NYC Construction Fatalities Rise

OSHA rallies industry to reduce deaths. Also, MSG hires Skanska for major renovation.

OSHA Releases Fatality Numbers

Due to a recent rise in construction fatalities, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration recently accelerated their annual review process in an attempt to reduce onsite worker deaths.

Following a nontraditional 2008 third quarter review, OSHA gathered industry members from Building Trade Employers’ Association and Building and Construction Trades Council to reveal startling statistics and offer recommendations.

In 2006, there were 29 fatalities in the five boroughs of New York City, which OSHA considered the worst year in its analysis of fiscal years 2002-2008. The industry experienced 22 fatalities in 2007. To date in 2008, 26 fatalities have been reported. “We are already in second place in terms of fatalities and we still have a few months to go,” explained Richard Mendelson, area director at OSHA as well as speaker at the recent meeting.

“Thirteen of those 26 were falls from elevations and in 2007 we only had 11 fatal falls, which is a big difference,” said Mendelson. “Falls is the biggest killer of construction workers. It’s disturbing that we’ve already exceed the total of all of last year.”

One of the major differences between the 2007 and 2008 was the increase of union accidents. In previous years, nonunion accidents dominated the statistics and now there has been a reversal. In 2007, 73% of accidents were nonunion and in 2008, 62% were union. “We want to prevent this trend from continuing,” said Mendelson. “Accidents and fatalities are trailing indicators and there are generally lots of lapses before they results in fatalities, so if we see a peek like we’ve been seeing, the questions is have people been lax in protocols or is the status quo is not good enough?”

Reaction to the analysis has been skeptical. “We’ve heard back from the industry that this is just a blip,” said Mendelson. “But we don’t want to sit back and see if the statistics even out, because that means more people have to get killed or hurt. Notwithstanding all the good work going on, the results speak for themselves.”

BCTC President Edward Malloy said “the only things that cause the accidents are things not in our control,” but BCTC has been meeting with the city, City Council as well as federal government agencies to get a better idea of what needs to be done. Its future course of action involves “stepping up the enforcement,” said Malloy. “Internally, we’ve been meeting with labor management, setting up a separate corporation to advise us going forward and taken numerous steps to make a safer worksite.”

OSHA began its list of recommendations with fall protection and preventing accidents by making sure harnesses are worn and rigged properly. More inspections for rigging in general were also recommended. In regard to system issues, OSHA indentified situations where engineering controls would have been feasible but not used. Perimeter protection and decking issues that mostly addresses steel were evaluated. OSHA also recognized that issues identified by previous Department of Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster in January are being used as options for compliance. In regard to crane safety, OSHA determined that operators rely heavily on Load Moment Indicators and instead of following a load chart. Employee misconduct and manager enforcement also need to be monitored.

Steel erection was a major part of the recommendations. “The statistics indicate 2/3 of steel erection fall fatalities occur below 30 ft,” said Mendelson. “The challenge to the industry is that we will not longer have partnership agreements that exclude steel erection from an overall 6 ft fall protection from the site. It’s not the law, we just want people to go above and beyond.”

The root causes of these accidents, said Mendelson, are overall project management and lack of planning. “We mostly see these on nonunion jobs, cookie cutter type jobs are no problem, but when you get to a deviation, people just forge forward and get into it and then realize there is a problem,” explained Mendelson. “Some things don’t get communicated down to the workers, and it causes a disconnect.” OSHA determined differences between construction on site and the original plans. Revisions are permitted but only with written changes to original.

Currently, investigations are ongoing and OSHA expects to start releasing final reports on major accident sites as soon as possible.

New Look for Lincoln Center

Designs for the new vision of Lincoln Center’s Visitor Center on Manhattan’s Upper West Side have recently been revealed.

