According to Denise Richardson, the managing director of the General Contractors Association of New York, the organization has signed a 9,000 s/f lease for 20 years at their current office at 60 East 42nd St. Richardson said, "At a time when the city and the state are faced with considerable challenges, we are literally putting our money where our future is, in the strength of New York. We wanted to make a clear and unequivocal statement about ourselves and our vision of New York by locking ourselves into a long term lease in the heart of the city. Nothing says `commitment' to our industry, our city and the people of New York who depend upon us better than a 20-year lease on 9,000 s/f of space." The building, One Grand Central Place, is owned by W&H Properties, and the landlord recently invested some $85 million into upgrading the structure, including public spaces, windows and elevators. GCA intends to upgrade its space to meet its current and future needs as the city's advocate for the heavy construction industry and the crucial role it plays in building and maintaining the region's transportation, utility and development infrastructure. Richardson said the GCA's chief focus for the upgraded space will be in the area of information technology to reflect the enormous advances being made in digital communication. "With a long term commitment to this location we can now pursue a strategic initiative to be an even more efficient central information resource for our industry and our members, allowing us to respond even faster to public policy issues occurring in Washington, Albany and city hall that affect our region's infrastructure. Together with a vibrant union work force, GCA members are prepared to keep New York the world leader in commerce, thanks to a strong infrastructure."