New York
Jaros, Baum & Bolles (JB&B)Client: SL Green Realty Corp.
One of the newest and most picturesque New York City towers also sets a new benchmark for sustainability in high-rise structures. The project team aimed to create a future-oriented building that could be adapted in step with evolving building codes and technology. With one of the smallest carbon footprints compared with similarly sized buildings in New York City, the new tower features a high-performance glazing system that regulates insulation for heating and cooling and a highly efficient mechanical distribution system. These technologies allow the mechanical systems to provide enhanced filtration, thereby increasing the volume of outside air circulating through the interior and offering flexibility for future air cleaning technology.
Washington, D.C.
Straughan EnvironmentalClient: District Department of Energy and Environment
An analysis of maps spanning more 200 years concluded that since 1792, more than 70 percent of known surface waterways in the District of Columbia have been permanently lost. To identify the modern location of underground streams that might be suitable for restoration into surface waterways and natural habitat, the project team developed a geographic information system-based comparison of the historic stream network against the modern drainage and sewer network. Out of more than 500 storm drain networks studied, the project team identified 100 candidates for restoration, of which four streams considered the most promising are undergoing grant-funded restorations.
Mueser RutledgeClient: Hudson River Park Trust
Little Island is a 2.5-acre park featuring an innovative foundation system that allows the park to seemingly float in the Hudson River. The park is situated atop more than 130 huge tulip-shaped pots carefully installed on slender columns created with unique pre-cast concrete composite piles. The composite foundation piles are set at different heights to create an almost futuristic undulating topography of artificial hills. It also features winding paths along a gentle, rolling grade through beautiful plantings that connect several open-air performance areas—one capable of seating 5,000 people.
Madison, Wisonsin
Salas O’BrienClient: City of Madison
For the new 9,700-square-foot Learning Center, the project team engineered mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems that use two-thirds less energy than conventional technologies. The facility combines low-energy radiant heating and cooling slab technology to provide year-round indoor comfort. The project team also designed a stormwater collection and filtration system that supplies 75 percent of the water for a new 11,500-square-foot greenhouse, minimizing impacts to the area’s watershed. This all helped the Learning Center achieve a LEED Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Leesburg, Virginia
Parsons Transportation GroupClient: Virginia Department of Transportation
The new highway grade separation eliminates the last signalized intersection along a nine-mile stretch of Route 7 around Leesburg. Along with easing congestion for the 100,000 motorists who traverse the area each day, the project facilitates continued economic and population growth in and around the city. The new Battlefield Parkway Bridge, along with new sidewalks and a shared-use path, allow for safe and direct access to the Washington & Old Dominion Trail and adjacent mixed-use developments, providing alternative transportation options to pedestrians and cyclists. The project team’s innovative design approach serves as a benchmark for ultra-wide, joint-free, low-maintenance decks in Virginia.
Arlington, Texas
Walter P MooreClient: Texas Rangers Baseball Club
Home of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers, the facility features an exterior design that blends a historic brick façade with structural steel accents and a sprawling glass wall that frames the main entry for the adjacent Texas Live! Entertainment District. A distinctive retractable roof—featuring a 300,000–square–foot “racing stripe” of fluorine-based plastic—protects players and fans from rain and the sweltering Texas sun while ensuring an abundance of sunlight within. Structural elements in the stadium’s two 360-degree concourses—the first of their kind in major league stadiums—were intentionally placed away from the field to prevent visual obstructions.
New Castle, Delaware
WSP USAClient: The Delaware River and Bay Authority
When it was determined that the northbound deck of the 1950s-era Delaware Memorial Bridge was reaching the end of its service life, the owners considered complete deck replacement. But in coordination with the project team, it was determined that an ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) overlay, which greatly outperforms conventional concrete, could be a tool to rehabilitate the deck, providing an extended life cycle at substantially less cost and with less disruption to traffic. The result was the first-ever application of an UHPC overlay on a suspension bridge. The project is now a model for bridge deck repair at significant savings, while extending the life of an entire bridge deck by 50 years or more compared to other replacement options.
Kansas City, Missouri
HNTBClient: City of Kansas City
An eight-acre public green space built on a former gravel parking lot contains an interactive boardwalk system that invites the public to observe the native plants and innovative nature-based rainwater harvesting system. Also known as the West Bottoms, the area had lacked an adequate stormwater management system and parks to complement years of significant residential growth. The creative approach allows the capture of 18,050 gallons of rainwater per cistern, providing a long-term water supply to the community. The collected water is currently being used by a local nonprofit that maintains green infrastructure plantings.
Fishers, Indiana
Arcadis U.S.Client: Citizens Energy Group
As the newest addition to Citizens Energy Group’s surface water supplies, the reservoir increases raw water storage capacity by 3 billion gallons via the repurposing of a decommissioned rock quarry. The project also enhances Central Indiana’s drought preparedness by allowing use of stored raw water under abnormally dry conditions. The project team adapted the large decommissioned quarry and its natural bedrock as integral design elements that achieve both simplicity and longevity. The reservoir also features pumps with energy-saving variable frequency drives, spill containment facilities, noise barriers, and native prairie plantings.
Grand Rapids, Minnesota
HDRClient: Minnesota Power
The 224-mile transmission line connects Minnesota Power’s transmission system to Manitoba Hydro’s grid in Canada. Along with helping the utility achieve an important milestone toward its goal of using 100 percent renewable energy, the new transmission line complements an existing 500 kV tie line to enhance the overall transmission system’s performance and reliability. Due to border crossing complexities and permitting requirements in both countries, the project team involved agencies early in the route development process. This early participation allowed the team to build relationships, understand permitting needs, and address concerns that might have delayed the project.