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COMPLETED PROJECT

251 Mercer Street Plaza - Cogeneration Plant

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Cogeneration Alerts
Project Completed
December 30, 2010

The new cogeneration plant is up and running and the plaza is open to the public.

Street Paving
November 11, 2010

Beginning tomorrow, November 12, 2010, the street around Mercer Street Plaza will be paved. Late today No Parking signs will be posted on Mercer, West 3rd and West 4th Streets. No parking will be allowed on these streets. One lane of traffic will remain open at all times.

Pedestrian traffic at the cross walks will be temporarily rerouted as the work progresses. The sidewalks should not be affected.

Plant Test Update
September 24, 2010

The steam blow piping and load bank will be used today to perform full load testing of the turbines. This process will look like yesterday's process, and the noise from the duct will be closely monitored.

Next week, the scaffolding and temporary piping around Warren Weaver Hall are scheduled to be removed.

Testing and commissioning of the plant will continue for the next two weeks, and the load bank will be used intermittently throughout this process.

System Test for Steam Blow
September 17, 2010

In preparation for the start of Monday's steam blow, a test of the system will be run starting approximately 9:30 this morning until 1PM. Steam will be seen coming out of the new temporary ducts at the top of Warren Weaver Hall and the load banks on West 3rd Street will be running.

Next Steps to Open the CoGen Facility
September 14, 2010

Cleaning the piping system: The piping system that carries the steam portion of the plant must be thoroughly cleaned. If it is not, the dirt that accumulated during the construction process can damage the turbines and delay the completion of this project.

The cleaning method involves generating steam, running it through the system, and venting it to the air. The steam release, originally to be vented on the low section of Warren Weaver Hall, has been re-located to the roof of the building above the 13th floor. This is an effort to further reduce the noise and minimize disruption. During this process, a significant amount of steam will be visible, which could reach as high as 100 feet above the top of the building.

The steam will be pure water vapor; the dirt and debris being cleaned out of the system will not be contained in the steam but will instead be captured through a drainage valve and disposed of properly.

Testing the electrical generation system: Part of the regimen for bringing the plant on line requires us to test the electrical generating capability. Once generated, electricity has to "go" somewhere; that is, it must be used or otherwise expended. And because the amount of electricity will vary during the period that we are testing the plant operations, it cannot be used for NYU buildings. The variations in available electricity that accompany testing might cause damage to electronic devices and building systems.

During the period of testing, the electricity must be directed to a destination where variability in output will not matter. Therefore, a "load bank" has been temporarily put in place, which will allow the electricity to be dissipated as heat. The load bank is located on the south side of the construction site (on 3rd Street, within the construction barrier).

The load bank — which sits on a flatbed trailer — does emit a noticeable whirring sound. The heat, which dissipates in the air, is not something one would feel unless one is quite close to the load bank, and the load bank will be behind the walls of the construction site.

The steam blow should commence on or about the morning of Monday, September 20, 2010, although a short pretest is scheduled for this Thursday, September 16th and Friday, September 17, 2010. The steam blow will run 24 hours a day for approximately six days. The load bank is currently in operation intermittently and will continue into October as the plant is prepared to go fully operational. Starting approximately Monday, September 20, 2010, the load bank will run from 7am — 6pm. These processes are contingent on good weather and could be delayed. There is no danger with either the steam blow or load bank. This operation is carried out with the approval of City agencies, including the NYC Fire Department.

Smoke Condition
September 13, 2010

On Friday, September 10, 2010, we experienced a smoke condition as a result of some debris left many years ago in a small area where a heated pipe runs behind a wall.

While quickly resolved without causing any injury or damage to the co-gen plant, it is a compelling reminder of how important it is to do thorough and proper testing and cleaning of the plant before moving to full operation, and so we appreciate your patience.

Update: Garden and Testing
July 12, 2010

By fall, NYU's new co-generation plant should be in operation. We want to take this moment to update you on the final steps that will lead to this achievement.

Mercer Street Garden

Construction of the garden jointly designed with the community is coming along well. We expect to remove the construction barriers in late August and have our official grand opening and reception in September.

