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Inside Building the New Manhattan Skyline

Hudson rail yards construction lawyers share behind-the-scenes innovations.

By Betsy Kim | Updated on November 13, 2017
Architectural rendering of Hudson rail yards

Covering 28 acres, Hudson Yards is the largest construction project in the New York, since the building of Rockefeller Center. With estimated costs of $20 billion, the plans include 18 million square feet of commercial and residential space, more than 100 retail stores, approximately 4,000 residences, 14 acres of public open space, a 750-seat public school and a 200-room hotel.

As the centerpiece of the project, two platforms are being constructed on stilts over 30 active tracks, three rail tunnels and the tunnel for Amway’s Gateway project. Various office, retail and residential towers will then sit on top of the platforms.

Ken Lazaruk Kenneth H. Lazaruk, attorney for Related and Oxford

“It’s hard to imagine ever getting an opportunity to work on anything this grand or contribute this much to the city in one single project,” says Kenneth H. Lazaruk, a partner at Duane Morris, and a construction lawyer, representing the Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group in their development of the rail yards. “I love New York. I love building in New York. It’s a thrill every day to see this.”

“This area was referred to as the last dead zone or Dead Avenue, and it’s unbelievable,” says Meghan DiPerna, special counsel, also at the law firm Duane Morris, representing Related and Oxford. Referring to the residents, commercial tenants, and commuters who will be living and working in Hudson Yards in the next five to 10 years she adds, “It’s really going to change the vibe of the city.”

Due to the unusual demands the Hudson rail yards project posed, the team devised some innovative ways of doing business.

Instead of using standard forms published by the American Institute of Architects, the attorneys prepared their own construction documents and created special contracts to accommodate the unusually complex underlying requirements.

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