Our History

1931

Walter P. Moore, Sr. starts the firm and finances it by selling his Stutz Bearcat. He received the Stutz from his previous employer in lieu of wages.

1936

Firm designs the Clarke & Courts Building. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the building is now the Houston Tribeca lofts.

1938

Southwestern University Cody Memorial Library is the first of 1,000+ major higher education facilities designed by the firm.

1939

During the 1930s and 1940s, much of the practice is focused on designing premier homes. Rice Institute President's Home (pictured) is an example.

1948

The Galveston Airport Terminal Building is the first of 200+ major aviation facilities designed by the firm.

1949

Houston Methodist Hospital Main Building is the first of 400+ major healthcare facilities designed by the firm.

1950

Rice University Football Stadium is the first of 250+ major sports facilities designed by the firm.

1953

Houston's first modern skyscraper, the Melrose Building, is the first of 500+ major commercial buildings designed by the firm.

1954

Farnsworth & Chambers Building is designed by the firm. On the National Register of Historic Places, it later serves as NASA's first Houston headquarters.

1963

The Bob Casey Federal Building is an example of the 100+ major federal facilities designed by the firm.

1963

Requiring major repairs after being severely damaged by a typhoon, Guam Memorial Hospital is the first of 100+ international projects designed by the firm.

1965

The Houston Astrodome, the 8th wonder of the world, is designed by the firm.

1966

Following in his father's footsteps, Walter P. Moore, Jr. joins the firm after serving as the Technical Director for the US Army Corps of Engineers.

1966

The Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts is the first of 100+ major cultural and performance facilities designed by the firm.

1967

One of the firm's first projects to use computers during design is the Houston Miller Outdoor Theater in Hermann Park.

1971

The Downtown Houston Tenneco Garage is the first of 750+ parking facilities designed by the firm.

1972

Firm designs the FBI Academy located in Quantico, Virginia.

1973

A Walter P Moore subsidiary, Turner, Moore, Cummings, Zimmerman is formed to provide civil engineering. It later is named the Project Division, a predecessor to the firm's Infrastructure Group.

1973

Mobile, Alabama office opens to provide structural and civil engineering.

1974

Beaumont, Texas office opens to provide civil engineering.

1974

Firm designs Two Houston Center, the first of three buildings the firm will design for the Houston Center complex.

1974

Walter P. Moore, Sr. is named Engineer of the Year by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers Greater Houston Chapter.

1975

Firm designs its first NBA arena, the Houston Summit.

1976

Lee Slade joins the firm as a graduate engineer from Rice University.

1978

Walter P. Moore, Jr. is named the firm's second President.

1978

Firm establishes a Traffic and Transportation Engineering practice.

1979

The firm forms a joint venture with Datum and opens a North Texas office to provide structural engineering for Williams Square at Las Colinas.

1981

Ray Messer joins the firm, bringing his knowledge and experience in post-tension design.

1981

San Antonio, Texas office opens to redevelop the Hemisphere.

1981

Firm celebrates its 50th anniversary with a party in Houston Center which was designed by the firm.

1983

Walter P. Moore, Sr. passes away.

1983

Firm designs the tallest building in Fort Worth, Texas, Burnett Plaza, a 40-story, 1 million SF office building.

1983

Firm provides structural, civil and traffic engineering for the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, at the time the largest (1.8 million SF) medical complex ever built by the VA. The firm developed a new structural system to accommodate 1.2 million SF of interstitial space.

1984

Tampa, Florida office opens to provide structural engineering.

1985

Walter P. Moore, Jr. is named Engineer of the Year by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers Greater Houston Chapter.

1988

Having been involved in the original design of the world's first domed stadium, the firm provides structural engineering for the expansion and renovation of the historic Houston Astrodome.

1989

Dallas, Texas office opens to provide structural engineering.

1989

Atlanta, Georgia office opens to provide structural engineering.

1992

Ray Messer is named the firm's third President and Chief Executive Officer.

1993

Firm establishes the Leadership and Skills Development Program, an internal employee learning program that provides technical, management, corporate and personal development courses to support their professional growth.

1994

Walter P. Moore, Jr. retires from full-time management of the firm and joins Texas A&M University as a professor to pursue his passion for education and practical research.

1994

Firm establishes the Technical Resources Management practice which later becomes the Diagnostics Group.

1994

Larry Griffis receives the T. R. Higgins Lectureship Award given by the American Institute of Steel Construction. This award recognizes outstanding lecturers and authors for their contribution to the engineering of fabricated structural steel.

