Oates Associates: Engineering + Architecture

View News Releases

 
Search (keyword or phrase):
Date Article
Apr 1, 2013West Union Street project moves forward
Two important items for the reconstruction of West Union Street were approved by the Public Safety Committee.

The first was the approval of a supplemental professional services agreement with Oates Associates for $7,789.31.

"This is for supplemental engineering for the negotiation acquisition of two permanent easements," said City Engineer Ryan Zwijack.

Since this project is utilizing federal funds they require that a certified negotiator and certified appraiser be used. Currently the public works department doesn't have anyone on staff that meets these requirements.

The item was approved unanimously and will be up for approval by the City Council.

The second item was the approval of an IDOT supplemental resolution appropriating Motor Fuel Tax Funds for the West Union Street reconstruction project in the amount of $7,800 to pay for the previously approved professional services agreement.

"Because it is a federally funded job, we're eligible to use MFT funds to pay for it," said Zwijack.

The work that is planned for West Union includes the milling and resurfacing of the asphalt surface on West Union Street from St. Louis Street to North Main Street. Curb and sidewalk replacement, reconstruction of curb ramps, and other associated reconstruction is included.

The project is currently programed for the federal fiscal year Oct. 1 of 2014. City Engineer Eric Williams explained the reason that this work is being completed early is because projects sometimes get moved forward because other projects get canceled and the hope from Williams is to get the project started in the 2014 fiscal year.

The supplemental resolution was approved and will be up for approval by the city council.

Finally an information item was presented, change order one and the final to Valley Contractor in the amount of $2,011.15.

According to Zwijack this is for the Capital Improvements Program sidewalk improvements on Fillmore and Kansas and it is finalizing the contract quantities.

The next Public Services Committee meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 9.

A special joint meeting between the Public Services Committee and the Administrative and Community Services committee has been scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2 in the council chambers. The only item on that agenda is an ordinance revising Article II of the Edwardsville City Code Police Department.

theintelligencer.com
Mar 22, 2013Grand Avenue project goes forward
Improvements on Grand Avenue are one step closer with the Edwardsville City Council approving an engineering agreement with Oates Associates.

“This project is for the design of the planned reconstruction of Grand Avenue from Rose Avenue to Elm (Street),” said Alderman Tom Butts. “Included in this project is the reconstruction of Rose Avenue from Randle Street on to Grand Avenue.”

The contract was estimated at $81,700 with work including field surveys, preliminary engineering, construction documents, and limited bid assistance.

Oates Associates had previously completed similar work on Randle Street. As a result of this, the Pubic Works estimated a $10,000 saving by having them do the work.

The improvements that will be completed include concrete curb and gutter, asphalt pavement, storm sewer, sidewalks and driveways.
The engineering agreement was approved.

The Edwardsville Intelligencer ©March 2013
Mar 15, 2013Grand Award
Oates Associates engineering and design firm and the city of St. Charles received a Grand Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri for the St. Charles Sidewalk Inventory and ADA Transition Plan project.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©March 2012
Mar 15, 2013Oates Associates Receives Merit Award for South 17th Street Project
BELLEVILLE, ILL. -- The City of Belleville and Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, have received a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Illinois for the reconstruction and extension of South 17th Street in Belleville, located about 20 miles from St. Louis.

The ACEC competition recognized 56 Illinois-based firms for excellence in engineering at a luncheon attended by more than 400 engineers, clients and government officials. The reconstruction and extension of South 17th Street improved safety and increased accessibility for motorists and pedestrians. Oates Associates began working with the city of Belleville in 2004 to develop plans for improvements to South 17th Street and was involved from concept through construction on this two-phase project.

Heartland Real Estate Business ©March 2013
Mar 8, 2013ACEC Honors Oates, St. Charles
The City of St. Charles, Missouri, and Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, recently received a Grand Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Missouri for the St. Charles Sidewalk Inventory and ADA Transition Plan project. The ACEC competition recognizes firms for projects that demonstrate innovation, achievement and value. An ACEC Grand Award is given to one project in each entry category.

The City of St. Charles hired Oates Associates to develop an automated sidewalk inventory and evaluation system integrated with the City's Geographic Information System (GIS).

Located along the banks of the Missouri River, the City of St. Charles has more than 400 miles of sidewalks covering 20 square miles of land. To ensure that the sidewalk system functions and meets the needs of all users, the City took a proactive approach to establish an ADA Transition Plan and inventory the sidewalk network to identify needed improvements.

The planning process began by meeting with city officials, school officials, disability advocates, business owners, representatives from the various historic districts and the citizens of St. Charles. An online survey was developed to help prioritize improvements by gauging citizens' use of and issues with the sidewalk system.

A GIS-based inventory and evaluation system was established to operate within the City's existing GIS system. This system allows the City to consistently update the sidewalk inventory as improvements are completed, and maintain an up-to-date report on the needs of the City.

The sidewalk inventory and transition plan is in place and will be continually updated as the City improves its sidewalks and as ADA regulations evolve over time. The plan identifies objectives and develops criteria for the goal of creating a continuous sidewalk system that supports a safe, pedestrian-friendly community with access to schools, parks, trails and other popular destinations.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in St. Louis, Missouri and Collinsville, Illinois.

St. Louis Construction News & Review ©March 2013


Feb 21, 2013Niederhofer Wins Young Surveryor Honors
Travis Niederhofer, PLS, of Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, has been named the 2012 Young Surveyor of the Year by the Illinois Professional Land Surveyors Association (IPLSA). Niederhofer lives in Hoyleton, IL.

The award, given to only one young IPLSA member throughout the state of Illinois, recognizes Niederhofer's outstanding contributions to the surveying profession and his community.

Niederhofer has been a member of IPLSA since 1999 and currently is vice president of IPLSA's Little Egyptian Chapter and a delegate to the IPLSA State Board of Directors. He also is a member of the IPLSA Geographic Information Systems/Illinois Mapping Advisory Committee and the IPLSA Intersociety Relations Committee.

Niederhofer joined Oates Associates in January 2007 and has more 14 years of experience in land surveying, with an emphasis on boundary and legal surveys. At Oates, Niederhofer oversees the land survey field crews, is responsible for the research and data analysis necessary for completion of boundary and right of way surveys for roadway projects, and performs other types of land surveys including ALTA/ACSM Land Title surveys, construction surveys, and topographic surveys.

In addition to his position with Oates, Niederhofer previously served as an assistant instructor at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, teaching an introductory Computer Aided Drafting and Design course related to applications in civil engineering.

St. Louis Construction News & Review © February 2013


Feb 13, 2013Marshall Faulk at Scouts dinner
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS — As a kid growing up in New Orleans, Marshall Faulk wasn't able to be a Boy Scout.

"Scouts was something I always wanted to be a part of," the former NFL football star Faulk said. "But growing up in the inner city, a poverty-stricken area, we couldn't even afford the uniform."

That's one reason Faulk joined Madison County Chief Justice Ann Callis as a guest at the annual Distinguished Citizens Award Dinner on Wednesday in Fairview Heights.

The Lewis & Clark Council of Boy Scouts of America holds the fundraiser dinner every year to honor people who demonstrate leadership and good citizenship in the area, and raises the money to help Scouts whose families cannot afford the often-high price of participating in Scouting events, and to fund Scouting programs in financially challenged communities like East St. Louis, Madison, Alton and Venice.

"For a lot of them, there is a financial barrier, or the parents don't have the resources to participate," said council CEO Alicia Lifrak.

This year's honorees were David Oates of the Oates Associates engineering firm, and business leaders Rich and Judee Sauget. All three demonstrate the values of Scouting in their personal and professional lives, Lifrak said.

"They use their time and talents to give back to the community," she said.

While Oates was never a Scout, he has a long history in volunteerism. Oates moved to Edwardsville at age 27 to open a branch office for an engineering firm, which he eventually turned into his own firm. Oates Associates has designed many public, corporate and commercial projects.

Oates, 60, serves on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Foundation board and leadership roles for Eden Village Retirement Center, Eden United Church of Christ, the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois and multiple engineering organizations.

However, he said he is slowly stepping down from boards and foundations. "I'm working my way toward retirement," he said.

Sauget, 68, was a Scout for several years as a boy, and fondly remembers nearly burning down his den leader's house as they learned to bake cookies. He credits his time as a Scout with some of the lessons he learned in preparing for his life as a business leader.

His company, East County Enterprises, has managed real estate in the metro-east for 35 years. He is the managing partner of the Gateway Grizzlies, following a career in professional baseball, and president of the Frontier League.

"Be prepared," he said, practicing the Scout salute. "I did, oh, 15 merit badges ... I learned that awareness of what you need to do to get the job done."

Sauget, who lives in the small town that bears his family name, has also been board chairman for Touchette Regional Hospital, St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association and St. Clair County Building Commission; and a member of the Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital board, Lambert Airport board, U.S. Bank board of directors, Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois and many others.

He is married to high school sweetheart Judee Sauget, founder of Zingraff Motion Pictures, which has produced eight movies as well as documentaries and commercials. For 16 years she has sponsored the St. Louis International Film Festival and has twice screened films at the Cannes Film Festival.

Among her volunteer work: Epilepsy Foundation of Southern Illinois, Althoff High School Mother's Club, People Project of St. Louis, Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois, Cahokia Mounds Historic Site, Voices of Illinois Children, Catholic Urban Programs with the Diocese of Belleville and many more.

It is that focus on community and youth that makes Scouting important, Faulk said, especially in the tough neighborhoods that the council's programs serve.

"You're battling street gangs and drugs, and that sense of belonging in a Scout group combats that," Faulk said. "It allows the values that they teach to grow ... You wouldn't believe how many guys will tell me to this day, 'Scout's honor.'"

Contact reporter Elizabeth Donald at edonald@bnd.com or 239-2501.

Belleville News Democrat ©February 2013


Jan 11, 2013Jason Dreyer of Oates Associates earns professional license
Jason Dreyer, of Collinsville, has earned his structural engineer license for the state of Illinois. Dreyer is with the structural department at Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering firm in Collinsville.

Suburban Journals © January 2013
Dec 10, 2012Striving to build a better environment







Barb Anderson and the USGBC provide programming to municipalities and private industries interested in developing sustainable building practices or in reaching out to local residents to show how everyone benefits from cleaner, walkable communities and healthier environments. 

Barb Anderson, 2012-13 chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Advocacy Committee, says she has a passion for sustainable building. She also has more than 25 years of experience in architecture and sustainable design.

Through the USGBC, the Oates Associates senior architect works with communities and municipalities to initiate, develop and implement green building concepts in order to promote environmentally responsible places in which citizens can live and work.

However, she admits it’s a passion she fell into by accident.

“It all started when I was at another firm working on the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center. The president of Lewis and Clark College suggested that we strive to achieve LEED certification on the project, which was still very new at the time,” she said. “That suggestion led us to use some of the most cutting edge technology on the project in order to receive the highest level of LEED available. After that, I was on board.”

Anderson’s various committee projects often overlap one another and provide unique challenges, but each ultimately has the same basic mission: To encourage local officials to develop eco-responsible municipalities and allow builders the incentive to embrace sustainable building practices and reach out to the community at large to show how they can benefit from cleaner, walkable communities that create healthier environments for everyone.

Sometimes that means providing USGBC-sponsored programming to industry groups, key individuals and the public at large through presentations or educational events like the Green Homes and Green Health Festival in St. Louis, Mo., where she recently met with other communities to share ideas.

Local partnerships and collaborations are at the very heart of the USGBC’s mission.

“It’s not always easy,” she admitted. “There are always challenges when it comes to encouraging communities and municipalities to embrace sustainable building practices when they still know so little about it.”

While on the Edwardsville, Ill., Cool Cities Committee, Anderson was able to formulate a sustainable building ordinance that promoted the benefits of sustainable building without locking builders into third party verification, monitoring or the escalated costs associated with green construction.

“Sustainable building is not mandated, but it is encouraged,” she said, noting that this type of ordinance is not easy to pass because no one wants to deter the potential growth in a community. “We took the attitude that it’s better than nothing. If a builder is willing to use as many recycled products as possible, that’s fine. It still makes the community a little greener.”

It’s that attitude that Anderson will be taking into 2013, when she’ll work with other sustainable building experts who were selected to assist in the completion of a sustainability plan for Madison County, Ill., Planning and Development Department. When it’s completed, the plan will serve as a reference for the county’s decisions and policies in sustainable practices. Anderson and other experts will assess current practices, create action items, and develop an implementation strategy.

“We’re just getting started, but it will be a larger version of the kind of thing we did on the Cool Cities Committee. But this will be available to all of the communities in the county.”

Anderson hopes that as municipal officials and engineers continue to develop their communities, reliance on sustainable building practices will become automatic rather than something that they decide on in committee.

“Just as we now design and plan all projects in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, I would like to see sustainablility incorporated the same way."













Sustainable finishes were selected for a business resource center project at the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, which was carried out with the assistance of the School of Business. Materials include bamboo veneer, glass tiles, pressed sorghum panels, recycled glass countertops and other products with high-recycled content. 

What is the USGBC?
The USGBC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for the nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. Supported by donations, sponsors and members who volunteer their time and talent to promote awareness, the USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities.
Members affiliated with a local chapter have the opportunity to meet with other like-minded people, share their expertise and hone their skills in an area of interest whether that is public policy, communications or event planning and benefit from discounted rates for chapter programs and continuing education opportunities.

USGBC’s advocacy team works to influence policy on a large scale to achieve these benefits for communities, while providing effective tools for change to implementers on the ground. Its advocacy work leverages this extraordinary and growing legacy of achievement to accelerate the uptake of state, local and national policies that advance energy conservation, green building and livable communities. Source: www.usgbc.org

The Municipal © December 2013
Oct 16, 2012Park About Which to Bark at Wildwood Open House
Wildwood's future community park was designed to have a "destination feel," as explained by the landscape architects working on the project. Consultants from Oates Associates and Nelson Byrd Woltz took turns answering questions about the plans for the 66 acres, providing more details about the renderings on display and jotting down attendees' feedback at an open house held Thursday evening at Wildwood City Hall, just to highlight the status of the park plans.

Sustainability is an underlying theme of the park's plans, and one of the new options is that a dog park now has been moved to the first phase, based on residents' repeated requests.

Project manager Bill Burke, of Oates Associates, said phase 1 of the proposed community park is estimated to cost between $2 million to $3 million, depending on what elements city officials and councilmembers ultimately approve, or if they add on any elements into the initial phase.

"Right now, the main focus of phase 1 is the playground, dog park and picnic areas, plus getting in essentials such as sewer lines, electric and pavilion—which are bigger ticket items but necessary infrastructure details," said Burke. "We'd like to get the trail system connection and the bridge taken care of, which are the more unsexy, but needed, things."

Burke said three themes were developing during residents' feedback at the open house:

"Wow, it's (the community park) really going to happen."
"Wildwood residents who will be neighbors to the park are returning to see if we are listening to their comments and doing our homework about concerns about lighting pollution, noise, traffic issues."
"Fear of the unknown. Whereas some residents were worried in the past, now they are expressing real confidence about the park. With the level of details emerging, now they see the park as a real asset to their properties."

Burke said further drawings for all the elements were slated to be done yet this year. He said as soon as city representatives approve an overall budget for the community park project, the bids for the work likely would be distributed during the spring of 2013. Then the park could open sometime before the spring of 2014.

Adalie Pierce-McManamon, one of the Nelson Byrd Woltz landscape architects working on the project from Charlottesville, VA, said the team was trying to accentuate the natural aesthetics inspired by the community park property. "I'm really excited about the woods, and the fantastic trees present on the property. We already are looking at secondary growth, and will knit the edges together after construction," she said.

"We're getting a lot of positive feedback about how the park has something for all ages," she said.

Pierce-McManamon said the "destination dog park" will work with the existing wooded area and contain lots of shade. Current proposed elements of the dog park include a fence, bull pen entry ways with two gates, mulch surface, seating for dog owners, drinking fountains, covered trash cans, water for dog play, and an information kiosk that could share community events related to dog activities or lost pets, for example. The park also is designed to have agility elements for dogs, with two ramps, a tunnel, eight poles and two tires. It will have areas purposefully designed for small versus large dogs.

Gary Crews, Wildwood superintendent of parks and recreation, said many residents really enjoy the concept and plans of the "all inclusive playground," which he said includes sub-areas for older children, youths, grandparents and those with special needs. Playground elements include a tower, elevated tree house, rope bridge, small slide, swings, climbing log pile, platforms, climbing net, sand box, large slide, hammocks and climbing wall. For adults, there also will be an exercise class lawn and exercise equipment.

