PS&S Volunteers Help Save the Veterans Memorial Tree in Berkeley Heights
Volunteers Dig to Divert Water Runoff Harming Norway Spruce at Veterans Memorial Park
SUMMER 2017 NEWSLETTER
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| SUMMER 2017 NEWSLETTER |
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Click to expand/collapse One of the areas affected is the installation of emergency generators. In the five years since Superstorm Sandy, businesses that have added generators or switched to larger generators or have added fuel for run times have all needed to make sure their work meets state and local compliance and permitting codes. Our environmental regulatory compliance team has been busy working with clients to provide quality counsel on all these matters. In this newsletter, our employee spotlight will focus on Chris Gulics, who came to PS&S in 2015, bringing more than 20 years of experience providing environmental regulatory compliance services to a variety of clients. Our “In Focus” looks at a topic that many of us take for granted: clean drinking water. Recent headlines regarding lead in water in towns such as Flint, Michigan, and Newark, New Jersey have put the spotlight on how safe our water is. Many municipalities and public and private entities are looking to PS&S to make sure they are following all current regulations regarding testing and compliance, and with Chris Gulics and his team of professionals, we are confident they are in very good hands. For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse But in recent years, several high-profile stories have changed the way many Americans think about tap water, especially in places away from the familiarity of home such as malls, schools and hospitals. We first heard about the Flint, Michigan, water disaster in 2014 when the city of nearly 100,000 people switched water sources as a cost-cutting measure which led to tainted drinking water that contained lead and other toxins. Last year in New Jersey, Newark school officials broke the news that elevated levels of lead had been found in nearly half of the public schools. Prompted by the Flint crisis and the high lead results in Newark, the New Jersey Board of Education adopted rules last July requiring schools to test water fountains and other drinking water sources. The city of Newark wound up spending more than $1 million to test water sources across the city’s 65 public schools. Lead in public water is a national issue and with the aging of the nation’s infrastructure – in this case pipes carrying water from the source to the tap – one that is not likely to go away. In the vast majority of cases, lead enters the drinking water through the water delivery system itself when it leaches from either lead pipes, fixtures containing lead, or lead solder. The leaching of lead is caused by corrosive properties in water. Very rarely is lead present in the sources of drinking water. PS&S is a recognized leader in the field of water resources with a staff of talented professionals that can meet the technical requirements of any water challenge. Earlier this year, a large New Jersey Medical Center was told tests showed its drinking water contained elevated levels of lead, which was most likely leaching from the hospital’s own pipes and faucet fixtures. PS&S has worked with the hospital to upgrade both its well and water treatment systems. “The Medical Center uses its well water as its primary source and relies on city water as a backup source,” said Chris Gulics, PS&S’s Senior Director of Environmental and Regulatory Compliance. “We are currently working with them to treat both supplies, meeting the challenge of additional sampling and permit compliance.” “Our work follows our successful collaboration with another major New Jersey Healthcare System,” continued Gulics. “When tests at one of their locations showed elevated lead levels, PS&S’s water treatment team was called in to help fix the problem.” Currently, there are thousands of miles of aging water lines providing water to buildings in New Jersey and other states. The PS&S professionals in its Water Resources and Environmental Regulatory Compliance teams are ready to help both public and private entities fix this costly and potentially unhealthy problem. For more information, contact Chris Gulics at cgulics@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse “PS&S was doing this work before I arrived,” said Gulics. “But now, we have a core group that makes sure our clients are covered on all environmental and regulatory matters. We take care of operational permits, which are basically things clients must do in order to operate their businesses. There is a constant learning process to keep current on guidelines and regulations and to understand permitting. It’s easy to get the permit; it’s hard to make sure the client complies with the permit. So, our goal is to keep the clients from needing permitting if possible, and if not, we make it as easy as possible to operate within the conditions of the permit.” Chris grew up in Woodbridge and went to Rutgers where he graduated with a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Water Resources. He now lives in Howell, which gives him great access to two of his favorite pastimes with his three sons ages 11, 13, and 15: fishing and the hitting the Point Pleasant beach. In his 20-plus years working with clients, Chris has developed relationships with many professionals who are often able to recommend other PS&S services to their company. “We start out doing work in one area and it leads to more,” said Gulics. “Relationships matter, and once you earn someone’s trust, they are much more likely to want to expand that working relationship. PS&S is truly a “one-stop shop.” Clients begin to realize that the longer we work with them. We are always looking to educating clients as to PS&S’s capabilities.” One such client is a New Jersey- based behavioral health facility and a Chris Gulics client since 2000. In fact, the relationship goes back even further when Chris was involved in environmental work with the company’s current director of facilities at his prior employer. PS&S has made upgrades to the treatment plants and has worked on numerous environmental projects. Besides Chris, there are four other professionals on the compliance team:
One very important affiliation for Chris and PS&S is the relationship with the New Jersey Municipal Environmental Risk Management Fund (EJIF) which was established by property and casualty joint insurance funds to provide their member public entities and utility authorities with environmental coverage. Currently, Chris is one of the Fund’s two environmental engineers who help manage environmental risk associated with municipal operations such as insurance claims for more than 150 municipalities in NJ. This includes being on call 24/7 in the event of spills or discharges to soils, surface water or groundwater. This service was designed by the EJIF to provide guidance to its members to help in the immediate moments following an emergency. |
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Embracing Our New Jersey Roots: PS&S in myCentralJersey.com
Recruiting and hiring the best engineering talent in NJ is the focus of our conversation with The Courier News.