By now, trees and greenery have been planted, and the basic contours of this inviting, appealing, relaxing and much-needed green space can be discerned.

Testing and Preparation

As you know, a major component of NYU's plan to reduce its carbon footprint by 30% by 2017 is the completion of NYU's state-of-the-art co-generation plant, which will significantly save energy, reduce carbon emissions, and reduce pollutants compared both to the predecessor plant and to energy purchased from Con Edison. It also allows the University to remove academic facilities from the over-burdened Con Edison lines.

In order to ensure that the plant will operate properly, a number of tests and preparatory operations need to be conducted over the summer. We want to outline three of those for you, and make you aware of the temporary impacts they will have.

Purging the Gas Lines of Air

The co-generation plant principally operates on natural gas, which is conveyed to gas turbines and the boilers by pipes. Those underground pipes are currently filled with air, which must be purged and replaced with gas.

That operation will take place in July pending the activation of gas lines by Con Edison. It is possible that as the pipes are purged of air by gas pressure, there may be a detected odor of gas for a brief period in the vicinity of the co-generation plant.

There is no danger. This operation is carried out with the approval of City agencies, including the NY Fire Department.

Testing the Electrical Generation Capability

The co-generation plant produces both pressurized hot water and electricity; much of its efficiency comes from producing both and applying them efficiently.

Part of the regimen for bringing the plant on line requires us to test the electrical generating capability. Once generated, electricity has to "go" somewhere; that is, it must be used or otherwise expended. And because the amount of electricity will vary during the period that we are testing the plant operations, it cannot be used for NYU buildings (the variations in available electricity that accompany testing might cause damage to electronic devices and building systems).

When the plant is in full operation, the electricity and heat generating operations will not be noticeable. But during the period of testing, we need to be able to direct the electricity to a destination where variability in output will not matter. Therefore, we will temporarily be putting in place a "load bank" - which allows the electricity to be dissipated as heat - on the south side of the construction site (on 3rd Street, within the construction barrier).

The load bank - which sits on a flatbed trailer - emits an audible hum as well as some noise from fans. The heat, which dissipates in the air, should not be noticeable unless one is quite close to the load bank, and the load bank will be behind the walls of the construction site.
This testing will take place throughout August, principally during normal construction hours, with some overnight exceptions needed. Advance notice of overnight testing will be provided to our local neighbors.

Steam Cleaning

As part of the plant's system of efficient use of energy, the heat that remains after electrical generation is redirected to make steam that turn turbines that 1) generate additional electricity and 2) run a compressor to make chilled water for air conditioning.

The piping system that carries the steam must be thoroughly cleaned; if it is not, the dirt that accumulated during the construction process can damage the turbines, which can result in disruptive, costly repairs, and could even necessitate equipment replacement. This is something no one wants to see after being so close to having everything - including the new green space - completed.

The cleaning method involves generating steam 24 hours per day for five days, running it through the system, and venting it to the air. The steam will be vented through a steam silencer on West 4th Street; it will be placed alongside the wall of the low section of Warren Weaver Hall, with the opening at the level of the low section's roof.

There will be a significant volume of steam; the steam cloud could reach 10 stories high. And it will emit a noticeable hum (however, we estimate that there should be less noise coming from this than, say, a large truck coming down the street).

The steam will be pure water vapor; the dirt being cleaned out of the system will not be contained in the steam, but will instead be captured through a drainage valve and disposed of properly.

This activity is scheduled to take place from approximately August 16 through August 20, 2010.

After these steps are completed, the plant is expected to be ready for full operation, and to go on-line on or about September 1, 2010. We appreciate the forbearance you have shown so far, and we apologize for any additional inconvenience or disruption caused by these final preparatory steps. We hope that you, like we, are excited by the prospect of the co-generation plant coming on line, the efficient energy it will produce, and the "green roof" garden space along Mercer Street that will cover it.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this notice or the actual work, please contact the NYU Client Services Center at 212.998.1001 or contactcsc@nyu.edu.

Partial West 4th Street Closing
June 1, 2010

Please note that tomorrow June 2, 2010 from 8AM until 2PM there will be a crane located off the corner of Mercer Street on West 4th Street. The crane will require a partial street closing on West 4th Street. One lane of traffic will remain open. Pedestrians will be directed to the north side of West 4th Street.

