November 2022 Newsletter

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November 2022 NEWSLETTER

FROM THE CORNER OFFICE

John Sartor, PE President and CEO

Dear Friend of PS&S: Fall is finally here! It's one of my favorite times of year — crisp mornings, clean air and incredible colors as the leaves begin to change. But one of the consequences of the fall are the shorter, colder days ahead. Less sunlight means we are keeping our lights on longer and turning up our thermostats. It's at times like these that we reflect on how we generate all the energy to meet our demand. At PS&S, we have long believed in the integration of innovative designs which include sustainable materials, environmentally friendly storm water and development designs, and utilization of alternative energy sources that are proving to be more viable as technologies have improved. In fact, "Greengineering" is a PS&S international trademark and a term we use to describe some of the projects we are involved with throughout the region. Of course, a term is just a term unless you put it into action, and I am proud to say we do that every day. A good example is PS&S' involvement with "daylighting" the Saw Mill River in the middle of the thriving City of Yonkers. This multi-stage project began in 2012 and was recently cited by National Geographic as one of America's best conservation efforts. The project required the removal of a large concrete culvert and parking area that had been covering the river since the 1920s. Today the river attracts, turtles, heron, ducks, muskrat, and many species of fish and, of course, the people of Yonkers and surrounding areas who are drawn to the 2.2-acre city park. As the project progressed, we advanced the use of technology and integrated a hydroelectric wheel to power the downtown streetlights. In architecture and engineering, use of alternative energy sources is increasing worldwide. In the United States, the LEED program has made great strides in promoting the development of green buildings. In 2010, the non-profit Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) began the Envision credentialling program with an eye towards driving the development of environmentally responsible, energy efficient infrastructure. While based in Washington, D.C., Envision is an international effort with notable projects in Canada, Italy, Mexico and Spain. PS&S is proud to say that we will be the ENV SP for one of the largest infrastructure projects in the New York Metropolitan region. As we look towards the expansion of energy projects in the United States — many of which are being generated by the Infrastructure Bill — PS&S is increasing its capabilities with new talent such as Envision-credentialled professionals and greater resources in architecture and engineering for all forms of energy. To help spearhead our resources, Keith Edmonds recently joined PS&S, bringing decades of energy infrastructure experience to our firm. So as the leaves turn and the shadows lengthen, for our Fall Newsletter, we decided to ask Keith and other talented professionals in our energy and landscaping units what they are seeing from the projects they are working on? Will Envision have an impact on our infrastructure development similar to LEED on our building design? And where do you see us going? I think you will be interested in what they have to say. Sincerely, John Sartor, PE President and Chief Executive Officer

Miguel Salinas, LSRP, CPSS, Executive Vice President, Environmental & Energy

"Everything we touch has a component of sustainability built into it. Of course, that's good business sense and it is increasingly demanded by regulators, but — beyond that — in this day and age, people want to be involved with projects that are designed and built in a way that is considerate of the environment. All over the United States, we are seeing massive opportunities in green energy across the board — whether that's helping to harness the wind off the shores of New Jersey or building solar infrastructure in Pennsylvania. Across the industry there is a growing commitment to the use of alternative sources of energy. And, around those opportunities, we foresee challenges in harvesting that energy and getting it back into the grid — that work is very much at the forefront of what we do. Indeed, a lot of what is being discussed with renewable power sources (particularly wind) has not been done at this scale in the United States — which makes it both interesting and exciting for PS&S as a firm and for the energy industry as a whole."

Kristine McCool, PE, PMP, ENV SP, Vice President, Energy Services

"Making the world a better, greener place is top of mind for Energy & Utility professionals now. It is the wave of the future and Envision is certainly a great program for us to build consensus around as professionals. Right now, there's tremendous focus on harvesting wind energy and delivering it to the grid. A lot needs to happen between the turbines in the ocean and land-based infrastructure, so we are helping with the permitting and the engineering. We're also involved in a solar energy project in South Jersey where we are responsible for survey, site/civil engineering, and environmental permitting, and are looking forward to many more of these projects moving forward. And we foresee big opportunities in the construction of EV charging stations where PS&S can do everything from siting and permitting to the electrical design. Envision is a credentialling and certification program and increasingly part of the RFP process, but it is also a way of thinking that people should understand and be aware of — whether you are on the design and build side or if you live in a community where sustainable infrastructure projects are underway. Envision is very much intended as a 'win-win' for builders and citizens alike — and, of course, the environment itself."

