Congratulations to the entire project team behind the University of Minnesota Fraser Hall on winning the Education category at the 2026 Minnesota Real Estate Journal's 2026 Real Estate Awards Ceremony last night! (ERA's Rebecca Gordon is shown in the photo on the left).
The reimagined Fraser Hall transforms a historic 1929 law library into a modern hub for chemistry education and research, pairing a full renovation with a 94,000-square-foot addition overlooking the Mississippi River. By reinvesting in existing campus infrastructure while creating state-of-the-art learning environments, the project stands as a powerful example of thoughtful, future-focused academic development.
•Owner: University of Minnesota
•Architect: BWBR, VJAA Inc.
•Contractor: Mortenson
•Structural Engineer: ERA Structural Engineering
•Civil Engineer: PIERCE PINI & ASSOCIATES, INC.
•Mechanical & Electrical Engineer: Dunham Associates, Inc.
•Landscape Architect: Damon Farber Landscape Architects
#ThinkBeyondTheBeam #FraserHall
Congratulations to the entire project team behind the Mystic Lake Amphitheater on winning the Entertainment/Restaurant - South category at the 2026 Minnesota Real Estate Journal's 2026 Real Estate Awards Ceremony last night!
Set to open this June, the new 19,000-seat venue is now Minnesota’s largest outdoor amphitheater and a major addition to the entertainment landscape in the City of Shakopee, MN.
•Owner & Contractor: Swervo Development Corporation
•Architect: Shea, Inc.
•Structural Engineer: ERA Structural Engineering
•Other partners: LeJeune Steel Company, Danny's Construction Company, LLC
#ThinkBeyondTheBeam #MysticLakeAmphitheater
Congratulations Rebecca Gordon on winning "Engineer of the Year" at last night's Minnesota Real Estate Journal's 2026 Real Estate Awards Ceremony!
We celebrate Rebecca’s leadership not only for her technical expertise, but for the lasting impact she’s made on projects, people, and communities across the country. Congrats Rebecca and all the other nominees and winners!
#ThinkBeyondTheBeam #StructuralEngineering #WomenInAEC
Congratulations to the entire project team behind The Finch on winning the Multifamily Market Rate - Suburbs category Award at the 2026 Minnesota Real Estate Journal's 2026 Real Estate Awards Ceremony last night!
The Finch is helping redefine what inclusive, design-forward multifamily living can look like — pairing neuro-inclusive affordable housing with hospitality-inspired amenities, sustainable design, and meaningful community impact. From achieving NGBS Silver certification to helping catalyze major public infrastructure and park improvements in Edina, this project is a powerful example of thoughtful development creating lasting value beyond the building itself.
•Developers: Solhem Companies, Lumen Design & Development
•Architect: Momentum Design Group
•Contractor: Ironmark Building Company
•Structural Engineer: ERA Structural Engineering
•Civil Engineer & Landscape Architecture: Civil Site Group, PC
•Lender: Minnwest Bank
•Interior Design: Martha Dayton Design, U+B Architecture and Design
#ThinkBeyondTheBeam #TheFinch
What a night! We're humbled and honored to receive the "Engineering Firm of the Year" award from Minnesota Real Estate Journal's 2026 Real Estate Awards Ceremony in Minneapolis, MN last night.
We congratulate Emanuelson-Podas as a finalist, and all of the other deserving companies nominated this year!
#ThinkBeyondTheBeam #Awards #StructuralEngineering
Way to go, Mike Steenson! ERA Structural Engineering's President received Finance & Commerce's inaugural 2026 C-Level & Leadership Award at last night's ceremony in Minneapolis, MN.
We are proud to see Mike recognized as a leader who has made a lasting impact on both our organization and the industry. ERA teammates Jamie Richardson and Michele Ramler joined to support Mike at this special celebration. Kudos to all of the 43 honorees making a difference in the Twin Cities business community!