Mercer Street Closure
April 28, 2010

In order to lift mechanical equipment into the cogeneration plant through the upper plaza elevator, a crane will temporarily be on site. Mercer Street will be closed to traffic on Saturday, May 8, 2010 from approximately 8AM to 5PM.

High Temp Hot Water Shut Down Scheduled
April 20, 2010

This Friday, April 23, 2010 starting at 7PM, the High Temp Hot Water (HTHW) system in the Central Heating Plant is scheduled to be shut down for 12 hours to perform emergency repairs on a main bypass valve. This work has to be performed during this time of the year before the full cooling season begins.

This outage will shut down the heating and domestic hot water systems in approximately 30 NYU buildings (and 3 non NYU buildings). The outage will also cause a partial shutdown of the campus chilled water system due to the unavailability of the Central Refrigeration Plant absorbers which operate of the HTHW system.

Due to the relatively short duration of the outage no temporary boilers will be provided.

There will also be limited chilled water during this outage as the Central Refrigeration Plant will be running on reduced capacity (absorbers will be unusable). The above noted buildings will have little or no chilled water with the following exceptions:

All IT rooms presently served by the chilled water system will remain with chilled water. Both the Meyer Complex and Kimmel and the lower levels of Bobst will have full chilled water. The Silver Block and Broadway Block year-round chilled water riser will be served by the Silver Block chillers.

The list of buildings affected by these outages is as follows.

University Residence Halls

  • Weinstein
  • 240 Mercer
  • Goddard
  • D'Agostino
  • Hayden

Residential Buildings

  • Silver Towers

Academic Buildings

  • Van Hall
  • Furman
  • King Juan Carlos
  • Kevorkian
  • Kimmel
  • Bobst
  • Shimkin
  • Tisch Hall
  • KMEC
  • Warren Weaver
  • Education
  • Silver
  • Waverly
  • Brown
  • Rufus Smith
  • 19 University Pl
  • 246 Greene
  • Coles
  • Meyer Complex
  • 19 West 4
  • 25 West 4
  • 715-719 Broadway
  • 721-725 Broadway
  • 5 Washington Place
  • 285 Mercer
Project Update
April 9, 2010

Landscaping of the south end of the site is underway. In April, the final components of the underground cogeneration plant are scheduled to be installed.

The barriers are expected to be removed and the new park opened to the public in July.

Project Update
March 8, 2010

The Mercer Street landscaping is scheduled to begin in March as work continues underground on the new Cogeneration plant.

Barrier Move Scheduled
February 26, 2010

Site barriers are scheduled to be moved to their original location on Tuesday, March 2, 2010. Temporary lane closure may be necessary to complete the move.

Project Update
February 8, 2010

Mechanical work continues inside the plant.

Con Edison on Mercer Street
February 5, 2010

A Con Edison contractor will be installing conduits on Mercer Street from W3th to W4th Streets starting the week of February 8, 2010. This will entail saw-cutting the street, jack-hammering, and digging a trench to install conduits. During this time, the barriers will be moved to abut the west curb of Mercer Street.

The work is scheduled to take approximately two weeks.

One lane will remain open to traffic at all times.

Project Update
January 8, 2010

Mechanical work continues inside the plant. The construction barriers have been moved back to their original position along Mercer Street.

Landscaping is scheduled to begin in the spring.

Broadway Block Electrical Outage Scheduled
December 8, 2009

The Broadway Block consisting of 715-719 Broadway and 721-725 Broadway will be without electrical power for 12-14 hours from 6AM to 8PM Monday, December 28, 2009. During that time the buildings will be closed. 3-5 Washington Place will remain with power during this outage but will not have internet service.

To ensure a safe shutdown, all IT equipment should be powered down prior to the outage. No-one will be allowed into the building except for security, building operations, and contractors performing the work.

The fire alarm system, emergency lighting system, and sprinkler system will have temporary power and will remain operational. All computer centers and servers will be without power during this outage.

All utility shops in the basement will need to be closed during this outage as the lighting will be minimal for egress purposes only.

