Del-Sano Contracting Corp. Honored with New York Construction's'Best of 2009' Award for Garden Street Lofts
September 21, 2009, Hoboken, NJ - New York Construction has awarded Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (http://www.delsano.com/) an Award of Merit in the Green Building category as part of its "Best of 2009 Awards" for Garden Street Lofts (http://www.gardenstreetlofts.com/). Garden Street Lofts is a luxury residential building in Hoboken, New Jersey. Del-Sano served as the general contractor for the $16.8-million redevelopment project, which was completed in February 2009.
New York Construction's "Best of Awards" is an annual awards program dedicated to honoring the region's best projects and the companies that design and build them. Award criteria included Teamwork and Project Management, Safety, Innovation, Contribution to the Community or Industry, Overcoming Unique or Difficult Challenges, Construction Quality and Craftsmanship, and Function and Aesthetic Quality of the Design.
Garden Street Lofts was redeveloped from an existing 42,888-square-foot, structural steel, concrete and masonry, former coconut processing and storage warehouse that was erected in 1919. Del-Sano built a new 35,054-square-foot, seven-story structural steel and concrete addition with gauged metal-perimeter wall framing and a Zinc rain screen façade. The addition rises above and is linked to the restored cast-in-place concrete building at the original fifth floor roof level. The mixed-use complex includes 30-luxuriously appointed one-, two-, and three-bedroom, loft-style condominiums. Also, at ground level there is a total 7,500 square feet of open floor plan that is suited for prime retail space facing 14th and Garden Streets.
The Garden Street Lofts is awaiting certification as the first Silver LEED luxury residential hi-rise development in New Jersey. The building uses 24% less energy in heating cooling and lighting, as well as 20% less water than a traditional building, and 100% of its electrical power is generated from wind and other renewable resources.
In addition to the many sustainable and energy efficient elements of the building, Del-Sano's handling of the construction process itself, as well as the worksite were noteworthy. "The challenges of bringing this project to life were many, not the least of which was how to preserve, recycle and transform architectural history by converting the Hostess coconut-processing warehouse into a state-of-the-art, high performance 'green' building while initiating creative cost containment measures," explained Angelo Del Russo, Founder and CEO of Del-Sano Contracting.
"Preserving an old structure while wrapping a new structure around and above it is no easy task. Another preservation challenge was to make certain the integrity of the walls and structure remained intact for restoration and rehabilitation," noted Del- Russo. "The restriction of the existing lot size and position also presented challenges, particularly for structural design and building methods. But ultimately, we were able to work around these challenges, afford the client some significant cost savings through our building methodologies, and deliver a beautiful building to the client that stands as a model for sustainable residential development in New Jersey."
Project team members were:
Architect: Sharples Holden Pasquarelli Architects, New York, NY
MEPS Engineer: Buro Happold, New York, NY
Project Financing: TD Bank, Ramsey, NJ
Marketing Agent: Hudson Place Realty, Hoboken, NJ
LEED Commissioning Agent, Dome-Tech Group, Edison, NJ
About Bijou PropertiesGarden Street Lofts was developed by Bijou Properties (http://www.bijouproperties.com/), which has already received recognition for successfully redeveloping urban properties and for the adaptive re-use of a former industrial and warehouse building along the Hudson River waterfront. The company is committed to incorporating sustainable design and construction into its projects.
About Del-Sano Contracting Corp. Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (http://www.delsano.com/), a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is a skilled and qualified builder of LEED-registered projects. The firm is committed to setting new standards for sustainable development through ongoing education and training, responsible use of natural resources, and the integration of principles of sustainable development in its day-to-day activities and client projects.
Established in 1975, Del-Sano provides full-service, commercial general construction and construction management services to a distinguished and diverse client base located throughout the New York metropolitan area. The firm, which ranks among the 25 largest general contractors in New Jersey, is engaged in the construction and development of commercial, institutional, retail, multifamily (including senior, affordable and luxury housing) high-rise, multi-level and framed structures, as well as recreational facilities and historic renovation projects.

Del-Sano Completes Construction of $16.7M Kennedy Tower II in West New York, NJ, Meeting or Exceeding New Jersey Affordable Green Program Standards

07.27.2009 – West New York, NJ – Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (www.delsano.com) has completed new construction of Kennedy Tower II in West New York, New Jersey. Kennedy Tower II is an 11-story, senior independent living, affordable housing community consisting of 71 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 82 parking spaces, 76 of which are located in structured parking facilities. Del-Sano served as the general contractor for the $16,735,000 million project, which began in July 2008. The senior housing property was ready for occupancy on July 1, 2009. The project is owned by West New York Urban Renewal II. The federally subsidized project was funded by HMFA (Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.Located on 62nd street, Kennedy Tower II is adjacent to the original Kennedy Tower, which was constructed in 1968, and is located on 62nd street.

