Metro North Plaza Project Recognized for Resiliency Improvements 

On June 12, the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) Metro New York and New Jersey Chapter held its 31st Annual Project of the Year Awards and Scholarship Banquet to recognize outstanding achievement in construction management. 

Among the New York City honorees was the NYCHA Recovery and Resilience project at East Harlem’s Metro North Plaza, which was selected as the runner up in the $10-60 million Building and Infrastructure category. The CMAA awards ceremony, held at Club 101 in Manhattan, honors professionalism and excellence in the management of the construction process. 

Home to more than 600 residents in three buildings, as well as a nursery school serving the larger community, Metro North Plaza was eligible for disaster recovery funds under NYCHA’s Recovery and Resilience program. The program, established following the destruction from Superstorm Sandy in October 2012, has been dedicated to providing safer homes for NYCHA residents by reinforcing structures, installing storm surge protection, elevating critical infrastructure above flood levels, and providing full backup power generators in case of power disruptions. 

Thanks to more than $55 million in capital investments for the Recovery and Resilience project, Metro North Plaza was upgraded with a new above-grade boiler plant and backup power generators, as well as new electrical equipment protected from future flooding. Other improvements completed across the campus included new security cameras, exterior lighting fixtures, various electrical repairs, and the replacement of all first-floor doors. Aptim served as program manager, Ismael Leyva Architects led design, Jacobs provided on-site construction management, and Navillus was the general contractor.  

“NYCHA’s efforts to retrofit developments, like Metro North Plaza, to protect against climate hazards has been recognized once again for its precedence setting,” said Joy Sinderbrand, the Authority’s Senior Vice President for Capital Programs. “The buildings were constructed over 50 years ago, and NYCHA was able to demonstrate how similar buildings across New York City can be adapted to protect residents during storms and power outages.”  

Metro North Plaza will also receive comprehensive renovations through the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program, which transitions developments from traditional public housing assistance to the more stable, federally funded Project-Based Section 8 program and, in this case, provides funding from the sale of development rights.