#ThinkBeyondTheBeam #ERATeam #Leadership #StructuralEngineering
It’s our pleasure to welcome Andy McDonald as a Structural Modeler III to ERA Structural Engineering. Andy brings experience in structural modeling and design across a variety of project types, including healthcare clinics, precast warehouses, and multi-level wood apartment buildings. We’re glad you’re with us, Andy!
To learn more about Andy, click /team/andy-mcdonald/
#WeThinkBeyondTheBeam #ERATeam #StructuralEngineering
Please welcome Jeremy Hughes to ERA Structural Engineering as a Sr. Structural Modeler. Jeremy brings experience in structural design and BIM leadership across a wide range of project types, including commercial, multi-family, healthcare, and institutional buildings. Glad to have you on board, Jeremy!
To learn more about Jeremy, click /team/jeremy-hughes/
#WeThinkBeyondTheBeam #ERATeam #StructuralEngineering
The structure is nearly complete on a new 3-story, 128,000 sf high-end wellness destination in the City of Las Vegas, NV designed to support a range of athletic and recreational uses.
The structure, engineered by ERA Structural Engineering, utilizes composite steel framing, along with load-bearing tilt-up concrete shear walls. The structural design supports large open spaces, long-span framing conditions, and the demanding program requirements of a modern wellness facility.
Great work by Brett Notvedt, John Lyrenmann, Matt Saltness and the rest of the team as this project continues to move forward. We look forward to seeing this health club take shape.
#ThinkBeyondTheBeam #ERATeam #StructuralEngineering #HealthClub #LasVegas
ERA Structural Engineering’s #SE2050 Embodied Carbon Champion, Mariah Fournier, attended the second annual #SE2050 Signatory Summit in Boston, held in conjunction with the SEI - Structural Engineering Institute Structures Congress.
The summit brought together firms from across the country to share practical strategies for reducing embodied carbon, with discussions focused on data-driven design, evolving reporting expectations, and the use of tools such as LCA platforms to support decarbonization efforts.
These insights continue to inform our approach as an #SE2050 signatory member, shaping how we evaluate materials, track data, and support lower-carbon structural solutions.
Interested in learning how to reduce lower embodied carbon in your building’s structure? Reach out to Marshall Abrahamson at [email protected] to schedule an AIA-accredited presentation.
#ThinkBeyondTheBeam #ERATeam #StructuralEngineering #EmbodiedCarbon
ERA Structural Engineering was proud to sponsor and participate in the 2026 ASCE Western Great Lakes Student Symposium, hosted in partnership with the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas.
Thank you to Nahum Yelizarov and Rose Milavitz for volunteering as Steel Bridge judges, and to Matt Kahle and Jack Maghrak for representing ERA at the career fair and connecting with students from across the upper Midwest.
We’re always excited to support the next generation of engineers and the future of our industry. Interested in connecting with ERA? Reach out to our team at [email protected] to learn more about opportunities.
#ThinkBeyondTheBeam #ERATeam #ASCE #StructuralEngineering #FutureEngineers
Recently, we celebrated the groundbreaking of Terasă —transforming the former West End Office Park site at 5401 Gamble Drive into a vibrant, mixed-use destination.
This six-story development will bring 223 residential units and 21,000 SF of commercial space, including a grocer, with integrated underground parking. As a potential first phase of a larger redevelopment, Terasa represents a major investment in the continued evolution of this district.
At ERA Structural Engineering, we’re proud to help bring this vision to life alongside an outstanding team of partners:
▪ Developer: Hempel Real Estate
▪ Architect: Tushie Montgomery
▪ Contractor: Weis Builders
▪ Civil Engineering / EAW: Kimley-Horn
▪ City partner: City of St. Louis Park
With demolition completed in late 2025 and construction now underway, we’re excited to see Terasă rise through 2028.
Terasă rendering credit: Tushie Montgomery
#Groundbreaking #StLouisPark #MixedUse #StructuralEngineering #ERAEngineering #ThinkBeyondTheBeam
