In bustling areas surrounding New York City, real estate is a prime commodity. Lake Success, New York on Long Island is home to many office complexes that house a variety of tenants. A large real estate owner in the area purchased two buildings on Marcus Avenue - Gateway 1981 and 1983 - and wanted to increase the value of the property. After purchasing the buildings, the engineer working with the owner observed numerous structural deficiencies and created a set of repair documents.
A large scale project, the scope of work included landscape removal and waterproofing, as well as structural steel, structural concrete and masonry repairs. Most of the problem areas were in the parking garages located below each building and the surface parking around the perimeter of the buildings. The structural deterioration present was largely caused by infiltration of water and chlorides into the structure, made possible by the failed waterproofing system on the top parking surface. Structural Preservation Systems (SPS) was contracted to provide the proper repairs for this project.
When the concrete and steel were uncovered, the engineer found additional areas that needed repair. This required extensive coordination with the owner and engineer to determine the need for additional work. When an item outside the original scope was discovered, the engineer would perform a field inspection and detail the additional work. The owner would then evaluate whether to perform the repairs. Originally, the SPS team planned on using hand-held demolition hammers for the structural concrete slab demolition work. However, because of the increase in repair areas, SPS determined that it would be more economical to use a breaker attachment on a mini-excavator. This not only saved time, but it also minimized exposure to potential injuries for the crew since less manual labor was used.
Coordination between the building trades on the site was also crucial. For example, the waterproofing details were impacted by future plans for architectural finishes and landscaping. Since the facility was open while repairs were performed, detailed phasing was necessary to ensure access to the building and that enough parking spaces were allotted. SPS communicated with the owner on a regular basis to ensure they were aware of progress.
Safety was a top priority for everyone involved. Full-deck replacement was necessary at certain areas, which created large open holes that presented a fall hazard. SPS erected fencing and signage to keep pedestrians and vehicles out of the work area. Fall protection was essential, so crews were 100 percent tied-off when working around the open holes.
Work occurred from December 2005 to December 2007. Even though ownership of the properties changed hands during the project, the project remained on schedule. The new owner was pleased with the results of this project.