1996

Firm acquires Parking Pros, a parking consulting firm, and establishes a Parking practice.

1997

Orlando, Florida office opens to provide structural engineering.

1998

Walter P. Moore, Jr. passes away following a tragic auto accident.

1998

Ray Messer is named the firm's Chairman of the Board.

1999

Georgia Institute of Technology's Technology Square is the first of 100+ sustainable facilities designed by the firm.

1999

Firm acquires Kerr Conrad Graham Associates and opens an office in Kansas City, Missouri to provide structural and civil engineering.

1999

Firm establishes a water resources engineering practice.

2000

USGBC LEED rating system is unveiled.

2000

Firm designs Minute Maid Park, the first retractable roof ballpark.

2001

Austin, Texas office opens to provide structural engineering.

2001

Dilip Choudhuri joins the firm, bringing his knowledge and experience in diagnostics.

2002

First Greenbuild International Conference is held in Austin, Texas. This conference brings together industry leaders, experts and professionals dedicated to sustainable design.

2002

Firm provides structural engineering for it's first LEED certified building, only one of 23 buildings to be certified in the US at that time. EcoWorks, Lenexa, Kansas

2002

Firm joins US Green Building Council (USGBC) as a corporate and continues to be a member.

2002

Firm's first LEED Accredited Professional (AP) is accredited. Today the firm has over 50 LEED APs.

2002

Firm designs the award winning Reliant Stadium (now NRG), the first NFL stadium with a retractable roof.

2002

Larry Griffis receives the Lifetime Achievement Award given by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). This award honors living individuals who have made a difference in AISC and the structural steel industry's success.

2003

Los Angeles, California office opens to provide structural engineering.

2005

Rinker Hall is the firm's first project to be recognized as one of the AIA's Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top 10 Projects. The design includes provisions for design for adaptability and deconstruction. Rinker Hall at University at Florida, Gainesville, Florida

2005

Las Vegas, Nevada office opens to provide structural engineering.

2005

As part of General Services Administration's BIM Pilot Program, firm designs the Federal Courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi. It is the firm's first project using building information modeling.

2006

Firm celebrates its 75th anniversary with "Diamond on the Diamond" party at Minute Maid Ballpark which was designed by the firm and is the first retractable roof ballpark.

2006

Firm designs the world's largest LEED Certified project, the Palazzo in Las Vegas, Nevada.

2006

Firm designs the first NFL stadium with a retractable field, University of Phoenix Stadium (now State Farm Stadium). The retractable field offers optimal growing conditions for the natural grass, and gives the stadium flexibility to host other world-class events.

2007

Firm designs the Kansas City Sprint Center, a multi-purpose arena that can accommodate NBA basketball, NHL hockey, AFL arena football, and almost any other type of special event.

2008

Firm provides structural engineering for the world's largest LEED Platinum project. King Abdullah University for Science & Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

2008

Walter P Moore's headquarters office is the third LEED Silver project in Houston.

2008

Rafael Sabelli shares the T. R. Higgins Lectureship Award given by the American Institute of Steel Construction with Walterio Lopez. This award recognizes outstanding lecturers and authors for their contribution to the engineering of fabricated structural steel.

2008

Firm designs the Lucas Oil Stadium, a multipurpose venue that can host football, basketball, conventions and a range of special events. It is the first US retractable roof to move on multiple, parallel rails.

2008

San Francisco, California office opens to provide structural engineering.

2008

Washington, DC office opens to provide structural engineering.

2008

Tulsa, Oklahoma office opens to provide civil engineering.

2008

El Paso, Texas office opens to provide traffic engineering.

2009

Edwin Friedrichs is named Engineer of the Year by the Texas Society of Professional Engineers Greater Houston Chapter.

2009

Firm designs the AT&T Stadium. At its opening the stadium design set several world records including the longest single-span roof structure, largest center hung HD video display, and biggest operable glass doors.

2009

Larry Griffis receives the prestigious J. Lloyd Kimbrough Award given by the American Institute of Steel Construction. This award honors engineers and architects who are recognized as pre-eminent steel designers.

2010

Greenroads International Rating System is established. The certification process is for sustainable transportation development projects in the U.S. and internationally.

2010

Firm provides structural, civil and traffic engineering, and parking consulting for the first Houston project to receive LEED Platinum. Helios Plaza, Houston, Texas

2010

Firm's project is recognized as one of the AIA's Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top 10 Projects.

2010

Panama City, Panama office opens to provide structural engineering and parking.

