Sweet Home Chicago
Langan Wins Work in and around the Windy City
Following his internship with Langan in the spring of 2001, Andrew Uttan considered joining as a full-time employee but also wanted to move to Chicago, where the firm was not located at the time. So, he made the tough decision to head to the Windy City and grow his career as a successful site/civil engineer. Langan also grew, opening a Chicago office in 2021 and welcoming back Uttan—20 years later—to lead the firm’s site/civil discipline in the city he calls home.
“While my story is unique, I am not the only established professional who joined Langan to help drive the firm’s expansion throughout the country,” said Uttan, Associate Principal. “For those of us who have worked elsewhere, we mean it when we say that Langan is the best place to practice our craft, grow our careers, and be recognized for the value we bring to the business.”
Uttan has been an impact player for Langan’s Chicago practice where, in just three years, the office has grown to nearly 35 staff, including a mix of Chicagoans and firm transfers. The office provides Langan’s full suite of integrated services, including site/civil, geotechnical, environmental, traffic, survey, landscape architecture, natural resources, and hazardous materials consulting. This range of expertise enables the local team to lead myriad projects ranging from residential buildings in the heart of Chicago to land-based casinos in the suburbs to renewable energy and data center developments across the Midwest.
Renewable energy has become a central focus in the region since Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed Public Act 102-1123 into law in January 2023. This law bans local authorities from enacting local ordinances that would prohibit or hinder the development of solar and wind energy facilities. Langan’s Chicago team quickly sprang into action in response to this legislation, collaborating with the firm’s national renewable energy experts to support these developments throughout Illinois. This rapid response has since led to project opportunities in Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Kentucky. Additionally, the team works closely with Langan offices in Cleveland and Pittsburgh to provide project support as needed.
