Announcing Cole’s Vice President of Engineering for Accessibility

Cole is pleased to announce that Melissa Anderson has joined our staff as the Vice President of Engineering for Accessibility.

Prior to joining Cole, Melissa worked at the US Access Board, serving as their Transportation Engineer, developing accessibility guidelines and assisting Federal, State and Local Agencies in meeting their obligations to provide accessible facilities for people who have disabilities. Her work involved refining the proposed Public Right of Way Accessibility Guidelines, updating the Transportation Vehicle Accessibility Guidelines and leading the Rail Vehicles Access Advisory Committee. Melissa also continues to participate as a subject matter expert on several research panels and remains a member of two committees for the Transportation Research Board.

Prior to her work for the Access Board, she was employed for 10 years with the Missouri Department of Transportation, where she was involved in traffic and safety data collection and analysis, research, standards development, and professional services procurement. Melissa became the statewide non-motorized transportation engineer, where she was responsible for developing pedestrian and bicycle policy, training staff and local agencies, and reviewing plans for accessibility.

Previously, Melissa also worked for two small local agencies on a wide variety of projects including water and waste water design, managing street and sidewalk programs, review of residential and commercial developments, and long range planning and zoning updates.

Cole is excited to have Melissa lead our ADA Team, providing expert guidance and working with our clients to understand their obligation to provide accessible facilities. We look forward to sharing her skills with our partners in the evaluation of their existing infrastructure and development of State and community transition and prioritization plans and accessible pedestrian networks.

Goal! From Parking Lot to Soccer Field at Nahed Chapman New American Academy

In early 2016, Peter Tao of Tao + Lee Associates, Inc., approached Cole’s Jim Roth, PE, to discuss providing Civil Design consultation on a soccer field installation for a local school. This preliminary discussion became a multi-team project that transformed a pothole riddled piece of asphalt into a professional quality soccer field for the 320 students of Nahed Chapman New American Academy (NCNAA).

Cole provided survey and site planning services, along with storm water management design to direct water away from the synthetic turf field. Cole’s Jim Roth, PE, and Stan Fowler, EIT, donated their time and engineering expertise to this necessary project, and Tom Reynolds and Chad Weber provided survey services.

“No words can capture the feeling of seeing the students of NCNAA enjoy themselves on an improved playing surface and shelter and of being a part of a team that provided children who are grateful for what they have with experiences that they will cherish.” – Stan Fowler, EIT, Cole

The project team included professionals from Construction Forum STL, DG @ Design, Engraphix, PHL Inc., Millstone Weber, St. Louis Mosaic Project, St. Louis Public Schools, Tao + Lee & Associates, and Washington University in St. Louis.

The St. Louis Scott Gallagher Soccer Club provided additional support by donating tickets to a St. Louis Football Club match earlier this year for a group of NCNAA students. Two St. Louis FC players also attended the ribbon cutting ceremony and challenged the students to a scrimmage on the new soccer field.

Involvement in the project also included participation in the Gateway Welcome Project’s stirring committee, whose aim is to make the St. Louis metropolitan area a welcoming place for foreign-born immigrants and refugees and their families.

The Nahed Chapman New American Academy’s International Welcome School opened in 2009 to create a safe and nurturing school environment for immigrant students and war refugees, many of whom struggle with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. To learn more about the school and its mission, please visit: www.slps.org/NCNAA.

To learn more about the Gateway Welcome Project and their important work in the region, please visit: www.gatewaywelcomestl.org.

The Lofts of Washington University Receives LEED Platinum Certification

The Lofts of Washington University has been awarded LEED Platinum Certification from the United States Green Building Council. The project received 84 total points out of only 80 required to achieve platinum, the highest level of certification. This 167-unit student housing and retail complex located in the Delmar Loop area of University City, Missouri, features a United Provisions grocery store and the 24-hour Peacock Loop Diner. The $80 million project was built on 4.5 acres which were previously occupied by underutilized buildings and surface parking.

Together with the University, the project team was striving for platinum certification throughout the design and construction process. Cole’s contribution includes working closely with Paric, the General Contractor, on pollution prevention during construction. In addition, Cole utilized a creative approach to stormwater management with a 25,000 gallon cistern to harvest rain water, several rain gardens for bioretention, and assisted DTLS Landscape Studio on a green roof. Cole has been involved in many LEED Certified projects on the Washington University campus, but this is the first LEED Platinum Certification for both Cole and the University.

Designed to minimize impact on the environment while creating healthy spaces for people, it is anticipated that the project will be 46 percent more efficient than standard construction. Architects Tao + Lee and William Rawn Associates are responsible for the solar thermal panels which heat 25 percent of the buildings’ hot water, solar photovoltaic cells providing 10 percent of the electrical needs, and exterior aluminum sunshades serving as both a cooling element and a unique design feature.

The Lofts is the first model of its kind for Washington University. The mix of uses brings new amenities to the neighborhood and has created a positive dramatic change for the Delmar Loop built environment.

Olin Business School Dedication Ceremony

Washington University celebrated the new Knight Hall and Bauer Hall last Friday at a very well attended ribbon cutting and building dedication ceremony. This major expansion was constructed adjacent to the Charles F. Knight Executive Education Center on the current site of Eliot Hall and nearly doubles the size of the Olin Business School on the Danforth Campus. A striking glass atrium links two five-story state-of-the-art buildings which provide 175,000 sf of new program space. The $90 million project integrates seven classrooms, an auditorium, 75 faculty offices, numerous forums, lounges, offices, and spaces for interaction and collaboration.