2011

Firm provides structural engineering for the first newly constructed stadium to receive LEED Platinum. The University of Texas Apogee Stadium

2011

The Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, a joint venture of the American Public Works Association, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and the American Council of Engineering is established. Walter P Moore becomes a charter member.

2011

Pune, India office opens to provide structural engineering.

2011

Dave Platten receives the Special Achievement Award given by the American Institute of Steel Construction for his leadership on the AT&T Stadium, an innovative and record-setting long-span structure.

2012

Firm designs the Florida Marlins Ballpark. The 300,000 SF retractable roof is designed to endure extreme hurricane force winds.

2012

Firm acquires Dodson, a water resources engineering firm.

2013

MILESTONE PROJECT - Firm provides civil, traffic, transportation, and water resources engineering for the Bagby Street Reconstruction, the first project to receive a Greenroads Certification in Texas.

2013

Firm's first Envision Sustainability Professional (ENV SP) is accredited. Today Walter P Moore has 11 ENV SPs.

2013

Rafael Sabelli receives a Special Achievement Award given by the American Institute of Steel Construction. This award honors his literary contributions on seismic design of steel and composite structures.

2014

Capitol Tower, a Walter P Moore structural, civil and traffic engineering and parking consulting project, is one of 100 projects selected for the beta test of LEED Version 4 (V4), and is one of three projects in the world to achieve LEED v4 Core and Shell Platinum Pre-Certification. Capitol Tower, Houston, Texas

2014

City of Austin hosts the 1st Annual Green Cup Challenge to promote sustainability. Walter P Moore's Austin office wins the inaugural challenge.

2014

Walter P Moore becomes Gold Sponsor of the Carbon Leadership Forum, an industry-academic collaboration committed to advancing low carbon building design and construction.

2014

Dilip Choudhuri is named the firm's fourth President and Chief Executive Officer.

2014

Firm establishes an Enclosure Engineering practice.

2014

Dirk Kestner is named the firm's Director of Sustainable Design.

2015

Firm provides engineering for the repositioning and reskinning of an existing federal building. Walter P Moore develops a performance based wind design that is recognized with a LEED Innovation point. Mickey Leland Federal Building, Houston, Texas

2015

Firm signs the Building and Real Estate Climate Declaration. The declaration campaign is a collaboration between the USGBC, the Carbon Leadership Forum and Ceres.

2015

Firm's Austin office wins the City of Austin's 2nd Annual Green Cup Challenge.

2015

The City of Houston in partnership with the Institute of Real Estate Management hosts the Green Office Challenge. Walter P Moore's Houston office wins the tenant challenge.

2015

The firm's first, Green Parking Professional is certified. Today the firm has two Green Parking Professionals.

2015

Firm establishes a Construction Engineering practice.

2015

Lee Slade is named the firm's Chairman of the Board.

2015

Calgary, Canada office opens to provide diagnostics and structural engineering.

2016

For the second year in a row, Walter P Moore headquarters office wins the City of Houston's Green Office Challenge in the tenant category.

2016

Firm's Los Angeles office achieves LEED CI Gold. The Walter P Moore staff provides full LEED consulting services for the interior fit out.

2016

USGBC's LEED v4 becomes mandatory. All new projects are required to register under v4.

2016

San Francisco International Airport Air Traffic Control Tower wins ACEC National Engineering Excellence: Grand Conceptor Award

2016

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma office opens to provide infrastructure services in the capitol city.

2016

Daytona International Speedway

2016

New York City office opens to provide consulting services to key clients and projects.

2017

Fort Worth, Texas office opens to provide expanded Water Resources, Diagnostics, and Infrastructure design services.

2017

Daily's Place at Everbank Field

2017

Suntrust Park

2017

Allen Parkway Improvements

2018

San Diego, California office opens to provide structural engineering and enclosure engineering.

2018

Hurricane Harvey Emergency Flood Modeling

2018

Avenida Houston

2019

Charlotte, North Carolina office opens to provide structural engineering, enclosure engineering, construction engineering, secure design, and parking consulting.

2020

Denver, Colorado office opens to provide structural engineering.

2020

SoFi Stadium

2021

Raleigh, North Carolina office opens to provide structural engineering, enclosure engineering, construction engineering, secure design, and parking consulting.

2022

Miami, Florida office opens to provide forensic investigations, condition assessments, repair, and restoration design.

2022

Mexico City office opens to provide insurance and litigation support, waterproofing consulting, assessments and repairs, corrosion mitigation, bridge assessment, and flood evaluation.

2022

Chicago, Illinois office opens to provide forensic engineering, restoration & renovation, enclosure diagnostics, and parking restoration services.