After decades of false starts, one of architect Louis Kahn’s final works, a 4.5-acre park in New York City to honor President Franklin D. Roosevelt, is scheduled to break ground in mid-August on the synergistically named Roosevelt Island, in the East River. Photo courtesy of Rubenstein Associates, Inc. Public Relations The Four Freedoms Park was designed specifically for the Roosevelt Island site by architect Louis I. Kahn to honor President Roosevelt. Related Links: Construction Begins on NY-NJ Tunnel Upper West Side Mandell School Expands, Goes Green Empire Merchants North HQ Seeks LEED Cert. Skanska Starts UN Headquarters Remodeling Nation's Greenest

Mandell School on the Upper West Side is set to expand into a new state-of-the-art green facility at 795 Columbus Avenue, a 15-story apartment building that is part of Columbus Square, a retail and residential community currently under development between 97th and 100th Streets. Construction on Mandell School's 50,000-sq-ft build out and 10,000-sq-ft learning center is scheduled for March 2010. Rendering courtesy of Rubenstein Associates, Inc. Public Relations. Related Links: Construction Begins on NY-NJ Tunnel Empire Merchants North HQ Seeks LEED Cert. Skanska Starts UN Headquarters Remodeling Nation's Greenest Resid. Development Planned Hudson Scenic Studio Expansion Moves Forward NYCEDC Sells

Construction recently began on an $8.7 billion New York to New Jersey tunnel, the largest U.S. transportation project that is expected to double the number of rail commuters traveling between New Jersey and Manhattan. Related Links: Upper West Side Mandell School Expands, Goes Green Empire Merchants North HQ Seeks LEED Cert. Skanska Starts UN Headquarters Remodeling Nation's Greenest Resid. Development Planned Hudson Scenic Studio Expansion Moves Forward NYCEDC Sells Property to Support Expansion Village Green Targets LEED Gold Certification Work to Begin on Long-Delayed Louis Kahn Park Brooklyn Arts District Plods Ahead Groundbreaking at Cornell Could Mark the End of

New York City Economic Development Corporation recently announced that it has sold a 10,000-sq-ft piece of city-owned land to Comfort Bedding, a mattress manufacturer based in Brownsville, Brooklyn in order to help the company construct a 10,000-sq-ft industrial building to expand its operations. Related Links: Construction Begins on NY-NJ Tunnel Upper West Side Mandell School Expands, Goes Green Empire Merchants North HQ Seeks LEED Cert. Skanska Starts UN Headquarters Remodeling Nation's Greenest Resid. Development Planned Hudson Scenic Studio Expansion Moves Forward Village Green Targets LEED Gold Certification Work to Begin on Long-Delayed Louis Kahn Park Brooklyn Arts District Plods Ahead

Skanska USA Building, selected by the United Nations in July 2007 to serve as construction manager for the UN’s Capital Master Plan, is set to start another phase for renovation and upgrading of the international agency’s headquarters in New York City. Related Links: Construction Begins on NY-NJ Tunnel Upper West Side Mandell School Expands, Goes Green Empire Merchants North HQ Seeks LEED Cert. Nation's Greenest Resid. Development Planned Hudson Scenic Studio Expansion Moves Forward NYCEDC Sells Property to Support Expansion Village Green Targets LEED Gold Certification Work to Begin on Long-Delayed Louis Kahn Park Brooklyn Arts District Plods Ahead Groundbreaking

311 E11: Village Green, designed by Michael and Izak Namer of New York City in order to define environmentally responsible 21st century living is currently under construction in the East Village, and targeting LEED Gold certification. Village Green is one of only two condominium sites in the East Village that is moving ahead at this time designed with sustainable approaches to energy efficiency. Rendering courtesy of Harriet Weintraub Public Relations. Related Links: Construction Begins on NY-NJ Tunnel Upper West Side Mandell School Expands, Goes Green Empire Merchants North HQ Seeks LEED Cert. Skanska Starts UN Headquarters Remodeling Nation's Greenest Resid.

Balfour Beatty plc, the U.K.-based global construction giant, announced Sept. 17 that it would acquire US engineering stalwart Parsons Brinckerhoff, New York City, for $626 million. The deal, which officials say would keep 13,000-employee PB in tact as a wholly-owned subsidiary, is still subject to approval by shareholders of both firms. Ian Tyler, CEO of Balfour Beatty The acquisition, to be financed mainly by Balfour Beatty selling its owns shares to existing investors, is due for completion late next month. PB's 75 shareholders are set to vote on it Oct. 21. The deal fills business gaps for both firms. It

A probe into New York’s concrete testing industry has prompted city officials to launch a new program to increase the oversight and evaluation of concrete testing at construction projects throughout the city, including projects funded by the city and private developers. (Photo by Joe Woolhead) The program, announced last week by the New York City Department of Buildings, Department of Design and Construction and Department of Investigation, includes plans to build a $1 million city-owned concrete-testing laboratory scheduled to open January 2010 in the Bronx. The new laboratory, which will be operated by the DDC, will be fully equipped to

Despite having $1.57 billion in federal stimulus money approved for New York City capital transportation – with $1 billion more likely to be approved – an analysis of project data provided by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council reveals that the majority of the approved funding has yet to be spent. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has been approved for a total of $1.2 billion in stimulus funds to go to projects that support New York City Transit’s work such as the Fulton Street Transit Center through the rehabilitation of the 4/5 subway line mezzanine and the A/C line mezzanine as

The Subcontractors Trade Association hosts 40th Annual Construction Awards Night Dinner  August 2009 Award Luncheons for NYBC and NYECC honor leadership while GNYCUC and the BTEA hold special conference, exhibition The Greater New York Construction User Council and The Building Trades Employers’ Association’s Special Conference and Exhibition titled, “Construction The Economic Recovery,” was recently held at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers in Manhattan. From left: Robert Brewer, Grassi & Co., Guy Cleveland, Service Point USA Director of Business Development, New York, and David F. Bomke, executive director, New York Energy Consumers Council. Photo courtesy of The Berman Group. The