PWC event hosts industry's major players in construction

On February 29, Professional Women in Construction (PWC) president Lenore Janis introduced a packed and eager crowd at Club 101 in NYC to the "stellar cast who include some of the major players in the industry with offices throughout the U.S. and Europe" at the organization's annual Meet the Construction Chiefs networking and table top exhibit event. Andrea Giorgi Bocker, P.E., engineer of construction, Port Authority of N.Y. & N.J. (PANYNJ), spoke of $550 million in construction contract awards ranging from replacement of a runway at Newark Liberty Airport to PATH electrical system upgrades and Port Newark wharf reconstruction. Bocker noted too that projects in the planning and design phase included work on the Bayonne and Goethals bridges, terminal redevelopment at the airports, and replacement of the Lincoln Tunnel helix. "A good deal of our annual construction program is devoted to updating existing infrastructure," she said. John Pasicznyk, managing director, construction and metro N.Y. operations, Dormitory Authority - State of New York (DASNY), said that the total statewide construction workload for DASNY now totals about 700 projects, valued at $5.5 billion of which 75% is centered downstate, including the five boroughs, Nassau and Suffolk counties. Pasicznyk noted that despite the "healthy numbers" - one might say robust - budget constraints are forcing a future focus on smaller maintenance and repair projects. One major project currently still in the construction bid phase is the Bronx Mental Health Redevelopment Project. He also discussed DASNY and N.Y. State MWBE initiatives, including the annual NYS MWBE Forum and the newly established NYS Surety Bond Assistance Program. Lorraine D'Angelo, ethics and corporate compliance officer for Dragados USA Inc., spoke of the company's proud record for using small, disadvantaged, minority and woman-owned firms. Dragados recently was commended for its commitment to diversity on a pair of projects that each exceed $1 billion: it received an A+ in DBE utilization from the Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation for the I-595 Corridor Expansion project and the Champion of Diversity award from the Washington Department of Transportation for SR-99, Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project. Dragados USA is a part of the teams that have been short-listed for the Goethals and Tappan Zee Bridges projects. William Gilbane III, vice president and fifth generation family member at Gilbane Building Company, noted the firm's focus on healthcare and higher education and its commitment to customer satisfaction, client advocacy and partnering with the "growing pool of minority and women-owned contractors in NYC." One new major project the firm has in a joint venture with McKissack for the NYCEDC is the $280 million conversion of the former North General Hospital in Harlem to a long-term acute care hospital and skilled nursing facility for the NYCHHC's residents of the Goldwater campus on Roosevelt Island. Other Gilbane projects underway include new buildings for Urban Health Plan and Lehman College in the Bronx, and the renovation of Loew's Kings Theatre and DASNY's OCA in Brooklyn "We look forward to growing our relationships in New York City. We'd like to be known as the company that cares, is dedicated to the community, and has opportunities for everyone," said Gilbane. Ira Levy, P.E., executive vice president U.S. Northeast Region with AECOM, said that the "political dynamics are in tremendous flux. It's all about risk. We have to move towards public/private partnerships. We have to get capital back in to the capital program." He noted too that changes in technology have changed the paradigm for the business. Joe Perini, senior vice president at Tutor Perini Corporation, spoke of the origins and development of the firm that has been making headlines in the metropolitan area in recent months. Founded in 1894 by Perini's great-grandfather, the company concentrated on civil projects prior to the 1950s when it began ground-up building. Since the mid 1990s, under the leadership of Ron Tutor, Tutor Perini Corp. has expanded geographically, moved into new market sectors, and is providing more vertically integrated construction services. Tutor Perini was just named the GC for the West Side megaproject at Hudson Yards that will integrate 6 million s/f of office space, 5,000 residential units - market price and affordable - retail and parks. The company recently became best known locally for fast tracking, as GC, the new Resorts racino at Aqueduct. Perini credited Resorts' Malaysian developer, Genting, for "its far-reaching vision." "We're excited to be here," he said. Shown (standing from left) are: Ira Levy, P.E., AECOM; Joe Perini, Tutor Perini Corp.; John Pasicznyk, DASNY; Lenore Janis, PWC. Shown (seated from left) are: Andrea Giorgi Bocker, P.E., PANYNJ; William Gilbane III, Gilbane Building Company, Lorraine D'Angelo, Dragados USA, Inc.