Keith Edmonds, Director

"I came to PS&S with more than 25 years of experience in energy infrastructure primarily on the natural gas side. What I believe is happening now with the drive towards sustainable energy is a common understanding that we can adopt new technologies while, in many cases, making use of existing energy infrastructure. A good example is the fact that we have hundreds of thousands of miles of natural gas pipeline in the United States that can also carry hydrogen. By electrolyzing water and producing hydrogen we can blend the output with natural gas and increase the energy content of the pipeline. For sustainable energy projects, I think we’re likely to see many cases like this where we marry technologies versus replacing them. Programs like LEED and Envision are very much in sync with the direction we are taking as PS&S and as an industry."

Daniel Maher, RLA, SIA ISA Certified Arborist, Senior Director, Landscape Architecture

"My team is especially proud to be involved in the Penn Station Access project, which is one of biggest undertakings right now in New York and, indeed, the whole Northeast. The MTA made the decision to seek Envision certification and PS&S is leading that process across the design and build spectrum for the entry plazas. That means we are responsible for the architects, site/civil engineers, structural engineers — the whole team — making sure that they know what the requirements and deliverables are for achieving Envision certification. Yes, it is a lot of work, but we believe we will see more and more city and state agencies seeking certified, sustainable infrastructure and buildings — and that is good for everyone in the long run."

Erin Lybeck, RLA, LEED Green Associate, ENV SP, Senior Project Landscape Architect, Landscape Architecture

"I am part of the team working on the Penn Station Access project where PS&S is responsible for Envision coordination and the design and construction of the station entry plazas. We are creating pleasant, green spaces where people can sit and wait for their trains, which means working with our arborists, utilizing shade trees and all other aspects of the physical environment from a landscaping point of view. The movement that began with LEED for an individual building — through Envision — can now be seen in public works projects of all kinds whether it's a railroad, airport, streetscape, city park or other comparable project. There is a focus on resiliency, water quality and overall community health that is greater than ever before. The MTA wants the Penn Station Access project carried out in a way that is environmentally responsible and we feel privileged to be part of that effort."

Saw Mill River Daylighting Project Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary

We are celebrating the 10 Year Anniversary of our award-winning project that is featured in this month's issue of National Geographic, the Yonkers Saw Mill River Daylighting Park!

Thank you to our partner, Groundwork Hudson Valley, for creating this special video honoring this rich piece of history and our collaborative work.

National Geographic features PS&S Project as One of Four Conservation Projects that Preserves America

The September issue of National Geographic features an urban park in Yonkers that Warren-based PS&S, an architecture, engineering, surveying, and environmental consulting firm, was instrumental in creating.  The Yonkers Saw Mill River Daylighting Park is included in an article featuring only four parks nationwide titled ‘America the Beautiful; New ideas for protecting land, water and wildlife.’

The Saw Mill River was buried beneath the City of Yonkers at the beginning of the 20th Century. “Daylighting” the river, that is, returning the river to a more natural, open-air condition, provided community and ecological benefits and was part of Yonkers plan for social and economic progress.  PS&S led a landscape architecture team in creating a new urban river and park through the center of downtown Yonkers, New York, which features two dynamic pools and three strategic low waterfalls.

As the article states, “After native plants were installed along the new channel, wildlife appeared as if by magic. Muskrat, herons, turtles, and ducks are spotted here regularly.”   The PS&S design included a fish ladder that supports the American eel migration, an outdoor learning enclave and a hydro-electric water wheel that powers streetlights near City Hall.

“This was a true conservation project that has resulted in a win-win for the environment as well as for the community economically,” said John Sartor, President and CEO of PS&S.  “We are proud to have helped create such a visionary project that included so many local, state and federal entities to make this a reality.”

PS&S Mourns the Loss of Dr. Anthony Sartor, Name Partner of PS&S

It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we inform you of the passing of Dr. Anthony Sartor, a name partner of PS&S (Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor) and father of our President & CEO, John Sartor. He died on Friday, August 5, 2022. He was 79.

