Related Companies and NYSTA/NYSDOT to be honored by ACEC New York

The American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACEC) will be honoring two New York private and public-sector entities through named Awards of Merit. The Award of Merit honorees for 2014 are Related Cos. for the Hudson Yards development project and the NYS Thruway Authority and NYS Department of Transportation for the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement project, as well as their launch of design-build in New York. The honorees will be recognized at the ACEC New York Engineering Excellence Gala on March 29th at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Each Award of Merit is paired with a $5,000 named scholarship. The two scholarships will be presented at the Engineering Excellence Gala to two engineering students currently pursuing engineering-related careers at a New York accredited college. The NYS Department of Transportation/NYS Thruway Authority scholarship will be presented to Tenzin Nyandak, current junior at the University at Buffalo. The Related Cos. scholarship will be presented to Nicole Lewis, current junior at Columbia University. "Each year, the Award of Merit allows ACEC New York to recognize excellence in engineering and our related design and construction professions," said Jay Simson, ACEC New York president. "This year, we are proud to honor Related Cos., the NYS Thruway Authority and the NYS DOT, as well as reward the accomplishments of two up-and-coming engineers." Representing private sector development, Related Companies will be honored for the breadth and complexity of the Hudson Yards development project, the largest undertaking of its kind, as well as their use of all the talents of the design and construction industry. Development of Hudson Yards will forever change the face of New York City, and a number of ACEC New York member engineering firms are already working on the project. The public sector honoree is a result of governor Cuomo's leadership on two distinct but significantly related fronts, including the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement project, which has already begun, following decades of planning. Additionally, the new NY Bridge is a design-build project, and the NYS Department of Transportation has aggressively and boldly brought design-build to fruition in the public sector. Both the Thruway Authority and NYS DOT are being recognized for these accomplishments. The Engineering Excellence Gala will honor the hard work and ingenuity of current engineers, as well as future ones, through recognition of 115 award-winning projects from across New York State, the United States, and worldwide. The proceeds from this event benefit the ACEC New York Scholarship Fund, formally the New York Consulting Engineering Scholarship & Educational Fund. In addition to the two Awards of Merit, the scholarship fund will present more than $50,000 in scholarships to other engineering college students, as well as a $3,000 scholarship through the ACE Mentor Program, which recognizes and assists current New York high school students pursuing engineering careers. For more information on ACEC New York, including information on the upcoming Engineering Excellence Gala and the ACEC New York Scholarship Fund, visit our website at www.acecny.org.