Category: Community

FWA Assists with STEM in Scouting 2021

Posted by Frederick Ward Associates on October 28, 2021

Vincent Nohe, Prof. LS of FWA teamed up with David Moyle, Prof. LS from Wallace, Montgomery & Associates, James Brannon from Charles P. Johnson Associates, and former FWA employees Andy Whaley, PE, President at Essayons Engineering Services, and Evan Kelly, Prof. LS, Principal at Rock Run Surveying at the Baltimore Area Council of Boy Scouts Harford District Annual STEM in Scouting event held this October at the Harford County Equestrian Center in Bel Air. The event was conducted to teach the Boy Scout Surveying Merit Badge certification to twelve scouts eager to learn about the surveying profession.

The Legend at Beards Hill

Frederick Ward Associates provided full design services for a new multi-story, multi-family apartment complex that will include approximately 237 units. The complex will feature three buildings comprised of three and four-story one, two, and three bedroom units and a community center. The total square footage of the project is expected to be 313,112 SF, with Building A at 128,248 SF, Building B at 88,364 SF, Building C at 90,000 SF, and the community center at 6,500 SF. A separate set of stand-alone permit and construction documents will be prepared for each building to allow for phased construction.

FWA collaborated with ownership and the pool designer to create 3D renderings, provide a hardscape plan for the pool and deck area, grilling stations, and poolside lounge. Design services were also provided for the women’s and men’s locker/shower rooms, fitness area, clubroom, and storage areas.

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Homes at Fountain Green

Homes for America, a non-profit housing developer, hired FWA to provide the civil/site design for the new Homes at Fountain Green, an affordable housing, multi-family apartment complex located in Forest Hill, Maryland. The 72-unit complex offers garden apartments spanning across three buildings.

Resident amenities include a dog park, community building and perimeter-walking trail. Frederick Ward Associates provided the civil engineering, land surveying, and oversaw the structural engineering for this project. The full scope included development and concept plan of the initial site, topographic and ALTA surveys, soil-boring plans for geotechnical analysis, landscaping/recreation plans, public water/sewer plans, ESC plans, plat recording, updated forest conservation verification and forest stand delineation, and stormwater management. Construction administration services were also provided.

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World Landscape Architecture Month: Ma and Pa Heritage Trail

Posted by Frederick Ward Associates on April 27, 2021

Continuing World Landscape Architecture Month, the Ma and Pa Heritage Trail is a point of cultural reference in Harford County. In the early-mid 1900s, the MA & PA Railroad ran from Baltimore to York, PA, traveling 23 miles through the county. The railroad has since been converted into a trail as part of “Rails to Trails”, an initiative to create and connect scenic walking trails from the old railroad beds. FWA provided civil engineering design, planning, landscape architecture, and surveying services for the project. Sights of the original railroad still remain, see if you can spot any the next time you’re out on the trail!

Habitat for Humanity – Havre de Grace

FWA worked with Habitat for Humanity Susquehanna to provide full service design to create a series of six duplexes and one single-family detached home for families in Harford County, MD. The project was broken into three phases, consisting of an initial feasibility study with preliminary design, submitting plans and documents to the planning commission and board of appeals, and final construction and permitting.

Phase I required researching the zoning regulations and communicating with the City of Havre de Grace on development rights, prior approvals, access to the public water and sewer system, and locating the nearest outfall for stormwater runoff. Field survey data was used in conjunction with GIS records to prepare a conceptual site and subdivision plan and conceptual stormwater management analysis. Design of the duplexes started in this phase, and 3D models of each of the duplexes were provided. The design of the duplexes embodies their location in the historic district of Havre de Grace based on discussions and requirements of the Maryland Historic Trust.

Phase II included topographic and boundary surveys of the site, preparation of the preliminary site and subdivision plan, concept stormwater management, an erosion and sediment control plan and report, Board of Appeals (BOA) applications, and supplemental exhibits for review and approval by both the BOA and the Maryland Historic Trust.

