AMC Theatre Opens this Month at Streets of St. Charles

The Streets of St. Charles continues to flourish into a premier mixed-use community. Among the latest entertainment offerings for residents and visitors is the AMC Theatre opening this month. A 40,000 square-foot theatre complex with eight (8) screens makes up this new movie going experience and adds to the state-of-the-art amenity options on the property. The theatre is adjacent to a 1,250-space parking garage and is part of a 400,000 square-foot multi-use building that is currently under construction – the latest phase of development at Streets of St. Charles.

Cole is proud to have been a part of the overall project since its onset and is excited to see the latest attraction come to life. Our civil engineering and design services on the AMC Theatre included the planning and layout of the building, grading and storm sewer design, utility coordination, and construction administration. Cole’s landscape architecture team was responsible for extending the layout of the theatre entrance plaza and the incorporation of existing design elements for a display wall, in addition to continued streetscape design, site furnishings, and plantings. As both consultants and tenants, we look forward to future growth and development at Streets of St. Charles.

Cole Presenting at the Arizona Chapter 2014 APWA Statewide Conference

Cole will be presenting at the Arizona Chapter American Public Works Association’s 2014 Statewide Conference being held in Tucson, AZ, next week July 28-29th. We are speaking on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards and Regulations for Public Rights of Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). Our presentation is meant 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. Cole is utilizing this exclusive technology in public agencies throughout the country, including the current Chandler, AZ, ADA Transition Plan.

Mike Vonderheide, PE, Senior Project Manager, and Belinda Banger, Vice President / Chief Strategist will co-present. Both Mike and Belinda are very familiar with U.S. Access Board design guidelines, standards, and technical requirements of providing accessible routes in the public right-of-way. This is one of many occasions they have presented “ADA Transition Planning using ULIP-ADA™ Technology”.

The conference welcomes around 700 Public Works professionals and representatives from municipalities and agencies in the state of Arizona. As a member of APWA and leading ADA Transition Planning consultant, Cole is looking forward to networking with existing colleagues and making new connections. If you’re planning to attend, don’t miss us Tuesday morning at 10:30am.

Visit Cole at the 2014 APWA Mid-America Conference & Exhibit Show

Cole will be presenting at the 2014 APWA Mid-America Conference & Exhibit Show being held in Overland Park, KS, this week May 21-23. We are speaking on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards and Regulations for Public Rights of Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). Our presentation is meant 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.

The ULIP-ADA™ technology that has transformed ADA Transition Planning will be on site throughout the duration of the conference. Visit us at booth #17 for a quick demonstration and to learn more about how our cutting-edge technology is improving accuracy and efficiency in data collection.

The conference welcomes over 500 representatives from the Missouri, Kansas, KCMetro, Iowa, and Nebraska APWA Chapters. As a member of the organization and leading ADA Transition Planning consultant, Cole is looking forward to networking with colleagues. We hope to see you there!

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 Expands Survey Operations in Texas

Cole has recently relocated Terry Westerman, PLS, to our Dallas office to oversee land surveying operations in an effort to support and bolster survey services. Terry is a Principal at Cole who has been with our firm for nearly 15 years. He brings more than 30 years of experience in land surveying and 23 years of project management along with licenses in Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kansas.  Our decision to augment our land surveying capabilities with a senior manager further demonstrates a commitment to our continued investment in the Texas market and will allow Cole to better serve our clients in the region. Terry has already been busy in the field and looks forward to growing our Dallas survey team.

Cole continues to offer professional land surveying services in nine states throughout the country. St. Louis survey operations are now in the capable hands of Dan Huck, PLS, Cole’s existing Survey Manager of Field Operations. Dan has been with Cole for 13 years working alongside a field crew and office staff that also has some longevity at Cole. Our entire team has been working together for nearly 10 years; many even longer. We look forward to building just as many years of collaboration in our Dallas office!

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!

The Roxton Grand Opening

Cole is pleased to announce the opening of The Roxton in Denton, Texas. The Grand Opening Celebration will be held on Oct 16 from 5pm-7pm.  The property underwent rehabilitation in late 2012 with the assistance of a HTC (Housing Tax Credit) award from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Cole’s duties included analysis of existing infrastructure and design of replacement infrastructure, project phasing, coordination of platting and permitting, landscape architecture, and construction phase services for the 120 affordable housing unit property.

