Our Manager of Happiness is celebrating her fourth birthday today!  In honor of her special day, we share this super adorable flashback photo of her first days at HDG!  While she is clearly much larger today, she is still just as sweet and fluffy. (hairy?)

Portland Community College’s new Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Training Center has earned LEED Silver certification!  Among many sustainable elements, the new facility features onsite stormwater management and a rooftop solar array to offset the 100% electric-powered facility.  HDG provided full civil engineering services for the new training center, which opens in the Fall of 2021 and will offer manufacturing-related training programs and apprenticeship models combining on-the-job training with classroom and lab instruction.

You can learn more about OMIC here.

HDG team member Allen shared this photo of his adorable little dog Blue, who is patiently waiting for him to be done with work for the day.   No pressure or anything.

The new District Office offers six floors of flexible office above ground-floor retail and underground parking. Constructed of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), the building has a lighter carbon footprint and better energy efficiency. The beautiful building features large clear spans, exposed beams, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Humber Design Group provided full civil engineering design services for the project, working in partnership with the design team.

The four-story, 88-unit Kōz on N Killingsworth is now renting!  Located just two blocks from Portland Community College’s Cascadia campus, the development offers studio and two-bedroom units as well as three live-work units and ground-floor retail space.  HDG provided complete civil engineering design services for the beautiful brick building and surrounding site development.

HDG joins with ASCE to celebrate Black History Month!  Visit the ASCE Oregon Section website (https://www.asceor.org/news/notable-black-engineers-in-history) and learn more about some of the notable black engineers in history who impacted our profession and helped pave the way for future generations!

HDG team member Paige Miller shared this photo of her friendly feline helper Watson, who took a break from supervising the day’s work to lounge under the computer monitor.  Extra points for creativity Watson, and for utilizing all of the desk space effectively!

We’ve moved to a new lighter and brighter space! While our team is still working remotely, we look forward to setting up our new office space when safety allows. In the meantime, make a note of our new address!

Sixteen G Apartments (formerly Glisan Street Apartments) is nearing completion!  The new 5 story building features 86 boutique apartments, ground-floor lobby, parking garage, bike parking, and ground-level retail space.  HDG provided complete civil engineering design services for the mixed-use development, which includes studio, 1, and 2-bedroom flats and views of Mt. Hood and downtown Portland.

The pandemic was relentless.  The air far from scentless.

The Zoom calls – endless.  But, we were not friendless.

The most important part of our year remained as strong as ever – our relationships with each of you!

With thanks and gratitude, we send Happy Holiday wishes!

Our annual holiday gathering brought out the artist in each of us as we held a friendly online competition to see who could decorate the best gingerbread cookie.  It was a tight competition with multiple awards given.  In the end, though, we all won, because the cookies were so delicious!

Our Manager of Happiness, Meisje, made it out to frolic in the snow this past weekend.  That’s one happy puppy!  (Of course, it wouldn’t have been the same without a stick.)  As happy as she is, her smile reminds us all of one thing – it’s important to find time for some fun!

Working with Carleton Hart Architects and owner Community Partners for Affordable Housing, HDG provided civil engineering design services for this beautiful housing development featuring 24 units of affordable housing with a variety of community spaces and an outdoor deck.

The new 4th & Montgomery Building (4M) is 95% complete!   The “L-shaped”, seven-story, 174,500-SF building, which is bound by public transit, contains ground-level retail as well as classrooms, a dental clinic, and academic and non-academic offices.  HDG provided full civil engineering design services for the building, which is a collaboration between PSU, PCC, OHSU, and the City of Portland.

The new elementary school for the Kalama School District is nearing completion and looks so amazing!  The beautiful new school features 33 new classrooms serving K-5 students, a full-size regulation gymnasium, cafeteria and kitchen, STEM learning areas, classrooms for art and music, a playground, and separated bus loading and parent pick-up/drop-off areas.  HDG provided full civil engineering design services for the project.

HDG team member Allen Schmitz, PE, shared this adorable photo of his Halloween helper, Blue, who won HDG’s cutest costume contest for 2020.  Congrats Blue!  Blue looks forward to having trick-or-treaters next year!

