Blog/Events

‘Tis the season of giving! We are honored to support The Salvation Army in their efforts to make everyone’s holidays a little brighter.

Our NewJersey and Maryland offices came together to support the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Program – collecting presents for 86 children this holiday season!

So many amazing gifts under the tree – including a new bike!

Engineering k-12! Otto Specht School won the Best of Design Award for Unbuilt – Education by The Architect’s Newspaper.

Designed to meet zero net energy standards, the building offers a variety of educational programs constructed to meet the needs of students with developmental delays and learning challenges.

McLaren provided civil engineering, stormwater management, permitting and boundary / topographic / aerial surveys for this 20-acre property in Rockland County surrounded by an organic farm and neighboring community gardens. McLaren also provided schematic design, site grading, utilities plans and construction phase services when engineering this k-12 progressive school located in Chestnut Ridge, NewYork.

The Waldorf inspired school nurtures the whole child through sensory tactile and experimental learning and will include classrooms, a library, a multipurpose/game room, a performance and eurhythmy hall, dining room and therapy rooms. Artistic activities such as speech and movement, visual and musical will be integral to the students’ classroom activities, as well as practical skills such as cooking, weaving, wood- and metalworking, farming and animal care.

Charles Rose Architects designed the buildings’ forms to be “attenuated, stretching voluminously over the landscape, as though they were pulled and twisted into being—infusing the environment with kinetic energy. Organized into two wings—a classroom wing sited to the west overlooking farmland and an arts wing to the north—the structures create a variety of spaces, inside and out, for learning and play.”

Congratulations to the entire team that made this place – where students can thrive in an environment free of distractions, with spatial variety, straightforward navigation, and access to nature – possible!

‘Tis the season to rock ugly sweaters with the world’s leading themed entertainment creators, developers, designers, producers and engineers. Throughout the year, McLaren works with these industry leaders to create fully immerse experiences from live performances and events to theme park attractions, TV and Film to casinos and everything in between.

Last week, McLaren’s Orlando office-sponsored and our NYC office hosted this year’s annual Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) Eastern Division Annual Ugly Sweater Parties. Where these creative minds showcased their worst holiday wear and supported their local food pantries, by donating canned goods. It was a great time spreading holiday cheer together!

About the TEA

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) is an international non-profit association representing the makers of compelling places and experiences. Their members bring the experience of engaging storytelling and entertainment to a vast number of casinos, restaurants, retail stores, museums, zoos, theme parks and an ever-growing list of destinations that aim to bring a higher level of visitor experiences world wide.

Senior Associate, Vicki Christini, PE spoke at this week’s AGC NYS Construction Industry Conference in Saratoga Springs. Her presentation discussed engineering the accelerated bridge construction of LIRR’s Post Avenue Bridge using SPMT’s. The well-orchestrated Design-Build took precise timing and collaboration, replacing the live railroad bridge within a 48-hour span, minimizing Long Island’s service disruptions.

Throughout this meticulously planned weekend for this accelerated bridge construction project, the existing bridge superstructure was rolled out and the new superstructure was rolled into its new position via self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) from the adjacent parking lot. Crews from Halmar International, Inc. worked around the clock using a unique construction method with a remote-controlled lifting device. That transporter lifted the 103-year-old bridge, which remained intact after it was cut away from its connection to the abutments and placed into an adjacent parking lot. The contractor then had to modify the abutments to support the new bridge height. Then, the new bridge was lifted, in its entirety, and put into place over the roadway.

McLaren is site engineering a senior lifestyle community set on diverse topography and a 3-acre lake in New York State, The Club at Briarcliff Manor.

Set on the former historic site of Briarcliff Lodge, a mix of 255 independent living, assisted living and memory care apartments recently opened boasting an art studio, game room, fitness center, rehabilitation gym, 25-seat tiered seating cinema, beauty salon and barbershop, valet parking, outdoor patios, healing garden, fireside patio, terraces, courtyard and walking paths along the pastoral grounds.

The two interconnected apartment buildings are set into a hilltop in Westchester County, NY, at the upper level of the site, overlooking the Hudson River and the New York City skyline. McLaren provided engineering solutions for challenging terrain, drainage and utility infrastructure for this 59-acre property. The site engineering included siting of the buildings, parking, roadways and landscaped areas–with stormwater and water quality at the forefront of the design.

Coordinating with the project team, McLaren obtained the zoning and environmental permits. The team also provided utility design for the Village of Briarcliff. All the existing utilities from the prior college on-site required replacement. Public infrastructure associated with the project included a water pump station, replacing an aging water tank, and new water mains to provide water service to the project and upgrade service to the surrounding community. A soccer field was constructed on the grounds by The Club for the Village’s recreational use, on the lower portion of the property. McLaren’s site engineering for the Senior Lifestyle Community helped support the Club at Briarcliff in their continued effort to provide best-in-class assisted living and award-winning memory care for those 55 and older.

Are you a civil engineer looking to lead and grow a team? McLaren has an opening for a Principal Civil Engineer who will be responsible for managing all aspects of our New Jersey’s civil unit. The right candidate is a detail-oriented leader with a desire to mentor, coach and develop professionals. Our ideal applicant has 12+ years of experience in civil engineering. Come layout a future with us! Apply here.

Our Albany office gave casual Fridays a whole new meaning this summer. The team came together to hold a special charti-“tee” drive, personally donating $5 each Friday to wear a t-shirt to work. The end result– hundreds of dollars in donations to support Things of My Very Own, Inc.!

The non-profit helps Capital Region children who have experienced extensive abuse or neglect. They also provide services to children at-risk of a Child Protective Services intervention solely due to not having items necessary for sustainability.

“As a resident of Schenectady and a business leader in the Capital District, it is both gratifying and humbling to make this small contribution, to help advance the organization’s mission: to make sure children of all ages and capabilities feel supported, gain critical skills and, as simple as it sounds, feel safe enough to be kids again,” said Reuben Hull, PE, PMP, LEED Green Associate, McLaren’s Albany Regional Director.

Proud of your teamwork Albany!

Did you know California is one of the states that require underwater marine inspectors to be certified P.E. Divers? With McLaren’s unique combination of professional engineers who are also certified commercial divers, we had the opportunity to perform underwater inspections at the industrial Port of Long Beach, the second largest port in the U.S.

Are you looking to join a survey team at the forefront of the industry? McLaren has an opening for a Principal Surveyor who will be responsible for managing all aspects of our New Jersey’s survey unit. The right candidate is a detail-oriented leader with a desire to mentor, coach and develop professionals. Our ideal applicant has 15+ years of experience in land surveying. Come survey a future with us! Apply here.

McLaren is committed to educating the engineers of tomorrow.

This week, the American Association of University Women and the Rockland Chapter of the New York State Society of Professional Engineers (NYSSPE) came together to give High School students an opportunity to learn more about engineering.

NYSSPE Rockland Chapter President, Thomas Broderick, PE, a Principal at McLaren, aimed to inspire these young minds to pursue a career in engineering. He discussed the chapter’s scholarship opportunities and the upcoming Tri-State Engineering Expo on March 29th–where they can learn more about every type of engineering the field has to offer.

Structural Engineer, Nicole Byrne, and Civil Engineer, Kevin Leddy, from McLaren, participated on the Young Engineers Panel, giving these Rockland County students a firsthand perspective on pursuing a career in engineering.

Great job team!