The candidate must have a degree in a mechanical engineering related field with course work related to HVAC design. A licensed professional or a person with a minimum of two to three years of design experience with an emphasis in HVAC design would be preferred.

We offer challenging growth opportunities, motivating work environments, competitive salaries, and an attractive benefit package.

To apply send resume, cover letter, and salary requirement to:

Janice Harber, PHR

H.R. Administrator

Thompson & Litton

P.O. Box 1307

Wise, Virginia 24293

276-328-2161

Email: jharber@t-l.com

EOE/M/F/D/V

A new judicial facility will be constructed beside the current Dickenson County
Courthouse where the old, vacant jailhouse now stands, the county board of
supervisors has decided.

The board voted unanimously Feb. 28 to build the necessary addition adjacent to
the courthouse to fulfill a court order issued last year by Judge Henry Vanover to
bring the courthouse up to current standards.

Eric Price, chairman of the county’s courthouse renovation committee and
Thompson and Litton engineer, requested at the board meeting that a decision be
made concerning the location of the new courthouse facility.

Price explained that Thompson and Litton, the engineering firm preparing the
design for the new facility, is unable to move forward in the schematic designs of
the proposed facility without determining a location. Design schematics must
presented to Judge Vanover by May 21.

According to Price, the courthouse committee along with supervisors have met
with Judge Vanover to review the schematics to ensure that the mandate will be
met by theproposed design.

“We looked at some details to make sure we are on the right track and that we are
doing what we have to do to fulfill the order that he has in place,” Price noted.
In the current plans, the vacant jailhouse will be demolished and the new facility
will be constructed on site.

Board of supervisors chairman and Clintwood representative Donnie Rife opened
discussion about an off-site facility. Rife said due to the inconvenience of
construction to courthouse employees, limited parking, and incurring costs for
land acquisition, an off-site facility may be preferable.

According to Price, the committee has considered all options and recommends
that the facility be constructed adjacent to the existing courthouse.

Willis District supervisor Gary Hall, a courthouse renovation committee member,
said constructing the new facility at the current jailhouse site will be the most
cost-effective means of meeting the mandate.

Ervinton District representative David Yates also pointed out that having a
centralized location to provide services to citizens would simply be more
convenient.

The court order was issued to address issues such as a lack of security, parking
and office space to allow the courthouse to meeting state guidelines.

February
1st – test
2nd – test2

March
5th – do stuff

T&L is currently designing the renovation and expansions for the Eastside High School in Wise County, Virginia.  The $7.8 Million project will consist of the construction and renovation of 50,000 SF of instructional space to accommodate and provide for secondary instructional programming, extracurricular activities, food services and other auxiliary areas.  Renovations are scheduled for completion in 2014.

Design services involving a water system improvements project within the Town including approximately 6,000 LF of a combination of 8, 12, and 16-inch water line, an addition of a 2.30 MG glass lined storage tank, upgrade of an existing pump station, and associated water line for these facilities. The $1.9 Million project was completed in late 2011.  The project was funded in part by the Virginia Tobacco Commission.

Architectural design and construction administration of a new, 8,500 SF gymnasium at the Appalachia Elementary School in Wise County, Virginia.  T&L is providing for the preliminary and final architectural design of a 350 seat masonry exterior/interior building which will include hardwood floors, changing rooms, storage, and will be utilizing part of the existing building.  The project is expected to begin construction in mid-2012 at an estimated cost of $1.3 Million.

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that Buchanan County will receive a total of $3,500,000 in Abandoned Mine Land (AML) funds for a public water project that will provide drinking water to 141 homes in a portion of the county near the Hurley community.  The project has been selected for construction funding beginning in April 2012 under Virginia’s AML FY 2012 Grant administered by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy.  Water supplies in the project area were impacted by pre-1981 coal mining activities making them eligible for AML funds.

Governor Bob McDonnell noted that the increased funds available for Virginia’s AML Program will enable additional coalfield communities impacted by past mining to obtain reliable, clean drinking water supplies.  “Due to the recent reauthorization of the federal Abandoned Mine Land Program and a subsequent increase in available grant funds, Virginia is continuing to expand the construction of public water projects in the Southwest Virginia coalfield region,” said Governor McDonnell.  Virginia AML funds originate from reclamation taxes paid by the state’s coal industry.

“We commend the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors on behalf of their PSA for seeking this grant, as well as the supplemental funds that will make this project possible,” said Commerce and Trade Secretary Jim Cheng. “Virginia’s AML program has assisted coalfield communities to connect to public water systems since 1984.  To date, over $36,890,983 in AML funding has been used to help supply 8,207 households with public water.”