Warren firm welcomes NJ engineers
Recent New Jersey college graduates in the field of engineering are being encouraged to work at "home," so to speak, by choosing careers in-state. PS&S, a Warren-based architecture and engineering firm, is one company encouraging young engineers to embrace their New Jersey roots and stay local.
Excited to be part of New Rochelle’s downtown redevelopment plan by providing our architecture and design excellence
RXR Realty Doubles Down on New Rochelle
The firm, which is the master developer for the City of New Rochelle’s downtown redevelopment program with partner Renaissance Downtowns, is proposing to build a twin, 28-story mixed-use project at the Church-Division parking lot site in Downtown New Rochelle.
PS&S is proud and excited to be a part of this Westchester redevelopment initiative with our great client, RXR
NYC's Northern Suburbs Get Urban Makeover With Apartment Towers
- RXR plans pair of buildings near New Rochelle’s train station
- Westchester seeing ‘a very different kind of transformation’
A pair of high-rise apartment towers is set to replace a decrepit parking deck in New Rochelle, extending the New York suburb’s effort to draw younger residents by touting its urban feel and access to mass transit.
PS&S is proud to have helped make Yonkers “A Cleaner, Greener Place to Call Home” as featured in the New York Times
PS&S led a Project Team in creating a new urban river and park through the center of downtown Yonkers. The award-winning design included daylighting of the river within a beautiful new urban park, featuring two dynamic pools and three strategic low waterfalls.
PS&S Participates in 2017 American Cancer Society’s Ride For a Cure
On June 11th, PS&S Senior Director Marge DellaVecchia and Designer Mark Allen participated in the 2017 American Cancer Society’s Ride For a Cure. Marge and Mark, who work in the company’s Delaware Valley Office, were part of a team that raised more than $25,000 for this great cause.
Mark was one of the few riders on the “Ray’s Riders” team who rode the full 100 miles from the Ben Franklin Bridge to Atlantic City’s Convention Hall by way of the legendary Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey.
Over the years, the team has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society. Everyone is welcome to join or support next year’s ride.
