Public engineering firm profile
Salem, MA
Setting a standard of excellence in Structural Engineering and Historic Preservation.
Structures North Consulting Engineers, Inc. is a structural engineering practice incorporated in 1997 and headquartered in Salem, Massachusetts. It has grown to become one of New England's preeminent consulting practices in historic preservation while maintaining a steady presence in commercial, institutional, and residential markets. Core capabilities include the evaluation, stabilization, restoration, and adaptive reuse of historic structures spanning masonry, timber, early steel, and cast iron. It also provides structural engineering for new construction.
Providing appropriate material treatments, design solutions, and intervention strategies to restore and save older structures of historical, architectural, or cultural significance.
Transforming existing built environments to accommodate modern functional requirements and accessibility standards while preserving architectural heritage.
Delivering complete structural engineering designs from initial project conception to completion across multiple sectors.
Utilizing advanced evaluation methods to diagnose damage, assess existing conditions, and understand internal structural health.
Employing detailed digital modeling to coordinate complex structural systems with other design disciplines and construction teams.
Topsfield, MA | McGinley Kalsow & Associates Inc. | Government
Renovation and new addition for this historic 1874 Victorian Eclectic town hall. The new addition connected to the existing building via a glass-and-wood link. The project featured Building Information Modeling (BIM), and the structure was modeled in 3D using AutoDesk's Revit software.
View project sourceHistoric Preservation
Adaptive reuse of an 1835 tenement building adjacent to the Paul Revere House. The project included a new elevator, accessible bathrooms, and a new exterior ramp connecting the second floor.
Newton, MA | Historic Preservation
Structural survey of entire 17th century structure and identification of deficiencies, reinforcement for modern loading and repairs, and construction of an attached addition with an elevator to replace a collapsing ell.
Historic Preservation
Comprehensive inspection of an early 19th-century fortress and subsequent additions, including evaluation of structural damage caused by natural elements and heavy bombardment during the Civil War, followed by structural analysis of critical elements.
Worcester, MA | Historic Preservation
Careful dismantlement of a Kirkbride-era clocktower after evaluation determined it could not be saved, preserving all existing stonework, and designing and monitoring the subsequent reconstruction of the clocktower.
Government
Stabilization of a historic civic tower.
Religious
Structural engineering services for the renovation of a historic religious building.
Religious
Preservation of a historic religious tower structure.
Historic Preservation
Adaptive reuse, stabilization, and restoration of a historic theater.
Newburyport, MA | Government
Restoration of a historic municipal city hall.
Commercial
Structural renovation of a commercial bank building.
Historic Preservation
Historic preservation and structural consulting.
Education
Structural engineering and renovation of Andover Hall at Harvard Divinity School.
Education
Restoration of historic structures at Harvard Divinity School.
Religious
Renovation and structural engineering for a religious building.
Education
Structural engineering for the renovation of a middle school building.
Government
Renovation of a public memorial building.
Marblehead, MA | Government
Structural engineering and renovation of a historic civic building.
Historic Preservation
Structural engineering services for the Simes House project.
Founder, Principal
P.E.
John Wathne is a structural engineer with over 35 years of professional experience and is the founder of Structures North. He is a nationally recognized expert in the evaluation, stabilization, and restoration of historic structures of all construction types, including dry laid and wet laid stone, fired clay masonry, wood stick and timber framing, and early steel and cast iron.
Principal
P.E.
Edward Moll is a principal at Structures North who has been in practice since 1982. He is a licensed structural engineer in seven states, with extensive experience spanning new construction, renovation, and historic preservation. He is also a past two-term president and founding officer of the Structural Engineering Association of Massachusetts.
Principal
P.E.
Greg Nowak is a registered professional structural engineer with over 20 years of practical project experience. His work includes the design of new structures, the evaluation, stabilization, and restoration of historic structures, and the adaptive reuse and renovation of existing buildings.
Structural Engineer
P.E.
Jeff Reese has been a structural engineer since 1998, starting his career with a focus on wood-frame construction and residential projects before expanding into commercial, retail, historic, and educational developments.
Associate
P.E.
Rebecca Woods is a licensed professional engineer in Massachusetts who joined the Structures North team in July 2021. She has experience working on both new and existing structures using a wide range of materials, including concrete, wood, steel, and concrete masonry units.
Structural Engineer, Preservation Designer
E.I.T.
Jillian Borghardt earned her Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Stony Brook University and a Master of Science in Structural Analysis of Historic Constructions and Monuments from the University of Minho in Portugal. Her specialization includes non-destructive diagnostic techniques such as sonic tomography and ground-penetrating radar.
Office Manager
Gabriel Wathne manages office operations, accounting, and technical systems for Structures North, and also performs drone inspection flights for structural surveys.