After taking ownership of 2 Herald Square, SL Green worked with Mercy College to unveil the MercyManhattan project – increasing the institution’s presence in the building from 55,000 to over 95,000 sq. ft. The ambitious, multi-year gut renovation introduces a prominent new entry on 34th Street, new student commons, increased classrooms, over 130 dormitory units, and dining to enhance the Mercy College student experience. Having previously completed over a dozen projects in the building, SL Green engaged EDG to bring our unique expertise to the table and provide full-service structural engineering across all five floors.
As with any historic building, renovating Herald Square required navigating complex conditions and extensive coordination across disciplines and throughout construction. EDG acted as a trusted adviser on the existing structure, with comprehensive understanding of the building’s various details and techniques, including terracotta arches and early steel construction with rivets. With cost and time efficiencies in mind, we designed for escalator removal, elevator infill, floor infill, support of new MEP units, generator, dunnage, interior circulation stairs, awnings, lobby mezzanine, and skylight infills. From storefront renovations on the ground floor, to third and fourth floor program conversions, to new structural designs for rooftop units and construction scaffolding, EDG worked across the entire project team of engineers, architects, specialty consultants, and contractors.
MercyMahattan is a large-scale phased effort over two years to create an immersive higher education experience for the Mercy College community. Working swiftly in accordance with the project’s fast-track schedule, EDG’s in-depth knowledge of Herald Square, responsive communication, and technical structural engineering expertise enabled success for the many moving parts of the project.