From the latest Construction Update: weekend track work Dec. 5-6; Saturday work (as of Dec. 5) extends to B12/B13 sites; despite announced hours, permits allow B4 work 5 am-10 pm, B15 til 10 pm

The latest Atlantic Yards/Pacific Park Construction Update (bottom), covering the two weeks beginning Monday, Nov. 30, was circulated Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 5:03 pm (lead time) by Empire State Development (ESD) after preparation by Greenland Forest City Partners.

The intensity of work at the B12 & B13 sites (615 Dean and 595 Dean), which began with an unspecified (in the previous Update) increase in trucks (later explained as up to 150 truck trips per day) over the past two weeks, continues, with now expected Saturday work starting Dec. 5.

No hours were announced, but such work at other sites is 9 am - 5 pm, and no after-hours variance is posted yet.

That means continued noise and vibration for nearby neighbors stuck at home. That said, soldier pile installation at the site, described as particularly noisy, has been completed.

Meanwhile, as described below, the Construction Update continues to misleadingly under-describe the after-hours Variances (AHVs) available at the site--as first noted in my 11/18/20 post, since it ignores AHVs that allow work startiing at 5 am and/or lasting to 10 pm at two parcels closer to the arena block.

Weekend work at the railyard

At the Vanderbilt Yard, track work during the weekend of December 5 will start at 7 am and finish by 7 pm daily. "This work may require the use of portable light towers," the notice states, and "the light towers will be positioned to illuminate only the work zone in the Yard thereby minimizing impact to the surrounding community." 

Such work, frustrating to neighbors, is scheduled at the convenience of the Long Island Rail Road, when the railyard is not needed to store and service trains.

Meanwhile, punch-list closeout work continues at the railyard, and minor facade remedial work continues at B3, 38 Sixth Avenue.

After-hours work announcement doesn't match permits

Continuing the change announced in the previous three updates regarding after-hours work at the B4 (18 Sixth Ave.) and B15 (37 Sixth Ave., 662-664 Pacific St.) sites, a variance--says the new Update--allows weekday work until 9 pm, and for deliveries, garbage removal, hoist and crane operation to start as early as 6 am, rather than the official workplace start time of 7 am.

After-hours work on Saturday, when permits are received, are for work starting at 9 am until 5 pm.

Well, that's according to the document below. 

The Department of Buildings (DOB) website tells a different story.

B4 has an AHV to start work on weekdays at 5 am, from today through 12/10/20, and another to work until 10 pm on weekdays, through 12/9/20. 

B15, indeed, has an AHV to start on weekdays at 6 am through 12/4/20. But work there can continue on weekdays to 10 pm, through 12/5/20. For both buildings, the AHVs are filed by Tishman Construction.

It's unclear if Sunday work will continue past this Sunday--already referenced in previous AHVs--but I wouldn't bet against new AHVs to appear. B4 has an AHV for Sunday work this Sunday, from 9 am to 5 am, as does B15. Such Sunday work was not referenced in the previous Construction Update.

Other progress

At B15, the exterior brick facade of the building and window installation has progressed two more floors, through the 21st floor. 

At B4, the concrete superstructure program has progressed three more floors, through the 48 floor.