From the latest Construction Alert: new medians, subway station progress, arena site work, and some (purportedly) no-impact traffic diversion

The latest two-week Atlantic Yards Construction Alert, dated 8/13/12 (and embedded below) and released today by Empire State Development after preparation by Forest City Ratner, describes progress at the new subway station, and a good amount of visible work on streets and sidewalks.

Third-shift work, of course, continues, in the effort to get the arena ready for a Sept. 28 opening.

For example, new medians are being constructed along Atlantic Avenue, the excavation and grading of the plaza at the northeast corner of the arena block (to be used temporarily for bike parking) has been completed, and broadcast and power conduits for the tv truck parking lot at Dean Street and Sixth avenue should be installed.

Also note that, according to the alert, a flagger posted at the corner of Dean Street and Carlton Avenue is redirecting traffic from coming north as work is done at the Carlton Avenue Bridge, but "[t]his is not having an impact on the traffic flow in the area." According to Atlantic Yards Watch, that's not so at all.

Below I've bolded changes from the previous alert.

Arena site excavation

• All excavation within the arena walls is complete. Excavation at the exterior wall at Dean Street and 6th Avenue may be required for vent piping inspection this reporting period. Also, large catch basin-like structures are to be installed underground at the permanent truck elevator access driveway off of Dean which will house retractable bollards that are being installed as part of the Arena Site work.

Steel Erection 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. Façade panels will continue to be installed on a second shift (3:30 PM to 11:00 PM) throughout this period. Some work during a partial third shift work (11:00 PM to 3 AM) may also be needed and work on Saturdays will continue. The permit for this third shift has been granted by NYC DOB.

Waterproofing & Fireproofing

• The waterproofing of the interior walls of the east and west stormwater retention tanks has been completed. The testing of the equalizer line, east and west tanks for leaking is completed and all have passed. The testing of the pump system is scheduled for this reporting period.

Mechanical, Electrical, & Plumbing

• The chiller plant and the primary bowl air handling units (AHU’s) are projected to be fully operational this reporting period and arena cooling under full volume is completed.

Note that the chiller plant and the primary bowl AHUs were projected to be fully operational in the past reporting period, as well.

• Elevator and escalator final installation work will continue this reporting period. Some second shift work is expected to be required for elevator/escalator installation throughout this reporting period. The truck elevators number 1 & 2 have been inspected and approved by DOB.
• The installation of the arena bowl ribbon (video boards) will continue this reporting period. The main scoreboard hoist has been placed, and the main scoreboard assembly will continue this reporting period.

Interior Build-out

• The gypsum wallboard (GWB) aka drywall framing & construction subcontractor will continue layout of walls during this reporting period and will continue placement of the top wall track and partition walls at all levels. Steel stud placement for partition walls will continue during this reporting period. The wallboard installation will continue on the Event Level, on Main & Upper Concourse, and on Level 7 mechanical room in Area C this reporting period.
• Seating installation will continue in the lower and upper bowl this reporting period.The retractable seating installation will continue this reporting period.• Exterior signage/interior signage installation will continue this reporting period.

Subway station

• Green roof and fascia waterproofing is now complete. Fascia panels have commenced and will be coordinated with the site paver installation.• Tile work is now complete and punch list work is underway. The steel stair nosings and stair tile work at the main entrance stair is also complete. The TA has now performed inspections and punch list work is underway. Ceiling panel installation will continue after stair punch list work is complete.• Elevator and escalator work is now complete. The 24 hour elevator testing was performed and passed. Escalator 48 hour run test was performed successfully. Minor punch list work is underway and inspections/certification by the vertical transportation consultant is underway.

Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing

• Mechanical, electrical and plumbing work within the subway station below ground is substantially complete. Minor punch list work remains.
• Fire Alarm system programming is taking place for the station and on-site coordination walkthrough will occur with FDNY and NYCT.

Carlton Avenue Bridge

• MPT continues to be in place at Carlton Ave. and Pacific Street and along Atlantic Avenue during this reporting period. The concrete pour for the stem wall and pedestals of the final pier, Pier 3 have been completed.• Erection of bridge steel for all spans has been completed. Bolt–up and other activities associated with the steel work are ongoing. Installation of forms and rebar for bridge deck pours will be ongoing through the next reporting periods.• Pouring of bridge deck concrete and approach slabs will begin in this reporting period.• CAB underground utility work has begun and will be ongoing through the next reporting period at both the north and south ends of the CAB. 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 continuing work to finish various portions of the yard work that were not fully completed prior to the cutover. These include “Punch list” items generated by the LIRR and the design engineers who have both performed detailed inspections of the work. This work is ongoing and will continue through this reporting period.

