Buildings and Development

The Regents Family Center is a 100-year-old,18-story former hotel building located at 2720 Broadway. It is a multi-service center providing NYC Department of Homeless Services’ (NYCDHS) clients with intake, assessment, and shelter services for families in need.

Urban Engineers of New York (UrbanNY) serves as the Construction Manager (CM) for this $12 million project, which supports the NYC Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) and this NYCDHS facility. As the CM for the NYCDDC, UrbanNY has oversight of the prime contractor performing the construction. UrbanNY communicates and coordinates with several stakeholders, including our direct client, NYCDDC; the project client, NYCDHS; the sponsor agency, which provides client services and building maintenance for NYCDHS; the prime contractor; the design professionals; and an independent third-party Special Inspections agency.

UrbanNY staff are located on site performing a variety of construction management services, including chairing and conducting bi-weekly progress meetings, weekly workshop meetings, and as-needed special issue meetings.

UrbanNY monitors and enforces the project site safety program, conducts quality assurance monitoring, reviews project schedules, and performs ongoing construction inspections to ensure work complies with specifications.

UrbanNY produces daily, bi-weekly, and monthly progress reports.

UrbanNY reviews, approves, and processes the contractor’s payment requisitions by initiating them in the online NYCDDC Anywhere Project Development Management System (PDMS). UrbanNY also reviews, negotiates, and processes the contractor’s change orders through initiation into the online PDMS.

UrbanNY reviews and coordinates contractor submittals with design professionals, including all contractor submittals such as shop drawings, specifications, RFIs, and sample material submissions. The team tracks all construction permits and ensures the submission of required contractor documents and credentials.

UrbanNY also performs specialized administrative tasks such as preparation of capital funds contingency estimates for additional SOW, issues field order directives, coordinates with the U.S. Postal Service and privately owned neighboring buildings in the management and use of license access agreements, develops special reports for NYCDDC use with community relations and NY press inquiries, and practices sensitivity and responsiveness to local community and elected representatives’ concerns.

The Regents Family Center Building Envelope Rehabilitation project scope of work includes:

• Facade Restoration: High-quality rehabilitation and replication of ornamental terra cotta, stone, and metal elements, including replacement of cracked terra cotta with architectural cast stone.
• Parapet Reconstruction: Complete rebuild of the ornate masonry parapet at the 16th-floor setback, including structural steel spandrel replacement and concrete slab repairs.
• Stucco Replacement: Removal of deteriorated stucco and application of new historically accurate stucco across the entire east façade.
• Copper Mansard Roof: Installation of a new copper roof over the 17th and 18th floors, including copper gutters and leaders, with 25 recessed and dormered windows on Broadway and 104th Street elevations.
• Roofing Systems: Replacement of three roofing systems—main roof, 16th-floor setback roof, and rear first-floor roof—with insulated, fluid-applied membranes, new roof drains, and safety railings at parapets.
• Masonry Repairs: Includes mortar removal and re-pointing, face-brick and masonry unit replacement, cast stone windowsill replacement, corner and control joint reconstruction, and partial concrete slab rebuilds.
• Lintel Refurbishment: Restoration of existing steel lintels and installation of new hung lintels with welded spandrels, flashing, reinforced veneer brick, and protective coatings on exposed steel.
• Sealant Replacement: New sealants at all window perimeters and lintel interfaces.
• Hazardous Material Abatement: Removal of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) and lead-based paint (LBP).

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has undertaken the historic $19 billion transformation of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) into a world-class airport. The public/private redevelopment program to build a new JFK includes two giant new terminals across five previous terminal sites, expansion and modernization of existing terminals, streamlined roadways, popular local retail and dining, and stunning New York artwork. Handling more than 62 million passengers a year, JFK is the nation’s busiest airport for international travel and is an indispensable part of global travel and the region’s economy.

The JFK Redevelopment Program will transform JFK into a modern 21st-century airport. The transformation will create a unified terminal layout, world-class facilities, centralized ground transportation options, expanded taxiways and gate capacity, and state-of-the-art security. Key program components for this design-bid-build and design-build via TAA include a new Terminal 1 and the redevelopment of Terminals 4, 6, and 8. The project also includes improved utility infrastructure, roadways, a parking garage, with an elevated pedestrian bridge connecting to the New Terminal One.

The PANYNJ selected UrbanNY to provide construction management, contract administration, inspections, project controls, document management, cost estimating, PACC and change order preparation, construction work in place verification, construction invoice approvals, staff budgeting, construction cash forecasts, construction and financial progress monitoring and reporting, BIM technology coordination and oversight, staging, and logistics.

