TFMoran’s Civil Engineering Department welcomes Kody Folsom as a summer intern. Kody is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. This fall Kody will be entering his Junior year, prepared with additional on-the-job engineering skills from TFMoran engineers. We are pleased to have the opportunity to work with Kody, and wish him the best in his future endeavors.
Archive
05
Apr 2016
TFMoran Sponsors NeighborWorks Annual Breakfast
TFMoran is proud to have been the co-lead sponsor of the 2016 NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire Annual Breakfast held on March 23, 2016 at the Manchester Country Club in Bedford, NH. The annual breakfast highlighted the incredible services that NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire provides to the greater Manchester and Nashua communities including workforce housing, home ownership seminars, and neighborhood revitalization. This year’s breakfast was hosted by the NeighborWorks Board of Directors Chairman, Rich Clegg, and featured the Mayor of Manchester, Ted Gatsas, and the Mayor of Nashua, Jim Donchess.
TFMoran was lead sponsor of the event along with the Sheehan Phinney law firm, and Sprague Energy. TFMoran’s President, Bob Duval, PE, and Sheehan Phinney Shareholder, Ken Viscarello, both spoke at the breakfast about the importance of NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire mission.
The breakfast was featured in the Union Leader newspaper.
TFMoran’s Bob Duval, Robert Cruess, Anne Cruess, Jim O’Neil, and Dylan Cruess attended the breakfast on behalf of company.
30
Mar 2016
TFMoran’s Retail Project “Featured Property of the Month” in New England Real Estate Journal
The March 25-31, 2016 issue of New England Real Estate Journal showcased TFM’s civil and structural engineering retail project, Ashley Furniture and Ashbrook Furniture as the “Featured Property of the Month” in the “Shopping Centers” section. Read the full story below, or click on the link for a pdf version. NEREJ March 25-31 2016 Feature of the Month
DESIGNED BY LANDRY ARCHITECTS AND CONSTRUCTED BY TRB DEVELOPMENT GRP.
TFMoran designs new 68,000 s/f retail store site for Ashley Furniture and Ashbrook Furniture
Manchester, NH – AAA Realty, LLC is pleased to announce the recent opening of a new Ashley Furniture and Ashbrook Furniture retail showroom in Manchester, located on 5 Driving Park Road, behind Wendy’s in the heart of the South Willow Street retail district. The new furniture showroom carries a wide selection of living room, dining room, bedroom, and home office furniture. Ashley Furniture is the largest furniture manufacturer in the world, according to the company’s website.
TFMoran, Inc., a local full-service engineering firm, helped obtain the approvals for the new facility, and provided civil/site engineering, structural engineering, land surveying, permitting and landscape architecture for the new 2-story 68,000sf furniture showroom. The building was designed by Landry Architects of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and constructed by TRB Development Group of Hooksett.
During the past several years, many large furniture stores in the Queen City have closed their doors. This new major furniture outlet reverses that trend, and, according to the developer, will establish a choice in furniture sales, “Ashley Furniture Industries feels that every person deserves more value for their money”. Established in 1945, Ashley is one of the largest manufacturers of home furnishings in the world. “Ashley is committed to delivering the world’s best home furnishing values, selection and service, and earning the loyalty and trust of its customers every day.”
The 2.7 acre Driving Park Road site, originally zoned for industrial use, had been abandoned since a fire destroyed a former health club on the site, leaving behind a 9,600 square foot medical clinic. Several years ago, the site was rezoned to the B-2 General Business District, more in keeping with the retail uses on neighboring South Willow Street. Just to the north of the site, a former Osram Sylvania manufacturing plant has also recently closed, and is slated for more future retail development.
Members of the City Planning Board agreed that the new use for this blighted site was a good fit, and were pleased with the modern, attractive design. According to TFMoran’s project manager Chris Rice, “the site plan package for the new retail store was a perfect fit for the mixed-use character of this commercial neighborhood, with a Wendy’s restaurant in front, a major shopping plaza to the south, numerous banks, offices and small retail shops, and a City recreational field all within walking distance.”