Block 1129

• Installation of the storm water detention system was completed.• Interior curb work is approximately 90% complete and will continue during this reporting period.
• Site electrical work, including underground conduits, pull boxes and light pole installation, will continue during this reporting period.
• Installation of the permanent fencing will continue during this period.
• Work on the adjacent sidewalks at Carlton Avenue and Dean Street will commence during this reporting period.

Traffic Mitigation Site Work/Atlantic Avenue medians

The first two sections of medians between South Portland and Cumberland Streets and between Clermont to Vanderbilt Avenue are completed except for placement of the strip of asphalt at the perimeter. The next medians to be constructed or modified will be small sections east of Cumberland and west of Clermont. The median at the arena block is expected to begin the week of August 20th. The medians on either side of the Carlton Avenue Bridge will begin in September.

Arena Site Work

• The revised Flatbush Avenue MPT has not [sic] been shifted in board onto the sidewalk area so the Flatbush Avenue roadway restoration, new bus pad and lay by lane can be construction during this reporting period. This work will be performed at night under DOT permits to minimize the impact to vehicular traffic. The bollard work is now complete along Flatbush Avenue and much of the Dean Street, 6th Avenue and Atlantic Avenue frontages.
• The curb installation work, sidewalk and street light installation work is now substantially complete on Flatbush Avenue from Dean Street up to Atlantic Avenue. Sidewalk along Flatbush is now substantially complete up to the tip and will continue during this reporting period. The contractor has installed barrels and fencing to screen work area from traffic and pedestrians.
• Installation of the underground drainage within the plaza area located at the tip of the site and beneath the future plaza area located at the corner of Dean Street and 6th Avenue is substantially complete. A temporary asphalt working surface has been placed throughout much of the plaza as well as in pedestrian areas. MPT along Dean Street and 6th Avenue has been repositioned in accordance with the approved DOT MPT Plan. The 6th Avenue MPT will be repositioned during this reporting period to the property line so the 6th Avenue sidewalk from Pacific Street to Dean Street can be re-opened.Excavation and grading of the B3 plaza has now been completed. Footings for the light pole bases are now complete. Finished concrete work will commence during this period.• The construction of the site benches at the tip of the site is complete. Electrical distribution work for the benches is also substantially complete. Planting mix has now been placed in the planters and the sedum has now been planted. The sedum has also been planted on the Transit Canopy roof.
• Bollard installation work, a tree pit sheeting installation and sidewalk roadway removal along Atlantic Avenue have now commenced from 6th Avenue towards Flatbush Avenue and will continue and is expected to be completed during this reporting period. Once complete the MPT will then be relocated to 8 ft off the curb line per DOT MPT plan. This will then facilitate the Atlantic Avenue mitigation work.
• MPT will also be installed on the west side of the 6th Avenue DOT bridge in order to facilitate the painting of the existing guard rails and the fencing work. • MPT will also be installed on the west side of the 6th Avenue DOT bridge in order to facilitate the painting of the existing guard rails and the fencing work.

Broadcast Lot – Block 1128

• The trenches for the power and broadcast cable were installed and encased in concrete. During the two week period the layers of stone for the permeable asphalt system will be complete and paving will be installed. The light pole and wiring cabinet bases follow. The work is scheduled to be complete in August.
• During this two week period we expect the Revocable Consent, which allows for broadcast and power conduits for the lot to be installed in roadway and sidewalks, to be approved. Trenching and installation for the conduits will begin immediately upon such approval.

Dean Street Playground Comfort Station

• The contractor mobilized on June 11th. Excavation, foundations and underground piping are essentially complete. During this reporting period, the contractor will begin slab and masonry work. The work is scheduled to be complete this fall.

Tower 2

• Pile installation work for the Tower 2 early work is complete. Foundation installation at the Stair Four egress pad will commence on August 20th and continue for approximately two weeks.

Maintenance & Protection of Traffic (MPT)

MPT continues to be in place for the Carlton Avenue Bridge South Abutment construction staging from Pacific Street. The exact location is in the intersection of Carlton Avenue & Pacific Street. Occasionally a flagger posted at the corner of Dean and Carlton is redirecting traffic from traveling north on Carlton while the construction fence around the south bridge abutment is removed and underground utility and other work is ongoing at the Carlton and Pacific intersection. This is not having an impact on the traffic flow in the area. 

Repeated paragraphs that should've been updated

Arena site
• 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 installation of façade panels on the main entry canopy. The permit has been secured for this work and the work is projected to start late during this reporting period.
• The gate at Dean and 6th Avenue has been relocated to the position of the permanent truck dock for the arena. Approximately three (3) parking spaces along Dean Street directly across from this have been taken for construction purposes. The taking of these spaces continues to be necessary in order to maintain the turning radius for truck deliveries into and out of this gate. At completion a new fence will be installed in board of the new curb. It is anticipated that this condition will be in place for two months during which time all work will be completed, weather permitting and barring any unforeseen conditions

Atlantic Yards Construction Alert 8-13-2012