The property offers proximity to bus routes and features safe shelters for commuters. Kennedy Tower II is built to New Jersey Affordable Green Program standards, utilizing daylight lighting where possible, Energy Star appliances, heating units, and water saver plumbing fixtures and high efficiency elevators. There is high recycle content in the flooring material, backfill material, and concrete used in the building. All plantings are drought resistant and indigenous to the area. During construction, 80% of the construction waste was recycled. According to Del-Sano Contracting Founder and CEO Angelo Del Russo, “Both West New York Urban Renewal II and Del-Sano shared a commitment to safe, clean, accessible, energy efficient and affordable housing throughout this project. Kennedy Tower II stands as a fine example of affordable housing that has both the needs of independent senior residents and the environment at its core, and we were thrilled to have been associated with this project.”About Del-SanoDel-Sano Contracting Corp, a member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), is a skilled and qualified builder of LEED-registered projects.

The firm is committed to setting new standards for sustainable development through ongoing education and training, responsible use of natural resources, and the integration of principles of sustainable development in its day-to-day activities and client projects.Established in 1975, Del-Sano provides full-service, commercial general construction and construction management services to a distinguished and diverse client base located throughout the New York metropolitan area. The firm, which ranks among the 25 largest general contractors in New Jersey, is engaged in the construction and development of commercial, institutional, retail, multifamily (including senior, affordable and luxury housing) high-rise, multi-level and framed structures, as well as recreational facilities and historic renovation projects.

Del-Sano Gives Back-Now MOVE!

It is important to the people at Del-Sano Contracting to give back to something that they are passionate about, besides giving back to the Matheny School for Disabled Children or the Market Street Mission house during the holidays, Del-Sano would like to give to the "We're on the MOVE to End Alzheimer's" ...Every 70 seconds one person is diagnosed with the disease..we must find a cure!! With your help we can make a difference!!! Please visit our page if you would like to make a donation!! It is greatly appreciated!! https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=302619&supid=261814197

NEW PROJECT..Horizon Heights!!!!!!!

New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine Visits Horizon Heights in West New York/Union City, Announces State Funding for Affordable Housing Projects

-- Del-Sano Contracting to Break Ground on Horizon Heights, One of the Funded Projects,
in Fall 2009 --


June 15, 2009, (Union City/West New York, NJ) – Pictured left to right: Angelo Del Russo, Founder and CEO, Del-Sano Contracting; Larry Regan, President, Regan Development Corporation; Joseph Doria, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Commissioner; Timothy Doherty, ED, Project Freedom Inc.; New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine; and Debra Urban, Director of Tax Credit Services, State of New Jersey.

On May 28, 2009, Governor Jon Corzine and New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Joseph Doria, visited the site of Horizon Heights, a planned affordable housing property that straddles West New York and Union City, New Jersey. Corzine and Doria were on hand to announce the construction of 14 new affordable housing projects across the state to be built with the help of federal tax credits, including Horizon Heights. Del-Sano Contracting Corp. will serve as the property’s general construction contractor. Over the last decade, Regan Development, the project owner, and Del-Sano Contracting have developed, renovated or built jointly 300 units. Construction will be completed and occupancy expected in early fall 2010.

Specifically, Horizon Heights will be comprised of 52 one-, two- and three-bedroom units of workforce affordable rental housing, as well as housing for individuals and families with special needs. The five-story building will offer parking and retail on the first floor, additional parking on a sub-floor, and four residential stories above. All units would be affordable to families earning less than 60% of Hudson County median income. Eight of those units will be designated for individuals or families with developmental disabilities, and six units would be set aside for independent living residents with special needs. The development will utilize the latest in high performance building technologies and will be participating in the New Jersey Green Homes’ Program, as well as the New Jersey Energy Star Program.

Horizon Heights, which will be developed on the site of a former warehouse, is located in an urban, mixed-use neighborhood with housing, commercial and light industrial uses nearby. Retail, public transportation, and services are all within walking distance of the property.

The project architect is Jose Carballo, AIA, of Jose Carballo Architecture PC, based in Hackensack, NJ.

