The Ash Grove Cement Co. is on schedule with the $20-million voluntary installation of a new activated carbon injection mercury control system at its plant in Durkee, Ore. Upon completion in July, it is expected to achieve 75-80% mercury control efficiency. The pulse value assembly sits on top of the Ash Grove plant’s ACI system baghouse in Durkee, Ore. Related Links: WSDOT Starts Two ARRA Projects TriMet’s Largest Stimulus Project Begins CH2M HILL Completes Ice Road for Savant Alaska Site Work Completed for Olympia Building “Foundations, structural steel, primary ductwork and the baghouse for the ACI system are now in

DBM Contractors, Inc., with support from alliance partner Pennine, completed the design/build installation of the ground improvement at the $255-million Washington State Department of Information Services building on the Wheeler site in Olympia. Crews installed 2,200 stone columns to a depth of between 15 ft and 30 ft to improve the soils below the structural foundations and to increase the soil bearing capacity, reduce static settlement and reduce liquefaction risk in the liquefiable soils. Related Links: WSDOT Starts Two ARRA Projects TriMet’s Largest Stimulus Project Begins CH2M HILL Completes Ice Road for Savant Alaska Ash Grove Cement Mercury Control System

Triad Associates’ board of directors has announced the promotion of David Hilgers, ASLA, LEED-AP, to director of landscape architecture. The position became available when Jeff Cox, ASLA, completed his year-long transition into the role of Trad’s new president. Scott Bigbie, who held Triad’s top spot for 26 years, will remain with the company, concentrating on human resources management, marketing and other strategic assignments. Hilgers earned a Bachelor of Science, Landscape Architecture degree from Washington State University and joined Triad in April 2006. Hilgers has over 14 years of experience in landscape architecture with an emphasis on campus design, urban parks,

A building permit application is under review by Snohomish County for Swedish Health Services’ ambulatory care and freestanding emergency room in Mill Creek, Wash. The current schedule anticipates construction to begin in March and be completed by the end of the year. Image: Mahlum Architects Swedish Health Services’ Mill Creek Ambulatory Care and E.R. Related Links: Officials Try to Jump Start Columbia River Crossing by Streamlining Costs Facebook Breaks Ground on $188 Million Facility in Eastern Oregon Robert Frost Elementary Opens Designed to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Swedish will lease 55,000 sq ft of

Frost Elementary School, a new K-6 school in Kirkland, Wash. for the Lake Washington School District, has been completed. Related Links: Officials Try to Jump Start Columbia River Crossing by Streamlining Costs Facebook Breaks Ground on $188 Million Facility in Eastern Oregon Mill Creek ER May Open this Year Infused with art and poetry, this 59,260-sq-ft replacement facility was designed to take advantage of its wooded site and to create strong connections to the natural surroundings, to the school community and to the words of poet Robert Frost. The classrooms, shared learning spaces and multipurpose commons were designed to be

The North Spokane Corridor project will receive $35 million under the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program. The grant is one of 51 transportation projects funded by the $1.5 billion U.S. Department of Transportation program, set up to quickly create jobs and boost local economies while investing in improving transportation. Photo: WSDOT Washington Governor Chris Gregoire discussed the North Spokane Freeway grant during a press conference announcing another TIGER grant for Mercer Corridor Redevelopment in Seattle. �This is a huge win for a project that has long been the centerpiece of efforts to boost Spokane�s economy and create

Facebook broke ground on a new $188 million data center in Prineville. The 147,000-sq-ft facility is expected to create more than 200 jobs during its 12-month construction phase, led by the joint venture general contractor team of Redwood City, Calif.-based DPR Construction Inc. and Portland-based Fortis Construction. Photos courtesy Sheehan Partners Photos courtesy Sheehan Partners Photos courtesy Sheehan Partners For its first building of this type, Facebook found that Prineville offered “a suitable climate for environmental cooling, renewable power resources, available land, talented regional workforce and supportive business environment,” says Tom Furlong, the company’s director of site operations. The custom

Gregs G. Thomopulos, P.E., Chairman & CEO of Stanley Consultants of Houston, was elected president of the International Federation of Consulting Engineers for a two-year term. FIDIC represents globally the consulting engineering industry. Thomopulos has been on the organization’s executive committee for six years. His election marks the first time in 20 years that a U.S. citizen holds the position, which only three other Americans have held in FIDIC’s nearly 100-year history. Dynamic Lighting Solutions in Pearland announced Robert C. Horswood joined the company as utility sales representative, Eastern Division. He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s

FERRELL Hanson Alaska LLC recently appointed Shane Ferrell as a civil designer. Ferrell holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University and while pursuing his education, served as a material coordinator and construction manager for a Class I Railroad. Ferrell currently is assisting with the conceptual design for the Port MacKenzie Rail Line Extension with the Alaska Railroad Corp. Four architects have been named associate principals in Mahlum’s Seattle and Portland offices – Mitch Kent , AIA and Todd Olson, AIA in Portland; Kirk Haapala , AIA, LEED AP and Erik Goodfriend , AIA, LEED AP,