Heather Lewis, a GIS analyst at Wendel’s Buffalo, NY office, recently won the “People’s Choice” award in the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) poster competition.  The competition was held as part of the 26th Annual Northeast Arc User Group (NEARC) Conference in November 2011 at Saratoga Springs, NY. 
Posters were submitted by academic institutions, consultants and government entities representing all of the northeastern states.   Wendel’s poster featured the Erie County Department of Public Works: Flood Damage Assessment and Management System project that was completed by the GIS department in 2010.  The award was voted on by all attendees of the conference and was presented to Wendel at the conferences awards banquet.  

At the 2011 American Institute of Architects Buffalo/Western New York Design Awards ceremony, Wendel was honored with an Honor Award (1st Place) for the design of the Inamori Kyocera Museum of Fine Ceramics at Alfred University. Wendel also received a Merit Award for our renovations and additions to School 205 – Riverside Institute of Technology.

In addition to these two great honors, Wendel employee Matt Zinski and his wife Michele received the Pro Bono Publico Award in Design Excellence from the Buffalo Architecture Foundation for their continuous work at the Capoeira Cultural Arts Center and Sol Rise Homestead project.

Competition was fierce with a total of twenty nine projects submitted for consideration from the area’s architectural firms. The projects were judged by a team of architects from Toronto.

Wendel is pleased to announce that Marlene Connor and Jim McLaughlin have joined our firm to expand our public transportation management and planning services.  Ms. Connor will serve as Wendel’s Director of Public Transportation Planning.

Marlene and Jim will assist in coordinating Wendel’s public transportation group with other Wendel staff in many areas of planning including municipal services, land use, waterfront development, colleges and universities, comprehensive community-based, energy efficiencies, and health care to offer a full service approach to the issues that affect communities. Most recently, Jim and Marlene have worked with customers to incorporate many current planning concepts, such as livability and sustainability, state of good repair, complete streets, and mobility management into their local and regional plans.

Marlene was previously the Director of Public Transportation for Wilbur Smith Associates and the Administrator of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority in Springfield, MA and has over 30 years of experience in transportation management and planning. As project director for many comprehensive transit projects, her efforts have involved statewide, regional, and local transit system analysis; regional mobility plans; management performance reviews; national research; suburban and community public transportation plan development; and service coordination.

Additionally, her experience includes the full range of bus service operations from ADA paratransit to Bus Rapid Transit as well as working with other transit intensive cities to develop grant applications for Very Small Starts, Bus Livability, and Bus Circulator grant funding.  

She is very involved in the American Public Transportation Association including serving on APTA’s legislative steering committee and as the chair of the intergovernmental issues subcommittee.

Jim has over 30 years experience in the transportation industry including ten years with consulting firms and has worked with Marlene on a number of public transportation projects around the country. His experience includes his role as Director of Transit Planning for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, in charge of such diverse projects as the Metro Rapid BRT program, planning for the Universal Fare System, and communication with municipal, local and private sector operators.  Jim also worked for the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation as its initial Chief of Transit Programs, implementing local shuttle, commuter express, and community transportation programs for the city.

“This is a good fit for us,” says Gary Nyberg, President of SGN, “Both Wendel and SGN approach their clients with a listen-and-learn philosophy. The combination of our broad range of services will enable us to bring tremendous value to our clients here in Minnesota and across the country.”

“SGN is a terrific firm whose expertise in architectural design has made them one of the most well-known firms in Minnesota,” states Tony McKenna, CEO of Wendel. “Gary and his team are known for their innovative design leadership and dynamic architectural, planning, and interior design services. We are pleased to combine their 87 years of expertise with Wendel’s 70 years of experience in architecture and engineering.”

Wendel Energy Services was recently awarded an extension of our NAESCO accreditation. Wendel underwent a rigorous examination of its technical competence and business practices along with consultation with selected customers in order to achieve and maintain its NAESCO accreditation as an Energy Service Company (ESCO).  Wendel Energy Services has been a NAESCO accredited company since 2008 and we are one of only 11 NAESCO accredited energy service companies in the US.  

As an ESCO, Wendel develops and implements turn-key, comprehensive energy efficiency projects for a variety of clients including municipalities, water/wastewater treatment plants, elementary and high schools, and colleges and universities.  Through our Professionally Assisted Performance Contracting    service, these clients are able to implement projects that are funded by the savings they generate.

Well-known Chautauqua facility architect brings fine arts expertise to Wendel.