Garden Street Lofts, Hoboken, NJ- Ribbon Cutting April 24, 2009

Remarks of Sen. Menendez
Green Building Ribbon Cutting
24 April 2009

Thank you very much. It’s great to be here today, for a very fitting celebration of Arbor Day and of New Jersey innovation.

This building is an answer to three of the great crises we face right now: the crisis in the U.S. economy, the crisis of our insecure energy supply and the crisis of global warming.

Building green is smart business and a smart way to build the 21st century economy.
It recognizes that if we’re going to get serious about creating a sustainable economy and a sustainable environment for our children and grandchildren, we can’t just continue with building as usual—we have to build to a higher standard.

It’s time to face reality: global warming is closing in on us. We can either fight it now or wait for it to knock on our door and be powerless to stop the terrible consequences.



I believe that a nation that won two world wars, cured diseases once thought incurable and launched industrial and technological revolutions that shook the globe is great enough to face up to that challenge and meet it. And this building is a good chunk of proof.

Today, cutting a ribbon means cutting emissions. Not only that, what we have here today is proof that fighting climate change and bringing down energy costs can be a winning proposition for our economy.


If anyone wants to know what green jobs look like, they should look here. We’ve seen jobs created in all the construction trades who took part in this achievement. We’ve seen jobs created for those who manufactured the renewable and recycled materials they used. We’ve seen jobs created for the environmental engineers and designers who planned it.

The project’s green roots go even deeper. The building draws electricity from the grid in a state that produces enough solar energy to power almost 60,000 homes.[1]

And I don’t think it’s any accident that it was built in a city with some of the best access to public transportation in the nation—a city that has seen that access increase with the Hudson-Bergen light rail that I’ve supported in Congress.

So building green is about more than just a single high-rise, it’s the idea of building entire communities that can develop sustainably— getting rid of smog so our lungs can breath, getting rid of traffic congestion so our economy can advance, ending our dependence on foreign oil so we create jobs that can’t be sent overseas.

Yes, this building will save its tenants money on their power bill right away. But it will also help preserve our air and water for the future generations who move in.

The hardworking individuals who built this building can tell their children and grandchildren with pride that they worked on the first green high-rise in the Garden State. And I know we all hope that it will just be the first of many.

Garden Street Lofts Deliver in Hoboken

Garden Street Lofts Delivers in Hoboken
Del-Sano, Bijou Complete $16.8M Redevelopment, Aim for LEED Silver
By Andrew Deichler

Del-Sano Contracting Corp. has finished construction on Garden Street Lofts, which is poised to become Hoboken's first LEEDcertified residential building. The $16.8 million project began with a 42,888-square-foot former coconut-processing warehouse at 158 14th St. Del-Sano built a
seven story, 35,054-square-foot addition, which is linked to the original facility at the fifth floor level. Garden Street Lofts includes 30 residential condominiums, which are already 50 percent sold, as well as 7,500 square feet of ground floor retail space. The 77,942-square-foot property is in the Hudson Waterfront submarket.
Del-Sano and owner Bijou Properties LLC have put more than two years into the redevelopment, and are aiming for LEED silver certification. "It took years of effort by some of the best and freshest minds in the industry to create a model for sustainable residential development that offers comfort, style and beauty, while being sensitive to the impact on the environment," said Larry Bijou of Bijou Properties. Del-Sano Contracting Corp. is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and specializes in LEED-registered construction projects.
www.delsano.com

NY Daily News Garden Street Lofts Article

Garden Street Lofts
BY Jason Sheftell DAILY NEWS REAL ESTATE CORRESPONDENT
Smith for News
Garden Street Lofts
Handschuh/News
http://www.nydailynews.com/real_estate/2009/02/20/2009-02-20_garden_street_lofts.html?page=0