Dr. Sartor was a pioneer in the environmental engineering field and served as Co-Chairman of the Board of Paulus, Sokolowski and Sartor from 1974 to 2000. More importantly, he was deeply loved by his family, friends, and all employees who walked through the doors of PS&S.

A visitation will be held today from 4 - 8 PM at the A.K. Macagna Funeral Home in Cliffside Park, NJ. A Funeral Mass will follow tomorrow (Friday, August 12th) at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of Grace RC Church in Fairview, NJ.

Please click here to read the obituary of Dr. Sartor: www.akmacagnafuneralhome.com/obituary/dr-anthony-sartor.

Andrew Flanagan Joins the PS&S Team

PS&S is excited to announce that Andrew Flanagan, Professional Land Surveyor, has joined our team.

In the words of our President and CEO, John Sartor, "As a professional land surveyor, Andrew Flanagan has ‘done it all’ – working across residential, commercial, state and municipalities on projects of every level of size and complexity. He is well-known and trusted by government agencies and is uniquely qualified with licenses in both New York and Connecticut. We are delighted Andrew has joined our team as the New York survey practice lead as he will help expand our client base and strengthen our firm’s 55+ staff surveying and scanning group" (Business Wire).

Check out Andrew's feature on Business Wire by clicking here.

March 2022 Newsletter

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MARCH 2022 NEWSLETTER

FROM THE CORNER OFFICE

John Sartor, PE President and CEO

Dear Friend of PS&S: Last November, President Biden signed a $1.2 trillion bill for infrastructure projects in the United States. If you're in the architecture, engineering, and construction community, this is big news and something we have all been hoping for and anticipating for many years -- not just as professionals but also as citizens of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania where much of the infrastructure package dollars will be spent. The spend is massive and a significant portion of the funding is dedicated to upgrading existing infrastructure, such as roads, rail, utilities, water/wastewater, and bridges. It’s clear that multiple firms will need to work together to accomplish these projects. For the most ambitious projects, there are a limited number of prime and subcontractors with the capabilities and strong track record of success working with local, state, and government agencies. The need for upgraded infrastructure is something that we all witness in our everyday lives. Some of the work likely to begin are marquee projects such as the next leg of the 2nd Avenue Subway and the Gateway Tunnel under the Hudson River. Others include the Pulaski Skyway and I-295, I-76, Route 42, and numerous NYC and NYS infrastructure projects. Indeed, as you can see here in the graphic from The Washington Post, the biggest single chunk of the infrastructure bill is for roads and bridges at $110 billion.

With the commencement of these projects, our nation is undertaking the biggest infrastructure project for roads, highways and bridges since the 1950s. That's a long time ago now – and I am sorry to say -- beyond the useful life of much if not most of the infrastructure in question. At PS&S, we're now looking at what we can do as a company to add value and grow along these projects over the next eight years of government spending and, in our case specifically, in the next three years, in line with an internal “Roadmap to 2025” Strategic Growth Plan we have set for ourselves. While roads and public transportation comprise most of the spend, we see opportunities for our vertical take-off expertise in aviation, environmental assessment and permitting, and power and utility infrastructure design. Like other firms in our business, we're looking at the White House documents that detail the infrastructure spend on a state-by-state basis. When looking at total spend (as distinct from per capita spend), PS&S has an established presence in six of the top 10 states earmarked for the most funding. For us those states are – in descending order of dollar spend -- are Texas, New York, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and North Carolina. When you look at these documents, you will be struck by the opportunity for our industry, as well as the wide range of projects and the enormity of the scope. Pothole-free roads, beautiful new bridges, EV charging stations and high-speed internet access everywhere you go, and air taxis to take you to the airport. And that brings me to my earlier point – many firms and disciplines will be needed to do all this and thus I believe the infrastructure bill will usher in a new wave of alliances, partnerships and cooperation in our industry. Exciting times indeed. At PS&S, we’re ready and I am sure many of our friends and associates are too. Sincerely, John Sartor, PE President and Chief Executive Officer ▀

Honoring Our Military on Veterans Day

"Over the years, there have been PS&S staff who have served in every branch of the military. While each veteran had their own reasons for wanting to serve, the common thread was to have participated in the defense, service, and readiness of our nation.

