Outside Help: WSP SELLS

One of the 3 outside firms helping absorb the $400,000 budget for planning and designing the 160 parking spots is British-owned engineering and design firm, WSP SELLS, based on information from the NY Department of Transportation.

The Sells-side of the deal is the American part. Charles Sells founded the design firm in 1925 and it was acquired by the London-based WSP Group in 2007.

In its 2008 annual letter, WSP Group Chairman David Turner noted, "WSP Sells, which is a leading bridge inspector and infrastructure specialist in the USA, is already seeing benefits from the US Governments' stimulus package."

Publicly-held WSP' revenues increased in 2008 by 36% to $1.2 billion from $920 million the year before. It has 10,000 employees.