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Newsletters
| Message from the Firm – Spring Signals New Growth As spring comes to the Midwest, we are seeing signs of new growth. The same can be said for our economy. Although many sectors are still experiencing tough times, there is cause for optimism. There are finally signs of life with new projects getting underway, and maybe even more important is a new approach to the marketplace. |
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At SMBH, we embraced the troubling times of late as an opportunity to refine our services and our approach to doing business. An economic recession forces our industry to evaluate our processes, products, services and approach to the market. Many will come out of this recession stronger than ever because of the diligence they have paid to evaluating these factors during these tough times. In our case, we have been cognizant of the fact that when times get better, our clients will likely be very different than they were during the busy times of years past. We recognize that the way you staff projects, approach design and the products and technologies you use have likely changed. Our goal is simple – to be more responsive, to better integrate innovation into our services and to fulfill our commitment to our valued client relationships. Simply, we recognize that as spring begins and the economy improves, we can’t simply do business like we used to. SMBH is committed to servicing your firm in today’s new era, whether that be through integrated project delivery, the use of BIM, integration of new sustainable products, or simply as your partner in better servicing your customers. Let us know how we can help you as you begin this new time. Happy Spring! Sincerely, Shelley Metz Baumann Hawk, Inc. | |||
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Honoring 30 Years of Dedication: Ken Siegfried 
Let’s take a quick trip back to the early 80’s. Just to give you a sense of what the 80’s were like or for most of you, remind you what they were like – fads such as Swatch watches, Ray Ban sunglasses, and pegged pants were in full swing; compact discs were introduced to the public, Sally Ride was the first woman who went into space, and the Berlin Wall came down. We have come a long way since the 80’s and so has the world of architecture and structural engineering. On March 24th, we celebrated Ken Siegfried’s 30-year anniversary with SMBH. After graduating from The Ohio State University in 1980, Ken joined our team as a project engineer. To get a glimpse of how the design world has evolved over the years, we asked Ken a few questions. Take a trip down memory lane and see if you can relate.What are some of the major differences between how engineers design now compared to the 80’s? I would have to say that the technological advancements over the last 30 years have really changed how we design. I started at SMBH in March 1980. At that time we used to draw on the board and entire buildings were designed with a calculator and a few standard tables. This evolved to the purchase of one computer terminal for the entire office to do the really difficult analysis. Obviously today, no one can communicate without a computer. What is one of the major differences you have noticed in technology over the years? One thing I have been fascinated with is the increased use of electronic systems in the auto industry. There was a time when I could diagnose and fix my car myself. Now I may know what's wrong but it has become increasingly difficult to fix. Even my motorcycle now has an on-board computer system. Were there any popular designs having to do with architecture or engineering in the 80’s? In the 1980’s, strip windows were very popular - I do not know how many office buildings I designed that included strip windows. Check out the buildings just north of I-270 on Route 23 for some examples. In the 30 years you have worked at SMBH, what is one or two of your most memorable moments? The best moments of the last thirty years were my marriage and my daughter’s birth.  William Oxley Thompson Library Renovation and Addition The Ohio State University  Early in the design process, a seismic analysis of the additions was conducted and it showed a deficiency in the 1950s addition that resulted in the need for seismic retrofit. Further, major bearing walls in the original building were removed while maintaining some of the existing framing that was supported by these walls, resulting in the need for new framing that could support the existing framing. Built over an existing utility tunnel that had to remain in place, some of the existing foundations were reused to avoid damaging the tunnel. To achieve the architect’s vision for the project, SMBH had to develop several creative engineering strategies. For example, large portions of bearing walls were removed in the original building to allow for a four-story atrium, which required creative framing solutions to maintain the existing floors and roof while the supporting walls are removed. Steel plate shear walls were used in the stacks tower so that the book stack capacity was not reduced by the presence of new bracing. Understanding the existing structure was crucial to the success of this project. One of the project’s goals was