Pacer fans are excited for the long-awaited Lakeridge High School Grandstand to come to completion.  The new facility includes 600 additional permanent seats, more lighting, an expansive cantilevered rain canopy, concessions, restrooms, raised press box, new signs and fencing, and all associated site work.  HDG provided full civil engineering services for the project, including a reroute of a public sanitary sewer line.

HDG provided civil engineering design services for this public roadway project, which included the addition of a new left-turn lane and a realignment of the Park Avenue intersection to River Road.  Work was coordinated with frontage improvements along the Willamette View campus and reconfigurations of the main campus pedestrian and vehicular entries.

HDG team member Leigh Crain shares a quiet moment with her Black Lab Morgan while enjoying a nice cup of coffee. (What a nice looking coffee mug!)  If there’s one thing we’ve gained from this Pandemic, it’s a bit more time at home to enjoy little moments like this.

The seven-story 4th and Montgomery building is really progressing nicely!  The building, which will be shared by the PSU Graduate School of Education, the OHSU|PSU School of Public Health, the PCC Dental Programs, and the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, is being built to meet, at a minimum, LEED Gold standards.  HDG is providing complete civil engineering design services for the new development.

Work is progressing nicely at the Cedartree Hotel in Hillsboro!  The 120-room hotel will offer a Japanese-style hotel experience including a variety of unique Japanese amenities, a restaurant, and state-of-the-art conference rooms.  HDG is providing full civil engineering design services for the project.

Previously referred to as Modera Glisan, the beautiful new Modera Akoya is now leasing!  The new mixed-use development features studio, one- and two-bedroom units with a rooftop deck, clubhouse, below-grade parking, and other amenities as well as street-level retail space.  HDG provided civil engineering design services for the project, which has a goal of achieving LEED Gold status.

The 204-unit, 12-story luxury high-end residential community in the Pearl District boasts amazing walk and transit scores and features a top-floor fitness center, rooftop deck with grilling area and fire pit, sauna, golf simulator, sensory deprivation float spa chamber, demonstration kitchen, and electric vehicle charging stations.  HDG provided complete civil engineering design services for the development, which was built to LEED Silver standards.

Our Manager of Happiness, Meisje, took a well-deserved trip to the doggie spa and wasn’t afraid to show everyone how well she cleans up while posing for a photo or two.  So, of course, we have to ask – Who’s a pretty girl?

Focused on advanced manufacturing, the PCC Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (“OMIC”) in Columbia County has been moving forward quickly these past few weeks!  HDG is providing complete civil engineering design services for the new facility, which is scheduled to open in Spring 2021.

The beautiful 4-story, 118-room Hilton Garden Inn Wilsonville is nearing completion and features an indoor pool, 40-seat restaurant, 50-seat lounge bar, conference center, and all-new site improvements.  HDG provided complete civil engineering design services for the development, which will be opening to guests soon!

Our furry little friends continue to keep us company as we work remotely.  Team member Paige shared this photo of her desk buddy Watson basking in the sun while offering his undeniably adorable presence as support for her work.

The Heirloom Apartments on SE Luther Road took a big step forward this week with foundations poured for the first two buildings!  HDG is providing civil engineering design services for the project, which will provide approximately 286 housing units.

HDG is providing civil engineering design services for the Lakeridge High School Stadium Improvements project.  The high school will soon see an improved, expanded, and covered stadium grandstand that students and spectators alike will enjoy. Here’s a peek at the progress!

To recognize the importance of Juneteenth, HDG has made a donation to the Black Resilience Fund.  We also raise our hands and make a pledge:  to call out social injustice and stand against racism, to continue to work diligently to pursue paths to equity in our community and in our world, and to step up our efforts to engage people of color in our profession and our industry.  We can and will do better.

Our Manager of Happiness, Meisje, checked in with the team over a virtual meeting last week and spread all kinds of happiness around while showing us all her new ball.

As many of us know, working remotely comes with its own set of challenges.  Our Marketing Director shared this photo of her largest home office challenge – a handsome 14-pound fellow named Mr. Grey who likes keyboards, mouse arrows, and printers when they spit out paper.  Thankfully, the strategic placement of a fluffy blanket on the desk seemed to entice Mr. Grey to perch in a cozier location to carry out his supervisory work.

