First Look Inside Battery Park City’s New Super-Sized Condos

The new waterfront Battery Park City building is now ready for NYC residents! Just on the corner of Warren Street stands a luxurious redesign - holding only 169 condos.

With a drastically reduced apartment count, the residences are large. The building’s smallest apartment is still over 1,000 square feet and has two bedrooms. The biggest apartment size holds five bedrooms. From the smallest apartment to the largest one, you’re looking to spend about $2 million to $10 million.

The new designs are finished with hardwood flooring, an eat-in kitchen, lots of natural sunlight, and luxury bathrooms. Add in tall windows overlooking the beautiful Battery Park and you’ve got yourself an apartment worth investing in!

The building’s penthouses have yet to come to market, which will exceed asking prices of $10 million. They will offer private rooftop space with outdoor kitchens. Look for them later this Spring!

Keep up with the latest industry news and New York City happenings by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and connecting with us on Google+.

AM & Associates is your source for special inspection and related services in New York and the entire metropolitan area. With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more.
Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.

What If LaGuardia Airport Expanded Into the Bronx?

Last October, Governor Cuomo announced a competition to modernize four of New York's airports. Out of that contest came a plan to extend LaGuardia Airport from East Elmhurst to the Bronx - paving over Rikers Island and a large amount of surrounding waterways.

How exactly would this plan look? We’ve laid it out for you below:

Connection between major transportation networks - Including Amtrak, MetroNorth, NJ Transit, and Long Island Rail Road. The new layout would require travelers to enter the transportation hub in the Bronx and take an underground Air Tran to the new concourses, where Rikers Island stood.

Fewer delays and increased capacity - LaGuardia would expand its gate count from 76 to 165 and add longer runways, allowing the airport to run more efficiently in hazardous weather.

Safer Transportation - Longer runways would offer safer landings and less room for error. Not to mention, planes would require less time circling the air - decreasing noise pollution for the community.

Division of prison facilities - Under the plan, Rikers Island's prison facilities would get divided throughout the boroughs - possibly the most controversial outcome of the idea to expand. Passing the plan through the public review process may be difficult.

What do you think about this plan to expand LaGuardia Airport? Share your thoughts on our Facebook or Google+ page.

AM & Associates is your source for special inspection and related services in New York and the entire metropolitan area. With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more.

Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.

Bronx Historic Building to be Demolished

Plans to replace the Bronx's 'Castle on the Concourse' are set in motion. After almost two decades, the historic building will be torn down in exchange for an affordable housing complex.

According to a new Crain's report the 30,000-square-foot, unkempt structure was “left to rot under the city's stewardship”. The de Blasio administration is now requesting a proposal to reconstruct what was once a unique addition to the city. The transformation is said to bring 120 apartments, improving overall public health for the Bronx.

What are your thoughts about this recent city project? Let us know on our Facebook or Google+ page.

The experts at Alan Margolin & Associates are here for a variety of services, including concrete inspection and structural safety. Visit our website for a complete list of services we provide.

Keep up with the latest industry news and New York City happenings by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, and connecting with us on Google+.

AM & Associates: Services We offer

What kind of construction plans do you have set for the spring? Big or small, safety and proper attention to detail should always be your top concerns! That's why special inspections are a vital component in the building experience.

Which services can Alan Margolin and Associates provide for you in the New York and Metropolitan area? Below is a complete list of special inspection services we offer:

Sprinkler Systems

Standpipe Systems

Energy Code Compliance

Mechanical Systems

Heating Systems

Fuel-Oil Storage and Fuel-Oil Piping Systems

Fire-Resistant Penetrations and Joints

Fire-Resistance Rated Construction

Sprayed Fire-Resistant Materials

Structural Steel

Structural Stability – Existing Buildings

Concrete

Masonry

Wood

Soils

Deep Foundation Elements

Helical Piles

Wall Panels, Curtain Walls, and Veneers

Mastic and Intumescent Fire-Resistant Coatings

Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS)

High-Pressure Fuel-Gas Piping (Welding)

Excavations - Sheeting, Shoring, and Bracing

Underpinning

Private On-Site Storm Water Drainage Disposal & Detention

Flood Zone Compliance

Luminous Egress Path Markings

Emergency and Standby Power Systems (Generators)

Post-Installed Anchors

Preliminary

Footing and Foundation

Structural Wood Frame

Public Assembly Emergency Lighting

Final Inspection

And more…

With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more.

Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.

Mayor Bill de Blasio's Vision Zero Campaign Promotes Pedestrian Safety

There's no question that when many think of NYC streets they think of, well, traffic. Our roads are not flooded with just cars, but also bicyclers, pedestrians and - rather often - construction.

To help keep pedestrians safe, the Vision Zero campaign recently required a reduction in the city's speed limit; from 30 mph to 25 mph. Next, some of the most dangerous streets in the five boroughs will be redesigned to promote safer traveling conditions for all.

A few other implementations you can expect to see include:

• Adding speed cameras 
• Increasing pedestrian crossing times 
• Targeting police enforcement, especially in the evening and overnight hours. 

Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.

Interested in learning more about the Vision Zero campaign and how it aims to decrease the number of pedestrian fatalities citywide? Click here »

AM & Associates is your source for special inspection and related services in New York and the entire metropolitan area. With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more.

Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.

An Evolution of Special Inspection in Masonry Construction

Today, buildings need to be built with the potential for higher magnitude forces in mind, whether it be an earthquake or some other nature force. Therefore, even though an earthquake is not necessarily more likely, masonry must be designed more "robustly."

Quality assurance programs have thus too become more important due to this increased focus on reinforced masonry. Since inspection is one of the key components of QA, special inspection in masonry construction has become a critical activity. Special inspectors are instructed to assure masonry walls are built both properly and to code. 

The primary goal of masonry construction special inspection is to catch any mistakes while they are still fairly easy to correct. Public safety is also inevitably in the hands of the various procedures these special inspectors perform. 

Want to know more? Visit www.cement.org »

AM & Associates is a team of NYC special inspectors providing masonry and various other special inspection services to the entire metropolitan area. Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information. 

Steps for Creating a Safer Construction Site

There are an endless number of considerations that go into a construction job and safety precautions are certainly one of them. While special inspections and engineering services ensure that all buildings are built properly and to code, individual workers and team members must be in on overall regulations in order to maximize safety. 

Keep your job site a safe and successful one by incorporating these few tips below:

Instill safety as a core value. From the top down, safety and it's importance should be understood by all. Executives should lead by example and provide all-level managers with the proper safety training needed. 

Hold everyone accountable. If individual employees are not held accountable for risking safety they are more likely to cut corners and cheat the system. Set safety goals early on and make sure they are addressed in routine reviews. 

Evaluate your subcontractors safety performance. What is the safety culture and safe day-to-day operations of the subcontractor you are looking to hire? It is a poor idea to hire a subcontractor that could put your current safety standards at risk. 

Develop a detailed fall management program. With falls being the number one cause of death and injury on construction sites, it is essential that an effective fall management program be developed. At just 6 feet or higher a reliable procedure should be known and put into place. 

Talk about safety regularly. Don't leave safety guidelines behind at the planning stage but always circulate safety reminders and crucial procedures regularly. Whether it be in the weekly meeting or at the start of the day, make sure the important aspects of your safety plan are remembered and respected by all. 

AM & Associates is your source for special inspection and related services in New York and the entire metropolitan area. With over 50 years of experience, we are known for both our high standards and specialized services. We have supported the work of some of the largest and most prestigious developers, retailers and more.

Call us today at 212.867.6720 or visit our website for more information.