A WORD FROM OUR CFO
With the novelty of virtual workplaces and zoom meetings wearing off, we are finding new ways to stay active, engaged, and most of all communicative with our clients, staff and colleagues.
Back to the Office: as essential workers begin to return to the office we have seen a wide range of approaches to how and when that happens. . At Latitude 33 we have chosen a phased approach which allows employees a choice. We have seen approximately 20% of our employees return completely, while the remainder are split between half-time in the office and those who are continuing to work completely from home. In our “Company Culture” section of the newsletter you can see how we celebrate successes and keep our team connected even when we can’t be together.
Pursuits Continue: how do you impress a new client and showcase your personality and technical abilities over Zoom? We have all learned the importance of reading body language and how to adapt your approach and delivery based on those non-verbal cues. When we were faced with a virtual project interview with a brand new client we needed to adjust our approach and invest time into getting comfortable with new technology and practicing a new style of presenting. Check out a deeper dive into how we prepared and won the UC Irvine As-Needed contract in the “Project Wins” section of this newsletter.
Networking: for the time being, networking is not like it used to be. In lieu of 200+ BIA and ULI events we are meeting virtually on zoom with small groups of networking partners. We attend webinars and listen in on educational podcasts and interviews. We place high value on our relationships both internally and externally and are happy to put in the extra effort to stay connected. Now more than ever we rely on our strategic partners and friends to stay informed and up to date on what’s happening in our Industry and we strive to be a resource to our partners and clients in return!
Continue to Be Safe and Stay Healthy!
Featured Story
China Lake
On July 4th and 5th, 2019, many of the facilities at Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake were severely damaged by the Ridgecrest Earthquakes. China Lake is the Navy’s key research & development site for major aviation and weapons systems testing and evaluation. Covering 1.2 million acres in the Mojave Desert, China Lake felt the brunt of the significant 6.4 and 7.1 magnitude quakes. The tremors left buildings, roadways, and utility infrastructure impacted, and entire Mission programs without adequate space and facilities to continue their critical work and research.
Latitude 33 is excited to be a part of the recovery efforts at China Lake. As a subconsultant to Jacobs Engineering Group, Latitude 33 recently completed design-build bridging documents for a new weapons research laboratory situated on ~10 acres within NAWSCL Main site. The new laboratory was carefully designed to consolidate several Mission programs into one state-of-the-art facility and included much site planning and engineering. In the early phases of the project, Latitude 33 provided several site layout concepts to maximize building and parking coverage of the available real estate, which ultimately led to the development of the design concept used for the project bridging documents. Documents provided consisted of: basis of design narrative, part 3 engineering systems requirements, concept grading plan, site improvement plan, utility plan, storm water management calculations and report, and overall project consultation and coordination throughout the duration of the project.
One of the many unique challenges faced included the live development of the constantly evolving project program to provide the most comprehensive bidding documents to the satisfaction of the End Users. Another unique engineering challenge included the analysis and design of a solution to re-route an existing major drainage channel bisecting the project site to make space for the laboratory and supporting parking lot and other site features. Latitude 33 is proud and excited to be a part of such a meaningful project and Mission to rehabilitate buildings and systems at China Lake!
Groundbreakings
Jefferson, La Mesa
JEFFERSON LA MESA, a 5-acre multi-family development, broke ground in early February. Developed by JPI, JEFFERSON LA MESA is at the intersection of Baltimore Drive and University Avenue and is near the trolley station and downtown dining and entertainment district. This four-story, luxury development will consist of 230 apartment homes that will feature sleek and contemporary finishes, designer kitchens, and SMART Home Technology.
Community amenities will include a two-level fitness center with yoga room and cycling studio, co-working space, resort-style pool with cabanas, high-tech resident lounge, pet park with grooming station, outdoor fire pit, and other design features.
Latitude 33 provided services for not only the onsite grading and improvements, but also extensive improvements to existing El Cajon Boulevard, University Avenue, Baltimore Drive and Nebo Drive for roadway widening, new medians, new bike lanes, traffic signal and upgrades and new sewer and water mains. The project also included obtaining permits and approvals from several agencies including San Diego County Water Authority, Helix Water District, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, Heartland Fire and City of La Mesa.
JEFFERSON LA MESA is estimated to be completed 2021!
Learn more at www.jpi.com
Juvenile Justice Campus
Groundbreaking for grading officially has begun! One of Latitude 33’s most innovative projects is the Urban Camp at the JUVENILE JUSTICE CAMPUS, Phase 1 of a three-phase redevelopment of the County Juvenile Hall and Probations Center. Located at 2840 Meadowlark Drive in Kearny Mesa, the project is south of the I-805 & SR-163 junction. This development for the County of San Diego is intended to be a model for positive development and reorient the way we approach the rehabilitation of incarcerated youth.
Phase 1 of the JUVENILE JUSTICE CAMPUS project, dubbed the Urban Camp, entails adding approximately 131,000 sq. ft. of new buildings, over 300 parking stalls, and new campus amenities, including a recreation field, ball courts, indoor gymnasium, educational facilities, vocational spaces, and four new housing facilities. The project will provide for their basic physical needs, safety, and security, and support personal growth. The environment will emphasize staff and youth interaction, family connections, positive program participation, and a sense of wellness for both youth and staff. The design emulates a residential campus, such as a private boarding school, with a secure environment and aims to be a place where youth can grow and flourish. The project is designed to achieve Zero Net Energy (ZNE).
The design-build team is being led by Balfour Beatty + DLR Group, along with nine (9) design/engineering partners and 11 trade partners, including Latitude 33.
