 2-level regional mall located in Cupertino, Calif. Construction on the Cupertino center will begin in January of 2001, with completion expected the following November.

The Richard E. Jacobs Group is a private developer, owner and manager of regional shopping malls, with over 45 million square feet of retail space located in 16 states, including 37 malls.

Safeco Field, bridge, library win design awards

Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire has won the Grand Award in the American Consulting Engineers Council Engineering Excellence Award competition for its role in the design of Safeco Field. As the structural engineer for the 47,000-seat stadium, SWMB designed the 8.8 acre, 24-million-pound roof retractable roof that consists of three moving panels. To design the roof, the project team conducted extensive analyses to predict the loads of the moving roof as well as the stability of the supporting trusses. While typical stadiums can be analyzed using approximately 100 load cases, Safeco Field required 1,500 cases. A computer simulation to predict damper performance needed 400 times more calculations than conventional analysis, and the stadium design was subjected to 30 major computer-simulated earthquakes. Ultimately, the engineering ideas reduced the cost of the stadium by an estimated $30 million.

The design team of Parsons Brinckerhoff Douglas & Quade and Kaiser Engineers has won an Honor Award in the ACEC award program for the First Avenue South Bridge. The two firms assisted the Seattle Engineering Department and the Washington State Department of Transportation in an eight-year effort to make the bridge into a safe, free-flowing transportation route. Improvements include separating two-way traffic and eliminating narrow lane widths, reversible lane operation, high traffic flow and substandard weave and merge distances. Adding lanes and switching to one-way operations significantly reduced accidents and traffic congestion. Along with developing complex intersections and approaches to make the bridge safer, the design team also integrated pedestrian and bicycle lanes into the roadway, and created the Puget Sound region's only urban saltwater estuary.

KPFF Consulting Engineers of Portland has also won an Honor Award through the ACEC for its role in the restoration of the Oregon State Library in Salem. The firm addressed the special needs of the historic structure through and innovative design that uses thin steel plates in shear walls in combination with other non-invasive renovation methods. A system of pin piles were installed at strategic locations within the basement for additional footing capacity and to support the overturning forces of the new steel plate shear walls. The entire system helped the meet the requirements of current seismic codes, which have changed drastically since the building was constructed.

Earth Tech acquires Kaiser engineering units

Earth Tech Holdings, a unit of Tyco International, has acquired the infrastructure and facilities businesses of Kaiser Group International. The acquisition is expected to help Earth Tech expand in the fields of transportation, water/wastewater, facilities design and construction and microelectronics and clean technology. The sale is expected to be completed before the end of the month. Earth Tech is based in Long Beach, Calif., and employs 7,000 in 130 offices around the world. Tyco is a diversified manufacturing and service company operating in more than 80 countries, with 1999 revenues of $22.5 billion.

Merger and acquisition activity high, says survey

Almost nine out of ten design firms are currently considering some type of merger or acquisition activity, according to a survey conducted by Zweig White & Associates. The 86 percent positive response is up from 74 percent in a similar 1999 survey. At the same time, actual mergers and acquisitions are up 40 percent from last year, according to the same source. In a breakdown of survey responses, 73 percent are considering an acquisition, while 36 percent are considering sale of the firm. The number considering a sale has doubled since last year. For the fifth year in a row, potential buyers consider the Southeast as the top location in which to make an acquisition.

The 2000 Merger & Acquisition Survey of A/E/P & Environmental Consulting Firms is available from the publisher free of charge. Contact Zweig White & Associates, P.O. Box 8325, One Apple Hill Drive, Natick, Maine 01760, (508) 651-1559, fax (508) 653-6522, info@zweigwhite.com.

Engineering, construction firms form B2B exchange

Five engineering and construction companies--AMEC, Bovis Lend Lease, Hochtief and Turner, and Skanska--have formed and an Internet portal, http://www.aecventure, that links global and regional portals for business-to-business information exchange and online collaboration. The portal, open to the entire industry, is also intended assist in marketing and procurement. The founding companies are in negotiation with several other partners and actively seeking new global and regional alliances around the world.

