Monthly Archives: May 2016

Developer, New Building

New Twelve Story Building

New Twelve Story Building

Scope

Design of a new 12-story, mixed-use building, approximately 140,000 sq. ft. in Queens, NY. The apartment building includes a community facility and parking garage below. EDG provided engineering design, specifications, and construction observation services for the project.

Approach

Lack of communication is often the cause of failure on projects, so EDG put a lot of focus on it here. One example of this is engaging the construction manager as early as possible for a constructability review to confirm that the project design is compatible with the means and methods of the intended construction, as well as to discuss the feasibility of all details. EDG also review potential complications that EDG has experienced on past projects, as they tend to repeat themselves.

Impact

EDG always does our part to improve the project team’s communication because it saves our clients significant amounts of time and money. EDG’s efforts prevent costly redesigns which are often incurred in merging design and construction requirements.

 

Government, Restoration

Pier 40 Rehabilitation

Pier 40 Rehabilitation

Scope

Located on the Hudson River, Pier 40 Parking Deck is the largest in the city. It includes an enormous recreation center, acres of field space, approximately 2,200 long-term parking spaces (the largest parking facility in Manhattan), and the offices of Hudson River Park Trust, who operate Hudson River Park and 36 piers. The scope of work for EDG included the assessment of the existing deck conditions and design of the rehabilitation of the 40+ year old pier, including the complete replacement of the top slab deck and waterproofing.

Approach

Given the large square footage of the complex, every detail can have a significant cost impact, so EDG looked carefully at the key cost variables. Many repair options were explored to obtain the optimal solution. The client required that the roof deck be made watertight for years to come, so EDG carefully evaluated leading waterproofing systems to find one that fit the needs of existing and future conditions. As the largest revenue generator for the Hudson River Park Trust, continued operation during construction was extremely important and phasing had to be carefully planned.

Impact

EDG prepared cost estimates for the work at every stage of design. The project not only came in just below our budget estimate, but below the contracted construction cost. The success of the first phase of the project was a team effort made by all parties, including Trust’s team and the contractor. EDG initially set out to understand everything about the existing conditions in the scope of work. This high level of due diligence paid off, and no design changes were required. All phases of design work were completed early or on-time, which was essential for the pier to continue serving both the community and the Trust’s operations.

Government, Restoration

250+ Residential Buildings

250+ Residential Buildings

Scope

In 2010, 2015, and 2017, the New York City Housing Authority issued a bid for the restoration design of their developments’
façades and roofs. EDG was one of ten firms selected to receive a five-year contract for the design of the envelope work
for a portfolio of over 2,600 buildings. Our work includes preparing Local Law 11 façade condition reports for Cycles 6, 7,
and 8 for more than 250 of NYCHA’s buildings. EDG is one of two firms pioneering a new contract structure combining
Local Law 11 inspections and facade repairs, which include design, specification, and construction administration.

Approach

Due diligence is always our first step, as we carefully review all available records and visit the sites to determine conditions
that affect our work. Having a clear picture of prior work on the developments allowed us to properly plan our approach.
Each Cycle requires meticulous planning, coordination, and approvals with NYCHA, NYC Department of Buildings, and
external contractors. By incorporating the latest technology and software, the EDG team optimized workflows and
minimized the manpower necessary to complete a higher volume of buildings.

Impact

Our office has not missed any of the numerous deadlines and aggressive timelines set by the Housing Authority. By
streamlining internal work processes, the EDG team delivers higher quality deliverables with increased rates of approval,
ultimately saving NYCHA both time and money. Our work with NYCHA helps ensure the safety of the occupants and the
longevity of the buildings.

Government, Restoration

H-Bridge Rehabilitation

H-Bridge Rehabilitation

Scope

The H-bridge Rehabilitation is a two-way vehicle and pedestrian bridge that crosses over the Metro North Hudson Line in Tarrytown, NY. It is nearly half a mile of elevated roadway deck and sidewalk. The steel members, concrete roadway, expansion joints, sidewalks and drains required rehabilitation. Extensive deterioration was found at steel columns and girders that required shoring and immediate repair.

Approach

EDG quickly opened up communication with the Village of Tarrytown and the Metro North Railroad to obtain a history of reports and construction to the bridge and roadway. They were kept informed of the status of all work to prevent any delays later in the project. EDG’s knowledge of material science and concrete and steel deterioration played a key role. Severely deteriorated steel was immediately identified and testing was performed on all steel showing evidence of deterioration.

Impact

In consideration of budget expenses, EDG assess priority phasing on nearly all of EDG’s restoration projects. With an experienced eye, EDG identifies immediate repairs, short-term repairs, and any long-term maintenance work required. Ultimately, over six million dollars of restoration work will be required, which will be performed over several years to work within the budget of the Village.

Government, Renovation

Crime Lab

Crime Lab

Scope

EDG NYC was invited to submit a proposal for the design of a new, state-of-the-art crime lab with support spaces for the District Attorney’s Office. EDG’s work included planning, design, specification, cost-estimating, filing, bidding and construction administration services for the 21,000-square-foot project.

Approach

EDG’s project management division is well known for facilitating projects requiring specialty design. For this project, EDG brought in McClaren Wilson & Lawrie, Inc., an architecture and planning firm specializing in laboratory design. EDG provided seamless communication and handled the standard complications, while navigating the filing process.

Impact

Drawing from dozens of previous lab designs, MWL created an effective space that met all the goals of the District Attorney’s Office and achieved certification with the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors. EDG’s ability to find and work with the right specialists allows EDG to take on any project requiring extensive experience and avoid time-consuming learning curves.