Created by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects of New York, the project includes a theatrical garden, a redesigned atrium offering free weekly performances and civic events, a 40-ft media wall with Lincoln Center’s schedules, a visitor services information desk, public restrooms and a cafe managed by Rosa Mexicano. The 7,000-sq-ft public space will also feature a box office, internet and telephone ticketing kiosks as well as a removable stage. Two 20-ft-high plant walls accompanied by benches and alcove seating will be constructed for an indoor garden sanctuary.

“[The] design is intended to convert the Harmony Atrium into a generous and light filled portal to the artistic, cultural and daily life of the West Side,” said architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien in a joint statement released about the design. “This indoor landscape will be a serene public meeting place for New York City, animated by the sound of water from a cascading fountain and the fresh green scent of the planted walls.”

Meanwhile, as part of the revitalization project, New York architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro have designed a new micro-park across from the new Visitor’s Center.

The 3,500-sq-ft space will create a more inviting entrance at the southeast portion of the campus said Lincoln Center.

“The conversion of the Harmony Atrium from a vastly underutilized and unappealing space to an active and attractive community asset is unprecedented. This new public space will serve as a meeting place, a rich source of information and a hub of civic and cultural activity for the residents of our vital, diverse neighborhood,” said Reynold Levy, President of Lincoln Center. “It also will warmly welcome neighbors and tourists to Lincoln Center.”

The Visitor’s Center was previously known as the Harmony Atrium and is part of an overall revitalization project to renovate, modernize and open up the 16-acre campus, according to Lincoln Center. The redevelopment plans include a completed Central Mechanical Plant Project as well as a West 65th Street and Promenade Project which is currently in progress and involves a major facility expansion, a new restaurant, a public roof lawn, new retail and renovation of Alice Tully Hall. The Visitor’s Center project is currently in the public review process and Lincoln Center anticipates construction to begin this year. It is slated for completion in the fall of 2009, to coincide with its 50th anniversary.

New Housing for Seniors

Construction continues on the former elementary school, Albion Academy, to transform it into a senior living facility.

The Albion Academy was originally erected in 1906 as a high school. In 1930 it became a grammar school, but was closed in the 1960s. The renovated four-story, 55,000-sq-ft building will contain 30 residential units on the second, third and fourth floors as well as a community dining area, nutritional program space, exercise space, a resource library, senior day care center and office space. (Photo courtesy of Nathaniel General Contractors.)

Located at 16 East Academy Street in Albion, New York, the renovated four-story, 55,000-sq-ft building will contain 30 residential units on the second, third and fourth floors. The Office for the Aging, which is creating a community dining area, nutritional program, senior exercise program and a resource library for seniors, will occupy half of the first floor. The Arc of Orleans County will use the other half as a senior day care center and office space. Also included will be new elevator, laundry facilities and storage.

The Albion Academy was originally erected in 1906 as a high school. In 1930 it became a grammar school, but was closed in the 1960s.

Preservation will be a major part of renovation project. “It has been both a pleasure and a challenge to save the many historical elements of this building,” said Mira Mejibovsky, senior project architect of Passero Associates, who is providing architecture and engineering services. “We have found some creative design solutions which have resulted in an extraordinary project.”

The Corinthian columns, wood wainscoting and stamped tin ceilings in the main entrance will be preserved as well as original moldings and wood trim found throughout the building. The original classroom doors are being left in place as decorative elements for the hallways. The exterior masonry is being restored with new grey Medina sandstone.

“We’re trying to preserve the building as much as possible to keep some semblance of the school in the new housing and community space,” said Amy Casciani, real estate development project director for Rural Opportunities, Inc., the developers of the project. “The school lends itself very nicely to housing, and the former classrooms are a perfect size for senior apartments.”

According to Passero Associates, the building is structurally sound, but due to some previous remodeling and general neglect, extensive renovation was required.

“Of the many surprises presented by a 102-year-old building to be renovated, [we were] most excited about the challenges that were found once the building was cleaned out,” explained Don Lieber, vice president of construction at s Nathaniel General Contractors, the construction managers of the project. “A concrete floor was discovered in the basement where a dirt floor was expected. Sagging stairways, skylights and a roof structure deteriorated from years of neglect were issues that were addressed and skillfully resolved with creative ideas coming from the workforce as well as the design team.”