Serving both in peace and in conflict, whether here or abroad, every veteran commits to serving for our country’s security and defense. We all owe our gratitude to those who have worn the uniform, made sacrifices, and given of themselves to protect, maintain peace, and defend.

On Veterans Day, remember those who have served; those who have suffered and experienced loss; those who still bear the weight of duty and sacrifice; those who use their service experiences to guide their lives; and most especially, those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Giving thanks for another’s service is a simple gesture that is heartfelt by the vet. For those who want to offer more support, there are numerous federal and private veteran support and advocacy groups, many of which are nonprofit organizations.

PS&S was proud to have designed the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Village at Tinton Falls with Soldier On, a homeless veterans’ nonprofit. The company provides transitional housing for veterans, focusing on helping them move from homelessness to home ownership, and other related support services. The company also believes that skills learned in the military often translate well to the civilian business sector.

Lastly, it is with pride that PS&S celebrates our own Marketing Coordinator, Stephen Hawkins, who is joining the Marines at the end of the year. We offer our thanks for his time with us and our very best wishes in the Corps. We’ll soon be able to say, “Semper Fi”!

Say thank you to a veteran today, but keep our country’s veterans in mind throughout the year. Support their causes, their health and mental care needs, and preserve a warm place in your heart, knowing that they did exactly that for all of us."

Charles Clauser, AIA

Fall 2021 Newsletter

FALL 2021 NEWSLETTER

FROM THE CORNER OFFICE

John Sartor, PE President and CEO

Dear Friend of PS&S: There’s a chill in the air as the seasons turn and it won’t be long before many of us will be traveling for the holidays. If you have ever budgeted an extra hour to get to the airport, you have probably wished you could call an air taxi and fly there. Well, you will be pleased to know that PS&S is involved in Advanced Air Mobility, which could make all that possible – and sooner than we all think. Advanced Air Mobility – moving people from point to point in the air using vertical take-off aircraft and landing zones (such as parking garage roofs) – is now being actively talked about here in the northeast. One of the early believers and advocates for Advanced Air Mobility is our own Chuck Clauser, who is both an architect and a licensed pilot. Chuck has long known that if properly implemented, traveling through the air can be done efficiently and safely – even in urban areas. In fact, PS&S is privileged to have been selected by Uber Elevate in 2019-2020 to serve as Architect of Record for their Vertiport and air taxi service in Los Angeles. (The pandemic and other factors ended that visionary project unfortunately and Elevate has since been sold by Uber.) We're proud to be one of the design firms to be chosen for these ambitious projects. It illustrates what I have long said: to be successful in this business you need technical expertise combined with talent – the kind of talent – and vision – that Chuck has. I should also point out that not only do we believe in the future of Advanced Air Mobility and our opportunity to be a major design and engineering player, but we are also partnering with others involved in this emerging industry such as Varon Corporation, which is pioneering the infrastructure for low-altitude airways. While they sound futuristic, these are not far off, pie-in-the-sky concepts for air transportation. Government bodies such as the FAA and NASA and private industry are aligned on the possibility that Advanced Air Mobility could be a reality in our area as early as 2023-2024, depending on the adoption of regulations, certifications, proven reliability, safety, and public acceptance. We hope you share our enthusiasm for this promising form of transportation that could move people in and around cities much faster than ever before, offering the potential for less traffic congestion and cleaner air. It certainly is an exciting time to be in our business. Thanks once again for your interest in PS&S. Sincerely, John Sartor, PE President and Chief Executive Officer ▀

Flight plan: Warren engineering firm enjoying work on revolutionary aerial transportation systems

By Brett Johnson (Warren) September 7, 2021 If flying taxis do take off — it’s going to be a local engineering firm helping in the initial liftoff. PS&S Architecture and Engineering P.C. is focusing heavily on the conceptual design of “vertiports” that will allow for vertical takeoff and landing of futuristic vehicles … and might not be as far off as you expect. The about 60-year-old Warren firm first launched a task force in 2019 to pursue opportunities within the aerial transport industry. And, earlier this year, it formalized a partnership between it and Varon Vehicles Corp., a company actively involved in designing infrastructure in urban environments that helicopter-like vehicles can move between. Ted Osborne, executive vice president of architecture and engineering at PS&S, admits he and the other senior professionals behind this project are like kids in a candy store. It’s fun. But, he’ll have you know, it’s also very serious — and not at all pie-in-the-sky.

