Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Architecture, Engineering, Materials Science |
| Founded | 1956 |
| Founder | Jack R. Janney |
| Headquarters | Northbrook , United States |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Investigation, analysis, testing, and repair design of historic and contemporary structures |
Number of employees | 600+ |
| Website | www |
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) is a U.S.-based company comprising architects, engineers, and materials scientists who focus on the investigation, analysis, testing, and repair design of both historic and contemporary structures. Established in 1956 and headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, WJE employs more than 600 professionals distributed among 20 offices nationwide. Their specialties include architectural, structural, and civil engineering; materials conservation; chemistry; petrography; and testing instrumentation.
20th century
The firm originated in 1956 when Jack R. Janney launched Janney and Associates during the era of interstate construction spurred by the Federal-Aid Highway Act. Janney’s expertise in prestressed concrete earned recognition from the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, leading him to collaborate with engineer Jack Wiss in 1957 to form Wiss and Janney Associates. Dick Elstner joined the team in 1961, resulting in the current company name, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Among their early significant undertakings was conducting full-scale load testing for the 1964 New York World's Fair, commissioned by the United States National Academy of Sciences. Since 1970, WJE has continuously provided condition evaluations and rehabilitation services for Soldier Field in Chicago.
- 1964 – 1964 New York World's Fair, New York City – complete load testing
- 1970–Present – Soldier Field, Chicago – ongoing condition assessments and restoration
WJE Projects throughout the 1980s
- 1981 – Kansas City Hyatt collapse – Kansas City, Missouri
- 1985–Present – Baha'i Temple, investigation and repair of ornamental concrete
- 1988 – Aon Center (Chicago) – examination and recladding of marble panels
Following the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, WJE played a role in reassembling wreckage to assist with crash investigation. Additionally, from 1991 to 2005, WJE led a multidisciplinary effort addressing deterioration and modernization at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C..
WJE projects
- 1991-2005 – Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts – investigation, preservation planning, and rehabilitation design
- 1996 – TWA Flight 800 – reconstruction of aircraft components for forensic evaluation
- 1998 – Cape Hatteras Lighthouse – preservation efforts including instrumentation for relocation
- 1998–Present – Wacker Drive – structural integrity studies supporting reconstruction
- 1999 – Alcatraz Cellhouse – stabilization measures and seismic upgrades
2000-Present
In recent decades, WJE has completed major investigations and restorations at sites such as Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial, New York Public Library, Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, and façade restoration at the American Museum of Natural History. The firm also performed planning analyses for Aloha Stadium and material evaluations following the I-580 connector collapse within the MacArthur Maze.
In August 2006, Massachusetts contracted WJE to conduct a thorough safety review of the Central Artery/Tunnel project ("Big Dig"), completing this audit within three months. The following year, MnDOT engaged WJE to investigate the I-35W Bridge collapse by overseeing removal and dismantling of structural elements for examination by the NTSB.
After the 2011 earthquake, WJE was commissioned by the National Park Service to evaluate damage to the Washington Monument; their Difficult Access Team conducted detailed exterior inspections. In response to Hurricane Sandy in 2012, WJE addressed numerous assessment requests across affected regions.
In 2013, WJE examined sagging in the Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge deck caused by pier settlement and designed temporary stabilization solutions. Between 2005 and 2015, WJE performed phased corrosion assessments on the Gateway Arch’s stainless steel surface using industrial rope access techniques to inspect difficult-to-reach sections of the 630-foot monument.
These engagements underscore WJE’s proficiency in structural investigation, restoration design, and materials evaluation, solidifying its position as a leader in infrastructure assessment and preservation services within engineering disciplines.