As the story goes, when developer Lawrence Bijou petitioned the Hoboken zoning board about variances to transform a 1919 coconut processing plant on 14th and Garden Sts. into a LEED-certified green building with a zinc-clad addition hanging over the top of the existing structure, they looked confused. “Why are you doing all this?” one zoning official asked, making it clear that Hoboken had never seen anything like it. Bijou, a veteran of New York City real estate who moved to New Jersey in 2003 after deciding to make Hoboken the recipient of his vision for green building, made a quick joke, and then said, “Because I have to.”
What he meant, what every developer dead serious about changing the way we live means, is that this is the only way to build if we want to protect our own health and the health of our environment. What Bijou didn’t have to do, but did anyway, was source Ipe wood from Bolivia, bamboo floors from China, find the exact kind of cobblestone to refurbish the street out front, completely restore the coconut plant’s exterior to its original beige brick coloring, and hire one of New York City’s top architecture firms to design the building inside and out. “By now, we should all know that green is the future of building,” says Bijou, who walks prospective buyers around the building himself. “My goal is to actually do it. This is my first project of this magnitude and I wanted the best.” While I’ve heard that from most developers, I haven’t heard it confirmed by most architects. Gregg Pasquarelli of Sharples, Holden and Pasquarelli (SHoP Architects) actually took the job because of Bijou’s vision and integrity. “Every time we came up with something, Larry [Bijou] asked if it could be done better,” says Pasquarelli. “We designed a similar building called the Porterhouse in the Meatpacking District. Repeating styles was not the direction we wanted to go in as a firm. But Larry’s commitment to sustainability and great design made this project different.” Bijou, sitting in the construction trailer across the street from his building, wears sweaters, jeans and construction boots. He’s as honest a person as you could meet. When asked about the Val Cucina custom-made eco-friendly kitchens, Dornbracht faucets imported from Germany, Miele dishwashers, and the air-filtration system pumping clean air into each unit, he half-grimaces. “There’s a downside to doing anything for the first time and wanting it to be really good,” he says. “I just let these architects go, and they just went. I was writing check after check for higher- end product after higher-end product.”

The result is New Jersey’s first LEED-certified silver condominium and already the recipient of a national green award. It’s also one of Hoboken’s most interesting structures. As you approach the 29-unit boutique development from Washington St. to the east, the pale zinc outer shell of the building appears to grab the brick structure in a bite or pinch. Small brown square openings, lined in Ipe wood, peer at you like eyes. These are apartment terraces. Architect Pasquarelli calls them “cocoons.” Wrapped in dark wood, they feel like hunting lodges in the city.
Inside, the apartments in the 42,888-square-foot five-story original building are lofts, with each floor having a one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom. Linked by hallways and the same elevators to the older building, the apartments in the seven-story 35,054-square-foot newer structure are oversized two-bedrooms. Two duplex penthouses on the upper floors have giant terraces with corner hot tubs. “If these apartments were in Tribeca, they would be four times the price,” says Irene ­Perello, a longtime Hoboken agent with Hudson Place Realty, who has the exclusive on Garden Street Lofts. “We have 1,140-square-foot one-bedrooms for $675,000. I’d put this quality up against any Manhattan project.” If the building has a knock on it, it’s that its back abuts an above-ground parking facility. Buyers don’t mind, says Perello, as back-of-building units sold quickly.
Closings in the building began last month. Vince Visceglia and Caroline Russo spent the second night in the building with their 20-month-old son. They looked all over Hoboken, including brownstones, row houses and larger condominiums, before deciding on Garden Street Lofts.
“Green wasn’t a consideration before we saw this,” says Russo. “Now, it’s part of our lives. The final decision was based on design and finishes, though. Everything feels top-of-the-line.”
Her husband, who had his heart set on living in the suburbs, says the couple’s decision to stay in Hoboken became clear as they understood more about living green. “We can’t protect our son from everything bad that’s in the air,” says Russo, “but here we created a safe haven that is a cutting-edge non-toxic environment.” Today, in front of the building, Hoboken city workers repair cobblestone streets using stone Bijou purchased so the new street matched the old. Inside, technicians from Del-Sano Contracting Corp., a Union, N.J.-based general contracting company, put finishing touches on the lobby and 8,100-square-foot retail space. Bijou Properties, helmed by Bijou with help from Dave Gaber, still seeks a tenant for the space.

“It’s big enough for an Apple store,” says Gaber, a recent NYU-real estate master’s graduate. “If Williamsburg can have one, why shouldn’t we?” Bijou is just getting started in Hoboken. He refurbished a commercial building across the street from Garden Street Lofts, leasing retail to a New York Sports Club, a bank and a pharmacy. He also owns a lot across the street, waiting on financing before building a high-performance green mini-tower with microturbines to ease electrical output, solar panels and 400-car fully-robotic gargage, another New Jersey first.
“We’re working to put a charter school in the tower and generate our own electricity,” he says. “I came to Hoboken because of its proximity to New York, the better views, and the fact everyone who lives here loves this city.” Acquiring land is what Bijou Properties does. Over a one-year period, it acquired more than 10 warehouse properties along Hoboken’s 15th and 16th Sts. Initially wanting to develop these blocks into restoration projects, it sold the land to a national developer. Armed with capital, it completed Garden Street Lofts and bought waterfront property on the Hoboken side of the Hudson. “Originally, I just wanted to restore old buildings and add character to these streets,” says Bijou. “Hoboken is a young city with very intelligent, future-minded people. An investment in green is an investment in their future. They know that and so do we.”

