February 20, 2010

NE corner of 97th - looking SW
2/20/10

Slowly by surely the old Century Lumber building now disappears. It's being demolished to make room for one of the 96th Street station ancillary buildings.


12/6/09
Another shot of the same location, taken 8 weeks earlier.



93rd - looking NE

The portable office (on the left) arrived at the site about a week ago.

The temporary offices on the right, used by S3 Tunnel Constructors, have been at this location since work started back in early 2007.



91st, SE corner - looking NE

Workers in this image are setting up Jersey barriers before they start to remove part of the roadway using jackhammers.



87th, SE corner - looking N

Various new sections of gas main lay here waiting to be installed.



87th - looking S

The relocation of utility lines continues in the work zone between 82nd and 87th Streets.

These cables would appear to be high voltage ConEd power lines.



btw. 86th and 87th - looking NW



84th - looking S



82nd - looking S



71st, SE corner - looking W

The name plate on this 30" valve says that its rated for 740 PSIG [pounds per square inch] maximum operating pressure, or 665 PSIG at 250 degrees Fahrenheit, which would suggest that it will be used on ConEd's steam distribution network.

What's interesting that the name plate also says that this valve was manufactured in May 1993. So apparently ConEd had this valve in their spares inventory for more than a few years, or it was left over from some other project.



just north of 72nd - looking SW

Work continues on the shaft at this location.

In this shot you can clearly see the steel ring beams that support the outer walls.



Another shot of the same location.



btw. 72nd and 73rd - looking W

A pile of eight blasting mats are shown here. The mats are laid on top of the rock before blasting takes place.



73rd - looking S

The little red box in this image is used for the temporary storage of explosives. The door is open because the box is empty. I believe that NYFD Blasting Regulations do not allow for the storage of explosives at a work site overnight.



69th - looking NW

Work at the other shaft site is shown in this shot. Note the large piece of bedrock in the hole - just to the left of the center.

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btw. 92nd and 93rd

In this shot you can clearly see the external support beams that the MTA's contractors installed on the building at 1766/1678 Second Avenue. The beams were installed as part of a larger effort to stabilize the building at this location.

This building has been vacant since it was evacuated by emergency order of the Department of Buildings back in June 2009. (see the June 29-30, 2009 posting for further details.)



And a closer look at the external beams that have been installed.


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Here's a listing of the recent additions
to the right-hand column of The Launch Box

Monthly Project Report - Second Avenue Subway
MTA Capital Construction
2/22/10

Call for Images - Second Avenue Subway/63rd Street Station
MTA Arts for Transit
2/5/10

SAS, BRT to receive federal transportation money
2nd Ave. Sagas - 2/2/10

NYPD Operations Order 14
"Investigation of Individuals Engaged in
Suspicious Photography and Video Surveillance"
New York City Police Department - 4/3/09
Courtesy of StationStops.com

The Infrastructurist
America Under Construction

Notice of Roadway Closure on East 95th Street
btw. 1st and 2nd Avenues
thru 3/26/10

Second Avenue: Then & Now

In this posting you will see how Second Avenue, in and around the TBM launch box site, looked in the early 1970s compared to how it looks today.

The black & white survey photos (below) were taken as part of the design process for the Second Avenue subway in the early 1970s. The MTA had photos taken of every block on Second Avenue, from Greenwich Village to 125th Street in Harlem, to document the streetscape.

I found these photos in the archives of the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn last year and the museum graciously agreed to let me reproduce them here on this blog.

As you will see, quite a lot has changed in 40 years.

Please Note:
The black & white images shown below may not be reused in any
format without the written consent of the New York Transit Museum.
The caption above each of these images was provided
to me by the Transit Museum.


This first set of survey photos were taken by an unknown photographer in April 1971.


As part of the documentation of the proposed Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, survey photo shows Second Avenue between 92nd and 91st Streets, looking south. Also shows buildings, automobiles, fenced vacant lot, woman walking dog, and signage. R132A S10_z006
Courtesy of New York Transit Museum
4/4/1971


2/7/2010
btw. 91st and 92nd streets - looking south

The vacant lot on the right, in the survey photo shown above and below, was part of the 22-acre site that was once the old Jacob Ruppert Brewery. The brewery was closed in 1965 and demolished to make room for Ruppert Towers, Yorkville Towers, Knickerbocker Plaza, and Ruppert Park.

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As part of the documentation of the proposed Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, survey photo shows Second Avenue between 93rd and 92nd Streets, looking south. Also shows buildings, automobiles, truck, fenced vacant lot, and signage. R132A S10_z005
Courtesy of New York Transit Museum
4/4/1971


4/12/2009
92nd Street - looking south

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As part of the documentation of the proposed Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, survey photo shows Second Avenue at 94th Street, looking south. Also shows buildings, automobiles, pedestrians, and signage. R132A S10_z004
Courtesy of New York Transit Museum
4/4/1971


4/12/2009
btw. 94th & 95th - looking south

Apparently the traffic at this intersection, in 1971, was controlled by a single old style traffic signal on the NW corner or 94th and Second, as shown in the in the survey photo above.

