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UIUC National Petascale Computing Facility Awarded LEED Gold Certification Posted Nov 07, 2011

Category: News

The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) Petascale Computing Facility has been awarded LEED Gold Certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The state-of-the-art, 88,000 square foot facility is home to Blue Waters, the most powerful supercomputer in the world for open scientific research, as well as other NCSA infrastructure.

Such a high tech facility required thorough planning and innovative strategies to achieve LEED and energy efficiency goals. For example, the facility relies heavily on more efficient water cooling for the advanced systems it houses.

In order to establish and maintain an accurate project timeline Cotter Consulting provided scheduling services to Clayco, the construction manager for this project. Cotter congratulates all the project team members who worked towards this achievement.

U of C Joe and Rika Mansueto Library Wins AIA Distinguished Building Award Posted Nov 02, 2011

Category: News

The new University of Chicago Joe and Rika Mansueto Library project was awarded the Distinguished Building Award, Citation of Merit on Friday, October 18th at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Chicago 56th Annual Designight Design Excellence Awards.

The Design Excellence Awards recognize the best contemporary architecture produced by Chicago-area firms, in Chicago and elsewhere.

Cotter Consulting served as the Owner's Representative for the Mansueto Library project and would like to congratulate and thank all project team members for making this such a successful endeavor.

For more information click here.

Cotter Congratulates the University of Chicago on the Dedication of New Library Posted Oct 13, 2011

Category: News

On October 11 the University of Chicago dedicated the new Joe and Rika Mansueto Library, a bold, innovative new research and learning space that will house over 3.5 million materials and provide space for future growth for the next 20 years. Serving as Owner's Representative from preconstruction through closeout for the new glass domed library, Cotter Consulting is pleased to celebrate with the University on this historic accomplishment.

The dedication ceremony was held at Harper Memorial Library Commons on the University's campus. Highlights of the celebration included a keynote address by Anthony Grafton, a University of Chicago Alumnus and Henry Putnam University Professor of History at Princeton University. Author of Codex in Crisis, Grafton spoke on the importance of libraries throughout history.

The ceremony also included the world premier performance of Mansueto Tribute, “double helix” for two violins, composed by the University's Professor of Composition, Augusta Read Thomas. President Robert J. Zimmer, Provost Thomas Rosenbaum, Honoree Joe Mansueto, and Director and University Librarian Judith Nadler also spoke at the event.

“We are proud to have worked closely with the University of Chicago during the development and construction of the newest addition to the University of Chicago campus,” said Jan Turner, Vice President of Buildings for Cotter Consulting, who attended the dedication ceremony. “The Joe and Rika Mansueto Library is a state-of-the-art facility that combines innovation with practicality. Completing this important project was a team effort and we are pleased with the successful completion of this building.”

The library, designed by Helmet Jahn and constructed by Barton Malow, incorporates an underground Automated Storage Retrieval System (ASRS) for book storage, and is the largest underground retrieval system in the United States. The ASRS system uses robotic cranes and a software/control system to retrieve and deliver books from underground bins within five minutes. A Grand reading room and space for the library's Preservation and Conservation department are housed in the space directly under the dome.

During pre-construction Cotter worked closely with the University throughout the design and permitting process. During construction, Cotter was onsite to assist the University in oversight of the construction, monitor scheduling, budget and quality goals.

“Cotter Consulting has a history of serving as a trusted partner to major institutions across Chicago and the Midwest,” says Anne Cotter, President of Cotter Consulting. “We look forward to overseeing similar types of ventures as we move forward with our continued growth.”

In above image from left to right: James Vaughan (Asst. Director, Access and Facilities Services, Regenstein Library, University of Chicago), Connie Walker (Project Manager formerly with Cotter Consulting), Mike Natarus (Senior Project Manager, University of Chicago), Steve Wiesenthal (Assoc. VP and University Architect, University of Chicago), Jan Turner (VP of Buildings, Cotter Consulting), Laura Leber (Senior Project Manager, Barton Malow).

Cotter Selected for Inc. 5000 list for Second Year in a Row Posted Sep 14, 2011

Category: Press Release

Cotter Consulting was selected for the second year in a row by Inc. magazine to be included in its fifth annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy-America's independent-minded entrepreneurs. Cotter joins online retailer ideeli, Spirit Airlines, television maker Vizio, Honest Tea and Dunkin Donuts, among other prominent brands featured on this year's list.

