Spicer structural engineer helps Tanger Outlet businesses reopen after winter collapse

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2 Spicer structural engineer helps Tanger Outlet businesses reopen after winter collapse WEST BRANCH Many of Spicer Group s projects are precisely planned and keep to a schedule that is plotted out months in advance. But some of Spicer s clients don t have the time to plan and need to react to events that unexpectedly take place like an accident, flooding, or a structure collapse. Because of Spicer s multiple office locations throughout Michigan and the number of talented employees the company retains, Spicer is a uniquely-qualified firm in its ability to be on a job site with short notice. One such job came up in late February, when the roof of a store collapsed at the Tanger Outlet Center, located along Cook Road in West Branch. Thankfully no one was seriously injured and after the rest of the buildings were evacuated, Tanger professionals put in a call to a Williamston-based demolition company Decommissioning Services, LLC. Decommissioning Services then requested Spicer Group directly for the job to provide valuable structural engineering assistance and advice prior to mobilizing any equipment within the affected area. Spicer Group s structural engineer Stephen Wilder, P.E. was on site the next day. At that point, the entire structure was closed, Wilder said. And according to the county building department, without the authorization of a structural engineer, nobody could occupy any part of that structure. Vicki Seltz-Barnes, the General Manager at Tanger Outlets, said the experience of working with Spicer Group and Wilder, in particular, was great. The quickness of the response was key to us getting our building safe again and ready for occupancy to our tenants. What I thought was most helpful was the fact that they were on site quickly, along with the rest of our team, she said. The quickness of the response was key to us getting our building safe again and ready for occupancy to our tenants. From there, Wilder said he had to determine where Decommissioning Services could end their demolition line. Without being able to determine where the structure had failed, and where it would be safe to begin the demolition, the entire network of businesses within that portion of Tanger Outlets in West Branch could have had to be demolished, potentially costing the company millions. Within two weeks, Wilder had coordinated with Seltz-Barnes and inspected more than a dozen stores for structural integrity and gave the Ogemaw County Building Department the green-light to open that portion of stores safely. The final store affected by the collapse was given the goahead to open less than three weeks after closing. And in that same timeline, two stores were ultimately demolished and a temporary wall was designed and built until a permanent end to the structure can be put into place. We are coordinating our work with Tanger and their architect to figure out how we will proceed with the (reconstruction) and new end wall, Wilder said. Without Wilder s quick mobilization and background in structural engineering, this project could have taken a few months, rather than a few weeks, to finish up. Everyone has been working together with a common goal, Seltz-Barnes said. Stephen was a big part of making that goal happen safely and quickly. Safety was the main priority for Wilder, Tanger and the rest of the demolition team, Seltz-Barnes said. Because the whole team s focus was on safety, our tenants teams could understand what was happening at each step. (Wilder) worked with us very well to explain the what and why, where and how of what was happening, she said. The communication was awesome. After inspecting the collapsed portion of the building and the original drawings, Wilder then conducted an inspection of all of the Tanger Outlet buildings, ensuring each was in no danger and safe for occupation. The biggest challenge with this project was quickly coming up with an idea of what happened and figuring out how to keep it from continuing to happen, Wilder said. We had to basically go in and look at a set of drawings we had never seen before and go into this project cold and figure out how it was built. Spicer engineered temporary wall supports 2 3

3 Spicer designs and implements a solution to a problem on an 80-year-old drain MONROE COUNTY For more than 20 years, the Monroe County Drain Commissioner has been contending with storm waters flooding a small residential neighborhood in the City of Monroe. The Wry Drain is a historic tile drain that is located near the southwest border of the City of Monroe. The Wry Drain Drainage District is roughly 60-acres in size and is located in the City of Monroe and Monroe Charter Township. The storm sewer was first built in the late 1920 s out of vitrified clay pipe that runs more than 1,600 feet underneath residential streets and 10 structures, including five homes. Somewhere along the line, a portion of the existing tile had collapsed causing it to flood after even the most minimal of rain events. I started working with the county cleaning storm sewers after I got out of college, David Thompson, the Monroe County Drain Commissioner, said. That fall of 1994 we were first made aware of the flooding problem in the storm sewer on the Wry Drain. To combat the flooding, Thompson was sending crews out to the area with a mobile pump. Whenever the historic drain would fill with water, it would back up into the basements of several homes, Nick 4 Czerwinski, a Project