BL Companies completed an energy-efficiency study for five Coventry Schools and Town Hall. Each building’s heating, cooling, ventilation, and control systems were evaluated for remaining life and energy efficiency. A life-cycle cost analysis was performed for each option, comparing first cost, energy saving, and associated maintenance cost of each recommendation.
Our services included mechanical design of new above ground tanks and level controls, preparation of specifications for the removal of the existing USTs, as well as environmental closeout of existing tanks with Connecticut DEEP. Natural gas conversions for existing oil fired appliances and energy efficient boiler replacements. Code improvements related to fire separations where the High School, Education Complex, and Middle School are connected. Hazardous building material identification, remediation specifications, oversight, and project closeout documentation.
BL Companies assisted the Town of Coventry with the DAS Grant Application to successfully obtain funding for this project. This included completion of project costs, state forms, project summaries, assisting town officials with grant requirements, and attendance of meetings with DAS officials. The Coventry High School asbestos abatement grant was approved for emergency funding outside of the traditional in-session timeline. The abatement was completed in June 2020.
BL Companies provided comprehensive A/E services for a new 550,000 square foot distribution hub in Middletown, CT. The project is located on the former Aetna property, with an elevation drop of approximately 100 feet, wetlands, and challenging geotechnical conditions. The project received entitlement approvals within 8 months of submittal, including variances, ordnance waivers and easements required for the project. The project opened in April, 2018.
BL provided comprehensive A/E services including architecture, environmental, structural, MEP, and civil engineering for a new 1.2 million square foot distribution hub in Allen Township, Pennsylvania; the first of a new prototype design. The entitlement process required approvals from Allen Township, Northampton County Planning Commission, Northampton County Conservation District, and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. Working with the land use attorney hired by FedEx Ground to secure zoning variances, ordinance waivers, a developer’s agreement, and easements required for the project, the process was completed in a mere nine months. Currently entering the construction phase, BL Companies managed the construction administration and site observation process.
BL Companies provided civil engineering, survey, environmental services, and Landscape Architecture for the development of an approximately 291,000 SF logistics facility on an approximately 21 acre parcel for the Rockefeller Group. Scope of work included due diligence investigation, design and entitlement through Allen Township, Lehigh/Northampton County, PADEP, and PennDOT. Additionally, significant roadway and utility coordination occurred with the concurrent construction of the 1.8MM SF FedEx Ground Allentown Facility on the adjacent parcel.
BL Companies performed remedial investigation and action activities at this former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) facility located in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania. The site had been previously closed under Pennsylvania Act 2 using a combination of statewide health and site-specific standards. Impacts remaining at the site following the prior activities were assessed and interim remedial action was performed to address soils impacted by non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL).
– Performed a desktop evaluation of prior reporting to assess data gaps and the potential for sources areas and associated impacts to remain on the site following the prior remedial actions.
– Performed a pre-design evaluation involving direct-push soil borings to assess current subsurface conditions, which identified NAPL-impacted soils proximal to and in the downgradient flow direction of the below grade gas holder foundation that was left on the site. Also performed qualitative hydrogeologic evaluation to assess groundwater management needs for future remedial action activities.
– Performed field oversight for the interim remedial action that included removing the below grade gas holder foundation and several other remaining MGP subsurface structures. Field oversight included performing perimeter air monitoring; coordinating excavation, demolition, and restoration activities; documenting field activities; and verifying adherence with bid specifications. A total of approximately 4,800 tons of impacted soil and 48,000 gallons of impacted groundwater were properly transported and disposed at approved offsite facilities.
BL Companies is currently under contract with the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) to provide Task-Based Environmental Compliance Services (Soil and Groundwater) for a minimum 3-year period. On-call environmental services are provided during the planning, permitting and execution of transportation improvement projects, including, but not limited to, design and construction of existing roadway improvements, design and construction of new roadways, bridge rehabilitation and rail corridor improvements. In addition, we apply our knowledge of regulatory compliance at existing CTDOT facilities and infrastructure with ongoing environmental obligations.
