Urban development is a chess game of introducing fresh possibilities while solving old problems, but that delicate balance of old and new sparks a flame within V3 Project Engineer Gwen Cortez. See how her collaborative, inventive approach to land development is helping her leave her mark on the city of Chicago.
An eye for engineering
Creating functional, forward-thinking spaces has always been an important part of Gwen’s life. Coming from a family of engineers and otherwise creative people, she learned early on about what it takes to build useful environments, helping with home improvement projects and finding design inspiration though HGTV. She toyed with becoming an architect, but quickly discovered she was more interested in how things work rather than how they look, so she switched gears to civil engineering. However, she still has a lot of respect for the other side of the table.
“Engineers don’t always enjoy talking to creative folks, but I think it’s really important not to work in a vacuum. Creative problem solving is one of my favorite parts of this job; when faced with challenges, it’s so helpful to understand different perspectives and work together to find innovative, cohesive solutions.”
As a junior at Purdue University, Gwen interned at V3 on the Transportation team. While she wasn’t a roadway person, Gwen’s time at V3 made a big impression as a great place to work with friendly and talented people. She was excited for the opportunity to return to V3 in 2022, when she accepted a position on the Land Development team.
“I got into land development because I wanted to work around buildings and unique sites with lots of interesting interactions. V3 has the capacity and diversity of knowledge to bring in those different opportunities.”
Shifting the skyline
Since starting in 2022, Gwen has been part of several significant projects that are reshaping Chicago’s north side. She’s contributed to the Lincoln Yards redevelopment and is now engrossed in bringing Bally’s Casino to life.
“Working in the city is like a different world. Chicago has a lot of unique challenges, especially when it comes to stormwater management. Everything is paved, our river is reversed: with nowhere for the water to go, my biggest question in urban redevelopment is, ‘how can we make this work?’”
To save the day, Gwen showcases her talent through expertly designed sites, incorporating all the necessary grading, infrastructure, and other site requirements to achieve total functionality. In addition to solving these complex puzzles, she’s also ramping up her project management skills, learning more about contracts, proposals, billing, and more.
Her work on Bally’s is certainly establishing her as a leader. The project has allowed her to collaborate not only with V3’s structural, transportation, and environmental teams, but with architects and officials outside the firm, deepening her subject-matter expertise.
“Working on Bally’s has proven to be so different than anything I’ve ever done. It’s such monumental work; not every firm could do this. V3 is unique because we can pull all the pieces together from our varied expertise. This brings value to both us and our clients.”
Crafting a bright tomorrow
When she’s not reimagining Chicago’s future, Gwen loves traveling with her husband. They recently explored the Amalfi Coast and plan to trek the Ozark Mountains next. At home, she enjoys crafty hobbies such as crochet and scrapbooking, and she never passes up a peaceful walk along Lake Michigan.
With so many new opportunities on the horizon, Gwen is ready to assert her problem-solving prowess.
“Since I’ve started here, my office has doubled in size, so I’m excited to see how V3 keeps growing. I hope to move into a PM role; it’s going to be a lot of growth, a lot of change. But with so many unique projects coming down the pipeline, I can’t wait to see what’s next!”
Work with Gwen and V3’s Land Development experts
By incorporating a variety of civil engineering design disciplines, V3 possesses the expertise to understand the true potential locked within any land development project. Connect with our team to learn more.