The $7 million renovation will be funded by ROI, the New York State Division of Housing & Community Renewal, NeighborWorks America, the National Equity Fund, M&T Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank through its member bank Maple City Bank, and construction financing provided by Greater Rochester Housing Partnership and Bank of America. The Town of Albion has granted the building a 40-year real estate tax exemption.

Construction began on the project in September of 2007 and is expected to be completed by the beginning of 2009.

First Phase Complete on Rockville Center Apts

Construction teams have completed the first of five phases in the revitalization of the Rockville Center Apartments on North Centre Avenue in Rockville Centre, New York.
For phase one, which involved two out of the nine, 35-year-old buildings, general contractor Lipsky Enterprises, Inc. of Bayport, New York, replaced roofs, installed new kitchens, baths and energy-efficient insulation, as well as new windows and heating systems.

Construction began in November 2007 to reconstruct he nine, two-story garden apartments, ranging from 10 to 28 du each on six acres. The buildings, designed by Tast and Clemency Architects of Glen Cove, New York, will total 135,000 sq ft and be a mixture of studio, one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom residences.

“None of the buildings are identical, so none of the five phases will be the same,” explained Duncan Barrett, COO of Omni Housing Development, LLC in Albany, the developers of the project. “We also need to relocate residents since the buildings are partially occupied.” Phase two involves reconstruction of 24 units and was completed in October 2008. Phase three will reconstruct 44 units within two more buildings and will begin approximately November 1 and is slated for completion in February 2009. Phase four consists of 40 units and two buildings with a 3-3.5 month construction schedule. The last phase, five, involves reconstruction of one building with 28 units and will also take 3-3.5 months to complete, according to Barrett.

“We are on schedule and fully expect all 154 units to be completed by September of 2009,” said Barrett.

Rockville Centre Apartments is the area’s only low-income housing complex. The major qualification for residency is that household income must be at or below 60% the Nassau County Area Median Income

One reason for the renovation was the buildings’ energy drain. “Energy inefficiencies in the Rockville Centre project’s original design is one of the underlying reasons for the complex operating at a loss in the past, and will be a focal point of work in this rehabilitation,” said Barrett.

“This is the transformation of an outdated building that was extremely costly to heat, cool, and maintain as first-rate affordable homes for working families,” said Deborah VanAmerongen, Commissioner of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal, a partial funder of the project. “New insulation, windows, and heating systems are just part of what make this a quality, affordable place to live in an area where affordable housing is scarce.”

Skanska Selected for MSG Construction

Skanska USA has been selected as construction manager for Madison Square Garden’s $500 million renovation project.

Skanska will be responsible for pre-construction and construction management services throughout the project in conjunction with the project manager, Jones Lang LaSalle, an international firm headquartered in Chicago.

“We are pleased to add Skanska to our renovation team as they specialize in building truly innovative and signature structures,” said Joel Fisher, MSG’s executive vice president of Sports and Arena Renovation. “We look forward to utilizing their expertise for a completely transformed Madison Square Garden that our fans and customers will enjoy.”

Slated to break ground in the spring of 2009 and designed by Architects Brisbin Brook Beynon of Toronto, Madison Square Garden will renovate all customer-related areas including the 7th Avenue entrance; add new seats with better sightlines; new public concourses open to the arena bowl; new lighting, sound and LED video systems in HDTV and new food and beverage options. Additionally, 68 new mid-level suites and 20 new floor-level suites will be added, as well as improved dressing rooms, locker rooms, restrooms, green rooms and production offices for athletes and performers. The Garden’s historic ceiling will also be restored.

Skanska will have an on-site management team at Madison Square Garden throughout the duration of the project, who will work with the architects, facilities group, project manager, public agencies in New York City and subcontractors to ensure that Madison Square Garden meets its timeline for completion of the renovation project.

