10 Story Residential Building in New York, NY

Equity helped an underutilized NYC owned-asset get developed into housing for senior sand people with disabilities

The project site was identified by City of New York as an underutilized city asset that could accommodate supportive housing for seniors and people with disabilities. However, the property was on the edge of a Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site in which residual contamination existed.  The existing property was being used as a staff parking lot for Metropolitan Hospital and for an adjacent New York Department of Sanitation garage.  Equity’s initial work was performed under contract with the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation.  The multi-disciplined Equity team was involved in every step of the project.

CEQR/SEQR/NEPA

In order to get the housing project built the project needed to go through the New York City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) process required for disposition of City property, Mayoral Zoning Override, and City capital and operational funding. The new project was funded through New York Stat and HUD so it was also subject to New York State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) which is required for State capital funding and National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) Part 58 Environmental Review which is required for HUD funding.

These environmental reviews require considerations of potential impacts on numerous aspects of the natural, built, and human environment such as land use and zoning, air quality, noise, transportation, hazardous waste and sewer and water.  The HHC’s community notification procedure included the opportunity for public comments on environmental issues, requiring our response.

Equity’s planning group led this project through the complicated multi-agency environmental review process and successfully obtain approvals every step of the way.

Phase I Environmental Site Assessment & Phase II Site Investigation

The Equity team conducted a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) in accordance with ASTM 1527-05 and confirmed proximity of former MGP site and potential onsite contamination from it. Because of the potential contamination, the project site it was required that a Phase II Site Investigation (SI) be conducted in coordination with the MGP investigation that was ongoing.  The Phase II SI found elevated concentrations of contaminants in soil and groundwater, however, nothing directly related to the former MGP site. The Phase II SI Report included a Remedial Action Plan (RAP) for the subject property.

Remedial Action Plan

In order to successfully remediate the project site, the Equity team developed an in-depth Remedial Action Plan (RAP) that included:

  • Coordination with all entities involved in the planning of the proposed building;
  • Preparation of a Construction Health and Safety Plan (CHASP);
  • Design of a vapor barrier;
  • Design of a sub-slab depressurization system (SSDS;) and
  • Proper management of contaminated soil and groundwater if encountered.

Remedial Design

Equity’s engineering team was responsible for the Remedial Design (RD) which included the plans and specifications for the:

  • Required excavation;
  • Vapor barrier including proper anchoring to the foundation and booting around all pipe penetrations;
  • SSDS including locations for sumps, piping, vents, etc. and
  • Community Air Monitoring Program (CAMP) stations.

Construction Management

Equity performed construction management and oversight activities for the project including:

  • Coordination with client and contractors
  • Implementation of the CAMP
  • Oversight of soil excavation and coordination of the selection of disposal sites
  • Design modifications for vapor barrier installation and location of pipe runs.
  • Design Modifications to incorporated new flood plain requirements following Sandy
  • Oversight of vapor barrier and SSDS installation

Closure Report

Equity prepared a required closure report for the building to be granted a final Certification of Occupancy. The Closure Report incorporated a summary of all activities completed during construction that we were responsible for. The report was prepared in part, reviewed, approved, signed and sealed by a NY PE.

Project Components

  • CEQR
  • SEQR
  • NEPA
  • Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
  • Phase II Site Investigation
  • Remedial Action Work Plan (RAWP)
  • Remedial Design
  • Construction Management
    • Community Air Monitoring Program
    • Vapor Barrier
    • Sub-Slab Depressurization System
  • Closure Report

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