From the latest Atlantic Yards Construction Alert: modular deliveries for B2 tower begin tonight; drilling at railyard along Pacific Street

You know something's up when Empire State Development, the state agency overseeing/shepherding Atlantic Yards, sends a two-week Atlantic Yards Construction Alert (prepared by developer Forest City Ratner) on time--in this case shortly after 6 am today--rather than a day or two late.

The news: delivery of modules from the Navy Yard to the B2 tower site at Dean Street and Flatbush Avenues will begin tonight, on a schedule that will aim for four modules each night and four during the day, though the initial ramp-up will be slower.

As belatedly disclosed at a meeting last week, the announced plan a year ago was to deliver one module at night. The time of delivery will depend on whether there's event load-out at the arena.

Modular Units for the second floor, on the west end side of the building, on Flatbush Avenue, will begin to appear. B2 will be, at least for now, the tallest modular building in the world, and a test case for Forest City's new construction process.

Also note potentially very loud drilling of 106 piles at the railyard along Pacific Street, which has required sound-dampening blankets to be installed along the length of the Pacific Street fence.

Excerpts from the document are below.

General Delivery of Modules Process

Deliveries of modules from the Brooklyn Navy Yard (BNY) facility to the B2 construction site will be made within the following parameters:
• All modules will be delivered by tractor trailers and are “wide loads” under DOT’s jurisdiction, subject to trucking regulations.
• All deliveries will be scheduled via radio or other communication between the BNY and the B2 site. Each delivery will be released individually from the BNY; only when the module has reached the site and been placed appropriately at the site (in final position) will another delivery be released from the BNY. All deliveries will be accompanied by licensed escort vehicles.
• Delivery route from the BNY to the site is as follows:
o Exit right out of BNY onto Flushing Avenue;
o Turn left onto Nay [sic; should be Navy] Street;
o Turn right onto to Tillary Street;
o Turn left onto Flatbush Avenue;
o Turn left from Flatbush directly into the Dean Street B2 MPT [Maintenance and Protection of Traffic] area; NOTE: this turn is permitted with appropriate traffic control personnel supervising each delivery.
• There will be daytime and nighttime deliveries of modules. A maximum of four nighttime and four daytime deliveries are permitted.
• Deliveries are expected to occur on weekdays and week nights, with the first delivery expected to be Monday night, December 9th..
• There may be a ramp up period where initial deliveries have fewer than four nighttime and daytime deliveries.

Nighttime Deliveries

• All nighttime deliveries must take place between the hours of 10 pm and 5:30 am.
• All nighttime deliveries will be coordinated with arena operation’s events and loading dock activities to ensure there are no conflicts.
• When there are a maximum of four nighttime deliveries, two modules will be stored over night after delivery in Dean Street on the north side outside of the MPT area. One will be in front of the B3 plaza and one will be just east of the MPT exit gates and west of the arena loading dock. The two other modules will be stored overnight within the MPT area.
• The pedestrian path adjacent to the MPT area will be closed and signed when modules are being stored overnight in Dean Street. The shared vehicular and bicycle lane will remain open to travel. The pedestrian path will be reopened after the two modules stored in Dean Street are picked by the crane from outside the MPT area, first thing the following morning.
• In the morning, beginning at 7:00 AM, the two modules stored overnight in Dean Street will be picked first from outside the MPT area, followed by the two stored inside the MPT area.

Daytime Deliveries:

• Daytime deliveries are required to occur between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm. A maximum of four will be permitted.
• All daytime deliveries will proceed directly into the Dean Street B2 MPT area and will not encroach on Dean Street itself.
• The pedestrian path adjacent to the MPT area will be open and Dean Street will be open to both vehicular and bicycle travel.
• Erection/placement of Modular Units for the 2nd floor will take place during this reporting period The location will be at the west end of the building (Flatbush Avenue). As stated previously, initial deliveries may have fewer than 4 modular deliveries during the designated day and overnight delivery times.

Other B2 activity

• Installation of site utilities will continue during this reporting period within the MPT and Dean Street.
• Backfilling will continue during this reporting period between the arena and B2 foundation wall.
• Erection of cross bracing at the 2nd and 3rd floors will commence during this reporting period.
• Spray on fireproofing will continue during this reporting period, weather permitting.
• Rough in for the MEP trades will continue during this reporting period.
• Block work on the 1st sub-cellar and cellar is anticipated to start during this reporting period.
• Installation of temporary power and lights will be maintained throughout the project. This is an on-going activity

LIRR Yard Activities Block 1120 & 1121

• Stage 2C work has commenced and will consist of Support of Excavation (SOE) work along Pacific Street between Carlton Ave and Vanderbilt Ave. SOE installation will include drilling of 106 24’ soldier piles, installation of lagging, installation of tiebacks, excavation/disposal of soil and demolition and removal of the existing concrete retaining wall. Work is anticipated to be completed in June 2014.
• Contractor will continue preparing the work area for drilling of piles along Pacific Street during this reporting period.
• Contractor will mobilize and assemble the drill rig in the LIRR Yard during this reporting period.
• Contractor will begin drilling the 24’ diameter soldier piles along Pacific Street from the inside of the LIRR yard during this reporting period. The drilling equipment will be located within the rail yard. Sound – dampening blankets have been installed along the length of fence on Pacific Street, between Carlton and Vanderbilt Avenues.

Atlantic Yards Construction Alert December 9, 2013