News

SMBH is in the news! Following are our most recent news items:

• SAO Protocol Features SMBH Project
  We are pleased to announce that the front and back cover of the Ohio State Architect’s Office (SAO) new Building Information Modeling Protocol features our project, The Ohio State University South High Rise Additions. In addition, the document also features renderings of our other projects including the new Franklin County Courthouse, Bowling Green State University South Central Residence Hall, OSU South Campus Central Chiller Plant, and Battelle Darby Creek Nature Center.
  
• AISC Tour Highlights OSU South High Rise Project
  On July 15, Stephen Metz, along with other members of the design and construction team, presented the structural steel staggered truss framing system which is being utilized at the Ohio State University's South High-Rise residence halls. Architects, engineers, contractors, and other construction professionals were invited to attend a free breakfast seminar and site tour co-sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers and the Ironworker Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust (I.M.P.A.C.T.). This project features two 11-story structural steel frame additions, one of which is currently under construction. The two building additions will connect two existing residence halls thereby creating two buildings from four. For more information, visit www.aisc.org/OSU.
• Scioto Mile Opens To The Public
  With much fanfare, the City of Columbus officially opened the Scioto Mile on July 7. Construction on this three-year project began in June 2008 and officially opened earlier this month. Phase I of construction included the conversion of Civic Center Drive to a two-way street with an additional parking lane and Phase II, which includes the construction of the Promenade and the transformation of Bicentennial Park, began in May 2009. SMBH is proud to be part of this spectacular riverfront park. Click here to read more about this unique project.
• SMBH Receives Excellence In Engineering Award
  On June 23 at the 2011 ACEC Ohio Annual Meeting and Awards luncheon, our project, The Ohio State University Thompson Memorial Library was selected to receive an Outstanding Achievement Award. The Engineering Excellence Awards Competition is an annual program that brings recognition to Ohio's engineering industry by spotlighting engineering projects that demonstrate a high degree of uniqueness, ingenuity and value. Read more about this project.
• We are pleased to announce that Lisa Connelly and her husband Pat welcomed a new addition to their family! Logan Gregory Connelly was born on April 15 weighing 7 lbs. 3 oz. Congratulations Lisa and Pat!
• It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of former owner, James Nebraska. Jim passed away at the age of 71 on April 25. After joining Lantz and Jones, Inc. as an owner in 1974, a year later, in 1975, the name of the company was changed to Lantz Jones & Nebraska, Inc. Jim retired in March of 2003. The firm name was changed again in 2005 to Shelley Metz Baumann Hawk, Inc. During his 40 year career, Jim worked on a number of notable projects including Beckley Federal Correctional Institution, West Virginia; Huntington Veteran’s Administration Medical Center, Huntington, West Virginia; The Crosswoods Development, Columbus; Westbelt Industrial Park, Columbus; numerous projects for Genesis Healthcare System, Zanesville and many K-12 schools around Ohio and West Virginia. Jim is survived by his wife, Rae, three children and many grandchildren. He will be missed - especially on the golf course.
• The American Institute of Architects has recently announced that the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library was one of five 2011 recipients of the AIA/ALA Library Building Awards. To receive this distinction, projects must exhibit design achievement that demonstrates exemplary skill and creativity in the resolution and integration of formal, functional, and technical requirements, including ecological stewardship. Read more about this award winning project! The entire staff at SMBH, Inc. wish to congratulate Gund Partnership, Acock Associates Architects and the entire project team on this award!
• One of SMBH's projects is currently featured on the Autodesk website. The model shown in the "Construction Modeling" tab is our model of the Grange Insurance Audubon Center, a sustainably designed 18,000-square-foot urban ecology learning center in the Scioto Audubon Metro Park in Columbus, Ohio. SMBH used Autodesk® Revit® Structure software to develop a facility that fulfilled the client's aesthetic goals, while successfully meeting all budgetary and programmatic requirements. To provide an integrated design, the architect used Autodesk Revit Architecture and the MEP engineer used Autodesk Revit MEP software.
• On May 5, Jon Beier will be speaking at the Structural Engineers Association of Ohio (SEAoO) chapter meeting in Columbus, Ohio. His presentation on the new Hocking College Residence Halls will review the challenging site and soil conditions and innovative solutions that were implemented. To read more about this unique project, click here.
• We are pleased to announce that our project, the Hocking College Energy Institute, was recently awarded LEED® Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This project is the first LEED Platinum educational building in the state of Ohio. The project received a total of 56 out of 69 points encompassing each category of LEED NC 2.2 and earned more points than any other project in the State of Ohio under the LEED NC rating system!
• On February 14, Stephen Metz and Jerry Marselle were featured presenters at the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) — Columbus chapter meeting. They presented our AIA CES program — "Bringing Revit Into Your Life" — which qualifies attendees for 1 AIA learning unit and 1 CSI CEU. For more information about this presentation and our other AIA CES presentation "Design Loads: What Are They and Where Do They Go," contact Stephen Metz at smetz@smbhinc.com.
• An article on our project, the New Franklin County Common Pleas Courthouse, was recently featured online in World Interior Design Network. Click here to read the article on one of the most sustainable courthouses in the country.
• We are pleased to announce that Anna Milligan, her husband Chuck and their daughter Charlie welcomed a new addition to their family! Calliope (Calli) Jean Milligan was born on November 8 weighing 7 lbs. 13 oz. Congratulations Milligan family!
• On February 8, Lisa Connelly participated in a "TweetChat", a pre-arranged chat on Twitter through the use of Twitter updates (called tweets) in a virtual conversation. The program — arranged by the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) — included the topics AEC Perspective: Social Media and Get Organized: Marketing Information. We were excited to be involved as this was the first ever TweetChat for SMPS Columbus.
• An article on our project, the William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library, is currently featured in this month's Architectural Record magazine. To read the entire article online and few photos and drawings of this unique project, click here.
• SMBH was invited to present our AIA registered program, "Bringing Revit Into Your Life" to Columbus City Schools (CCS) on December 21. The presentation was designed to help CCS determine how they can use this technology in the future.
• Stephen Metz was among a select group of architects and engineers who were invited to the State Architect's Office (SAO) to discuss the proposed BIM protocol with the State Architect and members of his staff.
• In December, the television news program, 60 Minutes, conducted an interview with Federal Reserve Chairman, Ben Bernanke, in the William Oxley Thompson Library on the campus of The Ohio State University. SMBH was the structural engineer for the $64 million main library project which was completed in 2009. Click here to watch the clip of the program.
• Bill Lantz and Eric Messerly will be conducting their annual presentation "The Structural Secrets of Knowlton Hall" to Ohio State's architectural class on February 22. To view last year's taped presentation, click here.
• Bill Lantz has been asked to speak at the 2011 North American Steel Construction Conference (NASCC) in May. His presentation "Practical Applications of Steel Plate Shear Walls" will focus on the realities of using this technique on a built project. For more information about the conference, click here.
• The enthusiastic and adventurous employees of SMBH never let a good snowfall go to waste. From time to time, we grab our snow pants and make-shift computer box sleds and head out to the hills for some sledding fun. Talk about teamwork!
• In support of our Wellness Program, SMBH holds an annual friendly weight loss competition known as "The KL/r Campaign." For non-engineers, KL/r is known as the "slenderness ratio". The initial weigh-in was held before Thanksgiving and the final weigh-in took place after New Year's Day. Congratulations to Dan Yard for winning the grand prize with a weight loss of 3.39%! Dave Hawkins came in a close second with 3.35%. Of the 21 total participants this year, 16 lost or maintained their weight during the holidays. Great job team!