Hazard Institute at CAUP

The Institute for Hazard Mitigation Planning and Research has been established within the College of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Washington to research ways to make Washington more disaster resistant. The institute will conduct research, offer mitigation planning courses and provide community outreach opportunities for students and faculty. There are plans to offer a certificate program in mitigation planning in the near future. The institute director, Bob Freitag, was appointed this past October and has 23 years of experience with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in a variety of management positions.

New educational research center

BJSS Duarte Bryant has joined several other firms throughout the country in a partnership with San Diego State University's College of Education to establish the national Center for the 21st Century Schoolhouse. The new academic center, located in San Diego on the SDSU campus, will be a resource for school administrators, policy makers and design professionals. Programs will address the interrelationship between educational programming and school design according to Frank Smith of BJSS Duarte Bryant. Areas of discussion will include the need for greater flexibility in classroom design to facilitate participatory learning and new educational delivery systems.

Center staff report an estimated $300 billion will be available from local, state and federal sources for school construction over the next five to ten years.

More Samis apartments opening

Samis Land Co. has just opened its newest development, the Corona Lofts, located one block north of the Smith Tower at 606 Second Ave.

The Corona consists of 20 units with rent ranging from $1,000-$1,100 for studios that are 640-850 square feet. Rent for one-bedroom units is $1,700-$2,200 for one-bedroom units that are 1,050-1,330 square feet. Five units are still available.

Stickney Murphy Romine Architects of Seattle designed the restoration work; Spaces, also a Seattle firm, did the interior design. The building has been restored to retain many if its circa 1903 characteristics, such as original millwork and wood floors, high ceilings, exposed brick walls and a refurbished lobby with a marble staircase. The Corona is also equipped with high-speed Internet access and cable television access.

For information on tours or leasing, contact Tamara Hahn at (206) 854-4400.

Architects push for ADA clarity

With the 10-year anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act approaching on July 26, the American Institute of Architects this week urged the U.S. Department of Justice to provide greater clarity and certainty in the ADA.

"Architects have been striving to meet the intent of the ADA since its adoption 10 years ago, but can never be certain they've met the requirements unless they get sued," said R.K. Stewart, a member of the AIA Accessibility Task Force and an architect with Gensler in San Francisco. He cited a recent case in which the defendant was found by a district court to be non-compliant with the ADA even though the design and building was pronounced in compliance with the Texas Accessibility Standard--which had been certified by DOJ as meeting ADA accessibility requirements. Another complaint: While architects are, on one hand, required to design ADA-compliant facilities, the DOJ will not certify beforehand that a design meets those requirements, he said. He added that current discussions between the AIA and DOJ to bring about improved clarity in the requirements have been well received.

Arts foundation head to visit Seattle

Ruby Lerner, founding executive director of Creative Capital, a national organization that provides funding to individual artists, will visit Seattle to introduce herself and her foundation to the arts community on Thursday, July 13, 6-7:30 p.m. at the Seattle Asian Art Museum Auditorium in Volunteer Park. The event is co-sponsored by SAM/Open Studio, Seattle Arts Commission, King Co. Arts Commission, Artist Trust, and the Seattle Independent Film & Video Coalition. Prior to becoming Executive Director of Creative Capital, Ruby Lerner was previously executive director of the Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers in New York and publisher of The Independent Film and Video Monthly. She was also director of Alternate ROOTS, a coalition of performing artists in the Southeast. Founded in 1999, Creative Capital is committed to working with artists in long-term partnerships, providing advisory services and professional development assistance along with financial support.

For more information on Creative Capital's schedule and upcoming events, visit the website at www.creative-capital.org.

Arts Commission seeks artists for Seattle Libraries

The Seattle Public Library and the Seattle Arts Commission are seeking artists to complete up to 15 projects in branch libraries over the next three years. Artists are sought in all media, including permanent materials such as metal or glass, surface treatments including etching or mosaic, and new media such as video or digital work. The Library is particularly interested in finding artists who want to explore, through their work, the meaning of a library as a repository of information and an icon of community identity. Branches for which work will be commissioned from roster artists include: Ballard, Beacon Hill, Broadview, Capitol Hill, Columbia, Douglass-Truth, Greenwood, High Point, Lake City, Montlake, North East, Northgate, Rainier Beach, and Southwest.

