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February 28, 2007
The Smith. What is the deal?
What is the deal with the Smith (75 Smith St)? The Empire State Building was built in less time than this one has been under construction. Is there some sort of problem? Wasn't this supposed to be occupied by now? I think the jail will be reopened before people close on this building.
Comments
The empire state building was a miraculous feat going up in 13 months at a rate of a floor a week. You could not revnovate a brownstone in that amount of time. Why compare a new construction to such an accomplishment?
Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 4:22 AM
You only had to see the foundations going in to witness the incompetence of the contractor and project management team. It continues with the bizarre sequencing (or lack of it) in the masonry and window work. I gather they're on the third, or maybe even fourth, construction manager. Boymelgreen's determination to use non-union contractors is a prime example of "penny-wise, pond-foolish". There is absolutely no reason that this project could not have been completed in less than two years were it professionally contracted and managed.
Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 9:24 AM
While the comparison to the ESB may not be as apt or as clever as the OP thinks, he does have a point. The building has been under construction for several years now. More than a few new construction buildings that broke ground well after the Smith are preparing for closings, while the Smith has yet to get its masonry finished. Hell, there are 40 story condo and rental towers by my office in Chelsea that have gone up in much less time.
Maybe it is all the luxury finishes. You can't rush all that granite!
Posted by: Anonymous at March 1, 2007 10:58 AM
you can blame the architects (SLCE or ND+SM) if you want, but it's likely the contractors fault.
Posted by: sf at March 1, 2007 8:51 PM
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