The American Automobile Association and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey met in a Manhattan federal court hearing Dec. 8 to present arguments in the trade group’s September lawsuit against the agency’s use of toll and transit fare hike revenue to fund development projects, such as the World Trade Center rebuild. Image: iStock Photo In its argument, AAA made reference to the authority’s changed stance in recent statements that indicate the agency would not use the revenue for non-transportation projects.The Port Authority "shamelessly used 9/11 as part of the justification for the toll hike, and now it's

The American Institute of Architects and Associated Builders and Contractors, including their New York, New Jersey and Connecticut branches, have partnered up to offer discounts to ABC members on software. The associations signed a two-year contract that offers a 10% discount to ABC members on all new AIA Contract Documents software license and access to AIA’s educational programs. In addition, existing AIA Contract Documents customers will receive a 10% discount on software renewals. “We believe this partnership will provide value to ABC members by giving them access to more resources to help them win work and deliver that work safely

Year-over-year construction employment in the tristate region rose slightly, following a broader national trend, according to the Associated General Contractors of America's latest analysis of Dept. of Labor data. Construction employment rose in half the states and decreased in the other half during the past year, closely matching the stable national employment picture, AGC says. The even split reflects the accelerating improvement in apartment and private nonresidential construction, offset by a declining public market and stalled single-family sector, it adds.Job gains nationwide are likely to remain spotty for months to come, however, says Ken Simonson, AGC's chief economist.In Connecticut, industry

New York Admirals Row, the historic six-acre site at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, moved a step closer to redevelopment with the New York City Council's approval last month of the site's transfer to the city from the federal government. The city, which owns the 300-acre Navy Yard, says it expects the property transfer to occur soon and that the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp. (BNYDC) may be able to issue a request for proposals by year-end.The redevelopment project will include construction of a 74,000-sq-ft supermarket, 79,000 sq ft of retail space and 127,000 sq ft of industrial space. The project

When it comes to the many New York State bridges and roadways in bad need of attention, the industry might learn a lesson or two from the Occupy Wall Street movement, David Tweedy, chief of capital planning at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, told attendees at ENR New York's transportation funding conference today. "How many of you don't know what the 99 percent means," he asked and, when no hand was raised, he laughed. "The kids at Zuccotti Park created a dialog about the 99 percent," something that industry has failed to do about the state

The number of stalled construction projects citywide fell by 8% from October 2010 to October 2011, according to a New York Building Congress study of Dept. of Buildings (DOB) inspection records and Dept. of Finance (DOF) records. However, the amount of stalled projects—roughly 638 this year—is still 40% above the number in the DOB's database for 2009. DOF estimates the aggregate market value of the current stalled projects in the database is $1.3 billion. "It is encouraging to see that we have stemmed the flow of stalled sites and that at least a portion of these projects are moving once

  ChoiHi Sun Choi, senior principal of Thornton Tomasetti's New York office, and Leonard Joseph, principal of the firm's Irvine, California office, have been named co-chairs of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat's Outrigger Design Working Group. The first-ever outrigger system design guide is currently being developed by the council. The guide is aimed at providing an overview of the history, design considerations and recommendations for outrigger systems. It is expected to be published in 2012. Built Ecology, a high-performance building, specialty design practice within international engineering firm WSP Flack + Kurtz, New York, has expanded its services

St. Joseph’s College has awarded Racanelli Construction, Melville, N.Y., a $12.5-million contract for construction of a 30,000-sq-ft athletic facility at its Brooklyn campus. Racanelli will serve as the general contractor on the project, which is scheduled to begin this week with completion slated for June 2013. Bentel & Bentel Architects/Planners, A.I.A., Locust Valley, N.Y., is the architect on the project.   The three-floor facility will be built in an historic section of Brooklyn where there are space constraints, and will require shoring and bracing of existing areas, Racanelli says. The facility will include a state-of-the-art basketball arena, gym floor and

The New York City Council gave final approval today for the long-awaited transfer of the six-acre Admirals Row site at the Brooklyn Navy Yard from the National Guard to the City of New York, which owns the 300-acre navy yard. The approval comes after a five-month-review process by city officials and the conclusion of talks between the guard and the non-profit Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corp. (BNYDC), and it allows for the redevelopment of the historic site. Redevelopment of the site, expected to begin next year following the site's transfer to the city, will include construction of a 74,000-sq-ft supermarket,

The Dept. of Transportation has denied the American Automobile Association’s request to oppose the recently enacted Hudson River toll hikes. AAA, which is still pursuing legal action related to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s toll and fare increases, maintains that revenues from the increases should not be used for projects outside of the PANYNJ transportation network, including the World Trade Center. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood says that since congress passed the Surface Transportation and Uniform Relocation Assistance Act in 1987, the agency no longer has “oversight of tolls on interstate bridges over navigable waters,” but that