Read more on ROI-NJ.com

10 Questions with PS&S’s Bill Salmon

Saw Mill River Daylighting - Yonkers, NY

Meet Bill Salmon

With the NJAFM conference now only about a month off, we caught up with some of our members about what they're looking forward to this year and what kind of floodplain management issues are on their mind. Bill Salmon, PE, CFM, Vice President, Site/Civil, for Warren, N.J.-based PS&S, one of this year's conference sponsors, had this to say:

HOW MANY NJAFM CONFERENCES HAVE YOU BEEN TO AND WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART?

I’ve attended approximately a half-dozen NJAFM conferences. I always find the conference very informative with a great deal of collaboration with both peers in the industry and regulatory agencies.  The New Jersey Chapter also seems to find great speakers that are captivating and floodplain management relevant.

PS&S WAS WIDELY RECOGNIZED IN THE DESIGN AND ENGINEERING COMMUNITY FOR ITS WORK ON DAYLIGHTING THE SAW MILL RIVER. WHAT DO YOU FEEL MADE THAT PROJECT PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL?

The Saw Mill River Daylighting project converted a very industrialized and urbanized watercourse to a significant public amenity while incorporating sustainable design concepts, improving water quality and marine habitat all while maintaining acceptable floodplain characteristics. The project has been recognized by many regulatory agencies and associations, including being named project of the year by the New York Society of Professional Engineers.

DOES PS&S HAVE ANY DAYLIGHTING OR FLOODPLAIN REMEDIATION PROJECTS GOING ON RIGHT NOW? IF SO, WHERE?

PS&S has a Daylighting project under construction in Watchung, New Jersey that’s associated with a proposed residential development. We’re also in the conceptual design phase on two additional sections of the Saw Mill River Daylighting project in Yonkers, New York. With land availability at a premium, PS&S is consistently working on development projects that include a floodplain management component.     

WHEN PS&S IS CALLED IN ON A FLOODPLAIN PROJECT, WHAT DO YOU FIND AS THE MOST CHALLENGING ASPECTS?

One of the most challenging aspects of a floodplain project is to design a creative solution that is aesthetically pleasing, cost effective and hydraulically sound in theory and practice all at the same time. That’s what makes the Saw Mill Daylight Project such a great project, it achieved those elements, included being hydraulically tested with the recent rainfall events.

WHEN YOU CONSIDER CONSTRUCTION AND THE USE OF PERMEABLE MATERIALS, ARE YOU SEEING WIDER ADOPTION?  ARE THERE NEW SOLUTIONS OR COMBINATIONS OF SOLUTIONS THAT YOU FEEL HAVE SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL?

That’s a great question. There’s definitely an increased use of permeable material in all aspects of land development design. New Jersey recently passed Stormwater Management legislation requiring additional water quality and infiltration provisions in site design.  I think we’ll be seeing an increase in the use of pervious pavement in parking areas and permeable paving stones in driveway applications.   

DO YOU FEEL THAT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON FLOODING PARTICULARLY IN THE NORTHEAST IS ACCURATE OR OVERBLOWN?

I’m on the side that believes that the impact of climate change is real and accurate. It’s fairly well documented that we’ve had statistical rainfall changes and increase in extreme flooding events well over the last 30 years or so. We are also seeing other drivers associated with climate change such as increases in surface temperature and seal level rise. PS&S was recently retained to evaluate flooding conditions caused by Hurricane Ida adjacent to the Raritan River in New Brunswick. This particular area of the Raritan River is interesting because the upper fluvial section of the river is greatly influenced by the lower tidal reaches. The higher tide elevation negatively impacted and created the higher fluvial elevation, increasing the width and depth of the floodplain.   

HURRICANE IDA RECENTLY DROPPED A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF RAIN IN THE NORTHEAST.  WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FLOODING THAT OCCURRED, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WERE THE MOST BASIC THINGS THAT COULD BE FIXED?  WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EASIER, FRONTLINE STEPS WE SHOULD ALL BE TAKING? AS PROFESSIONALS? AS HOMEOWNERS OURSELVES?