The dog park and playground areas will be separated. Another community-minded feature recommended is the Grove Pavilion, which would provide a large, covered space at which to picnic or hold events.

One concern is how many parking spots will be allocated at the new park. Organizers said approximately 45 parking spots in phase 1, which intentionally are dispersed on the property. More parking spots are slated to be included in future phases of the community park.

Eureka-Wildwood Patch © October 2012

Oct 16, 2012Wildwood residents praise park plans
Features such as an all-inclusive playground and a dog park got all tail wagging and no bite from residents attending an open house for Wildwood's proposed Community Park.

Fifty-six people attended the open house Oct. 11 at City Hall, where residents could see plans and give feedback on development of the 66-acre tract near Highways 100 and 109.

In July, consultants Oates Associates and Nelson Byrd Woltz were hired by the city to create construction drawings for phase one. Plans for that phase include many features that residents have identified over the years as priorities, said Bill Burke, a planner and landscape architect with Oates Associates.

Phase one is set to include a picnic pavilion and picnic area, an all-inclusive playground, a dog park, walking trails and infrastructure improvements at an estimated cost of between $2.5 million and $3 million, he said.

"But there's some flexibility on cost, depending on the budget amount the City Council allocates for this phase," Burke said.

Plans are for the council to vote on the project budget within the next month, so bids could go out in spring of next year. Construction could start as early as summer, and the first phase could open by the end of 2013, Burke said.

The whole park plan will have five phases, costing about $2 million each.

"The idea is for this park to serve the whole community, to create a true destination site even in phase one and have a level of completeness that fulfills a real need," Burke said.

While some residents who live near the site expressed concerns about issues such as lighting, traffic and noise, Burke told them the park is set to be open from dawn to dusk.

Those who attended the open house were generally supportive.

The park will be just off the back yard of Marsha and Kurt Enchelmaier, who live in Lafayette Trails subdivision. Kurt Enchelmaier said he likes what he's seen so far, praising plans for trees and other plants to be put in as a buffer between the park and subdivision.

"I won't have to look at other houses, there'll be a park," he said. "Eventually, they plan to put a lake in the park, where I can go fishing when I retire. It's a beautiful valley area and, even now, I go back there frequently, walking my dog."

Jennifer Fine, who lives in Lake Chesterfield subdivision, was looking over the plans with son Ethan, 10.

"I'm excited, and I think it looks great, especially the all-inclusive playground," she said. "This park has been a long time coming and, right now, we have to go out of our city to find a big park."

Ron Rice, of Windsor Crest subdivision, called the park's location excellent. It would be between Babler State Park to the north and the state's Rockwoods Reservation to the south.

"We have an indication they'll eventually connect all three facilities with trails," he said. "Anything like this park targeted to young families is very positive."

Suburban Journals © October 2012

Oct 8, 2012Weigh in on Future Wildwood Community Park
Next steps are approaching regarding the development of the 66 acres set aside for Wildwood's first community park. An open house will be held on Oct. 11 from 4-7 p.m. at Wildwood City Hall. Construction drawings will be provided, and consultants from Oates Associates and Nelson Byrd Woltz will be there to answer questions about the concept plans.

During July, the consultants were hired to create construction drawings for phase I of the park, which ultimately will be used for bidding purposes.

The property for the proposed park is located near the intersection of Missouri Routes 100 and 109. The parcel's exact address is 2153 Highway 109 St.

During 2011, city officials surveyed residents regarding thoughts and opinions about exactly what elements should be considered. In addition, a Community Park Advisory Committee was appointed, consisting of two members from each of the city's wards, one member-at-large, and two city council liaisons.

Eureka-Wildwood Patch ©October 2012

Oct 6, 2012Wildwood to hold public meeting on park plans
Wildwood will hold an open house on plans for the first phase of its new Community Park.

The open house will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at Wildwood City Hall, 183 Plaza Drive.

The open house will allow residents to view and comment on plans for the 66-acre park near the intersection of Highways 100 and 109.

Oates Associates and Nelson Byrd Woltz were hired by the city to create construction drawings for Phase I work.

For more information contact Joe Vujnich, director of Planning and Parks, at joe@cityofwildwood.com; Gary Crews, superintendent of Parks and Recreation, at gary@cityofwildwood.com; or Joanna Browning, senior planner, at joanna@cityofwildwood.com.

Suburban Journals ©October 2012
Jul 7, 2012Joseph Hagerty has been re-elected to the American Council of Engineering Companies
Joseph Hagerty, of Glen Carbon, has been re-elected to the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri Board of Directors. Hagerty is chief executive officer of Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering firm. He has been with Oates since 1991. Jeffrey Rensing, manager of the St. Louis office of Oates Associates, a Collinsville civil and structural engineering firm has been elected to the 2012-2014 Engineer's Club of St. Louis Board of Directors. Rensing, of Alton, has been with Oates since 1997. Jason Schreckenberg, of Caseyville, and a project manager for Oates Associates, has been named as president of the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, St. Clair Chapter. He also recently received the society's Young Engineer of the Year award. The firm has offices in Collinsville and St. Louis.

Suburban Journals ©July 2012


Jun 9, 2012Business News/CONSTRUCTION
Maryville residents Randy Venhaus and Timothy Verheye, employees of Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, were recently honored by the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers for earning their Professional Engineer license. Venhaus and Verheye work on transportation-related and site projects for Oates Associates.


Barbara Anderson, of Edwardsville, was chosen as a 'sustainable expert" to assist in completing a Sustainability Plan for Madison County. She is a senior architect at Oates Associates. The plan aims to bring knowledge of sustainable practices, research and management and will serve as a reference for the county's policies in sustainable practices. Anderson will assess current practices, create action items, and develop an implementation strategy for the plan. She has more than 25 years experience in architectural design and sustainable design consulting. She is a member of the Edwardsville Cool Cities Committee and serves as chairman of the Advocacy Committee for the U.S. Green Building Council local chapter.


Suburban Journals ©June 2012

Jun 5, 2012Architect to develop sustainability plan
COLLINSVILLE - Barbara Anderson of Edwardsville, a senior architect at the civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm Oates Associates, was chosen as a "sustainable expert" to assist in completing a Sustainability Plan for Madison County.

The Madison County Planning and Development Department selected a handful of experts to serve on a technical advisory board to bring knowledge of sustainable practices, research and best-management practices to the county's Sustainability Plan. The plan will serve as a reference for Madison County's decisions and policies in sustainable practices. Anderson, along with other experts, will assess current practices, create action items and develop an implementation strategy for the plan.

Anderson brings more than 25 years of experience in architectural design and sustainable design consulting and is involved in various committees to advocate for green building and sustainable practices. She is a member of the Edwardsville Cool Cities Committee and serves as chairman of the Advocacy Committee for the U.S Green Building Council local chapter. To help educate professionals about sustainability, Anderson speaks at professional society events as a member of the U.S. Green Building Council's Volunteer Speakers Bureau.

For information about Oates Associates, visit www.oatesassociates.com or call (618) 345-2200.

The Telegraph ©June 2012
Jun 2, 2012Business News/Maisie Graser
Maisie Graser, of Collinsville-based Oates Associates, was named the 2012 Young Engineer of the Year by the St. Clair Chapter of the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers. The honor salutes young members who have made outstanding contributions to the professional and their community. Graser promotes membership growth as membership committee chair of the ISPE and volunteers for the ISPE Discover "E" Program, which fosters interest engineering careers among students. She also assists at the Edwardsville Head State Science Night. Graser is a junior engineer at Oates Associates. She is a 2007 graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and is working toward her masters degree.

Suburban Journals ©June2012


May 25, 2012Business Bulletin Board/2012 Young Engineer of the Year
Maisie Graser, a junior engineer at Oates Associates, was named the 2012 Young Engineer of the Year by the St. Clair County Chapter of the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers.

Stltoday.com©May2012




Mar 9, 2012Engineering - Daniel Baker
 Oates Associates hired Daniel Baker as a junior engineer.

St. Louis Business Journal ©March 2012
Mar 1, 2012SIUE, Oates receive Merit Award
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Oates Associates are recipients of a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for improvements at Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex on the SIUE campus.  

Illinois Business Journal ©March 2012
Feb 27, 2012Merit Award
SIUE and Oates Associates of Collinsville received a merit award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for improvements at the Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex on the school's campus. Construction on the field began in 2005, and thus far Oates has provided the design and construction engineering services for the new synthetic turf field, a new clubhouse and parking lot equipped with bioswale, a natural means of collecting stormwater runoff.

Suburban Journals © February 2012


Feb 27, 2012Indoor Softball Structure
The new Southern Illinois University Edwardsville indoor softball structure recently completed by Holland Construction Services Inc., is now providing practice space for the Cougars softball team. The $820,000 project provides a 11,664 square-foot space for practice, athletic camps and other activities. It has a synthetic turf infield and bases, two batting cages, pitching areas, suspended nets and three practice mounds. Oates Associates of Collinsville was the architectural firm for the project. Holland Construction Services is a contracting and construction management firm based in Swansea.

Suburban Journals © February 2012

Feb 27, 2012Award recognizes stadium improvements
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, received a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for improvements at Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex on the SIUE campus.

The competition recognized 51 Illinois-based engineering firms for outstanding projects at a recent luncheon attended by more than 300 engineers, clients and government officials.

Roy E. Lee Field is the home stadium for the men's NCAA Division I baseball team at SIUE. Roy E. Lee Field has undergone renovations to provide up-to-date facilities to support the competitive nature of intercollegiate athletics.

Oates' involvement began in 2005 with the creation of a master plan for the Simmons Baseball Complex, which identified future improvements to the complex. Thus far, Oates has provided design and construction engineering services for a new synthetic turf infield at Roy E. Lee Field, a new clubhouse and a parking lot with a bioswale, a natural means for collecting stormwater runoff.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplinary design firm with offices in Collinsville and St. Louis. Oates provides a wide range of engineering and architectural services to communities, corporations, institutions and public agencies throughout the Midwest. Services include engineering and architectural design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, highway and street design, storm water management, site design, structural engineering, urban planning and landscape architecture.

For information, visit www.oatesassociates.com or call (618) 345-2200 or (314) 588-8381.

Alton Telegraph © February 2012




Feb 24, 2012Oates Merit Award
Oates Associates, an engineering and design firm, received a Merit Award along with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for improvements at Roy E. Lee Field at SIUE.

Oates Associates and the city of Highland also got a Merit Award from that same council for the design of Koepfli Lane in Highland.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©February 2012

Feb 24, 2012Holland Construction Services builds an indoor softball facility at SIUE
Holland Construction Services Inc. completed construction of an $820,000 indoor softball practice structure at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Finished on a condensed schedule, the indoor facility is keeping the SIUE Cougars softball team out of inclement weather during practices. The building provides 11,664 square feet for practice, athletic camps and other activities.

The facility has a full synthetic turf infield and bases, two batting cages, pitching areas, suspended nets and three practice mounds.

Oates Associates of Collinsville was the architect on the project.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©February 2012
Feb 19, 2012Firm completes indoor softball facility at SIUE
EDWARDSVILLE — Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s new indoor softball structure, recently completed by Holland Construction Services Inc., now is providing practice space for the Cougars softball team in preparation for the upcoming season.

Completed on a condensed schedule, the indoor space is keeping the current 19 Cougar team members out of inclement weather, and in the words of associate athletic director and head softball coach Sandy Montgomery, “It’s an awesome facility.”

The $820,000 project provides 11,664 square feet of space for team practices, for the department to hold athletic camps and offer a number of activities that previously weren’t possible. Montgomery said the facility is expected to help boost the department’s recruiting efforts and enable the team to be more competitive at the NCAA Division I level.

The Cougars began using the facility Jan. 8, complete with a full synthetic turf infield and bases, two batting cages, pitching areas, suspended nets and three practice mounds. The facility is next to the soccer stadium.

In the past, the team sometimes traveled to other indoor soccer facilities or improvised indoor practice in SIUE’s Vadalabene Center.

“This will allow us to conduct all our practices in one space, in a more effective and productive manner,” Montgomery said. “It has changed the way we are able to prepare for the season and will enable us to get more done than we have been able to do before.

“And throughout the project, the Holland team and site supervisor were great,” she said. “They addressed any concerns that came along.”

Oates Associates of Collinsville was the architectural firm for the project.

Holland Construction Services is a full-service contracting and construction management firm based in Swansea, guided by the principle of delivering total customer satisfaction. The company has been providing quality construction throughout Missouri and Illinois since 1986, when it was founded by Bruce Holland.

HCS offers design/build, general contracting and construction management services to commercial, retail, health care, senior living, light industrial, recreational/athletic and educational clients. The firm is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and provides guidance in certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. In 2010, The St. Louis Business Journal ranked the firm as one of the top 20 contractors in the St. Louis area.

The Telegraph ©February 2012
Feb 16, 2012SIUE Baseball Complex Wins Award
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) and Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, received a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Illinois for improvements at Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex on the SIUE campus.

The ACEC competition recognized 51 Illinois-based engineering firms for outstanding projects at a recent luncheon attended by more than 300 engineers, clients and government officials.

Roy E. Lee Field is the home stadium for the men's NCAA Division I baseball team at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Roy E. Lee Field has undergone renovations to provide up-to-date facilities to support the competitive nature of intercollegiate athletics.

Oates' involvement began in 2005 with the creation of a master plan for the Simmons Baseball Complex, which identified future improvements to the complex. Thus far, Oates has provided design and construction engineering services for a new synthetic turf infield at Roy E. Lee Field, a new clubhouse and a parking lot with a bioswale, a natural means for collecting stormwater runoff.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©February 2012


Feb 8, 2012Oates Associates expands, adds Baker
Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, continues their staff expansion with the hire of Daniel Baker of Edwardsville, Illinois, as junior engineer. Baker will begin his professional career supporting Oates Associates’ structural group.

Baker is a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville with a bachelor of science in civil engineering and a minor in construction management. While completing his degree, Baker interned with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, inspecting dams and levees, identifying potential failures and developing solutions. He currently sits on the board of a local charity that repairs homes for the less fortunate and disabled, and is actively involved with local charities and churches helping the homeless of St. Louis.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis. Oates provides a wide range of engineering and architectural services to communities, corporations, institutions and public agencies throughout the Midwest. Services include engineering and architectural design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, highway and street design, storm water management, site design, structural engineering, urban planning and landscape architecture. For more information, visit www.oatesassociates.com or call 618.345.2200 or 314.588.8381. 

Edwardsville Intelligencer ©February 3, 2012
Feb 3, 2012People in Business/Oates Associates added Daniel Baker as a junior engineer.
Oates Associates added Daniel Baker as a junior engineer.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©February 2012
Feb 3, 2012CONSTRUCTION - Daniel Baker

Collinsville-based engineering and architecture design firm Oates Associates recently hired Daniel Baker, of Edwardsville, as a junior engineers. Baker is a graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Suburban Journals ©February 2012
Jan 15, 2012Business News/ENGINEERING
Michael Busch, of Troy, a project manager at Oates Associates, has been elected treasurer of the St. Louis Branch of the Missouri Chapter of the American Public Works Association. Oates is a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm with offices in Collinsville and St. Louis. At Oates, Busch is the project manager on roadway projects throughout St. Louis. He recently completed an Oates project for the Illinois Department of Transportation, coordinating utility relocations for the 16-mile expansion of Interstate 255.

Suburban Journals ©January 2012


Jan 3, 2012Member News - Oates
Oates Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce that Barb Anderson, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, was elected as chair of the Advocacy Committee for the U.S. Green Building Council for 2012-2013.

ACEC Missouri ©2012
Dec 19, 2011Metro-East Business
Barb Anderson, of civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm Oates Associates, was elected chair of the Advocacy Committee for the U.S Green Building Council. Anderson served on the Advocacy Committee for the past five years and willbe the chair for the next two years. As the committee chair, Anderson will promote LEED certification and the benefits of sustainable buildings.Diane Biffar, owner and managing broker of Welcome Home Real Estate LLC in Hecker, was recently awarded the Graduate Realtor Institute designation. Biffar earned the GRI designation by completing a minimum of 90 hours of classroom instruction covering contract law, professional stands, sale and marketing, finance and risk reduction.Scheffel & Co. PC announced that certified public accountant Jenny Zipprich has joined the firm's Edwardsville office as a senior accountant. Prior to joining the company, Zipprich spent six years with a Clayton accounting firm as an intern, staff accountant and most recently a senior accountant. In her new position, Zipprich will focus on providing tax, audit and accounting services for individual and business clients.

Belleville News Democrat © December 2011
Dec 16, 2011Anderson Chairs USGBC Advocacy Council
Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, announced that Barb Anderson, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP of Oates Associates, was elected as chair of the Advocacy Committee for the U.S Green Building Council.