“Madison Square Garden’s position in the history of this city and in the world of sports and entertainment is exceptional and important,” said William Flemming, COO at Skanska. “We’re proud to have this assignment and ready to work closely with MSG’s renovation team to give the Garden’s loyal fans, customers, sports teams, and performers a first-rate facility.”

The renovation is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2011-2012 seasons and will not have an impact on major sports schedules.

Spillway Replacement Underway

Construction continues on New Jersey Department of Transportation’s spillway replacement project on Route 206 at Atsion Lake in Shamong Township, Burlington County.

The project, which general contractor R.E Pierson Construction Company of Pilesgrove, NJ began construction in August 2008, will replace the existing wooden spillway with a concrete spillway, replace the bridge parapets, pave the spillway approaches on Route 206 and install new guide rails.

The project area falls within the Atsion Village Historic District, which is a nineteenth century iron-forging town encompassing approximately 703 acres and archeological resources dating from as early as 1765, explained a spokesperson for NJDOT. “Historic buildings include several structures associated with the iron industry (including the mansion constructed by iron master Samuel Richards), a church, the former company store, and structural remains of a gristmill.”

“The proposed project centers around the waterpower complex, which is one of the earliest resources of the Village,” said a spokesperson for NJDOT. “This complex is both an architectural feature as well as an archeological one. The historic gears will be retained and placed in such a fashion as to give the appearance that they function.”

NJDOT will also install a fish ladder—which promotes migration as well as helps to protect and recover many fish stocks—to allow fish to travel from the lower water elevation downstream. “The fish ladder will be added to provide spawning access for migratory fish on the Mullica River drainage, increasing fishing opportunities for New Jersey anglers,” explained a spokesperson for NJDOT.

“The Route 206 Atsion Lake project will increase safety, improve the fish habitat and enhance the historic spillway,” said NJDOT Commissioner Kris Kolluri.
The $2.1 million project is slated for completion in September 2009.

Crane Mill Community Progresses on Phase Two

General contractor Del-Sano Contracting Corp. of Union, New Jersey began construction in August 2008 on phase two of a project to construct Crane’s Mill Continuing Care Retirement Community in West Caldwell, New Jersey.

The $27-million Crane Mill Community project will span 35 acres, consisting of 286 independent living units, 48 assisted living units, 18 dementia units, as well as 66 units for skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. (Rendering courtesy of Kanalstein Danton Associates.)

The $27-million project is being developed by Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey and will span 35 acres. Upon completion in January 2010, the community will consist of 286 independent living units, 48 assisted living units, 18 dementia units, as well as 66 units for skilled nursing and rehabilitation services.

“We believe the team at Del-Sano is one of the premier residential contractors in the region, and their focus on safety, quality, affordability and energy efficiency will be a great asset to the project,” said Jerry Nugent, president & CEO of LSM/NJ.

Phase one was the original Continuing Care Retirement Community campus built and opened 10 years ago, which included independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities and the related amenities of a CCRC, explained Angelo DelRusso, CEO of Del-Sano.

Two phases are in included in the remainer of the project, which was designed by architects KD Associates of Voorhees, New Jersey.

Phase two construction involves the addition of 70 independent living apartments, 47 underground parking spaces and 10 cottages with attached garages. The total project size is 118,550 sq ft and includes two buildings, each with two floors.

Phase three will focus on adding 20,000 sq ft of new and renovated space to the assisted living component. A new wing that will house a memory support area, a dementia courtyard and renovated assisted living common areas will be built, along with a new entryway, enlarged activity space and a more open floor plan. Additionally, 60 existing assisted living units will be converted into 48 assisted living units and 18 dementia units.

“Materials utilized are common residential grade materials with consideration for energy efficiency, materials sustainability and aesthetic appeal,” explained DelRusso. “The site and accessibility for the residents to local houses of worship and shopping as well as the stately manicured landscape, man made fountains and retention pond lend themselves to the to the Senior residents expanded mobility as well as the relaxed atmosphere of the CCRC.”