The artists selected will become part of a roster of no more than 30 artists pre-qualified for library projects. When public art commissions become available at branch libraries, a panel of library and community representatives will be assembled to select an artist for each project.

Chosen artists will work with the architectural design team, representatives from the branch library, and the community to discuss the appropriate integration of art into the building, to develop an art concept and design, and to fabricate and install the work.

The Library, as part of its art plan, has developed a collaboration program called Art Partners. For some of the branch library projects, the Library will pair artists from a roster with an artist from the local library community who will have excellent artistic skills but little or no experience working in the public realm. The experienced roster public artist will help select his or her teammate. This program is being established to encourage participation by local artists working in traditional or non-visual art forms, such as Chinese papercutters or community storytellers, whose work historically has not been articulated as permanent public work.

The program is open to established professional visual artists living in the Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia). The library projects vary in budget size from $12,000 to $50,000 or more. For more information, please call Seattle Arts Commission project manager Lisa Richmond at 684-0998.

Methodologie and The Traver Company merge

SEATTLE - June 30, 2000 - Local brand and design firms Methodologie and The Traver Company announced that they are merging. The combined company will be the city's fourth largest brand and design firm with total billings of over $6 million. Since its inception in 1988, Methodologie has grown from five employees to 35, with over 50 clients including Microsoft, Immunex and Primus. Methodologie is lead by two high-tech industry veterans, Janet DeDonato and Bob Grindeland. The

husband-and-wife team have over 40 years of combined experience, Grindeland in technology, multimedia and online communication, and DeDonato with primary expertise in investor communications and identity. The Traver Company's 20 years of experience in brand strategy and design has focused on high-profile local and national companies including Vulcan Northwest, Chateau Ste. Michelle and the Seattle Times. Lead by Anne Traver, the 14-person firm has had significant involvement in the arts, including local art museums and theatre companies, as well as the tourism and hospitality industry. The combined firm, now totaling 49 employees, will work out of Methodologie's current offices at 808 Howell Street.

Design Detailings: Seattle Arts Commission compiling artist roster

The Seattle Arts Commission is establishing a new roster of no more than 60 pre-qualified artists to develop site-integrated art projects. SAC will use the roster to select artists for many neighborhood-based projects, which require site-integrated work.

Artists for most projects with budgets under $50,000 (up to 10 projects in 2001-2002) automatically will be selected from the roster, and some larger projects will be selected this way, as well. The roster also will be made available to other public agencies, neighborhood groups and private developers, with the artist's permission.

Artists who apply for the roster should have specific skills in designing, fabricating and installing artwork elements in metal, glass, stone, concrete, ceramic, textile, wood, light, surfaces, murals, mosaics, product design, water, sound, or mixed media/environmental design. Artists should have the ability to understand architectural plans, but they will not be expected to participate on an architectural design team.

The program is open to established professional artists living in the Northwest, including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. Artists applying as a team must have a history of working together. For more information, contact Seattle Arts Commission project manager Ruri Yampolsky at (206) 684-7309 or Barbara Goldstein at (206) 684-7311.

CERF signs on with AECdirect's Partnerdirect program

AECdirect, an Internet company delivering productivity tools and services for design and building professionals, recently announced a strategic partnership with the Civil Engineering Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that fosters research for the civil engineering profession.

The PartnerDirect program provides design and construction industry associations with an opportunity to showcase their knowledge, education and productivity tools to the industry on the AECdirect work site.

Under the agreement, AECdirect will highlight CERF content and resources on the AECdirect work site. In addition, AECdirect will showcase CERF's training seminars through its AEC Seminars distance education program and explore opportunities to utilize AECdirect technologies within CERF's infrastructure.

CERF members will receive benefits from the partnership, including free access to Viecon.com on AECdirect, a new project extranet hosting service from Bentley Systems, Incorporated, and a co-branded version of DirectNews, a free information delivery system that will deliver engineering-specific news, features, product information and project leads to CERF members.