Posted Mar 18, 2020, 5:41 PM
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New Yorker for life
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Borough of Jersey
Posts: 56,867
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Still working, for now...
https://www.crainsnewyork.com/real-estate/construction-projects-plug-away-even-city-shutting-down
Construction projects plug away even with city shutting down
March 18, 2020
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For now, construction continues.
As the coronavirus outbreak quiets New York City—closing offices, idling taxis and shuttering bars—workers in bright yellow reflective vests, hard hats and steel-toe boots are still showing up.
On Wednesday morning, the pounding of jackhammers and the blaring beeps of trucks in reverse broke the eerie quiet on the waterfront in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg, where work continues at Domino Park. It was the same in Queens and Manhattan, where new offices and residential buildings are under construction.
At the Waldorf Astoria, workers were busy fixing the facade of the iconic Park Avenue hotel, which is being turned into high-end condos. Near the Brooklyn Bridge, roughly 300 workers are putting up a luxury condo building at 130 William St. The developer, Lightstone, is expecting to receive a shipment of cabinets, vanities and marble slabs from Italy, which he ordered before the virus shut down the country.
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In New York, it’s largely business as usual, though some workers have been calling out because they’re worried about the virus, according to Elizabeth Velez, chair of the New York Building Congress, an industry trade group.
“The work is ongoing, but it’s getting quieter on construction sites as we grapple with the issue of ensuring we have enough staff to be able to work and mitigate against the risk,” Velez said. “So far, there’s no plan to delay.”
Some New Yorkers are just now realizing how loud construction can be, especially since many are working from home. City Councilman Keith Powers, who represents part of Manhattan, said his office has been getting calls from constituents about all the noise.
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With many commuters avoiding Manhattan, the crowd at Grand Central Terminal was eerily sparse Tuesday afternoon, while major construction projects nearby continued. At One Vanderbilt, a massive office tower next to the train station, clanking metal and drills resounded through streets that were quiet save for the occasional car horn or siren.
A few blocks north, workers were toiling away at JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s new tower. One guarded the site sporting a white helmet and giant black face mask.
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If construction projects in New York City are halted, economic repercussions could be devastating. There are currently more than 6,800 active construction sites across the city, employing tens of thousands of workers.
Shutting down the projects could bankrupt construction firms and lead to massive layoffs, issues that other industries are contending with as the virus roils the U.S. economy.
“The economic impact of what happens to projects that aren’t moving is devastating” said Carlo Scissura, president and chief executive officer of the New York Building Congress. “There are so many things that are critical to the lifeblood of the residents of New York. You can’t just say shut down everything.”
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NEW YORK is Back!
“Office buildings are our factories – whether for tech, creative or traditional industries we must continue to grow our modern factories to create new jobs,” said United States Senator Chuck Schumer.
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