Anderson has served on the Advocacy Committee for the past five years and will now serve as chair for 2012-2013. As the committee chair, Anderson will promote LEED certification and the benefits of sustainable buildings. She will oversee the Green Homes, which advances green home building, and the Government Advocacy Subcommittees, which encourages local and state governments to adopt green building initiatives.

Anderson has more than 20 years of experience in a variety of project types, including municipal, recreational, educational, health care, commercial and hospitality industry buildings. She is a LEED Accredited Professional with sustainable project experience. To help educate professionals about sustainability, Anderson often speaks at professional society events as a member of the U.S. Green Building Council's Volunteer Speakers Bureau.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©December 2011
Nov 5, 2011Society of Service: Volunteer's work helps meet basic needs
Volunteering with the St. Vincent de Paul helps Joe Hagerty serve his community, including the parts that many people don't even realize exists.

"Locally, the St. Boniface/St. Mary conference provides emergency funds and referral services to individuals and families in the Edwardsville School District - primarily for housing expenses such as rent and utilities, as we are trying to combat homelessness," said Hagerty, who's serving as the organization's president for a second term.

Hagerty began volunteering with the organization in 2004 a few years after his wife, Mary, joined.

"My wife convinced me that I did in fact have time to devote to this and it was something we could enjoy doing together, so I joined," he said. "Seriously, it is great to be able to share this work with her. I enjoy it."

The organization is completely operated by volunteers from St. Boniface Church and St. Mary's Church, both in Edwardsville, and St. Cecilia's in Glen Carbon. The organization also receives regular contributions from all three churches along with other sources such as United Way of Greater St. Louis.

"We are one of the few St. Vincent de Paul conferences locally that receive United Way funding," he said.

St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide lay organization of Christian men and women, numbering 750,000 people with 61,000 of those in the United States, Hagerty said.

"In our case, we are able to provide services to the poor with almost no overhead costs, so that's great," he said. "We do often get stretched pretty thin and some of our volunteers put in a great many hours."

Hagerty said he believes their organization is probably at its maximum size so as to not overtax volunteers who do most of the work, such as the organization's secretary and bookkeeper.

"They are pretty much involved in every transaction," he said.

Hagerty said he has developed great friendships with the other members of the organization, and the group's work and meetings provide him with a path for his own spiritual growth.

Outside of the organization, Hagerty serves as CEO of Oates Associates, an engineering and architecture firm in Collinsville and St. Louis. He and his wife live in Glen Carbon and have four sons, three grandsons and one granddaughter.

St. Vincent de Paul is one of 42 agencies funded by the Southwest Illinois Division of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. The funding provides rent and utility assistance.

For more information about St. Vincent de Paul, the toll-free hot line is (800) 775-0712, ext. 7777.

The Telegraph ©November 2011
Nov 1, 2011Oates Receives National Career Practices Awards
Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, has received the prestigious Private Practice Professional Development (PEPP) Award from the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). The award, which honors exceptional career development practices, was officially presented to Jeffrey Rensing, P.E., of Oates Associates during NSPE's annual conference, held in Las Vegas from July 13-17.

The PEPP Award is presented annually to an engineering firm that exhibits exceptional career development initiatives and that advances the engineering profession through its employment policies and practices. The award encourages all engineering firms to adopt progressive career development policies and practices.

More than half of Oates Associates' 41 staff members are licensed professionals, including professional engineers, architects and a landscape architect. Of the 22 licensed professionals, 15 earned their licenses while employed at Oates Associates, which offers tuition reimbursement, paid time off for license preparation and examinations, and membership in professional organizations.

The PEPP Awards Committee selects the firm based on the organization's current and longtime career development reputation, with particular emphasis on the preceding twelve months. Criteria include engineering personnel/licensure information, recruitment, employment, professional development and special employment practices.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate©November 2011

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in St. Louis, Missouri and Collinsville, Illinois.
Nov 1, 2011Oates has thrived
The past five years have been difficult for many construction-related businesses, but the St. Louis officce of Oates Associates, an engineering and architectural firm, has thrived. 

Oates Associates overall 2011 revenue is expected to total $5.5 million, up from $4.6 million last year. Oates CEO Joe Hagerty attributes much of that growth to strong performance by the St. Louis office, contracts with the Illinois Department of Transportation – up 35 percent from last year to $2.4 million – and the addition of building services.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©November 2011


Oct 21, 2011New Business - Mississippi River Greenway Master Plan
 The Great Rivers Greenway District selected Oates Associates to provide planning services for the Mississippi River Greenway Master Plan.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©October 2011
Sep 21, 2011 City Approves Street Renovation
The Edwardsville City Council gave the green light to a Schwarz Street renovation project by approving an engineering agreement with Oates Associates for $56,700 and authorizing the use of $536,000 in state motor fuel tax funds.

The existing pavement will be removed and repaved with asphalt from just west of South Fillmore Street to a bit east of Springer Avenue, about 1,600 feet. New sidewalks, curbs and gutters and wheelchair ramps will be built.

The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year, Public Works Director Timothy P. Harr said.

Edwardsville Intelligencer ©September 2011
Sep 13, 2011Great Rivers Greenway hires Oates for master plan
The Great Rivers Greenway District has selected Oates Associates to provide planning services for the Mississippi River Greenway Master Plan. The contract is worth $190,000, said Mary Schanuel, a spokewoman for Great Rivers Greenway.

Oates expects to complete the master plan by the end of 2011. The Mississippi River Greenway is one component of The River Ring ...more

St. Louis Business Journal ©September 2011
Sep 9, 2011New Business
The city of Maryland Heights hired Oates Associates to design roadway, pedestrian and drainage improvements for McKelvey Woods Court. The $825,000 project will improve access and safety for motorists and pedestrians.

StL Today ©September 2011



Sep 1, 2011Maryland Heights contracts Oates for McKelvey Woods Court Road Improvements
 The City of Maryland Heights, Missouri, has contracted Oates Associates to design roadway, pedestrian and drainage improvements for McKelvey Woods Court. The project will improve access and safety for motorists and pedestrians using the street, which provides access to McKelvey Woods Park and Dogport Dog Park.

The existing asphalt roadway at McKelvey Woods Court had deteriorated and needed repair. The road also lacked pedestrian facilities and defined drainage paths for storm water runoff. The $825,000 project includes reconstruction of the existing pavement with wider lanes, sidewalks with accessible curb ramps, curb and gutters. Inlets and storm water management facilities also will be installed to collect storm water.

Construction Digest ©September 2011
Aug 31, 2011Member News - Prestigious Award
Oates Associates, Inc. announced that they have received the prestigious Private Practice Professional Development (PEPP) Award from the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). This award is presented to an engineering firm that exhibits exceptional career development initiatives and that advances the engineering profession through its employment policies and practices. The firm also announced that 3 employees have received their Professional Engineer (PE) license from the State of Illinois. They are Travis Helmkamp, Randy Venhaus, and Timothy Verheyen.

ACEC-MO Bottom Line ©2011

Aug 31, 2011People - Timothy Verheyen
Timothy Verheyen of Maryville, Illinois, received his Professional Engineer (PE) license from the state of Illinois. He is an engineer providing services for educational, recreational and municipal clients in the design of roadways, streetscape, sidewalks, trails and parking lots. Clients include Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

St. Louis Business Journal ©2011
Aug 30, 2011Collinsville City Hall entrance may get face-lift
The entrance to Collinsville City Hall will be getting a face-lift next year.

City officials are considering proposals to beautify the front of City Hall with trees, raised flower beds, brick pavers, seating and possibly a water feature.

The project is the third phase of the Downtown streetscape enhancement. A yearlong project to install underground cables and utilities and to add decorative pavers, wrought iron lampposts and new curbs on Main Street was completed last fall. The first phase, which included new sidewalks and improvements to building facades, began in 1999.

The majority of the $1.5 million funding for the current phase is coming from a grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for transportation projects and is being administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The grant is for $1.25 million and the city is required to match that amount by 20 percent, or $300,000.

Phil Murphy from Collinsville-based Oates and Associates presented several design plans to the City Council this month. Some of the options included more greenspace and others had a water feature. Council members Nancy Moss, Liz Dalton and Mike Tognarelli said they preferred the design that did not include a water fountain, citing maintenance and safety issues.

"It's not a plaza where we expect people to sit there," Moss said. "I would rather not see a fountain out there."

The council will be making the final decision on the design in September. City Manager Robert Knabel said the project is expected to begin next year.

"Some of the designs have changed and we will need to back to the council and show that," Knabel said. "Then finalize the design plans and contact IDOT for their approval, which could be four to six months."

Knabel said the city is also looking at enhancements to the street signs and lampposts on the newly widened section of Illinois State Route 159 that runs through downtown. A grant for $150,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Streets-Green Jobs program will cover the cost of that project, Knabel said.

Suburban Journals ©August 2011




Aug 27, 2011Helmkamp receives Illinois engineer license
Travis Helmkamp of Hazelwood, an engineer with Oates Associates, has received his professional engineer license from the state of Illinois.

Helmkamp is working on local infrastructure projects including the Collinsville, Ill., Main Street Streetscape, which involves several miles of Federal Transportation Enhancement funded improvements. Helmkamp also has been involved in an inventory of the 400-mile sidewalk system in St. Charles and the Salisbury Street Enhancements Project in St. Louis, a 10-block streetscape improvement project.

sltoday.com ©August 2011


Aug 25, 2011People - Randy Venhaus
Randy Venhaus of Maryville, Illinois, has received his Professional Engineer (PE) license from the state of Illinois. Venhaus is an engineer involved with transportation improvement projects and construction observation and testing. He has worked on the US 67 Jerseyville Bypass in Jersey County, Illinois, and the River Des Peres Drainage project.

St. Louis Business Journal ©August 2011
Aug 25, 2011People - Travis Helmkamp
Travis Helmkamp of Hazelwood received his Professional Engineer (PE) license from the state of Illinois. is an engineer working on local infrastructure projects including the Collinsville, Illinois, Main Street Streetscape; a sidewalk system in St. Charles; and Salisbury Street Enhancements Project, a 10-block streetscape improvement project.

St. Louis Business Journal ©August 2011
Aug 19, 2011MILESTONE

MILESTONE

The St. Louis office of Oates Associates, an engineering and architectural firm, is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

STLtoday.com© August 2011
 


 
Aug 17, 2011Maplewood selects design firm for Laclede Station Road project
Maplewood has selected Oates Associates to provide design, project management and inspections for a Laclede Station Road Improvement project.

The $636,000 road improvement project is meant to improve traffic flow, vehicle and pedestrian safety, and drainage along Laclede Station, officials said. Construction is expected to begin in the summer of 2012.

The roadway, which has been overlaid and patched several times over its lifetime, shows increasing signs of distress and the city finds it no longer cost effective to continually repair the surface, officials said.

The federally funded road improvement project includes utility relocations, sidewalk repairs, and replacement of the pavement, curb and gutter.

The project received funding through the federal Surface Transportation Program

Suburban Journals ©August 2011



Aug 9, 2011Oates Receives National Career Practices Awards
Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, has received the prestigious Private Practice Professional Development (PEPP) Award from the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). The award, which honors exceptional career development practices, was officially presented to Jeffrey Rensing, P.E., of Oates Associates during NSPE's annual conference, held in Las Vegas from July 13-17.

The PEPP Award is presented annually to an engineering firm that exhibits exceptional career development initiatives and that advances the engineering profession through its employment policies and practices. The award encourages all engineering firms to adopt progressive career development policies and practices.

More than half of Oates Associates' 41 staff members are licensed professionals, including professional engineers, architects and a landscape architect. Of the 22 licensed professionals, 15 earned their licenses while employed at Oates Associates, which offers tuition reimbursement, paid time off for license preparation and examinations, and membership in professional organizations.

The PEPP Awards Committee selects the firm based on the organization's current and longtime career development reputation, with particular emphasis on the preceding twelve months. Criteria include engineering personnel/licensure information, recruitment, employment, professional development and special employment practices.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in St. Louis, Missouri and Collinsville, Illinois.

St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate © August 2011

Aug 5, 2011Joseph Hagerty
Joseph Hagerty of Oates Associates was elected to the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri board of directors.

St. Louis Business Journal ©August 2011
Aug 3, 2011McKelvey Woods Court to be improved
Maryland Heights has contracted with Oates Associates to design roadway, pedestrian and drainage improvements for McKelvey Woods Court.

Oates has begun design engineering on the project. Construction is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2012.

The $825,000 project includes reconstruction of the existing pavement with wider lanes, sidewalks with accessible curb ramps, curb and gutters.

Inlets and storm water management facilities also will be installed.

The project will improve access and safety for motorists and pedestrians using the street, which provides access to McKelvey Woods Park and Dogport Dog Park, officials said.

The existing asphalt roadway at McKelvey Woods Court had deteriorated and needed repair, they said.

The road also lacked pedestrian amenities and defined drainage paths for storm water runoff.

Suburban Journals ©August 2011


Suburban Journals

Aug 2, 2011Oates Wins Maryland Heights Improvements
The City of Maryland Heights has contracted Oates Associates to design roadway, pedestrian and drainage improvements for McKelvey Woods Court. The project will improve access and safety for motorists and pedestrians using the street, which provides access to McKelvey Woods Park and Dogport Dog Park.

The existing asphalt roadway at McKelvey Woods Court had deteriorated and needed repair. The road also lacked pedestrian facilities and defined drainage paths for storm water runoff. The $825,000 project includes reconstruction of the existing pavement with wider lanes, sidewalks with accessible curb ramps, curb and gutters. Inlets and storm water management facilities also will be installed to collect storm water.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©August 2011


Jul 17, 2011Business
Joseph Hagerty, chief executive officer of Oates Associates, was elected to the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri Board of Directors. As a board member, he is assigned to help members survive the economic downturn and enhance the council's public image. Hagerty joined Oates in 1991 and oversees the firm's finance and accounting, marketing and human resources. Oates is a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm with offices in Collinsville and St. Louis.

Suburban Journals ©July 2011


Jul 15, 2011Oates Associates St. Louis Office Celebrates Five Years of Growth Despite Recession

The past five years may have been the most difficult in recent history to expand a construction-related business, but the St. Louis office of Oates Associates, an engineering and architectural firm, has thrived.

Oates Associates overall 2011 revenue is expected to total $5.5 million, up from $4.6 million last year. Oates CEO Joe Hagerty attributes much of that growth to strong performance by the St. Louis office, contracts with the Illinois Department of Transportation – up 35 percent from last year to $2.4 million – and the addition of building services. The firm also has an office in Collinsville, Illinois

“We’ve tackled a variety of interesting projects throughout the St. Louis region over the past five years, from the River Des Peres in Forest Park to Stablestone in Chesterfield and the Wildwood Community Park Master Plan,” said Jeffrey Rensing, P.E., manager of Oates Associates’ St. Louis office.

The Metropolitan Sewer District contracted Oates Associates in 2008 to inspect the massive 32-foot concrete pipes that carry the River Des Peres under Forest Park, to determine whether recent park renovations had affected the city’s historic storm water and sewage system.

In Chesterfield, Oates Associates engineered the reconstruction of Stablestone Drive, a project that received an honor award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri. The federally-funded road reconstruction included unique traffic calming features, replacement of pavement, and handicap accessible sidewalk improvements.

Oates Associates currently is leading the planning team of Nelson Byrd Woltz and Vector Communications in developing a conceptual plan for a world-class park in Wildwood that will balance the site’s rolling hills, grasslands, native woodlands and creek with the social and recreational needs of residents.

The St. Louis office of Oates Associates also has been awarded projects with Great Rivers Greenway, the cities of St. Louis, Maplewood, Maryland Heights, St. Charles County, St. Charles and Arnold and other clients.

Landscapeonline.com ©July 2011

Jul 8, 2011Shoptalk - What recession?
Oates Associates, an engineering and architectural firm with offices in St. Louis and Collinsville, is having one of its best years when much of the construction industry is struggling. Revenue is on track for $5.5 million this year, up from $4.6 million last year. CEO Joe Hagerty credits work for the Illinois Department of Transportation, up 35 percent from last year to $2.4 million; the addition of building services; and strong growth in the St. Louis office, led by manager Jeffrey Rensing.

St. Louis Business Journal ©July 2011
Jul 6, 2011Hagerty Joins ACEC-MO Board
Joseph Hagerty, chief executive officer of civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm Oates Associates, was elected to the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri (ACEC-MO) Board of Directors. Hagerty is newly elected to this position and will serve a three-year term.

As a board member of ACEC-MO, Hagerty will help member firms survive economic downturn, enhance ACEC-MO's image to the public, support legislative business issues and continue the enhancement of ACEC-MO liaison committees.

