Karen Franz of AKRF is part of a team that is streamlining the development process

In this economy, efficiency is more important than ever. When it comes to seeing large-scale construction projects to completion, developers are looking for cost-effectiveness without sacrificing quality. As vice president at AKRF, a leading engineering, environmental and planning consulting firm, Karen Franz, P.E., LEED AP is part of a team that is streamlining the development process and doing just that. Having continued their expansion to include not only design services but a full range of construction-related support services - from stormwater and dewatering permitting/management to soil and construction waste management to air quality and noise monitoring to cultural resource management- AKRF is a one-stop environmental and engineering resource that can guide developers and municipalities from a project's development to its completion. Franz joined AKRF in 1999, having received her degree in environmental and civil engineering from Rutgers University. In the nearly three decades since its inception, AKRF has helped establish the industry standard in the way projects are planned, reviewed and integrated into the existing environment. But in the last several years, the firm has significantly expanded its construction, engineering and sustainable design services - expansions in which Franz has been instrumental. "Karen has proven incredibly valuable to AKRF since the moment she joined us," said Dr. Stephen Rosen, chairman of the board of AKRF. "She is smart. She takes a personal interest in the client and in getting things right. And most importantly, she gets it. Karen is a person who gets things done." A LEED Accredited Professional, Franz is a licensed professional engineer in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Franz's first major project with AKRF was as site/civil engineer for LOWE's first urban store in New York City on a 10-acre site along the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, N.Y. Since then, she has played a vital role in a number of large-scale projects, including providing key stormwater management expertise for various rezoning efforts including the Toll Brothers' Gowanus Canal Development and Columbia University Manhattanville, as well as on numerous capital projects for New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). At AKRF, Franz is among a number of women who are leaders both within the firm and their respective fields. Each has helped establish the firm as a leader in the areas of engineering, planning and environmental services. And Franz's ability to understand and manage complex redevelopment and construction projects, as well as her proficiency in site planning, grading and drainage, and utility and roadway design, make her an integral part of that success. AKRF brings together the talents of more than 200 employees in six locations throughout the Northeast - New York City, Long Island, White Plains, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland - to handle a wide variety of projects for public agencies, private clients, and municipalities. The firm's combination of credibility and expertise encourages a high level of development and implementation of projects that spur revitalization in communities throughout the country, securing vibrant futures for these areas. Moving forward, Franz and her team are involved in a number of projects that are being fast-tracked in response to the current economic landscape and available stimulus funding.  With their expanded services, AKRF will continue to serve as a one-stop environmental and engineering resource for developers and municipalities, ensuring the city's most important projects move forward successfully.