FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Wednesday, November 5, 2003

Topping-Off for Bronx Criminal Court Project

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2.5-block project is nicknamed the Superblock

BRONX, N.Y. Everything is super-sized at the $380 million Bronx Criminal Court project:

The site takes up 2.5 blocks on 161st St.
Once completed, the entire excavation, 115,000 cubic yards of soil will have been removed. Put another way, 4,000 tractor-trailer trips to haul the soil which would create a convoy 27-mile long of trucks positioned end-to-end.
8,000 tons of structural steel was required to create the framework of the building, nine stories above ground and two stories below ground. The first piece of steel was set just about one year ago.
The steel work involved the equivalent of 4 man-years of welding and 185,000 structural steel bolts to join the 14,000 pieces of steel. At its peak, 90 men from Local 40 (Iron Workers) were involved in the steel erection.

And today the Bronx Criminal Court "Superblock" hit a major milestone the symbolic last major piece of structural steel was lifted into place atop the structure, in a topping-off ceremony attended by Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr., Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman, Dormitory Authority staff, and dozens of contractors and tradespeople.

Representatives from government, design consultants, the construction manager and prime contractors were invited to autograph the ceremonial beam before it was hoisted into position. The event signifies that the pinnacle of a structure has been reached, and that essential building elements are approaching 50 percent complete.

Douglas M. Van Vleck, Managing Director of Construction for the Authority, was among the speakers.

The Dormitory Authority is privileged to be the chosen partner of New York City in the financing and construction of this world-class facility, Mr. Van Vleck said. We wish to acknowledge the efforts, guidance and support provided by the State Office of Court Administration and the government agencies the City Department of Design and Construction, the Office of the Criminal Justice Coordinator, the Office of Management and Budget, Community Board 4, the Borough Presidents office, and the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation. The Corporation has partnered with the Dormitory Authority to increase participation in the project by minority- and women-owned business enterprises.

Mr. Van Vleck also thanked the contractors and consultants, as well as the Authority staff: Chief Project Manager John Andrus, Field Representatives Ed Minahan and John DeMase, Project Accountant Paul LaJoy, Secretaries Faye Bardin and Diana Castro and numerous Authority staff members involved behind the scenes to make this project such a success.

The project will have 700,000 gross square feet when completed, with 47 courtrooms and space for judges, juries, district attorney, corrections and associated court agencies. The Authority anticipates occupancy of the building in mid-2006. The structure employs a state of the art curtain wall for blast resistance in an architecturally pleasing building.

For more information, contact Press Officer Claudia Hutton at (518) 257 3382, or CHutton@dasny.org.

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