News
YESTERDAY WITH GNYCUC/BTEA & NRC
April 22, 2009
| We joined an SRO crowd of real estate execs at the AIA Center for Architecture yesterday morning for a "Constructing The Economic Recovery" conference discussing the Recovery Act's impacton construction. The Greater New York Construction User Council and the Building Trades Employers' Association welcomed panelists with a knack for symbolism: they said the AIA Center's basement was the perfect place because the only way to go now is up. |
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| NYC Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Bob Lieber (with conference chair Kenneth Block of Tannenbaum Helpern) keynoted, pointing out the city's efforts to retain jobs, help the unemployed find work, keep small businesses, and make long-term investment in infrastructure. These measures, he says, will leave NYC cleaner and safer, thus positioning it to come out of the downturn even stronger than recessions past. (We're thrilled that the 1970s' adversity will remain buried with sequined disco pants.) |
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| FMI Corp.'s Hank Harris, Halcrow's Michael Della Rocca, Jonathan Rose Co.'s Jonathan Rose, and Port Authority's David Tweedy spoke about rebuilding the nation's infrastructure, from highways to housing. They say New York needs to focus on creating jobs and fixing its transportation structure, while also paying attention to green urban housing. David reports that the PANYNJ has been hit by the recession, but is still in relatively good shape and will receive indirect benefits from stimulus given to the MTA and state projects like Route 9A. |
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| Building Trades Employers' Association's Louis Coletti, Stroock's Ross Moskowitz, Levien & Co.'s Kenneth Levien, Tishman Construction's John Livingston, and The World-Wide Group's David Lowenfeld spoke on public-private partnerships. PPPs are underutilized, they say, and can be a great resource, especially in upcoming healthcare, government, educational, and cultural construction. However, it can be opaque and partners need to bring more clarity to the process. The conference also included sessions on green retrofitting and renewable energy. |