to take a building that felt dark and enclosed and make it feel open and bring in daylight. This resulted in numerous requests to SMBH to see if portions of the existing structure could be removed or modified. This 300,000 square-foot project was completed in 2009 with a total project value of $105 million. “Acock Associates Architects has been a long-time partner with SMBH, Inc. on numerous projects – most recently the prestigious William Oxley Thompson Memorial Library on the campus of The Ohio State University. The team at SMBH provides outstanding performance and support, including creative solutions during the entire design and construction process. SMBH was able to respond promptly to unusual conditions uncovered during construction of the library and assisted us in completing this unique project on time and on budget – an incredible accomplishment for a $75-million renovation and addition project like this! We look forward to the opportunity to work together on the next project.” Dave Lee | Within These Walls  Congratulations to Scott Hawk as he celebrated his 20-year anniversary at SMBH on April 2nd. We are pleased to announce Bernie Kooi has joined SMBH as a project engineer, and Misty Eveland and Eric Schmidt have joined as CAD Specialists. Derek Ehlers has also joined us as an engineering intern. He is currently a student at The Ohio State University. Welcome! SMBH was recently featured in the January issue of The Construction Specifier. The article, “Concrete Knowledge: Transforming the Ohio State University Library,” detailed the structural upgrade of the main library on the campus of The Ohio State University. Click here to read the entire article. AIA Columbus recognized eight firms in its 2009 Design Awards Program. These firms successfully met specific, individual project goals and requirements. One of our projects, CCAD Design Square Apartments, received an Honor Award and three of our projects received a Merit Award; OSU Thompson Library, Grange Insurance Headquarters Expansion, and Pistacia Vera. Click here to read the entire article. Eric Messerly will speak at the 2010 PTI Technical Conference, May 2–4 in Fort Worth, Texas. The topic, “Building Better Outcomes with Post-Tensioned Concrete” features Ohio State University’s Knowlton Hall, a new home for the school of architecture. Knowlton Hall has won seven awards to date and three of those are structural awards. Jon Beier will present in a very unique fashion at the AISC 2010 NASCC Steel Conference, May 12–15 in Orlando, Florida. Pecha Kucha is a presentation format that began in Tokyo and the idea is simple: 20 images x 20 seconds. Each presenter is allowed 20 slides, shown for 20 seconds each. Bill Shelley helped develop the seminar “Understanding Special Inspections” that will be held May 12th from 9:00am-Noon. As a member of the Vertical Construction Committee for ACEC Ohio, Bill worked with the staff of the Ohio Board of Building Standards to create this session that is intended to take the mystery out of special inspections. The seminar will be held at the board’s headquarters on the east side of Columbus. For more information or to sign up, click here. Stephen Metz was a speaker at the winter 2010 meeting for Concrete Futures on March 25th in Columbus. Concrete Futures is a group of upcoming concrete professionals who are 40 years old or younger. Stephen presented The Ohio State Library Renovation and Expansion project. The Scioto Mile project is in full swing and was the focus of ASCE’s October Luncheon. Jon Beier delivered a presentation at the luncheon in partnership with Messer Construction. Visit the project site to experience all the exciting development, which runs from the Arena District on the north end of Downtown Columbus to Whittier Peninsula on the south end or simply go to www.sciotomile.com to sign up for updates. SMBH was featured in the February 2010 issue of Structural Engineer magazine. The article “Unique Structural Engineering Approach Ensures Timely Completion of Dorm” focused on solving challenges of foundations and exterior cladding. Click here to read the article. SMBH continues to offer the program, “Design Loads: What Are They and Where Do They Go”. This presentation is certified by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Continuing Education Systems (CES) Registered Provider Program and qualifies for one Learning Unit (LU). For more information on this presentation or if you are interested in SMBH presenting this program in your office, contact Stephen Metz at smetz@smbhinc.com. | ||
| Project Listing | |||
| SMBH is currently involved in the following projects. Visit www.smbhinc.com for more information and project updates. | |||
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| ABOUT SHELLEY METZ BAUMANN HAWK Shelley Metz Baumann Hawk is a full-service structural engineering firm located in Columbus, Ohio. Formerly Lantz, Jones & Nebraska, Inc., they have served the architectural and construction communities in Ohio and its surrounding states since 1972. With a broad range of experience, the firm has worked with all building types including educational, commercial, healthcare, institutional, recreational, public projects and residential. For more information call 614-481-9800 or visit www.smbhinc.com. | |||
