Engineers Week is a national campaign by DiscoverE, designed to celebrate how engineers make a difference in our world, increase public dialogue about the need for engineers, and bring engineering to life for kids, educators, and parents. This year’s Engineers Week runs from February 16-22nd and focuses on the theme of Pioneers for Progress.
To kick off our celebration, we’re highlighting our projects across our regions.
Greater Philadelphia Region – Comcast Technology Center
In the heart of Philadelphia sits the new Comcast Technology Center, adjacent to Comcast’s corporate headquarters. The 1.9 million sf, 60-floor, 1,121-foot skyscraper is the tallest building in Philadelphia and the tenth-tallest building in the United States. Connecting the new building with the old was no easy feat, and the solution was to construct a pedestrian tunnel. Along with the pedestrian tunnel, we also provided land and title surveys, geotechnical, environmental, civil/site, and transportation engineering services throughout the project.
Northern New Jersey, New York, and New England Region – Mulberry Commons
Mulberry Commons is a public park in Newark, NJ. The site was originally a 3.15-acre paved parking lot but with our help, recreation and green space was brought to the community. Multiple disciplines within Pennoni provided services to develop the parking including survey, geotechnical, environmental, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and inspection/testing.
Pennsylvania North/West Region – St. Luke’s Blue Mountain Hospital
St. Luke’s Blue Mountain Hospital in Franklin Township, Carbon County, PA will be a 130,000 square foot hospital on a 64-acre campus. This is the fifth hospital Pennoni has provided services on with St. Luke’s. Our services include civil/site, survey, transportation, structural, geotechnical, and inspection and testing. Construction will begin as soon as the weather breaks this spring and the hospital is anticipated to open fall 2021.
Delaware, Maryland, and DC Region – Guilford Finished Water Reservoir Improvement
The Guilford Reservoir in Baltimore, MD had a volume of more than 36 million gallons and in 2006, the EPA announced The Long-Term Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. The City of Baltimore evaluated several alternatives and elected to proceed with the design of enclosed tanks to replace the existing reservoir. The design provided grading to cover the proposed water storage tanks and provide slopes which are aesthetically pleasing to the surrounding communities. We provided environmental/EPA study, full design, effluent/influent piping, and construction services for this project.
Virginia and North Carolina Region – Fairfax County General Engineering and Ancillary Services
Pennoni is working with the Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services to support the County’s infrastructure pertaining to stormwater management, water quality, stormwater conveyance, transportation, Commercial Revitalization Districts Programs and other related items.
Construction Services Region – Coplay-Northampton Bridge Rehabilitation
In Lehigh Valley, PA, the historic Coplay-North Hampton Bridge underwent a $33.5 million rehabilitation. We provided structural inspection and documentation, structural responsibilities included witnessing erection of pre-stressed concrete bulb tee beams throughout the eight-span bridge and witnessing proof load testing of micropiles to proper depth. This bridge replacement is the country’s first project to use an electrically isolated tendon system (EIT), which provides a more efficient way to detect corrosion on post-tension tendons. The project was completed six months ahead of schedule.
Transportation Region – Mon-Fayette Expressway, Section 53B
The Mon-Fayette Expressway project involves the construction of a four-lane, limited-access tolled expressway through an urbanized area within Alleghany County, PA. Section 53B is approximately 4 miles long and includes 12 bridges and many retaining walls. Many of our offices and disciplines are providing design services for this project including highway, bridge and traffic design, survey, geotechnical, stormwater management, permit work, underground utility work, and public meetings.
Southeast Region – Atlantic Crossing
Atlantic Crossing is a $300 million mixed-use development that is currently under construction in downtown Delray Beach, FL. It’s the largest private investment in the City’s history spanning two city blocks and is expected to create more than 600 full time jobs. The luxury residential units are scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2021 and the additional park-side residential units will be completed in 2023. Pennoni is the Structural Engineer of Record and Threshold (Special) Inspector for the project.
Energy/Design-Build Region – Eglin Air Force Base Microgrid
Eglin Air Force Base is located in the Florida panhandle. To improve energy resiliency on the base, our Energy group was brought on for a 3.5 megawatt microgrid project. The project consists of one natural gas-fired engine generator combined heat and power (CHP) package and two natural gas-fired simple cycle engine generator packages, all operating 24/7. Upon loss of utility power, the CHP and standard generator packages will operate in a microgrid isolated from the utility. The engineering is complete and is now going into construction.