Columbia, Cornell, Fordham and New York universities are among the region's institutions with major plans to grow their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) student bodies and, as a result, build new facilities. Drawing on long-term, billion-dollar capital investment programs, several have already begun to add space for classrooms, research, collaboration and even residential housing. Even public schools with smaller, dwindling budgets are including a STEM push in long-range plans to add or modernize facilities, many of which are 100 years old. The local efforts are in line with New York City's plans to become a world-class science and technology

When it comes to architecture, New York and Washington, D.C. are, indeed, zoos. At least, that is how architectural historian and children's book author Isabel Hill sees them as she introduces kids to the menagerie of animals in architecture that grace city buildings. Photo By Isabel Hill Designed to cultivate an appreciation for the built environment, these children's books highlight the details in urban architecture. "I'm trying to get them to look up," and away from their cell phones and other digital devices, says Hill, who is also a photographer and filmmaker. Through her three books aimed at 5 to

An unspecified "hydraulics issue" is cited as the cause of a tower crane carrying a 13,000-lb load getting stuck in midair earlier today, Oct. 7, resulting in the closure of a midtown Manhattan street. The crane's block was stuck 400 ft above ground at the 157 W. 57th St. site and was manually lowered without incident at around 3:30 p.m., says an Office of Emergency Management spokeswoman. The street has been reopened to traffic, but the Dept. of Buildings (DOB) has issued a partial stop-work order at the site, says a DOB spokeswoman. The investigation is ongoing, she adds.The incident

WSP, New York, has hired Allan Alterman as director of the firm's U.S. IT operations and infrastructure. Previously, he was managing director of the IT consulting firm Operations-View LLC, serving clients including New York University. Alterman Related Links: ENR New York ENR New York Featured People The LiRo Group, Syosset, N.Y., has promoted Edward Frysztacki to senior associate vice president from associate.In addition, David Hall has been elevated to senior associate from associate, and Mark Swanson has been promoted to associate from project manager.EYP Architecture & Engineering, Albany, N.Y., has hired Bob Eichelman as a technical director. He has more

  Related Links: ENR New York Featured News Seaside Park, N.JSandy Funds Ok'd for Boardwalk Fire WorkNew Jersey Officials have given formal approval of Gov. Chris Christie's plan to use $15 million of the state's Superstorm Sandy funds for repair of the New Jersey boardwalk that was destroyed by fire last month. The governor announced the plan Sept. 14, two days after faulty electrical wiring under part of the Seaside Park boardwalk triggered a fire that spread to the neighboring Seaside Heights boardwalk.In a special session last month, the state's Economic Development Authority (EDA) supported the plan to draw from

Superstorm Sandy was behind the faulty electrical wiring that caused the Sept. 12 wind-swept blaze that destroyed part of the Jersey Shore's iconic boardwalk last week, officials say. Ocean County investigators have made that connection and determined that the fire was accidental, Joseph D. Coronato, Ocean County prosecutor, said in a Sept. 17 press conference aired in part on the Internet. The blaze originated in Seaside Park underneath a structure that housed the Biscayne Candies and Kohr's Frozen Custard shops and then spread to Seaside Heights, destroying more than 50 businesses. The team of 27 investigators and four accelerant-detection K9

As the investigation continues into the cause of last week's fire at N.J.'s Seaside Park and Seaside Heights's famous boardwalk, Gov. Chris Christie announced plans to tap Superstorm Sandy funds to help in recovery efforts from the devastating wind-swept blaze. The governor says the state will act "swiftly and aggressively" in the rebuilding effort for victims including the boardwalk businesses that took a direct blow from Sandy 11 months ago. Photo by Tim Larsen/Governor's Office Starting Over: Gov. Christie says the state will act "swiftly and aggressively" in the rebuilding effort for victims of the Sept. 12 Seaside Park and

The New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Hudson River Estuary Program has issued 12 grants worth a combined total of $564,000 for water resiliency projects in NYS. The funding comes after Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee both rocked the region in 2011, says DEC, which is working in partnership with the non-profit New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) on the grant program. Photo Courtesy of Hudson River Estuary Program Irene's Blow: The Hudson River Maritime Museum and Tugboat Mathilda, also part of the museum, suffered severe flooding from 2011's Hurricane Irene. The grants will help

The newly formed Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey (ACCNJ), Edison, the state chapter of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America, plans to tackle about six legislative initiatives in the next year that will help create jobs and funding streams for industry, says Jack Kocsis, Jr., CEO. He declined to identify those initiatives but says they are among several others aimed at helping to grow New Jersey's economy. Photo Courtesy of ACCNJ New Board: From left to right, first row: Torcivia; Hall; Earp; Weeks; and (slightly behind) Creamer. Second row: Blanchard; Epifano; Natoli; and Ferreira. Third row: Parry; Prisco;

Federal regulators dealt a blow recently to Williams Partners L.P. in putting off a decision for six months on whether the firm's plans to build a 3.17-mile natural gas pipeline extension off the coast of the Rockaway peninsula in Queens is approved. Rendering Courtesy of Williams Partners L.P. Hanging On: The project includes building the meter and regulator stations inside one of the historic hangar buildings at Floyd Bennett Field and restoring the facade to that structure. Williams had planned to start work on the $182-million Rockaway Delivery Lateral Project this month but the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) said