The beautiful new Hyatt Centric in Portland – the first in the Pacific Northwest – plans to start taking new reservations on June first! HDG provided complete civil engineering services for the new 220-room boutique hotel, which opened shortly before the COVID pandemic quarantine.

HDG is providing full civil engineering design services for the new 212-unit Jantzen Apartments, which is coming along beautifully!

HDG team member Lily Xu shared this adorable photo of her home office assistant, Leo, who was busy assessing her work for the day.  Not only is Leo super cute, and obviously smart with those glasses, he is a chill guy that is very motivated by treats!  Thanks for making us all smile, Leo!

Work continues on the 86 unit apartment development on 16th & Glisan, for which HDG is providing complete civil engineering design services.  When completed, the new building will include housing choices ranging in size from studio to two bedrooms.

HDG team member Mike Hankel took social distancing to new heights this past week with some air time over Vancouver.

The LMC Office Expansion is moving along well and looking great!  Safety protocols are in place and the project continues to take shape.

HDG Senior Project Engineer Allen Schmitz, PE, shares this adorable photo of his dog, Blue, who was intent on helping Allen complete work in his home office.  We all think Blue’s cuteness could help improve just about anything, even engineering plans!

Work is moving along at the Heirloom Apartments site, with all kinds of cool equipment buzzing around.  It’s not hard to maintain social distancing in these!

With our entire team working remotely (and our physical office closed), our Manager of Happiness duties have expanded to include our animal companions who don’t come to the office.  Here’s Callie, helping to ensure that at least one home office runs efficiently and all desk space is adequately utilized.

After passing a rigorous test and taking several other required steps, HDG team member Paige Miller received official notice that she is now a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Oregon!  Congratulations, Paige!

The final touches of the new master-planned Village at Mary’s Woods are in place.  The new neighborhood features upscale apartment homes centered around a Town Square, campus-wide transportation to a community center, Providence clinics, medical offices, shops, meeting and event space, a myriad of dining options, and a 9,000-square-foot Fitness & Wellness Center.  Humber Design Group proudly provided civil engineering design services for the entire village project.

Members of the HDG team visited Roscoe’s today for a great lunch and a few minutes away from our computer screens!

Our Manager of Happiness was busy checking in with everyone today.  A silent “hello” and “how are you?” all rolled into one sweet face!  (It’s quite irresistible, as you can imagine.)

A few Humber Design Group team members ventured out to a fun lunch at Toffee Club today, where their signature Sticky Toffee Pudding (sponge cake served with hot toffee sauce and ice cream) is AMAZING!

Portland Community College held a groundbreaking ceremony for their Training Center of Excellence for Advanced Manufacturing, with guest speakers at the ceremony including Oregon State Senator Betsy Johnson.  Located in Scappoose, the new center focuses on advanced manufacturing, training Oregon’s next generation of the workforce.  Programs in the center will offer on-the-job training with classroom and lab instruction and will include Computer Numerically Controlled Operation (CNC), Machining, Industrial Fabrication, and Mechatronics.  Humber Design Group is providing full civil engineering design services for the project.

Meisje was busy today showering every team member – and our FexEx delivery man – with all kinds of love while sharing her current favorite toy with anyone who was willing to comment on how nice it was.  After the toy was gently placed in her lap multiple times, our marketing director was able to officially certify that it is indeed a very nice toy.  But even if it wasn’t, who could resist this sweet pup!

HDG team members had a fun lunch at Southland Whisky Kitchen today.  The food was absolutely delicious!  Props to the SWK folks for the deliciously fantastic lunch!  (We’ll have to go back after hours to sample the whiskey…)

We are proud to announce that Humber Design Group has made Oregon Business Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon!  We truly value our team and are so honored to be included on this list again alongside many fantastic Oregon companies.  An event recognizing winners and revealing the top 10 will be held at the Oregon Convention Center on March 5.  You can learn more about the event and/or register on the Oregon Business website.

Wishing you all a delightful holiday season that’s as fun as this little snow person!

HDG team members had a nice lunch today at Hair of the Dog Brewing!

The HDG team celebrated the season in style with a fun party at the Paramount Hotel.  Team members Lily and Nick clearly won first place for spirit.  Props to Swank + Swine for the delicious food!

