Category Archives: Current Events
Posted in Architecture | Codes & Regulations | Current Events by Steven M. Beattie, RLA (Senior Project Manager) on May 16, 2013
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Ever since I received classroom instruction at West Virginia University in the mid-1990s, accessibility has been a key component to my design process. Of course, back then we merely worried about the basics by providing ramps, curb cuts, and accessible parking spaces. Today, accessibility is a complicated, multi-level set of regulations and design guidelines that reach into every aspect of our society and daily lives – as they should. Over the years, I was guilty of questioning the regulatory guidance and why we needed to provide such a comprehensive approach which complicated design, sometimes limited the final design, and absolutely increased construction costs.
Today, I’m proud to say that I fully embrace accessibility, and make it the very first priority on any site design. In addition to the comprehensive checks and balances now in place to ensure accessibility that force compliance, I have witnessed over the years all types of people struggle in some of the same places I designed. Additionally, you can learn a lot when you have two young children and a stroller to push around. It was these experiences that have me now incorporating Universal Design Principles, as accessibility guidelines truly help all users, no matter your physical or cognitive ability.
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Posted in Codes & Regulations | Current Events | Initiatives | Politics | Transportation by Steve Muller (Manager of Client Development) on March 4, 2013
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When Governor Corbett proposed his 2013 budget in early February, the PA transportation industry was pleased to see that one of his main initiatives is for funding transportation improvements. It has been a long time coming since release in August of 2011 of a comprehensive report from the Governor’s Transportation Funding Advisory Council. This report made a strong case for funding the $ 3.5 billion gap in transportation funds needed yearly in our state. (See an earlier LDG Blog for more information: The Transportation Funding Advisory Council)
New revenue is sorely needed to maintain and improve our transportation infrastructure in PA. In Governor Corbett’s words, “Our most costly option would be to do nothing.” In a February press release, the Governor pitched his approach to funding transportation, as proposed in his budget and outlined these initiatives:
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Posted in Architecture | Current Events | Site Design & Land Development | Sustainable Design | Urban Development by Andy Keister, PE, PLS (Chief Operations Officer) on December 12, 2012
The parking lot at Lycoming College before and after LDG’s redesign.
The rapid pace of change seems to affect everything in the engineering and construction world, even something as established as parking lots. First, let’s talk about design methods.
When I started doing retail/commercial site design 20 years ago, configuring a parking lot was a hit or miss process that involved analyzing multiple stall, aisle, and angle options in an effort to meet the client’s required stall count while complying with local zoning requirements. Once you developed a layout that met the numbers you needed, it was time to work around any stormwater and grading constraints that the site might offer, which may or may not require you to change your original layout.
Recently, AutoCAD introduced add-ons that allowed a designer to input all design variables such as stall size, angles, aisle widths, direction of travel, and boundary constraints. With a few clicks of the mouse, you could see several design options and stall counts. Now we’ve progressed to the point where our design software not only allows us to optimize our parking stall layout, but at the same time it can create preliminary grading and stormwater plans and estimate the cost for the site work.
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Posted in Alternative Energy | Communities | Current Events | Economic Development | Energy Conservation | Innovative Solutions | Politics by Marty Muggleton (VP Client Development & Marketing) on August 17, 2012
Barcelona, Spain–”It isn’t a crisis, it’s a scam.”
When he said “just like America”, I began to think.
In the last three years, I have been fortunate to spend time in both Greece and Spain. These are beautiful and stimulating cultures, and are valuable sources for understanding other views of the world. I can’t speak more than a few phrases of each language, but I can learn by talking (in English) with locals. In these countries there are plenty of opportunities, since people tend to be friendly and enthusiastic conversationalists.
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Posted in Current Events | Employees | Leadership by Jillian Ibbs (Marketing) on July 25, 2012
At Larson Design Group, we believe that our employees are our greatest asset. In this new feature, we’ll profile some of the staff members who contribute to our success. This month the spotlight is on Robert Murphy, Senior Project Manager in our Lititz office. Bob is both a licensed Professional Engineer and a Professional Geologist.
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