Hagerty joined Oates Associates in 1991 and is responsible to its board of directors for overall firm leadership and guidance, and implementing the firm's strategic plan. He oversees finance and accounting, marketing, and human resources.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©July 2011


Jul 1, 2011O'Fallon High students with special needs will learn 'real world' skills in transitional home
District 203 Superintendent Darcy Benway said she hopes to take special needs kids in her school from the classroom to the real world through a transitional house called "Project 21."

"The name comes from the fact that our special needs population is able to stay in school until their 22nd birthday," Benway said. "What we're hoping to do is get the kids out of the institutional classroom setting and help them get into a real life atmosphere to help them be ready to take the next step in life by the time they're 21."

Benway said she plans to spend about $190,000 of a $400,000 federal grant the school received to purchase and renovate a house near the O'Fallon Township High School campus at the corner of Smiley Street and Highway 50. The rest of the money will be used to fund special needs programs for younger students.

The house's garage will be turned into a laundry facility where students can learn skills that might help them later find a job in the local hospitality industry. Outside kids will mow the grass and tend a garden to build their practical skills.

There will also be a modern classroom, a physical therapy room and a quiet room where kids who need a break can go to get some peace in the building, Benway said. About 15 kids are expected to use the Project 21 house at a time.

"It's a huge step for these kids to move from school to life after school," Benway said. "This will help them lead productive lives. It will give them the highest quality of life possible."

Benway said the construction portion of the project will be paid for in full by the federal grant. She said she expects there to be no additional costs to operating the building because money is already being spent to house the special needs kids at the Smiley Street campus. Because the location will be adjacent to the current school, there will be no additional staffing needed. Nurses and support staff from the main campus will service Project 21. The students will be in charge of keeping the house clean and the yard taken care of.

On Thursday the District 203 Board hired Oates Associates of Collinsville to run the renovation project.

Barb Anderson, Oates Associates senior architect, said this is the first project of this sort her company has handled. But the firm is eager to tackle the job, she said, because there are likely to soon be more like it.

"I think this is a great idea," Anderson said. "When kids hit 18, the high school no longer suits them. So they need a place where they can go to continue to learn."

Anderson said the house the district has in mind for Project 21 is well suited for the job. But changes will have to be made.

"We have to make sure that the entrances are all Americans with Disabilities Act accessible," Anderson said. "People with ambulatory issues need to be able to get into the house. But they also need to be able to get around inside the house. So we'll be removing portions of walls and widening or relocating doorways to make it more open."

The transition house isn't the first in the area. Belleville Township High School District 201 opened a similar facility in 2007.

Their transitional house, located on North Second Street near downtown, was donated and rehabbed by the not-for-profit group Neighbors for Renewal.

Benway said she hopes to have the Project 21 house open by January in time for the spring semester of the 2011-12 school year.

Belleville News Democrat ©July 2011
Jun 26, 2011ENGINEERING
Brian Heil, of O'Fallon, was elected to the Engineers' Club of St. Louis 2011-2013 Board of Directors. Heil is a project manager and engineer at Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm in Collinsville.

Suburban Journals ©June 2011


Jun 17, 2011People in Business - Stephen Noeth
Oates Associates hired Stephen Noeth as a junior engineer.

St. Louis Business Journal ©June 2011
Jun 17, 2011Business
Joseph Hagerty, chief executive officer of Oates Associates, was elected to the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri Board of Directors. As a board member, he is assigned to help members survive the economic downturn and enhance the council's public image. Hagerty joined Oates in 1991 and oversees the firm's finance and accounting, marketing and human resources. Oates is a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm with offices in Collinsville and St. Louis.

Suburban Journals ©July 2011

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/illinois/news/article_2c703be6-029b-5a91-be87-12fa63e718ef.html#ixzz1SMxAdhos

Jun 10, 2011Community Park Plans Proceed
Wildwood's volunteer planning committee members hold final meeting for future community park.
Volunteer residents on Wildwood's Community Park Advisory Committee (CPAC) recently walked the grounds of the city’s planned 63-acre park. The property is located near the northwest intersection of Highway 100 and Missouri Route 109, adjacent to Windsor Crest subdivision.

After two public forums, an online survey filled out by 1,000 residents and many public meetings over a nine-month period, CPAC volunteers have finished their information-gathering phase regarding Wildwood’s newest park. They met on Wednesday night to approve the concept plan.

Committee members compared the topography to the drawings presented by the Oates Associates consulting firm. Doug Carlson, a member of the CPAC, said, “On our tour of the property, what struck me was how well the property fits the park,” he said. “It has some unique features."

Darren Dunkle, another member of the group, said the topography lends itself to a variety of activities. There is a creek running through the park property and a pond is planned. "I know the community is really going to enjoy this park,” he said.

This is just the beginning of the planning, but committee members and city officials have included features in the park that ranked high on the survey responses. There will be playgrounds, walking trails, pavilions, open play areas and hard surfaced, multipurpose courts.

A discussion pursued about the possibility of including a dog park in the design, but most committee members wanted to first include the top survey choices in the design.

In addition to park amenities, city staffers are including a maintenance building where they can store salt, rock, mulch, equipment, tools or other maintenance materials. There was some discussion of noise issues connected with the maintenance building, but committee members approved the location of the building.

Committee members also reviewed the conceptual drawings and maps. They questioned Bill Burke, of Oates Associates, about the trees on the property and asked if the trees would be saved. He indicated that the large, valued trees would be retained and many “scrub” trees would be removed. Many trees also will be planted during the building process.

With only 10 members present and one abstaining vote, it was not possible to get a quorum vote, but the roll call vote showed that the committee approved the concept plan.

This was the CPAC’s last meeting, and now the project will move on to two different city council subcommittees, who will discuss the plan.

Eureka-Wildwood Patch @June 2011
May 30, 2011Oates Associates continues expansion
Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, continues its expansion with the new hire of Stephen Noeth of Granite City, Illinois. Noeth has joined Oates Associates as a junior engineer.

Noeth is a recent graduate from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. While completing his degree at SIUE, he interned with the City of Edwardsville as an engineering technician. Mr. Noeth will begin his career at Oates supporting the firm’s structural group.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis. Oates provides a wide range of engineering and architectural services to communities, corporations, institutions and public agencies throughout the Midwest. Services include engineering and architectural design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, highway and street design, storm water management, site design, structural engineering, urban planning and landscape architecture. For more information, visit www.oatesassociates.com.

Alton Telegraph ©May 2011
May 29, 2011ENGINEERING - Stephen Noeth
Stephen Noeth joined Oates Associates in Collinsville as a junior engineer. Noeth, a Granite City resident, is a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. At Oates, Noeth will support the firm's structural group. Oates is a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm.

Suburban Journals ©May 2011
May 26, 2011Noeth joins Oates Associates as junior engineer
Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, continues its expansion with the new hire of Stephen Noeth of Granite City, Illinois. Noeth has joined Oates Associates as a junior engineer.

Noeth is a recent graduate from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. While completing his degree at SIUE, he interned with the City of Edwardsville as an engineering technician. Mr. Noeth will begin his career at Oates supporting the firm’s structural group.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis.

Edwardsville Intelligencer ©May, 2011
May 25, 2011ENGINEERING - Stephen Noeth
Stephen Noeth joined Oates Associates in Collinsville as a junior engineer. Noeth, a Granite City resident, is a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. At Oates, Noeth will support the firm's structural group. Oates is a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm.

Granite City Press-Record ©May 2011
May 18, 2011Maryland Heights City Council to Review Nine Proposed Items of Legislation May 19
A proposed ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a professional service agreement with Oates Associates Inc. to provide professional services for the McKelvey Woods Court roadway improvement project.

The meeting will be in the City Council chamber at 7 p.m.

Maryland Heights Patch ©May 2011

May 15, 2011Volunteers Refine Community Park
Eleven Wildwood Community Park Advisory Committee (CPAC) volunteer members met at city hall Tuesday evening, per a report from committee member and resident Marc Perez. They were joined by several city council members and city staffers.

Perez said results of recent citizen public forums where discussed in length, guided by a presentation of citizen recommendations for the park. "The open and free discussion between all persons present allowed for clarification of many questions the CPAC members brought up for discussion," he said.

Perez said a lengthy discussion occurred about the salt storage facility the city's staff would like to have on the park property.

Ward 1 CPAC representatives had numerous questions regarding traffic, parking and the buffer for the park, Perez noted. He said complete answers were given by city representatives and Oates Associates, the engineering and architectural consultants handling the community park design.

Bill Burke, of Oates Associates, presented minutes from meetings with neighborhood associations near the park and other municipal officials from neighboring cities, as well as St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Director Tom Ott. "The feedback from these contacts was very well received, along with their comments and suggestions," said Perez.

CPAC members planned to tour the community park property on Saturday to do an on-site review, a step that was recommended at one of the public input forums, but the visit had to be canceled due to rain.

Eureka-Wildwood Patch © May 2011




I
Mar 19, 2011City, Oates honored for Streetscape
The City of Collinsville and Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, recently received a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Illinois for the design of Collinsville's Main Street Streetscape, Phase II. The award was presented February 4th at the ACEC awards banquet held in Itasca, Illinois.

In 1999, in an effort to help revitalize the downtown Collinsville business district, a plan was developed by the late Mayor Stan Schaeffer and City Staff to improve the "attractiveness" of Main Street. The City's goal was to improve the image of downtown by creating a more inviting space. The City wanted to fill vacant storefronts while retaining the businesses that still called Main Street home. To fund the plan, the City applied for and received approximately $422,000 in Federal funding for what was to be known as Phase I - a three block seciton of Main Street from Siminary to Morrison. Construction of Phase I was completed in 2003 by C.D. Peters.

To continue the momentum created by the completion of Phase I, Mayor John Miller took the lead in 2005 by pursuing additonal funding to extend the streetscape limits. An application was submitted and the City was notified in the summer of 2006 that they would be the recipient of $1.5 million in Federal funding for Phase II of the plan. Phase II consisted of improving a seven block section stretching from where Phase I left off at Seminary Street west to Combs plus a two block section of Clinton Street from Church to Clay. Streetscape elements included the trademark antique shepherd's hook pedestrian street lamps, bright imprinted asphalt crosswalks, decorative street signage, street trees and cast iron tree grates, new cocrete handicap accessible sidewalks and reconstructed handicap curb ramps. A construction contract was awarded to Keeley Construction in 2007 and work was completed in 2008.

The ACEC competition recognized 47 Illinois-based engineering firms for outstanding projects at a recent luncheon attended by 350 engineers, clients and government officials. Pictured with the award are Bruce Schopp, President / Chief Operating Officer at Oates Associates; Michael Tognarelli, former Director of Streets for the City of Collinsville who oversaw the funding applications and construction for both phases; Joseph Hagerty, Chief Executive Officer at Oates Associates.

Oates Associates’ involvement with the Main Street Streetscape project began in 1999 with the first phase of the project and continues today with Phase III, which is currently under design. Electrical design for the project was provided by BRiC Partnership, LLC out of Belleville, Illinois.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis. Oates provides a wide range of engineering and architectural services to communities, corporations, institutions and public agencies throughout the Midwest. Services include engineering and architectural design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, highway and street design, storm water management, site design, structural engineering, urban planning and landscape architecture. For more information, visit www.oatesassociates.com or call 618.345.2200 or 314.588.8381.
Mar 11, 2011Business Bulletin Board /Awards
Oates Associates structural engineering and architectural design firm was named Employer of the Year by the Women's Transportation Seminar.

STLtoday.com © March 2011
Mar 9, 2011City, engineering firm receive award for road Share
The city of Chesterfield and Oates Associates, an engineering and architectural design firm, recently received an Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri for the design of Stablestone Drive in Chesterfield.

The competition recognizes innovative and quality design. Stablestone Drive and the road it runs into, Greentrails Drive North, is a one-mile stretch of road through residential neighborhoods in Chesterfield. The reconstruction extends one mile from Ladue Road to Olive Boulevard, connecting travelers to major roadways.

Stablestone Drive and Greentrails Drive North serve more than 275 homes in the area. Improvements for the federally funded project included replacement of pavement, and curb, gutter and drainage improvements.

Features such as bump outs and striping, which minimize the roadway width, cause drivers to reduce their speed due to their perception of narrower driving lanes.

 STLtoday.com. © March 2011
Mar 4, 2011Business Bulletin Board /Awards
The city of Chesterfield and Oates Associates engineering firm received an Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Missouri for the design of Stablestone Drive.

stltoday.com © March 2011
Feb 27, 2011Engineer receives SIUE award
Andy Mueller of Freeburg, a junior engineer at Oates Associates, received the 2010 Outstanding Senior Award from the School of Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville during the annual awards banquet.

The SIUE School of Engineering holds an annual banquet to celebrate excellence among students and faculty. The Outstanding Senior Award is given in honor of academic achievements, service and leadership.

In December, Mueller graduated with cum laude distinction. His activities include serving as American Society of Civil Engineers Chapter Secretary, participating on the ASCE Concrete Canoe Team, being a member in the Chi Epsilon Honor Society and volunteering with the Freeburg Fire Department. Mueller joined Oates Associates in January to support the Oates transportation group.

The Telegraph.Com © February 2011

Feb 23, 2011Engineering
Andy Mueller of Freeburg, a junior engineer at Oates Associates, received the 2010 Outstanding Senior Award from the School of Engineering at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) during their annual awards banquet.

The SIUE School of Engineering hosts an annual banquet to celebrate excellence among students and faculty. The Outstanding Senior Award is given in honor of academic achievements, service and leadership. In December, Andy graduated with cum laude distinction. Some of his activities include serving as American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Chapter Secretary, participating on the ASCE Concrete Canoe Team, being a member in the Chi Epsilon Honor Society, and volunteering with the Freeburg Fire Department. Andy joined Oates Associates in January to support the Oates transportation group.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis.
Feb 23, 2011Government
The City of Collinsville, IL, and Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, recently received a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Illinois for the design of Collinsville's Main Street Streetscape, Phase II. The ACEC competition recognized 47 Illinois-based engineering firms for outstanding projects at a recent luncheon attended by 350 engineers, clients and government officials.

The City of Collinsville enlisted the help of Oates Associates to design streetscape improvements for Main Street, in an effort to retain existing businesses and attract new business to the area. Main Street Streetscape, Phase II is part of a multi-phase, federally funded beautification project. Phase II stretches seven blocks and includes sidewalk and curb replacement, handicap accessible curb ramps, crosswalk imprinting, decorative street lighting and street tree plantings. The improvements provide a safe facility for pedestrian traffic.

Oates Associates’ involvement with the Main Street Streetscape project began in 1999 with the first phase of the project. Phase II started with the completion of an application for Transportation Enhancement Program funding, which was in July of 2005. Oates is currently designing Phase III improvements and recently completed the federal funding application for Phase IV.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis. Oates provides a wide range of engineering and architectural services to communities, corporations, institutions and public agencies throughout the Midwest. Services include engineering and architectural design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, highway and street design, storm water management, site design, structural engineering, urban planning and landscape architecture. For more information, visit www.oatesassociates.com or call 618.345.2200 or 314.588.8381.
Feb 15, 2011The City of Collinsville and Oates Associates Receive ACEC Merit Award for Main Street Streetscape
The City of Collinsville and Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, recently received a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Illinois for the design of Main Street Streetscape, Phase II. The award was presented February 4th at the ACEC awards banquet held in Itasca, Illinois.



In 1999, in an effort to help revitalize the downtown Collinsville business district, a plan was developed by the late Mayor Stan Schaeffer and City Staff to improve the “attractiveness” of Main Street. The City’s goal was to improve the image of downtown by creating a more inviting space. The City wanted to fill vacant storefronts while retaining the businesses that still called Main Street home. To fund the plan, the City applied for and received approximately $422,000 in Federal funding for what was to be known as Phase I – a three block section of Main Street from Seminary to Morrison. Construction of Phase I was completed in 2003 by C. D. Peters.



To continue the momentum created by the completion of Phase I, Mayor John Miller took the lead in 2005 by pursuing additional funding to extend the streetscape limits. An application was submitted and the City was notified in the summer of 2006 that they would be the recipient of $1.5 million in Federal funding for Phase II of the plan. Phase II consisted of improving a seven block section stretching from where Phase I left off at Seminary Street west to Combs plus a two block section of Clinton Street from Church to Clay. Streetscape elements included the trademark antique shepherd’s hook pedestrian street lamps, brick imprinted asphalt crosswalks, decorative street signage, street trees and cast iron tree grates, new concrete handicap accessible sidewalks and reconstructed handicap curb ramps. A construction contract was awarded to Keeley Construction in 2007 and work was completed in 2008.

