Langan received a National Recognition Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) and a Diamond Award from ACEC NY for the St. John’s University Master Plan Survey. Langan surveyors mapped the transformation of this commuter school, in Jamaica Queens, NY, into an on-campus community. The project team was challenged to compile a strategy having the least impact on the University while supplying a design embellishing the tradition of the campus, suited to both the existing layout and the proposed architectural theme. After reviewing previous survey data, Langan learned that information was outdated and incomplete. Any proposed construction would impact the entire campus and adjoining neighborhoods. What was needed was a CADD based 3-D model and survey of the existing campus and its surrounding area as the beginning of a campus-wide Geographic Information System (GIS).

To meet this challenge, Langan proposed a unique survey cycle solution consisting of seven phases. Traditional and advanced survey techniques were combined, allowing Langan to complete the survey tasks in a step-by-step manner. The master plan survey was updated during each phase, while planning and design teams remained focused on site layout issues. This is the first time in the 130-year history that St. John’s University is able to offer on-campus housing, achieving its goal to offer a “Living and Learning” experience to students from a wider geographic area. The process was accomplished without disruption to the 15,000 existing commuter students.