Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Company typeArchitects, Engineers, Materials Science
Founded1956
FounderJack R. Janney
Headquarters
Northbrook, Illinois
,
U.S.
Number of locations
800+ employees in 30 locations throughout the United States in London.
Area served
United States and various international locations
Key people
William J. Nugent (CEO); Gary J. Klein (Senior Principal)
Websitewww.wje.com

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) is an American corporation of architects, engineers, and materials scientists specializing in the investigation, analysis, testing, and design of repairs for historic and contemporary buildings and structures. Founded in 1956, WJE is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, and has over 800 professionals across the United States. WJE personnel are specialized in architectural, structural, and civil engineering; materials conservation, chemistry and petrography, and testing and instrumentation.[1]

Services

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) offers a wide range of professional services in engineering, architecture, materials science, laboratory testing, field services, forensics, and design. These services support investigation, analysis, design, testing, troubleshooting, and evaluation for new and existing structures. According to the firm’s official website, WJE’s service offerings include: [2]

Engineering

  • Bridge engineering
  • Construction engineering
  • Fire protection and life safety
  • Geotechnical and geological engineering
  • Heavy movable structures
  • Materials engineering
  • Metallurgy and applied mechanics
  • Seismic engineering
  • Structural engineering

Architecture

  • Architectural finishes and materials
  • Building enclosures
  • Building science
  • Enclosure commissioning
  • Historic preservation

Laboratory

  • Materials evaluation and testing
  • Product development, evaluation, and testing
  • Research
  • Structural load and fatigue testing

Field

  • Building enclosure testing
  • Condition evaluation
  • Construction observation and troubleshooting
  • Difficult access and drone survey
  • Instrumentation and monitoring
  • Nondestructive evaluation
  • Structural load testing

Forensics

  • Failure and damage investigation
  • Litigation consulting

Design

  • Design-build
  • Design review
  • Repair and rehabilitation
  • Systems and components

As part of its services, WJE’s multidisciplinary team applies technical expertise across the built environment to provide solutions for complex structural and material challenges.

History

20th century

Jack R. Janney originally established WJE in 1956 as Janney and Associates. Earlier that year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower enacted the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, authorizing the construction of over 40,000 miles of roads for the interstate highway system. Working for the Portland Cement Association (PCA), Janney was recognized for his knowledge of prestressed concrete by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority and was offered a consulting position for a new construction project utilizing full scale load testing. During this time, Janney established his own firm with fellow engineer and neighbor Jack Wiss. In 1957, the company became Wiss and Janney Associates. In 1961, former PCA colleague Dick Elstner joined the company and it was renamed Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.[5]

Shortly thereafter, the United States National Academy of Sciences retained WJE to conduct full-scale load tests at the site of the 1964 New York World's Fair.[4]

Notable projects

1960–1980

  • New York World’s Fair – Queens, New York – Structural investigation and engineering consulting. [6]
  • U.S. Bureau of Mines – United States – Structural and materials evaluation. [6]
  • Lake Point Tower – Chicago, Illinois – Building enclosure evaluation. [6]
  • Soldier Field – Chicago, Illinois – Condition assessment and structural consulting. [6]
  • Woolworth Building – New York City, New York – Historic façade and preservation consulting. [6][7]
  • Willow Island cooling tower – West Virginia – Failure investigation and structural analysis. [6][8]

1981–1990

  • Kansas City Hyatt Regency – Kansas City, Missouri – Structural assessment and retrofit consulting. [6][9]
  • Rookery Building – Chicago, Illinois – Building enclosure and preservation consulting. [6][10]
  • Schoharie Creek Bridge – Schoharie, New York – Forensic structural investigation. [6][11]
  • Amoco Building – Chicago, Illinois – Façade condition evaluation. [6]
  • San Jacinto Monument – La Porte, Texas – Structural investigation and condition assessment. [6]

1991–2000

  • John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – Washington, D.C. – Enclosure consulting and structural evaluation. [6]
  • Seattle Kingdome – Seattle, Washington – Structural assessment and engineering consulting. [6][12]
  • Koror–Babeldaob Bridge – Palau – Bridge evaluation and structural consulting. [6][13]
  • TWA Flight 800 – Atlantic Ocean / New York – Forensic engineering investigation. [6][14]
  • Cape Hatteras Lighthouse – Buxton, North Carolina – Historic preservation and rehabilitation consulting. [6][15]
  • Alcatraz Cellhouse – San Francisco, California – Condition evaluation and preservation consulting. [6]

