Jul 07, 1998

Rushforth Construction

Tacoma's Rushforth Construction Co. has hired Kim Magnusson as a project engineer. She is a recent graduate of the construction management program at the University of Washington. Her current project is the Bear Creek School in Redmond.

Local firms form 'strategic alliance'

EDMONDS -- Pentec Environmental, Landau Associates Inc. and EnviroIssues have formed a "strategic alliance" so they can offer a wider range of services to clients. By teaming up in this manner, the small- to medium-sized companies plan to pursue big projects together as if they were a much larger firm. "All of us still team extensively with other people," said EnviroIssues President Patricia Serie. "But this is basically an agreement to think of each other first. ... We've worked together a lot and we trust each other." "Our businesses are very complimentary," said Landau Associates CEO Dan Ballbach. "We finally said, 'Why don't we jointly market together?' ... This way we can offer a full range of services for development projects." Landau does site investigations, geotechnical work and design of remediation systems. Pentec focuses on plant and wildlife biology, sediment characterization, wetlands mitigation, and risk and damage assessments. EnviroIssues specializes in public policy and public outreach and involvement. In order to round out their package of services, alliance members are developing similar relationships with a local land-use planning firm and an environmental-chemistry company. Pentec President Mike McDowell said the alliance is different from a typical teaming relationship when companies join forces for a specific project. Instead, alliance members are comfortable collaborating and working together closely. "We know each other's clients, we're all familiar with each company's financial information," Ballbach said. "This is a relation-ship based on trust ... in an industry that isn't characterized by tremendous trust between companies." "The industry is actually characterized by fierce competition," McDowell chimed in. "And fierce paranoia," Ballbach added. Ballbach and McDowell said the alliance is helping their companies save money. As one small example, Landau Associates allows Pentec to use the $8,000 projector it recently purchased. "We rent it to them at a low rate," Ballbach said. Alliance members say their union reflects their efforts to adapt to a changing environmental marketplace. "In the '80s, people didn't even have to learn marketing," Ballbach said. "Work just flowed through the door. ... But the industry has matured and the marketplace has changed. Environmental firms have to adapt in order to survive."

UW students reclaim rainwater

SEATTLE (AP) -- A rainwater collection system in the heart of Seattle reclaims the city's most famous natural resource and puts it to work. The "rain harvester," located in the Cascade neighborhood, uses cisterns capable of holding 900 gallons to catch and store water. The project was designed and built by industrial design students at the University of Washington. Neighborhood glass blower Mark Eckstrand uses the reclaimed water for grinding glass at his studio. "Business use of water is expensive," he said. "It will probably save me about $450 a year." That amounts to about two-thirds of his yearly water bill, Eckstrand said. He can't use the collected water during the summer because any reclaimed water then is given to plantings near the equipment. Project planners say the rain-collection system uses water that ordinarily would evaporate or drain into Lake Union. The Cascade Neighborhood Council hopes the concept will catch on in new developments throughout Seattle. "Developers are generally conservative when it comes to new designs," said project manager Patty Borman. "They are not always willing to take the first step in incorporating new techniques. The project will hopefully ease their apprehension by showing them sustainability can work for them." Louise St. Pierre, who teaches the industrial design class responsible for the water reclamation system, believes the project could become popular. "Utility costs to property owners will come way down in the long run when this type of planning is put to use in the developing stages," she said. The water reclamation system cost $4,000. Money for it came from an $18,054 grant the neighborhood council received from the city Department of Neighborhoods. The remaining money will be used for similar projects in the Cascade area.

Jul 01, 1998

GeoEngineers

GeoEngineers has promoted Karen Mercier and Gayle Guadarrama to the level of associate in the firm's corporate office in Redmond. Mercier is the company's controller and has been employed by the firm for six years. Guadarrama joined GeoEngineers in 1996 and is the corporate marketing director. Mercier and Guadarrama are stockholders in the company and both have more than 17 years of experience in their fields of expertise.

Hart Crowser

David G. Winter, a senior principal with Hart Crowser Inc. has been appointed to direct the firm's business and client development activities. He has been with the firm for 17 years and was formerly responsible for the firm's federal programs market, leading the group to a three-year expansion of revenues. He as been project manager for Hart Crowser's work on Washington Mutual Tower, Pacific First Center, Bellevue Place Tacoma Financial Center, Portland's RiverPlace and the Everett Naval Base.

