This was the first of several phases for Flushing Commons. This project is mixed use with a 600-unit residential tower, 420,000 sf of commerical office and retail space, a 62,000 sf YMCA and 15,000 sf of community facility space, and a 1,600-car parking garage. It is a LEED v3 C+S project. Vidaris helped Rockefeller Group achieve 15.3% savings. Our scope included energy analysis for LEED, Energy Code and NYSERDA incentives. It was cofounded by NYSERDA’s NCP. We were under contract with Perkins Eastman, the Architect. LEED consulting was performed by Taitem Engineering.   Photo Credit: Copyright Andrew Rugge, Courtesy Perkins Eastman

The observation deck at the top of the Rockefeller Center went under a 75 million dollar renovation from the original ocean liner theme of the deck. It is considered the best panoramic view in New York City because one can see the entire skyline including the Empire State Building. The observation is a popular New York tourist attraction. Its new entrance features a three-level atrium with a helical spiral stairway that introduces the idea of ascent. The centerpiece of the lobby is a cascading crystal chandelier, designed by the architects in collaboration with Swarovski. As an alternative to fencing or railings, the decks’ safety enclosures are cantilevered, 8.5 foot tall glass panels that are designed to be unobtrusive to the landmark Indiana limestone and cast-aluminum parapet. Vidaris has been involved on Top of the Rock off and on since 2003, and was recently active with inspecting the observation deck. Having also conducted Local Law 11/98 (FISP) inspections, consulted on the building’s window replacement and facade cleaning, and inspected terrace doors and glass screen panels, we are very familiar with the project and its existing conditions.

The new 400,000 sf building will include the following components: Ambulatory Surgery Suites, Endoscopy, Pain Management, Cancer Center, ENT, Urology, Women’s Center, Satellite Radiology, After-hours Urgent Care, Cardiology, Orthopedics, Neurosciences. Scheduled to open in 2020, the facility will be the largest ambulatory care center in Brooklyn, providing world-class patient care and helping to meet the growing demand for the treatment of cancer, diabetes and hypertension, in addition to a range of other innovative outpatient services. Vidaris’ services included envelope consulting in conjunction with also providing energy analysis for NYSERDA and LEED. NYSERDA cost shared the energy analysis to support incentives for achieving higher levels of energy efficiency. The measures included in the final design include:

• Additional insulation for above grade exterior walls, roofs and underground walls
• High performance glazing
• Low-power Lighting Design
• High-efficiency Lighting Controls (e.g.Vacancy Sensors, Daylighting & Bi-level controls)
• Chilled water system
• VAV air handling units
• Variable fans and pumps
• Demand controlled Parking Garage ventilation
• Regenerative braking for elevators

Additionally, Vidaris performed the analyses and prepared to documentation for the energy credits for the project’s LEED rating. In the end, Vidaris helped the project achieve energy savings of 13% relative to the LEED baseline.

Originally built in 1969, 5 Manhattan West underwent a major renovation, including a facade overclad, to make it fit with its new development counterparts in the rest of the far west side development boom. The base of the building features approximately 80,000 sf of retail space with about 1.7 million sf of office space above. The building’s repositioning was intended to appeal to the city’s fast growing technology sector with its expansive, raw and open-concept floor plates. The office building also features 20,000 sf of rooftop space. Vidaris provided site monitoring and special inspection services for the renovation, observing the new envelope’s installation - a new insulated, low-iron, low-emissivity floor-to-ceiling “pleated” glass facade, replacing the opaque concrete exterior that also increases energy efficiency. The building remained occupied during the overclad process.   Photo Credit: Pavel Bendov Photography