Rice continued, “Fitting a major furniture store on less than 3 acres was a challenge. In addition to the building pad which was nearly one acre itself, we needed to provide adequate customer parking, and separate customer and truck circulation, loading docks, and fire access all around the building. To accomplish this, we had to go to the ZBA for a variance to allow 81% where 75% is required.”
On the other hand, according to Rice, the site did need to be made to conform to modern regulations for stormwater management: “Being a former industrial site, the property was crisscrossed with utilities with no stormwater treatment anywhere on the site. Yet we were able to find a drainage solution that worked around the existing infrastructure, and provided treatment facilities such that all surface runoff would go into an underground system and nothing would be released into nearby Nutt’s Pond. That is a major improvement in stormwater management, and we were therefore able to obtain an Alteration of Terrain permit through NHDES as part of the project.”
TFMoran President Robert Duval also commented on the environmental benefits of this project. “Redevelopment of blighted industrial sites makes good sense. Once difficult to permit, now most regulatory agencies and municipalities recognize that good planning and good environmental stewardship means encouraging flexible and creative solutions if redevelopment of existing properties is to be economically feasible.”
Duval continued, “Redevelopment sites can also offer certain economic advantages such as mature utilities and roadway networks needing little or no improvement, remoteness from sensitive natural habitats, and proximity to public transportation and other community services.” Former Chairman of the Planning Board Kevin McCue commended the applicant for their proposed development because this area had been blighted for a number of years.
We are very happy about this location, said a spokesperson for Ashley Furniture, “In less than 10 years, we have become the No. 1 selling furniture brand in the world and the No. 1 retailer of furniture and bedding in the United States. Our stores are located throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and Japan, and we are expanding domestically and abroad every day.”
10
Feb 2016
TFMoran Named 2016 “Best of Business” in Engineering Category
TFMoran, Inc. has been selected for the fourth straight year as “Best Engineering Firm” in New Hampshire Business Review’s BOB Awards reader’s survey, which honors the best of business in New Hampshire in over 90 categories. TFMoran was established in 1968 and is involved in major engineering projects throughout New Hampshire and the northeast.
“We are grateful to the readers of NHBR for this special recognition, now four years in a row,” says Robert Duval, president of TFMoran. “The credit belongs to our staff, who show their commitment to client service every day, ‘going the extra mile’ for our clients. We are proud of the reputation we have earned for first-class engineering, survey, and landscape architectural services.”
TFMoran and the other winners will be honored on Thursday, March 3rd at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. Click here to see the full list of winners and to register for the pirate-themed BOB Awards Party.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit New Horizons for NH.
02
Feb 2016
TFM Projects featured in NHBR Real Estate & Construction News Roundup
On January 27, 2016 New Hampshire Business Review’s weekly electronic newsletter “Real Estate & Construction News Roundup” featured several projects TFMoran is providing engineering services for: The Glen House Hotel, Whole Foods Market and Murphy’s Taproom.
The highlighted project, the Glen House Hotel, TFM Structural Engineers are providing design services for a 67-room hotel to be built in Pinkham Notch. “The hotel would also have a pool and restaurant and half of its rooms would have balconies facing Mt. Washington.”, according to the article. The project architect, BMA Architectural Group of Amherst, NH and owners Mount Washington Summit Road Company, expect construction to begin this spring. This will be the fifth Glen House Hotel since the first opened in 1852. To read the full article click here.
Another article references a survey resulting in the value of homes appreciating faster if in the neighborhood of a Whole Foods Market and/or a Trader Joe’s. Click here for the full article. A new Whole Foods Market is currently under construction in Bedford, NH at the new Goffe Mill Plaza on South River Road (U.S. Route 3). TFMoran provided surveying, civil/site design, permitting, traffic engineering and landscape architecture. The Whole Foods Market expects to open this spring. PROCON is the design/build contractor.
