May 04, 1999

Reactor core heading to Hanford

RAINIER, Ore. (AP) -- After a year of work, the cradles and shield for the decommissioned reactor core from the Trojan nuclear plant are ready to give the reactor a ride up the Columbia River for burial at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. Construction of the $2 million high-strength carbon steel cradles was a first for Thompson Metal Fab Inc. of Vancouver, Wash., said John Rudi, company president. The fabrication took 20 workers more than a year because they had to follow a quality-control program and "extremely extensive" inspections, Rudi said. "Safety and quality have really been the paramount rules for this project," he said. The support frame is about 68 feet long and 24 feet wide, and the two cradles have a combined weight of about 500,000 pounds. The frame-and-cradle assembly is designed to support 10 times the weight of the reactor core, according to Bob Morgan, project manager for Burns & Roe, which designed the framework, cradles and sheathing that Thompson fabricated. Arntson said the reactor core, filled with 200 tons of concrete and sheathed in protective steel, will weigh about 1,020 tons. Officials say all necessary approvals for disposal of the reactor core have been obtained, including permission from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Oregon Energy Facility Siting Council and the Washington State Health Department. The trip by barge upriver to Richland, Wash., is about 270 miles. Once there, the reactor core will be removed from the barge by a heavy-haul truck and taken to nearby Hanford, where it will be buried with hundreds of tons of other low-level radioactive waste. Altogether, Portland General Electric expects to spend $26 million on the reactor transport and burial project. The move is scheduled for late August or early September, said PGE spokesman Kregg Arntson. PGE closed the Trojan plant on the Columbia River in January 1993. The company said it would cost too much to repair cracks in more than 3,000 of the heat-exchange tubes in the plant's 326-ton generators. The tubes were vital because they carried hot water from the reactor core into a chamber to create steam that drove turbines to generate electricity.

Foushee & Associates

Foushee & Associates of Bellevue has hired Jeff Ristoff as a project manager and promoted Mike Fey to project manager from project engineer. Ristoff holds a degree in building construction from the University of Washington and has 10 years of construction-related experience. Fey holds a degree in building construction from Central Washington University and has four years of industry experience.

BMC West

James Lee has been promoted to general manager of Everett, Issaquah BMC West. In his new position, Lee will continue to manage the Everett facility and will assume supervision of the Issaquah facility. The Everett facility makes engineered trusses, and is a building products distributor. The Issaquah operation is a professional-builder retail facility, and building products distributor. BMC also announced it is separating its Framing Install program into a district management group so that the program is available to all Puget Sound locations of BMC. Other moves include the formation of a new sales group focusing on large multi-family and commercial projects, and centralizing all credit and administrative functions for the Everett and Issaquah facilities.

Ferguson Construction

Seattle's Ferguson Construction has hired several new personnel: project manager Reg Clowdsley; project engineers Jay Clark and Patti Reese; preconstruction services manager Michele Clute; safety and quality assurance manager Jeff Wharton; estimator David Kincaid; superintendent Daniel Hoolahan; and staff accountant LaWanna Allred.

Apr 28, 1999

Direct Buying Service

Direct Buying Service has relocated to a new 8,500-square-foot store at 1749 First Ave. S. in Seattle. The move from 915 Fourth Ave. was due to the renovation of the downtown YMCA and construction of an adjacent office tower. The 49-year-old company caters to the general public as well as designers, architects and contractors, supplying home and office appliances, plumbing, electronics and housewares. The owners, Jim and Jeff Freedman, say the new store will allow them to expand displays and offer a design center for clients.

HOK

Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum has named five new members to the board of directors, increasing the total to 17. John Conley is chief administrative officer of HOK's west coast region, including the Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco and Seattle offices. Clark Davis is chief administrative officer for the St. Louis office and chairman of the firm-wide corporate services network. William Hellmuth is a senior principal with more than 20 years of experience, and leads the design studio in the firm's Washington D.C. office. Steven A. Parshall is senior vice president and practice director of HOK consulting. His book, "Problem Seeking: an Architectural Programming Primer," is soon to be published. Rod Sheard was chair of LOBB Architecture, which recently joined the HOK's Kansas City-based Sports Facilities Group.

Parametrix

Robert Rosain has joined Parametrix as director of the company's waste management services. He is also a member of the firm's executive committee. He was previously principal of another environmental consulting firm.

Shannon & Wilson

Engineer Steve Gerken and accountant Dan Semanskee have joined Shannon & Wilson as associates.

Frederic Harris

Walter D. Ritchie has joined Frederic R. Harris as vice president and director of Harris' West Coast ports and aviation markets. Ritchie has over 30 years of experience in planning, engineering and project management services for port and aviation industries, and served for 13 years as chief engineer for the Port of Seattle, with an annual budget of over $100 million, overseeing expansion at Sea-Tac Airport and projects at the Seattle waterfront.

HWA

Dan Campbell as been promoted to senior associate at HWA Geosciences. He specializes in deep excavations, bridges, waterfront projects and earthquake engineering. He recently completed seismic upgrade of three reservoirs for the city of Bellevue, and is currently working on the rehabilitation of Lincoln Reservoir for Seattle Public Utilities. Dave Sowers and Gary Bunger have been promoted to associates. Sowers is currently working on four landslide mitigation projects at McNeil Island Penitentiary, and is providing geotechnical engineering services for the new Central City streetcar route in downtown Portland. Bunger has over 35 years of experience as a contractor, survey crew chief and senior inspector. He is now providing inspection and testing services for various city of Everett projects.

CKC

Noel Baca has joined Cary Kopczynski & Co. of Bellevue as a design engineer. He is currently working on the 25-story Lakeview Commons, Main Street Condominiums and the US Bank/Plaza parking structure expansion, all located in Bellevue. Rodel Delmundo has joined the firm as a CAD designer drafter. He is now working on the nine-story Riverplace/Marriott Residence Inn in Portland.

Art Anderson

Aero/hydrodynamicist Mike Tweedie has come from Australia to join Art Anderson Associates. He will work on marine projects for large public clients. For the past two years, Tweedie has been working with Stolkraft International in Queensland as a consultant for a new hull form for use in high-speed ferries and workboats. Art Anderson is the design agent for Stolkraft in the western hemisphere.

BOORA

BOORA of Portland has added six new members to the staff. Cathy Holmes is design assistant for a new 245,000-square-foot, 1,800-student high school for the Clackamas School District. She is a recent graduate of the University of Oregon. Jennifer Dressel Korbich is now at work on the expansion and renovation of Terwilliger Plaza. Jennifer Lein is a registered architect in New Mexico, and worked for two years with architect Antoine Predock. She is currently at work on the $50 million National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati. Jim Siemens is working on the $20 million expansion and renovation of Terwilliger Plaza. He recently spent two years with Canadian firms. Amy Smith has joined the interior design group at BOORA as an assistant in a wide variety of projects. She is a recent graduate of the University of Oregon. Kirsten Solberg is working on the $60 million Center for the Arts at the University of California, Davis. Prior to joining BOORA, Solberg worked with firms in Albuquerque, N.M., for two years.

Clark/Kjos

Three intern architects have joined Clark/Kjos Architects of Portland. Scott Combs, a graduate of the University of Oregon, now leads the Southern Coos Health Center team. Bill Smith, a graduate of Ball State University, is developing the Central Oregon District Hospital master plan. Lynette Marcott, a graduate of North Dakota State University, and Ian Gelbrich, a graduate of the University of Oregon, are members of the Valley Hospital Association project team.

MACTEC-Meier

Terrance Martin of MACTEC-Meier, Kennewick, has been promoted to production coordinator. He joined the firm in 1988.