Hudson Commons is a major transformation of an eight-story warehouse built in 1962. An additional 17 floors will be added atop the black masonry-clad tower, bringing 700,000 square feet of new office space, and new storefront at the building’s base will feature wrap-around curtain wall with bold lines, referencing the original 1960’s design. Vidaris is currently engaged by the Client for building envelope consulting and monitoring for the following scopes of work at the Project: ninth floor through “Top of House” (17-story addition) curtain wall system, existing podium (floors 2-8) “ribbon” windows, tower metal panels, louvers, ground floor storefront and entrances, and various setback terrace doors.   Photo Credit: Pavel Bendov Photography

Located at 9501 Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, the Health Education Campus is a medical university building commissioned by two clients: Cleveland Clinic (CC) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU). The 450,000 sf building houses four different schools: CWRU School of Dental Medicine, CWRU Nursing School, CWRU Medical School and The Lerner School of Medicine. These schools each have their own unique spaces (i.e. lecture halls, classrooms, skills labs, admin and office workstations, meeting rooms, conference rooms and staff lounges) placed around the edge of the rectangular building. Designed to be open plan, communal and inclusive, the building provides large flexible study areas and a central, ground floor 27,000 sf, glass roof, four-story atrium and courtyard, which operates as an assembly point, circulation zone, and food service area. With regard to the exterior design, the exterior of the building is predominantly window wall, the four‐story atrium space is enclosed by a large open trussed skylight roof system, two mechanical penthouses are located on the roof, and the perimeter of the roof has a large metal panel clad overhang. As part of the team, Vidaris provided exterior wall, roofing, and waterproofing services. Vidaris also led the Building Enclosure Commissioning (BECx) initiative with the ultimate aim to achieve a LEED Silver status. The BECx process ensures quality assurance and quality control of the enclosure systems throughout the design, construction, and initial occupation phases. The following enclosure systems were included in the commissioning process: Ribbon Window Wall, Ribbon Window Truss, Storefront, Sag Rod Wall, Skylight, East/West Curtain Wall, Fire‐rated Curtain Wall, Penthouse Enclosure, Canopy, Soffit, Coping, Core Stoneglass Wall, Skylight Roofing, Main Roofing, and Penthouse Roofing. Through the establishment of Owner’s Project Requirements and the technical review of systems’ design, fabrication, installation, and testing, Vidaris contributed to the realization of the Health Education Campus. Our final BECx report summarizes the Commissioning Plan execution, recommends further action for open issues, and outlines remaining closeout documents.

Photo Credit: Paul Warchol

Once Elad Properties purchased the site at 250 West Street, they transformed the former fruit-and-vegetable warehouse into a luxury residential condominium building with 106 units, including the addition of a rooftop penthouse. The 5,718-sf penthouse features a private entrance and elevator, one-car garage, floor-to-ceiling windows on three facades and a 4,350-sf wraparound terrace. Vidaris provided consulting for the building’s restoration, window replacement and penthouse addition. The building features a landmarked storefront as well.

The Apthorp is a historic condominum building built in 1908 that occupies a full block on the Upper West Side. Designated a landmark in 1969, this 12-story, once apartment building is built around a large interior courtyard and includes features such as arch-headed windows, projecting cornices, a barrel-vaulted entrance and limestone sculptures. The condominium is divided into four sections, each with its own lobby. When the building turned from apartments to mostly condos in 2006, the building owner decided to undergo a restoration of original detailing before reselling. Vidaris was hired in 2009 to provide building envelope consulting and monitoring, including assessing the main roof, the courtyard, the windows, and providing a Local Law 11 inspection. Later, in 2011, Vidaris was brought on to consult and inspect the roof replacement and cornice replication, as well as to provide an existing window thermal mock-up test.

A Georgian revival building re-imagined by the team behind Fifteen Central Park West, 18 Gramercy Park remains true to the the legacy of the neighborhood. This 16-unit condo building, originally built in 1927, sits on 40 feet of frontage to Gramercy Park and double recesses on Irving Place - maximizing the facade, opening up an abundance of windows and direct park views from every room within. Vidaris was hired to perform a window replacement, a roof replacement and masonry restoration in 2008. In 2011 we performed a thermal and condensation analysis.