Plans to build a new Tappan Zee Bridge have moved a step forward with the federal government’s approval of the final environmental impact statement for the project. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced yesterday, Sept. 25, that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has issued a record of decision (ROD) approving the state’s plan for the $5-billion-plus bridge replacement. The move is the final step in the review of the project’s environmental impact. “With this major milestone, New York once again is demonstrating that we can make government work efficiently and effectively for the people of the state, and we
One construction worker was killed and a second was severely injured after the roof of a four-story residential structure gave way on a construction site yesterday, Sept. 10, in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, says the New York City Dept. of Buildings. The injured man was taken to a hospital but no current status is available, says the Fire Dept. of New York.A Dept. of Buildings spokeswoman says that a preliminary investigation of the site shows that five workers were standing on the roof when a heavy load was delivered, and the roof gave way causing the two workers to fall to
ESPN says it has donated $1 million to help fund construction of a new 38,000-sq-ft family center for the Boys and Girls Club in Bristol, Conn., the same town in which ESPN’s headquarters are located. Construction is expected to begin in spring or summer 2013 and be completed later that year. The construction manager is a joint venture of O&G Industries Inc., Torrington, Conn., and The S. Carpenter Construction Company, Bristol, Conn. Amara Associates, West Hartford, Conn., is the architect. Photo by John Atashian/ESPN Last year, volunteers from The Boys and Girls Club and ESPN built a playground in Bristol,
Lee Petrella, vice president of Thornton Tomasetti’s New York office and known to his colleagues as “Big Lee,” died on Monday, Aug. 20, in Astoria, Queens. He was 54. Petrella Petrella, who became vice president in 2008, had been battling cancer for many years, says a Thornton Tomasetti spokeswoman. He is survived by his wife, Luanne.Petrella began his career with Thornton Tomasetti’s predecessor company Lev Zetlin Associates in 1980 after graduating from City College of New York (CUNY) with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He was a member of the Thornton Tomasetti building structure team and worked on many
The full New York City Council voted 44-1 in favor of New York University’s 30-year plan to expand in Greenwich Village. The June 25 vote follows a vote last week in which two council committees also approved the plan that would add 2 million sq ft to the university’s space. Rendering Courtesy of NYU The university's reduced expansion plan includes decreasing the proposed Mercer building from its original 11 stories down to 4 stories and reducing the Zipper building from approximately 1 million sq ft to 980,000 sq ft. Before gaining council approval, the planned project, known as NYU 2031,
The Queens Library in Elmhurst says it completed foundation work today, July 25, on its new $27.8-million library, which will be nearly triple the size of the library it replaces. The original structure was demolished earlier this year. While construction continues on the new library, a temporary building located at 51st Avenue and Broadway is providing library service. Rendering Courtesy of Marpillero Pollak Architects Bricks taken from the original library will be used in the new structure. Construction of the new three-story, 30,000-sq-ft structure began last March and is scheduled for completion in 2014. The library, designed by New York-based
Three months after Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer approved New York University’s reduced plan to expand by over 2 million sq ft in Greenwich Village, two key City Council committees voted overwhelmingly in favor of the plan on July 17. Council Member Margaret Chin and City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn also approved the university’s 30-year plan. Photo Courtesy of GVSHP GVSHP and NYU-FASP rally back in March calling for Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer to vote "no" on NYU's 30-year expansion plan. The university’s NYU 2031 plan goes to the full City Council for a vote on July 25.The
An old Queens-based power plant may get recharged with new and more efficient generating equipment if the state creates a request for proposals process, a move that could come as early as next year, according to developer NRG Energy, Princeton, N.J. Rendering Courtesy of NRG Energy The Astoria Repowering Project would increase onsite generation from 600 MW of power to 1,040 MW. “What we need is an offtake contract to purchase the power,” says David Gaier, a spokesman for NRG, which would fund the upgrade.Smart Power NY—a coalition of business, labor, and environmental groups formed to advance a clean energy
New office construction in Manhattan’s central business district will reach 2.1million sq ft in six buildings by year-end, up from 1.8 million sq ft in seven buildings this time last year, according to a recent New York Building Congress report about ongoing and planned projects in Manhattan. Photo Courtesy of Lend Lease Extell Development Company and Lend Lease celebrate the topping out of One57 on June 20. From left: Anthony Mannarino, executive vice president, Extell Development Company, New York; Nick Grecco, senior vice president, Lend Lease Construction; Charlie Loskant, senior vice president, Extell Development Company; Jeff Dvorett, vice president, Extell