PS&S in Construction in Focus
55 Years of Architecture and Engineering Excellence
For fifty-five years, PS&S has been one of the best-known architecture and engineering companies in New Jersey, and midway through its sixth decade, PS&S is stronger than ever and is poised for growth. We spoke with John Sartor, PS&S’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
View more online: http://www.constructioninfocus.com/mag/CIFNAMar2017/#?page=122
Spring 2017 Newsletter
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| SPRING 2017 NEWSLETTER |
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Click to expand/collapse The NJDOL got it exactly right. And it’s not just New Jersey whose economy is closely tied to the expanding healthcare industry – much of the northeast region is enjoying the growth of the three primary components of the sector: ambulatory health care services (facilities providing outpatient services; doctors’ offices for example) nursing and residential care facilities, and hospitals. In addition, behavioral health centers continue to evolve treatment techniques and expand their networks to become more accessible to patients. In the past few years, we’ve seen tremendous changes and consolidation in all areas of the region from hospital mergers to facilities catering to older residents who are living longer and active lives. We have detailed in this space about the important strategic changes PS&S has made to ensure we are well-positioned to assist with the continued growth in the healthcare industry. In 2015, our Cherry Hill office welcomed architects Charles Clauser, Harry Wright and Steve Sgro to create a formidable team in southern New Jersey providing architectural and interior design, project planning and graphics and rendering services with a concentration in the healthcare sector. This newsletter will focus on our expanding healthcare practice with analysis from Chuck Clauser, our Senior Director with more than 30 years of architectural experience. Also in 2015, Christopher Gulics and his team joined PS&S bringing more than 20 years of experience providing environmental regulatory compliance services to many healthcare clients. These services focus on operational permit compliance relative to air pollution, drinking water, wastewater, waste management, and spill prevention services. Currently, there is a focus on the presence of lead in drinking water, and PS&S is providing compliance and engineering services to two large healthcare systems to address lead concerns identified in their water distribution systems. In New Jersey, a bill (A4139/S2497) is pending and could require health care facilities to perform periodic testing for lead in their drinking water regardless of the water source. This bill can have a significant impact on a number of health care facilities to comply with the initial testing requirements and more so, addressing the potential impacts the testing may identify. Also in this newsletter, we will also check in with our Young Professionals Group as the members continue PS&S’s tradition of community service. We are delighted that 55 years after its founding, the core values of our company are still front and center. For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse With its dedicated healthcare and architectural practice, PS&S is in a unique position to guide and support this healthcare renaissance by bringing its healthcare capabilities to the entire industry. “Systems are finding that thru partnerships and mergers, companies can combine resources, consolidate space, and share core services – like IT, billing, and network call centers – to better serve their communities,” says Chuck Clauser, PS&S’s Senior Director of Architecture and Chairman of the company’s healthcare practice. “We can help guide them thru changes and consolidation efforts to unify operations.” Together, the PS&S healthcare team has more than 90 years’ experience in the sector. We have seen development and know what works and what doesn’t. We recognize that most healthcare systems have to do more with less revenue. Costs are rising and needs are growing and changing while revenue is shrinking. How do companies make this equation work for them? The face of healthcare is changing - it’s a consumer’s market and providers have to adapt. Hospital systems are reaching out to their patient base by bringing services to the community. With certain exceptions such as emergency care, services are moving into the community to be closer to residents. This includes moving urgent care, imaging, senior care, and wellness programs to strip malls and locations in town centers. “This repurposing of hospital space to various community locations is a trend that is sure to continue,” says Chuck Clauser. “As hospitals focus on core strengths, they don’t need to be ‘all things to all people.’ A great first step is opening up dialogue with township officials to find ways to use buildings for community services and events. It not only creates goodwill, but it introduces residents to your facilities and services. As services such as elderly, maternity and pediatrics move out of the core facility, more specialty services such as cancer care, cardiology and neurology can be expanded or introduced. PS&S has expertise in helping clients repurpose their facilities and updating towers to appeal to changing tastes of potential patients.” PS&S has made significant contributions to the design and engineering of corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities that helped establish global pharmaceutical companies as world leaders. Our client list features many of the top drug- and device-making companies, hospital systems and residential care facilities, all of which bring different needs and expectations to their projects. Highlighting some of our work:
PS&S competes with larger firms because of our single source of structural, civil, geotechnical and environmental capabilities. By sharing disciplines and expertise across the company, we have the full-service of offerings and synergy between all our groups. It is a business model that works for our company and our clients due mostly to the PS&S employees who are experts, have foresight and have an ability to adapt quickly to changing market, consumer and regulatory forces. For more information, contact Charles Clauser at cclauser@psands.com. |
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Click to expand/collapse Children were guided through a series of activities to help them learn about different problems that engineers work to solve every day. Interactive exhibits and hands-on activities were aimed at helping the budding engineers apply creative thinking to all sorts of exciting engineering topics.
Several members of PS&S’s Young Professionals Group helped with the volunteering efforts including Brian Liebeskind, Rita Exposito, Christopher Zuidema and Leonardo Afanador.
“It was very rewarding,” said Leonardo. “It highlights the power that knowledge has in enriching not only children’s lives, but everyone who takes the time to learn something new on a topic they may not come across in their daily lives.”