Project Update
December 4, 2009

Soil has been filled to grade on the project site for preparation of the landscaping in the spring. Some work is scheduled on the upper plaza, but most remaining work is internal to the cogeneration plant.

Weekend Work Scheduled
November 20, 2009

The contractor is scheduled to work Saturday, November 21, 2009 in order to saw cut and remove part of the foundation wall on the west side of the plant adjacent to the existing plant. Due to the nature of the work, workers cannot work in the plant below while this is happening.

Education Building Electrical Outage Scheduled
November 13, 2009

The Education Building will be without electrical power from 5AM to 9PM Friday, November 27, 2009 . During that time the building will be closed. All IT equipment should be powered down prior to the outage. No-one will be allowed into the building except for security and contractors performing the work.

The fire alarm system and sprinkler system will have temporary power and will remain active during the outage.

The 2nd floor computer center will be without power as well as the 1st and 5th floor theaters.

Goddard Hall Electrical Outage Scheduled
November 12, 2009

In order to perform electrical work on the Goddard Hall electrical distribution, the building will be without electricity from 4AM to 4PM on Saturday, November 28, 2009. During that time there will be temporary power for only the following:

  • one elevator
  • emergency lighting in the stairs and corridors
  • domestic water pumps to permit use of sinks and toilets (no hot water)
  • ejector pumps
  • fire alarm and sprinkler systems

There will be no power in the apartment suites or in the basement classrooms. The NYU phone system will remain working however ResNet services will be down.

Occupants of the building should ensure that all cell phones and laptops are charged prior to the outage. In addition, perishable foods should not be purchased in anticipation of this outage as there will be no refrigerator service. Anyone with special refrigeration needs for medications or diet should contact the Client Services Center @ 212 998-1001 or via email at fcm.helpdesk@nyu.edu as soon as possible so we can arrange special accommodations as required.

Starbucks and the art gallery will also be closed during this outage.

Weinstein Hall Electrical Outage Scheduled
November 12, 2009

In order to perform electrical work on the Weinstein Hall electrical distribution, the building will be without electricity from 4AM to 5PM on Friday, November 27, 2009. During that time there will be temporary power for only the following:

  • one elevator in each wing of the building (see elevator note below)
  • emergency lighting in the stairs and corridors
  • domestic water pumps to permit use of sinks and toilets (no hot water)
  • ejector pumps
  • fire alarm and sprinkler systems
  • dining facility walk-in refrigerator units

There will be no elevator service from 4AM to 5:30AM on Friday while the elevators are provided with temporary power and again from 4AM to 5:30AM Saturday when the elevators are reconnected to normal power.

There will be no power in the apartment suites or in the basement. The NYU Radio Station will have no power. The NYU phone system will remain working however ResNet services will be down.

Occupants of the building should ensure that all cell phones and laptops are charged prior to the outage. In addition, perishable foods should not be purchased in anticipation of this outage as there will be no refrigerator service. Anyone with special refrigeration needs for medications or diet should contact the Client Services Center @ 212 998-1001 or via email at fcm.helpdesk@nyu.edu as soon as possible so we can arrange special accommodations as required.

Project Update
November 6, 2009

Concrete to cover and close the vault, waterproofing, and stone and backfill will be completed this month, preparing the site for landscaping in the spring. Additional conduit runs and manhole work are also scheduled this month.

Crane Moved - Mercer Street Open
October 16, 2009

At approximately 5AM Friday, October 16, 2009, a garbage truck accidentally moved the crane the necessary distance to allow traffic to proceed down Mercer Street.

Mercer Street Closed Due to Crane Malfunction
October 15, 2009

Mercer Street is expected to be closed to traffic overnight due to the breakdown of a crane on the site of the cogen project. The crane's counterweight is currently overhanging the street. The contractor is on site trying to repair the problem.

Police and FDNY are advised of the situation.

Mercer Street Closure
October 7, 2009

Mercer Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from West 4th Street to West 3rd Street on Saturday, October 10, 2009, to allow for the staging of a crane on Mercer Street. The crane will be rigging large mechanical equipment into the site from 7AM to 4PM.