The Hurley Regional Water Line Extension Phase III-B Water Project will extend a public water system to 141 residents in Buchanan County and represents the continuation of a program to provide clean drinking water to the residents of the county. The project advances a phased commitment of construction for the extension of public water service into the Hurley area of Buchanan County.  Additional funding for the project will come from the Department of Housing and Community Development; Coalfield Water Development Fund; Southwest Virginia Regional Water and Wastewater Construction Fund; and Buchanan County Public Service Authority and Board of Supervisors.

###

Employees attending: Jennifer Moore, William Witcher, Jonathan Bagwell, Jessica Marshall & Emily Hope

For more information about this event, contact Jennifer Moore, PE, at jmoore@t-l.com

T&L Employees will be volunteering their time to introduce the Scouts in the Southwest Virginia and Northeast TN area to CADD, Solar Cars, Catapult Design, Surveying, and Bridge Construction.

01.31.12 – 12:21 am

WISE — Wise Inn Partners LP got Town Council’s seal of approval last week on a conditional use permit the company needed before embarking on renovation of the Wise Inn and construction of a large addition.

The approval did not include the company’s request to make a portion of Spring Street one way. Council followed a staff recommendation to watch traffic patterns after the Inn has opened and then take up the request and any other traffic-related issues they might see develop.

Wise Planning Commission considered the conditional use permit and site plan at its December meeting and recommended it for council approval, including deferring action on the one-way request.

Town Planner and Zoning Administrator Laura Mullins briefed council at its Jan. 24 meeting, saying the 23,427-square-foot addition will hold 49 guest rooms, a restaurant, diner and conference center. It is located on East Main Street in a B-3 Central Business zoning district.

It meets the requirements for the conditional use permit, Mullins said, noting that staff concerns about parking and sufficient lighting have been addressed.  The Inn project is not in conflict with the town’s comprehensive plan, is a component of the downtown master plan and eliminates a blight condition in addition to providing much needed overnight accommodations, Mullins said.

Dick Houchins of Thompson and Litton said the project is scheduled to go out for bid April 1 with construction starting June 1. The Inn is scheduled to open in the fall of 2013.

Council unanimously approved the conditional use permit.

Councilman Caynor Smith said it is the dream of a lot of people to see The Inn opened up again.

© thecoalfieldprogress.com 2012

01.27.12 – 12:02 am

WISE — Because of a change in how the state does business, the town will no longer be allowed to buy road salt from the Virginia Department of Transportation local inventory.

That means Wise has to build its own salt storage facility, which is estimated to cost in the neighborhood of $350,000.  Tuesday night, Town Council approved a contract with Thompson & Litton to design it situated on land the town owns fronting Lake Street, across from Lighthouse Ministries.

Town Manager Beverly Owens told council Wise was notified in a Dec. 2 letter of the change. In a memo to council, Owens said that in the 29 years she has been with the town, it has always purchased salt for snow removal purposes from VDOT’s Glamorgan shop.

The town has no salt storage facility now and does not stock salt, Owens explained Wednesday. When weather requires it, town trucks head out to the Glamorgan shop and bring back four or five loads of salt the town pays for. That’s enough for about a week and the town has a small, tarped storage area that can handle that much. Sometimes, town crews hit the bad roads with salt immediately and then there’s no need for storage at all, Owens said.

“We will have to store a sufficient amount of salt to do what we need,” Owens told council. They’re estimating they’ll need enough space to store 400 tons of salt, enough for a season.

Where will it come from? asked councilman Clifton Carson. It will go out for bid, Owens said.  The storage facility must be ready for use by Oct. 1, she said, adding “that will be pushing it.” In a memo to council, Owens said “time is of the essence.”

The town’s original storage space collapsed in the 2009 winter storm and was not rebuilt. They had hoped to defer construction until they were ready to build a new public works facility on the Lake Street land. “Unfortunately, we now face the daunting task of quickly constructing a safe and efficient salt storage facility that complies with environmental requirements,” Owens wrote to council.

Salt can have potentially negative effects on the environment if stored improperly, she wrote, so they need to build a building that has storage and loading areas constructed with protective coatings and/or membranes surrounded by impermeable surfaces.

Thompson & Litton’s Greg Widener told council T&L would develop a “quick master plan” so the salt storage space is planned with future development in mind. The town’s long-term goal is to build a new public works facility on the property. No timetable is set, Owens said. Thompson & Litton had landed the contract for that planning. The salt storage facility is considered phase one of that project.

Widener said a plan would help ensure “everything is put in the right place.” He said they would “start surveying tomorrow” if council members approved the contract. They did.

Salt Storage Specs

Estimated cost: $350,000

• 2,000 square foot building

• Space to store 400 tons of salt

• Pre-engineered superstructure atop concrete poured in place

• Protective coating and membranes

• Concrete apron at building

• One restroom

• Concrete walled bins for gravel storage

• Gravel roadway and parking

 Thompson & Litton Contract

Total: $67,900

• Basic services, $40,000; includes all facets of design, bidding and contract administration.