When I look at the flooding that has occurred over time and even more recently, I think that the one basic thing still seems to be that the general public needs to take advanced Emergency Management warnings more seriously and get themselves out of harm’s way. We generally understand that a typical rainfall of 0-1 inches is a nuisance in certain locations, so when we hear that a potential rainfall of 8 inches is in our path, we need to understand that it could be catastrophic.  I don’t believe the solution is easy -- a multi-pronged approach of education, increased regulation, and climate resilient infrastructure design is necessary.

THE DUTCH RECENTLY CREATED A 1,300-ACRE FLOODPLAIN ALONG THE MAAS RIVER IN THE NETHERLANDS.  COULD YOU SEE UNDERTAKING PROJECTS OF THAT SCALE IN THE U.S.?

Yes, I think we’ll see an increase of land acquisition in some parts of the United States where land is more readily available. Reverting high density areas like the Northeast into large floodplain expanses will be a little more challenging. However, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection does have a voluntary floodplain management program in place called Blue Acres. The Blue Acres program was a bond act that allocated monies for the acquisition of lands in the floodplain of major rivers and associated tributaries should a property owner wish to sell their flood prone property. A big hurdle associated with the program is land valuation. As you can imagine, land valuation is always a very big concern for property owners in New Jersey. Many property owners can’t afford to leave their flood prone homes due to the low market value, it’s a real catch 22.

Read more

THE NEW JERSEY FLOOD HAZARD AREA CONTROL ACT WAS ADOPTED IN 2007 AND WAS AMENDED IN 2016.  DO YOU FORESEE ANY NEAR-TERM AMENDMENTS COMING? WHAT’S BEING TALKED ABOUT?

Yes, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is discussing potential amendments to the Land Resource Protection Rules to help protect against climate threats. The proposed amendments address a few major areas concerning Sea Level Rise, the establishment of an Inundation Risk Zone, a redefining of Tidal Flood Hazard Areas and a redefining of Fluvial flood hazard areas are the major areas of discussion. I’m sure we’ll hear an update from the State regulatory personnel at the conference this year, including themes such as enhanced stormwater design and permitting to encourage renewable energy and green infrastructure.

WHAT YEAR DID YOU BECOME A CERTIFIED FLOODPLAIN MANAGER (CFM)? WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE ASPECTS OF FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT, WHICH PARTS AND PROJECTS DO YOU PERSONALLY FIND THE MOST INTERESTING?

I became a Certified Floodplain Manager about three or four years ago. The most rewarding aspect of floodplain management is designing a project based upon sound engineering principals as well as state-of-the-art design techniques, having it tested by real-life occurrences and having the project stand up to the challenge. I had the opportunity to work on a particular land development / floodplain project along the Middle Brook in Bound Brook that was associated with the U.S Army Corp Green Brook Flood Control project. The project was designed, permitted, and constructed in coordination with the Army Corps, NJDEP and Somerset County. The U.S. Army Corp levee system and the interior flood control measures performed as anticipated on multiple occasions, protecting the western portion of Bound Brook and our particular project.       

Saw Mill River Daylighting - Yonkers, NY

Ted Osborne featured in ROI-NJ for Advanced Air Mobility Designs

If flying taxis do take off — it’s going to be a local engineering firm helping in the initial liftoff.

PS&S Architecture and Engineering P.C. is focusing heavily on the conceptual design of “vertiports” that will allow for vertical takeoff and landing of futuristic vehicles … and might not be as far off as you expect.

The about 60-year-old Warren firm first launched a task force in 2019 to pursue opportunities within the aerial transport industry. And, earlier this year, it formalized a partnership between it and Varon Vehicles Corp., a company actively involved in designing infrastructure in urban environments that helicopter-like vehicles can move between.

Ted Osborne. (PS&S Architecture and Engineering P.C.)

Ted Osborne, executive vice president of architecture and engineering at PS&S, admits he and the other senior professionals behind this project are like kids in a candy store.

It’s fun. But, he’ll have you know, it’s also very serious — and not at all pie-in-the-sky.

“Overall, there are more than 300 different designs (of advanced aerial mobility, or AAM, systems) under development around the globe, and some major manufacturers involved — such as Mercedes-Benz, General Motors and Hyundai,” he said. “So, it’s an extremely fast-growing industry, one that we’ve been working for the past three to five years on.”

