Mike Thomas

Whether he’s at work or play, Mike is always interested in trying new things. In fact, picking up new musical instruments has been a lifelong hobby. Since childhood, he has dabbled in or played almost a dozen musical instruments including the piano, trumpet, French horn, various percussion instruments, guitar, and others. This same enthusiasm and zest for learning made its way to his professional life. As a senior project manager for Urban Engineers’ site/land development group, Mike is excited by new challenges. Mike’s specialties range from stormwater management; erosion and sedimentation control; utility coordination and relocation; to land development design and permitting; construction administration; and more.

“Since entering the professional world, my goal has always been to work for an exceptional engineering firm in downtown Philadelphia,” he says. “Urban quickly made its way to the top of my list once I learned of the diverse range of disciplines, projects, and other available opportunities.”

“I wanted to have an impact on the community I live and work in,” Mike adds. Working at Urban, he has been involved with some of the more exciting development projects in Philadelphia, including SugarHouse Casino, the Rail Park, and the Penn Treaty Homes at Pier 53. For his work on SugarHouse, he provided site/land development engineering design services for the facility’s expansion that included a complete overhaul and redesign of the northern half of the 28-acre site which included a 160,000-square-foot building addition that created additional gaming space and back of floor space, and a seven-story parking garage.

“It was rewarding being part of the design process of the SugarHouse project from the beginning, making key decisions with project stakeholders, and seeing the designed product ultimately be constructed,” he says. “A rewarding piece of the project was that it included many ancillary tasks in addition to the development of the main site.” The design included a new intersection at and improvements to 1,850 linear feet of nearby Delaware Avenue, and the design of multiple Combined Sewer Overflows to help alleviate flooding in the Northern Liberties area of Philadelphia. “I would love to see SugarHouse continue to develop their property and continue helping revitalize the Delaware River waterfront,” Mike adds.

A licensed Professional Engineer in five states – including Pennsylvania and New Jersey – Mike is a 2007 graduate of the Villanova University. He has also served as a project manager for the design of green stormwater infrastructure for the Philadelphia Water Department. The vision for the project is to protect and enhance the city’s watersheds by managing stormwater runoff with innovative green stormwater infrastructure, maximizing economic, social, and environmental benefits for all of Philadelphia. ”I am happy to be a part of a firm that allows me to be a part of this dynamic and impactful kind of work,” he says.