“Murphy’s Taproom gets green light to build on old Weathervane site” is a link to a Union Leader article. TFMoran provided services for survey, civil/site design, permitting, structural and traffic engineering, and landscape architecture for this project recently approved. Construction is expected to begin in the spring. Warrenstreet Architects of Concord, NH is the project architect.
28
Sep 2015
High-Profile FastFacts Friday features TFM’s Keith Weston
High-Profile Monthly’s Anastasia Barnes presents “FastFacts Friday” as an e-newsletter every Friday featuring weekly headlines which are hyper-linked to the full stories on the High-Profile blog.
Click here to see our Keith Weston in High-Profile.
02
Sep 2015
TFMoran featured in NE Real Estate Journal “Industrial Project of the Month”
Click this link for a printed version TFMoran in NEREJ Sept2015
Click this link to go to New England Real Estate website.
DACON AND PROLOGIS COMPLETE 614,000 S/F NORTHEAST LOGISTICS CENTER FOR UPS AND PRATT & WHITNEY
Londonderry, NH – The official dedication and ribbon cutting of the new facility is scheduled in October 2015.
As the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport grew larger and busier in recent years, a large swath of land just off Raymond Wieczorek Dr. to the south sat conspicuously empty. It remained that way until Prologis and Dacon Corp. teamed with a number of key partners, including civil engineering firm TF Moran to start work on a plan to convert the once-fallow 50-acre plot into a thriving center of commerce. The Prologis project, at 52 Pettengill Rd., is now a 614,000 s/f, high-bay distribution center for United Parcel Service, Supply Chain Solutions and jet engine manufacturer Pratt &Whitney. The new facility, which sits just adjacent to the airport, is a welcome addition to the burgeoning travel and shipping center, and one that will benefit both the immediate Londonderry/Manchester area and the greater southern New Hampshire region.
“At full capacity, this project will bring upwards of 400 well-paying jobs to the area,” said Chuck Reilly of Dacon. “When you consider that land was used for agricultural grazing and sat undeveloped, and within a 15 month period, there’s been almost one million s/f of development – including the Federal Express Ground facility developed by Scannell Properties of Indianapolis, Indiana just to the north of us – it’s a huge economic engine for Londonderry and the Manchester airport area.”
Construction on the building – a conventional, high bay steel and precast concrete panel building with approximately 24,000 s/f of office space, 400 parking spaces and room for as many as 100 tractor trailers – started in July of 2014. UPS and Pratt & Whitney are currently in the process of occupying the new facility. The building has 100% backup generation power and is almost 100% automated for pick and pack warehouse operations. The entire project was completed on schedule and on budget. Dacon provided design, engineering, and construction management on a design-build basis with in-house architectural and engineering services.
Completion of the project has allowed Londonderry to see Pettengill Rd. finally completed, connecting Raymond Wieczorek Dr. to Industrial Dr., which had been in town planning for over a decade.
Several key partners were involved in the project, including Denver-based developer Prologis, civil engineers, TFMoran and Continental Paving, who Reilly described as “absolutely key partners.” He also credited the town of Londonderry and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport management with being instrumental in allowing the project to remain on schedule regarding permitting and approvals.
Dacon Corp design builder
PDA design build architect
TFMoran civil/structural/traffic engineering survey – permitting – landscape architecture
Environmental Systems Inc HVAC
Granite State Plumbing & Heating plumbing & HVAC
Hampshire Fire Protection Co fire protection
Interstate Electrical Services electrical
Southern NH Concrete foundation
Fabcon Precast precast wall panels
Expose Signs & Graphics Inc. project signage
Optiline Enterprises LLC metal framing & drywall
Credit: Article originally written by Bill Burke with the NH Business Review.
27
Jul 2015
TFMoran Makes Donation to NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire
TFMoran, Inc. is proud to announce that it has provided NeighborWorks® Southern New Hampshire a $5,000 charitable donation in support of affordable housing services. Dylan Cruess, Chief Operating Officer, and Robert Duval, President, presented the $5,000 check to Robert Tourigny, Executive Director of NeighborWorks® Southern New Hampshire, at TFMoran’s office in Bedford.
