Reactions to the Prefab Designs on Atlantic Yards
There’s a lengthy piece in the Observer about Forest City Ratner’s desire to use modular construction for many, if not all, of Atlantic Yards’ planned high rises. The story has quotes from people in the building trades who are supportive of the idea and some who are skeptical that it will actually save the developer…
There’s a lengthy piece in the Observer about Forest City Ratner’s desire to use modular construction for many, if not all, of Atlantic Yards’ planned high rises. The story has quotes from people in the building trades who are supportive of the idea and some who are skeptical that it will actually save the developer a significant amount of money. Richard Anderson, president of the New York Building Congress, says the following: “Just start putting it together: a tough construction market, a commitment to build union, a commitment to build affordable housing, to build infrastructure, this is a bear of a development challenge…They’re between a rock and a hard place, and this may be their only option.” And a union source, surprisingly, says “there is huge potential upside here.” Jerilyn Perine, the executive director of the Citizens Planning & Housing Council, meanwhile, says the move might not save Forest City the 20 percent in costs the developer is hoping for: “I don’t think it’s like discovering fire.” The real unanswered question, though, doesn’t necessarily concern the cost savings but simply the technology: That is, can modular design actually be used for buildings as tall as the planned Atlantic Yards skyscrapers?
Will Bruce Ratner Transform the Way New York Builds? [NYO]
This whole modular business could be part of the negotiations with the various trade unions.
In reality, modular should far surpass ‘cheap condo’ construction. Construction today is essentially hand-made. And often ‘cheap’ construction is built with less than skilled workers. Having the ability to have uniform quality standards, monitored and reviewable in a easy to supervise setting should improve the quality of the finished product…
..Of course when most brownstoners talk about ‘shoddy’ or ‘cheap’ – they are generally not talking about the actual quality or strength of the actual construction – but rather the aesthetics of the exterior and visible interior finishes.
I’m not sure what they mean by “modular”. Certainly pre-fab construction is how buildings like these are built today. The facade pieces come factory-made to high standards and other parts of the mechanical and structural systems do as well.
Obviously the towers will not come in three pieces like a pre fab house in the country. There is only so much clearance in the Battery tunnel.
Oh what total horseshit. How long have you worked for Ratner?