From the latest Construction Alert: progress on multiple fronts, but also the need for late-night and weekend work

There's not much dramatic in the latest two-week Atlantic Yards Construction Alert, dated 7/16/12 (and embedded below) and released yesterday by Empire State Development after preparation by Forest City Ratner.

According to the document, there's progress on numerous fronts, including testing of an escalator in the new subway entrance, erection of steel for the Carlton Avenue Bridge, and access to the Flatbush Avenue sidewalk.

Then again, as stated in recent documents, "overall schedule maintenance" (aka finishing the arena in September for a Sept. 28 opening, and getting the Carlton Avenue Bridge done by then) requires two and even three shifts, and weekend work, such as for pile drilling at the site for the first tower.

Note that "trenches for the power and broadcast cable are being installed [at the broadcast lot at dean street and Sixth Avenue] and will be encased in concrete," though Department of Transportation approval has not yet been granted and a Forest City executive last week said they'd stopped work pending approval.

Also, several passages that indicate work being completed or about to be completed are repeated verbatim from the previous alert, which indicates delays, bad editing, or both.

Below I've bolded changes from the previous alert.

Excavation

• All excavation within the arena walls is complete.

Steel Erection and Stadia Installation

• Precast stadia detailing will be completed this reporting period.

Façade Installation

• The façade contractor will continue the installation of the main entry, high halo steel lattice work in this reporting period. This installation will take place during a second and third shift while the canopy supplemental steel is being erected and while the façade is erected over an area where other trades work, due to the fact there are not two levels of deck between the façade pieces and the worker below, as required by OSHA Sub-Part R steel erection requirements. The permit for this third shift has been granted by NYC DOB.

Interior buildout

• Interior storefront and glazing will continue during this reporting period.

Subway Entrance: Demolition

Demolition work is complete.

Concrete

• The center stair platform concrete has been completed. Tile installation is now scheduled to be completed along with the stair risers.
Transit Canopy
• Roofing work will be completed and the green roof work will commence during this reporting period.

Elevator/Escalator

• Elevator and escalator work is now complete. Elevator testing is scheduled for this reporting period. Escalator 48 hour run test was performed successfully.

Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing

• Mechanical, electrical and plumbing work within the subway station below ground is substantially complete. Minor punch list work remains.

Carlton Ave. Bridge photo July 14 by AYInfoNYC

Carlton Ave. Bridge

• Erection of bridge steel has begun and will be ongoing through the next reporting periods.
• The MPT will remain in place until after all underground utilities and final asphalt approach work is completed.

Post Cutover

•The LIRR has begun operations in the north yard. Contractor forces are finishing various portions of the yard work that were not fully completed prior to the cutover. These include “Punchlist” items like the final coat of paving, installation of a few remaining lighting poles and fixtures and some other non-critical items. This will take 4 to 6 weeks to complete.
• Certain other items of work that can only happen after the trains were moved to the north yard will also occur. These include removal of the piles that previously supported the Trestle bridge and excavation and removal of midblock SOE to allow installation of the fourth storage track in BL 1120. Much of this work will take place in the evenings during the week, and on weekends as it can only be done when no LIRR trains are present.

In the previous alert, the predecessor to the above bolded words was "immediately following the cutover into July."

Block 1129

• The west wall of 752 Pacific Street was reinforced and fragments of the former building at 585 Dean Street were demolished. Sign off was received from the Engineers and a letter of completion was issued by DOB. FCRC is continuing to inspect other areas of the exterior and will perform maintenance as required.

•Interior curb work has begun and will continue during this reporting period, as will the installation of a mock up of the permanent fence.

Atlantic Avenue medians

The first section of medians between South Portland and Cumberland Streets is completed except for placement of the strip of asphalt at the perimeter. During the next two week period work will begin on the median from Clermont Avenue to Vanderbilt Avenue. The remaining blocks between Flatbush and Vanderbilt will continue to take two to four weeks each.

Broadcast Lot – Block 1128

• The general contractor began work on June 25th. The site has been cleared and excavation is 90% complete. The trenches for the power and broadcast cable are being installed and will be encased in concrete. During the upcoming two week period, the light pole and wiring cabinet bases will be installed. The work is scheduled to be complete in August.

Previously, it was supposed to be complete in the fall.

Dean Street Playground Comfort Station

• The contractor mobilized on June 11th. The construction fence has been erected the site has been cleared, excavation has begun and foundations have been formed and poured. During this reporting period, the contractor will begin foundations and underground conduit and piping and begin masonry work. The work is scheduled to be complete this fall.

Tower 2

• Work commenced on July 10th on pile and foundation work required for T2 which will need to be in place prior to arena opening. DOB approval has been received and the permit has been issued for the first piece.
• Pile drilling work will take place during the weekend of July 21-22 during daytime hours.

Maintenance & Protection of Traffic

• The sidewalk work [on Flatbush Avenue] and improvements behind the MPT are nearing completion. Once the work is complete the pedestrian walkway will be relocated onto the new sidewalk along with new MPT in accordance with DOT and DOB approvals. This will allow the construction of the new bus pad and lay by lane to take place during evening hours.
• The remaining upper panels of the 16’ fence along Flatbush Avenue will start to be dismantled during this reporting period. The steel walkway adjacent to the Transit site will also be removed.

Repeated passages

The below passages were repeated from the previous alert, but should have been updated or edited.

Deliveries & Site Access

•Revisions to the perimeter construction fence are projected to continue this reporting period, in order to allow the site construction activity to continue. Revisions to the Atlantic Avenue fence may start this reporting period. A temporary sidewalk bridge has been placed over the Flatbush Avenue east side sidewalk during the erection of the main entry canopy. The permit has been secured for this work and the work is projected to start late during this reporting period.

Waterproofing & Fireproofing

• The waterproofing of the interior walls of the east and west stormwater retention tanks has been completed. The preparation for the testing of the tanks has begun. The testing is projected to start with the equalizer line this reporting period. The testing was delayed from the last period due to damage to the equalizer line. The damage has been repaired at the pipe and the tank entry and the testing program will continue in the field this reporting period. The reporting and documentation for the testing is under A/E and consultant review.
• Phase 1 of the permanent roofing is complete. The phase 2 permanent roofing is expected to be completed during this reporting period.

Mechanical, Electrical, & Plumbing

• Temporary electric power will remain in place to supplement finish trades power needs until July 13, 2012, per current projections.

Atlantic Avenue Medians

• Work was expected to begin in late April 2012 on the remaining traffic mitigation work but was postponed due to delays in the City water main work east of Carlton Avenue. The city’s work was expected to be complete by early June but was completed in early July.

Maintenance & Protection of Traffic

• MPT remains in place on the southern side of Atlantic between Carlton & Vanderbilt Avenues. Posillico/Tully previously installed car shop roof support columns through openings that were core-drilled in the sidewalk and work continues underneath in the car shop. A new sidewalk has been poured and grading work is taking place between the sidewalk and yard fence above the car shop. The MPT will be removed during the next reporting period. All DOT permits remain in place.

Atlantic Yards Construction Alert 7-16-2012