• Additional services, $27,900: includes permits, inspections surveys, geotechnical work, printing, plus conceptual planning for the larger public works facility.

© thecoalfieldprogress.com 2012

T&L will be onhand to answer your questions on March 29, 2012 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.

http://www.nr.edu/nrvjobfairexpo/agenda.php

 January 18, 2012                                                                                                             276-988-7921

Wise County IDA Project Receives National Recognition

 Wise, VA–The Wise County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) has been notified by the U.S. Green Building Council that the Appalachia America Energy Research Center project has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification for energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies.  LEED certification identifies the project as a pioneering example of sustainable design and demonstrates the IDA’s leadership in transforming the building industry.  Carl Snodgrass, Executive Director of the IDA, stated that, “The IDA is very proud of this facility. It is an attractive, functional building, and to have it contain sustainable design and construction features, makes it all the more special.  We are honored that the project received this award and that the IDA can be part of a solution to benefit future generations.”

The Research Center’s LEED rating reflects the intensity of sustainable attributes within the facility as well as the environmentally conscientious construction process. The rating corresponds to the Certified level under LEED for Core & Shell system.  The IDA’s architect and engineering firm, Thompson & Litton of Wise (T&L), worked closely with all parties, including construction contractor Goins Rash Cain, to successfully incorporate these features into the design, construction, and operation of this high performance green building.  T&L’s Project Manager, Dick Houchins, AIA, remarked, “The IDA should be applauded for its diligent pursuit of this certification.  It is a challenging, but rewarding process.”   LEED AP Accredited Project Architect, Carl Gutschow, AIA, added, “Conserving our natural resources and using them efficiently in building projects is part of the LEED goal. The innovative leadership of WCIDA made the wise choice for this facility.” 

In 2008, the Wise County Industrial Development Authority began planning for the 24,000 square foot single story building that would eventually be known as the Appalachia America Energy Research Center. The Research Center, located in Wise County, Virginia, is part of the Lonesome Pine Regional Business and Technology Park.  The Research Center is comprised of an administrative area (including reception, conference room, offices, and support/storage areas), a research laboratory, and a pilot area (a research area with 25 foot ceilings and loading dock/storage area). 

The $7.8 Million project complies with energy efficient, sustainability and good environmental quality initiatives.  The project was awarded USGBC Certified level for LEED Core & Shell Certification in September 2011.  Construction of the Center was completed in September 2010.

A construction conference and Continuing Education event for Southwest Virginia.

Held on: May 24, 2012 – Thursday

A great opportunity to network with industry colleagues and earn CE credits while learning about new trends and regulations.  Contact T&L Design Supervisor and Conference Coordinator Bill White, AIA, LEED AP BD+C for more details.

2012 Virginia Tech Engineering Expo

September 11-12, 2012

Check back for details as they become available.

UVA Wise Career & Internship Fair ’12

Wednesday, March 21, 2012 

Greear Gymnasium from 12:00 Noon-3 pm 

All majors are welcome to network with employers in a wide range of careers and industries for potential employment and/or internship opportunities!  Be prepared to provide your employers of interest an up-to-date resume. 

http://www.uvawise.edu/studentdev/career_fair

Lee County Career & Technical Center Career Fair

04/13/2012

at the Lee County Career & Technical Center

Virginia Rural Water Association Meeting Annual Exposition and Conference
at the
Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center on April1-4, 2012

Rick Chitwood, T&L Project Manager

Steve Breeding, T&L Project Manager

Danny Stanley, Construction Contract Administrator

A full schedule of classes covering topics in water, wastewater, groundwater, source water and management.  We have many informative and educational events planned mixed with some fun and we hope you will join us.

http://vrwa.org/

Interstate Career Fair 2012 – Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Abingdon, Virginia

107 Grand Hall – 1st Floor East

on April 5, 2012 from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm

School of Architecture + Design Career Fair
The Inn at Virginia Tech, Latham Ballroom

On Feb. 27, 2012

10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Architecture and design students, see event website for complete details prior to fair.

http://archdesign.vt.edu/events/career-day/

Please stop by and say hello to our T&L staff!

D.P. Culp Center – Ballroom
10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Please stop by and say hello to our T&L staff! Feb. 22, 2012 Maintained by the College of Business & Technology. ]]> http://www.t-l.com/?feed=rss2&p=4923 0 http://www.t-l.com/?p=4895 http://www.t-l.com/?p=4895#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:09:08 +0000 Adales http://www.t-l.com/?p=4895 Continue reading →]]> Professional services to design a Prototype I, Class A burn building to provide live fire fighting training to fire service personnel in Wise, Virginia for a burn building. Anticipated project elements for this work include final design, permitting, project management, bidding, construction administration, and inspection. Construction is scheduled to be completed in April 2012 for the $500,000 project. 

