Seattle-based structural and civil engineering firm DCI Engineers Inc. has added a new right-of-way division to its Spokane office, where its expanded services have contributed to what’s likely to be record annual revenue. 

DCI Spokane-based principal Craig Crowley says the company, which currently employs 51 people in its Spokane office and 250 overall, is experiencing its most successful year yet.

“Companywide, our projected revenue for 2016 is up about 12 percent from 2015, which was a record year for us,” he says. 

He says the firm’s annual billings came to about $33.3 million in 2015, while this year it anticipates reaching $37 million. 

Crowley says the firm’s Spokane office is growing at a slightly quicker pace this year. It’s projected to reach $6.4 million in annual revenue, an increase of 16 percent over last year’s $5.5 million total. 

Last year, the firm moved its Spokane office into the former Evergreen Parking Garage building at 707 W. Second downtown. 

Crowley says some of DCI’s more recent projects include ongoing work with both Spokane Public Schools and the Central Valley School District, as well as the upcoming renovation of the downtown Macy’s building.

“We’ve seen some good growth,” says Crowley. “We may have started as an engineering firm, but there are many fields that relate well to the work we do, and we’re looking to expand services in those areas.”  

He says one such area the firm hopes to expand this year is its new right-of-way division headed by Roxanne Grimm. DCI hired Grimm, a certified mediator and licensed real estate broker, in May to lead the new division.

Formerly a regional manager for Torrance, Calif.-based Epic Land Solutions Inc., a real property/right of way consulting firm, Grimm also spent 10 years as a local agency coordinator and acquisition supervisor for the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Eastern Region. 

Right of way is described as the legal right, established by usage or grant, to pass along a specific route through grounds or property belonging to another. 

When a public entity proposes a project that will pass through private property, it must first reach an agreement with that property’s owners before the project can proceed.

“Most of what I do is acquiring private property for public use, or helping to necessitate infrastructure for public use,” Grimm says. 

In her work, Grimm says she acts as a kind of agent, working either for public agencies, helping them to acquire land for use in projects, or for private landowners, helping them navigate agreements or property sales.

“Essentially, I facilitate the transaction between those two parties,” she says. “It’s not a normal real estate transaction, and it can get confusing.”

Grimm says 80 percent of her work is contracted by state and federal agencies, and the remaining 20 percent is paid by private entities.

She says the process to obtain right of way can be a long one, lasting anywhere from two months to three years in some cases. 

According to Grimm, some of the reasons a project might take this long have to do with obtaining funding, design changes, and title issues.

“Most of DCI’s focus is on private work, while right of way is concerned mostly with public projects,” she says. “The two have very different funding sources, with public projects taking longer as a result.” 

It’s because of this process of securing funds and creating design plans that she’s able to hear about projects years in advance of their construction.

“A lot of my job is watching those funding distributions to see who’s applying, and getting what,” she says. “If I see that project will include a right-of-way phase, I will look to contact them and offer my services.”

Grimm says certain entities, such as the Washington State Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, keep a roster of consultants like herself and contact her if needed.

“This job is really about building relationships with contacts, following entities, and offering them my expertise on projects where I can help make the process go more smoothly,” she says.

Grimm says once she’s been hired, she works with surveyors and other professionals to research properties and appraise them, so a fair offer or agreement can be reached. She also helps to create relocation plans for buildings or personal property should a structure need to be moved or torn down.

“What a lot of people don’t realize is that there’s so much work going on behind the scenes,” she says. “The bottom line is that if the land isn’t acquired, the project can’t be put in.” 

Having worked for WSDOT for many years, Grimm says she’s seen the process of right of way from both an agency perspective and that of the private landowner. 

“I loved working at WSDOT, but my favorite part has always been sitting with property owners at their kitchen table and helping them understand the process,” she says. “There is a certain amount of fear that goes along with these transactions, so if you can bring a sense of compassion to the table, that’s a good thing.”

Crowley says some of DCI’s existing clients already have benefited from Grimm’s experience with right-of-way issues.

“DCI’s network of clients in the private sector has given her some new connections,” he says. “Overall, she’s an expert at facilitating on behalf of agencies, and she uses that expertise to help our private clients.”

Some of Grimm’s recent work includes rights-of-way acquisition and relocation efforts for projects like the University District pedestrian bridge, and the Riverside Extension Phase 2 of Martin Luther King Boulevard. 

One project Grimm says that she continues to watch closely is the North Spokane Corridor. 

“During my employment at WSDOT, our real estate team acquired hundreds of properties for the NSC project,” she says. “Since leaving WSDOT five years ago, I now am assisting private property owners whose properties are being acquired to navigate the process. I also am consulted by attorneys for advisory services.”

Grimm says she maintains a passion for the project, both because it is a needed transportation corridor and because of its impact on people, businesses, and homes. 

“It can be a very overwhelming and scary process,” she says. “We strive to facilitate and educate impacted owners so that they are able to fully understand the process and what their rights are.”

Looking ahead, Grimm says DCI’s right-of-way division is expected to expand first to include its Seattle office, and then companywide. She says she plans to add at least six new agents to the division by the end of 2017. 

In addition to its right-of-way division, DCI also is expanding its structure department, having recently hired two new people with industrial engineering experience.

Overall, Crowley says that multifamily housing is leading the urban markets in DCI’s West Coast offices, while the firm’s Spokane projects are more diverse.

“That helps to keep us from experiencing the same downturns other urban markets are subject to on occasion,” he says.

While there’s still a lot of demand for engineering work, like many other fields, engineering is still facing a labor shortage, he says.

“It’s difficult to find experienced people,” he says. “Going into this next year, we’ll be looking at leveling out our growth while still looking for those good strategic hires.”

In addition to its Spokane office, which opened in 1998, the firm has eight other offices, including one in Seattle, three in California, and one each in Oregon, Texas, and Alaska. This month, the firm also is working to open an office in Denver, which is expected to be its 10th overall.