MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL
& PLUMBING (MEP) ENGINEERING NOW OFFERED BY WATTS
Watts
recently announced the addition of MEP to its list of engineering
consulting services. A new
MEP Department, headed by Robert R. Turley, P.E. who joined
the firm on March 4, 2002 as Vice President, will be developed.
Mr. Turley has over 28 years of engineering consulting experience
that includes 19 years as Principal-in-Charge of electrical, mechanical,
plumbing and HVAC engineering projects for various firms.
The addition of MEP Engineering services to our firm will provide
us with more opportunities to serve our existing and new potential clients
on building/facility related projects.
BUILD-OUT OF ADDITIONAL
OFFICE SPACE COMPLETED
After several months
of construction, Watts has completed the build out of over 3300
square feet of unused space in the former Eggertsville Fire Hall.
Watts has been using the building as an engineering
office since July 1996 to provide civil and environmental engineering
services. The build out
includes converting unused space in the basement and three bay garage area
into usable office space.
According
to Ed Watts, “The additional office space will relieve congestion in
existing office areas and allow additional employees to be added as needed
for our new MEP department.”
RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY A
GREAT SUCCESS!
Watts had the honor of helping the Town of Amherst with the Ribbon
Cutting Ceremony that officially opened the new John James Audubon
Municipal Complex Parkway.
The Ceremony, held in November, had a great turn out as Town of
Amherst Supervisor Susan Grelick, Congressmen Tom Reynolds, and Town
Engineer Paul Bowers cut the red ribbon to officially open the Parkway
that starts at the eastern edge of the John James Audubon Parkway and ends
with a cul-de-sac.
The parkway has direct access to the parking lots of Police
Headquarters, Town Court, Audubon Public Library and Amherst Senior
Center.
The parkway, with a newly relocated entrance sign, has four travel
lanes divided by a lighted and landscaped median and a new signalized
intersection at the entrance.
Watts was retained by the Town to provide professional
engineering services for the detailed planning, design, and construction
inspection associated with the new Parkway.
Construction cost for the project totaled $767,000.
EMPLOYEE
UPDATES
Ed
Watts was given the Basinski-Wohler Distinguished Service Award by
the Erie/Niagara chapter of the New York State Society of Professional
Engineers (NYSSPE) at its annual awards banquet on February 22, 2002,
during National Engineer’s Week.
The award recognizes a Professional Engineer who has made an
outstanding contribution to the goals of the Society for Professional
Engineers over an extended period of time.
Watts is pleased to announce that Kevin R. O'Connor has
been named Senior Associate and Steven P. Ranalli, P.E. has
been named Associate in the firm.
Kevin has been with Watts for 11 years and has
responsibility for managing the firm’s asbestos and lead based paint
management consulting group and asbestos training services.
Steve has been with Watts for seven years as a Civil
Engineer and specializes in transportation and civil engineering.
Ed
Watts was also recently elected to the Advisory Board of the
University at Buffalo’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL).
The CEL program provides a ten-month professional development
opportunity for entrepreneurs that examine participant’s strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and challenges aimed at addressing problem areas
and making recommendations for improvement.
Ed routinely participates in the CEL program as a mentor for
various participants and/or as a panel member who critiques presentations
of participating entrepreneurs.
NEW EMPLOYEES
Watts is pleased to
announce that Jeanette C. Wegener has joined the Engineering
Department as an Engineer. Jeanette
holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of
Buffalo.
We also welcome Donna Hulub to our Administrative
Department. Donna is an
Administrative Assistant and is helping out with Marketing and Accounting
duties.
Watts is pleased to welcome Eric McNabb to our
Environmental Department. Eric
is an Industrial Hygienist and has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Safety
Sciences from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
For the past 7 years Eric has been providing various clients with
indoor air/industrial hygiene services in the Carolinas. The addition of Eric to our staff enhances our ability to
provide indoor air quality evaluations.
In addition, Eric can tailor a training course for a specific OSHA
requirement on topics such as Machinery and Machine Guarding Standards,
Forklift Operations, Lock-Out/Tag-Out, or Hazard Communication.
We are also very glad to welcome Shawn M. Marshall to our
Engineering Department as an Engineering Technician. Shawn has an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from ECC.
Watts NAMED
BUSINESS OF THE WEEK
Watts was recently featured as Business of the Week on the Amherst
based RealAmherst.com website.
Realamherst.com, which is sponsored by the Amherst IDA, chose Watts as their Business of the Week because of our commitment to the
Town of Amherst.
The article reviewed our history, services and clients.
It also described the build out of unused space into additional
offices in the former Eggertsville Fire Hall.
PROJECT UPDATES
Watts is excited to announce our participation on the new Adelphia
Harbor Centre as a member of the recently designated design team.
Watts, as a subconsultant to Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum,
will perform civil engineering and site development services on the
20-story office tower that will be Adelphia’s national operations
center.