TFMoran’s contribution will support the non-profit organization’s efforts to address housing and community development needs in its communities of focus. “TFMoran has been a generous supporter and partner,” stated Robert Tourigny. “They continue to ensure that we have the needed resources to make affordable housing available where needed in our state,” continued Tourigny.
TFMoran, Inc. is a recognized Land Planning firm specializing in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Traffic Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Land Surveying, Landscape Architecture, Environmental Permitting, Stormwater Monitoring, and Construction Support Services.
29
Jun 2015
TFMoran’s 614,000sf project featured in NH Business Review’s “From The Ground Up”
Click the link to view the story as printed in NHBR From The Ground Up June 26-July 9 2015 issue.
FROM THE GROUND UP:
The Prologis project
Dacon Corporation, TFMoran, others team up to create
614,000-square-foot distribution center near Manchester airport
As the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport grew larger and busier in recent years, a large parcel of land just off Raymond Wieczorek Drive, to the south, sat conspicuously empty. It remained that way until Denver-based Prologis, one of the world’s largest industrial developers, teamed up with the local engineering firm of TFMoran and Natick, Massachusetts-based Dacon Corporation to get started on a plan to convert the vacant land into a state-of-the-art distribution center for the aerospace industry.
The Prologis project, at 52 Pettengill Road, is now home to a 614,000-square foot, high-bay distribution center for United Parcel Service Supply Chain Solutions and jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney. The new facility, which sits adjacent to the airport, is a welcome addition that will benefit the immediate Londonderry/Manchester area and the greater southern New Hampshire region.
“At full capacity, this project will bring upwards of 400 well-paying jobs to the area,” said Chuck Reilly, director and vice president of Dacon Corporation. “When you consider that land sat undeveloped for more than 100 years, and within a 15-month period, there’s been almost one million square feet of new development – including the UPS facility and a nearby Federal Express Ground facility, just to the north of us – it’s a huge economic engine for Londonderry and the Manchester airport area.”
Construction on the building – a conventional, high bay steel and precast concrete panel building with approximately 24,000 square feet of office space, 400 parking spaces and room for as many as 100 tractor trailers – started in July of 2014. UPS and Pratt & Whitney are currently in the process of occupying the new facility. The building has 100 percent backup generation power and is almost 100 percent automated for pick and pack warehouse operations. The entire project came in right on schedule and on budget.
“The schedule was a real challenge,” said TFMoran President Robert Duval. “The team needed to get a 14-acre building designed, permitted, and up-and-running in less than a year. We sat down with the team, worked out a strategy, and then everyone just rolled up their sleeves, got to work, and made it happen. Partnering with the local, state and federal approval agencies was a critical part of that success.”
In addition to Prologis, Dacon, and TFMoran, Reilly praised the local construction firm of Continental Paving as “absolutely key partners in this effort.” He also credited the Town of Londonderry, City of Manchester and the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport for their willingness to allow the project to meet its aggressive schedule of permitting and approvals.
Completion of the project has allowed Londonderry to see Pettengill Road get underway, connecting Raymond Wieczorek Drive to Industrial Drive, which has been in planning for over a decade.
Dacon Corporation is a Natick, Mass.- based firm now in its 30th year of operation. It was founded by a group of architects and construction professionals who believed that by combining their skills, they could provide the best building solutions. Dacon, a fully-integrated design and construction management firm, specializes in design-build contracting, providing an efficient approach and saving the client time and money through the course of any given project.
The Pettengill Road facility is just the latest project Dacon Corporation is completing in the southern part of the state. Among the projects Dacon has also constructed in the region are the 388,000-square-foot Delta Education building on Northwest Boulevard in Nashua; the 100,000-squarefoot, three-story Brookstone Inc. worldwide headquarters in Merrimack; and a new 150,000-square-foot chocolate production facility in Stratham for renowned Swiss candy company, Lindt & Sprüngli (USA), Inc., which is nearing completion.
