Osborn Engineering

Let's mark our calendars for Saturday, July 20th, as we celebrate National Pennsylvania Day! We want to express our appreciation to the exceptional team in our Pittsburgh office and the OSPORTS team in Philadelphia. We are fortunate to be connected to the Keystone State, which boasts a captivating blend of vibrant history, and breathtaking natural landscapes. Join us in celebrating Pennsylvania by exploring some fun facts about the state:   ⚾ Did you know that The first baseball stadium was built in Pittsburgh in 1909.   🍫Hershey, Pennsylvania is famously known as the "Chocolate Capital of the United States," and it's where the iconic Hershey's Chocolate Bar was first produced in 1900.   🔔The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia in 1776 and was once the capital city of the United States!   🌤️Finally, and possibly our favorite tidbit, the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania proudly hosts the renowned weather-predicting groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, making it globally famous.  

Osborn Engineering understands the success of fire protection and life safety systems rely not only on their individual performance, but also on how they all work together. One fire alarm initiating device may have numerous outputs to various interconnected adjacent systems such as opening or closing of dampers or doors, starting or stopping of fans, recall or shunting of elevators, overrides to lighting controls, muting of background audio systems, and overrides to show effects. A basic fire alarm test does not typically include the end-to-end testing of the actual responses of interconnected systems beyond the fire alarm output signal to a relay. NFPA 4 Standard for Integrated Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems Testing provides guidance to all stakeholders in the overall process of Integrated Safety Systems Testing (ISST).  There are two primary buildings that require NFPA 4 testing: • Life safety systems in high-rise buildings NFPA 101-§11.8.9 & IBC §901.6.2.1 • Life safety systems that include smoke control NFPA 101-§9.3.5 & IBC §901.6.2.2 This testing should be conducted in new buildings prior to issuance of Certificate of Occupancy and for existing buildings, at intervals not to exceed 10 years or as specified in an approved NFPA 4 ISST plan. It is also recommended to conduct retesting following the repair or replacement of equipment. In these cases, retesting is limited to verification of the responses for fire protection or life safety functions initiated by repaired or replaced equipment. As Jurisdictions begin to adopt NFPA 4 and ISS testing, Osborn Engineering is prepared to provide guidance to building owners and project teams. In Florida and similar jurisdictions NFPA 101 adoption already drives ISST even for existing buildings. Don’t wait to reach out. Let our life safety experts help lead the process. 

We're back with another issue of our Quarterly Newsletter, where we keep you up-to-date on all things Osborn. This quarter's issue includes more on Irishtown Bend, corporate challenge and a Q&A with Osborn's Director of Commissioning, Matt Nelson! Read on to learn more about the news you may have missed!

Osborn Engineering, in conjunction with Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative + Davis Wince, Ltd., provided Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Technology and Fire Protection Engineering services for the 110,000+ SF wellness center and the 160,000 SF medical office building in Orlando, Florida. This wellness destination offers a broad array of health and wellbeing programs and services for the entire community, including a medically-based fitness center, sports performance training center, physician offices, community education spaces, and community-based programming. The center also features state-of-the-art amenities, including childcare facilities with outdoor play, day lighted public concourse, a demonstration kitchen, indoor climbing wall, indoor/outdoor pool, classrooms, outdoor training turf, sports performance area with 40 yard sprint track, a wellness plaza, and a Zen garden. The new additions are located within the Lake Nona Town Center, which is a 100-acre destination for the Lake Nona Community and the greater Orlando region.

We are thrilled to announce that as of July 1st, Osborn Engineering has been officially appointed as the City Engineer for Seven Hills, Ohio! Leading this effort will be Dan Gerson P.E.,P.S. as our City Engineer, alongside John Lillash as the Assistant to the City Engineer. With their expertise and dedication, we are confident that the city will continue to grow and thrive. Join us in congratulating Dan and John on their new roles!

