Schneider Structural Engineers
E Street Commons

Permafrost. Earthquakes. Snow loads. Hurricane-force winds. Building in Alaska means building for environmental extremes. The experts at Schneider Structural Engineers are known for finding creative and cost-effective solutions to meet these challenges. Projects range from a hotel in the Arctic Circle to an office building on Kodiak Island, plus military, education, medical and religious facilities. Established in 2003, the Anchorage branch of Schneider Structural Engineers combines small-office flexibility with the expertise and capacity of a larger firm.

“We take what the architect envisions, evaluate options and develop a
structure that maximizes form and function.” – Jeff Robertson


Alaska Railroad Freight Shed
St. Elias Specialty Hospital
Fitness Center Addition at Elmendorf Air Force Base
view project profile
E Street Commons
Bridge Restaurant

Structural Engineering for Extreme Conditions

  • The F-22 Squadron Operations Facility and Aircraft Hangar is a $38.9 million project at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska. The column-free 37,000-square-foot hangar for six aircraft is the first structure on the base to use buckling-restrained braced-frame seismic resisting (BRBF) technology. This provides a greater level of reliability in a large seismic event and is more economical than conventional steel bracing systems. < view project profile >
  • Our engineers peeled away the exterior of the Alaska Railroad Freight Shed in downtown Anchorage to add an energy-efficient core and shell. This will be the first historic building in Alaska to go “green” and be awarded LEED® certification. <view project profile>
  • We constructed a three-dimensional computer model of the St. Elias Specialty Hospital for engineering analysis, providing accurate steel weights for several different framing systems early in the design process.
  • The design of the Fitness Center Addition at Elmendorf Air Force Base suggests elements of flight in the angled roofline and entry canopy. Specialty details include super-elevated turns of the running track, exposed architectural and structural elements, plus seismic separation of this new structure from the adjacent structure.
  • Schneider Structural Engineers value-engineered the seismic retrofit of the 14-story McKinley Tower, damaged in the largest recorded earthquake in North America. Ultra-thin polymers that can attain twice the strength of steel were introduced as an affordable alternative to obtrusive concrete shear walls. <view project profile>
  • The strong architectural character of E Street Commons is supported by an innovative seismic load-resisting system, including curved structural steel column-free decks, an exterior glass elevator tower and angled exterior load-bearing walls.
  • The historic bridge spanning Ship Creek was converted into the contemporary Bridge Restaurant, supported by driven steel pipe piles. Architectural design and structural system are interwoven throughout with exposed beams, columns and unique detailing.