Watts recently completed work at the historic Frank Lloyd Wright Darwin
Martin House for the Martin House Restoration Corporation. (continue next column)
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 As
the civil engineer on the project construction team for this
sensitive and highly visible project, Watts was
responsible for the evaluation of the site to determine the
demolition requirements for three apartment buildings on the
Darwin Martin House Campus.
A three phase, two-year building demolition and utility
relocation plan was developed to address funding issues,
environmental concerns, tenant relocation and time
constraints.
Watts prepared drawings and specifications
for inclusion in the contract documents.
Watts also performed asbestos testing and
asbestos design for this project.
As
a member of the team for the Route 17, Southern Tier
Expressway, Watts undertook our largest
wetland assessment and delineation ever completed by the
company.
The assessment involved the field review of over 250
acres of land primarily sandwiched between the Southern Tier
Expressway and the Chemung River.
In all, over 30 individual federal wetlands were
delineated as part of the project.
Watts is currently providing lead based paint abatement
monitoring services for the renovation of the Prospect
Point Observation Tower for the New York State Office of
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. This $25,000,000
renovation project includes the abrasive blasting of
lead-based paint on the entire steel structure of the tower.
Watts is responsible for verifying the
contractor’s containment of airborne lead particulates by
conducting environmental air sampling measuring for the lead
fraction of total suspended particulates.
Watts is using three state of the art PQ100
battery operated TSP air sample pumps manufactured by BGI,
Inc.  This
equipment was chosen due to its portability and
accuracy in providing measurements around the 233-foot tower
located in the Niagara River Gorge.
All work was performed during the winter months in
freezing spray and swirling winds in the shadow of the Niagara
Falls. The
project includes the complete replacement of the concrete
observation deck, replacement of tower's glass enclosure,
repainting of the tower structural steel, installation of new
elevator shafts, new high-speed elevators and the addition of
bathrooms in the building at the base of the tower.
For a live view of the totally wrapped 240 foot tower
please go to Buffalo.com, click web cams (right hand corner),
select Niagara County, Minolta Tower and then Observation
Tower.
Watts is the prime consultant completely responsible for
the Bullis Road Bridge over Little Buffalo Creek $700,000
bridge replacement project for the Erie County Department of
Public Works, Division of Highways.
This project, located in the Town of Marilla, is our
first designation as a prime to provide design services for
the ECDPW.
Our services include oversight of the survey, mapping,
and subsurface investigation; development and evaluation of
design alternatives; development of the Design Approval
Document; conducting the public information meeting;
preparation of the environmental studies; and preliminary and
final bridge design.
Watts recently completed our first prime consultant
construction inspection assignment for the NYSDOT.
We were responsible for providing construction
inspection services for the reconstruction of 1.7 miles of Broadway
Avenue from Union Road to Transit Road in the Town of
Cheektowaga and Village of Depew.
This $9,400,000 project involved the complete
reconstruction of the pavement with Superpave items and a
closed drainage system utilizing staged construction in order
to maintain traffic.
New sidewalks and curbs were constructed for the entire
length; existing utilities (including water mains) required
relocation; signs, a traffic signal and pavement markings were
installed; contaminated soils were removed and disposed of;
landscaping improvements were made throughout, and new guide
railing was installed.
Watts is also a member of the consultant team that
is providing design services to the City of Buffalo Department
of Parks and Streets for the Rehabilitation of the Main
Animal Building at the Buffalo Zoo.
Watts provided asbestos testing, asbestos
design, lead-based paint design and lead-based paint
inspection services for this $3,000,000 rehabilitation
project.
We are currently providing the asbestos project
monitoring and air sampling services.
Newest Members of
the Family
Everyone
at Watts would like to congratulate Debbie
Overkamp and her new husband Craig on their June
wedding.
Congratulations and best wishes to Steve Ranalli
and his wife Meg on the birth of their daughter, Olivia.
We
would also like to congratulate Jerry Grady and
his new wife Lori on their November nuptials.
RECECENT
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Ed
Watts continues to be busy working in the community
and with local technical and professional societies.
He has participated as a judge, for the sixth
consecutive year, in the 2002 Buffalo Region Future Cities
Competition.
Future City is a competition between 7th and
8th grade students that allows them to design and
build a model of a city using “Simcity” computer software
under the auspices of the National Society of Professional
Engineers (NSPE).
The Buffalo Regional competition was started six years
ago by two engineers employed by Watts.
Ed Watts recently spoke to
the AWMA Student Chapter at the University of Buffalo on the
Environmental Professional Intern (EPI) certification.
The EPI is a pathway for students to gain experience
needed for the Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP)
certification by focusing on mentor relationships after
successful completion of the environmental fundamentals
examination.
2001 WATTS
CHRISTMAS
PARTY A GREAT SUCCESS
Watts held its annual Christmas Party on December 1, 2001
at Fanny’s and had a record turn out.
A special thanks to all employees and their guests for
sharing in this fun evening.
Be sure to keep Saturday, December 7, 2002 open for
this year’s festivities.
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