MTA East Side Access
East Side Access, one of the largest transportation infrastructure projects under construction in the United States, will link Long Island Railroad (LIRR) commuter service to Grand Central Terminal, in Manhattan. This Metropolitan Transportation Authority Capital Construction (MTACC) project work includes 8 miles of tunneling and construction of a new 8- track terminal and concourse below Grand Central Terminal. Urban provided PMOC services on the East Side Access Project under three consecutive 5-year task orders since 2003. We played a key role in securing the MTA receipt of a $6.5 billion Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for the project, the largest grant ever provided for a mass transit project.
Challenges: Construction of deep caverns and tunnels in hard rock for the new LIRR rail terminal beneath the existing Grand Central Terminal and new track system leading to the 63rd Street Tunnel; soft-ground tunneling beneath active Amtrak rail yard and Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor Line.
Lessons Learned: Coordination of railroad force account work with third-party construction work on active rail lines and yards requires an extraordinary level of communication and coordination by the Project Sponsor. Large, complex megaprojects demand a robust risk management approach to minimize significant cost and schedule impacts. Large multi-contract projects require the Project Sponsor’s team have sufficient management and technical capability and capacity to successfully handle all the administrative, technical, and coordination demands.
Federal Transit Administration
MTA East Side Access
Recent Projects
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New York Citywide, NY
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA)Read more: MTA PMC Elevator and Escalator Upgrades 58 DevicesProject Description
MTA Construction & Development undertook the replacement of thirty-seven (37) elevators and twenty-one (21) escalators in twenty-three (23) subway stations located in four different NYC Boroughs, including Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx. The project was procured under two separate design-build contracts (one for elevators and one for escalators) and was managed by a single project management consultant (NAIK-STV Joint Venture).
This 48 month fast-track program included pre-construction, construction, and closeout service. The SOW for the device replacements brought each piece of equipment to a state of good repair (SOGR) and included new operational and safety enhancements. All existing equipment and finishes were demolished and replaced in accordance with MTA C&D’s Project Requirements and Design Criteria, including brand-new architectural finishes. For elevators, two-way video communication with the headend station at the Railroad Command Center (RCC) were included in the 2020 NYS Building Code Requirements.
All other communication and life safety system requirements, such as CCTV, Fire Alarm, Access and Control, and Liftnet, were replaced with the latest equipment and software and upgraded. Electrical system upgrades were performed from the Elevator Machine Room (EMR) to the electrical distribution rooms. For escalators, devices were replaced and modified to accommodate increased escalator speeds of 120 feet per minute. This required structural modifications to the truss support beams to accommodate a longer truss length. Escalators were upgraded with “sleep mode” technology to extend the overall life expectancy of the devices. All other communication and life safety system requirements, such as CCTV, Fire Alarm, Fire Sprinkler, Access and Control, and Liftnet, were replaced and upgraded with the latest equipment and software.
Vertical Transportation Services Provided
As the provider of Vertical Transportation Inspection Services, UrbanNY delivered full-service inspection, audit, and commissioning support to the NAIK-STV Joint Venture for this program. UrbanNY’s Vertical Transportation Division oversaw the installation, inspection, testing, audit, and commissioning of all elevator and escalator devices. From the design phase through commissioning and turnover, UrbanNY helped ensure that all systems were installed in accordance with project requirements and applicable codes and were safe, reliable, and ready for public use. The team reviewed vertical transportation designs for code compliance, identified issues that may not meet minimum requirements, and worked with the project team to resolve them before and during construction. UrbanNY also supported ongoing coordination among MTA C&D, the NAIK-STV JV, contractors, and special inspectors to help maintain quality, schedule, and compliance throughout project delivery.
Unique Aspects of the Project
This $400M multi-borough Design-Build program involved replacing 37 elevators and 21 escalators across 23 active subway stations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx within an aggressive 48-month schedule. The work required maintaining full passenger operations while performing complex structural modifications, electrical upgrades, and life-safety system integrations in constrained station environments. Challenges included coordinating simultaneous construction across high-ridership locations, sequencing work to ensure ADA access and safety, and managing two separate Design-Build contracts under unified oversight. Advanced features such as two-way video communication to the Railroad Command Center, higher-speed escalators with truss modifications, and “sleep mode” technology added to the technical complexity, making this one of MTA C&D’s most demanding vertical transportation replacement programs.
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New York, NY
Battery Park City Authority (BPCA)Read more: Construction Management Services for Tribeca Bridge PaintingThe Tribeca Bridge, which crosses the West Side Highway near Chambers Street in Manhattan, was repainted — the first repainting since the bridge’s construction in 1992. The bridge connects directly to Stuyvesant High School, one of the most elite public high schools in the country. The $2.3 million project was completed ahead of schedule and within budget, without safety incidents, claims, or change orders.
Urban provided construction management services for the Battery Park City Authority (BPCA). We monitored the work of up to three contractors and supervised a field inspection subconsultant. Project challenges included painting in winter weather conditions; maintaining safe access for Stuyvesant High School students; and maintaining traffic over the 11-lane West Side Highway. To expedite the project despite winter conditions, the contractor contained and heated the entire bridge. Traffic control involved night time alternating single and double lane closures to install and remove the containment platform.
In addition to construction management, Urban provided bridge safety inspection services, after a hole was discovered in a bridge beam. Our bridge inspectors provided BPCA a report and recommendations to repair the hole. We also worked closely with the contractor to respond to student and teacher concerns about paint fumes, hiring an environmental firm to verify that the air quality inside the school was safe.
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Manhattan, NY
NYC Department of Design and ConstructionRead more: Regents Family Center Building Envelope RehabilitationThe 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).