Signage, flagmen, road cones and caution tape will be used to direct pedestrian and vehicular traffic as required.

Concrete Pour
September 25, 2009

Due to complications with the concrete pour, the contractor will be working until approximately 5:30 PM tonight pouring concrete in an effort to finish the pour.

Vehicular and Pedestrian Safety
September 23, 2009

NYU Protection Services staff have been temporarily placed on the corners of West 4th Street and West 3rd Street at Mercer Street to help direct traffic and ensure vehicular and pedestrian safety. They are currently scheduled to be stationed in both locations from 8AM - 3PM daily.

Mercer Street Closure
September 14, 2009

Mercer Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from West 4th Street to West 3rd Street this coming Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20, 2009 to allow for the staging of a crane on Mercer Street. The crane will be rigging large mechanical equipment into the site.

Signage, flagmen, road cones and caution tape will be used to direct pedestrian and vehicular traffic as required.

Another weekend closure due to the rigging of large equipment is planned for the middle of October.

Mercer Street Closing
September 8, 2009

Mercer Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from West 4th Street to West 3rd Street this coming Saturday, September 12, and Sunday, September 13, 2009 to allow for the staging of a crane on Mercer Street. The crane will be rigging large mechanical equipment into the site both days.

In accordance with DOT requirements for over-sized loads, a truck will be delivering the equipment to the site late Friday night.

Signage, flagmen, road cones and caution tape will be used to direct pedestrian and vehicular traffic as required.

West 4th Street Electrical Ductbank
August 28, 2009

Work to install an electrical ductbank across West 4th Street (between Greene and Mercer Streets) from 19 West 4th Street to the new cogen vault is scheduled to begin Monday, August 31, 2009. The work entails saw cutting and excavating a two foot wide ductbank and installing electrical conduits which are then encased in concrete. The street is then re-paved.

Prior to start of the work in the street, the construction barriers on West 4th Street will be moved closer to the cogen site so that a lane of traffic on West 4th Street can remain open at all times during the installation of this ductbank.

Pedestrian traffic on the north side of West 4th Street will be unaffected by this work.

The work is scheduled to be completed by Friday, September 11, 2009.

Mercer Street Closure
August 24, 2009

Mercer Street is scheduled to be closed to vehicular traffic from West 4th Street to West 3rd Street on Saturday, August 29, 2009 from 7AM to 7PM to allow for the staging of a crane on Mercer Street to continue rigging large mechanical equipment into the site.

Due to the size of the equipment an over-sized truck will be delivering the equipment to the site late Friday night and will leave the site late Sunday night, again in accordance with DOT requirements.

Pedestrians will be permitted on the North side of West 4th Street only.

Signage, flagmen, road cones and caution tape will be used to direct pedestrian and vehicular traffic as required.

Mercer Street Closure
August 19, 2009

Mercer Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from West 4th Street to West 3rd Street Saturday August 22, 2009 to allow for the staging of a crane on Mercer Street. The crane will be rigging large mechanical equipment into the site from 7AM to 7PM.

Due to the size of the equipment an over-sized truck will be delivering the equipment to the site late Friday night in accordance with DOT requirements. The truck will leave the site late Sunday night, again in accordance with DOT requirements.

Pedestrians will be permitted on the North side of West 4th Street only.

Signage, flagmen, road cones and caution tape will be used to direct pedestrian and vehicular traffic as required.

Electrical Equipment Rigging - Washington Place
August 13, 2009

Electrical equipment will be rigged through the recently cut sidewalk opening on Washington Place into the new cogen substation room in 715 Broadway Friday, August 14, 2009.

Traffic will not be affected on Washington Place.

The opening is scheduled to be closed and re-poured Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Project Update
August 4, 2009

Waterproofing, installation of rebar, and the pouring of concrete for the vault structure walls will continue through August. Work on the electrical ductbanks crossing West 3rd Street and West 4th Street is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.

Community Board 2 Unanimously Supports Plaza Proposal
August 1, 2009

The Community Board 2 Parks Committee unanimously supported NYU's proposal for the Mercer Street Plaza at a meeting held on July 23, 2009.