Cotter's impressive revenue and employee growth over the past three years merited a spot on the 5000 list as well as a ranking in the top 200 of those selected in the construction industry. Cotter is proud to be included in this list that celebrates growth and perseverance in a troubling economic climate.

"Now, more than ever, we depend on Inc. 500/5000 companies to spur innovation, provide jobs, and drive the economy forward. Growth companies, not large corporations, are where the action is,” says Inc. magazine Editor Jane Berentson

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/5000.

Northwestern University Prosthetics and Orthotics Center Wins CBC Merit Award Posted May 24, 2011

Category: News

Northwestern University's Prosthetics and Orthotics Center buildout project was awarded the Merit Award for Interior Buildouts at  last Wednesday night's Chicago Building Congress (CBC) 2011 Merit Awards Ceremony. Merit Awards are bestowed upon projects that “display distinctive design, outstanding construction, and a positive impact on the surrounding community.” This was the first year for the Interior Buildout category, one of only six awards handed out.

Cotter Consulting served as the Owner's Representative for this project and would like to congratulate and thank all project team members for making this such a successful endeavor, including Northwestern University, VOA Associates, Inc., Kent Consulting Engineers, Klein and Hoffman, Shen Milsom White, and Interior Construction Group, Inc..

Cotter Joins Educare for Groundbreaking of New West DuPage School Posted Apr 22, 2011

Category: News

More than 100 people celebrated the momentous groundbreaking of Educare's second facility in the Chicago area on April 21, 2011 in West Chicago. Attending the event were philanthropist J.B. Pritzker; West Chicago Mayor Michael Kwasman, and DuPage Community Foundation Executive Director Dave McGowan. Important partners for this initiative include Educare of West DuPage, The Gustafson Family Foundation, The Pritzker's Children Initiative, West Chicago Elementary School District 33 and Positive Parenting DuPage.

“We stand collectively on the precipice of fundamentally changing how we educate our youngest children in America,” said J.B. Pritzker, speaking at the event. “The single greatest key to this city's economic progress and our country's economic future… [is] investing and educating our young people as early as possible.”

For this project three years in the making, Cotter Consulting is providing project management and commissioning services and has worked closely with Educare and the entire project team to ensure shovels broke ground to create this center of excellence for early childhood education.

“Educare of West DuPage is extremely thankful for the many generous partners who have come together to make this significant project possible,” says Theresa Hawley, Educare of West DuPage Board Chair. “This facility is an investment in the young people of West DuPage and will make a meaningful impact on our entire community.”

The facility is expected to open in early 2012 and will serve 150 children. Groundbreaking on multiple levels, Educare of West DuPage will be the first Educare center nationally to serve disadvantaged families living in a suburban community. The facility will include classrooms for preschoolers as well as infants and toddlers, a training center for early childhood professionals, a library and resource center, playgrounds, offices and meeting rooms, a commercial kitchen and community meeting space.

Educare is a nationwide, research-based program that prepares young, at-risk children for success in school. A joint initiative by the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, the Ounce of Prevention Fund, and philanthropic partners including the W. K. Kellogg and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations, the Bounce Network of Educare Schools combines private dollars with public funding to create a high quality sustainable early education program for those children and families who need it most.

With 20 years of experience, Cotter is proud to have provided quality services for numerous non-profit clients. Clients refer Cotter at an exceptionally high rate because of the diverse expertise of Cotter's team and Cotter's ability to integrate with clients.

In Photo: Educare Construction Team - RDG Planning & Design, Executive Construction, Inc., Tim Winnecke and Jan Turner of Cotter Consulting, Inc. and Theresa Hawley Educare of West DuPage Board Chair.

Cotter Hires New Vice President of Transportation Posted Apr 11, 2011

Category: News

Cotter is very excited to announce that we have hired Carma Wood, P.E. as our new Vice President of Transportation. Carma comes to Cotter with 27 years of engineering experience including 20 years with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) with 15 of those years dedicated as Resident Construction Engineer of District 2 - Dixon, Illinois. Most recently, Carma served as the Construction Services Department Manager for Stanley Consultants where she managed projects for IDOT and the Illinois Tollway, including I-55 and the I-294 Bridge Rehabilitation.

Carma has worked in a variety of roles on a range of infrastructure projects such as the I-80 bridge over the Mississippi River, the I-280 bridge over the Mississippi River and the construction of the "Missing Link" of the John Deere Expressway. She previously served as the state-wide Documentation Engineer in the Central Bureau of Construction and then as the Construction Review Engineer in the Office of Quality Compliance and Review in IDOT's central office in Springfield, Illinois. Carma also acted as the Quality Control liaison between the Mississippi Department of Transportation and the contractor for a major $338 million design-build project over the Biloxi Bay.