Manager with Spicer Group, said. (Thompson) would be sending his crews out at all hours of the night. Even if it rained for only a few hours, they would have to run out there with a pump. They were sometimes pumping two to three times a week. So in 2012, Spicer Group was brought on board to identify the problem and design a solution. I thought (the project) suited Spicer s talents best, Thompson said. Spicer knew the importance of the project and what the people were suffering from. Spicer knew the importance of the project and what the people were suffering from. After investigating the historic storm drain and the surrounding area, Spicer Group laid out several options to alleviate the flooding problems all of which included abandoning most of the original drain. These options ranged from small, localized fixes, to an expanded project that updated the drainage system throughout the district. The stakeholders which included the city, county and Monroe Charter Township ultimately opted for the larger project, which included laying 9,000 feet of storm sewer pipe underneath seven streets in both the City of Monroe and Monroe Charter Township and then rebuilding and resurfacing those roads. More than 190 landowners would be affected. To avoid more flooding from the 2014 spring runoff, bidding on the contract for the project had to happen in the summer of That meant Spicer Group had to design the project in three months. Czerwinski said the design process for a project like this one normally takes up to a year to finish. We fast-tracked the project internally here at Spicer, he said. We had a lot of people working in parallel simultaneously to get the project designed, all the bidding documents on the shelf and ready to go for bidding. And while it definitely led to some hardships on our part, it was a good process. L.J. Construction, a general contractor based in Clifford, Michigan that specializes in drainage construction, was awarded the project contract in July 2013 and began work immediately. By the end of 2013, as the snow began to fall, Czerwinski said crews were ahead of schedule. All of the drainage pipe had been installed underneath the roadways, and an initial layer of pavement had been laid down. Crews are expected to finish the work by the summer of this year. And the satisfaction not stress can be heard in Thompson s voice when he speaks about that particular drainage district now. Oh man, what a relief. We still have some things to do out there to finish up, but at least they are not in danger of flooding at this point, he said. (Spicer) was on top of it and with us all along the way. Everybody has been just wonderful to work with. 5

4 WOODWARD W. BEARDSLEY, EIT: Beardsley recently joined the Water Resources Service Group at Spicer s St. Johns Office as a Design Engineer. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan DUANE H. EDDY, P.E.: With more than 30 years in the engineering field, Eddy recently joined Spicer as a Project Manager in the Municipal Department of the Saginaw Office. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and is registered in Michigan, Colorado, Connecticut and Nevada as a Professional Engineer. LUKE D. O BRIEN, EIT: With four years experience as a Civil and Environmental Engineer, O Brien recently joined the Water Resources Service Group at the Saginaw Office as a Design Engineer. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University. JEFFREY D. SCHWARTZ, EIT: Schwartz recently joined the Transportation Service Group in Spicer s Saginaw Office as a Designer. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering and Transportation from Michigan Several new professionals hired at Spicer to meet increased work load across the state RYAN ELLENA, EIT: Ellena was hired as a Design Engineer in the Water Resources Service Group at Spicer s St. John s office. He has more than 12 years experience, and earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University and his Master s Degree in Civil Engineering from Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. OSCAR W. HARE: Hare was hired as an Architectural Technician in the Planning Services Group at Spicer s Saginaw Office. He completed his Computer Aided Drafting and Design training and Architectural Drafting and Design Training at Mott Community College and Phoenix Institute of Technology. ERIN M. HEITZENRATER: With several years of writing experience, Heitzenrater has joined the Marketing Department in Spicer s Saginaw Office. She earned her Bachelor s Degree in Journalism from Michigan State University. WARREN MILLER, EIT: Miller joined the Water Resources Service Group of Spicer s Saginaw Office as a Design Engineer. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Engineering from Michigan TONY J. SIMMON: A former employee of Spicer Group, Simmon has returned to the Saginaw Office as a Designer in the Environmental Services Group. He attended Lansing Community College and earned his Bachelor s Degree from Saginaw Valley State University. KELLY A. STREICH, EIT, LSIT: Streich has joined Spicer Group s Saginaw Office as a Design Engineer in the Transportation Service Group. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from California State University in Chico, California. JOSEPH D. WARING, EIT: Waring was hired into the Construction Services Group at Spicer s Saginaw Office as a Construction Engineer. He earned his Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan JOHNATHAN A. WEIDMAN: With several years of experience, Weidman joined the I.T. Group at Spicer s Saginaw Office. He earned his Associate s Degree in Applied Science and Computer Programming from Baker College. KELSEA R. ZIMMERMAN, EIT: Zimmerman recently joined the Water Resources Service Group at Spicer s Saginaw Office as a Design Engineer. She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan Spicer helped acquire $4.4 million in recreation grant funds for Michigan communities in 2013 In 2013, Spicer Group wrote a dozen successful grants worth more than $4.4 million through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Department of Transportation. These grants were awarded to communities as far north as Alabaster Township and as far south as Cass County. They will help pay for recreation enhancement projects including a historic bridge relocation, pathways construction and park improvements. A few of these projects are highlighted below. Great Lakes Bay Regional Trail in Saginaw County: $280,000 Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant: A small two-mile stretch of the Great Lakes Bay Regional Trail that will play a big part in connecting Saginaw and Bay Counties through non-motorized pathways will be remodeled using funds from this grant. This project will improve the 2.3 miles of path that runs from the easternmost end of Kochville Road, north to the Saginaw and Bay County line. While this section of the trail has had the rails removed, the majority of the rail bed is unimproved and has become overgrown in most areas. The improved path will be 10-feet wide, paved with asphalt, and the aggregate base will be replaced. The project will also include some cross culvert replacement, site clearing and soil and sedimentation control measures to protect any potential low, wet areas. The project will include the installation of permanent signs to identify the trail and two interpretive signs to educate the public about the wildlife and habitats in the area. Park Land Acquisition in the City of Frankenmuth: $773,400 Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant: This grant will help the City of Frankenmuth purchase more than 36 acres of land for the development of a recreation park. Located near the intersection of Weiss and Jefferson Street in the southern portion of the City, the land is currently used for agriculture purposes by the Meyer Family Farm, LLC. The City of Frankenmuth intends to develop this land into a park to provide soccer fields, baseball and softball diamonds, a community playground, a splash pad, pathways, parking and a future restroom and concession building. One of the full-size soccer fields will be used as a football field as well. The pathways will connect the park to the City s pedestrian system. Playground Improvements in Merritt Township: $45,000 Michigan Department of Natural Resources Recreation Passport Grant: Merritt Township Community Park is an 18-acre park on flat land with some trees and an existing, outdated playground. The project funded with the help of this grant will reconstruct the playground site by demolishing the current one. New landscaping will be added and age-appropriate equipment will be installed in two separate areas. One area will include new swings and interactive panels for children ages two through five, and the other area will include a slide and climbing equipment for children ages five through 12. A new concrete pathway will also be built for playground accessibility from the proposed parking area, and benches and trash receptacles will be installed. Continued on back page... 6 Interested in joining the Spicer Team? Visit our website at Great Lakes Bay Regional Trail Bridge Restoration 7

5 Spicer Group, Inc. 230 S. Washington Ave. Saginaw, MI St. Johns, MI PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Saginaw, MI Permit No. 189 Belleville, MI Lansing, MI Grand Rapids, MI Benton Harbor, MI Monroe, MI Leppien Park Improvements in the City of St. Louis: $161,000 Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant: Leppien Park is the premier waterfront park in the City of St. Louis with frontage along the Pine River. This project will replace the existing 20-year-old boat launch in the park with a new launch built from concrete pads on a heavy aggregate base and accessible skid pier. As the park is a known destination for fishing, the project will include riverbank stabilization and safer access to the river. The bank stabilization will be constructed with a mix of large, thick, flat limestone slabs and geotextile fabrics mixed with some plant materials. A large open-air pavilion with a concrete floor will also be constructed. Sunrise Side Path Extension in Alabaster Township: $628,390 MDOT Transportation Alternatives Program Grant: The Sunrise Side Pathway is a planned 38.7-mile regional non-motorized pathway that generally follows US 23 from AuGres to AuSable Township along the Lake Huron coastline. This project will extend the existing portion of that pathway through Iosco County. Beginning at Alabaster Road in Alabaster Township where the current non-motorized path ends, these funds will help build 3.3 miles of 10-foot-wide paved asphalt pathway, all the way to Dyer Road at the County s southern border. There will be a two-foot clearing on either side of the path. A trail head will be constructed at Dyer Road that will include a small gravel parking area with a paved accessible parking space. A pre-manufactured bridge will be installed over drain crossings, and detectable warning plates will be installed at all road crossings. Sunrise Side Path Would you like Recreation Grant funding for your community? Call Rob Eggers at