After seven decades quietly hardwiring San Diego’s neighborhoods and infrastructure, local engineering firm RICK is suddenly front and center, collecting statewide accolades while helping shape some of the most visible projects in the region. From master-planned urban villages to waterfront parks and airport work, the company’s wide-ranging portfolio is getting extra attention this winter.
RICK recently earned a commendation from the American Council of Engineering Companies of California and is slated to accept the honor at ACEC California’s Engineering Excellence Awards banquet at the Disneyland Hotel on February 19. The statewide awards program highlights projects that blend technical complexity with clear public benefit, according to ACEC California.
Civita: A Long-Running Urban Village
One of RICK’s longest-running assignments is Civita, the Mission Valley redevelopment built on a former quarry spanning roughly 230 acres and planned to deliver about 4,700–4,800 homes, along with multiple acres of public park space. The firm’s civil engineering work has covered master planning, phased neighborhood infrastructure, and park drainage systems as the village has taken shape over the last decade. The scale and multi-phase buildout have been detailed in local reporting and project materials, as noted by Times of San Diego.
Navy Pier And Freedom Park
On the Embarcadero, RICK is serving as the lead design firm for Freedom Park at Burnham Navy Pier, a nearly 10-acre conversion that the Port and the USS Midway Museum describe as the West Coast’s largest veterans park, expected to open in 2028. Port releases outline demolition and pier reinforcement activity already underway to keep the USS Midway accessible during construction and to prepare the pier for full park buildout. The Port of San Diego and the USS Midway Museum have provided project timelines and scope details in their planning materials and public updates.
Neighborhood Work And Public Infrastructure
Founded in 1955, the firm has grown into a multi-disciplinary practice with a broad portfolio that includes neighborhood site design, streets and bridges, and airport landscape work. Recent company materials highlight projects that range from community plans in parts of San Diego to bridge and streetscape improvements tied to Mission Bay and the airport redevelopment program. That long institutional memory and local project list underscore a commitment to extended, phased work across the region, according to RICK.
Awards, Growth And A Tight Hiring Market
Industry coverage this week notes that RICK reported roughly $90 million in annual revenue and is estimating about 13% growth for 2026, even as the firm works to bring on additional technical staff. That reporting also points out that the company is recruiting in a labor market where many experienced land surveyors skew older, a trend that has nudged RICK toward a mix of training and strategic hires. Those business figures and workforce pressures were laid out in the San Diego Business Journal.
How The Firm Is Responding
To keep pace with demand, RICK has turned to acquisitions and regional expansion, moves intended to plug technical gaps and broaden its presence in fast-growing Western markets. Local business reporting describes how the firm’s acquisition activity and growth strategy in neighboring states are tied to efforts to add staff and boost regional capability. Background on those recent moves was outlined in the San Diego Metro.
“The most successful projects come from persistent commitment to both the work and the people behind them,” RICK leadership said in a recent company retrospective reflecting on seven decades of regional projects. That approach, built on long engagements, phased infrastructure, and a growing staff, helps explain why the firm’s fingerprints are visible from Mission Valley to the waterfront and beyond, with statewide recognition now following years of local practice.