The Roxton (formerly Singing Oaks) represents just one of several HTC projects designed by Cole. Our experience with Housing Tax Credits includes numerous projects in North Texas and Louisiana.  We’ve helped complete over 2,500 multi-family units in 13 different communities.  Projects have included new construction, phased reconstruction, and over 600 senior assisted living units. Whether our clients are applying for competitive or non-competitive housing tax credits, we can help with pre-application site selection all the way through entitlements, design, and construction.

Cole is providing HTC engineering consultant services for additional projects on the boards in the state of Texas including Amberwood in Longview, a 78 unit property on 6.8 acres slated for completion this year; Saige Meadows in Tyler; Summit Parque in Dallas; and Abbington Meadows in Howe. We wish all of our clients luck in the upcoming TDHCA tax credit selection process for 2014.

Cole & Starodub, Inc. Sign Exclusive Agreement

At Cole, we assist our clients in taking a proactive, sensible approach to effective planning for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance in the public rights-of-way. While some public entities have completed ADA Transition Plans, many are in the process of updating or creating new plans to include the necessary assessment of public rights-of-way. The traditional ADA inventory process can be laborious and imprecise. This challenge motivated us to find a viable solution for our clients. We identified a one of kind sensor and acquisition system created by Starodub, Inc. who was originally contracted by the Federal Highway Administration to develop a dedicated technology designed for accurate collection of comprehensive data for ADA transition planning. With the complement of our in-house software development, engineering and ADA expertise, Cole aligned forces with Starodub, Inc., a highly reputable transportation engineering firm specializing in advanced technology, to ensure this system could be made available nationally.

In June 2013, Cole and Starodub, Inc. signed an exclusivity agreement for the ULIP-ADA™ technology. Having exclusive rights to the ULIP-ADA™ allows us to offer a unique service to our clients around the country in the most cost effective way possible.  The Ultra-Light Inertial Profiler (ULIP) records measurements and potential barriers to determine compliance with the ADA. This highly accurate tool is mounted on a segway for expedient and efficient data collection.

Cole has completed the inventory process for two transition plans in the St. Louis area and is currently working in North Texas, Arizona, and with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation. Stay tuned for updates on these projects.

Our St. Louis Office is Moving

Cole is pleased to announce that we are moving our corporate headquarters from Sunset Hills to downtown St. Louis, MO, at Union Station. On July 8, 2013, our St. Louis team will be working out of the Power House building in a fresh open setting that better reflects our collaborative environment.  This relocation complements our recent St. Charles County, MO, office move to the new urban inspired Streets of St. Charles and places us in a location similar to the Texas office in Frisco Square. All three of Cole’s established offices are now located in thriving business and entertainment districts.

This move not only continues to allow us to better serve the St. Louis region, it further aligns Cole with the re-urbanization of American cities; one of the more significant trends of our industry. We’re excited to have an office in the City of St. Louis which is experiencing a remarkable period of revitalization.

Stop by and visit soon! Our new address is: Power House at Union Station, 401 S. 18^th Street, Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63103 (phone remains the same 314-984-9887).

Our office will be closed on July 5 to accommodate the move. We wish you a safe and happy Independence Day celebration!

City of Clayton ADA Transition Plan

The City of Clayton, MO, has selected Cole as their ADA Transition Planning consultant. Our team will be examining the existing conditions of pedestrian access routes to assist Clayton in achieving compliance with the 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards & Regulations and Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). The end result will be a legally defensible ADA transition plan including a prioritized list of barriers and estimated annual budget for removal.

Data will be collected on 60 miles of sidewalk, 1200 curb ramps, and 23 signals in the City of Clayton. We are conducting the ADA public inventory using a modern technology built custom for ADA transition planning. These highly accurate and cost effective tools involve a ULIP (Ultra Light Inertial Profiler) mounted on a segway along with a Cole developed ArcGIS Database, web portal and electronic forms for data collection, synching, and sharing. We’re also assisting the City with staff training, public outreach, and grievance procedures.

Cole is pleased to continue working with the City of Clayton. The project will begin next month when we kick off work plan development and review of the City’s existing policies and design standards as they pertain to the ADA.