NOAA Marine Operations Center Wins Again!

NOAA’s new Marine Operation Center – Pacific in Newport, Oregon, received Honorable Mention in the American Society of Civil Engineers Region 8 Major Project of the Year competition for 2011. ASCE Region 8 includes OR, WA, ID, MT, AK, UT, NV, AZ, and HI.

GRI and KPFF Consulting Engineers completed the geotechnical and civil engineering design efforts for the new homeport facility, which opened in August 2011 and includes a 1,300-ft-long pier that serves six research and survey vessels, over 40,000 sq ft of office and warehouse space, and a small boat dock. KPFF and GRI worked collaboratively to deliver this complex project on a tight timeline while providing careful consideration of the delicate coastal ecosystem.  Project innovations included an all-precast superstructure, an innovative stepped pile foundation, and daylight-enhancing reflective paint beneath the pier.

The client was truly impressed with the engineers’ expertise and creative strategies employed to meet the project schedule. Port of Newport General Manager, Don Mann, stated, “KPFF and GRI demonstrated incredible responsiveness throughout the project. They collaborated closely with more than a dozen different partners including NOAA, the Port [of Newport], City of Newport, the architect, contractor, environmental consultant, and multiple regulatory agencies. They carefully addressed each party’s concerns, responded at a moment’s notice to questions, and examined various solutions to any given problem.”