Wellogy collaborated with The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine to design a new facility for diagnosing equine lameness. Previously, these diagnoses were conducted in a barn breezeway. The newly enclosed arena supports year-round use and offers an open-air observation area for clients. The Ralph Rogan Equine Performance Evaluation Arena is a part of OSU's Galbreath Equine Center and enhances equine care with advanced diagnostic capabilities. It features diverse surfaces, optimal lighting, and multi-function rooms, allowing for precise gait evaluations in realistic settings. The arena also provides an invaluable learning space for students and residents, allowing for the demonstration and practice of diagnostic and treatment techniques in a controlled environment, thereby enhancing the educational experience. The ability to observe horses in a variety of conditions, including under saddle, jumping, replicates the environments in which issues may arise. This comprehensive observation capability reduces the reliance on client-provided videos and enhances the reliability of the diagnosis. The arena includes a no-dust, specialized synthetic sand-like footing and a non-slip asphalt jogging strip that mimic competition conditions, providing a realistic and familiar setting for both horse and rider. This design facilitates a more precise assessment of the horse's movement. Educational facilities, including a learning conference room, provide hands-on training for students and residents. Funded by a generous donor, this state-of-the-art facility ensures that Midwest equine receive top-tier, compassionate care. It also honors the legacy of Ralph Rogan, a dedicated American Saddlebred Horse enthusiast. Also on this project- GH2 Equine Architects, Elford, Inc, Osborn Engineering, Korda/Nemeth Engineering, Resource International, Inc. Photography by Cory Klein

Huge congratulations to John Weiss, our newest licensed Professional Engineer! John is a skilled Mechanical Engineer and Fire Protection System Designer with a strong background in crafting solutions for both commercial and residential buildings. His expertise in fire protection system design and project management, coupled with his solid understanding of industry standards and building codes, sets him apart in the field. John's dedication to continuous learning and his ability to effectively communicate technical ideas make him an invaluable asset to our team. We're excited to see your continued growth and success, John! 

The City of Cuyahoga Falls was focused on creating a more successful and vibrant central business district by opening up the downtown core that was closed off to traffic over 40 years ago. Osborn Engineering worked with the City to re-open Front Street to vehicular traffic and create an exciting new district. Osborn was selected as the Owner’s Rep for the project, providing criteria design to convert a pedestrian mall into a roadway. The project opened Front Street to one lane of traffic in each direction with on-street parking and included flexible design for street festivals. Osborn also provided structural engineering for an adjacent parking deck and prepared a design-build bid package, assisting in reviewing contractor bids and plans. To save costs, the existing storm sewer was reused, requiring reconfiguration of the water main to meet Ohio EPA standards and regrading the roadway for ADA compliance. Osborn designed curb inlets with FlexStorm filters to capture debris and pollutants and provided construction administration services. The project reshaped the city center, offering modern uses and an enhanced landscape for vehicles, pedestrians, and recreation.

We are happy to announce our new hires for the second quarter! Welcome to the Osborn / OSPORTS team!

The Cleveland Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers held their annual dinner event on June 20th, celebrating member achievements, sector office announcements, and hosting a keynote project presentation. We are excited to report that Kyle Shepherd was inaugurated as President of Cleveland Section of ASCE at the event! Another highlight from the meeting was Christopher Donlon's presentation on the Irishtown Bend Stabilization and Redevelopment project. Osborn led the design team for this $60 million initiative, which includes hillside slope stabilization and bulkhead installation at the historic Irishtown Bend in Cleveland, Ohio. Osborn's contributions encompass project management, stakeholder coordination, civil and stormwater engineering, structural peer review, and construction and risk management. This project was honored with our internal Kurt K. Rim Project Innovation and Excellence Award (KKR Award)! At the event, Jon-Michael Lemon, PE presented about Osborn's KKR award and provided an introduction for the ITB keynote project presentation. The KKR Award is presented annually to recognize individuals or teams who have excelled in innovation, design, and client satisfaction on a project. Osborn Engineering aims to lead in cutting-edge, forward-thinking design, and this award underscores our commitment to producing outstanding thought leaders.