Skanska USA and EMCOR Group, two of the region�s largest contracting firms, have offered separate $50,000 donations to help with relief efforts in Haiti, while other firms and associations are gathering cash and food donations. Skanska’s donation was made to the United Nations, while EMCOR donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross’ Touching Lives Program, with an additional $25,000 from a double matching program with EMCOR employees. “We know that this donation can only do so much in an area where the need is so great,” said Mike McNally, President and CEO of Skanska USA. “But we know that if

Walking past New York City construction sites may soon be a much more pleasant visual experience. Slide Show Images courtesy of urbanSHED International Design Competition Urban Umbrella design by Young Hwan Choi, with Andr�s Cort�s, AIA, and Sarrah Khan, PE, of Agencie Group. Related Links: Video: Shedding Inhibitions: Rethinking New York Sidewalk Protection Unhappy with the current appearance of sidewalk sheds – the uninviting scaffolds that surround the city’s construction sites to provide protection from falling debris – New York’s Department of Buildings partnered with the AIA, Alliance for Downtown New York, New York Building Congress, Illuminating Engineering Society New

The GCA of New York Holds Conference for Disadvantaged, Minority- and Women-Owned Firms  January 2010 Also, LEED Gold-certified affordable housing complex opens. The General Contractors Association of New York held a networking conference in a Midtown hotel for disadvantaged, minority and women owned business enterprises that specialize in the heavy construction industry, allowing them to build relationships with public works general contractors and public agencies. Pictured from left are: Joe Argette, President of Queens Village based JMA Concrete Construction, Denise Richardson, General Manager of the General Contractors Association of New York, Michael Jones-Bey, Executive Director of the Empire State Development Division

The New York City Capital Resource Corporation recently approved $2.2 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonds to assist in the development of a cultural and arts center at the Kalahari Condominium in Central Harlem. Photo courtesy of the New York City Economic Development Corp Dedicated to the African and Hispanic cultural heritage of the residents, the approximately $9.6 million, 18,000-sq-ft MIST at the Kalahari cultural center will consist of an African/Latino fusion restaurant, a conference and performance area, three screening rooms, and film and digital media studios for training students to participate in the post-production film industry. The cultural center

The number of fatal construction-related accidents in New York City decreased in 2009 by 84 percent over the previous year, city officials have reported. Three fatalities were reported in 2009 compared to 19 in 2008, 12 in 2007 and 18 in 2006, according to the New York City Department of Buildings. Though DOB reports show that permits issued for major construction decreased 33 percent in 2009, fatal construction-related accidents decreased by a far greater margin thanks to the department’s expanded enforcement powers, increased oversight of high-risk construction operations and a slew of new safety awareness programs and initiatives. “We have

The New York City Economic Development Corporation recently announced that it has received 29 responses to its Request for Qualifications for groups interested in redeveloping the 62-acre Willets Point District in Queens, New York. The responses came from a variety of commercial, residential and mixed-use developers from across the United States. From the 29 responses, NYCEDC will develop a short list to receive a future Request for Proposals. RFQ respondents will first be evaluated based on their experience in developing similar large-scale projects and other criteria to determine eligibility to receive the RFP. “The quantity and quality of these responses

The $1.5 billion residential conversion of Brooklyn�s Domino Sugar refinery has reached another milestone as it now enters the formal public review process on the strength of a recent presentation to the New York City Planning Commission. Renderings courtesy of Linden Alschuler & Kaplan, Inc. Renderings courtesy of Linden Alschuler & Kaplan, Inc. The Department of City Planning has now certified that the developer’s Land Use Review Application is complete and ready for public review. The 2,200-unit New Domino complex will create 660 units of affordable housing and more than four acres of public open space with a broad riverfront

The Newark and Suburban Architects section of the New Jersey chapter of the American Institute of Architects has selected 21 finalists in its design competition for a proposed Newark Visitors Center. Photo: Beckerman PR Newark-born architect Richard Meier (left) and Alok Saksena, creator and director of the Newark Visitors Center Design Competition at the recent all-day judging for the competition, at which 21 finalists were selected. The finalists were chosen from nearly 200 entries submitted by architects from 31 countries and selected during an all day deliberation session by an eight-member jury consisting of representatives of local architecture and construction

NEW HIRES Jennifer Sze has been hired by Israel Berger & Associates, LLC to work in the New Construction Group. Thomas J. Curran has been hired as the newest partner of Peckar & Abramson, P.C., a construction law firm, in their New York office. David Monahan has joined Savills, an international real estate advisor based in New York, as senior vice president Thomas P. Nolan has joined The RADCO Companies, a national real estate development firm based in Atlanta, Georgia as director of new business development. Jose Luis Crespo has joined Virginia based Power Distribution, Inc. as vice president of

When the economy caused the “pause button” to be placed on financing for certain projects, it created a domino effect leading to the filing of many mechanic’s liens, judgments and other problems on those projects. Here are a few things you need to know. C. JAYE BERGER While the laws on mechanic’s liens vary from state to state, having a mechanic’s lien on a property usually only becomes problematic if the owner is trying to “do” something with the property, such as refinance, sell or satisfy a construction lender. If the lienor has not started a lawsuit to foreclose on