Hunter Roberts Construction Group (HRCG) says construction will resume on the highly publicized Pier55 project on the Hudson River Park, and contracts worth nearly $100 million have been executed with both Weeks Marine, Inc. and The Fort Miller Co., Inc.
On May 30, a new permit from the Army Corps of Engineers provided the clearance for
construction to move forward. Fort Miller has already begun fabrication of the unique concrete pots and Weeks is presently mobilizing for in-water construction to begin this August.
The project has been embroiled in legal disputes, most recently in March when a judge halted construction, ordering a thorough review be conducted on the impact on marine life before the park moves forward, according to a Curbed New York report. “This stemmed from yet another lawsuit filed by the park’s main opponent, the City Club of New York,” Curbed NY reported.
Following the revelation last month that developer Douglas Durst was funding the anti-park lawsuits, the future of the park has essentially become a battle between two billionaire developers, Durst, and Barry Diller, who along with his wife Diane Von Furstenberg, agreed to bear the cost of building the park. The pier 55 project meanwhile has many prominent backers including Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The supporting pier for the project includes unique, precast pots that will be fabricated and assembled upstate. Weeks, headquartered in Cranford, New Jersey, will manage the assembly process at the Port of Coeymans south of Albany and will transport the finished pots down the Hudson River to the park.
Fort Miller will provide the precast concrete elements, utilizing locally sourced concrete mix materials. Barges will deliver the structures, and other related precast elements, which
will eliminate over 600 truckloads of material that would otherwise have had to travel to and through the NYC region. HRGC says this will provide a substantial environmental benefit to NYC, reducing emissions, decreasing truck traffic, and eliminating the noise generated by more than 600 tractor trailers.
Pier55 is providing a significant economic boost to New York City and state, using materials supplied by New York State-based businesses. As the production of these precast concrete elements continues to increase over the next year, the participating companies will expand and hire additional personnel through a number of sister companies that are assisting in the production of the many elements required to produce each precast piece. This includes formwork production, embedded steel support elements, concrete raw material production, assembly of the complex formwork and casting of the units.
“This project is unlike anything New York City has seen before,” says HRCG senior vice-president Christopher Phillips. “Creating Pier55 is an exciting challenge for our company–we are proud of the work we have accomplished thus far and are pleased to resume construction. We are putting New Yorkers to work and providing opportunities for companies all over the state.”
“This is a major step forward for a new public park on our waterfront,” NYC mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement. “It has been a bumpy road, but I look forward to the day when New Yorkers from across the city can come and enjoy this remarkable open space, and all the cultural and community programming it will offer.”
