www.newyorkconstructionnews.com WINTER 2017 NYC construction posts record high; midtown leading with 13k permits 14 charged for separate construction schemes, NYC building inspectors included PAGE 2 AEC Marketing Communication in the New World: Low cost strategies that really work PAGE 4 SPECIAL PROFILES TOP CONSTRUCTION LEADERS & WORLD OF CONCRETE CONTRACTORS PAGE 10 PAGE 6 Castellano, Korenberg & Co. supports construction clients in their growth and success PAGE 12 PHOTO: © Can Stock Photo / rabbit75can 14 charged for separate construction schemes, NYC building inspectors included New York Construction Report staff writer New York Construction Report combines a bi-monthly magazine with a weekly newsletter and a website (updated daily), delivering news, analysis and networking opportunities to New York’s architecture, engineering and construction community. The magazine is distributed primarily online to 6,000 general contractors, specialty contractors, developers, professional services and building owners throughout New York. For more information on promoting your business to our audience and to request rates, see the advertising rates page on the Newyorkconstructionreport.com website, contact Chase at chase@newyork- constructionreport.com or phone him at 888-627-8717 ext 212. You can send editorial news releases and announcements to Mark Buckshon at buckshon@newyorkconstructionre- port.com. New York Construction Report is published by Construction News and Report Publishing Inc. 332 S Michigan Ave, Ste 1032 - C319, Chicago IL 60604-4434. Publisher: Chase Interim editor: Mark Buckshon Production and design: Raymond Leveille Administration: Katherine Jeffrey, Kathy Lepage Printed subscriptions You can request a printed single copy for $12.95 (postage included) or a six issue printed subscription for $65.00 at the floridaconstructionnews.com website. Alternatively, you can read the digital version free of charge online at newyorkconstructionreport.com. © Copyright 2018 Construction News and Report Publishing Inc. 2 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report The New York City Department of Investigation and Acting Brooklyn Dis- trict Attorney Eric Gonzalez have charged 14 individuals, including two inspectors from New York City Depart- ment of Buildings, for construction fraud in three separate schemes. Others charged on Oct. 25 included property managers and developers, a private asbestos inspector and a plumber. In a two-year probe conducted by the DOI, authorities alleged that city building inspectors Hiram Beza and Dean Mulzac were receiving pay-offs in the form of cash or gifts. The two allegedly issued rubber stamp paperwork for inspections they never performed from six property managers who were also charged. Investigations revealed that Beza accepted payoffs in the form of home renovations from contractors whose projects he illegally ap- proved. In one case, a contractor built him a new kitchen to pass in- spection. Mulzac, on the other hand, took a pair of earrings for his girlfriend worth $100 from a property owner who owned a jewelry store, the acting DA asserted. “These investigations are a testament to our continuing commitment to keep people safe as developers too often are willing to take short- cuts at the risk of public safety to rapidly get their properties to market,” said Gonzalez. He also said that he will continue working with the DOI to ensure that nobody “sells the safety of the people of Brooklyn” for their per- sonal benefit. Beza and Mulzac were both charged with third degree bribe receiv- ing, classified as a class D felony, official misconduct, and a class A misdemeanor. Beza was also charged with offering a false instrument for filing in the first degree which is a class E felony. Property managers and developers charged in connection with the scheme, said to have been run by Mulzac and Beza are: Ruben Badalov of Queens, Yoel Blum of Spring Valley, Zev Chaskelson of Brooklyn, Yakhiel Firgiyev of Queens, Matan Hacohen of Bellerose, and Amritpal Sandhu of Cedarhurst. Badalov, Blum, Chaskelson, Hacohen and Sandhu were charged with third degree bribery, classified as a class D felony. Chaskelson, Firgiyev and Hacohen were also charged with giving unlawful gratuities which is a class A misdemeanor. Additionally, Firgiyev was charged with reward official misconduct in the second degree, a class E felony. All of the individuals allegedly involved in the city building inspection scheme were arrested Oct.25. If convicted, those charged with a class D felony will face seven years imprisonment, a class E felony four years imprisonment, and a class A misdemeanor one year imprisonment. NYC construction posts record high; midtown leading with 13k permits New York Construction Report staff writer New data from the Department of Buildings show that New York City construction has reached a record high with 88,838 permits is- sued over Q1 to Q3 of 2017, sur- passing the previous high in the spring and summer of 2016. On Nov. 15, the department pub- lished a report titled NYC Construc- tion Dashboard with graphics and maps reflecting the number of per- mits issued for new buildings, dem- olitions and renovations in different areas of the city. According to buildings commis- sioner Rick Chandler, the report is a part of the department’s moderniza- tion efforts. It also intends to help inspectors identify which areas have the most issues or injuries. The data indicates most of the construction activity in 2017 has been happening in Midtown below Central Park, with 13,098 permits is- sued in the first three quarters. The numbers were confirmed by locals who have witnessed an influx of new high-rise residential build- ings in their neighborhood. “We see there is construction on every block,” said Layla Law-Gisikio, chair of Manhattan Community Board 5’s Landmarks Committee and Central Park Sunshine Task Force. The Upper East side follows suit with the second highest record, 6,832 construction permits issued over Q1 to Q3 2017. Ben Kallos, the area’s councilman, also verified the data saying that he receives daily complaints about overdevelopment. He worries the city is not ready for overpopulation brought on by rapid construction of new buildings. “They don’t have the school seats we need for the people living here and moving here,” Kallos said. DOB data also includes statistics from 2016 revealing Queens, Brook- lyn and Staten Island as the areas posting the highest level of con- struction activity. Midtown Manhattan has posted the highest number of construction permits issued from Q1 to Q3 of 2017 (Wikimedia Commons, http://commons.wikimedia.org) Many privately-owned public spaces in NYC still violate rules, reveals comptroller report New York Construction Report staff writer New York City comptroller Scott Stringer is calling on the Depart- ment of Buildings (DOB) to review privately-owned public spaces (POPS) after his latest audit re- 101 Barclay is one of the sites violat- vealed that many of these develop- ing existing regulations on POPS ments still violated rules, and (NYC Comptroller Office) restricted entry to the public. This is Stringer’s second audit for 2017. His first report, which was published in April 2017, found that out of the 333 POPS in the city, 182 were non-compliant. In his second audit, he took a sample of 32 POPS from the 182 non-compliant group and results showed that 32 are still breaking laws. “New Yorkers are getting cheated out of public resources and the de- velopers are getting benefits and giving back nothing in return,” he said. The city comptroller’s latest report stated that it submitted the initial audit to the DOB, but the agency declined to implement POPS regula- tions or fine non-compliant building owners. The DOB responded that they will only perform inspections when an individual complaint is made about a specific site. “DOB’s disregard of the facts, its denial of documented evidence, and its ineffective monitoring procedures enable building owners to break their agreements,” Stringer said. “This is utterly preventable.” “We will be conducting regular inspections of all POPS in the city,” the DOB responded, through a statement to Curbed New York on Nov. 22. In the 32 sites surveyed, the report noted that some sites restricted public access using a fence, barricade or signs indicating “for private use only.” There were also some sites where restaurants occupied the POPS with outdoor seating. Stringer is currently asking the DOB to prioritize the 182 non-compliant sites in their inspection, and that the agency conduct strict monitoring of violators. New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 3 AEC Marketing Communication in the New World: Low cost strategies that really work By Mark Buckshon What are the best techniques and methods to find new business in the current era of rapidly devel- oping technologies and intensified competition? The answer to this question combines some new approaches with long-standing traditional and effective marketing strategies. You need to build on your brand - and that is primarily based on your ac- tual client experiences and their genuine enthusiasm and enjoyment in working with you. Then you apply technological in- novations to accelerate and en- hance your positive reputation, with effective client-focused editorial and visual marketing content, a solid website, and some easy to manage social media strategies. Fi- nally, if you wish, you can package these