Phase III consisted of refining the final site plans for review and approval through the City of Havre de Grace and the creation of construction and permit documents.

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place in April 2021 at two of the completed duplexes and was attended by Habitat for Humanity volunteers, designers, contractors, and the new owners of the home.

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Having the tools necessary for completing daily academic tasks are essential for a successful school year.

Back to School: Tips for Aspiring A/E/C Professionals

Posted by Frederick Ward Associates on October 7, 2020

It’s that time of year where the leaves are falling, college campuses are buzzing (mostly online), and students are preparing for their first exams of the year. Whether you’re in the classroom, learning virtually, or a recent graduate preparing for a designation exam, it is imperative to establish habits that allow for success at all stages of the education experience and ultimately a career in the A/E/C industry.

Heading Back to Class – What Now?

As most college campuses shift to online learning in the wake of the global pandemic, many students who are used to being in the classroom are now facing a learning curve with virtual learning. Having the tools necessary for completing daily academic tasks are essential for a successful school year. Tools in your academic arsenal should include:

Comfortable workspace
Calculator
Highlighters and pens
Reliable computer and internet connection
Day planner or calendar
A well-stocked bookmarks bar on your search engine with relevant sources for studying

Effective Communication is Key

FWA employees who are recent college graduates and FWA interns still in school agree that communication is one of the most important components of success in both the academic and professional arenas. Learning to communicate effectively with professors, peers, and colleagues, as well as how to analyze an audience for presentations and group projects helps to build a strong foundation for project management and future project interviews.

The emergence of COVID-19 and subsequent lack of in-person communication opportunities have caused many to adjust their communication styles and very quickly embrace new technology. This is true for not only design professionals collaborating on projects, but also for college professors and students having to improve time management skills with the increased need for self-imposed deadlines. Issues with technology are unavoidable, therefore communicating effectively with those who can help, whether it is fellow students, professors, or colleagues, eases the transition to the virtual world.

What about Test Taking?

Test taking within the A/E/C industry requires practice, focus, and a solid command of the subject matter that will be presented on the exam. Preparing for college exams, Fundamentals of Engineering (FE), Principals of Engineering (PE), Architect Registration Examination (ARE), Fundamentals of Surveying (FS), Principles and Practices of Surveying (PS), and the four-part Landscape Architect Registration Examination (LARE) should not be aimless and without proper guidance and discipline. Learning effective time management, establishing a routine that works for your schedule, and becoming familiar with the study materials are all methods used by current and aspiring FWA professionals.

Routine, Routine, Routine

This may seem like a given, but establishing a realistic routine can facilitate ultimate exam success. FWA professionals recommend planning out a study schedule in advance, allotting for review sessions, and getting into a routine based on the time of day that you tend to work the most effectively. By falling into this schedule, studying will not seem like an extra chore, rather an essential part of the day.

Familiarity with Materials

It’s rare to walk past the desk of an A/E/C professional and not see them working out numbers on a calculator. Becoming familiar with and routinely practicing with the necessary materials that will be used during the exam is imperative. Becoming efficient using the reference manuals on the computer, using shortcuts such as CTRL-F to search, and using solve functions on the calculator to save time with statistics and calculus questions will allow for effective time management during the actual test. When in doubt, YouTube it out! Utilizing online resources and observing how others work out equations can help devise a system that works best for you and your learning style.

Work Hard, Play Hard, Avoid Burnout

Learning to effectively work and study within the confines of COVID-19 can be challenging but implementing the aforementioned tips can help, as can setting and celebrating short-term goals along the way. It is important to work and study hard but equally as important to take breaks along the way that allow for relaxation and time to reflect on the progress that has been made.

“Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” – John Quincy Adams

Blog Contributors: Veronika Vall, EIT | FWA Project Engineer; Seth Orsini, EIT | FWA Project Engineer; Scott Forsythe | FWA Project Engineer; Allison Rogers | FWA Architectural Intern

Solanco High School Activities Building

FWA provided design and construction administration services for the renovation of Solanco High School’s sports activities building, which was damaged by a windstorm in March of 2018. The building includes weight training, wresting rooms, the football locker rooms, and shower and toilet rooms for both men and women. FWA provided architectural, civil engineering, and surveying services for the project.

The building’s upper level design is to accommodate the high school varsity and junior varsity wrestling program. The space is a 4,424 square foot room, with wrestling mats on all floors and walls to 8” high. A wrestling locker room and staff offices are provided. A girl’s locker room facility was also included on the upper level to support the girls’ sports programs, associated with the tennis courts and athletic field, both adjacent to the building. The lower level’s design includes the varsity and junior varsity football program’s showers, locker room, toilet room, coaches’ conference room/team room, and offices. The lower level also has a trainer’s room to be used for the various athletic events that occur on the High School’s campus. The building was designed to meet the ADA guidelines on both the upper and lower levels.

Services provided by FWA included existing conditions survey, programming, schematic design, bid document preparation, permitting, cost estimates, and construction administration.

Miracle League Adaptive Baseball Field

Play Ball! FWA provided full service engineering design, surveying, architectural design, and landscape architecture services for the Miracle League adaptive baseball field located at Schucks Regional Park in Harford County.

The Miracle League of Harford County’s mission is to allow children and adults with disabilities the chance to play baseball on the specially designed rubberized fields.

Our engineering scope of services included the design of the field’s location, site layout, grading and site improvements to support the field, stormwater management and water quality facilities, sediment and erosion control, and on-site storm drainage systems.

FWA’s surveying team provided a topographic survey and construction stakeout services of the area for the field placement, the respective stormwater management facilities, and ADA parking area and accessible pathway. Architectural services were provided for the dugouts and FWA’s landscape architecture team prepared the landscape plans.

For more information on this project and its positive impact on the community, please visit https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/harford/aegis/sports/cng-ag-sp-miracle-league-field-update-0708-20200708-v6r4ysf2x5cbxh4uaqmv2nud74-story.html?fbclid=IwAR3384I5hzAK2Oi2rMGRYS-BibkBWOS-cg093eayEFMIDG69e88kKRrU_sE

Photos provided by Mid-Atlantic Photographic, LLC.

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Emily Bayless Graham Park

Frederick Ward Associates provided entitlement documents for a walking trail on the Emily Bayless Graham property, which was deeded to Harford County. The proposed amenities included a new access roadway, parking lot, pavilion area, restroom facilities, two miles of walking trail, groundkeeper’s mobile home, and an approved concept stormwater management design and report.

After receiving the final site plan approval, we prepared final construction documents of which the main scope of services included a topographic survey, geotechnical investigation, final stormwater management design, erosion and sediment control design, and design services for the driveway, parking lot, and a trail.

Within the 1.5-mile trail is a 0.5-mile loop that makes up the Emily Bayless Graham Park Nature Based Sensory Trail. Designed to evoke the senses, this loop provides stimulation for adults and children of all abilities.

In addition, FWA provided services for project specification, cost estimating, permitting, and bidding phase services.

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ABC Greater Baltimore Construction Education Academy

FWA designed the Baltimore Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractor’s new headquarters, as well as the space for their Construction Education Academy.

One-sixth of the 28,000 SF is allotted for ABC’s corporate offices, while the remaining space contains classrooms and training labs for various construction trades, as well as conference rooms and gathering areas.

This adaptive reuse project is a tenant fit-out of the A. Hoen & Co. building, a former lithographic plant and Maryland Historical Trust-recognized historic building. The building had been vacant since 1981 and the design integrated the historic elements of the building such as the masonry, the large warehouse style windows, industrial barn doors, and original lithograph blocks.

The project was completed in September 2020.

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