It is no exaggeration to say that Nadine M. Post is the leading journalist in building design and construction and related topics. His retirement after a 46-year association with ENR leaves a void that cannot be filled.
The daughter of a former Associated Press reporter and high school guidance counselor, Post joined the staff of the ENR newsletter in 1978, but soon after moved on to cover the magazine’s buildings. Over the years she was promoted to positions of greater responsibility that allowed her to write and oversee coverage of, among many other projects, the redevelopment of the World Trade Center in New York City, tall buildings such as the 828-meter Burj Khalifa height, and unique structures such as the Disney Concert Hall in LA and the Bullitt Center and Rainier Square Tower in Seattle. In keeping with Post’s interest in exemplary projects, he wrote the McGraw-Hill-published book Restoring the Statue of Liberty (1986) for project architects Richard S. Hayden and Thierry W. Despont.
While Post brought these and other notable projects to life in colorful prose on ENR and ENR.com, he also brought important innovations in design and construction processes and project delivery to the attention of ENR readers, as well as his colleagues, and in this sense. Way became an advocate and advocate for much-needed progress in an industry often bound by tradition. He also simplified complex and controversial issues and often waved the flag for people who took risks to improve the built environment.
In all cases, Post represented resiliency and public safety in everything from building air cleanliness to the structural integrity of buildings and construction materials. Of particular note is the Post’s legacy in its sustainability coverage, which included attention to building codes and standards often overlooked by other reporters.
As a senior building writer, Post brought experience in natural disasters and structural failures. His coverage of the 1993 bombing and 2001 destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City deserves special mention. Throughout, the Post resisted hasty judgments and unfounded speculation about exactly what had happened and staunchly defended the science of engineering, with the victims of the attack and ENR’s role in shaping public opinion .
Post’s work won numerous awards, too many to list, but he also widely shared the award-winning achievements of construction professionals and others. Her support for experimentation to benefit industry and the public led her to write 10 annual ENR Excellence Award cover stories and be key in creating the accompanying videos.
Their contributions are widely appreciated. “You and your skills are irreplaceable,” architects Jon Pickard and William D. Chilton wrote in a letter. David J. Odeh, Senior Vice President of Building Structures at Engineer WSP said, “I have always been inspired by your work and how you have championed the achievements of the great structural engineers of our time.”
Email nadineposts@gmail.com. We look forward to your future contributions to ENR and want to thank you, Nadine, for everything.
Scott Blair
Chief Editor