qualities, combining current technologies with future-looking concepts including Building Infor- mation Modelling, virtual/aug- mented reality, and – looking forward – the powerful potential of machine learning and artificial intel- ligence. At root, the basics of effective AEC marketing haven’t changed in decades. People (and business-to- business clients are of course indi- viduals working for companies) like doing business with organizations where they feel good about their experience. Clearly, your actual work/service/product must be com- petent, but if your clients’ overall experience isn’t at least satisfac- tory, you will have a one-time rela- tionship. However, your goal should be to make their experience super great, by anticipating needs, com- municating frequently, and where 4 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report you can, providing value added ex- tras that don’t cost much money but make the process more enjoy- able. Why is the client experience so important? Consider the fundamen- tal data that I’ve gathered over the past decade through an ongoing poll on my constructionmar- ketingideas.com blog. At least 71 percent of the contractors, archi- tects and engineers who have re- sponded over the years say that repeat and referral business is their most important source of revenue. (It breaks down to 41 percent from word-of-mouth/recommendations and 30 percent from repeat clients.) Advertising (at 13 percent) and leads services/open RFPs and pub- lic tenders at 11 percent are signifi- cant business builders but don’t really move the needle as much. Ir- ritating and intrusive techniques such as telemarketing and door-to- door canvassing work for only a few contractors (at five percent). The point in these numbers is that anything you can do to im- prove your repeat and referral busi- ness will have disproportionate impact on your bottom line. So you need to do everything you can to connect with and deliver value to your clients. Your goal: Win sincere testimoni- als and recommendations – so you can make it easier for other clients to say “yes” - and of course, to de- velop additional repeat or recurring business. Please note: While it is essential to provide great client service, you must never assert that your market- ing/business strength is providing “great customer service”. This is in- effective. If anyone asserts this fact (assuming it is true), it should be your customers themselves, through their actual experience and testimonial statements, either writ- ten (or even better) in video format. That said, there are some things you can do beyond delivering an in- credible client experience These in- clude: • Developing an expertise and rep- utation building content creation strategy (blog, white papers, videos); • building a truly effective website; and • adapting your website and con- tent to responsive social media relationships and concepts. None of these strategies requires much money, though they all re- quire some effort and coordination. I’ll outline some approaches to suc- ceeding in these three focuses. Content creation The goal here is to make it easy for current and previous clients to say good things about you, and to learn valuable information to build on your quality/expertise reputation. Your blog provides a good starting point – because by regularly writ- ing/videoing your insights, observa- tions, and stories, you add to your reference points and knowledge. Your blog messages can easily be posted to your website (see below) and then auto-posted to so- cial media. Videos don’t need to be slick or fancy. In fact, testimonial videos that are grainy and rough are in my opinion more credible and effective than slickly narrated commercially produced efforts. However, I think your writing should be solid and well-edited. If you don’t have someone who writes well on your staff, you may need to contract with a freelancer to gener- ate or edit your material. This will cost you some money, but will be far less expensive than conventional paid advertising. Developing your social media relationships Company profile pages for Face- book, Twitter and LinkedIn can be created without fee, and you can easily connect them to your website so that every time you add a rele- vant post, it will auto feed to the rel- evant social media sites, leveraging your marketing presence, without costing you any additional money. You’ll want to develop tools to monitor and manage your social media image, inducing positive tes- timonials and comments while avoiding negative comments and reviews. There are some third party services that help this process. They invite your clients to provide a “satisfaction” report, and if it is ex- cellent, they will encourage cus- tomers to post their positive comments directly on the social media sites. If they are negative, they will encourage your clients to communicate with you privately so you can resolve the issue and avoid negative reviews. How much will all of this cost? Your greatest expense will likely be the review/enhancement of your internal processes and existing client service/relationships. You may need an outside consultant to look more closely at your operations and suggest improvements, but if you can see the issues that need to be resolved and make things more friendly and satisfactory for your clients, you’ll be well on your way. Full-scale website development services vary in price, but generally you can get a specialist to complete a solid project for you for about $5,000 or so. If you are ready to do it yourself or contract directly with website developers, you can reduce this cost by one or two orders of magnitude. (Yes, that would mean $500 or even $50.) Writing services can be free (out- side of your time) if you are compe- tent and literate or have an in-house staff person who can write well. Ex- pect to spend upwards of a few hundred dollars per significant piece if you need to pay a freelancer or outside marketing consultant for these services. Forward thinking options If you are ready to step into the future and embrace new technolo- gies, you can achieve a significant marketing advantage by building on your uniqueness and forward think- ing vision. I think the best starting point for most AEC professionals will be to embrace Building Information Mod- elling. Costs for BIM resources have been declining, and there are in- creasing opportunities to learn how to use these tools. With BIM skills and resources, you can have fun with automated/virtual reality (and really showcase your presenta- tions/projects in an interactive way). If you want to go even further into the future (but we are talking years, not decades), recent develop- ments with machine learning and ar- tificial intelligence offer exciting if somewhat scary automation op- tions – because the machines can learn from their environment and ul- timately the science fiction concept of computers being smarter than humans could become a reality. Conclusion: You don’t need to spend much to achieve a lot Even if you go full-bore and con- tract out all the services described above, I can’t see it necessary for you to spend more than $10,000 a year on a truly effective marketing strategy. This is a drop in the bucket compared to even the cheapest forms of paid media advertising. If you elect to spend money on other forms of marketing/advertising, in- cluding trade show exhibits, print and paid online advertising, the client relationship, website and so- cial media models will provide you with a powerful backbone and will boost the effectiveness of your more expensive marketing ap- proaches. Go for it. You can truly achieve great marketing communications re- sults for very little money. Additional resources I’ll provide you with a list of serv- ice providers (and some observa- tions/recommendations about them) without charge if you email me at buckshon@constructionmar- ketingideas.com. New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 5 TOP 10 CONSTRUCTION LEADERS Sax LLP demonstrates commitment to the construction industry as it expands and enhances its accounting, tax and advisory services for New York/New Jersey Over its 60-plus year history, Sax LLP has tants Association). This, Luzaj says, helped to grown into a leading accounting, tax and increase all-around industry knowledge and al- advisory firm serving the needs of closely- lowed the practice’s advisors to keep their held companies, family-owned businesses, pulse on the market to identify trends and high-net-worth individuals and not-for-profit foresee upcoming challenges. organizations throughout New York and Sax, he says, also holds a strong emphasis New Jersey. The firm’s success can be at- on education and consistently provides team tributed to the evolution of its in-depth, members with the opportunities to increase specialized knowledge in the construction, their expertise and focus on the construction real estate, manufacturing and distribution, industry’s main issues such as project man- healthcare and not-for-profit industries. agement, risk management, and strategic suc- Ermal Luzaj, Ermal Luzaj, head of Sax’s Construction cession planning. Head of Sax's Practice, says that Sax was initially a gener- Construction Practice “Our advisors expanded their presence in alist firm providing a wide range of tax and surety and contractor specific associations accounting services to clients from a vari- which helped to develop professional relation- ety of industries, but in the