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As part of the documentation of the proposed Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, survey photo shows Second Avenue at 96th Street, looking south. Also shows buildings, automobiles, and signage. R132A S10_z002
Courtesy of New York Transit Museum
4/4/1971


4/12/2009
btw. 96th & 97th streets - looking south

I was surprised to see, in the survey photo above, that parts of Second Avenue still had a cobblestone surface as late as 1971.

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As part of the documentation of the proposed Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, survey photo shows Second Avenue at 97th Street, looking south. R132A S10_z001
Courtesy of New York Transit Museum
4/4/1971


4/12/2009
97th Street - looking south

The Century Lumber building, on the right in both photos above, is in the process of being demolished to make room for an ancillary building #2 for the new 96th Street station.


::

The second set of survey photos, shown below, were taken by New York City Transit photographer Lawrence M. Lebow in September, 1974.


As part of the documentation of the proposed Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, survey photo shows Second Avenue at 91st Street, looking north. Also shows buildings, barricades around street maintenance excavation, and automobiles. R132A S9_z2062
Courtesy of New York Transit Museum
9/1/1974


2/10/2010
91st Street - looking north

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As part of the documentation of the proposed Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, survey photo shows Second Avenue at 92nd Street, looking north. Also shows buildings and automobiles. R132A S9_z063
Courtesy of New York Transit Museum
9/1/1974


4/12/2009
92nd Street - looking north

Note the Gulf station on the NE corner of 93rd and Second, in the survey photo above.

::

And this final survey photo, which was probably also taken in 1974.

As part of the documentation of the proposed Second Avenue Subway in Manhattan, survey photograph shows the east side of Second Avenue between 85th and 86th Streets. Also shows buildings, storefronts, signage, pedestrians, and automobiles. R132AS9_z014
Courtesy of New York Transit Museum
ca. 1970s


4/4/2009
btw. 86th and 85th streets - looking east

Schaller & Weber and the Heidelberg Restaurant, both long time neighborhood fixtures in Yorkville, are still thriving today.


References:

"Yorkville Project Is Approved For Housing, School and a Park"
By Seth S. King - The New York Times - 3/21/1968

Ruppert & Yorkville Towers
The Upper Eastside Book: Third Avenue
By Carter B. Horsley

The Craft of "Then and Now" Photography
by John Walker - 11/2006


Also see:
Second Avenue Subway Construction in the 1970s
The Launch Box - 9/21/2009

January 31, 2010

btw. 72nd and 73rd - looking SW

Here you can see the outline of what will become an access shaft for the Second Avenue subway project. This shaft, and similar one near 69th Street, will be used as access points for the construction of the new 72nd Street station.

The MTA has recently announced that controlled blasting activities (for the two access shafts in this area) is now scheduled to start on or about Monday, February 8, 2010.

A copy of the MTA's blasting notice can be found on this link:
MTA Notification of Controlled Blasting - 69th to 73rd streets



The plan shown above, which was presented by S3 Tunnel Constructors at the Community Board 8 Second Avenue Subway Task Force meeting on 1/26/10, details the existing work area between 69th and 73rd streets on Second Avenue.

On the plan one can see the location of the access shafts that are under construction.



btw. 69th and 70th - looking SW

And here is a view of the site where the other access shaft will be built.



These would appear to be the steel beams that will be used to construct the structural frame for the access shaft near 69th Street.



btw. 82nd and 83rd - looking S

All of the orange fencing that was setup around the work area between 82nd and 88th streets (that I highlighted in my posting on December 6, 2009) has now been replaced with wire fencing.

I'm not sure why this was done -- maybe for aesthetic reasons or possibly because the wire mesh is more secure than the orange plastic fencing that was there before.



near 84th - looking N



btw. 83rd & 84th

If you look closely at this hole you can see the layers that form the surface of the street - including what appears to be an old layer of cobblestones.



87th - SE corner - looking W



92nd - SE corner - looking W

On most mornings when I walk by this spot workers can be seen filling bags with gravel.



btw. 96th and 95th - looking S

The wooden railing shown here was installed by the contractors a few weeks ago. I would assume that it was setup to assist the people who live in the Carnegie East House senior residence that is located on the east side of Second Avenue in this block.



btw. 93rd and 94th - looking W

The hut that is shown, with a door that I assume can be locked, was setup a few weeks ago - after it was discovered that at least one person had illegally accessed the site early one morning.

This door provides workers with access to a set of stairs that leads to the floor of the launch box, 65 feet down.

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Here's a set of pictures of the work that's been taking place under the Second Avenue road decking.

