Regional acquisitions also include Hydro Consultants in Louisiana, set to enhance Atwell’s oil and gas infrastructure support capabilities, and Texas-based Anderson Design, which augments sister company RVi Planning and Landscape Architecture in community master planning and mixed-use development.

Another member of Atwell’s corporate family, Strategic Construction Solutions, provides engineering, procurement and construction services for power and renewable energy projects. Signaling more growth to come, Atwell began 2025 with another regional acquisition: SEI Engineering, based in Marietta, Ga.

The flurry of new additions does more than simply broaden and deepen the firm’s regional footprint, says Jeremy Arnold, an Atwell vice president based in Bonita Springs, Fla.

“We look for like-minded companies that provide similar services and complement what we already do in existing markets,” he says. “We’ve added key people and key clients that way, allowing us to build our profile and provide more experience and depth to our services.”

While these moves are predicated on long-term payoffs, the results are already evident in Atwell’s business performance. The firm reported $76 million in Southeast regional revenue for 2024, a 37% increase over the previous year, and the largest growth of all of its geographic service areas. It ranks at No. 70 on the ENR Top 500 Design Firms list, reporting $429 million in 2024 national revenue.

Atwell managed civil design, permitting and construction administration for a 10,000-sq-ft addition to Orlando Health that includes two health institutes as well as an energy plant.
Photo courtesy Atwell LLC

A Source for Standout Service

Adding resources and market knowledge opens the door to new opportunities, but Atwell’s leaders understand that the firm must distinguish itself from competitors with similar ambitions in the region. That’s why client relationships and responsiveness are so critical, says Bryan Jackson, the firm’s Tampa-based senior director. “We’re proactive in understanding what makes them successful, and making sure we’re aligned with their goals—vision, budget, timeline and so forth,” he notes. “We work hard to build trust so that if they have an issue, we’re their ‘go-to’ source for help.”

That has included assuming roles on behalf of private and public sector clients. Unable to keep up with the Southeast’s post-COVID-19 housing boom, many developers have turned to firms like Atwell to help fill gaps. Along with serving as a site and civil engineer, Atwell can act as a land development consultant, doing out-of-scope project-related work such as scheduling, bidding and coordination with contractors and vendors. “We can do it all, helping reinforce our relationship in the process,” Arnold says.

Being part of a larger, national organization enables Atwell to share resources across offices and even regions as needed, Jackson adds.

“We’ve become very adept at workshare, whether the need is sheer capacity or specialized expertise,” he says. “I can reach out for experience on a particular issue, and most times we have that person who can come in and support us.”

Some of Atwell’s recent key projects in the Southeast include River Landing, a 700-acre community in Wesley Chapel, Fla., that carefully integrates the area’s existing landscape and water features. In Orlando, the firm provided civil design, permitting and construction administration for a memorial to victims of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in the city. The half-acre site includes boardwalks, overlooks, memorial statues and public space.

Atwell also has brought its expertise to the Southeast’s burgeoning health care sector through projects such as the Orlando Health expansion. The firm provided civil engineering and stormwater services for two institutes—one that was named an ENR Southeast 2024 Best Project in the health care sector—as well as an energy plant; design and permitting for underground utility systems; and planning support for future campus growth.

Atwell managed design and construction administration of a half-acre outdoor space along Orlando’s Lake Beauty in memory of the victims of gun violence at the city’s Pulse nightclub in 2016. The site includes boardwalks, overlooks and public space.
Photo courtesy Atwell LLC

AdventHealth recently opened a 282,000-sq-ft hospital in Riverview, Fla., providing Atwell the opportunity to demonstrate how it blends its technical and management capabilities—what Jackson calls “the invisible glue” that helps keep moving parts of complex projects in sync. The facility, built by contractor Robins & Morton, is designed to expand from 82 beds to more than 200 to accommodate future growth. “We step back and look at everybody’s perspective—the client, architects, contractors—and put everything in a final package that fulfils everyone’s vision, but everyone’s needs as well,” he says.

Ray Moe, studio leader and senior project manager for AdventHealth’s Central Florida division, says the inherent nature of hospital projects requires all agencies to be on the same page, “something you cannot do without a strong civil engineer.” That includes strong relationships with various approving entities to stay on top of issues and overcome obstacles that may arise in getting a new community hospital up and running.

“It takes a certain mindset and ability to communicate at a higher level, and then follow through on those issues all the way to resolution,” Moe says. “Atwell did a tremendous job in a very important role.”

To ensure it has the talent to support other clients the same way, Atwell emphasizes employee recruitment and retention. Last year, the company ranked No. 16 on industry business management consultant Zweig Group’s 2024 “Best Firms to Work For” list, placing highest in culture, benefits and recruiting and retention. Atwell adds that its highly successful employee referral incentive program yielded more than 140 new hires last year. It also is being expanded for recruiting temporary employees and new clients as well as for project awards for the firm in new geographic areas.

Atwell employees bond at a recent company event. The company is listed among the best firms to work for on management consultant Zweig Group’s 2024 ranking, ranking highest in culture, benefits and recruiting and retention,
Photo courtesy Atwell LLC

Community Connections

The design services firm also strives to build strong bonds with the communities it serves. To complement a corporate giving program that donated more than $500,000 to several charities and employee-sponsored events in 2024, the newly created Atwell Gives Foundation supports organizations associated with STEM education and other opportunities for youth, both locally and nationally.

For any Atwell employee living in areas adversely affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton last year, company leadership funded an initial donation of $25,000, then matched dollar-for-dollar contributions from other U.S. employees.

With Atwell’s existing strengths and geographic coverage bolstered by the recent acquisitions, Arnold feels the firm is well-prepared for however the Southeast market unfolds.

“We expect residential work to plateau, but there will be opportunities in the medical, commercial and retail spaces, which are rebounding from the COVID-19 slump,” he says, adding that the public sector offers a new arena for Atwell to expand its capabilities.

“There are structures that need to be built to keep up with all the residential development that’s been going on,” Arnold explains. “I feel like we are really in a good position for this next cycle.”

Jackson adds that Atwell’s approach to providing integrated services is ideally suited for complex projects, fast becoming the norm across all sectors.

“Our ability to think holistically is where we see ourselves creating the most value,” he points out. “Combine that with our reputation, client relationships and corporate culture—we have everything needed to move forward.”