mid-80s, ships in the industry that offered value-added switched focuses and invested resources resources to service offerings and became the in training advisors in the specific indus- backbone of the practice,” Luzaj said. tries the firm served. Sax’s construction advisors took on speak- “The result was the creation of niche ing engagements at industry associations and groups within the firm that focused on thor- built programs to benefit the industry from all oughly understanding the nuances of each sides, including: “How to Read a Contractor’s specific sector and the unique rules and Financial Statement”, tailored to bankers; and Michael Curry, challenges that apply to each,” he said. “How to Increase Bonding Capacity”, specific Partner-in-Charge of “This allows our industry advisors to effec- to contractors. Sax's NYC office tively identify solutions and proactively cap- “Younger practice members are involved in ture growth opportunities so our clients can be high the industry associations from the bottom-up, and sev- performing in their respective markets.” eral advisors have held leadership positions within the Sax’s rapidly growing construction practice is one of leading New York construction associations which has the firm’s largest niche groups. Luzaj said it was initi- allowed the firm to leverage relationships while gaining ated in 1984 when most firms serviced their contractor access to valuable resources that propel clients for- clients as they would any other client. “There was no ward.” deep dive into the specific tax and accounting rules, The practice began and continues to host “Industry nor a thorough understanding of the challenges compa- Update” events where industry professionals are in- nies in the construction industry faced. We recognized vited to hear from experts on relevant topics impacting the room for improvement.” the construction market. “Sax truly emerged as a “Sax understood the construction market was thought leader in the sector, and built a reputation as unique and that there was no one-size-fits-all model for more than average accountants, but as construction in- servicing the market. We also understood the needs of dustry experts.” sureties who rely heavily on a CPA’s work product to In 1993, Sax moved to expand the construction prac- ensure their client’s success, and we realized the ne- tice’s reach to New York after receiving an influx of re- cessity in fostering those partnerships,” he added. ferrals in the city. Michael Curry, partner-in-charge of Consolidating its construction clients into Sax’s Con- Sax’s NYC office, explained that this was largely due to struction Practice, the firm then dedicated advisors and the reputation the firm built on all sides of the industry developed a consistent approach to servicing the in- with contractors, surety agents, bankers and attorneys dustry. The construction practice’s advisors supported that carried over to other states. However, the firm ini- industry associations like the AICPA (Association of In- tially faced challenges with the expansion as the prac- ternational Certified Professional Accountants), the tice’s advisors found that many New York contractors CFMA (Construction Financial Management Associa- were more comfortable working with NYC accountants tion) and CICPAC (Construction Industry CPAs/Consul- instead of firms headquartered in New Jersey. 6 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report Curry says the firm persevered and eventually broke through that barrier. “New York City’s construction mar- ket was quite robust while New Jersey had been slower to recover from the 2008 economic downturn. Sax maximized on every opportunity given in the New York market and demonstrated results and expertise right out of the gate,” said Curry. Today, the practice sees most new growth coming in from Manhattan and the boroughs. Sax’s Construction Practice assists emerging market, large ENR 400, specialty, general and heavy/highway contractors to effectively minimize tax liability and max- imize their bonding capacity. Curry adds, “What sets Sax’s construction practice apart from many other ac- counting firms is the specialized services that include internal control and organizational analysis; surety con- sulting; benchmark studies; profit enhancement; state and local tax advisory; business succession; and wealth preservation planning.” Sax aims to be its clients’ most trusted advisors, he says, not just on the tax and accounting side but in all areas of business. “Strong client relationships are built on trust, a demonstrated understanding of clients’ busi- nesses, and proven results through customized solu- tions to meet their goals and objectives. Our advisors take pride in being the first call their client’s make when weighing an important decision, and they work to en- hance their client’s growth and limit their risk at every turn. This is an inherent mindset for the firm.” Both Luzaj and Curry concur that the construction in- dustry is very unique compared to other industries, and has specific accounting rules that must be followed. Revenue is recognized in a specific way, surety bonds is a component, and there is a need for working rela- tionships with surety agents, bankers and attorneys. “Our advisors are well equipped and informed on the specific nuances that apply to the construction indus- try, and has formed long lasting relationships with in- dustry professionals to best leverage resources and opportunities,” said Luzaj. “Economic cycles significantly impact the surety and banking markets, and there have been ups and downs through the decades that affect contractors,” Curry says. “Our advisors have their feet firmly planted in the industry, and are able to foresee potential obstacles and guide clients in planning for downturns.” Today, there is much change pending in the con- struction industry, and Sax’s construction advisors are assisting clients in addressing the new revenue recog- nition procedures and planning for the impacts of the new tax legislation introduced at the end of 2017. When ripples to the market like this occur, Curry says Sax’s main objective is to get out in front of the new changes to inform and guide clients on the best meas- ures forward, while identifying new opportunities that may arise. In 2016, Sax celebrated its 60th anniversary and in Sax's 2017 Construction Industry Update event 2017, Sax LLP and Sax Wealth Advisors – Sax’s wealth management arm – completed three acquisitions that allowed the firm to expand to four offices between New York and New Jersey. Sax Wealth Advisors also hit more than $1 billion in assets under management (AUM). In 2018, Sax’s Construction Practice will see some exciting changes as the firm continues to expand its New York presence and will be moving to a larger office space in February: 551 Madison Avenue. For more information on Sax LLP and its Construc- tion Practice, please visit www.saxllp.com. New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 7 TOP 10 CONSTRUCTION LEADERS Grassi & Co. focuses on construction industry with forward thinking and comprehensive accounting services New York Construction Report special feature From its 1980 start, Grassi & Co. has grown to be among the top 100 largest accounting firms in the U.S., has been ranked by Crain’s New York Business as one of the top 20 largest firms in New York, and as one of the top 10 largest firms on Long Island by Long Island Business News. Steven Goldstein, audit partner in the construction niche, says when Louis Grassi started the firm, he sought to develop expertise in the construction industry’s specialized requirements because of his connections with the industry. Today the firm’s services include tax and accounting, and business advisory services delivered through its offices in Long Island, Manhattan, 8 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report New Jersey, Westchester County and Rome, Italy. “Beyond growing geographically, we also serve other niche expertise including manufacturing and distribution, healthcare, architecture and engineering, retail, food and beverage, and not-for profit.” Goldstein says the team has also developed to become thought leaders in their respective fields, teaching, presenting, and engaging with their specific industries as appropriate. The firm, for instance, prepares and presents an annual Construction Industry Market Outlook Survey. The survey covers topics including financial metrics for benchmarking; business strategies considered and implemented; succession planning; taxation planning and incentives; technology; human resources; and compliance, safety and risk assessment. “We have also developed expertise in areas including project specific audits, contract forensics and corporate valuation to provide more comprehensive support where clients need it.” Goldstein says the annual construction market report helps clients better understand the overall state of the industry and where they fit, “and it helps us better understand our clients and where we can fill needs.” “This year’s survey, for instance, indicated that only 19 percent of respondents said they were taking advantage of certain contractor deductions,” he said. Carl Oliveri, partner-in- charge of the construction niche, says the firm’s diverse client mix includes business leaders who want to invest in their growth. “We work with larger clients providing audits and tax advice, but our biggest value-add is probably the middle