Burlington, Mass., Dec. 2, 2020—Hart Crowser, a division of Haley & Aldrich, today announced that the firm won an American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Engineering Excellence Honor Award for its work on the Rainier Square Tower project. The ACEC recognized only 36 projects throughout the U.S. with its Grand and Honor Engineering Excellence Awards. During the project, Hart Crowser staff provided expertise in geotechnical engineering, numerical modeling, seismic design, value engineering, and construction monitoring.
“This was a challenging and incredibly rewarding project for the Hart Crowser team,” said David Winter, Hart Crowser’s Principal-in-Charge for the project. “We were honored to partner with Wright Runstad & Company to transform Seattle’s urban center and are equally as honored to accept this prestigious award for that work.”
Hart Crowser is recognized for its contributions to converting an underused block in Seattle’s urban center to a fully developable site for the second tallest building in the city. With Hart Crowser’s soil modeling, shoring wall design, and instrumentation program, the developer was able to construct the new building as well as a seven-level underground garage right next to and beneath the foundations of the iconic 1970s era pedestal-mounted Rainier Tower. As a result of the team’s approach, tenants of the fully occupied existing Rainier Tower, adjacent to construction, did not perceive any settlement or lean.
“The team’s creativity, thoughtful engineering, and careful modeling were key to overcoming a series of unique and challenging requirements for this project,” said Larry Smith, Haley & Aldrich’s President and CEO. “The end result allowed the developer to bring its vision for the heart of downtown Seattle to fruition. This award is a testament to the team’s hard work, collaboration, and innovative thinking.”
Hart Crowser’s David Winter and Brice Exley accepted the award during the ACEC’s 2020 Engineering Excellence Awards Virtual Gala on December 1.
About Hart Crowser
Hart Crowser is headquartered in Seattle, with 120 staff in nine offices in Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and Guam. The firm specializes in geotechnical engineering, environmental science and engineering, stormwater services, and resilience engineering. Visit www.hartcrowser.com.