Uptown Collinsville © February 2011



Streetscape_Award_Press_Release2_copy







The ACEC competition recognized 47 Illinois-based engineering firms for outstanding projects at a recent luncheon attended by 350 engineers, clients and government officials. Pictured with the award from left to right are Bruce Schopp, President / Chief Operating Officer at Oates Associates; Mike Tognarelli, former Director of Streets with the City of Collinsville, who oversaw the funding applications and construction for both phases of the plan; and Joseph Hagerty, Chief Executive Officer at Oates Associates.



Oates Associates’ involvement with the Main Street Streetscape project began with the first phase of the project and continues today with Phase III, which is currently under design. Electrical design for the project was provided by BRiC Partnership, LLC out of Belleville, Illinois.



Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis. Oates provides a wide range of engineering and architectural services to communities, corporations, institutions and public agencies throughout the Midwest. Services include engineering and architectural design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, highway and street design, storm water management, site design, structural engineering, urban planning and landscape architecture. For more information, visit www.oatesassociates.com or call 618.345.2200 or 314.588.8381.

Feb 2, 2011Engineering - Jason Dreyer
Jason Dreyer, of Collinsville, a junior engineer at Oates Associates in Collinsville, recently earned his master’s degree in civil engineering from Southern Illinois University– Edwardsville. Dreyer joined Oates in 2008 and assists in the design of structural and roadway projects. Oates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville and St. Louis.

Suburban Journals ©February 2011
Feb 1, 2011City of Wildwood has contracted Oates Associates
The City of Wildwood, Missouri, has contracted Oates Associates and the Planning Team of Nelson Byrd Woltz and Vector Communications to prepare a conceptual plan for a future world-class park to support the avidly recreational community near St. Louis.

The park would be located on a 66-acre tract of land that the City owns at Highways 100 and 109, near the Wildwood Town Center. The land features gently rolling hills, grasslands, native woodlands and a creek.

“Our goal is to create a diverse set of memorable spaces that embody Wildwood’s character while protecting the unique topography of the land,” said Bill Burke, Senior Planner of Oates Associates. “The park will balance the site’s natural amenities with the everyday social and recreational needs of Wildwood residents.”

St. Louis CNR ©Jan/Feb 2011
Feb 1, 2011Bruce Schopp inducted into SIUE Hall of Fame
Bruce Schopp, president of the civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm Oates Associates, has been inducted into the SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame by the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Alumni Association.

A licensed professional engineer and structural engineer, Schopp has been with Oates Associates for 25 years and recently was promoted to the position of President and Chief Operating Officer.

Schopp is active in several professional society organizations and sits on the SIUE School of Engineering Advisory Board.

The SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame honorees are nominated and selected based on their success and contribution to their field of study, their concern for the community, and their distinguished reputation. Each college honors two alumni every year, recognizing them with a plaque that is displayed on campus.

St. Louis CNR ©Jan/Feb 2011
Jan 15, 2011ROHO Group Expansion Designed by Oates Associates Is Complete
COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS – Work is complete on the 11,600-square-foot expansion of the ROHO Group factory in Belleville, Illinois. Oates Associates provided architectural services, structural engineering and site design for the project. Holland Construction Services was the general contractor and Design Six of Belleville provided additional design services.

Construction Digest ©January 2011
Jan 15, 2011Kevin Gates Joins Oates Associates’ Expanding Building Services Group
COLLINSVILLE, ILLINOIS – Kevin Gates, LEED AP, of Freeburg, Illinois, has joined Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, as an architectural technician.

Gates earned his Master of Science in Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University and his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kansas. His studies focused on building performance and sustainable practices. He brings to Oates a strong background in architectural programs, including Revit, having previously led Revit learning workshops for co-workers.

Construction Digest ©January 2011
Jan 14, 2011People in Business - Andy Mueller
Oates Associates Inc. added Andy Mueller as a junior engineer.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©January 2011
Jan 7, 2011Andy Mueller Of Freeburg Joins Oates Associates
Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, continues their expansion with the new hire of Andy Mueller of Freeburg, Illinois, as a junior engineer.

Mueller is a recent graduate of Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville. While completing his degree at SIUE he worked for the Village of Freeburg Public Works Department and most recently, the US Army Corps of Engineers. Mueller will support the Oates transportation group.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis. Oates provides a wide range of engineering and architectural services to communities, corporations, institutions and public agencies throughout the Midwest. Services include engineering and architectural design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, highway and street design, storm water management, site design, structural engineering, urban planning and landscape architecture. For more information, visit www.oatesassociates.com or call 618.345.2200 or 314.588.8381.

St. Louis Globe-Democrat © January 2011

Jan 3, 2011Member News - Oates Associates
Oates Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce that Kevin Gates, LEEP AP, of Freeburg, IL, has joined the firm as an architectural technician.

ACEC Missouri ©January 2011
Jan 1, 2011Movers & Shakers - Kevin Gates
Kevin Gates, LEED AP, of Freeburg, Illinois, has joined Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, as an architectural technician. Gates earned his Master of Science in Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University and his Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Kansas. His studies focused on building performance and sustainable practices. He brings to Oates a strong background in architectural programs, including Revit, having previously led Revit learning workshops for co-workers.

Landscape Architect & Specifier News ©February 2011
Dec 13, 2010ARCHITECTURE - Kevin Gates
Kevin Gates has joined Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm in Collinsville, as an architectural technician. Gates earned his master's degree in architecture from Carnegie Mellon University and his bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas. He previously led Revit learning workshops for co-workers.

Suburban Journals ©December 2010
Dec 10, 2010People in Business - Kevin Gates
Oates Associates Inc. added Kevin Gates as an architectural technician.

St. Louis Post Dispatch © December 2010
Nov 26, 2010ROHO Group warehouse expansion completed in Belleville
Work has been completed on an 11,600-square-foot expansion of the ROHO Group factory in Belleville.

Swansea-based Holland Construction Services was the general contractor on the project; Oates Associates of Collinsville provided architectural services, structural engineering and site design; and Design Six of Belleville provided additional design services.

ROHO Group makes shape-fitting medical and comfort cushioning products. The expansion added warehouse, shipment and delivery space.

St. Louis Post Dispatch ©November 2010
Nov 26, 2010ROHO Group Expansion Complete
Work is complete on the 11,600-square-foot expansion of the ROHO Group factory in Belleville. Oates Associates provided architectural services, structural engineering and site design for the project. Holland Construction Services was the general contractor and Design Six of Belleville provided additional design services.

ROHO manufactures shape-fitting medical and comfort cushioning products. The expansion provided additional warehouse space for raw materials to meet increasing demand for ROHO's products. Shipment and delivery also was expanded with two new receiving docks and a driver security area.

St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate ©November 2010
Nov 24, 2010Wildwood Community Park Advisory Committee Off To Good Start
A good variety of opinions and details are driving current planning efforts of Wildwood's community park advisory committee, said Bill Burke, an engineering and design consultant from St. Louis-based Oates Associates. He presented a full status report to councilmembers and attendees at Monday night's city council meeting.

Oates Associates' professionals were chosen to shepherd the process of conceptually designing the 63 acres of city property originally purchased to become a multiuse, community-wide park. The park is located near the intersection of State Routes 100 and 109.

Volunteer residents, who make up the committee, personally toured and inspected the park site on Nov. 13. Wildwood Mayor Tim Woerther joined them. Burke said each one was asked to partner with someone from a different ward than which they resided. They explored opposite portions of the site and took photos, some of which are contained in the presentation Burke delivered.

"We all got invigorated about the site, and produced a series of maps and pictures, and dissected the area into bite-sized pieces," he said.

"There were sycamores, white oaks and Eastern red cedars. We looked at the large meadow areas on either side of the creek that runs through the property. We started talking about how to protect the creek and be respectful of streambank erosion. There is plenty of wildlife, and at certain times of the year, wildflowers. All great attributes, and tremendous amount of opportunity."

Burke said a four-phased public engagement process is being followed overall, which includes a kick-off layer, discovery component, idea generation and then refinement phase. He said they are in the third phase of identifying ideas. The process is slated to be completed by May 2011.

He said it was interesting to see that citizen survey results from 2007 regarding desired park usage were similar to the results of the 2010 survey recently conducted.

"Compared to national trends and averages, Wildwood residents, in some ways, are on the leading edge of multitrail use and desires about natural habitat," Burke said.

He cited the 80 percent of recent survey respondents who wanted the park to be a place for exercising, followed by the 61 percent who wanted to enjoy the scenery. With another 48 percent wanting it to be a place to take children, he said the surprising factors were the requests for a fishing lake and sledding hill. He also said enough people keep mentioning the desire for pools and a water play area to make it worth considering.

However, it should be noted that the current survey reflects responses from only 965 of Wildwood's overall 32,884 population -- or a mere 3 percent of the city's population. A total of 53 percent of the respondents live within one mile of the park site.

Burke said committee members are going through an evolutionary process: at first, 63 acres doesn't seem very big. "Then it's like putting furniture into a new house. The space looks big until you started placing the furniture into it. After the tour, I think committee members have a great appreciation for where we're trying to go with the site," he said.

Park advisory committee members are scheduled to meet again in January, as well as to host the first public forum. Burke said he would be happy to report back to councilmembers after those two steps.

A total of $100,000 is earmarked for the community park's engineering and design in the fiscal year 2011 city budget first presented for discussion at Monday's night's city council meeting. An additional $500,000 currently is set aside for constructing the park during the city's 2012 fiscal year.
Only 3 percent of Wildwood's citizens have responded to a survey about how to design the city's new 63-acre community-wide park. Would you like to weigh in and offer recommendations and thoughts? Tell us in the comments.

Eureka-Wildwood Patch ©November 2010
Nov 19, 2010Education briefs: SIUE honors Oates president Schopp
Bruce Schopp, of Freeburg, was inducted into the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Alumni Hall of Fame by the SIUE Alumni Association. Schopp is president and chief operating officer of Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm with an office in Collinsville.

He was honored for his achievements in the engineering field and his contributions to the community and SIUE. A licensed professional engineer and structural engineer, Schopp has been with Oates for 25 years.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©November, 2011
Nov 3, 2010Wildwood seeks ideas on how to develop a 66-acre city park
A city where the name truly fits, Wildwood is home to miles and miles of native woodlands.

Now Wildwood leaders want to carve out a 66-acre tract of land with a pristine creek, forests, meadows filled with wildflowers and gently rolling hills to create a central city park.

The park will be on land the city owns near the northwest corner of highways 100 and 109, just west of and across Highway 100 from the Wildwood Town Center. The city bought the land for about $2 million from a local family.

"Now we want to find out exactly what the community wants in the park," said Gary Crews, Wildwood Superintendent of Parks and Recreation. "We have over 11 square miles of state and county parks and numerous acres of city pocket parks and trails. This would be our main city park."

Wildwood is home to Babler, Rockwood Reservation and Rockwood Range state parks.

The land for the new city park lies east of Pond Road and immediately west of two residential subdivisions, Windsor Crest and Lafayette Trails.

Crews says the new park has a varied terrain.

"It's gorgeous with lots of different landscapes," Crews said. "It has lots of wildflowers and trees — oaks and sycamores. It has flowering dogwoods and redbuds, hills and open meadows, crevasses and a creek."

One reason for choosing that site is its proximity to Wildwood Town Center and its central location in Wildwood.

As a first step, the planners have asked residents to answer a survey on what kinds of activities they do or don't want at the park.

Residents have returned more than 950 surveys with suggestions. While data are still being compiled, playgrounds, trails and open play areas made the lists of suggestions.

The Wildwood Citizen Park Advisory Committee will hold meetings this month to discuss the park and public forums will be held in January, February and March.

The city has hired Oates Associates, an engineering, planning and architectural firm, the planning team of Nelson Byrd Woltz and Vector Communications to prepare a conceptual plan for the city's flagship park. A master plan for the park is due to be completed in May.

In 2007 the Wildwood Citizens Committee for Park Progress endorsed creation of a city park.

Chesterfield residents Joel and Susie Fine bought property in Wildwood largely because of its natural beauty and trails and are planning to build a home there.

"We love the area and were spending most weekends there hiking," said Joel Fine. "We are now in the process of designing a new home and plan to move in a year or so if everything comes together."

Fine said he'd welcome the new park "even though there is no shortage of green space in Wildwood."

Today, more than 16 miles of bicycle and pedestrian trails crisscross the community. Two of the most popular are the Al Foster Trail and the new Rock Hollow Trail, a partnership of the state, city, county and Great Rivers Greenway. Several city pocket parks also enjoy great popularity, and land is preserved for future parks.

Crews said that Rock Hollow, which opened last spring, already "is one of the most popular in the city. In the spring, you can see wild bluebells everywhere."

Trails at the new park will connect to the existing trail system, he said.

Bill Burke, senior planner of Oates Associates, said the new park "will balance the site's natural amenities with the everyday social and recreational needs of Wildwood residents."

St. Louis Post Dispatch ©November 2010
Nov 2, 2010Engineers will now redesign northeast peripheral route
A lot can change on a major road project in four years.

So, the City Council on Monday approved an agreement for a redesign of the Iberg Road extension from Michael Road to U.S. Highway 40, also known as the northeast quadrant of the peripheral route.

The agreement allows the engineering firm Oates Associates of Collinsville to finalize the design, produce plans and specifications, and proceed with approvals with the Illinois Commerce Commission for the bridge over the CSX railroad. Oates Associates will be paid $360,000 for the revisions.

The original agreement with Oates Associates was approved in October 2006. According Public Works Director Joe Gillespie, 85 percent of the project has been completed. However, there have been “many changes to the overall design since that time and scope of the work has evolved.” Gillespie noted that a single change in design can affect multiple plan sheets, cross sections and schedules.

“Oates Associates began design of the northeast quadrant four years ago,” said Gillespie. “At that time, we envisioned the roadway as a rural-type section, much like Troxler from Illinois 160 to U.S. 40.”

Over the past four years the city has incorporated a multi-use path and urban layout in the design for such roadway sections as Frank Watson Parkway, Koepfli Lane and the realignment of Iberg Road south of Broadway. The new Iberg Parkway will retain those same features in order to be consistent with the peripheral route.

“Other features and property acquisition accommodations specific to this section of roadway have influenced changes to the design,” Gillespie noted.

Among the new developments that have made the revision necessary are the addition of the recent master trail design, the bike lanes, curb and gutter, storm sewer and a multi-use path. There will also be a grade separation structure over the CSX railroad tracks, and a widening of U.S. Highway 40 and Troxler Avenue for a left turn lane and traffic signals, as well as a retention pond between Trestle Road and the railroad tracks.

The city is still negotiating the purchase of three more large parcels of land and a few easements for storm water drainage, to have all the necessary land to begin construction on the new road. The city hopes to have the final acquisitions completed by the end of the year.

Highland News Leader ©November 2010
Nov 1, 2010Construction complete on facility expansion
Holland Construction Services Inc. recently completed construction of the new ROHO Group's addition at the company's manufacturing facility in Belleville, providing warehouse space for raw materials to more quickly meet increasing demand for the manufacturer's goods.

The new 12,000 square-foot metal building will allow more storage space with two new receiving docks, further expediting the manufacturing process.

Oates and Associates Engineering and Architecture of Collinsville provided architectural services, with additional design services provided by Design Six of Belleville.

Holland Construction Services is a full-service contracting and construction management firm based in Swansea, Ill. The company formed in 1986 and was founded by Bruce Holland.

For information, visit the website at www.hollandcs.com.

The Telegraph ©November 2010
Nov 1, 2010Firm's president to join Hall of Fame
Bruce Schopp, president of the civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm Oates Associates, has been inducted into the SIU Edwardsville Alumni Hall of Fame by the SIU Edwardsville Alumni Association.

Schopp was honored at an awards dinner Oct. 8 for his achievements in the engineering field and his contributions to the community and SIUE. A licensed professional engineer and structural engineer, Schopp has been with Oates Associates for 25 years and recently was promoted to the position of president and chief operating officer.

Schopp is active in professional society organizations and sits on the SIUE School of Engineering Advisory Board. He is involved in community organizations, including St. Paul's United Church of Christ in Freeburg, Ill. Other honorees at the awards dinner included a Fulbright Scholar, a Tampa Bay Rays major league baseball television announcer, and presidents and founders of various organizations.

The SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame honorees are nominated and selected based on their success and contribution to their field of study, their concern for the community, and their distinguished reputation. Each college honors two alumni every year, recognizing them with a plaque that is displayed on campus.

Oates Associates is a design firm with offices in Collinsville and St. Louis. For information, call (618) 345-2200 or visit the website at www.oatesassociates.com.

