TFMoran engineers worked with Interchange Development, LLC to design and permit Merchants Way, a 200,000sf multi-phase mixed-use development on Whitney Road at I 93 Exit 17. TFMoran’s services included master planning, civil/site engineering, traffic engineering, permitting, and landscape architecture.
With phase I recently completed, the project is featured as Project of the Month in New England Real Estate Journal‘s February 2023 issue. See the full article on NEREJ or continue reading below.
Project of the Month: Interchange Development LLC Completes Phase I Construction of Merchants Way in Concord, NH
Published February 17, 2023 by New England Real Estate Journal
Interchange Development LLC has completed the first phase of Merchants Way, a new Market Basket anchored shopping center located adjacent to I-93 at Exit 17 in the Penacook area of the city. Phase 1 of the 43 acre Merchants Way development includes a new 81,000 s/f Market Basket supermarket, 22,000 s/f attached HomeGoods retail space, a 13,500 s/f New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet, and a 2,200 s/f Wendy’s Restaurant. The buildings were constructed in 2021 and 2022 along with two private roads, Merchants Way and Interchange Dr., which connect to Whitney Rd. and Rte. 4 next to I-93. The Merchants Way development complements the previously constructed Xtramart/Mobil convenience store with Dunkins and drive thru at Exit 17.
February 19-25 is National Engineers Week, and TFMoran is celebrating the hard work of our over 30 Civil, Structural, and Traffic Engineers! This week is promoted annually by Discover E, an ASCE partner, to promote the profession and celebrate engineers by showing the world the essential work engineers contribute to our everyday lives.
This year’s theme is “Creating the Future”! Engineers play a vital role in innovating solutions to global challenges that impact future generations. By working together to develop new technologies, products, and opportunities, engineers create new possibilities that make the world better. Let’s inspire the next generation by celebrating how engineers create the future!
TFMoran is sponsoring Bedford High School‘s FIRST Robotics Team Red Storm 509 for the 2023 Season. The team consists of 45 students participating in the global FIRST Robotics Program. Each season, the team builds a robot from materials including mechanical gears, motors, and software to compete with other regional and worldwide teams in the yearly FIRST Robotics Challenge.
This program relies on financial sponsorships to support team activities. Robot fabrication is a major annual expense that includes raw materials, tools, and machinery. Sponsorship allows the team to host events, support other FIRST teams, and help promote STEM through community outreach activities.
Dylan Cruess participated in New Hampshire Business Review‘s Ask the Experts: “Engineering Tech Enhances Project Design in NH”. The article takes a deep dive into recent development projects and the innovative engineering that makes the industry so exciting.
Dylan and other industry experts discuss some of the most interesting engineering projects happening in New Hampshire this year, as well as state-of-the-art design trends, energy efficiency, sustainability, and much more!
Continue reading below, or check out the full section on NHBR!
Ask the Experts: Engineering Tech Enhances Project Design in NH
What are some of the most interesting engineering projects happening in New Hampshire this year?
We are seeing many redevelopment and expansion projects throughout the State for the coming year. The inventory of previously undeveloped land, especially in Southern New Hampshire, continues to shrink, so many of our larger projects for 2023 are on redevelopment sites where previous buildings will either be removed, renovated, or expanded to create something new. Redevelopment and expansion projects are particularly interesting because it is necessary to incorporate the existing site conditions and utility connections into the design.
Are you seeing a change in project design as companies downsize, streamline, or expand their capabilities?
Our project design processes are constantly adapting and changing based on the AutoCAD software that we use and the requirements of our clients. Since the COVID pandemic, working remotely outside of the office has become the norm for our company and in the broader construction industry, so we have expanded our utilization of different online file-sharing and collaboration tools to make working remotely more efficient and most importantly more accurate.
What are the latest state-of-the-art design trends that you’re seeing?
The increasing use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the most state-of-the-art design trend that we are seeing. With high construction costs and supply chain delays, we are seeing more clients utilize BIM to virtually see the future construction of their projects. Our primary design software, AutoCAD, can merge the designs for different aspects of a project, such as the underground utility connections with the architect’s building design model. The project team can virtually see a 3D model of the future project and determine if any conflicts will arise during construction.
How much emphasis do you see on incorporating energy efficiency and sustainability in upcoming projects?
We see a very large emphasis on incorporating energy efficiency and sustainability in just about all of our projects. Firstly, over the last 10 years, the international building codes have been updated to include many energy efficiency requirements and standards that were previously thought to be “above and beyond. Also, with energy costs at historically high rates, our Clients are asking us to look into every possible option during the design process to increase efficiency and sustainability in an effort to reduce construction and future maintenance costs.
What are some of the best things a construction firm can do to achieve a healthy bottom line in 2023?
There is a lot of uncertainty in the economic outlook for 2023, but the industry has remained resilient and I don’t foresee any change going into the Spring construction season. As a professional service firm, I think the best thing to maintain a healthy bottom line in 2023 is to continue to focus on providing value and practical solutions to clients.