The HDG team had a fabulous time at Vine Gogh last week.  Our instructor gave us a step by step guide to creating our masterpieces, and releasing our creative talents on canvas was a hoot as we each painted our own unique rendition of Multnomah Falls while enjoying a nice glass of wine.   Rumor has it that these paintings – MAY – appear in our office in the spring!  Thanks to the staff at Vine Gogh for a fun teambuilding event!

HDG was thrilled to participate in the Community Partners for Affordable Housing, Cedar Grove Apartments groundbreaking celebration in Beaverton on Friday.  When completed, the new building will provide 44 units of affordable housing!  HDG is providing full civil engineering site design and frontage improvements for the project, which is scheduled for completion in November 2020.

The HDG gang enjoyed lunch at Hat Yai today!  Hat Yai serves streetside fried chicken, curry, and roti inspired by the shops and vendors in Southern Thailand.  Delicious!

We had our share of characters in the office today… and also people in costume!  From “Bob’s Burgers” and “The Office” to a pickle and a cow, we had a good time celebrating the spirit of Halloween.  We hope you all did, too.  Happy Halloween everyone!

Meisje always makes sure that you feel loved and appreciated.  There is no escaping her sweetness and friendship.  Here she is appreciating and offering her friendship to Brad – while sitting on his feet to ensure that he returns the favor!

Leo Xu took charge of the Manager of Happiness duties today, offering much-needed stress relief and a solid dose of cute.  His day included several detailed tours of the “office grounds,” checking in on work duties, and inspecting a wide variety of clearly curious details before taking a power nap and then starting the entire routine again.  It goes without saying that we have a soft spot for animal companions around here, and Leo was no exception.  We really enjoyed having him and his Cute Corgi Powers in the office!

Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) broke ground on Red Rock Creek Commons!  The project is one of the first new developments within the Tigard Triangle Urban Renewal Area and will feature 48 one-bedroom units of affordable housing.  HDG is providing full civil engineering design services for the project.

Riley Humber visited us at the office last week to fill in for Meisje while she is on vacation.  It goes without saying that he’s pretty darned cute!  Riley was more than happy to run around the office to check on work progress and ensure everyone enjoyed his adorableness, especially if there was food.

HDG welcomes new team member Lily Xu!  As a Project Designer, Lily will work on the layout and design of projects, including the design of new stormwater management systems.  Lily’s background includes work for the Energy Trust of Oregon, focusing on renewable engineering and managing a pipeline of high-profile projects.  Lily received her Bachelor of Science in Ecological Engineering from Oregon State University. Welcome to the team, Lily!

HDG was once again a proud sponsor of the AIA’s Annual Chris White golf tournament, held last week. The tournament, which honors the late Chris White and his consistent support and engagement of the next generation, helps fund the Chris White Scholarship for Emerging Professionals in Architecture. In addition to hosting hole 17, HDG also had a foursome on the course, pictured here. (Yes, they did play golf.) Cheers to the folks at the AIA Portland for another fantastic event. It was great fun!

HDG welcomes new team member Nick Geiger! As our newest Senior Project Designer, Nick leverages three years of previous experience developing stormwater management solutions and providing technical support from initial design and site layout through system fabrication and delivery. Nick received his Bachelor of Science in Ecological Engineering from Oregon State University. Welcome to the team, Nick!

HDG welcomes new team member Brad Gillin, EI! A graduate of the University of Portland with his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Brad will provide civil engineering design services for a broad spectrum of site and public infrastructure improvements. Welcome to the team, Brad!

Members of the HDG team enjoyed some yummy buffalo wings (and delicious sweet potato fries) today at Fire on the Mountain.  There were several flavor options for the wings, but if fire just isn’t your thing, the salads are also quite tasty!

Meisje was using all of her cute powers this morning to secure some highly coveted tummy scratches.  As you could easily guess, it worked.  She happily collected her tummy scratches along with a plethora of “good girl” and “you’re so cute” comments.

Meisje’s regularly scheduled office supervisory duties were postponed today as her eyelids just became a bit too heavy to keep open!  While the toy might be a tough one to shred, it obviously isn’t a tough one to nap with.

