Industry Axis

In a May 26, 2015 The New York Times article titled “A House of Worship, Converted",  Andrew Keh describes the resurgence of minor league baseball in South Bend, Indiana.  The focus of the article is the conversion of a Jewish Synagogue into the South Bend Cubs team store.  It is a fun article and a great example of repurposing an existing building.

Contained in the article is another story, the construction of the team training facility that is behind right field in the articles' photos.  This typical looking building is not really typical at all.  It took the creative engineering skill of the Needham DBS staff in Fort Wayne to "pull one out" in the bottom of the ninth.  When a major pre-engineered building company had to back out the contract for this building due to their delivery problems, Ancon Construction of Goshen, Indiana, called on Needham DBS in the ninth to "pitch hit".   And boy did they!

The Warren Theatre is a beautiful art deco inspired Hollywood Glam theatre, featuring 18 cinema screens and extraordinarily lavish architectural features and vibrant colors.  At $20.9 million, the project is both the largest and most elaborate movie theatre in the country. The project was completed in December 2014.

Exterior walls for the auditorium “wings” and the taller central core structure utilized load-bearing tilt-up panels.  The tilt-up concrete was self-performed by Crossland Construction. The structural design was based on a redundant cellular diaphragm concept, similar to its sister project in Moore, Oklahoma, which withstood an EF-5 tornado in May 2013. 

Needham DBS 2016 Advertising Campaign - Ad 2

Jeremy Stech joined Needham DBS in January 2003 after graduating with an Associates of Applied Science Degree in Architectural Engineering Technology from Southeast Community College in Milford, Nebraska. In August of 2004 he began taking courses at Johnson County Community College using the tuition reimbursement benefit that Needham DBS offers. The coursework would establish a foundation to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering. Jeremy worked full time, got married and started a family while taking one or two classes each semester. He applied to and was accepted to KU School of Engineering and in January 2012 he began the rigorous engineering coursework.

After several hard years balancing work, school and family, Jeremy graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from KU in December 2015. He graduated with honors and was recognized by the civil engineering department staff, receiving the “Outstanding Graduating Senior in Civil Engineering” award and was nominated for the Locke Award.

Needham DBS 2016 Advertising Campaign - Ad 1

Karen S. Hand, Needham DBS, Appointed to ACI Committee 551

Karen S. Hand, Needham DBS, was recently appointed to the ACI Committee 551, Tilt-Up Concrete Construction.