Presbyterian Night Shelter Morris Foundation Women & Children’s Center
Fort Worth, TX
Expertise
- Community
Services
- civil engineering
- land surveying
Size
- 14,000 SF
BHB provided surveying and civil engineering design services for a 14,000 SF building dedicated to housing homeless women and children. The center was designed to provide a stable home environment for its occupants. Located on the east side of downtown Fort Worth, the center provides housing, counseling and social skills training necessary to integrate families back into society. The strength of the center’s design is found in simple, logical organization and durable materials.
Its spaces inform the user; the day room is large and open to the landscaped play area. The common sleeping area is distinguishable by rhythmic structural columns defining individual areas and small windows along the north and south walls. Private family rooms and suites are located upstairs, adjacent to the secure children’s activity area. Materials used throughout the center are meant to portray a simple, logical and secure environment. The center is intended to provide homeless women with children a secure environment where they can transition to a stable lifestyle in the community. The center is organized around a secured controlled entrance with a kitchen, dining area and day room forming one leg of the “L” shaped plan, with common and private sleeping quarters forming the other leg.
The program required a total occupancy of 100 women and children. The cost of the facility was $1.3 million. The project has traditional concepts of “home” to balance the realities of a transient life outside the front door. The new center, located at 1105 E. Presidio Street near the main shelter, has 40 private rooms for women and children. It also has office space for shelter partners, including Cook Children’s Medical Center, the Women’s Center of Tarrant County and the Fort Worth Independent School District.
Key People
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Austin Baird, PE, LEED AP
Austin Baird, PE, LEED AP
Principal | Senior Civil Engineer
By the time he was in high school, Austin Baird knew he wanted to be an engineer. After graduating high school, Austin began working at BHB in the field on a survey crew. While attending college at the University of Texas, Austin discovered his passion for civil engineering and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2001.
Austin is now a Principal with experience in design and project management. His experience includes municipal infrastructure, water resources, environmental engineering, drainage systems, transportation, and land development. He has been responsible for the engineering design of water, sewer, paving, and drainage systems, as well as close coordination with local municipalities, counties, TxDOT, TCEQ, and other governing agencies for construction permits, zoning changes, and site planning efforts.
Austin is an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, once President of the Fort Worth chapter, and has also served as President of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers Fort Worth Chapter. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and a Certified Professional in Erosion & Sediment Control.
Outside of work, Austin likes to spend time with his wife, Elizabeth, and their two kids, Jackson and Leah. He also enjoys cooking and traveling anywhere with a beach. Austin’s hidden talents include being a self-taught juggler and balloon artist.
Project Experience
Cresson Crossroads Industrial Park
Fort Worth Country Day Lou and Nick Martin Campus Center
Granbury Resort Conference Center
Early Learning Center
Park Hill Surgery Center
Presbyterian Night Shelter Morris Foundation Women & Children's Center
Saint Patrick Cathedral Parish Hall
Tarrant County Downtown Courthouse
TCU Ed & Rae Schollmaier Arena
Education
University of Texas:
Bachelor’s Degree/2001/Civil Engineering -
Trace Strevey, PE
Trace Strevey, PE
President | Senior Civil Engineer
Trace Strevey grew up around the construction industry and, although he always wanted to be a cowboy, building is in his blood. The majority of his 20+ year engineering career has been in the pursuit of diverse projects that are both challenging and rewarding.
His land development experience includes commercial, industrial, healthcare, and residential design, and his municipal engineering experience includes water distribution, wastewater system design, drainage studies, and roadway design. He has the proven ability to successfully coordinate with cities, counties, TxDOT, TCEQ, and other governing agencies for construction and environmental permits, zoning changes, and site planning approvals.
Project Experience
Cresson Crossroads Industrial Park
Park Hill Surgery Center
Presbyterian Night Shelter Morris Foundation Women & Children's Center
Rogers Road Pavilion
TCU Ed & Rae Schollmaier Arena
Education
Tarleton State University:
Bachelor’s Degree/1994/Agriculture
University of Texas at Arlington:
Bachelor’s Degree/1999/Civil Engineering -
John Margotta, RPLS
John Margotta, RPLS
Vice President of Land Surveying
John Margotta has been with BHB for over 20 years. Previously, John worked for a company that provided surveying services to BHB. Shortly after BHB added a surveying department, John joined the team and is now the head of the surveying department. He has provided field and office supervision on land surveying projects for public and privately funded projects, including the DFW Airport, City of Fort Worth, TXU Electric, Southwestern Bell Telephone Co., Trinity River Authority, Federal Aviation Administration, TxDOT, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Railtran, and Fort Worth Transportation Authority.
In high school, John held the rank of Master in the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (World Chess Federation). Outside of work, John loves cooking, football and karaoke. If he wasn’t a land surveyor, John would be a chef. “Cooking is very relaxing to me and I feel like I’m creating something good out of raw ingredients that may or may not taste good by themselves.” John’s favorite place to visit is New York City because he loves the different cultures, food, and architecture it has to offer.
John is an active member of the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors and the National Society of Professional Surveyors. He also volunteers for Skills USA, teaching high school-aged kids, who compete in local, state and national competitions, about land surveying.
John has two kids, a son who who graduated from The University of North Texas with a degree in graphic design, and a daughter who works for Mothers Milk Bank of North Texas, a nonprofit that collects breastmilk from healthy, nursing mothers who have a surplus and is dispensed to premature and fragile infants without access to their mother’s own milk. He also has one granddaughter. John’s favorite quote is from Winston Churchill, “Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts,” because he believes that one is never finished in life and even if you fail, at least you tried.
Project Experience
Catholic Charities of Fort Worth
Fort Worth Country Day Lou and Nick Martin Campus Center
Fort Worth Country Day Sid W. Richardson Visual Arts Center
Imperial Construction Office and Shop
Early Learning Center
Meadowview Estates Channel Improvements
Monterra Medical Campus
Park Hill Surgery Center
Presbyterian Night Shelter Morris Foundation Women & Children's Center
Rogers Road Pavilion
Saint Patrick Cathedral Parish Hall
Star-Telegram Building
Tarrant County Downtown Courthouse
Texas Wesleyan University Rosedale Renaissance
Education
ITT Technical Institute