Electrical Ductbank Across West 3rd Street
July 10, 2009

Beginning the week of July 13, 2009, contractors will be installing an electrical ductbank across West 3rd Street from the garden area at the east end of 2 Washington Square Village to the new cogeneration site. The work entails digging a trench in the landscaped area at the north east end of 2 Washington Square Village and then saw cutting and excavating a two foot wide section across West 3rd Street. Electrical conduits will then be installed and encased in concrete. The street and sidewalk are then re-paved and the landscaped area refurbished.

The digging of the landscaped area will be started either July 9 or 10, 2009. Work is scheduled to be completed by mid August.

Reminder: CB2 Landscaping Review
July 6, 2009

The Community Board #2 Parks Committee will be reviewing the CoGen Landscaping proposal at its July 8, 2009 meeting at 6:30 PM at the NYU Silver Center Room 206.

Electrical Ductbank Installation
July 2, 2009

Contractors will be installing an electrical ductbank from 25 West 4th Street across Greene Street to 35 West 4th Street (Education Building). The work entails saw cutting and excavating a two foot wide ductbank and installing electrical conduits which are then encased in concrete. The street and sidewalk are then re-finished.

For a period of approximately two hours during the work in front of Campus Eatery, the entrance on West 4th Street will be inaccessible. During this time, the entrance/exit will be monitored by the contractor to ensure it is available as an egress in case of emergency.

This work is expected to be completed by end of July 2009.

Project Update
July 1, 2009

During the month of July, foundation work will continue. Concrete will be poured to finish the lower walls so that dewatering pumps can be shut off and removed from site. Concrete will continue being poured until the walls are completed.

Mobile boilers associated with the Central Plant Maintenance project will be removed from locations throughout the neighborhood.

Street ductbanks will continue to be installed in various locations on Waverly Place, Washington Place, Greene Street, and West 3rd Street.

505 LaGuardia Place CHP Start Up
June 29, 2009

The major maintenance upgrade and abatement of the Central Heating Plant (CHP) which will improve the plant operations, safety, and performance is complete. At this time, NYU will re-energize the central heating plant and begin the process of transferring all buildings back to the NYU high temperature hot water (HTHW) system.

505 LaGuardia Place is scheduled to be transferred back to the NYU CHP on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 at approximately 11AM. There will be a 2 hour outage of the buildings domestic hot water during this transfer.

To ensure a smooth transition:

  • Central Plant engineers will be on site during the energizing of the building's hot water systems to immediately respond to any issues.
  • Central Plant engineers will be on-call 24/7 to provide service if needed.

CB2 Parks Committee Meeting
June 22, 2009

The Community Board #2 Parks Committee will be reviewing the CoGen Landscaping proposal at its July 8, 2009 meeting at 6:30 PM at the NYU Silver Center Room 206.

Central Heating Plant Start-up
June 16, 2009

The major maintenance upgrade and abatement of the Central Heating Plant (CHP) which will improve the plant operations, safety, and performance is complete.

Over the next few weeks, the central heating plant will be re-energized and all buildings will be transferred back to the NYU high temperature hot water (HTHW) system.

Please note that this Saturday, June 20, 2009 starting at 4PM (until 8AM) a 16 hour outage of the re-heat and domestic hot water systems will be required for the buildings listed below.

  • Silver Block (Silver, Waverly, and Brown) 10# steam will remain unaffected
  • Goddard Hall
  • Education Building
  • Rufus Smith
  • Kimball Hall (including Torch Club)

At the completion of this outage, these buildings along with Weinstein and 19 University Place will be transferred back to the NYU CHP. The transfer does not require an outage for these two buildings.

The 10# steam boiler serving the Silver Building will be scheduled for removal on Friday, June 26, 2009.

The temporary boilers will remain connected (but off) for an additional week to provide back-up capability if required during the start-up process. Central Plant engineers will be on site during the energizing of the building's hot water systems to immediately respond to any issues. Central Plant engineers will be on-call 24/7 to provide service if needed.

