Broker Breeze
Wilmington, NC

Recently, WRAR selected S&ME, Inc. to provide the Special Inspections and Testing Services on the new WRAR building on Sir Tyler Drive.

S&ME also offers free consultations to REALTORS® with questions regarding particular sites or a project. Typical questions involve environmental issues such as: CAMA Permits, Wetlands, Septic Tank Permits, Underground Storage Tanks, Contaminated Soils, etc.

They can advise you on the most practical and cost effective solutions. Speaking with one of their Environmental Consultants or Engineers can many times save you &/or your client a lot of time and money. S&ME encourages you to call them about issues you’re having regarding : (1) Environmental or Natural Resources Issues (2) Soil Science/Geotechnical Engineering (3) Construction Testing QA/QC or Special Inspections Services.

For more information on S&ME, Inc., please visit: http://www.smeinc.com.

The Town of Windham was incorporated in 1692, and includes the communities of North Windham, South Windham, and Windham Center, as well as the Borough of Willimantic. Located along the Shetucket River, Willimantic became the industrial and commercial hub of the town during the nineteenth century, while the other communities retained much of their original agricultural character.

For this project, the Town of Windham chose four geographic areas upon which to focus their survey efforts: North Windham, South Windham, The Oaks, and Route 32. These areas contained a diverse collection of historic properties from the eighteenth century through the early twentieth century. The fieldwork for the survey involved recording details and photographing approximately 200 historic structures located within these areas.

The ongoing work involves compiling the information we gathered into a final survey report. Survey information, photographs, and historical details about specific properties will be entered into State of Connecticut Historic Resource Inventory forms. This information will be used to make recommendations about local historic designations and eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), for both individual properties and potential historic districts.

S&ME, Inc., provided geotechanical engineering services that include a subsurface evaluation and recommendations for a 15-story hotel, conference center and parking deck in Cherokee, North Carolina. Initially, another testing agency was awarded the construction materials testing contract. The Asheville, North Carolina office of S&ME was contacted when the client decided to replace the first materials testing agency due to a lack of confidence with that agency. At that time, the hotel superstructure was approximately 30% complete, the conference center was 60% complete, and the parking deck was 80% complete. S&ME was contracted to provide construction materials testing for cast-in-place concrete, grout blockfill, masonry cement, soil fill and aggregate base material. In particular, S&ME personnel would verify size and placement of reinforcing steel and evaluate the steel structure as it was erected. S&ME would also monitor the tensioning of the cable tendons in the post-tensioned slabs for the hotel. Additionally, S&ME provided fireproofing and roofing inspections, as well as observing tests of sprinkler, plumbing and electrical components.

Difficulties with placement and alignment of the reinforcing steel during the early stages of construction (before S&ME joined the project) had inspired the structural engineering firm to post a representative on site full-time. S&ME provided two full-time metals technicians for the project in addition to a materials technician. One metals technician monitored erection of the steel structures at the conference center and a pedestrian skybridge between the new hotel and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, and the other metals technician monitored construction of the cast-in-place columns and post-tensioned slabs in the hotel. Approximately four weeks after S&ME began monitoring construction, the structural engineering firm felt confident enough with S&ME personnel to remove their own representative from the site.

S&ME also provided a mobile lab for on-site testing of concrete placed in post-tensioned elevated slabs so the contractor could apply tension to the tendons in the slabs as soon as possible.

Presently, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino is constructing an addition to the casino and S&ME will provide all of the construction materials testing services on this project, including monitoring soil-nail wall construction and micro-pile foundation system installation.

The work conducted by S&ME performed for Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse, Inc. was for the re-development of six buildings used for commercial and residential properties. The redevelopment of the property enhances and revitalizes part of the downtown, and also helps preserve a vital landmark in the downtown Durham area.

The American Tobacco-Phase II project site consists of six industrial buildings ranging from single story to five stories. The Old Bull Building is a 133,400 square foot three- and five-story building built between 1874 and 1903 with five sections. The Lucky Strike building is a 60,900 square foot four-story building built in 1903. The Noell Building is a 41,600 square foot single story building with a basement with portions built in 1894 and 1921. Another building, the Power House, is a 19,375 square foot multi-story building built between 1929 and 1939 with a single story wing that was added in 1948. The Hill Building built in 1900 is a 64,000 square foot two-story building with a basement. The coal shed is a 9,425 square foot single story building built in 1951. A semi-detached smokestack is located on the north side of the building.

S&ME’s services included geotechnical engineering, environmental services, industrial hygiene and materials testing.

Environmental Services: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA), a Phase II ESA, Brownfields Program consultation, asbestos and lead surveys. Hazardous materials abatement specifications and abatement monitoring.

Geotechnical Services: Engineering for general site grading, foundation bearing, retaining wall design, seismic classification and excavation.

Construction Materials Testing Services: Evaluation of existing mortar and slab moisture, and emissions testing.

S&ME’s role in the project demonstrates extensive experience in performing a wide range of geotechnical and environmental services capabilities.  The asbestos and lead-based paint services  demonstrate our ability to design and oversee large abatement projects in historical buildings. It also shows our knowledge with Brownfields Program requirements.