ABKJ

Mikk Sepp hasjoined the program management department of ABKJ. He has managed the design of numerous hotel, office, retail and medial facilities. Sepp is now at work on program management services for the City of SeaTac. Diane Lesley has joined the firm as a CAD technician. She is now working on Lake Stevens Elementary School and the Harrison Hospital Silverdale Healthcare Campus.

KPFF

William "Bill" Kirkham has been hired as an engineer in the facade consulting group in the Portland office of KPFF Engineers. His current projects include the Assembly Building for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Salt Lake City, where he is providing design for the exterior stone veneer support structure. He is also preparing the precast concrete panel design and support structure for Nike Buildings A and B in Beaverton, Ore. Terri Jankun is a new structural design engineer at KPFF, currently working on a building for Evergreen Corp. and an elevator addition for Lincoln High School. She recently received her bachelor's degree in civil and structural engineering from Michigan Technological University. Sam Moss has joined KPFF as a structural project engineer. Prior to joining KPFF, he worked for Industrial Design Corp. as project engineer on various facility upgrade projects for Hewlett Packard, Tektronix and OHKA America. His current projects include the Nike north campus expansion in Beaverton, and Tengizchevroil, a compound for Chevron Oil in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Chris Tung has joined the firm as a structural design engineer. He is currently working on Tengizchevroil, Sunset Center and Pioneer Place Block 50. David Miller is a new structural drafter at KPFF where he is working on Marriott Hotels, the Sunset Center at Tannasbourne and 1900 SW 4th Tower. He previously worked as a project drafter for Pendleton Flour Mills and Oregon Steel Mills. Ngoc Tran is also a new structural drafter at KPFF, working on Meridian Park Hospital, St. Vincent Medical Center office building and parking structure, and the Fox Tower. His past project experience includes the Portland City Hall renovation, Fred Meyer corporate headquarters and the Embassy Suites Hotel renovation in Portland. Prior to joining KPFF, Tran worked at SERA Architects. Aaron Burkhardt has been hired as a structural design engineer. His current projects include Beaverton Middle School, Seaside Factory Outlet Stores and Act III Aberdeen Cinemas. Prior to joining KPFF, he worked for Breedlove McConnell Granning Pease Engineers. His past project experience includes low-rise commercial, residential and industrial projects.

Boyle Wagner Architects

The $2.1 million renovation of the Hunter Conservatory at Whitman College in Walla Walla, designed by Boyle Wagner Architects, is now in the final stages of completion, and will be ready for classes in September. The 1910 building, originally designed by Ellis Lawrence, was for many years home to Whitman's music department. It will now house telecommunications classes and facilities. The general contractor is Opp and Seabold of Walla Walla. Design subconsultants include The Greenbusch Group, mechanical and acoustical engineering; Conlee Engineers, structural engineering; Tres West, electrical engineering; The Berger Partnership, landscape architecture; Hall Engineering Associates of Kennewick, civil engineering; Armand Marion, theater consulting; The Robinson Company, cost estimating; and Seattle Stained Glass, stained glass restoration. The firm is also at work on preschematic design for an addition to a historic Carnegie Library -- or possible new construction -- for the Sno-Isle regional library system. Boyle Wagner will soon begin the pre-design phase of a project for the Tacoma campus of the University of Washington. The firm is teamed with McGranahan Partnership and Miller/Hull for the project, which includes an addition to the library and the renovation of up to three of the historic buildings there.

Buffalo Design

Buffalo Design is now at work on an AIDS housing project in Tacoma's new transit district at Tacoma Avenue and Division Street. The 25,000-square-foot multi-service center is being developed by the Metropolitan Development Council. AHBL is the structural and civil engineer and Sunset Pacific is the general contractor. The firm is also at work on a renovation of the 18,000-square-foot renovation of the Kennewick Library, which will start construction in February of 1999. Subconsultants include Greenbusch for mechanical and acoustical engineering: DH Hittle, electrical engineering; and Meier Associates in Kennewick, structural engineering. The firm also designed a new library in Kennewick to open in February of 1999. The 30,000-square-foot building is being built by Redding Construction in Spokane. Buffalo is also designing a $5 million support services addition and renovation to Good Samaritan hospital in Puyallup. Construction is set to start in January of 1999. The design team includes AHBL, structural engineering; Wood Harbinger, mechanical engineering; and Blunt Hamm Urquhart, electrical engineering. David Evans and Associates is the civil engineer.