BL Companies currently provides the following design, construction, and compliance-related environmental services under the Task-Based Environmental Compliance contract: Corridor Studies (Task 110), Preliminary Site Evaluation and Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (Task120), Phase II and III Subsurface Site Investigations (Tasks 210 and 220), Water Quality Monitoring (Task 240 and 241), Soil and Ground Water Remediation System monitoring and maintenance (Task 242), preparation of Environmental Plans and Specifications (Task 310), management and inspection of construction-related controlled materials and remediation projects (Tasks 610/611 and 620/621), and regulatory compliance (Task 910).
Current ongoing task-based projects include: two Amtrak improvement sites, six Metro-North Railroad Substations, three CTDOT facility construction sites, seven bridge construction and roadway improvement sites, and eight CTDOT facility groundwater quality evaluation sites.
We utilize our significant knowledge and understanding of State and Federal regulations and programs, including, but not limited to the Connecticut Remediation Standard Regulations, the Connecticut Transfer Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act, to successfully address environmental compliance obligations at CTDOT projects and facilities.
BL Companies was the lead A/E firm for the design of the Whole Foods store, at the corner of 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue, in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, New York. The site is bounded in the rear by the Gowanus Canal; tidal wetlands protected by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and was home to an abandoned auto repair shop, former petroleum bulk storage tanks, and masonry yard when Whole Foods purchased it in 2003. The scope of work included Environmental Engineering, Survey, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering and MEP Engineering. The project is an excellent example of the unique application of engineering principles to produce the greenest of possible designs. The store has received LEED Platinum status.
After extensive environmental site remediation removed thousands of cubic yards of contaminated earth, the project now features a 58,000 SF store, 20,000 SF hydroponic greenhouse and solar parking canopies that produce electricity in turn reducing the dependency on the electric grid. The permeable paver parking lot allows for infiltration keeping storm water out of the city sewage treatment plant and the grey/storm water reuse system reduces potable water intake. The softened rip-rap shoreline design provides habitat for aquatic and semi-aquatic species and the landscape architecture of the canal promenade beautifully promotes public access to the water. The entire Whole Foods site is framed by a promenade which features a meandering walkway and benches along the Gowanus Canal.
BL Companies provided comprehensive services for the conversion of a 195,000 SF building formerly used as offices and production space for a newspaper, to a mixed use facility anchored by a large furniture store. The facility also includes restaurants, retail and entertainment components. BL Companies was involved from site selection, through due diligence and environmental investigation, to entitlement permitting. The project entered the design and construction document phase followed by construction administration services. By working closely with City of New Haven officials, numerous variances were obtained in order to enable the project.
This project received recognition in 2016 from both CREW CT – The Real Estate Exchange and The Connecticut Building Congress with Best in Class and Merit Awards.
Storrs Center is a mixed-use village at the crossroads of picturesque Mansfield, CT and the University of Connecticut campus. Based on LEED guidelines this 45-acre “green” project includes 1,000,000 SF of new building construction and creates an inviting Main Street experience featuring a mix of restaurants, cafés, retail shops, a town green, office space, housing and open space. The goal is to create a vibrant walkable and sustainable gathering place for residents, the university community and neighbors from the surrounding region. BL Companies’ work in the Master Plan development and as the Architect and Engineer of Record included the preparation of municipal development plan documents, building design, local, state and federal permitting, plaza and park design, underground storm water management design, traffic analysis, roadway and streetscape improvement design. A State Traffic Commission (STC) application as a major traffic generator was obtained.
BL Companies’ latest high definition 3D laser scanning technology provides a fast and accurate method of acquiring physical measurements of existing infrastructure with a higher level of detail than traditional survey methods. The data we capture can be used for a wide variety of applications including 2d/3d digital modeling, as-built documentation, and quality control. Existing scan data can be collected for many types of structures, including existing buildings, both interior and exterior, mechanical piping, transmission towers, electric and gas facilities, bridges, roads and highways. The technology is ideal for hard-to-access areas and where mapping of complex detail is required. The data we capture is easily integrated into many different software platforms. We create digital 2d plans and 3d models from the data we capture and can integrate the data into many different software platforms including Civil 3d, Revit, and Microstation.