Christopher’s topic was the Seismic Shake-Up. The purpose of this topic was to inform the children about the destruction of earthquakes, the general consequence it has on millions of people that live around the rim of the Pacific Ocean (“RING OF FIRE”), and the role earthquake engineers have in society. The activity allowed children to brainstorm, design, and build their own 8-inch stable structure capable of enduring an earthquake event.
“Participants who did not succeed the initial attempt were asked to identify flaws in their design and test again until they completed the challenge,” said Christopher. “Participants that succeeded the first attempt were given another challenge to design and build a taller structure. Personally, it was refreshing to see children excited throughout the learning process. This type of learning event is a major catalyst that influences children who want to someday pursue an engineering career. It was truly a rewarding experience and one that is worth repeating.” |
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Walter Fedick Joins PS&S As Senior Director
PS&S is delighted to announce that Walter Fedick has joined the firm as Senior Director of the MEPF and Process Engineering Department. Walt comes to PS&S after nearly four decades at a large pharmaceutical client in northern New Jersey, most recently as Senior Manager of Engineering.
Walt was first introduced to PS&S about 20 years ago when he was looking to partner with an engineering firm for small projects on his campus. Walt looked at 3-4 firms but chose PS&S because it was a good fit with the right people. Now, years later, Walt’s skills and experience are the right fit for PS&S.
“We are delighted that Walt is bringing his years of pharmaceutical experience to PS&S,” said the company’s Chief Operating Officer Tom Heim. “He will be an incredible asset for us as we round out our pharma group. His contributions will be felt, not only in our MEPF group, but in many of our integrated services such as environmental remediation.”
“I have two main goals as I begin my work at PS&S,” said Mr. Fedick. “The first is to grow and improve our outstanding MEPF group. The second is to bridge the gap between the pharma industry and PS&S. I managed an engineering department at a major pharmaceutical company so I know what potential clients are looking for as they choose their partner firms. I have been in their shoes.”
Marge DellaVecchia Featured in South Jersey BIZ’s 2017 “Women to Watch”.
PS&S in RealEstate NJ
John Sartor, PS&S CEO & President featured in RealEstate NJ
Several factors will drive the commercial real estate market in 2017 and beyond. Strong demand for multifamily housing continues in transit-oriented North Jersey, and cities TOD communities that have been preparing for residential investment will be rewarded with continued multifamily and mixed-use growth. In South Jersey, we see increased demand for office space, particularly Gloucester and Burlington Counties. The combination of easy access to Philadelphia and the lack of available land in central northern New Jersey make that area particularly attractive for commercial growth.
[...read more...]
Winter 2017 Newsletter
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Our strength remains our single-source offering for planning, design and regulatory compliance services. We are proud to offer our clients multi-disciplined, full-service architecture, engineering, design and environmental consulting services, and as we mark 55 years as a company, we will continue to do so. We have strengthened our staff, both in our Warren headquarters and at our regional offices in Wall and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Yonkers and Lake Success, New York. Among many highlights in 2016, PS&S greatly enhanced the company’s Cherry Hill Architecture and Health Care practice and doubled its office space. In addition, our Cherry Hill Land Practice has grown to include expanded services in environmental, civil and survey offerings. In July, we welcomed Marge DellaVecchia as a new Senior Director in Cherry Hill which significantly strengthened our organization. Marge came to PS&S after working for Camden County for the past six years, most recently as the Deputy Director of the Municipal Utilities Authority. Her past experience in the public sector included positions in New Jersey state government with the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and the Department of Community Affairs, and 13 years in various roles in Cherry Hill Township. Last year also saw the creation of the PS&S Young Professionals Group, an affinity group of employees who have been with the company for only a few years. The mission of the PS&S Young Professionals Group is to provide a forum for career-oriented individuals to develop their professional skills, communicate ideas and goals effectively with management, and encourage interdisciplinary social interaction in order to foster an environment of community and positivity within PS&S. The group is off to a fast start with many employees participating and contributing. The group has the support of the entire PS&S management team as we are committed to creating the best possible workplace environment. In 2016, we continued our internal improvements, had the opportunity to work on some terrific projects that diversified our portfolio and participated in two groundbreaking ceremonies on projects that will help shape our company for years to come. Some highlights:
As we close out another great year, we want to thank our team here at PS&S. We have said this before and we think it bears repeating: The collective dedication of our employees and their collaborative ability to serve our clients with the utmost efficiency and excellence is unmatched and makes PS&S a unique company with which to do business. We also want to let our clients know that it has been our pleasure to work with you on your projects. We truly value your business and look forward to many more years of working with you. Our success will always be measured by your success. As we enter 2017, we remain excited about the opportunities we have been presented throughout the northeast region. Our growth-focused business plan will open new doors in new locations and will expand our current offerings into new disciplines. Happy New Year to all! For more information, please contact Anthony Sartor at asartor@psands.com, or John Sartor at jsartor@psands.com. |
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PS&S Honored for work in Mountainside
Colonel Timothy McLaughlin, Commander of VFW Post 10136, presents PS&S CEO John Sartor with a plaque recognizing the company’s work developing the concept design for the Mountainside (NJ) Veterans Memorial Park. A dedication ceremony was held in November as area residents gathered to pay tribute to local Veterans as well as active servicemen and women.
