NEW YORK CITY—Following its revelation of a rise in construction spendingacross the city that, ultimately, has brought activity up to the most recent previous peak, the New York Building Congress identified challenges that need to be addressed to sustain and build upon the city's current building boom, and offered the following recommendations.
“New York State and City leaders must finalize their tentative agreement to fund the MTA's five-year capital plan. Ideally, their agreement will include new, dedicated revenue streams rather than relying on even larger amounts of debt financing to close the gap.
“New York City's congressional delegation must work to pass a long-term surface transportation bill that recognizes the importance of the nation's urban transit systems.
“Given the success of the Tappan Zee Bridge project, Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration and the New York State legislature should pass legislation enabling local governments to also make use of design-build contracting and public-private partnerships on major infrastructure projects.”
On the housing front, the Building Congress states, “The real estate and construction labor communities must extend their decades-long spirit of cooperation and interdependence by creating a workable framework for the continuation of the 421-a program, which is a key component of Mayor Bill de Blasio's affordable housing agenda.”
NYBC officials expressed safety concerns for the construction industry and offered up solutions. “The recent surge in construction activity has coincided with an increase in worksite injuries and fatalities, particularly on nonunion jobs. The design, construction, and real estate industry must not treat these occurrences as the inevitable byproduct of the building boom.
“Instead,” the report continues, “all stakeholders must redouble their efforts to ensure that workers are being properly trained and supervised and that best safety practices are being replicated at job sites throughout the five boroughs.”
The NYBC also called on parties to the industry to ease several aspects of construction. “The building industry and government must work together to improve project delivery in a host of areas, including more streamlined procurement processes, updated work rules, and a renewed emphasis on workforce development.”
Lastly, the organization addressed a vital concern of the construction industry. “Insurance reform is urgently needed to overcome the costly effects of the 'Scaffold Law,' which include higher insurance premiums and more limited availability of insurance/liability coverage, that threaten the size of public capital programs and construction jobs.”
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Rayna Katz
Rayna Katz is a seasoned business journalist whose extensive experience includes coverage of the lodging sector, travel and the culinary space. She was most recently content director for a business-to-business publisher, overseeing four publications. While at Meeting News, a travel trade publication, she received a Best Reporting award for a story on meeting cancellations in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.