market where we provide expertise in assisting Steven Goldstein, audit partner, growing contractors to construction niche, Grassi & Co. increase their bonding capacity and line of credit to offering advice about issues like succession planning.” Oliveri says partnering with clients goes well beyond the debits and credits of a balance sheet. It includes understanding nuanced tax laws for construction contracts and relating to the intricacies of complicated construction processes, such as in New York where land constraints add a whole new level of complexity. “The regulatory environment in Manhattan is changing to a much more compliance driven market with respect to MWBE regulations, strict interpretations of contract language and so on. We both educate and help clients navigate this.” Goldstein says the firm works to educate staff about legislation and changes in the marketplace and also to stay in front of trends to be sure clients are educated and know they are backed by the firm’s resources. “Lou has a saying that if you aren’t staying in front of clients, you’re just renting the relationship, you don’t own it,” he said. Oliveri says there are many changes the firm is already working to educate clients about. “There is a move toward a more global standard for revenue recognition that by 2019 will impact the way we recognize revenue. For our construction clients, that means a different way of reviewing contracts, identifying milestones and assigning a transaction price. We recognize that for our smaller and medium sized companies, this has the potential to be a big issue.” Goldstein says another accounting guidance change will impact how companies record leases on balance sheets. Set to be implemented by 2018, this will impact the way banks view working capital. “Other legislation could require contractors to set up apprenticeship programs.” he said. “This has the potential to create safety and profitability issues so we’re looking ahead to that as well.” He says this education and awareness and the resources the firm is able to offer clients, are part of its commitment to bringing added value to the industry. “We know how to protect clients, what worries them, and have access to the resources they need to be more successful.” Oliveri says this can mean ensuring staff are educated to identify human resource issues that may require expert intervention, or understanding new technologies and building styles and being able to advise clients on what others in the industry are Carl Oliveri, partner-in-charge of doing. construction niche, Grassi & Co. He says Grassi & Co. is supported by many homegrown and long-term staff. As the firm grows, the knowledge, skills and experience of existing staff is passed to new associates who, rather than being trained solely as CPAs, are trained to also be business people in order to assist clients with life planning through a holistic approach that brings their business and personal lives into focus in one combined picture. “We try to help clients prepare by creating financial moats around their business and personal lives to ensure they are protected in all ways.” For more information, visit http://www.grassicpas.com. grassicpas.com BE YOUR BUSINESS BEST. At Grassi & Co., we are much more than just your accounting rm: we are specialists speci cally trained in a diverse range of industries to help your business succeed. From construction, architecture and engineering, to healthcare, not-for-pro t, manufacturing and distribution and more, we provide a broad range of professional services concentrating on the challenges unique to your organization. Our client-centered approach towards positive business improvements will help you reach the next level of success. Grassi & Co. We are the company you keep. 488 Madison Avenue, 21st Floor New York, NY 10022 I 212.661-6166 JERICHO, NY I RONKONKOMA, NY I WHITE PLAINS, NY I PARK RIDGE, NJ New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 9 WORLD OF CONCRETE/TOP 10 CONCRETE CONTRACTORS OUR RENTAL PUMPS LLC: Woman-operated business provides safe, specialized and local concrete pumping service in NYC and Tri-State region New York Construction Report special feature A certified woman-owned busi- ness by both New York City and New York State, Our Rental Pumps LLC has grown since 2011, focusing on high standards, a true under- standing of the industry and client needs, and an understanding that no project is too complex. President Samantha Ruttura says the company’s fleet has expanded to include 10 concrete pumps, a telebelt and the business recently became a dealer for Magni Tele- scope Handlers on Long Island. “We offer various Magni models in our rental fleet and have the abil- ity to sell them under our New York State and New York City WBE certifi- cation, which is a huge asset to all of our customers and future cus- tomers,” she said. Ruttura says the company looks forward to 2018 and the role it will be able to play in the city’s expan- sion and evolution, particularly with bridges, MTA (Metropolitan Trans- portation Authority), and large com- mercial work. “It’s our job to keep up with the growth and continue to provide our customers the best service and most updated fleet to ensure their projects run smoothly.” The lean company has four com- petent staff maintaining the office and shop. “We provide trained, ca- pable and American Concrete Pump- ing Association (ACPA) Safety certified operators to run the equip- ment but they work directly for our customers. Because of our strong relationship with our customers they trust we are providing the best oper- ators and employ them for their proj- ects.” Ruttura says though her company is relatively young, at least com- pared to the 100-year-old company her father owns and operates, that 10 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report is the model she strives to follow. “I look at his workforce and it covers multiple generations of families and men that have been there for 40 plus years. I hope my company will have the same ability to keep men and women working for their entire careers.” Focused on projects in the New York Tri-State Area, Our Rental Pumps works largely with commer- cial contractors working on civil proj- ects including bridges, MTA work, stadiums, and other large scale proj- ects. The company recently placed concrete for the base of One Van- derbilt. “We are proud to have been a part of the largest continuous pour in midtown Manhattan.” As a locally owned company, Rut- tura says personal communication, reliability and a focus on ensuring the customer’s best interests are key. She says as part of ensuring each job runs smoothly and safely, Our Rental Pumps’ sales manager visits each site to ensure the right equipment is provided for the spe- cific job. “Often in the city there are space limitations which can affect what size pump that can be used. It is our job to ensure the customer gets the correct equipment for any given job.” Another key focus is safety, which Our Rental Pumps ensures by requiring all operators to go through the ACPA’s safety program and be up to date on all ACPA Safety certifi- cations. She says in the six years the com- pany has been in business it has maintained and grown its operator base, training and ensuring their ca- pability along the way. “Our ACPA safety certified opera- tors are skilled at what they do. As a team we are always looking out for the well being of everyone working on and near our equipment,” she says. This gives our customers con- fidence when working with Our Rental Pumps. Concrete pumps and telebelts are also inspected according to the manufacturer’s requirements. “This is not required by law but we strive to maintain our fleet to the highest safety standards so we make these inspections a priority.” Ruttura says active ACPA mem- bership, attending conventions and educational sessions, enhance safety and awareness when placing concrete. “As a small, family type business we want to ensure the safety of our staff and our extended family of clients.” Our Rental Pumps also provides service and parts from top name brands. For more information, visit www.ourrentalpumps.com. New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 11 Castellano, Korenberg & Co. supports construction clients in their growth and success New York Construction Report special feature Castellano, Korenberg & Co. CPA’s was founded in 1991 with a vision to serve the diverse and un- derserved financial needs of the construction industry. Today, the company has become a specialized niche firm working with contractors of all sizes to provide accounting and auditing, business advisory, cost segregation, forensic account- ing, litigation support, and tax serv- ices. Founding partners Daniel Castel- lano, managing partner, and Neal Korenberg, said the firm’s presence in bonding and construction and working with larger and more so- phisticated contractors has sup- ported its growth from four, to a team of more than 35. “Through our varied services, we have helped our clients grow and profit and we are now working on succession planning with many of our original clients, ensuring their futures,” he said. 12 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report Daniel Castellano, CPA Managing Partner Many of the firm’s clients are closely held businesses which have been passed down from one gener- ation to the next and Castellano, Korenberg & Co has been there every step of the way. Over the years, Castellano