The City of Hampton, Virginia was selected TimHaahs to design a new 450 space parking structure adjacent to the new downtown City Hall complex.TimHaahs teamed with prime design architect Clark Nexsen, to design the parking structure which will serve various municipal uses. In addition, TimHaahs and Clark Nexsen will also work with the city to integrate planning strategies for the City Hall block which may have retail, commercial and/or residential units. (Clark Nexsen and TimHaahs are currently working together on several projects, including the parking component of a major design commission at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.)

Central Parking System, Inc. the nation’s largest parking management company, and New South Parking, a partnership between Central Parking and Global Parking Systems, LLC, announce that the City of Houston, Texas has extended the agreement to manage and operate the parking and shuttle services at George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) for five years with options to extend for two additional one year periods. The Houston Airport System (HAS) is one of the largest airport systems in the world, serving nearly 50 million passengers annually. Central Parking operates on-site parking facilities for 23 airports, including seven large hub airports serving Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Detroit, Washington D.C. and Ft. Lauderdale.

Finfrock Construction, Inc. has been awarded a contract by Skanska USA to design and build the new parking garage for Nemours Children’s Hospital at Lake Nona’s medical city.  The garage will provide parking for 900 cars and 7 motorcycles on ground plus four elevated levels.  As the design-builder for the garage Finfrock worked with the hospital’s architect and its construction manager Skanska to design the garage to compliment the 620,000 SF hospital currently under construction.  Finfrock provided the most cost efficient design for the footprint and will construct the project within Nemours budget.   Precast concrete for the project will be provided by Finfrock Industries and will include pigmented concrete clad exterior structural panels.  The project is expected to be complete in summer of 2010. 

Tim Hoffman has been appointed Senior Manager, Channel Sales North America, for Confidex, a manufacturer of UHF Gen2 Passive RFID tags, including a versatile portfolio for IT asset tags, returnable transit items  and industrial assets,  He will be responsible for building and managing long-term partner relationships in the North America market.

TwistHDM, a developer and manufacturer of LimeLight, the industry’s leading wireless lighting control system, has added three new members to its leadership team.  Lighting Engineer Michael Olson heads efforts in providing lighting layout and technical expertise.  Jason Kettel joins the client services team as Commissioning Associate - East Division.  And Erik Thorp, as Director of Distribution, serves and supports key distributors in the Mountain States.

W.S. Tyler has launched a new website (www.wstyler.com), which will take visitors to a homepage with access to the company’s Industrial, Screening and Architectural Groups.

LAZ Parking has been selected to provide hospitality parking services for South Florida’s newest cultural playground: 1111 Lincoln Road (www.1111lincolnroad.com). Situated in the heart of Miami Beach at the entrance to Lincoln Road’s famed pedestrian promenade and retail showplace, LAZ Parking’s latest facility is part of  a “live, work, play” environment that encompasses 13 retail concept stores, 110,000 square feet of fully leased office space, a 300-space parking facility, four restaurants, an event space and five luxury residences.

John P. Bachner has been appointed Executive Director of the National Lighting Bureau (NLB). Established in 1976, it is an independent, not-for-profit, lighting-education organization sponsored by professional societies, trade associations, manufacturers, utilities and US government agencies.  Bachner has served as the NLB’s Communications Director since 1976, providing services via Bachner Communications.

TagMaster, a producer of advanced RFID solutions, has received a 5MSEK order for a vehicle access control system related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in October in India. The government installation will control access of vehicles to and from the arenas and other venues in the Delhi area for security and protection purposes. The company’s local distributor, Pepperl+Fuchs (India), will assist in the implementation.

Record numbers of technical papers and exhibitors await attendees of the Third International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib) Congress, in what promises to be a landmark event for those involved in the concrete, building and bridge industries. To be held May 27-30 in conjunction with the 2010 PCI Annual Convention and Bridge Conference outside Washington, DC,  the Fédération Internationale du Béton Congress has attracted extensive US and international interest. With more than 500 papers and 100,000 square feet of exhibits, it will be the largest event in PCI’s 56-year history. For more information or to register, visit www.pci.org.

The six-level, 1,400-space Sony Electronics Parking Structure, located at the company’s office campus in San Diego, accommodates staff of the newly built adjacent Sony Office Building. International Parking Design, architect of record for the structure, utilized “green” building practices, including incorporation of a bio-swale stormwater treatment system, photovoltaic panels on the roof level, and assigned spaces for vanpools and low-emission and energy-efficient vehicles.

