Cornell University has chosen the New York City office of Morphosis Architects to design the first academic building of its planned Roosevelt Island applied sciences campus. Morphosis is expected to deliver a conceptual design in November and a schematic design in March 2013. New York-based Arup will be helping Morphosis develop the building. Rendering Courtesy of Cornell University The New York City office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill designed the master plan that helped Cornell win the competition to build a new applied sciences campus on Roosevelt Island. Plans call for a 150,000-sq-ft structure to house classrooms and offices. The

About 41% of New York State’s 11,600 miles of high-voltage transmission lines are so old that they will need to be replaced during the next 30 years at a cost of more than $25 billion, according to a new study by an electric utility group. The study, the second phase of a long-term NYS transmission system assessment, identifies another $2.5 billion worth of incremental upgrades to existing lines and construction of new lines. The assessment includes current and future infrastructure demands and suggestions to improve the system’s reliability. The study outlines several possible fixes to various parts of the transmission

Gary LaBarbera, president,  Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, is one of fifteen members that Gov. Andrew Cuomo named on May 3 to his recently created New York Works Task Force. The task force, created under the governor’s 2012-13 budget to “change the way state agencies spend billions in taxpayer and commuter funds each year,” will have $750 million available under the Regional Economic Development Councils’ second round funding. The funding is aimed at supporting economic development, strategic plan implementation and job creation across the state. This round of funding consists of $220 million for regional strategic

The design-build team for the $5.2-billion Tappan Zee bridge replacement project will be chosen this summer, said Thomas Madison, executive director of the NYS Thruway Authority. Transportation officials hope that the selected team, which will be chosen from four that were shortlisted on Feb. 7, will start construction by year-end, said Madison, who spoke at a lecture sponsored by The Moles on May 2. Photo Courtesy of NYS Thruway Authority Other upcoming deadlines include completion in August of an extensive environmental review that was issued concurrently with the RFP for design and construction.Plans call for the new bridge, which will

NYBC projects that construction spending will reach $28.8 billion by year-end but fall to $25.1 billion in 2013. The analysis is an update of NYBC’s annual New York City Construction Outlook report that was released last October. Anderson The NYBC analysis shows that government construction spending including mass transit, public schools, roads, bridges and other infrastructure accounted for 53% of all construction spending in the five boroughs last year. That put this sector’s spending at $14.4 billion in 2011, down 10% from 2010. NYBC predicts government construction spending will decline further, to $12.7 billion in 2012 and $9.69 billion in

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s One World Trade Center reached 1,271 ft on April 30th after ironworkers from DCM Erectors installed two, 26-ft steel interior columns on the top. The columns have surpassed the architectural top of the Empire State Building, which stands 1,250 ft above grade and 1,454 ft to the top of its spire. Photo by Luke Abaffy Steel will continue to be erected on the tower until it tops out and reaches its 104th floor at 1,368 ft this summer. CM Tishman Construction says that when completed in fall 2013, the tower will

New York Photo by Carolina Worrell No. 7 Line Extension: Work at the MTA Capital Construction site was suspended for about a week after the April 3 crane collapse. Related Links: Click here for more ENR NY news Ongoing Probe Shows Defects in Crane System Investigations are ongoing into the April 3 deadly crane collapse at the No. 7 subway line extension site between 33rd and 34th streets on Manhattan's West Side. The Dept. of Buildings said in the days following the accident that it found defects in the hoisting system of the crane, a Manitowoc 4100 model."The maintenance and

James Lomma, who faced multiple counts of negligent homicide and other charges in connection with the deadly 2008 tower crane collapse, was cleared of all charges on April 26. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Daniel Conviser delivered the verdict in a case that began in February and garnered national attention. Lomma, who owns New York Crane & Equipment Corp., Brooklyn, and transport services firm J.F. Lomma Inc., South Kearny, N.J., faced 15 years in prison if convicted. He was charged in connection with the deaths of Donald Leo, a members of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 14-14B,and Ramadan Kurtag,

Owner and developer SL Green Realty and its construction manager Tishman Construction have announced the topping out of 180 Broadway, which will be the new home for some 600 Pace University students. The $60-million, 24-story residence hall topped out after a bucket carried concrete to the top of the structure on April 24. The new dormitory will be open to students in 2013. The first three levels of the tower will be used for retail and are available for leasing. SL Green, Tishman and university officials attended the celebration. Photo Courtesy of Tishman Construction Pictured from left: Tishman Constructions Rob

An audit that was triggered by three anonymous letters revealed that fake bids were made for construction contracts at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, says New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. According to the audit, Brooklyn-based Eagle Two Construction and its affiliated fake companies were paid $1.2 million by SUNY between January 1996 and October 2010. The affiliated companies, which are all located at the same address, had submitted competing bids in six separate procurements, some of which were forged, according to the findings made by DiNapoli’s auditors and investigators. Eagle Two won $92,090 in