HDG Principal Dave Humber generously offered up his boat for an evening to take the team out on the Willamette River to enjoy some fun and sunshine.  It likely goes without saying, but we really enjoyed the special treat!  Thanks, Dave!!

Our well-traveled HDG logo appeared on the Gamble Sands Golf Course in Washington this past weekend with team member Andrew Xu, who played what we heard was a pretty good round of golf.  Who knows where the logo will go next.  We’ll keep you updated!

HDG team members had a great lunch at this month’s local restaurant choice – Sckavone’s!  The Southeast Portland landmark serves tasty American Food that was enjoyed by all.  You can learn more about Sckavone’s and their menu on their website, sckavones.com

Clackamas Community College’s main road, Douglas Loop, was cracked, worn, and well beyond its design life.  HDG provided civil engineering design services for the 2/3 mile replacement of the road, which included installation of new curbs, inlets, ADA accessibility, crosswalks, and full-depth reclamation (“FDR”) which allows for quicker replacement, less haul off, less import, and effective recycling of materials.  The new asphalt over FDR section approach is designed for a 40-year period.  The project is being completed in phases to allow continual access to the site.

The HDG summer picnic this year was at Ron Tonkin Field, where we took in a rousing Hillsboro Hops game against the Eugene Emeralds.  Hops won!  Whoop! Whoop!  The Hops executives were very friendly and helpful, the picnic was delicious, and the facility was amazing.  What a fun night!

Watching “The Vera” (Riverplace Parcel 3) take shape is exciting! Team members from HDG were on site at The Vera last week, inspecting stormwater planters and other HDG-designed civil engineering site development elements. The project is moving along very well! The 203 unit affordable housing development is owned by Bridge Housing, with numerous financial partners. Ankrom Moisan is the project architect. Hoffman Construction is the general contractor.

The 18th & Salmon project broke ground on Thursday with a nice celebration!  Owned by Greystar and designed by SERA Architects, HDG is providing civil engineering services for this new mixed-use building, which will include housing and retail space.  Hoffman Construction is the general contractor.

HDG’s scope of civil engineering services included design for the rehabilitation of 260-lf of the 72” diameter Tanner Creek Sewer using steel liner plates. The sewer line was originally constructed in 1916 and runs through the northern portion of the site, right under the new building footprint.

HDG took a quick break Thursday for an in-house paper airplane competition that included our own handmade masterpieces with prizes for the most creative, the furthest flight, and the longest airtime.  While our paper airplanes did fly, perhaps our next activity will be to take in a few videos on how to master the art of fold-n-fly planes – we didn’t even come close to any records!  According to the National Day Calendar, the paper airplane flight distance record is 226′ 10″ and the flight time record is 29.2 seconds.

We didn’t think it was possible, but Meisje gave out twice her normal dose of cheerfulness this morning, all while sharing her toy with everyone, of course.  Watch out.  It’s a trap.  Sharing equals playing, and she can play for a long time!

The HDG gang went to Lu Lac Vietnamese Kitchen today for a team lunch.  While the entire menu is wonderful, we would suggest you try the Pho – any version.  They are all delicious.  But go early, because the place fills up fast!

…you learned in kindergarten, or could learn from this sweet pup!  For example, greet everyone with a smile, be nice, and share your toys.  Meisje made sure to share this toy and her kind-hearted disposition with nearly everyone this morning.  It’s a great way to start your work day!

HDG team members took a well-earned break Thursday afternoon to enjoy some super tasty snacks!  Combined with a couple of rousing games of shuffleboard, it was just what we needed to get re-energized.  It sure is great to work with so many nice people!

HDG enjoyed a fabulous lunch today at Beeswing!  The brunch menu, served 8-3, includes a wonderful selection of delightful breakfast dishes.  It was delicious!

HDG welcomes new team member, Camille Morgan!  A graduate of the University of Portland with her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Camille’s interests include new methods of stormwater treatment, including undergraduate research evaluating nutrients and metal removal from stormwater using agricultural byproducts.  Camille will provide civil engineering design services for a broad spectrum of site and public infrastructure improvements.  Welcome to the team, Camille!  