After 32 years with System Parking and in the parking industry, most recently in the Orlando, FL, market, Tom Phillips has moved on to pursue other opportunities.  He currently is an agent with Keller Williams Realty in Orlando and works as a private consultant. Contact him at (407) 580-8757 or taprealtor@earthlink.net

Standard Parking Corp. has been awarded two three-year contracts with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to manage the operation and maintenance of shuttle bus services at Reagan National  and Dulles International airports. The company will operate a fleet of more than 70 buses, transporting about 6 million passengers and employees annually between terminals, parking lots, garages and, in the case of Reagan National,  the consolidated rental car facility. Standard will begin services at the airports on April 1

BOSS Software, the makers of the BOSScars and BOSScops suite of campus safety software, has introduced BOSScars 6.2, a version developed to meet the ever-changing needs of school parking offices.  Developers worked to provide clients with the most relevant, user-friendly campus parking software available. The changes implemented in the 6.2 version center on web customizability.  For example, schools are now able to request more information at login to the BOSScars system, such as license plate or driver’s license numbers.

Howard P. Lewis, representing the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), has been elected chair of the National Lighting Bureau (NLB), an independent, not-for-profit, lighting-education organization. Also elected to NLB offices were Vice Chair Cary S. Mendelsohn of Imperial Lighting Maintenance Co., representing the  interNational Association of Lighting Management Companies (NALMCO); and Secretary/Treasurer James M. Yorgey, P.E., L.C., Technical Applications Manager for NLB sponsor Lutron Electronics Co.

The Walker Parking Board of Directors has approved the following promotions: Kenneth  “Casey” Wagner, P.E., named a Vice President, will remain Managing Principal of the firm’s Houston office.  Christopher Brennan, P.E., named a Principal, serves as Director of Operations for the Boston office. Gregory Neiderer, P.E., has been named Restoration Department Head for Walker Restoration Consultants in Philadelphia. James Pudleiner, P.E., was named Director of Operations of the Philadelphia office.  Joseph Juzwiak, P.E., has been promoted to MEP Department Head.  Also, several members of Walker Parking recently passed engineering standards examinations, including Kyle D. Stanish, S.E., P.E., Project Manager in the Chicago office; Kathryn E. Stairs, P.E., Design Engineer in the Philadelphia office; and Project Engineer Christopher J. Gradziel, P.E., and Design Engineer Brandon C. Schrenker, P.E., both in the Boston office. 

Gameday Management Group received a Silver Award in the Event Services category at the 2009 SportBusiness Sports Event Management Awards.  The company was honored for excellence in its transportation management services during Super Bowl XLIII. The black-tie awards ceremony was Nov. 10 at Lord's Cricket Ground in London.  

Green Courte Partners, a private equity real estate investment firm targeting niche sectors, has promoted both Ami A. Shah and Marnie C. Helfand to Vice President.  Shah will continue and expand upon her existing role within the firm’s Retail Asset Management group. Helfand will do likewise within its Capital Markets group.

Poly-Carb Inc., a division of Dow Formulated Systems, has launched a new website designed to share news and information about its Asset Preservation model: www.dowassetpreservation.com.  The company says Asset Preservation is a visionary way of investing in preservation that extends the service life of road infrastructure and enhances safety with bridge deck, pavement safety marking and parking infrastructure systems.

Service Tracking Systems (STS) recently added a credit card processing system interface between Computerized Valet Parking Systems (CVPS) and Six Card Solutions, formerly 3C. This interface is currently in place at a premier hotel at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. It is used at self-serve kiosks in the hotel lobby. STS says its dedication to servicing clients has led to development of a growing list of interface capabilities, including credit card processing applications and hotel management and flight monitoring systems.

Royce Integrated Solutions (RIS), a leading provider of security related products designed for parking, access control and CCTV systems, has expanded operations, opening a regional office in Atlanta. The strategic Georgia location and the addition of key personnel, with their extensive knowledge of the security industry, will allow the company to better serve its vast clientele, President and CEO Mitchell Bell said.