Cole’s primary responsibilities included design of the storm and sanitary sewer systems, site grading, design of Best Management Practices (BMP’s), ADA accessibility, and coordination for LEED certification. The project also encompassed several ancillary efforts to accommodate the expansion. This consisted of a stair tower addition with a fully functional green roof which can be used for gathering space at McMillan Hall, additional labs and classroom space, and a new pedestrian plaza to create a cohesive new identity for Olin Business School. We worked alongside a talented team which included Tarlton Corporation as the Construction Manager; Santa Monica, CA, based Moore Ruble Yudell, Architect-of-Record; local Mackey Mitchell Architects, Associate Architect; KPFF, structural engineer; and mechanical engineers of Buro Happold and William Tao & Associates.

Cole is honored to continue our collaboration with Washington University on this and many other campus projects. We’re proud to contribute to the resources and spaces that build momentum for the students, faculty, and alumni.

Cole to Present at APWA Conference

Cole has been asked to speak at The American Public Works Association (APWA) Missouri Chapter Fall Conference being held in Lake of the Ozarks, MO, next week Nov 3-5. Cole will present on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards and Regulations for Public Rights of Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) and the ULIP-ADA™ technology behind ADA Transition Planning. Our presentation intends to help attendees gain a better understanding of the ADA legislation, the necessity of a transition plan, and the benefits of a cost-effective, proven technology.

Mike Vonderheide, PE, Senior Project Manager, and Belinda Banger, Vice President / Chief Strategist will co-present. Cole will also have one of our very own certified ULIP-ADA™ operators at the conference to demonstrate the technology and make a few runs on the segway.

The APWA Fall Conference welcomes various municipalities and public agencies in the state of Missouri. As a member of the organization and proven ADA Transition Planning consultant, Cole is looking forward to networking with colleagues. We hope to see you there!

Stribling Hall Receives LEED Silver Certification

Stribling Hall at the Missouri Military Academy (MMA) has recently been awarded LEED Silver Certification by the United States Green Building Council. Cole worked with M+H Architects on the demolition of existing Stribling Hall and construction of a new 6,000 SF building and improvements to the main entry of the campus and drop-off area. Cole’s contribution to LEED Certification included a stormwater pollution prevention plan, calculations for dedicated open space, drought tolerant native landscape design, and a tree shadow study complete with the selection of highly reflective paving materials. Our additional responsibilities included site grading, storm and sanitary sewer design, AutoTurn analysis, and consultant coordination for geothermal well layout and associated piping.

Ensuring that our projects endure through smart and skillful design and implementation is an intrinsic part of what we do here at Cole. Whether it’s water quality, material reuse, or energy efficient construction methods, we incorporate sustainable practices wherever possible. Our success lies in allowing sustainable elements to drive design decisions and subsequently integrate seamlessly with the built project. Stribling Hall, which was completed in early 2012, is the 10th LEED Certified project on which Cole has worked and the second on the MMA campus.

Sustainable Land Lab Finalists

Great news! Our team’s submission for the Sustainable Land Lab competition has advanced to round two. The Sustainable Land Lab competition is an initiative that was born from the Sustainable Cities conference hosted by Washington University’s Office of Sustainability. Area design teams were encouraged to propose innovative projects that transform vacant lots into assets that advance sustainability. Our talented partners Rosemann & Associates invited us to collaborate on their idea of a Chess Pocket Park. This outdoor community chess venue intends to provide a location for a local chess club which combines chess lessons, community chess mentors, community values, strategic thought, and sustainable lessons on systems and materials through club maintenance of the grounds. Our site is located at 2713 North 14th Street which is very near the Crown Square urban redevelopment area – a project on which Cole also partnered with Rosemann & Associates.

We’ll soon be busy further developing our concept for submission after the first of the year. In February the list will be narrowed to eight teams. Learn more about the Chess Pocket Park and some of the other great ideas from our fellow finalists here: http://sustainablecities.wustl.edu/land-labs-competition/submissions/

Working with Washington University

Cole has been busy at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. This thriving partnership was kicked off in 2009 when we completed a Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District approved campus-wide stormwater master plan. The plan is presently used to expedite approval for future projects and has guided the development of Cole designed projects such as Brauer Hall and Green Hall. These adjoined buildings make up the School of Engineering and Applied Science complex located on the nine-acre Danforth Campus. Both projects have received LEED Gold certification from the United States Green Building Council.

Speaking of green, we’re working with the progressive facilities team at Washington University on the first green roof associated with their main campus. Our calculations for stormwater quantity and quality are being guided by the incorporation this green roof on a current student housing project. The terraced garden area with surrounding views will mitigate water runoff and function as a place for students to gather and relax.

Cole has also had a big role in campus connectivity, pedestrian/bicycle safety, and traffic flow. We designed 1,200 feet of new ADA accessible sidewalk for shared use by pedestrians, bicycles and emergency vehicles. As part of the project, three bike parking nodes were designed with pervious pavement in order to offset requirements for stormwater detention.

Additional work around campus includes the design of storm and sanitary sewer systems, exterior improvements, design of Best Management Practices (BMP’s), ADA accessibility design, and assistance on LEED certification coordination.

We are thoroughly enjoying our collaboration with Washington University as these and many other projects contribute to their commitment of helping students grow academically and socially. Check out our work on this state-of-the-art campus:

Keep an eye out for future WUSTL updates and others as our campus portfolio continues to expand!