WJE Projects from 2000 to Present
- 2001 – Poplar Street Complex – East St. Louis, Illinois – Seismic Enhancement and Redundancy Upgrade
- 2005 – Hurricane Katrina – New Orleans, Louisiana – Structural Damage Assessment
- 2006–2007 – Big Dig (Boston, Massachusetts) – Extensive Safety Review
- 2007 – Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum – Austin, Texas – Plaza Condition Investigation and Restoration
- 2007 – Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial – Put-in-Bay, Ohio – Monument Condition Evaluation and Repair
- 2007 – I-35W Bridge – Minneapolis, Minnesota – Investigation Following Collapse
- 2007 – Illinois State Capitol – Springfield, Illinois – Reconstruction of House Chamber Laylight
- 2007 – Blackstone Hotel – Chicago, Illinois – Exterior Facade Evaluation
- 2007 – Aloha Stadium – Honolulu, Hawaii – Structural Certification Services
- 2007 – MacArthur Maze - Bay Area, California – Condition Survey and Materials Analysis
- 2011 – Washington Monument - Washington, D.C. – Earthquake Impact Assessment and Repair Guidance
- 2012 – Hurricane Sandy – New Jersey and New York – Investigation of Storm Damage Claims
- 2013 – Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge – Green Bay, Wisconsin – Failure Analysis and Temporary Stabilization Design
- 2015 – Gateway Arch – St. Louis, Missouri – Corrosion Study and Historic Structure Documentation
Firm and Project Awards
- Alcatraz Cellhouse – San Francisco, California
California Preservation Foundation: Design Award (Craftsmanship), 2005; International Concrete Repair Institute: Award of Excellence (Historic Structures), 2005
- Blackstone Hotel – Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence, 2008; Gold Award for Excellence in Masonry from Illinois Indiana Masonry Council, 2008; Silver Design Award from Association of Licensed Architects, 2008; Midwest Construction Project of the Year, 2008
- Eldridge Street Synagogue – New York, New York
New York Landmarks Conservancy: Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award, 2008
- Hyatt Regency Hotel – Atlanta, Georgia
International Concrete Repair Institute: Outstanding High-Rise Project of the Year, 2006
- Illinois State Capitol – Springfield, Illinois
Executive Director's Award for Pride in Partnership; Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award, 2007
- Metropolitan Museum of Art – New York, New York
New York Landmarks Conservancy: Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award, 2005
- State Bar of California Building – San Francisco, California
Structural Engineers Association of Northern California Award of Excellence (Retrofit/Alteration), 2007; IDEAS² Presidential Award for Excellence in Structural Engineering, 2008
- Harden Wind Engine
SEAONC Award of Merit for Historic Preservation, 2007
- American Museum of Natural History – New York, New York
Preservation League of New York State: Excellence in Historic Preservation Award, 2010
- Baha'i House of Worship – Wilmette, Illinois
International Concrete Repair Institute: Award of Merit in both 2010 and 2011
- New York Public Library – New York, New York
New York Landmarks Conservancy: Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award, 2011
- Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa – Asheville, North Carolina
Historic Hotels of America: Best Preservation Success Story, 2010
- Sather Gate at University of California, Berkeley – Berkeley, California
California Preservation Foundation: Design Award, 2010
- Savery Hall at University of Washington – Seattle, Washington
MCAA Tribute to Exemplary Achievements in Masonry Award, 2011
- Holy Name Cathedral – Chicago, Illinois
SEAOI Award of Excellence, 2011
- Congregation Sherith Israel – San Francisco, California
California Preservation Foundation: Preservation Design Award, 2011
- New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwartzman Building – New York City
American Institute of Architects (AIA): Institute Honor Award for Architecture, 2013
- Eisenhower Executive Office Building – Washington, D.C.
General Services Administration: Design Award, 2014
- National September 11 Memorial and Museum – New York City
AIA Honor Award (Interior Architecture), Building Design+Construction Team Gold Award, American Architectural Foundation Oculus Award for Leadership in Design and Cultural Heritage (all awarded in 2015)
- Mount Moriah Cemetery Gatehouse – Philadelphia
Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia: Grand Jury Preservation Achievement Award, 2018