Hope That New Flood Maps Will Help To Boost Design and Construction Business In New Jersey

Homeowners battered by Hurricane Sandy got some relief recently, when the federal government issued revised, scaled-back flood maps and elevation requirements. For architects and builders working on those homes, it means many long-stalled rebuilding projects may soon pick up.

The new maps shrink the so-called V zones in Hudson, Monmouth, Ocean and Atlantic counties — there areas where homes are most prone to flooding — moving many dwellings to the lower-risk A zones. That likely means simpler, cheaper rebuilding projects and lower insurance premiums, not to mention owners' increased willingness to move ahead after the months of uncertainty that followed the October storm.

Meanwhile, some local governments have addressed another issue in Sandy's aftermath. Towns like Point Pleasant and Manasquan have loosened zoning restrictions for residential heights, allowing homeowners to comply with the federal guidelines without conflict.

In the coming weeks, towns will work with FEMA to determine how to apply the guidelines to current building codes. Because the maps were only released very recently, town officials were still analyzing local data and could not specifically comment on how it may be applied. Changes could include elevating homes in a number of ways, breakaway walls that would fall away against the force of waves, deep pilings to better anchor a buildings being pushed by the force of rushing water and flood vents to allow water to pass through the foundation of shore front property.

Submitted by: Robert F. Barranger, AIA Ref: FEMA

World's Tallest Building, 'Sky City', To Break Ground "Fast"

A Chinese construction company is setting out to build the world’s tallest building, in Changsha, China. And it says it can finish it in one-tenth of the time it took to build the current record holder. Broad Sustainable Construction, a company known for building high-rise buildings in record-breaking time, said it will break ground in June '13 on the project, which will stand at 838 meters, or 2,749 feet, when completed. The building is slated to make an incredibly speedy progress, finishing construction in seven months. Construction of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world’s current tallest building, took approximately six years to complete. The building will be called “Sky City” and will exceed the Burj Khalifa by roughly 10 meters (30 feet). While the Burj Khalifa is in a popular Middle East tourist destination, the biggest city in the United Arab Emirates and a worldwide aviation hub, the new Sky City will be erected in the middle of a field in Changsha, the capital of the province of Hunan -- a city of 7 million, to be sure, but located in the middle of China, with the closest international metropolis being Hong Kong, 600 km (400 miles) to the south. 

Submitted by: Donna M. Miller, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP Ref: IBT

Thinking Big: Four Visions of a New Penn Station

The Municipal Art Society of NYC asked four design firms to "Draw BIG" and  Reimagine the ideal Pennsylvania Station and Madison Square Garden.

The proposals by Diller Scofidio & Renfro, SHoP Architects, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture were introduced on May 29th. All plans expect the new station to include high-speed rail.

H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture

H3 HARDY COLLABORATION ARCHITECTURE Moves the entire complex to the West Side waterfront at 34th Street, creates an elevated bike and pedestrian promenade and turns Pier 76 into a new 16-acre park. 

Diller Scofidio & Renfro

DILLER SCOFIDIO & RENFRO Moves Madison Square Garden across Eighth Avenue next to the James A. Farley Post Office building; Penn Station becomes a multilevel public space with amenities like a spa and a theater. 

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

SKIDMORE, OWINGS & MERRILL Moves Madison Square Garden off site and expands the station to four city blocks from two. Above ground: green space four times the size of Bryant Park; housing twice the size of Tudor City; more offices than Rockefeller Center; and more cultural spaces than Lincoln Center. 

SHoP

SHoP ARCHITECTS Expands the existing site with a lightweight concrete structure that is meant to evoke the old Penn Station and seeks to make the station a social meeting spot. 

When’s the last time you heard someone say... Let’s meet for a drink at Penn Station? People say that about Grand Central all the time.

Submitted by: Michael G. Soriano, AIA Ref: NYT

"Stigma Stompers”

May is mental health awareness month and Cornerstone is getting involved! Receptionist for the firm, Angelina Baker, organized a team for the annual 5k NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Mercer County walk. NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. NAMI advocates for access to services, treatment, supports and research and is steadfast in its commitment to raise awareness and build a community for hope for all of those in need. NAMI is the foundation for hundreds of NAMI State Organizations, NAMI Affiliates and volunteer leaders who work in local communities across the country to raise awareness and provide essential and free education, advocacy and support group programs. Angelina’s team, “The Stigma Stompers” raised a total of $945 and had 12 people join her in walking to promote mental health awareness. Mercer County had over 850 people who proudly gathered to walk. Together, the Mercer county teams raised over S110,000. Mental Illness affects 1 in 4 or nearly 60 million Americans each year. Cornerstone offers endless support to anyone diagnosed with a mental illness and caretakers in the mental health care system.

Submitted by: Angelina Baker Ref: NAMI

One World Trade Center - One Proud Day for America!

Cheers erupted as the spire topped One World Trade Center on Friday morning May 10, 2013. A crane lifted the last of a 408-foot tall spire on top of the "Freedom Tower", a capstone to an emotional 12-year effort to replace the twin towers destroyed by terrorists. The 18-piece silver spire tops out the tower at a symbolic 1,776 feet, a nod to the year America signed the Declaration of Independence. The new building is just north of the original towers, now the hallowed ground known as Ground Zero. "This really is a symbolic moment because this building really represents the resiliency of this country,” said Port Authority Vice Chair Scott Rechler. “These people, the thousands of men and women who have worked here tirelessly, really as a tribute for the people that perished on 9/11 right on this site". The pinnacle was built with the city’s streets in mind. Its tip holds a beacon with 288 50-watt LED lights that will allow it be seen up to 50 miles away on a clear day. Once operational, the spire will serve as a world-class broadcast antenna. It also makes the building the tallest in the Western Hemisphere.

Submitted by: Michael G. Soriano, AIA Ref: NBC