"I look forward to further building Cotter Consulting's reputation as a respected leader, valuable partner and trusted consultant in the Illinois transportation market," says Wood, who will be responsible for strategic planning, business development, division and staff management, and employee development for Cotter's Transportation Group.

Clients refer Cotter at an exceptionally high rate because of the diverse expertise of our team and our ability to integrate with our clients. Carma's depth of experience with transportation agencies and officials across the state of Illinois make her an ideal addition to the Cotter team and will further our ability to exceed the expectations of our infrastructure clients.

"I am thrilled to have Carma join our firm. With her leadership our Transportation Group will be ready to take on greater challenges for our clients," says Anne Edwards-Cotter, President of Cotter Consulting.

Carma is a graduate of the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and the University of Iowa with a Master of Business Administration. She is active in the Illinois Road and Transportation Builder's Association and Illinois Association of Highway Engineers.

Cotter Launches New E-Newsletter Posted Jan 06, 2011

Category: News

Cotter Consulting celebrated the launch of the first issue of our new e-newsletter Cotter Connections today. Cotter Connections is a quarterly e-newsletter for clients and colleagues to keep you up to date on industry topics and current project and company news.

Our first issue is an introductory issue reflecting on the year 2010, which marked our 20th year in business. Subsequent issues will  focus on various topics depending on your interests.

Newsletters can be accessed on our website in the 'News' section under 'E-Newsletters', to view the current e-newsletter articles click here.

Don't miss out on important industry news and trends that impact your business. Click below to subscribe. We hope you enjoy Cotter Connections.

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Cotter Certified as a WBE in Wisconsin Posted Nov 16, 2010

Category: News

Upon recently opening a Wisconsin office, Cotter has been certified as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) in the state of Wisconsin by the Department of Commerce, Division of Business Development. Dedicated to supporting the utilization and growth of women-owned businesses, the State of Wisconsin requires that women-owned businesses account for 5 percent of government contracts.

Cotter is already certified as a WBE and DBE (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in the State of Illinois.

CTA Dearborn Subway Track Renewal Project Wins ACEC-Illinois Award Posted Nov 12, 2010

Category: News

Cotter, as a subconsultant to Parson's Brinckerhoff, provided safety oversight and field inspection services for the Chicago Transit Authority's Dearborn Subway Track Renewal Project which has been named an Honor Award winner in the 2011 Engineering Excellence Awards Competition hosted by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Illinois.

The Honor Award is the highest level of award, making the project eligible to enter ACEC's National Competition. Award winners will be recognized at the 40th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Luncheon on Friday, February 4, 2011 at the Eaglewood Resort in Itasca.

Two Cotter Projects Win Design Evanston Awards Posted Oct 01, 2010

Category: News

Cotter Consulting provided project management for two 2010 Design Evanston Award winners. Northwestern University's Tech Plaza Restoration (pictured above) has been honored for Landscape Design and the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation (JRC) Synagogue was honored for Architectural Design: Public Use. Cotter also provided commissioning services for JRC, which was awarded LEED Platinum Certification.

Design Evanston awards are bestowed upon projects that provide "significant aesthetic and functional improvements in the Evanston community." Congratulations to the Cotter staff who were dedicated to these projects.

For more information, visit the Design Evanston Awards website here: http://designevanston.org/awards.html  

West Town Library Highlighted in New York Times Posted Sep 17, 2010

Category: News

Cotter Consulting provided project management services for the Department of General Services new West Town Library which was highlighted in an article by the Chicago News Cooperative and picked up by The New York Times for their September 16th issue.

The article examines the importance of establishing public libraries in impoverished communities where residents would not otherwise have access to the technology and educational resources these libraries provide.

Cotter is pleased to have contributed to a project that provides so much opportunity and growth in our local communities.

Cotter celebrates groundbreaking of Multimodal Transportation Center Posted Aug 12, 2010

Category: Press Release

Cotter Consulting joined the Town of Normal and state and federal officials to mark the groundbreaking of the new Multimodal Transportation Center in Normal, Illinois on Saturday, August 7. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff and Cong. Debbie Halvorson, along with Town of Normal Mayor Koos and Amtrak Board Chairman Tom Carper were on hand to take part in the ceremonial groundbreaking.

Funded by multiple federal and state grants, the project received a $22 million Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Of the projects to receive TIGER funding, the multimodal center is the first project to begin construction.

