Preserving Historic Minnesota
May 8, 2012 – After being shuttered for four years, the Faribault Woolen Mill was recently reopened, due in part to the efforts of Meyer Borgman Johnson’s preservation engineers. The mill is the oldest manufacturing entity in the state of Minnesota, dating back to 1865. The current mill was built in 1890. MBJ’s preservation experts performed a complete condition assessment of the mill’s structure, which consists of eleven different additions and modifications spanning nearly a century. A variety of archaic wood and steel construction methods had been used to cobble together the expansions. Having made repairs sufficient to the operation of the mill, MBJ continues to work with the owners on further permanent solutions for restoration and renovation.
Four MBJ Projects Recognized
May 8, 2012 – Twin Cities Business Journal has announced their Best in Real Estate projects for 2012. Meyer Borgman Johnson was the structural engineer of record on four of the projects cited as winners or finalists. Allina Central Lab and Radisson Blu at Mall of America were named winners in the Hospitality Development, Redevelopment, or Renovation and the Industrial and Warehouse Development or Redevelopment categories, respectively. Two projects were finalists: Minneapolis Public Schools Educational Service Center in the Nonprofit and Community Impact Development or Redevelopment category and American Academy of Neurology in the Office Development or Redevelopment category.
Hartnett Presents at Wood Conference
3/26/2012 – Chris Hartnett, PE, presented a poster at the annual Architectural Wood Conference, entitled “Wood in the 21st Century,” held in Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 24-25, 2012. The poster illustrates a case study to determine the in-situ strength of saturated wood floor framing in an early twentieth century retail building in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Topics addressed are tools available to the practicing engineer, including wood moisture sampling techniques, species identification, a protocol for wood grading, and methods to investigate decay fungi. Challenges to preserving historic wood-framed buildings are also presented, including difficult field conditions, lack of local knowledge of historic wood, and scarcity and high cost of test equipment. Chris works with Meyer Borgman Johnson’s preservation engineering team, bringing in-depth knowledge of archaic materials and practices to restoration and rehabilitation projects.
Jason Pederson BOMA Panelist
12/22/2011 – MBJ associate principal Jason Pederson, PE, spoke as part of a six-person panel at the BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) Seminar on December 6, 2011. Pederson joined other industry leaders to discuss integrated project delivery and building information modeling systems applied specifically to facility management and covering concerns such as preventive maintenance, cost estimation, and life cycle management. The goal of the presentation was to explain systems and help participants choose those applications that work best for their properties.
New Associate Principals
12/19/2011 – Jason Pederson, PE, and Matt Thomas, PE, SE, have been named Associate Principals at Meyer Borgman Johnson. As firm leaders, the two have helped shape the firm’s business strategy, operations, and technical processes. As project managers, they have developed a wide network of client and colleague relationships. MBJ is proud of their accomplishments as professional structural engineers, business people, and representatives of the firm.
A licensed professional engineer with 15 years of experience, Jason Pederson joined MBJ in 2005. His major projects with MBJ include the $75 million Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix and the Brushaber Commons student center at Bethel University in St. Paul, both award-winning projects. Since 2006, he has implemented the firm’s vision for integrating 3D (BIM) technologies into practice, including the transition to Revit Structure as MBJ’s primary production platform. As MBJ has grown, Jason has also worked with both staff and leaders to assess firm strengths, work toward the alignment of strategic goals and values, and foster a learning culture throughout the organization. Jason holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota.
Matt Thomas joined MBJ in 2002, bringing technical expertise and organizational skills that have put him at the center of standards development and quality control processes. Matt’s portfolio of projects includes a wide variety of structure types, both large and small, in many different market segments, including educational, hospitality, medical, and commercial markets. He most recently led the structural team on one of MBJ’s most technically challenging projects, the $200 million St. Cloud Hospital addition in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Matt is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Minnesota and both a licensed professional engineer and licensed structural engineer in California. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University.
Paul Johnson Helps NDSU Students
10/23/2011 – Firm Associate Paul Johnson, PE, of Meyer Borgman Johnson’s Duluth office had the opportunity to help North Dakota State University students design a low-energy demonstration cabin that meets Passive House criteria this past year. A record of the project’s design and construction will soon be published as a book. To assist the NDSU Design Build Studio students, Paul provided consultation on the size of members of the building and connections for the shade structure. They also reviewed and commented on design options presented by the students and reviewed final drawings. The completed structure was part of the Eco-Experience exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair in August 2011.
Find out more about the Passive House project at the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Eco Experience web page. Learn more about the Design-Build Studio at NDSU.
Elliott Speaks at AIA MN Convention
11/29/2011 – MBJ Associate Meghan Elliott, P.E., Associate AIA, recently spoke at the Minnesota AIA Convention in November, taking part in a three-person panel discussion entitled “Construction History: An Integrative Approach to Practice and History.” Meghan presented a case study that focused on early slip form construction of grain elevators. Approximately 200 people signed up to hear the presentation.
New Staff at MBJ
10/26/2011 – Meyer Borgman Johnson is pleased to welcome to our staff recently hired structural engineers Jessica Bradley, EIT, Richard Elsner, PE, Matthew Hogen, EIT, Anthony Litecky, PE, and James Moran, PE, structural technicians David Mueller and Nathaniel Simmons, and structural intern Cullen O’Neill.
MBJ Announces New Associates
10/11/2011 – Meyer Borgman Johnson has named Craig Hass, PE (Minneapolis), Andrew Huseman, PE (Phoenix), and Ross Turner, PE (Minneapolis) associates of the firm. A vital part of MBJ’s leadership team, associates represent MBJ’s culture and values and must demonstrate excellent technical, management, and communication capabilities. The three are recognized for these strengths, as well as for their contributions to the firm as team leaders.
Craig Haas is a specialist in steel connection design. Andy Huseman is an award-winning structural engineer with special expertise in seismic and roof framing design and concrete repair. Ross Turner has more than thirty years of experience as a structural engineer and is a contributor to the Minnesota State Building Code on wind load criteria.
Hoffman Speaks at Tekla Conference
9/20/2011 – On August 13, Jerod Hoffman, PE, was part of a panel discussion at the Tekla North American Users Group held in Las Vegas. The presentation, entitled Pushing BIM to Its Potential, explored how Meyer Borgman Johnson and three other firms used BIM to engage the supply chain and optimize construction of projects. Industry trends and the variety of ways in which BIM technology is currently being adopted to bring greater value to the project were points of discussion.
As part of AISC’s Steel Day on September 23, Jerod will be giving a webinar that provides an overview of Tekla and describes MBJ’s revolutionary, super-fast digital joist procurement process. For the registration link and to find out more, click here.
