Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC) just announced that they will be partnering with Skanska, one of the world’s largest construction and development groups, for the B2 project. This project is making headlines because it will be the first residential tower that is part of the Atlantic Yards Development in Brooklyn using modular construction. FCRC plans to break ground on the 32-story building on December 18th and anticipates that the building will open in 2014. While high-rise modular technology has been initially developed for use at Atlantic Yards, this new industry has the potential to create modular components for construction projects across New York City and worldwide, becoming the first major manufacturing expansion in New York City since manufacturing began its decline over a generation ago. More information after the break.
The project will consist of modular components in a 100,000 square-foot space located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. They estimate that there will be 125 unionized workers employed at the fabrication facility beginning in late spring, 2012 when modular production is fully under way.
Modular construction is in use in various forms around the world. It is rarely used however for high rise development, even though it is perfectly suited for conditions where space is tight and land values are high — which is what makes its use on this project unique, and particularly relevant to New York.
Modular design and construction will allow the developer to produce higher quality housing at more affordable cost. But the project is equally about using technology to make a more sustainable, more economic, and higher quality product, which can produce a range of buildings – not only affordable housing, but also soaring office towers and luxury co-ops and condos.
“Housing was and is at the very foundation of the Atlantic Yards development,” said Bruce Ratner, Chairman and CEO of Forest City Ratner Companies. “Our commitment to affordable housing—in a way that assists low-income New Yorkers and working families—is as strong today as when we announced this project nearly nine years ago. With modular, we are also transforming how housing is built in New York City and, potentially, around the world. And we are doing it, as we do with all of our construction, in partnership with union labor, the best labor, in the best City in the world. With our new partner, Skanska USA, we are creating a new industry for which we can say, ‘Made in Brooklyn.”
“Construction is by definition about building,” said William Flemming, President and CEO at Skanska USA Building. “With this project, however, and with our partnership with FCRC and the Construction Trades, we are also building a new industry that has potential to become New York City’s newest export, a product and process that can transform how construction is done in this century. We are proud to bring our expertise in prefabrication—which we have used extensively on our healthcare and data center facility projects—to the residential market for the first time in New York City.”
Designed by the award-winning architectural firm SHoP, the design architect for Barclays Center, the building will sit at the intersection of Dean Street and Flatbush Avenue and have 363 units, 50 percent of which (181) will be low, moderate and middle-income homes. The remaining 50 percent (182) will be market rate. The units will be evenly divided throughout the building and all will have the same quality appliances and access to the same public spaces, including a fitness center, bike storage, a resident lounge, game room, yoga/dance studio and roof terrace. Each unit will have a washer and dryer.
Courtesy of DKC News
