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Despite the expanding geographic reach of Holland Engineering’s project locations, HEI continues to assist with various projects throughout our local, West Michigan community. Two of our more recent projects involve an expansion at the John Ball Zoological Gardens and the construction of a new facility for West Michigan Eye and Laser Medical. 

With signs of spring in the air, the John Ball Zoological Gardens, located in Grand Rapids, MI is preparing for the busy upcoming spring and summer seasons with several renovation projects. The John Ball Zoo has over 1100 animals representing the wilds of Africa, Asia, South America, Australia and the United States. Two of the new additions to the zoo in 2012 will be the IDEMA Funicular and BISSEL Tree House.  The BISSELL Tree House is situated on one of Grand Rapids highest points and will serve as John Ball Zoo’s newest indoor event space offering extensive views of downtown Grand Rapids. The IDEMA Funicular is a 3 car trolley offering guests the option of a four minute scenic ride to the top of the hill.

Holland Engineering is pleased to be working with Landscape Design Services on the construction of upper and lower depots for the Funicular system, a new gift shop building, along with the tree house.  Holland Engineering is providing engineering design and shop drawings for several different styles of retaining walls that will be incorporated into these projects. In an effort to enhance the aesthetic nature of the project, and cause the walls to blend into their surroundings, many of the walls will be vegetative geogrid walls or include integral planting areas that will be filled with native plants.  Holland Engineering is pleased for the opportunity to be involved with this project and
wishes the John Ball Zoo continued success as they move forward with this exciting expansion. 

Located in the City of Norton Shores, the West Michigan Eye and Laser Medical Facility will serve the eye care needs of the Greater Muskegon and North Ottawa communities.  Holland Engineering is proud to be a partner with Redstone Commercial Investments and Eckert Wordell in the development of plans for a new ophthalmology office along the lakeshore.  HEI will be providing professional services for site plan development, landscaping and planting plans, boundary and site topographic surveys, grading, drainage, and soil erosion sedimentation control plans, public utility extensions, and permitting.   HEI is pleased for the opportunity to be involved in this commercial lakeshore project.

For more information on Holland Engineering’s civil and structural engineering services, please contact Ryan Ysseldyke at 616.392.5938 or via email at rysseldyke@hollandengineering.com.

Holland Engineering, Inc. (HEI) provided engineering design services to Great Lakes Gas Transmission Company’s two separator addition projects.  A new 9 foot, 4 inch diameter vertical gas separator with by-pass piping will be installed in series with an existing gas separator at the Deward Meter Station located in Crawford County, Michigan.  In addition, a new 5 foot, 8 inch diameter horizontal gas filter separator will be installed at the Farwell Compressor Station located in Clare County, Michigan. 

The design entailed modifications to existing compressor station piping to accommodate the addition of the separators, as well as the design of the foundations for the two separators.   Holland Engineering’s design also included hookup of all the necessary instrumentation for the vessels and routing of piping for the separator dump lines.  Due to space limitations, an existing liquid storage tank at Farwell had to be relocated and a new foundation design incorporated at this site. 

All required instrumentation was wired and routed back to the existing RTU at the instrumentation/control buildings.   Since instrument air was not available at Deward, a new gas conditioner system was designed to provide instrument gas for the separator’s level controller and over pressure protection devices. 

Holland Engineering provided the bid and construction drawings and the contractor’s scope of work for both projects.  Construction began on October 13^th with Deward scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2011 and Farwell by the end of January 2012. HEI was pleased for the opportunity to be involved with both of these projects. 

For more information on these projects, or on HEI’s design experience, please contact Gary Smith, P.E. at 248.827.7322 or via email at gsmith@hollandengineering.com.