This $16 billion program for reconstructing the World Trade Center site included the construction of the 1,776-feet-tall One World Trade Center (One WTC), the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. The program included the construction of all the new facilities on the entire site; our services focused on 1 WTC, the 9/11 National Memorial and Museum, and the Vehicle Security Center, along with other site improvements.

The Joint Venture Integrity monitoring team consisted of inspectors, accountants, and engineering professionals. UrbanNY’s role was overseeing the engineering elements of the entire assignment to provide verification that the PANYNJ was receiving the intended value for the constructed projects.

UrbanNY, as a team member of the Fortress Monitoring Group Joint Venture, provided program management, engineering, quality, and safety services that supported the goal of delivering a professional review to PANYNJ, verifying contractor performance and project compliance, and maintaining transparency and accountability across the program. The Joint Venture conducted reviews of procedures and processes to ensure the program was delivered as intended, with minimal impact on cost, schedule, and quality, while maintaining a high degree of safety and minimizing environmental risk. The work was performed in consultation with the PANYNJ design and construction contractors and integrated with the overall program implementation. UrbanNY interfaced with PANYNJ project management, consultant project management, contractor project management, superintendents, foremen, shop stewards, and trade workers. Continuous review of and dialogue with pertinent individuals to ascertain the status of contractual and regulatory requirements, documents, and permits. Conducted site visits to compare field conditions with contractual requirements. Observed and reported findings, gaps, and actions.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has undertaken the historic $19 billion transformation of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) into a world-class airport. The program includes the construction of a New Terminal One (NTO), a 23-gate all-international terminal and the largest terminal at JFK. The 2.4 million-square-foot terminal features expansive, naturally lit public spaces, cutting-edge technology, and a range of amenities designed to enhance the customer experience.

The design and Construction of NTO includes reconstructing the roadway entrances into the airport, as well as providing a new multi-level roadway entrance for arriving and departing passengers into the new terminal. The existing terminal will consist of a headhouse, including check-in, security checkpoints, baggage claim, and mechanical infrastructure, for the full build-out of the new facility. The project includes reconfiguration of the roadways and all utilities. Stormwater, sanitary sewer, water, medium-temperature hot water, chilled water, telecommunications ducts, and electrical ducts and services will be realigned in the interim and final phases of construction for the new terminal.

UrbanNY provided interim and final design for sanitary sewer, medium-temperature hot water, chilled water, domestic water, natural gas, as well as 3D modeling in Civil 3D and Navisworks, to coordinate with the Revit building and site/stormwater models. UrbanNY assisted with the 3D modeling of all landslide utilities, including stormwater, electric, and communications, for this project. UrbanNY also provided construction administration and management services, which included weekly coordination with the design-builder  and other stakeholders, responding to RFI’s, submittals, and shop drawings, and providing redesigns, as necessary, based on contractor phasing.

The Second Avenue Subway, an 8.5-mile-long route from 125th Street in Manhattan to Lower Manhattan will reduce overcrowding and delays on the Lexington Avenue Line while improving access to transit for residents of the far East Side. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) project will be completed in four phases. Phase I provided transit service from East 96th Street to East 63rd Street, as an extension of the Q line. More than 190,000 daily riders are expected to use Phase I of the line.

Urban was the FTA Project Management Oversight Contractor for Phase I. The project involved tunneling; trackwork; construction of stations; vehicle procurement; and installation of signal, electrical, and other systems. Urban provided feedback during development of the scope, budget, and schedule. We also offered guidance on management, construction, and quality assurance practices.

By providing timely feedback to the FTA, we helped move this project – which has been on the drawing board on and off since the 1920s – into construction. Our input led to negotiation of a Full Funding Grant Agreement, which provided $1.4 billion in federal grant funding, and authorization for MTA to progress through preliminary design, final design, and construction. We completed a comprehensive Readiness for Revenue Service Review (OP 54) that affirmed MTA’s ability to safely open Phase I for service earlier than forecast.

Configured in a saw-tooth shape, the 200-foot-tall mooring mast at the top of the Empire State Building is composed of 480 glass panels, many which have never been replaced. Aiming to waterproof the mast, the panels were replaced with a new glazed exterior wall system with integrated RF shield.

Urban provided Special Inspections during installation of the wall system. To complete the work, a custom aluminum suspended work scaffold with outriggers was installed. The scaffold had to fit within an undersized mast car elevator. In addition, the ice shield was strengthened to support the suspended scaffold. Modifications to the structural framing between the 90th floor and 104th floor were also completed.

Our focus was inspection of the aluminum welding and structural steel bolting and welding associated with the ice shield reinforcement and suspended scaffold system.

Significant work occurred at night to avoid disrupting the observatory. Wind speed restrictions were in place for work and inspections performed from the suspended scaffold.

