Renovations & Ongoing Projects
Mercer Residence Facade Restoration
Purpose: To comply with NYC mandated Local Law 11 regulations and requirements for repairs and inspections.
Description of Construction Activity: Exterior masonry repairs and inspections of the building facades using motorized scaffolding which includes the installation of sidewalk shed protection, brick demolition, concrete repairs, lintel, and window sill repairs or replacement.
Start Date & Location: Initial work will begin during the week of 2/23/12, and it will be confined to the Northeast corner of Broadway and 3rd Street, on the 18th and 19th floors. A drawing floor plan will be located in the lobby and updated weekly as work progresses.
Time of Work: Work hours will be 9:00 am 5:00 pm.
Impact/Disruptions: There will be no disruptions to building utilities or operations during the scheduled work date and time. There will be periods of noise associated with chipping hammers and sawing and other power tools. Residents will see men on the sides of the building working from suspended scaffolds.
Mitigation Efforts: The dust that residents may see as workers cut and remove bricks from the façade is simply cement dust from the mortar joints, not air born asbestos; there are no traces of asbestos in the mortar. Keeping windows closed when work is done anywhere near your apartment will prevent this dust from entering and for privacy. Additionally, as all work is done on the exterior façade, at no time should dust or other debris enter your apartment since there is a secondary concrete block wall behind the brick. Where there is necessary mitigation, windows, frames, and air vents will be sealed on the exterior with plastic sheathing. This sheathing will be removed and the area vacuumed, usually at the end of each work day, and residents may then open windows.
Abatement Issues: Through detailed inspections by our Engineer’s, and testing by a licensed vendor, it was determined that small traces of asbestos are imbedded in an adhesive material used inside the brick wall. The embedment is similar to the asbestos in a floor tile and is considered to be non-friable. As these specific areas are exposed, it may be necessary to remove the flashing material utilizing NY State environmental agency procedures and in compliance with NYC environmental laws. An independent site safety manager will also be on site to ensure the proper handling of any material containing traces of asbestos.
Project Duration: Since the project will include many areas around the building, it is expected to continue for several months. As we draw closer to the Spring exam period, all noisy work will be suspended.
Questions & Inquiries: Questions and inquiries should be directed to Ken Stenstrom, Facilities Manager (Phone: 212-998-6508)
D'Agostino Hall Elevator Modernization
We are embarking on a major elevator renovation which will drastically improve the service in D’Agostino Hall. The modernization project will begin on October 17, 2011, and conclude by August 31, 2012. The project includes new state of the art equipment including cabs and finishes. There will only be one elevator out of service at any given time. The timeframe for each elevator outage is 15 weeks during this major project.
Thank you for your understanding and patience as elevator call time will be a bit slower than normal. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience caused by this work, but we are sure the improved performance and service of the new elevators will be worth the inconvenience in the end. Contact the Office of Facilities Services at 212-998-6508 with any questions you may have.
Mercer Apartment Renovation
The Department of Residence Services is currently in the process of renovating all of the apartments in Mercer Residence. Accordingly, each summer approximately 30 bed spaces are taken off line for renovation and refurbishment (new carpet, kitchen & bathroom cabinets, energy star appliances, etc.).
Regularly Scheduled Maintenance
The following projects are scheduled on an annual basis.
Window Cleaning
The windows in each apartment (inside and outside) are cleaned once a year. Residents will be notified.
Carpet & Kitchen Floor Cleaning
The carpets in every apartment are professionally steam cleaned once a year and the kitchen floors are stripped and refinished. Residents will be notified.