says, the firm has also dedicated time and training to servicing clients in additional industries such as real estate, professional service and manufacturing/distribution. Castellano, Korenberg & Co.’s niche market includes the architec- tural/ engineering, construction and real estate industries. Castellano says these are quite distinct yet re- lated and that each requires spe- cific training and experience. Partner, Frank Scala says “We have developed specialized finan- cial statements to satisfy our clients’ banking and surety require- ments while assisting in their growth and success.” Castellano, Korenberg & Co. be- lieves its team understands the unique challenges of the industry and works with clients to mitigate these. That can mean helping clients by challenging their esti- mates in some cases, comparing their quotes against others in the industry, and assisting them to op- erate more profitably. Supporting clients can also mean meeting with supervisors and proj- ect managers to review original contract takeoffs and bids. Castel- lano says, “We learn about direct BUILD WITH CONFIDENCE GUIDANCE YOU CAN COUNT O N CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS For over 25 years, Castellano, Korenberg & Co. has specialized in providing tax and accounting services to the construction industry. We help our clients achieve success by providing technical expertise, customized business solutions, and personalized attention. Find out how we can help you. 313 West Old Country Road | Hicksville, NY 11801 T: 516.937.9500 | castellanokorenberg.com Connect With Us New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 13 Frank Scala, CPA Partner Neal Korenberg, CPA Partner, Vice President and Quality Control Director and indirect costs and ensure everything is covered so that the contractor won’t be caught short.” The firm’s professional relation- ships with bankers, sureties and other industry professionals, Castel- lano says, allows the team to pro- vide clients with another level of service aside from general account- ing services. Additionally, its experi- enced professionals can help clients take advantage of certain tax incentives and cost saving opportu- nities which are available only to these specific industries. “The team at Castellano, Korenberg & Co. un- derstands the availability of certain contractor tax credits to ensure clients utilize all possible tax savings.” Other niche services include year-end tax planning that can in- clude calculating contractor run-off and the projection of overhead ex- penses to help manage a client’s cash flow. All of these specialized services and familiarity of the industry are crucial to serving the best interests of clients. “Construction accounting and taxation are unique,” Castellano says. “There are different methods of reporting income for tax pur- poses that are available to contrac- tors. It is important that a CPA firm understand the complex accounting and tax issues required of contrac- tors. A CPA firm that does not focus on contractors may not fully recognize all of the tax implications to a construction company, or the strategies to mitigate these taxes.” 14 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report Lisa Ricciardi, CPA Partner He says this understanding also stretches to include knowledge of current and future trends. In the current business environment, many contractors are looking to do bonded projects. “Maximizing bonding capacity allows a contrac- tor to consider large, more lucrative projects and usually requires inde- pendent CPA involvement.” Banks and sureties, he says, want to see solid earnings retained in the business together with ample working capital and liquidity. An owner’s instinct might be to mini- mize or defer profits in order to reduce the tax burden. A knowl- edgeable construction CPA can work with the contractor to manage this delicate balance. Castellano says the firm takes pride in the relationships it has built. “We continue to grow with our clients and other service profes- sionals. They are the cornerstone to the success of Castellano, Koren- berg & Co.” He says the firm is directly in- volved in all client interactions and engagements and keeps clients in- formed of financial and tax law changes as they arise. The firm is also dedicated to its team of professionals. “Our com- mitment to professional growth al- lows us to address the ever-growing needs of today’s mar- ketplace, sustain low employee turn-over and more importantly, provide our clients with uninter- rupted professional expertise and personalized service year after year.” Brendan Logan, CPA Tax Partner Castellano, Korenberg & Co. ac- tively donates time, money and items to a variety of charitable or- ganizations. Partner, Lisa Ricciardi said, “Our firm continually gives back to the community in many ways. One of the organizations that involves those who are in the con- struction industry is Contractors for Kids which provides financial assis- tance to families with sick chil- dren.” Other organizations the firm sup- ports include The Cooley’s Anemia Foundation, The Interfaith Nutrition Network, Long Island Cares, Inc., The Mary Brennan Inn, Movember USA, Nontraditional Employment for Women, Wounded Warrior Proj- ect, and Homecoming Farm. Castellano, Korenberg & Co. is a member of the Construction Finan- cial Management Association (CFMA), Regional Alliance for Small Contractors, Long Island Contrac- tors Associations (LICA), Long Is- land Builders Institute (LIBI), General Contractors Association (GCA), Mechanical Contractors As- sociation (MCA), New York City Surety Association, Queens and Bronx Building Association (QBBA), Association of Wall Ceiling & Car- pentry Industries of New York, Inc. (WC&C), Subcontractors Trade As- sociation (STA), Women’s Builders Council, Concrete Industry Board, as well as a number of other ac- counting and business associa- tions. For more information, visit www.castellanokorenberg.com. PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES Demolition to begin at 75 Nassau St., makes way for ODA designed tower Rendering of the 40-story tower at 75 Nassau St. (ODA New York) More than two years after Lexin Capital filed building applications for a tower designed by ODA New York, the city has finally issued demolition permits to the devel- oper, signaling that construction is about to begin at the 75 Nassau St. site. The 40-story residential develop- ment was first announced in 2014. It was originally planned to stand 800 ft. tall but building applications submitted in March 2015 revealed a height reduction. Updated render- ings showed a shorter structure, rising to 498 ft. To date, Lexin Capital has not made any announcement regarding a scheduled date of completion. However, New York Yimby stated, “... with demolition only just begin- ning, a three year estimate until opening day would not be unrea- sonable.” With an approximate total of 229,000 ft., the building will feature 39,203 sq. ft. of commercial space on its first four floors, and 197 resi- dences on the remaining levels. It is expected to have both condo- minium and rental units, each sized under 1,000 sq. ft. Amenities, likewise, remain unannounced but ODA has con- firmed the building will have ter- races and a roofdeck garden. On its website, the firm stated, “... the vol- ume edges are fragmented through an undulation of terraces. This iden- tifies the building among the sur- rounding two-dimensional envelopes and provides exterior space unaccustomed to the Finan- cial District’s skyscrapers.” “A rooftop tree garden character- izes the building’s pinnacle, capped like a natural version of the Wool- worth peak,” ODA stated. The tower sits directly across from another residential develop- ment by Lightstone Group. Con- crete has already been poured for the 130 William St. Tower. Landmarks Commission approves Domino Sugar’s conversion into office development Rendering of the office space’s interior (Practice for Architecture and Urbanism) Landmarks Preservation Com- mission (LPC) has approved a pro- posal by developer Two Trees to convert the Domino Sugar factory’s landmarked refinery building into an office space. The proposal is already the sec- ond design submitted by the devel- oper. After scrapping the first architect’s design despite being ap- proved by the commission, Two Trees tapped architect Vishaan Chakrabarti of Practice for Architec- ture and Urbanism. “The new plan is better for everyone,” said Two Trees manager for external affairs David Lombino. “It honors and highlights the land- mark; provides a flexible, modern, and totally unique office experi- ence; and welcomes the public to enjoy this great piece of New York’s history.” Chakrabarti’s design calls for a glass-encased office development with a barrel-vaulted roof sur- rounded by the refinery’s original outer walls, and set back from the brick exterior. According to the de- veloper, this will allow the free flow of sunlight and air between the building’s old and modern compo- nents. Amenities will be added, includ- ing a courtyard and ground-floor space for restaurants and shops. The previous architect, whom the developer has not revealed, de- signed a similar structure. It also in- volved a glass-enclosed office space within the refinery’s existing brick exterior but it leaned against the brick walls. LPC approved the first design in 2014, but Two Trees decided not to push through with the development for fear that it would result into