http://www.delsano.com/

From Coconuts to Condominiums

From Coconuts To Condominiums
Del-Sano Contracting has turned a former coconut storage facility for the Hostess Corporation into luxury condominiums and retail space in Hoboken, NJ.
By Jim Romeo -- Constructioneer

The Coconut Building in Hoboken, NJ, once served as a coconut storage facility for theproduction of Hostess snack cakes. Today, half of the original building has been demolished and the other halfhas been renovated to make way for the recently completed Garden Lofts, a 30-unit luxury
condominium building with 7,500 square feet of retail space on the ground level. The entire projectis Silver LEED certified. The $16,800,000 project was managed by Union, NJ-based Del-Sano Contracting Corporation for Bijou Properties, LLC. It began in November 2006 and incorporated cost-saving measures to keep the project on schedule and on budget. Despite the many challenges of the project, it was completed in December 2008. "The project developer envisioned and desired a LEED-certified Silver accreditation," says Angelo Del Russo, founder and CEO of Del-Sano Contracting. "The construction cost-saving efforts were realized through careful selection of construction means and methods and creative building system constructability within the restrictions of the lot size."
Del Russo explains that the cost savings mostly related to production, including sophisticated
testing methods. "During design development, the construction and design team requested a ...
'Geo Physical In Situ Shear Wave Velocity Test' to determine the seismic class," he explains. "The testing resulted in cost savings in the range of $250,000 for the developer in several structural design systems — not the least of which was the fire suppression system's secondary water source requirements."
The building's lower-level floor elevation was raised to reduce the depth of construction yet
maintain a functional ceiling height and diminish the need to excavate the rock sub grade. This
resulted in cost savings of $175,000. Approximately 50 percent of the Coconut Building was demolished, making way for the renovation and new construction. "The existing Coconut Building structure required surgical demolition of the concrete cast in-place roof and reinforced concrete beams," says Del Russo. "The concrete roof deck, beams and the bearing walls were
poured monolithically together and integrated with the perimeter building walls. The
demolition took place after chipping the concrete deck with multiple pneumatic
jackhammers and diamond saw cutting the reinforced beams from the bearing points.
After the deck was removed, the end-cut reinforced concrete beams were lassoed with
construction-grade safety slings, lifted by crane, and guided safely down to wait
recycling."
Del Russo points out that this careful deconstruction "saved demolition time and
allowed for pulverizing and recycling in mass at the recycling facility. The savings on the overall demolition portion of the project was in the range of $85,000. The procedure was handled meticulously without injury to the workmen or impairing the safety of the pedestrians below."
Because the loading dock of the Coconut Building was positioned between the adjacent St. Louis
building and the Hudson Tea five-story parking structure project, which has yet to be constructed, the project team made the decision to proceed with the demolition of this loading dock prior to starting the parking deck structure.
"The early start would allow for safer crane access and minor infringement on the 14th Street
thoroughfare, as well as limit police protection and labor downtime," explains Del Russo. "Crane
access to the Garden Street pedestrian walkway limited crane downtime and allowed the
demolition to proceed uninterrupted to completion, about four weeks later. The savings to the
project demolition budget was in the tens of thousands."
The perimeter triple wythe masonry walls at the fifth floor level were secured in place by shoring jacks and angles specially designed to maintain the walls' lateral stability. The method allowed the integrity of the wall and structure for restoration and rehabilitation to remain intact. The building façade remained minimally compromised during the demolition phase with little reconstruction needed.
The renovation and new addition posed challenges as well as the demolition. "The new building
addition is attached to the Coconut Building structure and will increase the overall building squarefoot area by 35,054 (square feet)," explains Del Russo. "The addition is a seven-story steel framed structure (with) concrete decks, metal-framed curtain wall and a zinc façade. The new addition will rise seven floors alongside, and with two levels over the top of, the existing structure." Del Russo adds, "The Coconut Building was vacant and clean inside with minimal deterioration of the finishes. The previous owners had left the sprinkler system operational, the electricity on and the heat functioning. The building roof was in reasonable shape to minimize penetration of the elements. The structure did have some stress and time-related cracking of the concrete members."
The garden roof on Garden Lofts will contribute to its Silver LEED certification.
According to Del Russo, the building fenestration was operable and very functional for a vacant
building, and the exterior façade and support members had endured the stress of the environment as well as time deterioration. "The façade was in need of rebuilding and restoration," he says. "The property and walks had endured years with minimal maintenance and were in need of replacement. The building had two freight elevators and both were not operating when the demolition got under way. The basement endured moisture and water levels that required continual pumping. There were numerous sump pumps strategically placed throughout the basement level." The existing building was constructed on spread footings, rock, dense soil, and concrete pier footings, and the basement floor had its share of deterioration and settlement cracking. However, the footing and foundations were surveyed and given a clean bill of health from the project's structural engineer.
The total project took place in six phases. Phase one entailed the abatement of the roof asbestos
membrane. Phase two included the demolition of the loading dock addition structure and protection of the neighbors' exposed building wall. Phase three involved the shoring and temporary protection of various elements of the existing Coconut Building structure in preparation of the surgical demolition of the existing building. Phase four incorporated the building addition excavation, footing and foundation work. Phase five started the internal building demolition, and phase six allowed the demolition and construction to begin in earnest and sequenced for all disciplines.
"The building phase was quite interesting," says Del Russo. "The construction team decided to first survey the existing building vertically for plumb and dimensional coordination. The concrete and steel framed construction was to take place at the very early stages of the project. The steel structure was probably the more tedious and time-consuming segment of the building construction. After the anchor bolts were set, they were surveyed and each floor elevation was set to coordinate with the steel drawings, and the openings were to be created from the existing building to the new." The building's façade was another crucial element in the construction process. "The façade was covered with a zinc veneer rain screen. The façade substrate was covered with a self-seal vapor and moisture barrier. The integrity of the system required impeccable attention to detail and scrutiny of the installation in an effort to minimize breaks in that product's assembly integrity. The building fenestration, the details for adjacent materials, as well as integral joining of all the products required constant checking and proofing of the technical application," adds Del Russo.
The design development, site reconnaissance, planning, and design development spanned about
18 months leading up to the start of the abatement and demolition. Despite a complex demolition, renovation and addition, the greatest challenges of the project were elsewhere. According to Del Russo, the collecting and gathering of information for their LEED certification was actually the most challenging for his firm. "The LEED accreditation system and systems commissioning were major challenges to achieve, with impeccable management and documentation of the credits," he says. "An additional challenge was the need to minimize the installation dilemmas to make the mechanical systems commissioning seamless. The project is registered as LEED Silver, and will be one of the first LEED luxury high-rise buildings in northeast New Jersey."