HDG welcomes new team member Madeline Muller, EI!  A graduate of the University of Portland with her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Madeline brings three years of experience in civil engineering site development to the HDG team.  Madeline will provide civil engineering design services for a broad spectrum of site and public infrastructure improvements.  Welcome to the team, Madeline!

Meisje is clearly exhausted after a weekend playing outside.  Here she is passed out in our marketing director’s lap.  Obviously, it’s a tough life being such a cute pup.

Here’s our sweet office pup Meisje posing for the camera!  No there is not a treat right outside the view of the camera.  OK, there is.  Still, who’s a pretty girl?

This month’s team lunch was held at Produce Row Cafe, a local eatery not far from the office offering a year-round patio and a tasty lunch menu.  We had a great time and enjoyed some delicious food – especially the french fries!

Several HDG team members, including Matt Hlavaty and Monica Regan (pictured), attended Rose Villa’s recent Foundation Annual Dinner and Auction.  The event raises money to help seniors live their best, fullest lives.  Mixed in with all the fun of the evening, we are thrilled to say that we once again placed the highest bid and won a year of fresh cookies delivered once a month by Bob!

HDG welcomes new team member and Project Engineer Allen Schmitz, PE, LEED AP!  Allen brings 13 years of engineering experience to the HDG team with specialization in urban projects and wireless communications site design.  A LEED-certified individual and licensed Professional Engineer in Oregon, Allen will be working with our clients on a broad spectrum of projects, offering his expertise in civil engineering, CAD design, creating and editing 3D surfaces, advanced grading techniques, and detailed cost estimating.  Allen is a graduate of Montana Tech with a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering.  Welcome to the team, Allen!

On Tuesday, we celebrated the grand opening of The Amy! Built by College Housing Northwest and designed by SERA Architects, the 141-unit student housing complex features an eco-roof and a courtyard catch basin. Humber Design Group provided full civil engineering services.

We took a break from work late Thursday afternoon to shower our expectant HDG teammate Sierra with all kinds of food, games, and adorable baby stuff!!  Among other things, we did a blind taste test of baby food, which was – let’s say – interesting.  It was great fun!  We are all quite excited to meet the new little person in a few short weeks.

Oh yes – It’s a boy!  Congratulations to the happy soon-to-be parents, Sierra and Chris!

The HDG team took a break today to venture out to Bare Bones Cafe for lunch.  By all accounts, the chicken fried steak and biscuit was amazing!

Meisje was busy this morning sharing her favorite shark toy with everyone in the office.  As you can imagine, with a sweet look like that it doesn’t take very long before someone gives her some attention!

We are proud to announce that Humber Design Group has been named one of the 2019 100 Best GREEN Workplaces in Oregon by Oregon Business Magazine!  This ranking recognizes the wide spectrum of green practices we’ve implemented here at HDG, which we shared as part of the 100 Best Companies survey our team completed in late 2018.  All winners of the 100 Best Green Workplaces will be revealed at a celebratory luncheon at The Nines Hotel on May 30th.

Our office pup Meisje is very helpful around the place, participating in activities, helping keep morale up, greeting anyone who delivers anything, and making sure someone uses (eats?) the ice cubes in the freezer.  She also makes sure to sneak in naps on our behalf, particularly during meetings.

Being engineers, any day that celebrates numbers is a great day for us!  So, happy Pi Day!  In case you aren’t a mathematically focused individual:  3.14159265 is the number known as Pi.  It is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter.  For all circles of any size, Pi will be the same.  Pi is also the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, so Pi (the number) is often represented with Pi (the letter).  All that said, we think it’s a great excuse to eat PIE!

HDG enjoyed a delicious lunch – make that breakfast – on Tuesday at La Luna Cafe!  La Luna is a local, neighborhood cafe that specializes in brunch classics.  The breakfast-inspired food was delicious, and we enjoyed a little time visiting away from the office and deadlines.  What a tasty treat!

HDG was honored to attend Oregon Business Magazine’s 100 Best Companies dinner Thursday evening.  Ranking among the 33 best small companies made us both proud and determined to do our best for our team every single year.  We were also humbled by the number of companies – large and small – who have developed incredible programs around employee wellness, happiness, and productivity.  It was an inspirational event!