a dark space that would be unattrac- tive to tenants. The refinery is located in the old Domino Sugar Factory site that Two Trees plans to transform into a mega-development project, includ- ing five buildings and a park by the East River. Mecanoo unveils plans for NY Public Library’s $317M renovation Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo has finally unveiled the $317 million master plan it developed in collabo- ration with local practice Beyer Blinder Belle to renovate the New York Public Library’s main building at Fifth Ave. and 42nd St. During the library’s board of trustees meeting on Nov. 15, visu- New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 15 PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES Plaxall Realty proposes rezoning to bring 5,000 new homes to Long Island waterfront An illustration of the new raised plaza on 40th (New York Public Library, http://nypl.org) als and details were released show- ing a reconfiguration to increase the building’s publicly accessible space by 20 percent. Presently, only one third is open for public use. To achieve the goal, the design firm will repurpose underused spaces like the existing staff and storage areas into new functional areas for research, exhibitions and educational programs. “We developed a masterplan that inherently adheres to the logic of a beaux-arts building,” said Francine Houben, founding partner and creative director of Mecanoo. “Our changes are both subtle and clever to direct the flow for differ- ent user groups, for example, or to improve the quality and function of currently underused spaces.” The library has released the visu- als reflecting the master plan to at- tract investors for the renovation, which will involve two construction phases between 2018 and 2020. A new entrance will be built on 40th St. leading to a raised public plaza and an educational area for university students and school chil- dren, the Center for Research and Learning. Meanwhile, inside the li- brary, the Lenox and Astor Room will be constructed to host a dis- play of books and artworks. Other new additions include a cafe with an extended shop and a permanent exhibition space in the Gottesman Hall. 16 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report A rendering of the completed Anable Basin development (WXY+architecture+design, http://wxystudio.com) Long Island City property owner Plaxall Realty recently proposed re- zoning an area adjacent to Anable Basin to pave way for a 5.8 million gross sq. ft. mixed-use complex, designed by WXY+architecture+design. In the proposal submitted to the Department of City Planning, Plaxall seeks to rezone 14.7 acres of land for 5,000 condos and rentals, 335,000 sq ft. of creative produc- tion and light manufacturing space, 3.1 acres of public waterfront es- planade and up to 30,000 sq ft. of community area. The project will also include a new 700-student public school outside the complex. The New York Times, which was first to report about the proposal, revealed that Plaxall’s plans involve a 70-story apartment tower stand- ing nearly 700 ft. tall. Upon comple- tion, it will become one of the tallest buildings in the outer bor- oughs and the second major devel- opment to be proposed for the area surrounding Anable Basin in 2017. In July, New York City developer TF Cornerstone also unveiled its plans for a development that will include 1,000 mixed-used spaces. According to Paula Kirby, manag- ing director at Plaxall, the tower and other upcoming buildings would be a “unique opportunity to really make a skyline for the Long Island City.” If approved, development will be done in phases starting in 2020 and ending in 2034. Plaxall’s proposal is still pending approval with a public meeting on Dec.14 with the city to discuss the rezoning’s potential en- vironmental effects. StuyTown to triple Manhattan’s solar power capacity after $10M investment 9,671 panels will be installed on top of build- ings in Stuyvesant Town, announced devel- opers (StuyTown Property Services, https://www.stuytown.com/) Global investment firms Black- stone Group and Ivanhoe Cam- bridge have announced plans to install America’s largest private multi-family residential rooftop solar project worth $10 million across 22 acres of rooftops at Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village. The 3.8 Megawatt solar energy system will be installed on 56 build- ings in the complex. The installation is expected to be completed in 2019, with NYC-based Onyx Re- newable Partners as project devel- oper. StuyTown Property Services will oversee the entire project. Once finished, StuyTown will in- crease Manhattan’s capacity to generate solar power by three times and generate six percent of the total energy consumed by Stuy- Town. This is equivalent to remov- PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES ing 11, 972 cars from the road and reducing 62,472 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. “When we acquired StuyTown in late 2015, we made sure to solicit feedback from the residents. We quickly learned of the strong con- nection with the community’s green space and the residents’ commitment to the environment,” said Rick Hayduk, CEO of StuyTown Property Services. StuyTown’s solar project is a re- sponse of its residents to the mayor’s Carbon Challenge which aims for an 80 percent carbon emission reduction in New York by the year 2050. It follows other sus- tainable initiatives that have kept StuyTown’s onsite greenhouse gas emissions down by 10 percent since 2007. To date, StuyTown remains the largest rental apartment complex in the country and holds the title of being the first multi-family building in New York to win an ENERGY STAR certification for its energy management technologies, which included installation of LED lighting, high-efficiency hot water heat ex- changers, elevator shaft louvers minimizing heat loss, domestic PEOPLE IN THE NEWS NYBC recognizes four executives with industry awards The New York Building Congress (NYBC) recognized four executives with awards during the organization’s 2017 Industry Recognition Gala held at the Grand Hyatt, Manhattan in mid- November. Brookfield Property Partners exec- utive vice-president of design and construction Sabrina Kanner, Kasirer founder and president Suri Kasirer, and WSP USA chief executive officer Gregory Kelly received Industry Recognition Awards. The Port Author- ity of NY & NJ executive director Rick Cotton was also given the George A. Fox Public Service Award. water flow control valves and a cen- tralized building management sys- tem to control all sustainable initiatives. Snøhetta unveils carved skyscraper for Upper West Side Rendering of the unique terrace on the Upper West Side building (Snøhetta) Norwegian firm Snøhetta has un- veiled its design for a new residen- tial and synagogue tower set for construction on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Located at 50 West 66th St., the development will feature a multi- level amenity terrace carved on the south facade. As it rises, the struc- ture’s volumes will be carved away, splitting the mass into two and cre- ating a shared space on the 16th floor. The amenity terrace intends to be the “social heart” for the tower, The Industry Recognition Awards are presented each year to individuals who have made a significant contri- bution to the construction industry. “I will be reminding everybody… every day I can, of the importance of this in- dustry, the importance of supporting this industry, and the importance of ensuring that the people in this room continue to work,” said NYBC presi- dent and CEO Carlo Scissura. “The people of New York need housing, infrastructure and improved transportation and they need the de- sign and construction industry to exe- cute with strength. I know you’re all with me when I say we will not let them down,” Kanner said in her ac- ceptance speech. Meanwhile, the George A. Fox with lush vegetation and views of the city, Hudson River and Central Park. “The design is achieved through a series of sculptural excavations, evocative of the chiseled stone of Manhattan’s geologic legacy,” Snøhetta told Arch Daily. Above the terrace level, the tower will be carved again to make way for private balconies attached to residential units. “This zipper of loggias runs the full length of the upper volume, vi- sually connecting the body to its lustrous sculpted crown,” said the project designer. “Angled facets evoke this chiseled vocabulary, re- vealing the same gleaming bronze found at the building’s base.” At street level, the development will be surrounded by storefronts clad in limestone, glass and bronze. The structure then narrows on the second level, with tall windows set into the stone facade. Snøhetta’s skyscraper will rise to a height of 775 ft. and deliver 127 units. The residential entrance will be set on 66th St. while the syna- gogue’s will be on 65th. Construc- tion is scheduled to commence in the spring of 2017. Public Service Award is presented to an individual who has rendered out- standing public service beyond the normal scope of their responsibilities. It honors the legacy of the late engi- neer, George A. Fox, who is known for his commitment to New York City and youth education. “We will continue to work hard with all of you to do these projects faster, to innovate, to economize where possible, to deliver on time and on budget and to do it all in a way that respects customers, the en- vironment, and