Building Industry Association Honors Lancaster

The organization praises Department of Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster and her team. Also, Professional Women in Construction honors World Trade Center reconstruction teams.

PWC Honors WTC Rebuild Team

Professional Women in Construction of New York recently honored the entire team behind several projects in the World Trade Center rebuilding effort at a gala held at New York's Yale Club, bringing together a group that has been at odds in recent months over the final status of the redevelopment.

During its 26th annual awards reception this spring, PWC honored the team on the recently completed 7 World Trade Center project, including: owner and developer Silverstein Properties; the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the land; Tishman Construction of New York, which was construction manager on the effort; Skidmore Owings & Merrill, the project's architect; and WSP Cantor Seinuk Group, the project's structural engineer.

The PWC also honored the project team on the World Trade Center transportation hub, which is currently under construction. It recognized the Port Authority, which is developing the center; the joint venture construction team of Fluor Enterprises, Slattery Skanska, Granite Construction, and Bovis Lend Lease; the design partnership of DMJM Harris, STV, and Santiago Calatrava; and the construction manager oversight joint venture of Parsons Brinckerhoff and URS.

In addition, the organization recognized several of its own PWC members for their substantial contributions, including Andy Frankl, president and CEO of IBEX Construction, and Christine Flaherty, business development manager for STV.

Praise for Buildings Agency

The Building Industry Association of New York City, a group representing residential homebuilders, subcontractors, suppliers, and others, has recognized the New York City Department of Buildings for internal reform efforts.

The association honored Patricia Lancaster, the department's commissioner, and Robert LiMandri, the first deputy commissioner for operations, for several achievements, including their leadership in fostering cooperation between the city and its industry groups by way of regular meetings and through the development of training programs.

The association also recognized the department's efforts to streamline the application permit process, its move toward making its services available online, and its efforts to allow participation from the private sector in shaping policy.

Local Timber Bridge Lauded

The Alton Sylor Memorial Bridge in Angelica, N.Y., won national honors as the best timber bridge spanning more than 40 ft. that was constructed in 2004 and 2005.

Co-sponsored by the American Institute of Timber Construction, APA-the Engineering Wood Association, and the Wood in Transportation division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, the award recognizes superior design and construction of timber bridges.

Completed last year, the 274-ft.-wide Alton Sylor bridge is the longest clearspan timber arch bridge in the nation. It replaced the 70-year-old steel Joncy Bridge.

The Rochester, N.Y., office of Dewberry, a design firm based in Fairfax, Va., was the project designer, while A.L. Blades & Sons of Hornell, N.Y., served as contractor.

USGBC Offers LEED Programs

The United States Green Building Council's New York chapter has sponsored several recent programs aimed at expanding industry knowledge about its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program.

The programs, which involve both public and private sector participants, aim to demystify the process of LEED certification. The programs include tours of New York area projects that have secured top green ranking, such as 7 World Trade Center in Manhattan and the Goldman Sachs building in Jersey City. The chapter has also hosted seminars and conferences on LEED certification by project category and for particular trades.

On June 14th, the chapter will hold a full-day seminar on deconstruction and reuse [see events calendar].

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