GATE CITY — After taking months to come to a decision on how much to spend, officials in Scott County began moving forward recently with plans to make repairs to the county’s nearly 200-year-old courthouse.

Scott County Administrator Kathie Noe said the county has already hired engineering firm Thompson & Litton to begin drawing up construction documents for the project, marking the first official steps toward getting the repairs done.

“There are just some repairs that we just can’t wait on any longer,” Noe said. “We don’t want it to pose a threat or danger to anyone, and we want to preserve the building too. If we wait any longer, with some of these things that are in such ill repair, it will be harder to get them back to where they should be.”

The firm will be paid $40,000 for its services.

The courthouse — which was built in 1821 and is still in use today — was deemed structurally sound by engineers earlier this year. But they told supervisors improvements to its roof, parapet and bell tower are needed sooner rather than later.

In June, Scott County supervisors allocated $105,000 to cover planning and construction of the first phase of the repair project.

The entire cost of the improvements is estimated to come in at around $330,000. In order to cover that cost, supervisors agreed at the time to fund the project over the course of two fiscal years ending in 2012-13.

According to a memorandum of understanding between Scott County and Thompson & Litton, the firm will provide design and construction administrative services for the repair project.

Thompson & Litton engineers said the construction would generally involve repairs to the courthouse parapet, replacing two steel stairs and adding canopies, making repairs to the bell tower, and carrying out miscellaneous roof repairs that might be necessary.

Those repairs are considered either “urgent” or “must do,” engineers said previously.

The design portion of the project is expected to take between four and five months to complete. Actual construction on the courthouse is slated to begin sometime in the spring.

Ron Helton, PE
103 East Main St.
P.O. Box 1307
Wise, Virginia 24293
Phone 276-328-2161
Fax 276-328-1738

Click here to get directions to the Wise office

WISE — Before a room filled with dignitaries and well-wishers, members of the county School Board and Board of Supervisors signed the official comprehensive agreement clearing the way for construction of two new high schools. Speakers declared it a historic day.

One day, it will be recalled as a good day, too, Superintendent Jeff Perry told the crowd in his concluding remarks. Welcoming guests, Perry said Thursday’s signing was the culmination of many months of hard work and years of struggle. “Fortunately, at the end, we’ve all come together,” he said, “to make sure our students have the best education facilities they could possibly have.”

The signed documents apply to building a new Central High School in Wise and new Union High School in Powell Valley, but the occasion also marked the celebration of building a new gymnasium at Appalachia Elementary School and embarking on renovation and a new wing at Eastside High School in Coeburn. Together, the projects represent a $60 million commitment.

Schools Finance Director Ron Vicars recognized the efforts, dedication and sacrifice of some of those who made the day a reality — school board members and administrators, county supervisors and administrators, each town manager and town council in Wise County and Wise County Industrial Development Authority. He also recognized S.B. Ballard Construction Co., RRMM Architects and Maxim Engineering, who will lead the high school building work, and Thompson & Litton, the design team for Eastside High and the Appalachia Elementary gym.

THE JOURNEY

School board chairman Ted Thompson said he was honored to be part of the board’s “collective wisdom to get to where we are today.” The greater goal, he said, is to continue the mission to meet the needs of all students and to “constructively support YOUR Wise County public schools.” Thompson said citizens and officials must be committed to “seeing that we move ahead together in a positive way.”

County supervisors chairman Dana Kilgore said “this trip that we have traveled has been long with many detours” while many have stayed focused on the journey.

This last leg, Kilgore said, has had many leaders, including the superintendent and school board, school finance director Vicars and county finance director David Cox along with school legal counsel Scott Mullins and county attorney Karen Mullins who have worked with attorneys across the state. Most important, she said, were the students, faculty and school staff that made the transition from six high schools to three this fall.

Glad that both boards ultimately voted 8-0 to endorse the comprehensive agreement, Kilgore said she hoped this signaled hope for healing in the county. Steve Ballard of Ballard Construction said he knew this project had been controversial and felt privileged to be part of bringing it all together. Ballard said he has been involved in a lot of controversial projects during his 30-year career and he has witnessed what has happened as buildings start to go up.

 “I really believe when you all see these new schools in place and the excellence of learning they will bring . . . I think everyone is going to be applauding even more than you are today,” he said. “You’re going to be impressed.” “We’re just excited,” Ballard told the crowd, “and look forward to being part of the community.”

Bill Thompson of Thompson & Litton expressed enthusiasm for the work already underway at Appalachian Elementary and straight ahead at Eastside. “It is wonderful to experience what has happened at two community meetings in Appalachia,” he said, “Where citizens are filled with ideas. That process begins Tuesday at Eastside. We’re excited to be part of the visioning process,” Thompson said, and then taking those ideas to paper “is a real joy for us.”

To read more go to thecoalfieldprogress.com