Michael J. Conroe Joins Wendel as Project Architect

Wendel is pleased to announce that Michael J. Conroe has joined the firm’s architecture team as a Project Architect.  Mr. Conroe is a Registered Architect and LEED AP with over 10 years of experience. Michael has won several AIA awards for his work on the Fletcher Music Hall, the School of Music and the School of Art at the Chautauqua Institution.

“We are extremely pleased to have Michael join our team.  His experience in the design of performing, visual and fine arts facilities is a great addition to our college and university team,” observed Stewart Haney, Vice President in charge of Wendel’s Education line of business.

Michael has his Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the University of New York at Buffalo and his Masters of Architecture from The Boston Architectural Center, Boston, MA, where he was also an adjunct professor. 

Giving state and local economic developers an edge in attracting business.

When one of the world’s largest internet communications companies came to the Town of Lockport, New York to build a data center, they needed to secure all local approvals and regulatory permits within two months to meet their aggressive construction and commissioning schedule.  Armed with our expertise in shovel-ready site development, Wendel helped make that happen.

Communities, economic development agencies, and businesses often struggle with the barrier of time required to get a shovel in the ground.  Moving through the permitting and approval process can be a daunting task.  Global economic factors force companies to make market decisions faster than ever before, and shovel-ready sites offer tremendous benefits to businesses looking to start up, relocate or expand.  Shovel-ready sites save time, lower costs, add predictability to decision making, and reduce risk, making the development process much simpler.

Shovel-ready sites also give local communities an edge for attracting economic development.  Certified, pre-approved, shovel-ready sites provide local communities and property owners with a strong competitive advantage because they catch the eye of corporate site selectors.

Wendel has teamed for success in the selection of sites, responding to permitting requirements, and meeting the aggressive schedules for construction readiness and completion.  By doing the upfront planning – taking properties through the environmental review process with a Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS), having the support of a Comprehensive Plan, and setting up the right zoning –
Development can be more readily achieved.  Understanding your assets and eliminating roadblocks that can typically drag projects down in the process and details can increase the ability to foster economic development and make your project a reality.

Our local knowledge of, and participation in municipal comprehensive plans, zoning, site planning, permitting and SEQR, help us to inventory the readiness of a site and address gaps critical to obtaining necessary approvals.  Our team implements a process that integrates all of the requirements needed to deliver certified, shovel-ready sites and assist with your project needs.  Our shovel-ready services include assistance with:
    Project Planning and Site Selection
    Project Permitting and Environmental Review (SEQR/NEPA)
    Project Design
    Site Development and Construction
    Commissioning Services

Let us give you the edge with shovel-ready certification.  We can help accelerate your ability to be open for business.

Wendel Designs Transmission Main Crossing Historic Erie Canal

The Niagara County Water District (NCWD) in Niagara County, NY, is responsible for providing fresh, clean drinking water to more than 150,000 customers spread throughout 522 square miles in three counties.

Wendel conducted a risk analysis on the NCWD system and identified that there was a single point of failure in their drinking water system that could jeopardize the provision of water to over one third of their customers.  That critical point in the system was the single drinking water transmission main that crosses the historic Erie Canal and transports water across Niagara County from the shores of the Niagara River to 50,000 customers.

Completed in 1825, the Erie Canal runs through the heart of Niagara County. From May to September the Canal is a navigable waterway.  If the transmission main failed when the Canal was filled with water, the problems caused by a transmission main failure would be extraordinary, jeopardizing the supply of clean water to over 50,000 customers.  Because of that potential, Wendel recommended a second crossing point to ensure a continuous water supply.

The challenge in completing a project in the Erie Canal was two-fold.  The project had to be completed during the winter months and the design had to be flexible to address ever changing issues caused by freezing conditions, varying water drainage into the canal because of thawing of snow fall and the general difficulties of performing construction during the winter in Western New York. The project could not damage or interfere with the historic nature of the Canal while maintaining the aesthetics of the site that is a common recreation travel fare for aquatic pursuits during the summer season.

Design challenges included conforming to the ambiguities and materials of construction of the Canal due to its nature and age.  In addition, the design had to address the fact that the Canal could not be completely dewatered. During the winter months, the Canal is partially drained, but there is still a continuous flow of water in the Canal from snow melt and rainfall.  Wendel had to create divergent structures in the Canal that allowed water to pass through the construction place while enabling the installation of the transmission main at the bottom of the canal.

This project was completed as part of an overarching capital /asset management program that was developed to create an economically sustainable model that maximized the usage of additional financial and geographic resources to guarantee the supply of water to current customers and to enhance economic development issues with a robust supply of affordable water.
 
Project Location
Niagara County, NY

Services Performed
Environmental
Permitting
Design
Construction related services