The Telegraph ©November 2010



Nov 1, 2010Wildwood hires firm to plan park
The city of Wildwood, Mo., has contracted Oates Associates and the Planning Team of Nelson Byrd Woltz and Vector Communications to prepare a conceptual plan for a world-class park.

The park would be on a 66-acre tract the city owns at Highways 100 and 109, near the Wildwood Town Center. The land features gently rolling hills, grasslands, native woodlands and a creek.

The planning program will begin with a public engagement process to obtain input from residents. The layout for park facilities and recreational areas will be based on the desires of the citizens, the surrounding development pattern and the physical characteristics of the land.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in St. Louis and Collinsville. For more information, visit www.oatesassociates.com or call (314) 588-8381 or (618) 345-2200.

The Telegraph ©November2010
Oct 27, 2010SIUE honors Oates president Schopp
Education briefs
SIUE honors Oates president Schopp

Bruce Schopp, of Freeburg, was inducted into the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Alumni Hall of Fame by the SIUE Alumni Association. Schopp is president and chief operating officer of Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm with an office in Collinsville.

He was honored for his achievements in the engineering field and his contributions to the community and SIUE. A licensed professional engineer and structural engineer, Schopp has been with Oates for 25 years.

Suburban Journals - Collinsville Herald ©October 27, 2010
Oct 26, 2010SIUE honors Oates president Schopp
Bruce Schopp, of Freeburg, was inducted into the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Alumni Hall of Fame by the SIUE Alumni Association. Schopp is president and chief operating officer of Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm with an office in Collinsville.

He was honored for his achievements in the engineering field and his contributions to the community and SIUE. A licensed professional engineer and structural engineer, Schopp has been with Oates for 25 years.

Suburban Journals ©October2010

Oct 21, 2010Wildwood Hires Team for Community Park
The City of Wildwood, has contracted Oates Associates, Nelson Byrd Woltz, and Vector Communications to prepare a conceptual plan for a future world-class park.

The park would be located on a 66-acre tract of land that the City owns at Highways 100 and 109, near the Wildwood Town Center. The land features gently rolling hills, grasslands, native woodlands and a creek.

Vector Communications specializes in public engagement and communications.

Nelson Byrd Woltz is a national architecture firm with offices in Charlottesville, VA., and New York City, which worked on Citygarden, the $30 million sculpture park in downtown St Louis.

The planning program will begin with a public engagement process to obtain input from residents. The layout for park facilities and recreational areas will be based on the desires of the citizens, the surrounding development pattern and the physical characteristics of the land.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©October 2010
Oct 21, 2010Bruce Schopp has been elected to the board of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois
Bruce Schopp, PE, SE, of Freeburg, Illinois, president of the civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm Oates Associates, has been elected to the board of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL). Schopp has been with Oates Associates for 25 years, rising to the position of chief structural engineer responsible for structural engineering and the firm’s major transportation projects. Stacey Wolff, a junior engineer, has passed the exam to become a licensed professional engineer in the State of Illinois. Wolff is vice president of the Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS) St. Louis chapter board of directors. Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm

Landscape Online ©October 2010
Oct 20, 2010Oates, Vector win Wildwood park contract
Oates Associates, Vector Communications and Nelson Byrd Woltz have landed a $100,000 contract from the city of Wildwood to plan a recreational park.

The park will be located on a 66-acre tract of land that the city owns at Highways 100 and 109, near the Wildwood Town Center. The land features native woodlands and a creek.

The planning process will kick off with public input from residents on the preferred layout.

Oates Associates is a design firm with offices in St. Louis and Collinsville, Ill.

St. Louis-based Vector Communications, owned by Laurna Godwin and Jessica Perkins, specializes in public engagement and communications.

Nelson Byrd Woltz is a 30-person landscape architecture firm with offices in Charlottesville, Va., and New York City. The firm worked on Citygarden, the $30 million sculpture park in downtown St Louis.

St. Louis Business Journal ©October 2010
Oct 11, 2010Wildwood Community Park Advisory Committee Off To Good Start
Wildwood's new Community Park Advisory Committee members met for the first time on Tuesday night to begin considering the elements of a city park on a 66-acre parcel city officials purchased in 2009.

The land is located near the northwest corner of the intersection for state Highways 109 and 100.

Wildwood residents who are volunteering on this committee include: (Ward 8) Andrea Ellebrecht and Doug Carlson; (Ward 7) John Valenti, Charissa Fisher and Judy Hartz; (Ward 6) John Graas and Carol Dean; (Ward 5) Julie McMillen and Katie Palmquist; (Ward 4) Katie Dodwell and Kerry Barban Huffines; (Ward 3) Samuel Visintine and Marc Perez; (Ward 2) Mikel Garrett and Darren Dunkle; (Ward 1) Veronica Leach and Mary Kenny. City council members serving as liaisons to the committee are Tammy Shea and Michele Bauer.

This summer, Wildwood officials received 10 responses to a request for proposals regarding planning the park, and then interviewed five of those firms. The Oates Associates team was decided as the best suited, said Joe Vujnich, Wildwood director of planning and parks.

Oates' leader for this project is Bill Burke, who has more than 20 years of experience in planning, urban design and landscape architecture. Locally, he designed the Citygarden public sculpture garden in downtown St. Louis, the Gateway Mall Master Plan, the Arch Grounds Connector engineering and urban design study, and the Edward Jones Campus Master Plan.

At last night's meeting, Burke shared his initial comments about the site conditions to consider.

"It was a very productive meeting with a review of the survey results that were submitted by the people of Wildwood who were given the first opportunity for input," said committee member Marc Perez. "There will be many opportunities in the months ahead, too, for public comment and questions. No decisions have been made as to the make-up of the new park. This is an exciting time for the community to have a really class park in Wildwood!"

Wildwood Mayor Tim Woerther notes that for the past few years, citizen committees had formed and dealt with long-term park plans for Wildwood. He said these plans included the desired facilities and recreational activities to be considered for a community park.

In 2006 the council-appointed group was called Citizens Committee for Park Progress. Their efforts included the aforementioned survey, which was administered to approximately 3,000 randomly selected households in Wildwood. The group left the city with a four-point plan to implement over five to 10 years, Woerther said.

The 2007 Parks Action Plan recommended purchasing property to accommodate a community park within the central area of the municipality, which is now what new committee members are working toward.

Mikel Garrett, who is one of two current committee members who also served on the previous park committee, said the meeting went well, with everyone in attendance. He said it was good to talk through where the site was, and what considerations to keep in mind, such as its elevation, effects of the creek that runs through the property, and the property's proximity to two nearby subdivisions: Winsor Crest and Lafayette Trails.

He said the 2007 mailed survey yielded responses from 1,020 Wildwood households. Last night, he said they reviewed a summary of recent online comments considered to be the 2010 survey.

"While this online survey wasn't done as scientifically as the prior one, when it comes to research, it did provide 965 responses," he said.

Garrett said that current feedback ironically mirrored results from the previous park survey.

He said committee members reviewed information from the premise of active versus passive use. "It was a close split, almost 50/50, regarding responses between the usage categories," he said.

The top five "active" uses for the future park, according to resident response, are: 1) multi-use trails for bikes and pedestrians; 2) sledding hill; 3) school-age playground; 4) open play lawn; 5) stocked fishing lake.T

he top six "passive" uses for the park are 1) pavilion with picnic tables; 2) trail connections to major destinations; 3) outdoor amphitheater; 4) natural open space; 5) barbecue pits; and 6) train connection to neighborhoods.

Garrett said other uses, such as a dog park and sports fields, are still being discussed as well.

"And although a swimming pool or water park was inadvertently left off the online choices, it came up as a desired use 22 percent of the time," he said.

Garrett said committee members are going to tour the actual park site this Saturday morning, Nov. 13. "The committee is a great group of people, with and without children. We're just trying to get a sense of how to utilize the park space for the most number of people."
Sep 15, 2010People - Stacey Wolff
Stacey Wolff, a junior engineer at the civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm Oates Associates, has passed the exam to become a licensed professional engineer in the State of Illinois.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©September 2010
Sep 10, 2010Business Bulletin Board
Oates Associates Inc. captured first place in the McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. Charity Softball Tournament and donated its winnings of $3,500 to the SIUE Foundation. The second-place team from Jacobs Engineering Inc. donated its $1,500 prize to United Way. The winner of the grilling competition, Ross & Baruzzini Inc., split its $1,500 prize to the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©September 2010
Aug 4, 2010Wildwood - Plans for new community park
The Wildwood City Council has approved contracting with Oates Associates at a cost of up to $100,000 to prepare a concept plan for design of a future large community park. The effort will include plans for soliciting public input on what should be in the park, which would be on 66 acres the city purchased in 2009 near Highways 100 and 109. City Aministrator Dan Dubruiel said there's no specific plans or timeline for developing anything in the park yet. There's also no plan yet on how any park improvements would be funded.

Suburban Journals ©August 2010
Aug 1, 2010Oates Associates Elects Officers, Transitions Leadership
As part of an ownership transition plan, Oates Associates has named several changes in leadership. Founder David Oates was appointed chairman of the board. Joe Hagerty has been named CEO. Hagerty joined the company in 1991 as controller and has served as vice prsident for several years. Bruce Schopp, a licensed professional and structural engineer who has been with the firm for 25 years, has been named president and chief operating officer.

St. Louis Commerce ©July/August 2010
Aug 1, 2010Companies - Oates Associates
As part of their transition to a second generation, the Oates Associates board has elected new officers -- Joe Hagerty as chief executive officer and Bruce Schopp as president/chief operating officer. Founder David Oates was appointed chairman of the board.

Oates Associates also announced that Jason Schreckenberg has been licensed as a structural engineer in Illinois. He also obtained his professional engineer's license in Missouri through reciprocity.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©July/August 2010
Aug 1, 2010Hires
Barb Anderson has joined Oates Associates as a senior architect.

Anderson earned her B.S. in architectural studies from the University of Illinois. She is a member of the American Institute for Architects, United States Green Building Council, Architectural Advisory Board at Ranken College and the Mayor's Climate Protection Committee. She also is a S.A.V.E. (Structural Assessment and Visual Evaluation Coalition) volunteer.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©July/August 2010
Jul 27, 2010Wildwood starts plans for first community park
Fifteen years into its existence, Wildwood could be on its way to getting its first city park.

In a unanimous vote Monday, the City Council agreed to a contract for the design of a community park on 66 acres near the intersection of state Highways 109 and 100.

A bill passed by the council said a concept plan for the design of the park would be created by the area firm Oates Associates. City staff had interviewed five firms to develop the concept plan, but settled on Oates Associates, the bill said.

Joe Vujnich, director of planning and parks, said the city had three neighborhood parks, but no park intended for communitywide use. The city purchased the land for a park in 2009.

Councilman Jim Kranz said after the meeting that the city would have to go to voters to seek funds to develop the park.

St.Louis Post Dispatch ©July 2010
Jul 27, 2010Wildwood picks firm to develop plan for first community park
Fifteen years into its existence, Wildwood could be on its way to getting its first city park.

In a unanimous vote Monday, the City Council agreed to a contract for the design of a community park on 66 acres near the intersection of state Highways 109 and 100.

A bill passed by the council said a concept plan for the design of the park would be created by the area firm Oates Associates. City staff had interviewed five firms to develop the concept plan, but settled on Oates Associates, the bill said.

Joe Vujnich, director of planning and parks, said the city had three neighborhood parks, but no park intended for communitywide use. The city purchased the land for a park in 2009.

Councilman Jim Kranz said after the meeting that the city would have to go to voters to seek funds to develop the park.

St.Louis Post Dispatch ©July2010

Jul 12, 2010Some Metro East cities go green to save green
Taking eco-friendly steps to save cash

Call it the green lining of an economic storm cloud.

With plummeting revenues and tight budgets, more municipalities are adopting eco-friendly measures to lower bills and help the bottom line.

Among the local efforts are:

- Edwardsville calculating its carbon footprint to reduce energy use

- Collinsville hiring an Ohio company to make city buildings more energy efficient

- Glen Carbon using a state grant to analyze light use in village buildings and curbing emissions from village vehicles

- Columbia crafting an energy efficiency, recycling and conservation plan

- Madison County Board considering upgrades to its Downtown Edwardsville headquarters

While these may be small projects, they represent a marked increase in municipalities turning to green projects recently, said Barb Anderson (of Oates Associates), a member of the United States Green Building Council.

"We have noticed in the last year or two that more people are interested in building green," said Anderson, of Edwardsville.

Some of it is clearly tied to municipal leaders trying to reign in costs during budget times.

Early efforts to go green are paying off, said Collinsville Community Development Director Paul Mann. The Brewer-Garrett Co. of Ohio checked the energy used to heat, cool and light each city building, then suggested ways to boost savings. Utility bills plummeted.

"The energy consumption we saved by what they recommended paid for the grant," Mann said. "They showed how to make city buildings more efficient."

(Although it should be noted that some elements of energy conservation plans - especially preliminary studies - sometimes carry significant price tags; backers often defend the expense by saying the utility savings will eventually make up for the up-front expenses.)

Among the more aggressive efforts is in Columbia, where city officials are trying to nail down a federal grant to make an entire building into a kind of green model.

The city bought the 8,000-square-foot 1970s building at 208 S. Rapp St. to create a demonstration center for businesses, said Community Economic and Development Director Paul Ellis.

He wants to show area businesses and residents that upgrading for energy efficiency is not only possible but saves money. He is awaiting word about a Property Assessed Clear Energy grant to upgrade the building's heating and air conditioning, along with lighting.

"We're talking about targeting Main Street as an area to push energy efficiency," Ellis said. "People can see it."

But there is still a way to go, said Anderson, the building council member.

"It's too early to draw conclusions yet because the effort is just beginning," she said, adding later, "A lot of money is being given to encourage energy efficiency."

Contact reporter Ken West at 618-344-0264, ext. 101

Suburban Journals ©2010
Jul 9, 2010People in Business - Jason Schreckenberg
Jason Schreckenberg, a project manager at Oates Associates Inc., was installed as treasurer/secretary for the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, St. Clair Chapter.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©July 2010
Jul 6, 2010Business News
Jason Schreckenberg, of Millstadt, a project manager at the civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm Oates Associates, has been installed as treasurer and secretary for the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers, St. Clair Chapter.

Schreckenberg has been involved with ISPE for many years and has served as the chapter scholarship chair. He recently received the Society's "Young Engineer of the Year Award," which recognizes young members who have made outstanding contributions to their profession and/or community.

Schreckenberg has been with Oates Associates for more than 10 years, primarily in structural design of bridge and building projects. He has provided design services for highway bridges, local roadways, and educational, commercial, manufacturing and correctional facilities. Schreckenberg recently managed the structural design of the new pedestrian bridge connecting Downtown Alton to the Alton Riverfront.

The Illinois Society of Professional Engineers represents more than 2,500 engineers and has served their needs for over 120 years. Several employees at Oates are active in the organization, with many serving on various committees.

Oates Associates has offices in Collinsville and St. Louis.

Suburban Journals ©July2010




Jul 2, 2010Civil engineer builds success from MetroEast to St. Louis
For many years, whenever transportation improvements are on the drawing board in the Metro East area, Oates Associates Inc. of Collinsville usually is involved at some level in the planning and engineering. Founded in 1980 by civil engineer David M. Oates, the firm has expanded its reach over the years to the Missouri side of the St. Louis area.

The firm now has about 45 full- and part-time employees in offices in Collinsville and downtown St. Louis, and still specializes in transportation and other public works projects. Oates has directed the company since its founding, but at 57, he's preparing to wind down that role, at least a little bit.

"I'm not quitting," he notes. "Part of my way of reducing work time is by not spending as much time in the evening at work. I plan to spend more time with my grandkids and the rest of my family."

Oates has been grooming the new company president, Bruce Schopp, and its chief executive, Joseph Hagerty, to assume more duties while Oates plans to gradually reduce his workload during the next few years. But Oates also says he enjoys his role at work and with various community boards and commissions, and he intends to keep promoting Metro East development as well as regional cooperation on economic issues.

Oates Associates bills itself as a full service, multidisciplinary planning and design firm, providing civil and structural engineering and architectural services. Oates says he's looking forward to continuing to mentor young engineers and also to keep pushing for future funding of public works projects throughout the St. Louis area.

He discussed some of what he's learned over his years of running his business.

Much of your company's work and successes have come from Metro East projects. Do you still see the Metro East as ripe for future economic development?
Yes, obviously depending on the economy overall. It's still slowed down everywhere. But I think the geographic advantage is still there in the Metro East.

My biggest concern regarding Metro East development is that downtown St. Louis is the engine that helps us and drives us. We need to attract more business that starts in St. Louis, so the health of downtown St. Louis is very important to us.

