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New York Building Congress and the Partnership for New York City Unite Industry Leaders to Support Design-Build

Proposed Legislation Would Save Approximately $158 Million and Over 18 Months Per Project

NEW YORK, June 19, 2017 –- (RealEstateRama) — The Partnership for New York City and the New York Building Congress have sent a letter signed by over 15 industry leaders asking the New York State Legislature to support design-build authorization for New York City.  They reflect the broad-based support for giving city agencies the procurement and contracting tools they need to save time and money on major capital projects.

As this year’s legislative session concludes, the group’s letter highlights the urgency of passing legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Benedetto and Senators Lanza and Golden (A.8134/S.6427) to authorize a procurement method that would expedite much-needed infrastructure improvements while also saving taxpayer dollars. The design-build project delivery model would allow New York City to construct several highly-anticipated projects across the city, including rehabilitating the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Triple Cantilever and constructing the NYPD training facility at Rodman’s Neck.

“Design-build is the best practice for infrastructure improvements and has become the industry standard,” said Carlo A. Scissura, President & CEO of the New York Building Congress. “When designers and contractors collaborate in the earliest stages of a project, we all win. It’s time for New York to join the federal government and virtually every state already benefiting from the efficiencies of design-build.”

“This legislation has been blocked for three years by defenders of a status quo that is not working for taxpayers and is depriving us of badly needed public infrastructure,” said Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO of the Partnership for New York City. “We call upon the legislature to rise above this obstructionism and give city agencies the tools they need to bring us needed improvements in public facilities.”

The letter from the New York Building Congress and the Partnership for New York City also points out that lack of design-build authority for New York City hinders the city’s ability to be competitive nationally. The anticipated one trillion dollar federal plan to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure will be geared toward states and municipalities that are able to build better, faster and cheaper.

For full text of the letter, click here.