The vision is to have an entirely new transportation system that uses primarily all-electric aircraft to move three or four passengers across busy urban centers — off their congested roads. It’s a sort of short-haul aviation service that’s not available commercially.

What PS&S has focused on is the vertiports, a term for areas designed specifically for these aircraft to take off and land, like a heliport does for helicopters.

“The difference is that a heliport is extremely expensive, but a vertiport, on the other hand — not so much,” Osborne said. “And another advantage is, they don’t take up a lot of room.”

“The idea is that a company like Uber would pick you up and delivers you quickly to another terminal, faster than the 60 to 90 minutes it would take in a highly dense city,” he said. “The whole idea, too, is that it would cost no more than an Uber Black service.”

Uber, however, sold off its high-tech vehicle programs, including Uber Elevate and its autonomous car unit, when the pandemic put the brakes on its growth.

Regardless, Osborne said interest in these flying vehicles is only growing.

The company his firm is pairing up with, Varon Vehicles, is involved with creating the sort of low-altitude virtual “driving lanes” through which these vehicles would fly — without mingling with traditional aircraft in higher altitudes.

And the use cases extend past air taxis to logistics companies moving cargo, hospitals moving patient and tourism companies moving eager passengers.

“This is something that’s going to be real, it’s just that there’s a lot of rules and regulations that have to be set and approved first by agencies such as the FAA,” Osborne said, adding that his guess is that “we’ll see them here around 2024 or 2025.”

South Jersey Biz Magazine Lists PS&S as Best of Biz for Architecture

It is a HAPPY Monday indeed for the PS&S team! We are excited to share that our company was listed as South Jersey Biz Magazine’s Best of Biz for Architecture 🏆🌟

Swipe through previews of the newly-released August 2021 issue and check out our “Editors’ Picks” feature, advertisement showcasing our Project Freedom Inc. Freedom Village at Robbinsville project, and appearance in the “Building Blocks” section quoting the words of our own Mark Allen.

To see close-ups of these digital magazine pages, please click on the following link and navigate to pages 23 (Editors’ Picks), 51 (Advertisement), and 52 (Building Blocks): https://digital.southjersey.com/issue/4/4430/-1/August-2021/South-Jersey-BIZ.

Photo Credit: South Jersey Biz Magazine

Ted Osborne in ROI-NJ

The new (comfort) normal: WFH employees will want more than basic desk, chair upon return

By Brett Johnson (ROI-NJ)
July 12, 2021

When an architect talks about someone feeling comfortable enough to come back to the office setting … they’re not always referring to whether all the COVID-19 precaution boxes are checked.

These professionals have every possible way of defining comfort in mind when thinking about how to successfully reintegrate interior spaces into everyday life.

“When people were at home, they were working on sofas or even from their beds,” said longtime architect and industry leader Joshua Zinder. “How does that translate to people sitting back down on an office chair in a cubicle again?”

It’s one of the many questions — issues both small and large — that architects such as Zinder, who was this year named president of the New Jersey chapter of the American Institute of Architects, are largely responsible with coming up with the right answers for.

He and the 2,000-some local architects whom his trade organization serves are the ones turning hypotheticals about the future of once-vacated buildings in a post-pandemic world into something concrete.

“Everyone’s biggest wonder is what’s going to happen with these spaces broadly, because there are issues for every different typology,” he said. “For example, hospitality businesses have had great stresses on them … and there’s been discussions that may or may not come to fruition about doing things like adding additional hand-washing stations in hotels or restaurants. There’s a question of how much focus on that sort of thing will continue now that things are reopening.”

A lot of that’s going to be decided in a new influx of projects that are landing on architectural firms’ desks. Zinder, who also runs Princeton-based Joshua Zinder Architecture + Design, said his office has seen a massive uptick in proposals from companies and organizations in the past few months.

Ted Osborne, executive vice president of architecture and engineering at Warren-based PS&S Architecture and Engineering P.C., said that, even if the projects aren’t coming from all sectors in the economy — with the industries more hard-hit by the pandemic still standing on the sidelines — there is a lot of work to go around.