The Maryland and Potomac Chapters of the American Society of Landscape Architects recently recognized the Rowan Boulevard Redevelopment Plan in Glassboro, NJ, with an Award of Merit, which recognizes superior professional accomplishment.  TimHaahs has provided parking study services, which included a supply-and-demand study, as well as financial feasibility for structured parking. This revitalization project is a private-public partnership linking Rowan University's main campus with the borough's downtown.

The Convention Program Planning Committee of the National Parking Association (NPA) recently met to review proposals for the 2010 Parking Show of Shows, to be held Oct. 11-14 at the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center in Boston. Serving on the committee are Bobby Williams of MarcParc Inc., chairman; Herb Anderson, Colleen Niese and Julian Jones of Impark; Julienne Bramesco of Colonial Parking; Roy Carter of Toledo Ticket Co.; Mark Curtis of Pacific Cascade Corp.; Robert Kane of Federal Signal Corp.; William Kilpatrick of the New Haven (CT) Parking Authority; Andrew Hill of Walker Parking Consultants; Bryan Geoffrey of Universal Parking of America; Tim Maginn of T2 Systems; Jim Newcomer of Amano McGann; Kathy Phillips of Alliant Insurance Services; Jeff Pinyot of ECO Parking Lights; Kevin Shrier of PRG Parking Management; Jerry Skillet of Central Parking Corp.; William Wendt  of Cornell University; Rick Wilson of Ampco System Parking; and Peter Young  of Digital Printing Systems.

Krista Altok Tassa, President of MobileNow!, said the company’s ParkNow! solution has been selected for a pilot project in downtown  Bethesda, MD., encompassing some 1,250 parking spaces and on-street meters. This pilot marks its largest US  installation to date. “We are delighted to launch this project in Montgomery County since Bethesda ... should be well-suited to adoption of new technologies such as paying for parking through cell phone, Rick Siebert, Chief of the MCDOT’s Property Development and Planning Section, said,  “We conducted a full RFP process to select our vendor for the pay-by-cell pilot program. We believe that (MobileNow!) will be a great partner for the project.”

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia has successfully deployed the Genetec Omnicast IP video surveillance and the Synergis IP access control solution to protect the historic sporting venue and the 100,000 sports enthusiasts who visit the stadium on a regular basis. With further expansion on the horizon, Omnicast is managing about 400 Pelco cameras in tandem with Synergis, which controls more 70 back-of-the-house doors equipped with HID readers. The successful deployment of the new integrated system was made possible by the collaborative involvement of Genetec’s Australian distributor, Open Platform Systems, and Integrators Australia.

Cambridge Architectural said its metal fabric system offers an upscale building façade while beautifully manipulating light at Closson’s Design Center in Oakley, OH. The company has been the preeminent resource in Cincinnati area for fine art, furniture and interior design accessories and services since 1866.  On opening a new wing of the design center, Closson’s said it drew inspiration from its impressive history, expertise and artistic eye to create a facility with unique visual appeal and useful design.

McCarthy Building Cos. recently reached the halfway point in concrete construction on the new 2.3 million-square-foot Terminal 3 parking structure at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. One of the nation’s leading parking structure builders, McCarthy celebrated the midpoint of construction after completing the pour of the 63rd concrete deck. The project comprises 126 structural post-tensioned garage deck pours, and an additional 14 pours for the structure’s circular concrete helix entry ramp. Construction of the $121.7 million parking structure began in December 2008. "Delivering this project to the owner on-time remains a top priority,” said Ryan Heeter, a McCarthy Project Director. “We will continue to move forward with multiple deck pours per week in anticipation of a December 2010 completion.”

Hospital Parking Management (HPM), a subsidiary of Seven One Seven Parking Enterprises, a leading provider of parking management and valet and transportation services, has announced an agreement with All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL, to provide its patients, visitors, and employees with valet parking, shuttle services, and garage attendants.   “When we begin work with a new medical facility, our entire executive team gets involved to ensure a proper implementation,” said HPM President Jason Accardi.  “(The hospital) has been a fantastic partner from the first meetings all the way through to implementation.”

AMAG Technology has announced that the full line of its Symmetry M2150 intelligent controllers has received UL 294 certification indicating full compliance with applicable  standards and requirements by Underwriters Laboratories. The Symmetry M2150 range of controllers provides distributed intelligence and ensures complete system security, resilience and reliability, the company says. When integrated with Symmetry security management software, the M2150 controller range is designed to deliver a seamless security management system while maintaining a low cost of ownership.

