While offices and physical work locations are shut down throughout the city, businesses are still operating – with many forced to work remotely; distancing themselves from others. However, NYC construction workers aren’t as fortunate, and haven’t been afforded that luxury. “[T]he pounding of jackhammers and the blaring beeps of trucks in reverse broke the eerie quiet on the waterfront in Williamsburg, where work continues, at Domino Park,” reads a recent piece in Crain’s New York. Construction workers are making a concerted effort to avoid close human contact. For example, Lightstone, the developer of a luxury condominium project on Williams Street, advises that their 300 workers are spread out over 66 separate floors; averaging roughly five people per floor. “You’re not confined to an office. They’re already wearing gloves and masks and hats and glasses, and they’re already not working in close proximity to one another,” said Scott Avram, the Lightstone executive who is overseeing the project. But New York is likely the last major hold-out, as Boston has suspended all construction, while San Francisco’s shelter-in-place directive has left development sites desolate. “The work is ongoing, but it’s getting quieter on construction sites as we grapple with the issue of ensuring we have enough staff to be able to work and mitigate against the risk. So far, there’s no plan to delay,” said Elizabeth Velez, chair of the New York Building Congress, an industry trade group. In the meantime, developers hope to continue building for as long as they can. # # # To read the full story in Crain’s New York, click here: https://www.crainsnewyork.com/real-estate/construction-projects-plug-away-even-city-shutting-down