Urban provided comprehensive design and analysis services for implementing a new ferry arrestor system at the Staten Island Ferry System’s St. George’s and Whitehall Terminals. The $20 million arrestor system provided full passive restraint if a ferry loses control of its approach to the terminal, minimizing potential harm to existing structures, vessels, and passengers.

To avoid long-term maintenance and testing concerns, the arrestor system employs permanent energy-absorbing elements that can fully restrain the ferry without interfering with daily operations. This required the design team to overcome two conflicting challenges: designing a system that is massive enough to absorb the substantial impact energy in the limited space available, while also staying free from the footprint of daily ferry traffic.

The project team carefully analyzed prevailing conditions, ferry control failures, and site geometries to achieve these goals to develop appropriate design criteria and concepts. After model testing of the preliminary design concept, the final design was supported by geotechnical investigations and corrosion protection analyses to provide a robust, functional design to improve the safety of the ferry system. The design is a pre-fabricated system that can be placed directly in the path of the ferry, rather than along the curving vessel profile. Such a system minimized field construction time and disruption to the ferry schedule and optimized energy absorption potential, thereby reducing the costs of steel foundations and rubber fenders.

The $4 billion Delta Airfield Reconfiguration Program at LaGuardia Airport will provide a new 37-gate terminal, dual taxiways to reduce taxi time, larger gate areas with enhanced concessions, and more efficient airport roadways. Urban Engineers is the prime consultant providing construction management and inspection services for design-build parking garages, elevated roadways, utility infrastructure improvements, airfield modifications, demolition, and new terminal construction. We are coordinating construction activities with facility operations, monitoring permit compliance, and providing contract administration services.

The terminal will house four concourses connected by a centralized and streamlined check-in lobby, security checkpoint, and baggage claim. A new Delta Sky Club offering a deck with airfield views and other unique amenities will complement the terminal. Larger gate and seating areas as well as 30% more concessions is a dramatic improvement from existing facilities. The design integrates sustainable technologies and energy efficient features. The concourse housing gates 92 through 98 features floor-to-ceiling views of Citi Field and Flushing Bay

Construction of the steel frame for Delta’s new arrivals and departure terminal was completed in July 2020 and construction of the exterior curtain wall is currently underway.

Terminal construction is progressing 18 months ahead of schedule. Urban’s constructability review of maintenance and protection of traffic plans provided valuable recommendations that enabled the redesigned road network leading to the terminals to open six months ahead of schedule.

Urban is overseeing use of BIM for construction coordination, coordinating construction activities with facility operations, monitoring permit compliance, and performing contract administration services.

UrbanNY provides project management including design services and risk assessment for design-bid-build procurements for the Infrastructure Business Unit of MTA Construction and Development (C&D) at their bus facilities, line structures, rail facilities, and wayside power locations.

Key Projects:

GEC Bundle 6; Roof Replacement, Boiler Replacement, Car Washer Projects

UrbanNY provides mechanical engineering design for the HVAC system replacement at various project site locations in New York City on behalf of the Metropolitan Transit Authority at their rail facilities. The project includes design documents and specifications suitable for bidding for purchasing and installing new HVAC systems, including equipment, duct distribution, and new controls. Services include mechanical engineering and risk assessment.

GEC Bundle 11; Pump Room Rehabilitation, Emergency Exit Pressurization, Fan Plant Component Repairs, and Fiber Optic Installation

UrbanNY manages and coordinates the day-to-day operations of 12 Metropolitan Transportation Authority GEC Infrastructure Projects from preliminary design to final design at their wayside power locations. We oversee a team of engineers, project schedulers, and cost engineers to define the project’s scope, baseline report, design (0% – 100%), schedule, cost, risk and contract documents for the various projects.

• Pump Room Rehabilitation – Four pump rooms in Queens, Manhattan and Brooklyn will be rehabilitated completely including new mechanical, structural, HVAC components, and electrical and communication controls.
• Emergency Exit Pressurization – The project will pull fresh air from the street to positively pressurize thirteen emergency exits on the 63^rd street line from Long Island City in Queen to 2^nd Avenue in Manhattan. The project will install areaway boxes, ventilation towers, and new fans.
• Fan Plant Component Repairs (2 Projects) – The project will replace the MCCs (Motor Control Cabinet) and install new SCCs (Supervisory Control Cabinet) for 33 fan plants across the MTA systems in Manhattan, Brooklyn and The Bronx.
• Fiber Optic Installation (8 Projects) – This project will provide high-speed network interfaces to support transport of multiple applications traffic such as Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), diagnostics, intrusion, monitoring and control SCADA traffic across multiple MTA facilities. The project will provide fiber optics to over 75 facilities on 8 lines including fan plants, communication rooms, and substations in Manhattan, The Bronx, and Brooklyn.