Fall is upon us, and along with the usual lineup of football, colder weather, shorter days, and bigger waves, we also welcome the opening of ICON--the newest student housing complex at the University of California, Santa Barbara . ICON is a 21-unit development located at the top of the Embarcadero Loop, one block from the UCSB campus and two blocks from the beach. Offering living accommodations...
We are thrilled to announce that Amos Mellbom and Mounir El-Koussa have joined the ranks of our structural engineering team here at Ashley & Vance! Both Amos and Mounir have hit the ground running and have already completed a variety of projects in their first few weeks. We expected nothing less from a couple of graduates from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo--a University that prides itself on its Learn-by-Doing philosophy. Amos earned his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering and his graduate degree in Architectural Engineering. In addition to completing a rigorous course load, Amos'...
Yesterday we had the privilege of visiting one of our jobs under construction--the new home to Rosetta , and the newest addition to the East Airport Commerce Park. Knowing the collaborative effort that Jordan Denio, P.E. and Ian Shoebridge, P.E. put forth during the structural design, we expected it to be an impressive project, and being out there in person only confirmed our expectations. As one of the largest buildings under construction in San Luis Obispo County, its size is surpassed only by its efficiency. By utilizing wideflange...
For anyone who owned a TV in the 90’s, the word “roundhouse” often stirs up images of Chuck Norris in his role as Walker Texas Ranger . Whether he was saving a child from the clutches of a ruthless drug lord, or rescuing a woman from utter peril in the wilderness, the exploits of Norris' character often involved copious roundhouse kicks. The target mattered not--people's faces, hands clutching guns, trees in the path of...
With the ringing in of the New Year, we have many reasons to celebrate. For our firm, the two reasons that rise to the top of the list are the announcements of both Jeff Morgan and Ian Shoebridge obtaining their Professional Engineering licenses with the State of California! They are now the 8th and 9th licensed members of our company, making Ashley & Vance the only civil and structural engineering firm in the County with a fully licensed engineering staff. Be on the lookout for the next email or letter you receive from Ian or Jeff - it may just contain additional letters behind their...
To be clear, November 7th does not mark the day of the 3rd leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing—that would be the Belmont Stakes. These "steaks" will be of the celebratory kind, in honor of the one they are named after, R. Paul Belmont, P.E. You may be asking yourself, "Why celebrate Paul Belmont? And does he really deserve a barbecue in his honor where steaks will be served?" Great questions. While the answers to those questions are varied and numerous, the main one grabbing our attention on November 7th is that he'll...
Construction is nearly complete on the Tasting Room at Shale Oak Winery ! Conceived by Heidi Gibson of studio2G Architects and engineered by our very own Jordan Denio, P.E., the Tasting Room's many notable features include a full height stained glass wall, exposed steel frames, extremely tall ceilings, and a large cantilevered awning. In addition to its aesthetic appeal, the building is on track to receive LEED ...
The Santa Margarita Tavern at the corner of El Camino Real and Encina Avenue is nearing occupancy. In order to mitigate for the site’s expansive, clayey soils, project engineer Ian Shoebridge designed a mat slab foundation. Because the Tavern is being built alongside an existing structure, construction practices were considered from the outset and a full-height masonry wall was integrated into the design. CalTrans requested that the front awning be "removable" from the structure, so it will actually cantilever out over the sidewalk with a zero back span, providing cover to patrons making...
