October, 2009 – Inver Grove Heights, MN – Krech, O’Brien, Mueller and Associates recently began work on its sixteenth LongHorn Steakhouse, continuing its affiliation with the high-end purveyor of steaks, burgers and other Western fare.
Providing structural engineering services for LongHorn as it adds locations across the country, KOMA once again partnered with FRCH Design Worldwide out of Cincinnati on the single-story wood-framed structures. FRCH Design also was a KOMA partner on the American Girl project.
KOMA Structural Engineer Matthew Van Hoof, PE, said, “The work for LongHorn has been enjoyable because of the variety of challenges it presents. The current restaurant is being built in Louisiana, so – like with any new location – we’ve had to work to understand and adapt to the various local ordinances and building codes. The fact is that wind forces, snow and rain loads, seismic zones and other factors vary greatly from state to state, so we’ve had to go the extra mile to really understand the building sites and areas.”
Van Hoof continued, “Working with the great team at FRCH Design has really gone well. We found we were a good fit through our work with American Girl, and think our values, approach and work styles complement each other perfectly.”