Roosevelt Island Cornell NYC Tech Construction Barging Begins Today - Director Of Capital Planning Andrew Winters Explains The Process

Image Of Cornell NYC Tech Construction Barge and Crane Arriving Today

The Cornell NYC Tech barging of construction materials began at 7 AM this morning as two barges,

a crane

and containers were delivered via the East River by DonJon Marine's Caitlin Ann tugboat

and connected to the east side of Roosevelt Island by a gangplank.

I spoke this morning with Cornell NYC Tech Director of Capital Planning Andrew Winters about the barging process. According to Mr. Winters, construction materials will be delivered to the Roosevelt Island site by water. Also, containers will be filled up with debris from the hospital and removed by barge in three stages. First, the interior demolition, followed by removal of hazardous material and then the structural demolition of Goldwater Hospital. The materials will then be taken to a landing site in New Jersey. The demolition process will take approximately 10 months.

Here's Mr. Winters explaining the barging process for the construction of the new Cornell NYC Tech campus on Roosevelt Island.



The Cornell NYC construction web site adds:

... In order to maintain public safety during barging operations, the east roadway and promenade will be closed for the duration of the abatement and demolition project, beginning on approximately January 22nd.

In order to accommodate traffic to South Point Park and Four Freedoms Park, the west roadway will be modified to accommodate two-way traffic, including the creation of a temporary vehicle turn-around near the west entrance to South Point Park. The roadway modification and construction of the turn-around is expected to take several weeks and, during that time, the west roadway will be closed to all but emergency vehicles. Following the completion of this work, no later than April 1, the west roadway will be re-opened.

The west pedestrian promenade will be opened for the entire duration of the abatement and demolition project, including the time when the west roadway will be closed.

The site fence will take approximately 3 weeks to install....

UPDATE 3:15 PM - According to Roosevelt Island Historical Society (RIHS) President Judy Berdy

Barging is not a new idea

Ms. Berdy shares this picture of a barge

 Image from RIHS

used to build Goldwater Hospital about 1937, adding:

... it was probably used to bring in construction materials. Remember, there was no RI Bridge and there was only a ferry or the trolley and elevator!!!

UPDATE 1/27 - Mr. Winters shares these pictures

Image From Andrew Winters

from the construction barge site.