What are the biggest impediments to future Metro East development, and what is being done or should be done about those problems?
The levees that protect the area — getting those repaired is a very important matter. It would be hard to exaggerate how much having good levees affects the Metro East. They are needed to continue the development of the (American) bottoms area closest to the Mississippi River.

The problem is not water going over the levees, but water seeping under the levees. Predicting the magnitude of the under-seepage problem and figuring out how to fix it is much more theoretical than addressing higher flood elevations. Computer modeling methods and required safety factors have changed since the levees were built. They continue to be evaluated.

The financial condition of Illinois is a negative that also needs to be addressed. There's no popular answer. Everybody knows there has to be some type of tax increase to catch up with funding, but nobody wants to vote for it.

I've heard it explained by politicians on both sides of the aisle that you can't just cut yourself out of a budget deficit as large as Illinois' budget deficit.

What more should be done to foster cooperation on economic issues between both sides of the Mississippi River?
I've been president of the Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois and I'm still active with the council, which has had to deal with this issue. I think what is needed is just continued recognition that the Metro East is an important part of the metropolitan area and can help the whole area to grow. We also need to make people understand that there are many interesting things to do in the Metro East.

How big a role has Southern Illinois University Edwardsville played in Metro East development?
I'm on the SIUE Foundation Board and I'm friends with the university's chancellor (Vaughn Vandegrift). So I'm partial to SIU, obviously. Its engineering school, for one, is very well respected. We hire most of our engineers from there, and they are very qualified.

And the university's (recruitment of) students from all over is very beneficial to the area. The faculty and staff also add to the character of the community.

SIUE has gone way beyond being the local commuter college. Many of its programs are nationally recognized. And I think it was a good move to join Division 1 in athletic programs. That brings more students and fans here who wouldn't ever see the area otherwise.

Looking back, do you think there is anything you should have done differently in all your years of leading Oates Associates?
We opened a St. Louis office about five years ago. I think we could have done that a little sooner. It's a good idea to seek business on both sides of the Mississippi. Over the years, we've tried to have our growth contained a little bit to where there's work for us as we grow.

Our primary market from the beginning has been transportation-related. Illinois has all along used transportation consultants much more than Missouri has.

The question more than anything is how heavily the states will invest in transportation and whether that will continue. Public entities were slowly hit by the recession and are going to be the last ones out of it.

When will folks start building more major developments that require transportation improvements, like Collinsville Crossing shopping center? That's the big question mark now.

St. Louis Post Dispatch ©July 2020
Jul 2, 2010People On the Move: Bruce Schopp
Bruce Schopp of Oates Associates was elected to the board of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois.
Read more: People On the Move

St. Louis Business Journal ©July 2010

Jul 2, 2010Bulletin Board - Bruce Schopp
Board members of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois elected Bruce Schopp, president of Oates Associates, to the council's board.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©July 2, 2010
Jun 30, 2010Engineering News
Stacey Wolff, a junior engineer at Oates Associates, passed the exam to become a licensed professional engineer in Illinois. Oates Associates, which has offices in Collinsville and St. Louis, is a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm. Wolff has been with Oates since 2004, providing construction observation, site design, utility work and right-of-way negotiations. She recently completed work on the Interstate 255 utility coordination project for the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Bruce Schopp, president of Oates Associates, was elected to the board of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois. Oates, which has offices in Collinsville and St. Louis, is a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm. Schopp previously served on the ACEC-IL Scholarship Committee and as chair of the IDOT Bridge Committee. He has been with Oates for 25 years.

Suburban Journals © June 2010

Jun 27, 2010Oates President Elected to ACEC-IL Board
Bruce Schopp, PE, SE, president of the civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm Oates Associates, has been elected to the board of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois (ACEC-IL). Schopp was elected by members and installed as a board member during the organization's annual meeting on June 3.

The ACEC-IL board oversees the business and administrative affairs of the professional organization. Schopp previously served on the ACEC-IL Scholarship Committee and as chair of the IDOT Bridge Committee. He also is a member of the IDOT Liaison Committee.

Schopp has been with Oates Associates for 25 years, rising to the position of chief structural engineer responsible for structural engineering and the firm's major transportation projects. He recently was promoted to president/chief operating officer and oversees all operations including project selection and management, technical production, quality assurance, technical and professional staff development, and client development.

St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate ©June 2010


Jun 10, 2010The city of Edwardsville will begin work on new street and sidewalk projects.
The city council has agreed to start design work for three of its forthcoming street projects – Schwarz, Sherman and East Lake Drive Phase II – and work on a several sidewalk projects.

In April, the city finalized its newest road and sidewalk improvement project list. The council ranked them by highest priority. Now, the council has voted to move two of those street projects forward – Schwarz and Sherman – as well as one of its ongoing projects – East Lake Drive.

Last Tuesday, he council awarded the design engineer agreements for these street projects: Oates Associates for the Schwarz Street project in the amount of $65,000; CMT for the Sherman Street project in the amount of $66,340; and CMT for the East Lake Drive Phase II in the amount of $151,590.

The city plans to install curbs and sidewalks and complete milling and resurfacing of Schwarz from the alley east of Buchanan to Springer, reconstruct Sherman from Logan to Jefferson and finishing another section of its East Lake Project – Phase II – from Glik Park to St. Mary’s Drive.

The Phase I project, that started in 2009, reconstructed East Lake Drive from Gerber to the Glik Park entrance. The city made improvements to the roadway, such as: inlets, storm sewers, concrete gutters, sidewalks and hot-mix asphalt pavement.

Now the city hopes to continue that project from Glik Park to St. Mary’s Drive and then at a later date complete East Lake Drive Phase 3 from St. Mary’s to Park Drive to Route 143.

Public Services Chair and Alderman Rich Walker said the East Lake Drive project is part of the city’s five-year plan.

“It was set in motion a few years ago and it will be paid from the Street and Bridge Fund,” Walker said.

Walker said Schwarz is to be paid from MFT funds, while Sherman is intended to be funded with CIP funds.

Alderman John Twombly said he was pleased that the Sherman project had been set in motion.

“I have had more input on this than with any other residential concern,” Twombly said.

He said the roadway is in poor shape and when it rains the water stands for days.

Public Works Director Tim Harr said these street projects will begin once the design process is complete and that is dependent upon on the complexity of each project. Harr said Schwarz may begin this fiscal year, while East Lake Drive Phase II and Sherman may not begin until 2011.

In addition, the city got several sidewalk projects moving forward last Tuesday.

The council voted to approve its 2010 CIP sidewalk project engineering agreement with Juneau Associates in the amount of $25,227 and its 2010 MFT sidewalk engineering agreement with Oates and Associates in the amount of $14,600.

Juneau will complete the sidewalks along Old Troy Road and Schiller Avenue. Oates will do the sidewalk segments at: the 300 block of West Linden; the 200 block of North Buchanan (west side); the 100 block of Park Street; the 100 and 200 block of South Brown (west side); the 600 block of Chapman (north side); the 800 and 900 block of Grand (south sides); the 300 block of Clay (west side); M Street (south side); the 400 block of West Union; and Park Street between Johnson and Herbert.

Walker said the sidewalk projects are part of the city’s ongoing sidewalk list, also ranked as the streets were earlier this year.

He said the city is having to hire others to do some work that could typically done in-house as several student tech members have left for careers and the city currently has a no-hire policy.

Harr said these sidewalk projects are expected to be completed by the end of this calendar year.

Edwardsville Intelligencer ©June 2010



Jun 2, 2010Campus parking lots receive makeover
SIUE issued the contract to Oates Associates Inc. to complete the parking lot project. Langendorf said they are responsible for most of the building and repairs on campus.

If you have paid a ticket or two within the last year, chances are those dollars are going right back into the lots where the ticket was issued.

Revenue from parking tickets, meters and permits will pay for the resurfacing of parking lots across campus, according to Tony Langendorf, assistant to the director of Parking Services.

"We will be repaving every lot on this campus except for lots F, 4A, and B," Langendorf said.

Resealing the lots may seem like a time-consuming process, but Langendorf said the project will be completed by the fall.

"Each lot takes three days to complete, however the entire process should take 7-10 weeks," Langendorf said. "The contract with the company repaving the lots states the lots must be done by the start of the fall semester."

Langendorf said some of the most commonly used lots will be paved in sections to not heavily disrupt parking for students and faculty during the summer

"Main interior lots, like Lot A, we will pave half of the lot at a time because it is so large," Langendorf said. "In the summer, the student census is low. This allows us to close one lot and direct students and faculty to another lot if needed."

Revenue for the resealing of the parking lots is generated by SIUE and is not a product of state grants or loans.

"Re-sealing the parking lots is costing SIUE $300,000," Langendorf said. "Parking doesn't receive any money from the state. This project is being funded through citations, meter revenue, and parking permits."

The lots are being resealed with tar asphalt. Langendorf said originally SIUE used Reclamite to seal the parking areas.

"Most of the lots were built in 1997, in the past we used Reclamite, a clear substance which seals the asphalt," Langendorf said. "We were only allowed to apply three applications of Reclamite every four years. Since the cycle for the Reclamite is done, we are now using a coal tar seal."

The price of maintenance may seem high, but Langendorf said it saves SIUE money in the long run by doing the maintenance consistently instead of waiting to completely rebuild the lot.

"We do crack filling in the fall; this is just maintenance. It's more cost effective to do maintenance on the lots than to allow the entire base to become damaged," Langendorf said. "To resurface the lot if the base is intact, it costs around $500-$1000 per space; to rebuild the lot if the base is gone you are looking at $2000-$3000 per space."

SIUE issued the contract to Oates Associates Inc. to complete the parking lot project. Langendorf said they are responsible for most of the building and repairs on campus.

"The maintenance is recommended by our engineering firm, Oates Associates Inc.," Langendorf said. "SIUE uses them for any projects on campus that requires an outside engineering firm such as the new science building."

SIUE alumni and Oates Associates Inc. Project manager Tom Cissell said the parking lots have upgraded since his time on the SIUE campus.

"The parking lots when I was a student at SIUE had weeds and grass growing up through them," Cissell said. "The campus has made a priority to take care of their lots and make them look aesthetically pleasing compared to my time there."

SIUE is doing maintenance on the lots already in place; however, senior mass communications major Melissa Sherman said they also need to create better areas for parking as well.

Alestlelive.com ©June20010

"We need better parking in general," Sherman said. "The lots on the other side really put a damper on traffic with all of the pedestrian crossing. It's really frustrating during the busy hours."



Jun 1, 2010Member News
Oates Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce the following: Barb Anderson has joined the firm as a senior architect; Bruce Schopp, PE, president of the firm, has been elected to the board of ACEC/Illinois; Stacey Wolff, a junior engineer, has passed the exam to become a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois.

ACEC Missouri
May 24, 2010Barb Anderson joined Oates Associates as a senior architect.
Anderson has more than 20 years of experience in municipal, recreational, educational, health care, commercial and hospitality industry projects. She is a LEED Accredited Professional with experience in sustainable projects, most recently serving as project manager for the National Great Rivers Research and Education Field Station. She is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council's Volunteer Speakers Bureau.

Anderson earned her bachelor of science in architectural studies from the University of Illinois. She is a licensed architect in Illinois and Missouri and is a member of the American Institute for Architects, United States Green Building Council, Architectural Advisory Board at Ranken College and the Mayor's Climate Protection Committee. She also is a Structural Assessment and Visual Evaluation Coalition volunteer. She has two daughters.

The Telegraph.com ©May2010
May 15, 2010Member News - Oates Associates
Oates Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce the following: Barb Anderson has joined the firm as a senior architect; Bruce Schopp, PE, president of the firm, has been elected to the board of ACEC/Illinois; Stacey Wolff, a junior engineer, has passed the exam to become a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois.
May 12, 2010Barb Anderson joins Oates Associates
Barb Anderson of Edwardsville, IL has joined Oates Associates, as a senior architect.

Anderson has more than 20 years of experience in a variety of projects including municipal, recreational, educational, health care, commercial and hospitality industry buildings. She is a LEED Accredited Professional with experience in sustainable projects, most recently serving as project manager for the National Great Rivers Research & Education Field Station.

To help educate professionals about sustainability, Barb often speaks at professional society events as a member of the U.S. Green Building Council's Volunteer Speakers Bureau.

Anderson earned her Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois. She is a licensed architect in Illinois and Missouri and is a member of the American Institute for Architects, United States Green Building Council, Architectural Advisory Board at Ranken College and the Mayor's Climate Protection Committee. She also is a S.A.V.E. volunteer (Structural Assessment and Visual Evaluation Coalition) and has two daughters.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis.

Saint Louis Construction News ©May 21010


May 6, 2010Business news - Barb Anderson
Barb Anderson, an Edwardsville resident, has joined Oates Associates as a senior architect. She has more than 20 years of experience in a variety of projects, including municipal, recreational, educational, health care, commercial and hospitality industry buildings. Most recently, Anderson served as project manager for the National Great Rivers Research & Education Field Station.

Suburban Journals ©May 2010




May 5, 2010Business news - Jason Schreckenberg
Oates Associates announced that Jason Schreckenberg, PE, of Millstadt, has been licensed as a structural engineer in the state of Illinois. He also obtained his Professional Engineer's license in the state of Missouri through reciprocity.

Schreckenberg has been with Oates Associates for more than 10 years, primarily concentrating in structural design for a range of projects including highway bridges, local roadways, and educational, commercial, manufacturing and correctional facilities. He recently managed the structural design of the new pedestrian bridge connecting Downtown Alton to the Alton riverfront.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville and St. Louis.

Suburban Journals ©May 2010




May 1, 2010Oates Associates elects officers, engineer earns licenses
Joe Hagerty as chief executive officers and Bruce Schopp as president/chief operating officers. Founder David Oates was appointed chairman of the board.

Oates’ Jason Schreckenberg has been licensed as a structural engineer in the state of Illinois and also obtained his professional engineer’s license in the state of Missouri through reciprocity.

Illinois Business Journal ©May 2010

Apr 30, 2010People in Business - Joe Hagerty
Joe Hagerty has been appointed chief executive at Oates Associates, while Bruce Schopp was tapped as president/chief operating officer. Founder David Oates was appointed board chairman.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©April 2010

Apr 28, 2010Collinsville business news / ENGINEERING
Joe Hagerty was elected chief executive officer and Bruce Schopp was elected president and chief operating officer with Oates Associates, an engineering, architectural and planning firm with offices in Collinsville and St. Louis. Founder David Oates, an Edwardsville resident, was appointed chairman of the board. Hagerty, a Glen Carbon resident, joined the firm in 1991 as controller and has served as vice president, responsible for finance and administration. Schopp, a Freeburg resident, is a licensed professional engineer and structural engineer. He has been with the firm for 25 years.

Suburban Journals ©April 2010

Apr 26, 2010Oates board elects officers
The Oates Associates board recently elected Joe Hagerty as chief executive officer and Bruce Schopp as president and chief operating officer. Founder David Oates was appointed chairman of the board.

Hagerty began with the company in 1991 as controller, served as vice president for several years and was responsible for finance and administration.

Schopp is a licensed professional and structural engineer and has been with the firm for 25 years. He was chief structural engineer, with responsibility for all structural engineering and the firm's major transportation projects.



Oates Associates is an engineering, architectural and planning firm with expertise in transportation and municipal projects and involved in Metro East development over the past 20 years.

The Telegraph.com ©April2010


Apr 21, 2010People - Joe Hagerty
Hagerty




Oates Associates, an engineer-architect in Collinsville, Ill., has named new officers. Joe Hagerty, formerly vice president, is now CEO. Bruce Schopp, previously chief structural engineer, has been promoted to president and chief operating officer. Founder David Oates was appointed chairman.

ENR ©April 2010
Apr 17, 2010Oates Associates transitions leadership, elects officers
As part of their transition to a second generation, the Oates Associates board has elected new officers – Joe Hagerty as Chief Executive Officer and Bruce Schopp as President / Chief Operating Officer. Founder David Oates, was appointed Chairman of the Board. Oates Associates is an engineering, architectural and planning firm with solid expertise in transportation and municipal projects, and a key player in Metro East development over the past 20 years.

Oates Associates is implementing an ownership transition plan that was initiated 15 years ago, just five years after David Oates bought the firm in 1990.

“My philosophy of leadership is to find and secure the future, not to control everything,” said Oates, who will gradually reduce his time commitment to the firm but will continue to mentor and develop top and middle-level managers. Oates also is involved in advocacy on a regional and national level to ensure future funding of public works projects.

