PWC awards reception held April 7 celebrates the future

"Tonight we are spotlighting works in progress that will create jobs and work opportunities for the industry for years to come," said Lenore Janis, president of Professional Women in Construction (PWC) National on Wednesday, April 7, as the organization presented "The Future in Progress" a special PWC 30th anniversary Awards Reception celebrating a trio of major projects at The Yale Club in NYC. Janis noted the "extraordinary teamwork of CMs, architects, and engineers who are making the blueprints come to life" for the new NYC Police Academy in College Point, Queens; the Public Safety Answering Center II (PSACII) in the Bronx; and the current modernization of the Aerial Tramway at Roosevelt Island budgeted for up to $25 million. Janis thanked Christine Flaherty, senior associate of STV, for chairing the PWC Awards event. Marie Dauphinais, project manager with POMA, presented the PWC award to Stephen Shane, president and CEO of the Roosevelt Island Operating Corp. (RIOC). Shane praised the team - including many women in key roles - on the tram modernization project which will extend the service of the tram for over 30 years; greatly enhance reliability with a dual haul system; improve energy efficiency and quality of travel; and facilitate maintenance and repairs. The CM and A&E team for the Tramway are POMA, The LiRo Group, Parametrix and BL Companies. Shane also noted that the Four Freedoms Memorial Park now under construction will create a national treasure drawing visitors worldwide. John Livingston, president, Tishman Construction Corporation, noted that the PSAC II will be the largest call center ever built worldwide. He introduced honoree David Resnick, AIA, deputy commissioner, NYC Department of Design & Construction (DDC), as a "superbly talented individual and a skilled negotiator." Resnick noted that the new center will work in tandem with the current Brooklyn-based facility, and added that the DDC project portfolio is serving the public throughout the City in such areas as cultural institutions, public libraries, emergency medical service and transportation facilities, health centers and much more. Milo Riverso, P.E., president of STV Group, Inc., presented the award to David Burney, FAIA, commissioner, NYCDDC, and praised Burney's City-wide "Design and Construction Excellence Initiative." Burney said that construction, budgeted at $650 million, has begun for Phase I of the Police Academy. Situated on a 35-acre campus in Queens, it will feature multiple classroom environments to train recruits; an area for testing marksmanship; a counter-terrorism tactical building; plus dining and gymnasium facilities. PSACII is working with Tishman Construction Corporation as CM; Skidmore Owings and Merrill as architects; and Weidlinger Associates engineers. The NYC Police Academy has Turner/STV as joint venture partners; Perkins + Will and Michael Fieldman as architects and WSP Flack + Kurtz as MEP. PWC's Salute to Women of Achievement luncheon takes place on May 20 at The Yale Club. To register or for additional information, visit www.pwcusa.org.