Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 21 A P R I L 2 0 , 2 0 2 0 R E A L E S TAT E / C O N S T R U C T I O N / E N G I N E E R I N G if a few projects dry up but still pay colleagues well for work done on a short-term basis. "is lean approach allows us to be nimble in times like these," she says. "We can handle a lot of work, or we can handle a little work, and we try to do it all with grace." Like RDS, architecture firms all over Maine are adjusting to work- ing remotely and juggling workloads. ough no one knows how long the public health crisis will last, many are already starting to think about what building design might look like in a post-COVID-19 world, and what opportunities that may bring. Nationwide, half of architecture firms surveyed by the American Institute of Architects in late March reported fewer design projects for March compared with their expectations entering the month. e situation is expected to worsen in April, with 94% of firms expecting rev- enue declines, and more than half (57%) anticipating a slump of more than 10%. In Maine so far, the picture is mixed. 'One door closes, another door opens' SMRT Architects and Engineers, the state's largest ranked by revenue in a 2019 Mainebiz list, packed up its Portland waterfront office just before switching to remote operations. It's still planning a move to a 20,000-square-foot space, at 75 Washington Ave., as soon as business gets back to normal. e firm employs 125 people in total, including around 85 in Maine, with more than a dozen openings posted online in Portland; Andover, Mass.; and Albany, N.Y. It's hiring in strategic sectors, including mechanical engineering. "We have been hiring and we're excited to say that we are actually still looking for candidates," says the firm's president, Ellen Belknap. "We are in growth mode." Belknap, who's led the firm since 2004, needs people skilled at design- ing laboratories and other so-called high-performance, controlled and clean manufacturing environments. Clients in that niche include Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor and Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, Mass. Current Maine projects include the expansion of L.L.Bean's corporate headquarters in Freeport (currently in construction), Nordic Aquafarms' facility in Belfast (in design, awaiting permitting approval), Northern Light Mercy Hospital expansion in Portland (in construction) and the Maine Correctional Center in Windham (in design and construction). Switching gears early in the crisis, SMRT offered remote work as an option to all employees based on their personal and family circumstances before making it mandatory about a month ago. As Belknap leads remote operations, she is in constant communication with staff, sending an email to all employees after board meetings held every 48 hours and virtual fireside chats every Friday with more detailed updates about reve- nue, expenses and projections. ere was good news to share recently, on SMRT getting accepted for a loan under the federal Paycheck Protection Program shortly after submitting an application. Honesty, integrity and mutual respect are the values that guide us. Stephen Dumont, VP CONTACT (207) 490-5900 www.tpdconstruction.com CO N S T RU C T I O N M A N A G EM EN T s D E S I G N / B U I L D s G EN ER A L CO N T R A C T I N G C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » F O C U S We have been hiring and we're excited to say that we are actually still looking for candidates. We are in growth mode. — Ellen Belknap SMRT Architects and Engineers R E N D E R I N G S / C O U R T E S Y O F S M R T F I L E P H O T O S / T I M G R E E N WAY Ellen Belknap Ellen Belknap, , president of president of SMRT SMRT Once work returns to normal, Once work returns to normal, SMRT SMRT will move into new will move into new space at 75 Washington Ave. space at 75 Washington Ave. The Nordic Aquafarms The Nordic Aquafarms facility, designed by facility, designed by SMRT SMRT, in Belfast. It is now awaiting approval. , in Belfast. It is now awaiting approval. Jeana Stewart Jeana Stewart, certified , certified interior designer at interior designer at SMRT SMRT

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