Standing water after a storm at the corner of Bidwell and North Avenues shows an ongoing issue with faulty storm drainage in Westerleigh. The system upgrades aim to prevent ponding like this and worse from happening. Image Credit: NYC DDC.

On April 1, 2022, the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced the start of a new drainage upgrade project in Westerleigh, Staten Island.  (read more…)

The Staten Island Supreme Court. Image Credit: DDC.

On March 30, 2022, the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced the start of a restoration project for the Staten Island Supreme Court Building, located at 18 Richmond Terrace in St. George, Staten Island. The courthouse, a French Renaissance style temple-fronted limestone building, was built in 1913 and designated a New York City landmark in 1982.  (read more…)

Brooklyn’s Rescue Co. #2, seen above, is a firehouse that opened in 2019 as part of a past Project Excellence contract. Image Credit: NYC DDC.

Projects will be awarded to the selected firms on a rotating basis. On March 16, 2022, the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced the selection of twenty firms the agency has contracted with for architectural design services for future public building projects. The firms were selected as part of the Project Excellence Program. The Project Excellence Program pre-qualifies firms to provide design services for public building projects to ensure high quality while saving time on the procurement process. The previous round of the program expired in 2021. (read more…)

The upgraded Montefiore Plaza. Image Credit: NYC DDC.

Some of the upgrades include new benches, lighting, and trees. On January 27, 2022, the Departments of Design and Construction (DDC), Transportation (DOT), Environmental Protection (DEP), and Parks and Recreation announced the completion of renovations to Montefiore Square in Harlem. Montefiore Square is a triangular plaza located between West 138th Street, Hamilton Place and Broadway. (read more…)

The upgraded Children’s Room at the Steinway Library. Image Credit: DDC.

On January 18, 2022, the Department of Design and Construction announced the reopening of the Steinway Library at 21-45 31st Street in Astoria. Steinway Library is one of the three original branches from 125 years ago that became the Long Island City Public Library system, later known as the Queens Borough Public Library. Prior to the pandemic, Steinway Library served almost 200,000 customers and circulated over 225,000 materials annually.  (read more…)