The 68,000 square foot transportation hub, which will serve Amtrak, the Bloomington-Normal Public Transit system and local transit buses as well as contain a four-story parking garage, will be completed Summer 2012.

Additional coverage of the groundbreaking ceremony can be found in the following articles:

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/article_f82ad694-a293-11df-8558-001cc4c03286.html

http://www.rtands.com/newsflash/amtrak-normal-ill-break-ground-for-multimodal-transportation-center.html

Exelon 55th Floor Project Certified LEED-CI Platinum Posted Aug 02, 2010

Category: News

The 55th floor of Exelon's Headquarters located in Chase Tower at 10 South Dearborn Street has been certified LEED for Commercial Interiors Platinum.

Cotter Consulting provided LEED commissioning services for this 24,000 square foot build-out. Exelon's other 10 floors (45th-54th) have also been certified, bringing the total space to over 220,000 square feet and making it the largest commercial office space in the country to be certified LEED Platinum.

Article on Eco-Intel website details HOK Chicago Project Posted Jul 20, 2010

Category: News

Cotter Consulting's joint partnership, SSRCx/Cotter, provided fundamental and enhanced commissioning services in pursuit of Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) certification for HOK's progressive office project.

As detailed in the Eco-Intel article, the project included a number of innovative sustainable elements and ultimately exceeded it's certification goals, achieving LEED Plantinum certification.

To read more about this remarkable accomplishment in sustainability click here:

http://www.eco-intel.com/pub/Brokering-for-Sustainable-Potential

ENR features photo of Cotter project at Loyola Posted May 07, 2010

Category: News

Cotter is serving as Owner's Representative to Loyola University for their new Intercollegiate Athletic Center.  ENR has posted a photo of the 100 ton truss that was recently erected as part of the project. 

This truss was built on site and required three cranes to hoist.  To view the photo, please visit the ENR Jobsite Photo Showcase here: http://construction.com/community/publicgallery.aspx?plckGalleryID=65e1bb32-e186-4b20-95e5-aafa57179aa2

Additionally, with our Joint Venture SSRCx/Cotter, we will provide commissioning services for this project.  

Jewish Reconstructionist Synagogue wins World Architecture Festival Award Posted Mar 05, 2010

Category: News

The Jewish Reconstructionist Synagogue, for which Cotter provided Owner's Representative and Commissioning Services, was named 2009's Highly Commended World Building of the year: Civic and Community at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in Barcelona.

This innovative Synagogue, located in Evanston, is the first house of worship to be awarded LEED Platinum certification in the Nation.

For a complete list of winners and event details see the WAF website:

http://www.worldarchitecturefestival.com/winners.cfm?eventYear=2009

Charles H. Shaw Technology and Learning Center and Henry Ford Academy: Power House High School presented 2010 Chicago Neighborhood Development Award Posted Feb 12, 2010

Category: Press Release

Cotter provided Owner's Respresentative services for the Charles H. Shaw Technology and Learning Center and Henry Ford Academy: Power House High School which was awarded the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Outstanding Non-Profit Neighborhood Real Estate Project.

Awards were presented on Tuesday, Febraury 9, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown. Crain's Chicago Real Estate Daily was there to cover the event and announced the winning projects on their website today: http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?id=37088

All Saints Cemetery achieves LEED Gold Certification Posted Feb 01, 2010

Category: News

Cotter Consulting provided Fundamental and Enhanced commissioning for Catholic Cemeteries of Chicago's new All Saints Cemetery administration building and chapels.

The project has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the United States Green Building Council and is the first LEED certified building in a Catholic cemetery in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Anne Edwards-Cotter wins IRTBA Honorary Staff Award Posted Jan 19, 2010

Category: Press Release

Anne Edwards-Cotter, Founder and President of Cotter Consulting, Inc., has been honored with the Illinois Road and Transportation Builder's Association (IRTBA) 'Honorary Staff' Award. Ms. Edwards-Cotter graciously accepted the award at IRTBA's 2009 Contractor of the Year Awards.

According to IRTBA, the Honorary Staff Award is "bestowed by the IRTBA staff in recognition of the member who has devoted the most time, energy and creativity in assisting the Association in the past year."

The Association went on to say, "[Anne] has gone the extra mile in leading IRTBA as it embarks on its second class of the Emerging Leadership Program, the launch of the Road Builder Charities, and her continued support of the Planning and Design Division efforts. This person is an excellent resource, volunteering at every junction with professionalism and exuberance."