The city of Norfolk, Virginia was able to collect nearly $35K on outstanding parking citation debt in November and over $55K in under three months as a result of using T2 Citation Collection Services (CCS).  When starting the collections process with T2 CCS the city had approximately $5M in past due parking debt which had been turned over for Third Party Collections to CCS.  Norfolk had been working with a different vendor but turned to T2 CCS when the five-year contract expired.   “We decided to partner with CCS in part due to the success they’ve had with helping other organizations and because of their customer-oriented approach,” said Lisa Copeland, accountant for the city’s parking division.  The current parking administrator, Linda Davis, said “Overall, I too am very pleased with T2 and know we have ‘traded up’ by switching to them.”

Osram Opto Semiconductors has completed the construction and process-testing phases for the world's most modern LED chip production plant, located in Penang, Malaysia. Regular production of LED chips has now commenced at the plant. These 4-inch-wafer-based indium gallium nitride (InGaN) semiconductor chips form the basis for the blue, green and white LEDs used primarily in architectural and general lighting, for display backlighting, and in mobile terminal devices. The Penang facility makes Osram the first LED manufacturer with high-volume chip production facilities in both Europe (Regensburg, Germany) and Asia.

Genetec announced that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has selected Omnicast, its IP video surveillance solution, as the managing platform for the perimeter intrusion detection system (PIDS) of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Omnicast is intended to be used in conjunction with other state-of-the-art security technology to secure several official Olympic sites and sporting venues. A few features of the system that interested the RCMP were its network-based open architecture, which allows for infrastructure flexibility and choice of best-of-breed hardware, as well as its interactive alarm management and advanced graphical mapping capabilities.

Park Square at Doral recently completed a new parking garage for its office and retail development in Doral, FL. Using woven metal fabrics from GKD-USA, Shoma Development Corp. and Zyscovich Architects said they were able to produce a unique, durable and aesthetically pleasing garage. “Because the parking garage is intermixed with office buildings and retail, it is important that it be aesthetically pleasing. Our client also wanted us to design a garage with easy maintenance and open ventilation -- all for a reasonable price,” said Suria Yaffar, Principal and Director of Design for the architectural firm.  To help keep project costs down, GKD worked with Project Manager Adriana Santana to incorporate its woven metal fabrics into the design.

Larry G. Griffis, P.E., President of the Structures Division and Senior Principal with Walter P Moore, has been presented with the James M. Delahay Award from the National Council of Structural Engineers Association. It recognizes outstanding individual accomplishments toward the development of building codes and standards.

Nova Bus is pleased to announce that Connecticut Transit (CT Transit) has selected Nova Bus to provide 35 LFS Artic buses, with options on an additional 35 articulated vehicles over a four-year period.  CT Transit, whose divisions serve 7 metropolitan areas throughout the state of Connecticut, including Hartford, New Haven and Stamford, selected a mix of clean-diesel and hybrid drives for its articulated vehicles, with deliveries starting in late 2010.Valued at approximately $60 million, the order will be assembled at Nova Bus’ Plattsburgh, NY plant. The company was selected particularly for its product design and performance, price and delivery schedule. 

Central Parking System, Inc. announced that the Company finalized an amendment to its debt agreement, effective December 24, 2009. Among other things, the amendment modified the financial covenant beginning for the quarter ending December 31, 2009 through 2012. The amended debt agreement, combined with the cash generative nature of the business, provides the Company with an enhanced ability to grow organically and through acquisitions. It also enables the acceleration of investments in a number of strategic development and technological initiatives that are in various stages of process. All of these measures will serve to enhance Central Parking’s service to its clients and customers.

Digital Monitoring Products (DMP) has received authorization from Underwriters Laboratories to apply the UL mark to the XT Series TM Burglary/Fire/Door Access Control Panels, the Model 263G Digital Cellular Communicator, and the 7360/7363 Icon Series Keypads. The new UL listings will be in addition to the existing ETL listings.

AMAG Technology is proud to announce that it is a 2009 Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) winner!  WRAP recognizes California businesses and nonprofit organizations for their outstanding waste reduction efforts and lets the community know the business takes waste reduction seriously.  Winners are recognized locally and nationally for their efforts to reduce, reuse, recycle and buy recycled products.