Thus far, the only challenges of the project are”site logistics, maintain safe and secure egress and access for the residents [as well as] a stringent aggressive project schedule,” said DelRusso.

Staten Island School Expands

The College of Staten Island on Victory Boulevard is currently undergoing an extensive transformation. For the first time in its history, the campus is constructing residential buildings.

The College of Staten Island on Victory Boulevard is constructing residential buildings for the first time in its history. The project, designed by WDG Architecture of Washington D.C., involves 607 beds within three buildings, totaling approximately 167,000 sq ft. (Rendering courtesy of WDG Architecture.)

The project, designed by WDG Architecture of Washington D.C., involves 607 beds within three buildings, totaling approximately 167,000 sq ft.

“As [The College of Staten Island] has evolved into a comprehensive four-year college, there has been a need to add a robust residential component to the campus,” said Robert Keane, principal of WDG Architecture. “The new student village will both unify and enliven a major part of the campus, and will create smaller communities oriented to students, faculty, and families.”

The North Building will be a 4-story, 61,000-sq-ft structure containing 47 units. The West building will also be a 4-story building containing 53 units in 71,800 sq ft. The South building will be a 5-story, 108,000-sq-ft building with 83 units. The layout of the buildings will run through the North Quad and form a triangular outdoor courtyard with centralized amenities and gathering areas, according to WDG Architecture. Amenities will include an internet cafe, classroom/meeting room, business center, fitness center and bike storage.

The design inspiration stemmed from an intention to “make meaningful connections to the campuses open space system,” said Keane. “Our planning solution recognizes the gateway nature of our site and thus orients visitors from parking lot six toward the iconic student center via a new diagonal pedestrian axis.”

Additionally, the building materials and colors played an important part in the overall design. “Utilizing various colors and textures that compliment the Staten Island campus, the three building student village will feature polished limestone grey architectural blocks accented buy varying textures of orange/red and dark grey architectural blocks,” explained Keane. “The palette also includes textured and smooth metal panels as well as orange/red and dark grey window frames. As per the aspirations of the Colleges leadership, the overall effect is intended to be a bright and fresh modern composition that contrasts the campus’ traditional repetitive dark brick structures.”

General contractor Hunter Roberts Construction Group of New York will take down the campus handball and basketball courts that currently occupy the site. The materials will be sent off-site recycled and new courts are included in the current project plans, explained Ken Anton, project executive at Hunter Roberts Construction Group.

The project team, including developers American Campus Communities of Austin, Texas, is striving for LEED Silver certification. The project will use regional, recycled and low-emitting construction materials and approximately 75% of construction waste will be sent to recycling or salvaging facilities as well as use low-flow water fixtures. “Some points to highlight are the reflective roof, recycling during construction, and landscaping that is environmentally friendly,” said Keane.

The project is currently estimated to cost about $52 million for construction, but the definitive cost is in its final stages, according to WDG Architecture. The project is slated for completion in the fall of 2010.

Mayor Bloomberg Signs Safety Laws

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has recently signed into legislation three bills to protect construction workers from unsafe environments.

The new bills are the first of five to be introduced by Mayor Bloomberg and specifically give the New York City Department of Buildings ability to take action on any unsafe structures that could cause harm to both employees and the public.

The first bill, Introductory Number 687-A, requires buildings that are at risk of being structurally compromised to undergo periodic inspections, explained Mayor Bloomberg.

“Owners of buildings that have suffered fire damage, have an open roof for more then sixty days, have been shored or braced or otherwise repaired at the direction of the Department or the courts, will be required to perform periodic inspections and file reports with the Department. Permits will not be issued until an inspection is completed and failure to file a report will result in a minimum penalty of two thousand dollars,” said Mayor Bloomberg.

The second, Introductory Number 763-A, focuses on “housekeeping violations” that are considered immediately hazardous and can result in a minimum fine of $1,000. According to Mayor Bloomberg, not properly securing materials on the upper floors of a building and storing materials on the floor near the buildings edge are considered immediately hazardous.

