Building information modeling, still relatively rare in the transportation construction world, proved key in gaining public approval for a planned $573-million, 9.4-mile rapid-transit bus system in Hartford, Conn. Advocates hope transit agencies will begin to ramp up use of BIM in future projects. Slide Show Image: SEA Three-dimensional imaging proved a valuable public-outreach method. The Connecticut Dept. of Transportation had planned on design-build for the line connecting Hartford and New Britain. “We had a designer bring the project from [environmental permitting] to 30% design,” says Michael Sanders, ConnDOT transit administrator. But after then-Gov. John Rowland (R)—who had approved special design-build

James Delayo, a former inspector for the New York City Department of Buildings has pleaded guilty to taking cash payments in exchange for falsifying paperwork relating to crane inspections and certifying crane operator exams. He is recommended to receive a two to six year prison sentence after being charged with Bribe Receiving in the Second Degree, considered to be a Class C felony. “This is another case where responsibility and safety were trumped by greed,” said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. “These crimes threaten the industry that built our great city, and this fraud hurts the honest business owners

The construction industry has been suffering for two years through the toughest recession in 20 years, perhaps longer. The depth of the downturn has burned away the industry's natural optimism, and major firms are taking a hard look at the market and at the U.S. economy. However, they now are starting to believe that a recovery should begin next year. A 70-story, folded, creased and curved stainless-steel curtain wall on an 867-ft-tall apartment building has been called “Gehry only on the outside,” as if the building is a fake Frank. It’s true that, when it opens next year, New York

Stalco Construction Holds 3rd Long Island Real Estate Movers & Shakers Reception   March 2010 Also, Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park holds a celebratory dinner and exhibit. Stalco Construction recently held its 3rd Long Island Real Estate Movers & Shakers Networking Reception. The event, whose theme this year was the �Roaring Twenties� celebrated Stalco�s impressive 100% growth in 2009 with nearly 200 commercial real estate, construction, architecture, and finance professionals from New York City and Long Island and was held at Stalco Construction, Inc.�s headquarters in Islandia, New York. Pictured from left are: Gary Robertson of BBS Architecture & Engineering,

Barclays Center at Atlantic Yards broke ground yesterday after years of delay including 34 lawsuits filed by residents fighting the use of eminent domain. The groundbreaking marks the next phase of construction on the 22-acre, 675,000-sq-ft, facility located at the intersection of Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues in Brooklyn, the planned future home of the NBA�s New Jersey Nets. Rendering: SHoP Architects Preconstruction work has been ongoing at the site since last fall with residential work expected to start next summer. Protestors shouted, honked horns and blew whistles outside the tent as Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz jokingly apologized for the

Two Gotham Center, a 21-story mixed use tower in Long Island City has topped out after members of Ironworkers Local 361 raised the final beam of steal to a height of 325 ft. Photo courtesy of Diane Bondareff The $316 million, 662,000-sq-ft office tower is being developed by Tishman Speyer on the corner of Queens Plaza and 28th Street. Once it is completed in early 2011, the office portion of the building will be occupied by the New York City Department of Health. Two Gotham Center, which is replacing the Queens Municipal Parking Garage, will also include approximately 8,000 sq

One of the most important pieces of information to anyone making a claim in court is the “statute of limitations” that applies to their particular claim. The statute of limitations period is the time during which a claim can be made in court and is imposed by law to avoid litigation of claims long after the acts in question occurred, when memories have faded and records have been destroyed or discarded. The importance of the statute of limitations cannot be understated because, as a general matter, if a party is too late in bringing its claim in court, it loses

With new legislation passed in New York City late last year, all of New York's buildings totaling more than 50,000 sq ft are required to submit to benchmarking and retro-commissioning, essentially putting those buildings' efficiency ratings up against other buildings across the country. Photo courtesy of Hines Property Management Engineers working on building management systems at a Morgan Stanley building in New York. Related Links: Greening an Icon: The Empire State Building Retrofitting Residential Benchmarking essentially ranks a building’s energy and water efficiency against similar buildings. The legislation specifies the use of the U.S. EPA’s Portfolio Benchmarking tool as the

Open windows in January are a just one sign of the energy inefficiencies that plague many multifamily buildings in urban areas. Studies of multi-family structures show wide variations in energy consumption per square foot with the least efficient buildings using seven times more energy than the most efficient. “These wide fluctuations mean many buildings are candidates for energy efficiency upgrades that can reduce costs and improve cash flow,” explains Andrew Padian, vice president for energy initiatives, The Community Preservation Corporation, New York. Photo courtesy of Steven Winter Associates At Jennings Hall at 260 Powers Street in Brooklyn, a steam boiler

Rockefeller University in New York has undertaken multiple projects to enhance its research facilities and modernize its historic campus to attract distinguished faculty. Slide Show Photo courtesy The Rockefeller University The Collaborative Research Center includes a new glass bridge building and renovation of the two existing laboratory buildings. Related Links: Selected Higher Education Projects Under Construction or in Design Back to Schools Green Crescent The school selected Turner Construction Co. of New York as construction manager for the Collaborative Research Center (CRC), the recently completed the Comparative Biosciences Center and the Welch Hall renovation. Turner has worked with the university