The vision for this new and enlarged plaza was to construct a dignified place to reflect upon the community’s appreciation for its Veterans and to allow for easier access for aging Veterans.
PS&S is honored to have volunteered its work on such an important project for the borough of Mountainside and its Veterans.
PS&S is Proud to be a Sponsor of the Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge Event
On Sunday, November 6th, several members of the PS&S Delaware Valley Team were proud to be among the 2600+ runners helping to raise money for Larc School in Bellmawr, NJ.
Larc School strives to meet the needs of all students and adults with varying disabilities by providing opportunities for growth, development and independence.
The annual 10K Run the Bridge fundraising event took runners across the Ben Franklin Bridge into Philadelphia and then back across through Camden’s waterfront area and finished in Campbell’s Field.
The team from PS&S included Marge DellaVecchia, Kris McCool, Harry Wright and Ed Farrell.
2016 Cooper Norcross Run the Bridge Event presented by AmeriHealth NJ
David Applegate accepts Associate Member of the Year award from NJWATER Directors on behalf of PS&S
PS&S Volunteers Helping Camden Grow
NJ Tree Foundation – Volunteering to plant trees in Camden: http://njtreefoundation.org/about/camdens-urban-airshed-reforestation-program/
A group of 6 PS&S employees from Cherry Hill/Delaware Valley volunteered their time with the NJ Tree Foundation and participated in the Urban Airshed Reforestation Program by planting shade trees in Camden, NJ.
The team from PS&S included: Jeanne Jorquez, James Jorquez, Vibhuti Bhimani, Marge DellaVecchia, Abbey Greenberg and Max Barksdale. Working together with the NJ Conservation Foundation, Rutgers University, the Camden Power Corps and neighborhood volunteers, 20’ tall shade trees were planted along 34th Street in Camden.
The planting of these trees helps to improve air quality, manage storm water and provide shade to the area. Since the program’s inception, over 6,000 trees have been planted along Camden city streets.
PS&S is proud to sponsor the Cooper Foundation Jim Fifis Lung Cancer Research Fund Dinner
2016 Jim Fifis Lung Cancer Research Fund Dinner
The Jim Fifis Lung Cancer Research Fund supports lung cancer research at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper. MD Anderson Cooper is South Jersey’s most comprehensive resource for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer and is committed to caring for the residents of South Jersey. We are proud to advance Cooper’s mission by ensuring that our family, friends, neighbors and patrons have access to the best possible lung cancer care right here in South Jersey.
The Jim Fifis Lung Cancer Research Fund was created in honor and memory of Jim Fifis, beloved husband and father who lost his battle with lung cancer nine years ago.
The Fifis family will host the 6th Annual Benefit on Tuesday, September 27th, 2016 at 5 p.m. at Ponzio’s in Cherry Hill.
Marge DellaVecchia featured in the September NJ Association of Counties Newsletter
Ex-government Official Takes On New Role in South Jersey with Architecture, Engineering Firm
by Joshua Burd, Reporter for NJBIZ
After more than 20 years in state and municipal government, Marge DellaVecchia turned to the county level in 2010, when she was hired as the deputy administrator in Camden County.