Lastly, Introductory Number 793-A, requires an inspection every five years for retaining walls ten ft or higher that front public streets. The unsafe retaining walls must be repaired immediately and verified by the DOB within two weeks.

“These bills are part of our legislative agenda to bolster safety at job sites and existing buildings across the City,” said DOB Commissioner Robert LiMandri. “Building owners, contractors and developers must ensure that New Yorkers are protected during construction, and these new laws will help the Department hold them accountable when they fail to do so.”

SoHo Welcomes More Luxury

Currently under construction in Manhattan is 350 West Broadway, a 10-story, 43,700-sq-ft condominium building.

The façade of 350 West Broadway in Manhattan is a curtain wall of vision, spandrel and etched glass with a high efficiency, low-energy coating as well as aluminum. The building will have glass-framed parapets and balconies, integrated with the curtain wall system. The masonry will be glazed brick with punched window opening, and the lobby will feature a tooled granite entry and canopy. (Rendering courtesy of Alan Hill Design.)

Designed by Moed de Armas & Shannon Architects of New York, the ground-up building will house eight, two- and three-bedroom, full-floor residences that each have a grand entry foyer, a separate service entrance, a private storage room and full-size laundry room, as well as walnut stained white oak hardwood floors.

The façade is a curtain wall of vision, spandrel and etched glass with a high efficiency, low-energy coating as well as aluminum. The building will have glass-framed parapets and balconies, integrated with the curtain wall system. The masonry will be glazed brick with punched window opening, and the lobby will feature a tooled granite entry and canopy.

“With 350 West Broadway, we worked to create an exclusive address that represented the best of Soho’s appeal, cutting edge style, and daring art, so we tapped New York’s most notable architect and designer to design a building that would become one of the city’s most talked about places to live,” said Aby Rosen, principal of RFR Holding LLC, the developers of the project.

New York interior designer, William Georgis created the lobby to include a George Condo art installation. It will also be paved with fumed oak floors and Vermont Cold Spring Black Granite, with lacquered panels at the walls.

The kitchens and breakfast rooms include granite countertops, black walnut and stainless steel cabinets, Gaggenau cook top and oven along with a Sub-Zero wine cooler and refrigerator. Each master baths will feature statuary marble and heated flooring, steam shower and Dornbracht fixtures. Most residences will have private outdoor space.

“Apartment plans reconcile the open layouts found in downtown lofts with the hierarchy of uptown pre-war apartments. A rich, but understated palette of materials is employed in a clean, restrained design,” said Georgis.

Construction manager D. Haller, Inc. of New York began work on 350 West Broadway in September 2008 and is slated for completion in September 2009.

NJDOT Undertakes Route 78 Resurfacing

The New Jersey Department of Transportation is in the process of resurfacing Route 78 from west of Plainfield Avenue in Watchung Borough to the I-287 interchange in Bedminster Township, Somerset County.

“This project will resurface an additional 11 miles of Route 78 in Somerset County, demonstrating the State of New Jersey’s commitment to improving this vital commercial and commuting corridor,” said Governor Jon Corzine.

General contractor Della Pello Paving Inc. of Union, New Jersey began work on the project in August 2008 and is resurfacing Route 78 in both directions from milepost 30.9 to milepost 42.2. “The roadway within the project limits is in generally fair to poor condition exhibiting moderate to high severity unraveling, rutting, fatigue cracking in wheel paths, and isolated patching,” explained a spokesperson for NJDOT. “The outside shoulder is [also] in fair to poor condition.”

Additionally, NJDOT will also repair eight bridge structures, which carry Route 78 over local roadways. “The bridge deck repairs are included as part of the project as they fall within the project limits along [Route] 78 and we are basically reinforcing the existing bridge concrete decks and joints and repaving the bridge structures’ surface,” said a spokesperson for NJDOT.

The $8.3 million project is scheduled for completion in September 2009.