2001–2010

  • Hurricane Katrina – United States Gulf Coast – Post-disaster damage investigation and engineering consulting. [6][16]
  • Central Artery/Tunnel Project (Big Dig) – Boston, Massachusetts – Structural and building enclosure consulting. [6][17]
  • I-35W Mississippi River Bridge – Minneapolis, Minnesota – Bridge evaluation and forensic investigation. [6][18]
  • Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial – Put-in-Bay, Ohio – Condition assessment and preservation consulting. [6]
  • American Museum of Natural History – New York City, New York – Façade assessment and enclosure consulting. [6]
  • New York Public Library – New York City, New York – Exterior restoration and building enclosure consulting. [6]

2011–2020

  • National September 11 Memorial – New York City, New York – Structural evaluation and design support. [6][19]
  • United States national monuments – United States – Condition evaluation and preservation consulting. [6]
  • Washington National Cathedral – Washington, D.C. – Structural assessment and preservation consulting. [6][20]
  • Minnesota State Capitol – Saint Paul, Minnesota – Façade restoration and engineering consulting. [6]
  • Gateway Arch – St. Louis, Missouri – Structural assessment and repair consulting. [6][21]
  • Miami-Dade County Courthouse – Miami, Florida – Building enclosure and condition evaluation. [6]

2021–present

  • Old Cook County Hospital – Chicago, Illinois – Historic preservation and enclosure consulting. [6]
  • Old Chicago Post Office – Chicago, Illinois – Structural rehabilitation consulting. [6]
  • 30th Street Station – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Building envelope and condition assessment. [6]
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library – Washington, D.C. – Historic preservation and adaptive reuse consulting. [6]
  • Champlain Towers South – Surfside, Florida – Structural investigation and forensic engineering. [6][22]
  • Sixth Street Viaduct – Los Angeles, California – Structural engineering and construction support. [6]
  • New York Life Building – New York City, New York – Historic preservation and roof and cornice repair consulting. [6][23]

References

  1. ^ "Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.: Private Company Information - BusinessWeek". Investing.businessweek.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2012. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
  2. ^ https://www.wje.com/expertise/services
  3. ^ "GLFEA". www.glfea.org. Archived from the original on July 24, 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d "Alumni and Donors | College of Engineering & Applied Science| University of Colorado at Boulder". Colorado.edu. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
  5. ^ "McGraw-Hill Construction | ENR - 125 Years in ENR History". Enr.construction.com. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj "Selected Projects". Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Woolworth Building restoration work continues". The New York Times.
  8. ^ "Analysis of the Willow Island cooling tower collapse". Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities.
  9. ^ Beyond Failure: Forensic Case Studies. ASCE.
  10. ^ "Restoration of the Rookery Building". Chicago Tribune.
  11. ^ National Transportation Safety Board Bridge Collapse Report (Report).
  12. ^ "Engineering analysis precedes Kingdome demolition". The Seattle Times.
  13. ^ "Failure of the Koror–Babeldaob Bridge". Engineering Failure Analysis.
  14. ^ TWA Flight 800 Accident Report (Report). National Transportation Safety Board.
  15. ^ "Moving the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse". National Geographic.
  16. ^ Engineering Performance of Structures During Hurricane Katrina (Report). ASCE.
  17. ^ "Engineering reviews of the Big Dig". The Boston Globe.
  18. ^ Collapse of I-35W Highway Bridge (Report). National Transportation Safety Board.
  19. ^ "Engineering challenges at the 9/11 Memorial". Engineering News-Record.
  20. ^ "Engineering stabilization of Washington National Cathedral". The Washington Post.
  21. ^ "Engineering work supports Gateway Arch renovations". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  22. ^ Champlain Towers South Collapse Investigation (Report). National Institute of Standards and Technology.
  23. ^ "Preservation award highlights restoration of New York Life Building". Architectural Record.

References

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