TFMoran is a proud supporter of New Hampshire schools. As part of our community outreach, we recently contributed $10,000 to the New Hampshire Children’s Scholarship Fund, an Education Tax Credit Scholarship. This financial assistance is available to New Hampshire children of low- and moderate-income families to attend K-12 schools that best fit their needs. These scholarships can apply to private schools, out-of-district schools, and homeschooling, which makes these options more financially available.
Since the 2016-2017 school year, The Children’s Scholarship Fund of New Hampshire has awarded over $9,117,931 in scholarships to students.
TFMoran COO Dylan Cruess shared his point of view on recent industry trends in The New England Real Estate Journal‘s “2023 Forecast Spotlight“. The January 27 issue features 17 professionals in Construction and Real Estate, giving their predictions on what the upcoming year may bring for the industry.
It seems that our geographic area is in a positive economic cycle. There is an influx of manufacturing and other businesses looking to locate to New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts.
Dylan Cruess
To read Dylan’s full forecast article, click here or continue reading below.
New England Real Estate Journal 2023 Forecast Spotlight
Cautiously Optimistic for 2023 Despite Economic Headwinds
By Dylan Cruess
Forecasting the future is always difficult, but trying to predict how the real estate, construction, and engineering industries will perform in 2023 seems like a coin flip. On the negative side, there are many economic headwinds, including inflation, rising interest rates, supply chain delays, and unpredictable permitting schedules, that logically should slow down demand for new construction and development projects. On the positive side, there is still a fundamental shortage of housing options and a growing demand for manufacturing and industrial space that continues to propel the construction and engineering industry forward. How these negative and positive factors interact will determine the direction of our industries in the year ahead.
TFMoran is honored to be voted as 2023 Best of Business in the Engineering category by New Hampshire Business Review readers! 2023 marks the ELEVENTH consecutive year TFMoran has received this award. The BOB Awards honors the “Best Of Business” in New Hampshire in over 90 business-to-business categories. According to NHBR’s website, over 3,000 people voted in the BOB Awards survey.
We’d like to take a moment to giveA Big THANK YOU to all who voted for us!
NH Business Review will hold the 16th Annual BOB Awards celebration on Thursday, March 9th, at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. This year’s theme is “Hollywood”. It’s an event like no other to celebrate the best businesses in the state and network with business leaders from across New Hampshire.
Thank you to New Hampshire Business Review for this opportunity and for showcasing the Best of Business across New Hampshire, and congratulations to all the winners!
New England Real Estate Journal‘s December 30 issue features a Year in Review Spotlight, with input from numerous professionals across the Real Estate industry. Principal and Civil Department Manager Nick Golon gave his thoughts on the year with insight into his accomplishments and career in 2022.
What was your most important professional accomplishment or most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2022? After over a year and a half to secure permits, the Granite Woods Commerce Center adjacent to exit 11 on I-93 in Hooksett, N.H. broke ground in the fall of 2022. This state-of-the-art 500,000 s/f class A warehouse required us to solve immensely complicated permitting and infrastructure challenges. As a result of this project, essential municipal water and sewer services are being extended, over 400 acres of permanent conservation land was secured, and much-needed industrial space will be delivered to the Southern N.H. market.
How has your career path changed in 2022? After being welcomed in to the TFMoran ownership team in 2020, at the end of 2022, I transitioned to the role of civil department manager with Jeff Kevan’s retirement after nearly 30 years of service with TFM. Having the opportunity to play an integral role in the direction of a company with a successful track record of providing outstanding engineering services in our industry for over 50 years is exactly where I want to be in my career!
TFMoran’s Bedford employees showed their spirit at the TGIF holiday party, held last Friday just before our holiday break. Our favorite dishes from the Puritan Back Room were served along with some sweet homemade treats like sugar cookies, peppermint bark, and ginger snaps. A beautiful gingerbread house that Julia and Sophie decorated was also on display.
Those up for a fun activity enjoyed gift-unwrapping games hoping the box they opened would contain a prize! We played the “lucky layer game” where each participant gets to unwrap one layer of the gift and pass it on! Jason Hill was the lucky person to open the last layer, revealing a $25 gift card! We also played “name that holiday tune”, which Sophie and Rich both won!
After nearly 30 years with TFMoran, Inc., Field Surveyor Michael Burt has announced his retirement from the company. Mike joined the firm in October 1993 and quickly became an essential member of TFM’s survey field crew. Michael Dahlberg, Assistant Vice President and Survey Department Manager comments, “Mike is one of the steadiest, most reliable, consistent, dependable, and qualified Survey Crew Chief’s that I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Mike’s quiet workmanlike manner and attitude will be greatly missed!” President Bob Duval said, “We all benefitted from Mike’s professionalism over the past thirty years, and we wish him a long and happy retirement.”