communities in which we build,” said Cotton. The Industry Recognition Gala, now on its 75th year, was attended by more than 1,000 industry profes- sionals. New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 17 PEOPLE IN THE NEWS PREMIER Design + Build Group hires three key employees for its Iselin, NJ office PREMIER Design + Build Group, LLC has an- nounced three appointments to its Iselin, NJ office team. Lisa Vickers-Walwyn has joined as a project adminis- trator, and Vincent DeCaro is employed as a project manager, the company says. As well, Danielle Stafford has been hired as office manager and project adminis- trator. Vickers-Walwyn has more than 20 years of experi- ence in project support and office administration and brings a people-first, positive mindset and results-dri- ven attitude to PREMIER. “I’m excited to contribute my talent and expertise to a true leader in the industry. This opportunity allows me to leverage my experience to help facilitate PREMIER’s distinctive project de- livery system and 24/7 dedication to their clients,” she said. “It’s re- freshing to work for a company that takes a contemporary and in- dividualized approach to each of their clients’ projects.” She spent her career earning in- creased responsibility and respect Lisa Vickers-Walwyn as a resourceful teammate who in- teracts well with clients, executives, project managers and colleagues. She developed a keen eye for spotting efficiencies in the role of office manager, and supervised adherence to OSHA stan- dards, project and office protocol. She has been in charge of project management scheduling and helped teams manage estimates and collections. Vickers-Walwyn has helped maintain subcontractor/vendor lists and pre-qualifications, weekly submittals, RFIs and invoices. Her office man- agement responsibilities have included general admin- istration, office vendor coordination, scheduling meetings and maintaining project databases. She has prepared construction documentation and permits as well. For more news and updates: Newyorkconstructionreport.com If you would like to share information about your business news and people that are changing your business, please contact Mark Buckshon at buckshon@newyorkconstructionreport.com. 18 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report As a project administrator for PREMIER, Vicker’s- Walwyn fulfills front office duties and assists project managers with many aspects of the administrative tasks. She confirms all subcontractor licenses are cur- rent, maintains and updates bid lists, start-up and closeout documentation. “Lisa helps promote progress at every milestone for our Northeast team. She gets things done for our clients and associates,” says PREMIER executive vice- president Alec Zocher. “She is a great addition to the PREMIER team and we are fortunate to have her with us.” Vickers-Walwyn grew up in New Jersey and has a true affinity for the Garden State. She has a Microsoft Project certificate from Rutgers University and a Small Business Administration certificate from Middlesex County College. Meanwhile, Vincent DeCaro has been hired by PRE- MIER as a project manager in the New Jersey office. He is a true leader and motivated professional who is dedicated to clients. He is productive, inspires his teams and believes that innovation drives better re- sults. In short, DeCaro is a true credit to his home state of New Jersey. “I am incredibly excited about joining the PREMIER team,” says DeCaro. “To be the best, I have to work for the best, and that’s exactly what PREMIER is all about.” DeCaro oversees all aspects of the construction process including bidding, budgeting, scheduling, subcontract administration, finan- cial management and closeouts for PREMIER projects. He uti- lizes his problem-solving abilities to navigate obstacles and work di- rectly with consultants, subcon- tractors and field superintendents to direct activities. DeCaro migrated into a project Vincent DeCaro management role after serving as a business manager in commercial real estate for a lead- ing financial institution. Subsequently, he took a posi- tion as a project manager at a prominent construction company in New Jersey where he built strong relation- ships with clients, architects, engineers and subcon- tractors and was responsible for all aspects of project delivery. DeCaro honed his leadership skills as a member of the United States Navy deployed in Afghanistan and Africa. As a Navy Seabee, he analyzed, planned and es- timated construction projects for the Department of Defense. He led multiple teams on the ground in build- ing and security operations, provided tactical and tech- nical guidance and professional support for personnel across several countries. He earned several commen- PEOPLE IN THE NEWS dations for his service with the military. “Vince is a patriot and a leader,” says Zocher. “His discipline, dedication and spirit of innovation will pay dividends for our clients. We are proud to have him with us.” Recently, DeCaro earned a business degree and graduated summa cum laude from Rider University. Commendations he received while in the military in- clude the Joint Service Achievement, NATO, and good conduct medals. In the third appointment, Danielle Stafford will work closely with peers, project managers, su- perintendents and executives to keep the New Jersey office run- ning smoothly as office manager and project administrator. She has nearly 10 years of experience in project support and office admin- istration and brings great enthusi- asm to PREMIER. “I knew PREMIER was the right Danielle Stafford place for me when I met with the team,” says Stafford. “There’s a culture here of ab- solute dedication to clients and pride in what they do— it’s exactly the right environment for me.” Stafford began her career in the competitive New Jersey construction industry working for a top contrac- tor, overseeing presentations and bids. She acquired experience in a financial institution as well where she maintained employee licenses and schedules. Stafford arranged appointments and meetings, submitted ex- pense reports, maintained office inventory and sup- ported the accounts receivable department. She most recently served as an office manager and project coordinator for a leading design and construc- tion firm in Westfield, New Jersey. While there, she su- pervised payroll, benefits information, paid time off and expense reports. Stafford coordinated onboarding and training for employees and upper management, admin- istered the assembly of company and project informa- tion for business owners and lent a hand in the development of new company branding. At PREMIER, Stafford handles her day-to-day office functions with a positive, problem-solving approach with everything from welcoming guests, developing positive relationships, maintaining consistency with of- fice procedures and helping teams prepare important documentation. She sees to it that the office space is well organized, professional and welcoming to employ- ees and visitors alike. Additionally, she provides admin- istrative support to project managers from the initial stages of planning to project closeout. Stafford is most fulfilled when she is helping teams meet deadlines and promoting progress along the way. “Danielle has the experience and vitality to help our Northeast team succeed,” says Zocher. “She knows what it takes to keep projects moving forward, while keeping protocol on track. We’re excited to have her on the team.” Stafford grew up in New Jersey and has a true affin- ity for the Garden State. She is currently working to- ward a degree in business. PREMIER Design + Build Group, LLC is a full-service design + build firm specializing in industrial, medical, commercial and adaptive reuse projects. The company handles small tenant improvements to large-scale new construction developments and pro- vide due diligence, full construction and outsourced de- sign services. It has completed LEED Gold and Silver projects, and is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. Medici Living Group hires Quinton Kerns as new design director Medici Living Group, the world’s largest co-living provider based in Germany, has recently hired urban compact living expert A. Quinton Kerns as design direc- tor. In his new role, Kearns will design for two of Medici Living Group’s brands, QUARTERS and Medici Living. QUARTERS, a newly established brand, covers the Berlin and New York markets. Kearns will be responsi- ble for the expansion of the brand across U.S. “With Quinton Kerns, we have won a creative mind with design expertise in co-living who knows the U.S. market by heart. That is very important for our further expansion in the U.S. I am convinced that Quinton will further develop the design language of our co-living brands and successfully lift it to the next level,” said Medici Living Group CEO and founder Gunter Schmidt. “Thanks to his excellence design competence, Quin- ton will inspire our customers with our future co-living projects. He fits in very well with our brands,” he said. Kerns has more than ten years of work experience in designing projects ranging from residential to hospital- ity and workspace facilities. Before joining Medici Liv- ing’s team, he worked as senior designer for three years at WeWork, a brand under co-living developer WeLive in New York. He built the brand and launched its first two buildings in New York City and Washington, D.C. Before designing for WeWork, Kerns