“Everyone is going to be — if they haven’t already — rethinking their interior spaces and how people are going to be working together,” he said, adding that, due that that, “I’ve been in this industry for a long time, and right now I’m busy as I’ve ever been.”

For PS&S, a Warren-based architecture, engineering and environmental firm, the projects involving corporate office spaces are rolling in slowly as people are brought back into workplaces. Projects involving other structures are piling up almost faster than a firm can take, Osborne said.

“There’s a lot of opportunities out there, and you don’t like to turn anything down,” he said, “but at a certain point, there’s a sort of critical mass in terms of the amount of people you have taking on work.”

Among the projects the firm is eyeing is a redesign of a building for Sanofi. The global biopharma company is one of the many businesses sprucing up facilities and modernizing them for a major return to offices in the fall. The firm is also offering architectural services to multinational healthcare company Roche.

“We’ve got a lot of interesting projects excited lined up in the life science industry,” he said, adding that architects didn’t find health care organizations in the spirit of capital expenditures on anything non-pandemic-related a year ago, “but now a lot of them are starting up projects and we’re seeing a lot of new opportunities there.”

The architecture work is marching forward despite some detrimental trends that stand in the way. For one thing, there’s a lot of real estate that’s being vacated or subleased as companies go completely remote, said Jackie Mierkowski of Ignarri-Lummis Architects.

The local architect, a project manager for the Cherry Hill architectural firm, which is soon to rebrand as Vissi Architecture + Design, watched a structure in Voorhees that housed Comcast become a ghost town for that reason recently.

On top of the reluctance to invest in enclosed office spaces, there’s the fact that the basic building blocks that architects play with — namely, lumber and steel — have been subjected to quadrupled prices over the past year. And that does have a big impact on what these firms are able to do with businesses and developers on a budget.

“The price of steel and lumber is both insanely expensive, and who knows when that’s going to change,” Mierkowski said. “At some point, that bubble bursts and the price goes down, but we’re still waiting on that.”

There was even a Plexiglas shortage, kicked off by the amount of partitions added inside buildings.

In spite of the recent mania for materials, architects are being called on to reengineer buildings and design new ones at a fast rate. It’s an interesting time for architects — as they take on this workload while also being asked to innovate for a post-pandemic modus operandi.

In any case, they’re up for the task.

“The world is going to change,” Mierkowski said. “What’s really important is to stay ahead of the game.”

Camden County Concert Series Returns at PS&S’ Haddon Heights Dell

You know it is going to be a great day upon waking up to some feel-good news! As COVID-19 restrictions are loosening, we are pleased to see one of our projects, the Haddon Heights Dell, is being utilized once again after over a year of social distancing and quarantining.

If you live in Camden County, NJ, and are comfortable with outdoor gatherings, stop by the Haddon Heights Dell to enjoy Camden County's Summer Concert series! Please click here for the concert schedule, and refer to the "Sundown Music Series" section.

Don't forget to take pictures and send them to us on our social media platforms for us to repost! Thank you to 6ABC Action News' Dann Cuellar for featuring our project in this morning's article.

PS&S Names Andrew Malek as Chief Growth Officer

On behalf of the PS&S Management Committee, we are pleased to announce that Andrew Malek, P.E., has joined our team as Chief Growth Officer.

We are excited to have Andrew on board to help increase awareness of our offering across many regions. As we continue to grow in areas such as New York, Texas, North Carolina and Florida, Andrew will be taking lead for the Management Committee helping us to increase PS&S’ exposure and develop new business. Andrew will be instrumental in setting and meeting goals and be responsible for developing partnerships and joint ventures with architectural, environmental, and engineering firms as we continue to expand.

Andrew spent 14 years at AKRF, Inc. in New York City, where he had the unique opportunity to lead and grow the engineering practice. He moved up the ranks in various senior leadership positions, serving as CEO for several years.

In this capacity, he managed AKRF’s entire business operation throughout the Northeast, which included the expansion of technical service offerings and revenue through organic growth. Most recently, he spent time in various leadership and management positions overseeing delivery of building construction projects. He will be based in New York City.  

Please join us in welcoming Andrew Malek to PS&S! You can learn more by reading our featured article in Real Estate New Jersey by clicking here: https://re-nj.com/pss-names-chief-growth-officer-eyeing-national-expansion/.