Simon Property Group, Inc. (SPG), a major real estate investment trust, selected Atkins to provide civil engineering services as part of a larger project team, in connection with the Firewheel Town Center. The open air retail center emulates the traditional American Main Street; the “town square” is the center’s focal point. Atkins provided preliminary and final engineering design, wetland permitting, and survey services for the town center. Plans included water, sanitary, and storm utilities; detailed site grading; street paving; and several parking areas. A roundabout was designed to provide a focal point from the two main entrances, while a park with a central fountain anchored the north entrance to the center.

Working closely with SPG and the City of Garland, Atkins helped develop horizontal and vertical alignments for a six-lane divided thoroughfare separating the town center from Rowlett Creek. Construction plans for mass grading and erosion control were also completed by Atkins to move 1.5 million cubic yards of dirt for the town center and surrounding development. Firewheel Town Center encompasses over 1 million square feet of retail space and had a construction cost of approximately $190 million.

• Ecological services
• Environmental permitting
• Geomatics/surveying
• Infrastructure engineering
• Master planning and urban design
• Traffic engineering
• Transportation design
• Transportation planning
• Water infrastructure engineering

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