225 3rd Street – Bulkhead Replacement
Location:
Brooklyn, NY
Client:
Gowanus Owner, LLC
Contract Value:
$3.42 million
Project Dates:
2020 to 2021
- Site Drainage and Sewer Contracting
- Steel Sheeting and Bulk Heading
- Transportation and Disposal of Contaminated Soils
- Stone, Sand, Clean Fill
- Marine Bulkheads
- Thermal Disorbtion and Recycling of Petroleum Contaminated Soils
PROJECT OVERVIEW
In 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency designated the Gowanus Canal as a Federal Superfund site requiring the dredging of contaminated material from the canal bed. This in turn made the repair and replacement of an unsafe bulkhead a necessity. This project was performed for a developer owning property along the Gowanus Canal, as part of this dredging and cleaning up initiative that required the improving and replacing of the property’s bulkhead. The scope of work included the installation of 220 LF of new anchored bulkhead, the removal of petroleum impacted soil and the installation of new drainage and outfall systems. All work was performed while the tenant, Verizon, maintained full operations on site.
WHAT MADE THIS JOB COMPLEX
Verizon operates a vehicle depot on site, for maintenance, repair, and storage of their fleet. One of the biggest challenges on this project was the logistics of performing the work while not interfering with Verizon’s ongoing operations. The proximity to an aging DOT bridge, sensitive to vibratory work, also presented some challenges. Lastly, the common unknowns of working along a canal such as the nature of the contaminated material, the unknown debris and obstructions accumulated over time in the canal, the level of integrity of the existing bulkhead and its ability to support the weight of equipment being used to perform the work, all added to the complexity of the project.
HOW POSILLICO SOLVED IT
To address these challenges and perform the project successfully, safely, on time and on budget, Posillico coordinated diligently with Verizon and scheduled deliveries of equipment and materials around their busy hours, to avoid congestion on site and disruption to their business and operations. Posillico also preemptively performed pre-construction surveys and implemented a vibratory monitoring program to proactively watch for, contain and mitigate any vibratory impact to the bridge structure. Preparatory and ongoing diligent planning, and the coordination and engineering analysis were paramount to maintaining the protection and safety of all employees, equipment and ensured the overall integrity of the site.