worked for project developer Stantec, formerly known as Add Inc. He also co-founded WHAT’S IN, an initiative dedicated to the research of innovative housing solutions, such as co-living and micro living spaces in emerging urban communities. New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 19 UPSTATE AND NEW JERSEY Developer to renovate Buffalo’s Paul Robeson Theatre for community use After purchasing the landmark building for an undis- closed price early in 2017, developer Oren Evenhar and his firm Pine Builders will work alongside design firm DXA Studio to transform the Paul Robeson Theatre in Buffalo into a space that will serve the local community. Evenhar initially planned to convert the property into a residential space. However, he said the building “has too much charm” and en- visioned turning it into a school, professional per- formance venue or a med- ical facility. While Evenhar is look- ing for an operator, the renovation is already mov- ing ahead. On October 2017, the Landmarks Preserva- tion Commission approved plans to update the building’s facade and entrance for wheelchair access. Construction on both areas is expected to commence in the next three or four months. DXA Studio’s Jordan Rogove, who will head the pro- ject’s design team, said that they will keep many of the building’s distinctive features, such as a cast iron steeple and the original glass windows with paintings by European artist Simon Berasaluce. Rogrove said he would like to see the building kept as a theater space, but understands that may be a long- shot. Nonetheless, he is happy to contribute to the transformation of the building he described as “a little Hagia Sophia” because of its history of diverse uses. In the past 153 years, the Forte Greene theater has served various purposes including being a church, a synagogue, and a performance space. It was built in 1864 as a Universalist church. It was then turned into one of the borough’s first Reform synagogues. After that, it became a Catholic church that catered to Polish Brooklynites for 90 years. It was only turned into a theater in 1980 by Dr. Josephine English, actor and activist. For 30 years, plays for the African-American community were staged in the building. PREMIER Design + Build Group, LLC completes massive 1,292,650 sq. ft. industrial center in Perth Amboy Perth Amboy, NJ, is now home to a recently com- pleted industrial distribution center—a massive campus offering 1,292,650 sq. ft. of space across three different warehouses. PREMIER Design + Build Group, LLC led the charge on design and construction of the center beginning in the second quarter of 2015. The center features ultra- modern facilities that can accommodate the needs of today’s most sophisticated end users offering advanta- geous proximity to a vast network of interstate high- ways, deep-water cargo ports, air-freight hubs and rail lines, the contractor says in a news release. As part of a busy geographic region that covers counties in both New York and New Jersey, Perth Amboy is comprised of roughly 50,000 people. While it’s much smaller than metropolises such as New York City or Newark, its prime location makes it very attrac- tive to companies looking for distribution hubs. The site is less than one mile from the Outerbridge Crossing and water access for shipping, only five miles from the New Jersey Turnpike and 31 miles from the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels—providing a direct route to Manhattan. It is only 15 miles from Newark Airport and the Port Newark-Eliza- beth Marine Terminal. John F. Kennedy In- ternational Airport and LaGuardia Airport are nearby as well. “We are honored to have been a part of this exciting proj- ect,” says PREMIER executive vice-president Alec Zocher. “While it had its challenges, we were able to bring it to a successful completion working in conjunc- tion with Bridge Development Partners and the city of Perth Amboy.” Tenants will benefit from a large and engaged labor force from Perth Amboy and neighboring cities. An added business advantage is that this industrial center is located in an Urban Enterprise Zone, which permits for a 50 percent reduction in sales tax for materials pur- chased/used in the zone. Additionally, incentives are built into the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Program to help fund projects. The Grow New Jersey Program can help companies preserve and create jobs and expand operations. The three facilities constructed at the site include: Building A at 354,250 sq. ft., Building B at 220,200 sq. ft. and Building C at 718,200 sq. ft. They have 36 ft. clear height ceilings, hundreds of truck dock positions, ESFR fire protection sprinkler systems and 800 amp, 277/480-volt electrical service. Additionally, there are parking lots with 703 spaces for cars and 441 spaces for trailers. Zocher oversaw the project for PREMIER along with Karl Hoermann, vice-president of field operations (North- east division). Cornerstone Architects, Ltd. provided architectural services. Executive vice-president Thomas Monahan and first vice-president Noah Balanoff with CBRE are representing the buildings. Bridge Development Part- ners, LLC is the project’s developer. WORLD OF CONCRETE/TOP 10 CONCRETE CONTRACTORS JBCI Consulting Engineers builds on 50 years of structural engineering expertise with focus on repair and restoration New York Construction Report special feature Over its 50-year history as a con- sulting engineering firm, Joseph B. Callaghan, Inc. (JBCI) has devel- oped and evolved its offering as a structural engineer, and along the way, developed a niche expertise in the fields of repair and restoration. President Allen Roth says the firm’s work in restoration and repair began in the 80s and, over the past 10 years, that specialty has grown significantly. The firm’s staff has grown from three to 13. He says the company’s motto and ongoing goal is always to achieve the lowest total project cost, start to finish, and that invest- ing at the outset in an ongoing maintenance program can have a significant impact over time. “Unfortunately, many clients in the past came to us initially be- cause they found out the hard way the cost of not having maintenance programs in place,” Roth said. “Today, more people realize that on- going maintenance goes a long way towards ensuring the life of a building.” Working with concrete as well as other materials, the team’s projects have included dams, stadiums, bridges and high-rise buildings. “We’ve worked on Carnegie Lake Dam, JFK Stadium while it was in 22 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report use, Franklin Field, several large high-rises at the University of Penn- sylvania campus, Resorts Casino in Atlantic City…” The firm has also worked on hospitals and condominium proj- ects and, through long term staff, develops and maintains strong client relationships. This has led to many long term clients, referrals, and repeat business. “The average tenure of our staff is 18 years and we have many who have been here almost that long. People come, and they stay, and that makes for rela- tionships clients can count on.” “Over our firm’s 50-year history, we’ve had two presidents; our founder, Joseph Callaghan, and me. Joe was active in the company for 47 years and I’ve been here 33. That’s a lot of continuity and reliabil- ity our clients can count on, through- out every aspect of the firm.” Part of why people come and stay is a culture based on work/life balance. JBCI staff seek to ensure solid client relationships by under- standing each situation’s nuances and responding with flexibility. “We did work for an all girls’ school and, because almost half of our staff is female, were able to as- sign a female to work on the proj- ect. Not only did the client get the work they needed done, but they were able to hold this up to stu- dents as an example of women achieving in careers, which they ap- preciated on another level.” JBCI is actively involved with the International Concrete Repair Insti- tute (ICRI). Roth says this allows the firm to be in tune with concrete repair materials, technology and strategy as it evolves. “We will be drone certified shortly and are branching into other tools such as thermal imaging and laser scanning in order to meet the continuing needs of our clients.” The team also stays current on changing city ordinances to ensure it can advise clients, and respond appropriately when new clients in- quire with problems. Recognized with numerous awards for its efforts, including its work on the Carnegie Lake Dam, JBCI has been listed as a top growth firm in the nation for 2017. Roth says JBCI will continue to adapt its workforce and technology as needed to stay on top of the in- dustry and in touch with new mate- rials. Ongoing education and train- ing will ensure the team can respond to a diversity of project types and materials and serve clients effectively in the future. For more information, visit www.jbciengineers.com. Joseph B. Callaghan, Incorporated, established in 1967, is a structural engineering firm serving corporations, government agencies, institutions, industrial facilities, legal and other design professionals. The firm is committed to providing innovative solutions to clients at every stage of a structure’s life span. 1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Suite 1655, Philadelphia, PA 19103 Tel: 215.665.0497 jbci@jbciengineers.com New York Construction Report — WINTER 2018 – 23