Central Heating Plant Start-up
June 16, 2009

The maintenance upgrade and abatement of the Central Heating Plant (CHP) which will improve the plant operations, safety, and performance is complete. At this time, NYU will re-energize the West HTHW Zone #1 and begin the process of transferring all buildings back to the NYU high temperature hot water (HTHW) system.

West HTHW Zone #1 includes the following buildings:

  • Kimmel Student Center
  • King Juan Carlos Center
  • Kevorkian Center
  • Judson Church
  • Van Hall
  • Furman Hall
  • D'Agostino Dorm
  • Hayden Dorm

The reheat and hot water systems in the above referenced buildings are scheduled to be transferred back to the CHP this Saturday June 20, 2009, at approximately 10AM. The hot water will be unaffected during this transfer.

Electrical Trenches - Street Work - Details
June 12, 2009

Work to install electrical ductbanks across the streets listed below has begun. The work involved with each of these crossings is as following:

  • The street is saw-cut and jack-hammered and a 4' wide and 4' deep trench is then excavated from street curb to street curb. The saw-cutting and jack-hammering typically takes less than two days and is the noisiest portion of the work.
  • While the trench is excavated, holes are cored-drilled in the buildings for conduits to enter the buildings.
  • The open trenches are plated over or barricaded off after working hours and cordoned off during working hours so that one lane of traffic remains open during all times. Pedestrian traffic is re-routed as required.
  • Conduits are then installed in the trench and encased in concrete. The trench is then back-filled and the surface restored to its original condition.

Street Crossing Schedule:

  • Washington Place - 715 Broadway to 4 Washington Place (Meyer): Excavation to start June 12, 2009; all work to be completed August 15, 2009
  • Mercer Street - 5 Washington Place to 7 Washington Place: Excavation to start June 11, 2009; all work scheduled to be completed July 17, 2009.
  • Washington Place - 7 Washington Place to 19 West 4th Street: Excavation to start June 11, 2009; all work scheduled to be completed July 17, 2009.
  • Washington Place - 18 Wash. (East Bldg book store) to 29 Wash. (Brown Building): Excavation to start June 11, 2009; all work scheduled to be completed July 15, 2009.
  • Waverly Place - 25 Waverly Place to 24 Waverly Place (Waverly Building): Excavation to begin June 22, 2009; all work scheduled to be completed by July 31, 2009.

Trench Excavation Across Washington Place
June 8, 2009

A series of trenches will be excavated across Washington Place beginning the week of June 8, 2009 in order to install electrical conduits allowing University buildings connection to the new cogeneration plant.

One lane of traffic will remain open at all times. The trenches will be plated over after work hours and cordoned off during working hours. Pedestrian traffic will be rerouted as needed.

There will be no parking near the areas of work on Washington Place.

Extended Work Hours
May 28, 2009

The excavator is scheduled to be removed from the site tomorrow. Due to mechanical difficulties, work will continue until 4:30PM today to finish excavation.

Street Closure - West 3rd Street
May 21, 2009

West 3rd Street from Mercer Street to LaGuardia Place will be closed to traffic, Saturday, May 23, 2009 from 7AM to 4PM. A crane will be located on West 3rd Street off the Mercer Street corner to remove an excavator located within the cogen site. In addition, construction trailers will be added to the project staging area. At the completion of the work, the crane will be removed from the site.

Pedestrian traffic will be directed to the south sidewalk of West 3rd Street. Vehicles leaving Washington Square Village should not be affected.

Trench Excavation Across Schwartz Plaza
May 15, 2009

Beginning the week of May 18, 2009, work is scheduled to excavate a trench between Shimkin Hall and Bobst Library across the south end of Schwartz Plaza in order to install chilled water lines.

The plaza will remain open to pedestrians at all times. Work will occur on only half the plaza at a time. The open trench will be plated over or barricaded off after working hours and cordoned off during working hours.

One of the trees located at the south end of the plaza adjacent to Bobst Library will need to be removed and replanted or replaced.

Total completion is scheduled for the end of July 2009.

Landscaping Review Scheduled
May 12, 2009

Community Board 2 has scheduled a meeting July, 2009 to review the plans for the landscaping of Mercer Street Plaza. Meeting details have not yet been finalized. Please visit the Community Board's Web site for more information.