Bedford-based TFMoran is a consulting firm specializing in civil engineering, structural engineering, traffic engineering, transportation engineering, land surveying, landscape architecture, environmental permitting, stormwater monitoring and construction support services since 1968.
23
Jun 2015
TFMoran’s project is NEREJ’s Northern New England’s Project of the Month
To read the printed version of the article, please click on this link TFMoran in NEREJ June 2015
Hooksett, NH A groundbreaking ceremony for a $50 million, 55,000 square-foot expansion was recently held at the existing GE Aviation campus on Industrial Park Drive in Hooksett, New Hampshire. The expansion represents a state-of-the-art facility using the latest technology to manufacture components primarily for military and commercial grade aircraft engines. GE Aviation has long had a significant presence in New Hampshire, employing more than 1,100 across the state with 740 employees at its Hooksett facility alone. These Hooksett employees have manufactured vane sectors, tube assemblies, and blisks for assembly at other GE plants since the 1970s, but with GE’s progression to a new generation of engines, “Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion” or LEAP, the Hooksett facility required updating to continue its long history of successful manufacturing operations.
The groundbreaking was opened by GE Aviation Plant Manager Doug Folsom with Governor Maggie Hassan and several State dignitaries in attendance to mark the magnitude of the occasion. “It was not an easy process,” Folsom said in his address to the crowd “What came together was probably the most creative building expansion that GE has ever done: The state and the surrounding community have been invaluable partners, and I know those partnerships will bring even more success as we expand our facility at Hooksett”. His address also praised the Hooksett facility workforce noting their contributions to GE’s innovation and success. New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan remarked, “This expansion demonstrates GE Aviation’s long-term commitment to Hooksett and the State of New Hampshire, as well as how our state’s high quality of life, highly skilled workforce, low-tax environment and responsive state government make us as attractive a state for business as any in the country. We are grateful for GE Aviation’s commitment to the Granite State and the additional growth this expansion will help inspire across the state.” Additional speakers representing Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Ann McLane Kuster and Rep. Frank Guinta echoed similar sentiments praising the GE Hooksett workforce for their efforts and GE Aviation for their investment in New Hampshire.
Long before the gold plated shovels hit the ground to mark the official groundbreaking ceremony, the project began at ground level with the preparation of a civil/site design package and associated earthwork permit applications. This effort was led by GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. as the overall Project Manager for GE Aviation, who retained TFMoran to prepare the civil/site plan and permit package. As to be expected with the expansion of any existing structure, numerous design challenges faced the design team, but working diligently with Hooksett officials, State officials and local utility providers, the pertinent design issues were identified in advance and a unified approach was employed to solve each critical component. One such issue was the siting of the building expansion over a portion of Industrial Park Drive, a Town-owned road subject to a New Hampshire Department of Transportation curb cut on NH Route 3 (Hooksett Road).
According to Nick Golon, Senior Project Manager for TFMoran, “Such an undertaking took a coordinated site development effort, including formal discontinuance of the road with the Hooksett Board of Selectman – and that was just the tip of the iceberg; the remaining portion of the road had to be redesigned to account for local traffic, and utilities – including water, sewer, gas and electric – and Industrial Park Drive required relocation to accommodate the building expansion. And determination of underlying rights of ownership of land and easements including conveyances of various rights of ownership and passage were also integral to the siting of the building.”
“As stated in Plant Manager Doug Folsom’s opening address at the groundbreaking”, Golon continued, “this was not by any means an easy process, but in the end, the design team imagined something outside the box, and that something provided the best possible product for GE.”
The civil/site design and permitting is now complete and the design package has been turned over to the design-build team of Pure Development, consisting of Brasfield & Gorrie of Birmingham, Alabama as General Contractor with CSO Architects, who have assembled their team to prepare the building design and oversee construction. The project is expected to be complete in early 2016.