The pictures were included in the presentation that S3 Tunnel Constructors made at last weeks meeting of the Community Board 8 Second Avenue Subway Task Force.


under 92nd ? - looking S



under 94th ? - looking S



under 94th - looking N



under 94th ?



under 94th ? - looking N

Photo credits: S3 Tunnel Constructors

A complete copy of the 65-page presentation, which includes design details for the 63rd Street station can be found on this link:
CB8 Second Avenue Subway Task Force presentation - 1/26/10
(Note that this is a 10 Mb PDF file, so it may take some time to open.)

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And now we return the continuing story of the building at 1766/1768 Second Avenue, which is also known as 301/303 East 92nd Street.


2/5/10

This mixed-use building, which is owned by the entity 1766-68 Associates L.P., was evacuated by order of the Department of Buildings about seven months ago, on 6/29/09. The DOB had determined at that time that the structure was in immediate danger of collapse. Thirty-one apartments and three businesses were effected by the DOB's Full Vacate order.

Now fast forward to the January 2010 MTA Board meeting that was held on 1/27/10.

As part of this meeting, MTA Capital Construction (MTACC) formally requested that the MTA Board authorize an additional $785,000 for Contract C-26002 (Second Avenue Tunnels 92nd Street to 63rd Street) - to cover the cost to stabilize the building at 1766/1768 Second Avenue.

Here is a copy of the justification that MTA Capital Construction prepared for the for the MTA Board meeting:


QUOTE

The contract is for the construction of two bored tunnels from 92nd Street to 63rd Street, including the construction of access shafts at 69th Street and 72nd Street and construction of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) launch box between 91st and 95th Streets.

The building at 1766/1768 Second Avenue is adjacent to the TBM launch box work site. Before contract award, the building was leaning out of plumb between 18 and 24 inches.

The NYC Department of Buildings (NYCDOB) issued an emergency declaration directing the building owner to stabilize the building and, in June 2009, ordered the owner to vacate the building.

A comprehensive design was developed by the owner's engineer and approved by NYCDOB for structural ties as a short-term means to stabilize the structure, followed by construction of an interior masonry core structure and 'additional ties for long-term remediation.

However, the owner did not start the work. Instead, on September 3, 2009, the building owner filed a notice of claim asserting that the entire stabilization work is required as a consequence of vibrations anticipated during the excavation of the TBM launch box.

Since NYCDOB will not permit excavation of the TBM launch box until the building is stabilized, delays in stabilizing the building create day-for-day impactable delays of the contract, with impact costs estimated at $30,000 to $60,000 per day.

While its legal claim is pending, the building owner will not perform or bear the cost of the stabilization work.

Since the essence of the building owner's claim is for MTACC to pay for the stabilization, MTACC offered to perform the short-term work required by NYCDOB to stabilize the building sufficiently to allow excavation and bracing of the TBM launch box between 91st and 92nd Streets.

On September 18, 2009, MTACC and the building owner executed a legal agreement under which the MTACC contractor is permitted to enter the building and perform such work, with the condition that MTACC bears the cost of that short-term stabilization work and the building owner reserves its right to pursue its claim regarding the remaining long-term stabilization work, which NYCDOB requires prior to re-occupancy of the building.

On September 23, 2009, the President of MTACC approved a retroactive waiver and MTACC directed the contractor to proceed the same day.

The contractor's proposal was $877,908. MTACC's revised estimate was $741,358. The lump sum price of $785,000 was agreed upon and has been found to be fair and reasonable.

The delay associated with this modification is due to the Contractor's inability to perform blasting operations which were delayed from August 18, 2009 until a blasting permit was issued on November 4, 2009, a period of 38 working days.

The potential impact cost for this delay is approximately $1.1M to $2.2M which is based on a $30,000 to $60,000 per day impact.

This delay will be addressed in a separate future modification.

UNQUOTE


I'll let the statement above from MTA Capital Construction stand on it's own, without further comment, for the moment.

If you wish to read an original copy of MTA Capital Construction's statement then click on this link:
January 2010 MTA Board Action Items - page 164
(Please note that the file size is is 27.7 Mb.)

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In other news, the Taco Bell restaurant at 1825 Second Avenue (btw. 94th and 95th) went out of business in mid-January.

The total number of store fronts that have closed in the Second Avenue Subway Construction Business Zone Area (btw. 91st and 95th streets), since April 2007 when construction started, now stands at eighteen (18).

On a positive note - the store front at 1844 2nd Avenue (btw. 95th and 96th) looks like it's finally about to re-open, as Carnegie Hill Chemists. This location, which was The Carnegie Pharmacy, was closed back in April 2008.

You can find a complete overview on this link:
Store fronts that have closed



1825 Second Avenue (btw. 94th and 95th)



1844 2nd Avenue (btw. 95th and 96th)
UPDATE: This location re-opened
as Carnegie Hill Chemists
on February 1, 2010


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A footnote:

For those that are interested - I'm now using a Canon PowerShot G11 camera. (effective with my posting on 1/29/10). After five years using a Canon PowerShot S70 I decided that it was time to upgrade to a newer piece of technology.

So far I'm thrilled with the quality of the images that I'm getting out of the Canon G11, especially those that I've taken in low light conditions.