Hagerty began with Oates Associates in 1991 as controller and has served as vice president for several years, responsible for finance and administration. In his new role as CEO, Hagerty will head the executive / administrative side of the business with responsibility for overall profitability, finance and accounting, human resources, business management and business development.

Schopp is a licensed Professional Engineer and Structural Engineer and has been with Oates Associates for 25 years. During his career, he rose to the position of Chief Structural Engineer with responsibility for all structural engineering and the firm’s major transportation projects. As President / COO, he will oversee all operations including project selection and management, technical production, Quality Assurance, technical / professional staff development and client development.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis. Oates provides a wide range of engineering and architectural services to communities, corporations, facilities and public agencies throughout the Midwest. Services include engineering and architectural design, transportation planning, traffic engineering, highway and street design, storm water management, site design, structural engineering, urban planning and landscape architecture. For more information, visit www.oatesassociates.com or call 618.345.2200 or 314.588.8381.

Edwardsville Intelligencer ©April 2010
Apr 13, 2010Oates Associates names new CEO, president
Oates Associates of Collinsville, Ill., has named Joe Hagerty chief executive officer and Bruce Schopp president and chief operating officer.

Founder David Oates was named chairman.

Oates, who bought the the engineering, architectural and planning firm in 1990, said he would gradually reduce his time commitment to the firm but continue to mentor and develop top and middle-level managers...read more

St. Louis Business Journal ©April 2010

Apr 13, 2010Oates Associates names CEO, president
Oates Associates of Collinsville, Ill., has named Joe Hagerty chief executive officer and Bruce Schopp president and chief operating officer.

Founder David Oates was named chairman.

David Oates, who bought the the engineering, architectural and planning firm in 1990, said he would gradually reduce his time commitment to the firm but continue to mentor and develop top and middle-level managers.

Hagerty began with Oates Associates in 1991 as controller and has served as vice president for several years, responsible for finance and administration.

Schopp is a licensed professional engineer and structural engineer who has been with Oates for 25 years, most recently as chief structural engineer.

Oates Associates also has an office in St. Louis.

MSN Money ©April2010
Apr 1, 2010Letters To The Editor
Recent news articles and letters have criticized Metro East officials for questioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood mapping process. In my opinion, some of that coverage ignores important facts and places much more faith in federal bureaucrats from outside of the region than in our local elected and appointed officials.

Questioning the FEMA process is not “quibbling.” It is a serious issue when 150,000 residents, who are already paying increased sales tax to fix the levees, are also asked to pay even more to insure against those same levees’ failure. That the cost of insurance for residents and businesses in the region will likely exceed the cost of the levee repair is even more serious.

First, local officials aren’t delaying the levee fix. As soon as the problem was brought to their attention, the three counties formed a new flood prevention district and implemented a tax to fund the repairs. Those officials continue to work for more funding, now that the Corps of Engineers has increased their estimate of the repair cost.

Second, while the Corps is not technically responsible for the levees, they participated in the original design and construction years ago, and have been involved in the evaluation of the levee condition since. The Corps also declined to “re-certify” the levees (this is where the locals are questioning the process) even though they are still working on studies to tell the levee owners what the problems are and what it will cost to fix them.

Third, some comments have misstated the flood risk that is shown in the FEMA studies. The record flood elevation occurred in 1993, the only flood over FEMA’s 100-year level. No other flood -- 1973, 1995, or 2008 -- has exceeded the 100-year level. None of the floods, including FEMA’s 500-year level, are expected to overtop the levees.

The problem is not water going over the levees, but water seeping under the levees. While a serious problem, the ability to predict the magnitude of the under-seepage problem and how to fix it is much more theoretical than simply addressing higher flood elevations. Computer modeling methods and required factors of safety have changed since the levees were built and continue to be evaluated. That a levee designed fifty years ago doesn’t meet new standards isn’t the fault of the local levee districts -- nor a reason to assume the levees will fail.

Finally, some statements about the causes for increased flood risk (such as on-going engineering of the Mississippi River” and “secondary contributions from the levees”) question the wisdom of development in this area. That opinion might be valid in areas where new development has taken place in previously unprotected flood plains, but in the Metro East, federally funded and built levees have been in place for fifty years. Those residents and businesses in the area should not be expected to pay twice for continued flood protection -- once for a tax to fix the levees and again for insurance.

David M. Oates, President
Oates Associates, Inc.

David Oates is a principal of Oates Associates, Inc., a Collinsville, IL based engineering firm. Oates has over thirty years experience in drainage and public works projects. Oates Associates has evaluated the new FEMA flood maps for a number of communities and is currently part of a team preparing a Stormwater Master Plan for Madison County. Oates is also Past President of the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois and a member of their levee task force. He has also served as State President for the American Council of Engineering Companies/ Illinois and the Illinois Society of Professional Engineers.

Illinois Business Journal ©April 2010
Apr 1, 2010Oates Associates wins ACEC merit award for Govenors' Parkway
Oates Associates, has received a Merit Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for the design of Governors’ Parkway.
The ACEC competition recognized more than 50 Illinois-based engineering firms for outstanding projects.

Illinois Business Journal ©April 2010






Mar 30, 2010Letters To The Editor
Recent news articles and letters have criticized Metro East officials for questioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood mapping process.

First, local officials aren’t delaying the levee fix. As soon as the problem was brought to their attention, the three counties formed a new flood prevention district and implemented a tax to fund the repairs. Those officials continue to work for more funding, now that the Corps of Engineers has increased their estimate of the repair cost.

Second, while the Corps is not technically responsible for the levees, they participated in the original design and construction years ago, and have been involved in the evaluation of the levee condition since. The Corps also declined to "re-certify" the levees (this is where the locals are questioning the process) even though they are still working on studies to tell the levee owners what the problems are and what it will cost to fix them.

Third, some comments have misstated the flood risk that is shown in the FEMA studies. The record flood elevation occurred in 1993, the only flood over FEMA’s 100-year level. No other flood has exceeded the 100-year level. None of the floods, including FEMA’s 500-year level, is expected to overtop the levees.

The problem is water seeping under the levees. The ability to predict the magnitude of the under-seepage problem and how to fix it is much more theoretical than simply addressing higher flood elevations. That a levee designed 50 years ago doesn’t meet new standards isn’t the fault of the local levee districts, nor a reason to assume the levees will fail.

Finally, some statements about the causes for increased flood risk question the wisdom of development in this area. That opinion might be valid in areas where new development has taken place in previously unprotected flood plains, but in the Metro East, federally funded and built levees have been in place for 50 years. Those residents and businesses in the area should not be expected to pay twice for continued flood protection, once for a tax to fix the levees and again for insurance.

DAVID M. OATES
President, Oates Associates, Inc.

The Telegraph ©March 2010

Mar 29, 2010Organization recognizes engineering firm
Business Briefs

COLLINSVILLE - Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm, has received a Merit Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for the design of Governors' Parkway in Madison County.

The ACEC competition recognized more than 50 Illinois-based engineering firms for outstanding projects.

The Telegraph ©March 2010
Mar 26, 2010Business Bulletin Board - ACEC Award
AWARDS
Oates Associates Inc. received a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for the design of Governors Parkway in the Edwardsville area.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©March 2010
Mar 26, 2010Letter - Metro East residents deserve a closer look at levee issue
Mar 24, 2010Business News - Engineering
Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, has received a Merit Award by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois for the design of Governors' Parkway in Edwardsville. The firm has an office in Collinsville.

In response to continued residential and commercial growth in Edwardsville, the Madison County Highway Department decided to design and construct a new east-west route from Interstate 55 to the entrance to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

The county hired Oates to design the third phase of Governors' Parkway, a three-mile section consisting of three-lane pavement with a center two-way left turn lane, a bridge, several large culverts and three signalized intersections.

Suburban Journal ©March 2010
Mar 24, 2010LETTER: Local officials are working on levee issues
Recent news articles and letters have criticized Metro East officials for questioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency flood mapping process. In my opinion, some of that coverage ignores important facts and places much more faith in federal bureaucrats from outside of the region than in our local elected and appointed officials.

Questioning the FEMA process is not "quibbling." It is a serious issue when 150,000 residents, who are already paying increased sales tax to fix the levees, are also asked to pay even more to insure against those same levees' failure. That the cost of insurance for residents and businesses in the region will likely exceed the cost of the levee repair is even more serious.

First, local officials aren't delaying the levee fix. As soon as the problem was brought to their attention, the three counties formed a new flood prevention district and implemented a tax to fund the repairs. Those officials continue to work for more funding, now that the Corps of Engineers has increased their estimate of the repair cost.

Second, while the Corps is not technically responsible for the levees, they participated in the original design and construction years ago, and have been involved in the evaluation of the levee condition since. The Corps also declined to "re-certify" the levees (this is where the locals are questioning the process) even though they are still working on studies to tell the levee owners what the problems are and what it will cost to fix them.

Third, some comments have misstated the flood risk that is shown in the FEMA studies. The record flood elevation occurred in 1993, the only flood over FEMA's 100-year level. No other flood - 1973, 1995 or 2008 - has exceeded the 100-year level. None of the floods, including FEMA's 500-year level, are expected to overtop the levees.

The problem is not water going over the levees, but water seeping under the levees. While a serious problem, the ability to predict the magnitude of the under-seepage problem and how to fix it is much more theoretical than simply addressing higher flood elevations. Computer modeling methods and required factors of safety have changed since the levees were built and continue to be evaluated. That a levee designed fifty years ago doesn't meet new standards isn't the fault of the local levee districts - nor a reason to assume the levees will fail.

Finally, some statements about the causes for increased flood risk (such as on-going engineering of the Mississippi River and 'secondary contributions from the levees") question the wisdom of development in this area. That opinion might be valid in areas where new development has taken place in previously unprotected flood plains, but in the Metro East, federally funded and built levees have been in place for 50 years. Those residents and businesses in the area should not be expected to pay twice for continued flood protection - once for a tax to fix the levees and again for insurance.

David M. Oates, President Oates Associates Inc., Collinsville

Suburban Journals ©March 2010

Mar 20, 2010Letter to the editor - People shouldn't pay twice for flood protection
The guest commentary "Get politics out of the floodplain" (March 11) criticized Metro East officials for questioning the Federal Emergency Management Agency flood mapping process. It distorted or ignored a number of important facts.

The author places much more faith in federal bureaucrats from outside of the region than in our elected and appointed officials.

Questioning the FEMA process is not "quibbling." It is a serious issue when 150,000 residents who already are paying increased taxes to fix the levees are asked to pay even more to insure against those same levees' failure. That the cost of the insurance for residents and businesses in the region probably will exceed the cost of the levee repair is even more serious.
First, area officials aren't delaying the levee fix. As soon as the problem was brought to their attention, the three counties formed a new flood prevention district and implemented a tax to fund the repairs. Those officials continue to work for more funding, now that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has increased its estimate of the repair cost.

Second, while the Corps technically is not responsible for the levees, it participated in the original design and construction years ago and has been involved in the evaluation of the levee condition since. The Corps also declined to "re-certify" the levees (this is where the process is being questioned) even though it still is working on studies to tell the levee owners what the problems are and what it will cost to fix them.

Third, the author's interpretation of the flood risk that is shown in the FEMA studies is misstated. The record flood elevation occurred in 1993, the only flood over FEMA's 100-year level. No other flood has exceeded the 100-year level. None of the floods, including FEMA's 500-year level, are expected to overtop the levees.

The problem is not water going over the levees, but water seeping under the levees. Predicting the magnitude of the underseepage problem and figuring out how to fix it is much more theoretical than addressing higher flood elevations. Computer modeling methods and required safety factors have changed since the levees were built. They continue to be evaluated. That a levee designed 50 years ago doesn't meet new standards isn't the fault of the levee districts or a reason to assume the levees will fail.

Finally, statements about the causes for increased flood risk imply that the author questions the wisdom of development in this area. That opinion might be valid in areas where new development has taken place in previously unprotected flood plains, but in the Metro East, federally funded and built levees have been in place for 50 years.

Those residents and businesses in the area should not be expected to pay twice for continued flood protection — once for a tax to fix the levees and again for insurance.

David M. Oates — Collinsville President, Oates Associates Inc.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©March 2010
Mar 17, 2010Oates Associates wins ACEC Illinois Award
Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, has received a Merit Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Illinois for the design of Governors' Parkway in Madison County, Illinois. The ACEC competition recognized more than 50 Illinois-based engineering firms for outstanding projects at a recent luncheon attended by 250 engineers, clients and government officials.

In response to continued residential and commercial growth in the Edwardsville area, the Madison County Highway Department decided to design and construct a new east-west route from I-55 to the entrance to Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville along a route acquired by IDOT more than 35 years ago. Madison County hired Oates Associates to design the third phase of Governors' Parkway, a three-mile section consisting of three-lane pavement with a center two-way left turn lane, a bridge, several large culverts and three signalized intersections. This new segment now connects a growing residential section of Edwardsville to I-55 on the east and the city's major retail section to the west.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis.

St. Louis CNR ©March 2010
Mar 2, 2010Bill Burke joined Oates Associates
Bill Burke has joined Oates Associates to head up the firm’s new urban planning and landscape architecture group. Oates, of Collinsville, Ill., is a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm. The addition of the urban planning and landscape architecture group is Oates’ second expansion in six months. Oates added architectural services in August, 2009. Burke has more than 20 years of experience in planning, urban design and landscape architecture.

Midwest Construction ©March 2010
Mar 1, 2010Bill Burke - Movers & Shakers
Bill Burke, RLA, APA, of Glen Carbon, Illinois, has joined Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering, architectural design firm, to head up the firm’s new urban planning and landscape architecture group.

Burke’s appointment marks the firm’s second expansion within six months. Oates added architectural services in August 2009.

Burke is a member of the American Planning Association, the Urban Land Institute and has served on the Southwestern Illinois Leadership Council and the Village of Glen Carbon Planning and Zoning Commission. He has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Arkansas.



Landscape Online ©March 2010
Mar 1, 2010Bill Burke - Movers & Shakers
Bill Burke, RLA, APA, of Glen Carbon, Illinois, has joined Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering, architectural design firm, to head up the firm’s new urban planning and landscape architecture group.

Burke’s appointment marks the firm’s second expansion within six months. Oates added architectural services in August 2009.

Burke is a member of the American Planning Association, the Urban Land Institute and has served on the Southwestern Illinois Leadership Council and the Village of Glen Carbon Planning and Zoning Commission. He has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Arkansas.
Mar 1, 2010Burke Joins Oates
Bill Burke of Glen Carbon has joined engineering firm Oates Associates and will head up the firm's new urban planning and landscape architecture group. Burke's appointment marke's the firm's second expansion within six months. Oates added architectural services in August 2009.

Illinois Business Journal ©March 2010
Feb 1, 2010Oates Associates
Collinsville, Illinois -- Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering and architectural design firm, has hired Bill Burke to lead the company's new urban planning and landscape architecture group. Burke will be based in the company's Collinsville office.
Jan 26, 2010Bill Burke
Bill Burke, ASLA, of Glen Carbon, Illinois, has joined Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering/architectural design firm, to head up the firm’s new urban planning and landscape architecture group. Burke’s appointment marks the firm’s second expansion within six months. Oates added architectural services in August 2009.

Burke has more than 20 years of experience in planning, urban design, and landscape architecture. His noted projects include the Citygarden public sculpture garden in downtown St. Louis, the Gateway Mall Master Plan, the Arch Grounds Connector engineering and urban design study, the Edward Jones Campus Master Plan, and the Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Comprehensive Plan.

Land Online ©January 2010
Jan 22, 2010PEOPLE
Oates Associates Inc. hired Bill Burke to head its new urban planning and landscape architecture group.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ©January 2010
Jan 13, 2010Burke Joins Oates Associates
Bill Burke, RLA, APA, of Glen Carbon, IL, has joined Oates Associates, a civil and structural engineering / architectural design firm, to head up the firm’s new urban planning and landscape architecture group. Burke’s appointment marks the firm’s second expansion within six months. Oates added architectural services in August 2009.

Burke has more than 20 years of experience in planning, urban design and landscape architecture. His noted projects include the Citygarden public sculpture garden in downtown St. Louis, the Gateway Mall Master Plan, the Arch Grounds Connector engineering and urban design study, the Edward Jones Campus Master Plan, and the Cape Girardeau, Missouri Comprehensive Plan.

Burke is a member of the American Planning Association, the Urban Land Institute and has served on the Southwestern Illinois Leadership Council and the Village of Glen Carbon Planning and Zoning Commission. He has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from the University of Arkansas.

Oates Associates is a multi-disciplined design firm with offices in Collinsville, Illinois, and St. Louis.

St. Louis CNR ©January 2010
Jan 8, 2010Weathering the storm - Oates Associates