Virtual Win
University of California, Irvine
Latitude 33 has won a 3-year Executive Engineering Contract with University of California, Irvine to provide Civil Engineering services for a multitude of deferred maintenance projects across the campus.
This project was procured during the COVID-19 shelter in place order for California during the months of March and April, meaning the final interview was presented online to the UCI Selection Committee through a Zoom Virtual Meeting.
Presenting in this new environment meant a collaborative effort of Latitude 33 Staff, including Dana Keil (Marketing), Matt Semic (Principal), and Kyle Boyce (Project Manager) to create a presentation that was engaging and precise. Latitude 33 took advantage of the free reign to be creative when developing our power point and took special care and time rehearsing on-line with our Latitude 33 audience critiquing. They even coordinated apparel! Key points made during the online interview included dedicated speakers, engaging examples and illustrations to convey messages presented by the speakers and ensuring committee members felt engaged.
Blossoming Partnerships
General Atomics
Latitude 33 is excited to join the General Atomics team! As a leader in the energy sector and a prominent defense corporation, General Atomics specializes in research and technology development. Headquartered in San Diego, General Atomics has an impressive campus footprint in both La Jolla and Poway. The recently awarded as-needed contract is intended to assist the Facilities Engineering Services team in efforts including existing conditions reconnaissance, ADA upgrades, storm water assessment, entitlement work and other various engineering related tasks.
San Diego Unified School District
Latitude 33 has teamed with HPI Architecture to assist on 12 SDUSD school sites. Heightened security has become a priority at all Public Schools and Latitude 33 is elated to assist the district in achieving their security goals. The project initially consisted of providing survey work including boundary mapping, topography and as-built research on all twelve (12) campuses. As the projects evolved, Latitude 33 was tasked to provide assistance on security functions on all the site as wells. The work entailed coordinating fencing locations with security gates, providing ADA compliant paths of travel to points of entry, designing erosion control plans and providing Water Pollution Control plans as necessary.
Awards
Pacific Highlands Ranch Community Park Wins 2020 APWA “Project of the Year
We’re very pleased that the American Public Works Association (APWA) has recognized Pacific Highlands Ranch Community Park with the Project of the Year Award for 2020.
This 13-acre community park offers a diverse and unique blend of recreational amenities for the local community that include an entry garden, discovery playgarden, parkour area, children’s play areas, and picnic areas.
This community park also offers opportunities for athletic and community-based functions with a central gymnasium, separate multi-purpose building, and a large flexible outdoor courtyard in their 17,000-square-foot recreation center along with a full size softball field, a ½ mile loop pathway which connects the field and access to the dog park and pump track.
Latitude 33 proudly provided planning and engineering services for this community park.
Congratulations to the development team: Schmidt Design Group, Architects Hanna Gabriel Wells, and T.B. Penick and Sons, Inc.
UC San Diego Osler Parking Structure Wins DBIA 2020 Award of Merit
This design-build collaboration is located off Gilman Drive in the School of Medicine. With six-levels and over 1,300 stalls, it replaces two parking lots that served the Heath Sciences West community. This innovative design blends the natural landscape seamlessly and enhances visitors experience, providing connectivity to the surrounding campus including access to the Visitor Center from a pedestrian bridge.
For this project, Latitude 33 provided grading and site design, including excavation quantities and precise grading to support ADA path of travel requirements; Leading coordination efforts with a broad spectrum of sub-consultants; Storm water treatment BMP design for water quality; Strategic thinking and collaboration with UCSD during utility and site layout to best address the future needs of the school; Value engineering and construction support efforts.
Congratulations to our design team: UC San Diego, Gensler, Watry Design, Inc., Swinerton, tk1sc, and Spurlock Landscape Architects
Community & Culture
Latitude 33’s Newest Project Manager
Rory Linehan, P. E. has joined Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering as a Project Manager. He brings nearly two decades of experience as a naval officer and a civil engineer. For the past 14 years, he has worked in the construction and engineering fields, managing projects, coordinating contractors, and ensuring projects complied with engineering and architectural plans. Additionally, Mr. Linehan serves in the Navy Reserves. During his active duty, he served as a Construction Manager and an Engineering Division Officer, among other roles. For Latitude 33, Mr. Linehan will manage projects ranging from infill mixed-use developments to life science and hospitality projects.
“Looking forward to contributing to the dynamic Latitude 33 team across a diverse variety of projects and being a part of helping shape the beautiful San Diego region”
Latitude 33’s Newest Design Engineer
Aubrey Kramer has just joined Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering as a Design Engineer and has recently graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Ms. Kramer truly has a passion for others as she volunteers in her spare time and also enjoys baking and traveling.
Welcome to the Latitude team!
“Civil Engineering gives me the opportunity to help others within this industry such as providing housing and helping solve water resource issues”
Did You Know
We are actively seeking talented individuals for the following positions:
Project Manager
Senior Design Engineer
Design Engineer
Project Engineer
Apply Online at www.latitude33.com
Celebration
Celebrating a prosperous quarter
Whether it’s virtual, in person or a hybrid of both, Latitude 33 always finds a way to stay connected and to simply celebrate! Latitude 33 has been pushing the creativity when it comes to company culture with Halloween themed happy hours (in June!) and trivia nights with the crew.
On June 24th our team in the office and virtually from home met at Cutwater Spirits to celebrate a prosperous second quarter and to cheers to exciting new opportunities.
Thank you for being a part of our planning and engineering family. From the entire Latitude 33 team, stay healthy and enjoy your summer!