Ratner Considers Prefab Tower for Atlantic Yards
The Times reports that Forest City Ratner is considering modular construction for its first, 34-story high-rise at Atlantic Yards. The story says that though the move would cut costs, a prefabricated tower “is untested at that height” and the move would likely piss off construction workers, who were among the mega-project’s most vocal supporters. Although…
The Times reports that Forest City Ratner is considering modular construction for its first, 34-story high-rise at Atlantic Yards. The story says that though the move would cut costs, a prefabricated tower “is untested at that height” and the move would likely piss off construction workers, who were among the mega-project’s most vocal supporters. Although the the developer has its architecture firm SHoP working on designs for both a traditional and modular building, another consideration is whether a prefab structure of this height would actually result in much of a cost savings, according to the story: “Whether taller modular buildings can be built to withstand intense wind shear and seismic forces, while retaining cost savings, is another question, because the higher a structure is built, the more bracing it would require.” The article says developer Bruce Ratner has been “captivated” by the video above, which shows a modular hotel rising in China in just a few days.
Prefabricated Tower May Rise at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Yards [NY Times]
“Finally, cops and firemen are off limits, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t care what their pensions are.” Yes always a wonderful heart warming meme.
As far as I am concerned these are some of the only unions we need to worry about. I have no problem with private unions. Like you said they have negotiated their benefits with their employer. Public unions elect the very folks that determine their salaries. It is a simple and easily understood conflict of interest.
I’m sorry, but if you are asking people to daily face danger and death, all to protect MY life and property, then they are entitled to a salary that enables them to live without moonlighting in order to make ends meet, and a pension that pays them to live upon retirement, especially if wounded or injured on the job. Now if some guy joins FDNY at 20, and retires at 40 with a hefty pension, that’s one of those things that needs re-adjusting, like all contracts need from time to time. But I’m not going to advocate screwing the majority of FDNY or NYPD for the small minority that can take advantage of this. And please, don’t cart out the old screed that most cops are never in danger, or most firemen spend all day laying around in the firehouse. Neither is true, and even if so, when they are called, they run into danger. I’d rather they ran into danger thinking about their training, and saving lives, rather then whether or not they should, given that their pensions might not cover them if they get shot or fall off a roof.
SteamMan- I wondered about the saftey of these buildings at greater heights. I’m assuming, rightly or wrongly, that they are more stable when they’re used in shorter buldings..
Yes Benson…
The same way any union uses it’s “war chest” to get what it wants from its employer! Through contract negotiation, bargaining, lobbying, contract enforcement, etc.
Does the UFT *also* have a very strong political wing?! Absolutely. They collect a crapload of VOTE-COPE dollars that they use for political campaigns.
PLEASE tell me how this is different from ANY voluntarily funded political action group?!
Ty;
THen we’ll have to part company. To suggest that the UFT doesn’t use its dues warchest to get what it wants out of Albany is to deny reality.
This discussion has turned from the merits of prefabbed buildings to the merits of unions.
To wit,I would like to see the data on the lateral force resisting systems for prefabbed buildings. There are basically three types of LFRS’s: shear walls, bracing and moment connections. What was shown in the video look like some chintzy (yes I said chintzy) braces. I would NOT want to be in one of these building in an earthquake. Come to think of it, I wonder if these buildings meet Seismic Zone II building requirements.
Oh and lastly, most of the cheap crap developments that have been put up in the last 8 years have NOT been built by union trades, that is one reason the Building Trades are so pissed. But then again when someone is taking away your $60.00/hr wage/benefits you would be pissed too.
Benson — Actually, I AM a UFT / NYSUT affiliate member. And guess what…
“By law, all union contributions to electoral efforts must come voluntarily from members, and only from members. Union dues cannot be used for partisan purposes, which is why all UFT political activity is done under the auspices of the UFT Committee on Political Education (COPE).”
Ty;
If your union has a defined-contribution plan, and the political donations are voluntary, than I have no issue with it. Surely you must recognize, however, that this is not the case with the most powerful public-sector unions in our state, such as the UFT and SEIU 1199.
Good discussion between benson and tybur6- both sides of the issue presented.
Benson….
You make it sound like public unions don’t have defined-contribution benefits! My “pension plan” is a defined-contribution plan… TIAA-CREF. There is an employer matching and it’s “immediately on the books.”
I personally agree that the option of a defined-benefit should be removed. But don’t get all black-and-white. It’s a lot more complicated and than you’re letting on.