{"id":3655,"date":"2019-12-04T18:22:33","date_gmt":"2019-12-04T18:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?p=3655"},"modified":"2020-09-30T21:22:02","modified_gmt":"2020-09-30T21:22:02","slug":"design-for-americas-landmarks-must-support-publics-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/design-for-americas-landmarks-must-support-publics-needs\/","title":{"rendered":"Design for America\u2019s landmarks must support public\u2019s needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Steve Rhoades<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Design projects connected to America\u2019s landmarks and public lands require engineering consultants to provide long-term solutions supporting public interaction. Being able to do this requires forward thinking and a thorough understanding of federal agencies and their daily needs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Each agency within the Department of the Interior \u2013 such as the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, and U.S. Geological Survey \u2013 has a unique focus for its specific mission and requires adaptive thinking, flexibility, and situation response from its project design teams. The projects are often complex and necessitate navigating numerous and sometimes competing goals and requirements.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A great example is the recent broad-reaching Gateway Arch National Park reconstruction and affiliated projects in St. Louis, where flexibility was key. The major effort was overseen by\u00a0CityArchRiver\u00a0\u2013 now known as the Gateway Arch Park Foundation \u2013 whose mission was to support and coordinate a project to connect, invigorate, and expand the Arch grounds. The Foundation is a conservancy that continues today, collaborating with partners to operate and maintain the improvements made through the\u00a0<\/span>project<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The largest part of the $380 million effort envisioned by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates was the $108 million National Park Service expansion and renovation of the subterranean Museum of Westward Expansion led by architecture firm Cooper Robertson. Other redevelopment projects included significant roadway improvements, 90-acre site improvements, Kiener Plaza, Luther Ely Smith Square, and modernization of the Old Courthouse. The National Park Service portions of the overall project are some of the largest capital spending by the agency in recent history.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

IMEG provided engineering design for six of the\u00a0CityArchRiver\u00a0projects, including mechanical, electrical, and telecommunications design for the museum renovation and expansion. IMEG and its fellow project team members collaborated to navigate a myriad of challenges and requirements on the project, including:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n