http://www.delsano.com/

Scottrade Del-Sano Write-Up

http://research.scottrade.com/public/markets/news/news.asp?docKey=100-056k3490-1&section=headlines

www.delsano.com

Del-Sano Featured on Metro Green Building

http://www.metrogreenbusiness.com/news/green.php/2009/02/26/nj_s_1st_silver_leed_rated_luxury_reside

www.delsano.com

NJ First Silver LEED Green Building, Hoboken, NJ

Del-Sano Contracting Corp. Completes Construction of Hoboken, NJ's GREEN Garden Street Lofts
Hoboken, N.J., Feb 25, 2009 (PRWeb.com via COMTEX) --
Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (http://www.delsano.com) has completed construction of Garden Street Lofts (http://www.gardenstreetlofts.com), a luxury residential building in Hoboken, New Jersey. Garden Street Lofts' certification is pending as New Jersey's first luxury residential project to earn the Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating. The $16.8-million redevelopment project will also be Hoboken's only LEED-certified residential building upon certification. The project took 25 months to complete and is already 50% sold.
Garden Street Lofts was redeveloped from an existing 42,888-square-foot, structural steel, concrete and masonry, former coconut processing and storage warehouse that was erected in 1919. Del-Sano built a new 35,054-square-foot, seven-story structural steel and concrete addition with gauged metal-perimeter wall framing and a Zinc rain screen facade. The addition rises above and is linked to the restored cast-in-place concrete building at the original fifth floor roof level. The mixed-use complex includes 30-luxuriously appointed one-, two-, and three-bedroom, loft-style condominiums. Also, at ground level there is a total 7,500 square feet of open floor plan that is suited for prime retail space facing 14th and Garden Streets.
The building offers proximity to public transportation to New York City, as well as major highways including the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. Garden Street Lofts also features structured cable for high-speed data and communications, as well as individually-controlled, multi-zone HVAC and audio/video entry security systems, Italian kitchens, and high-end appliances. Select units also offer double-height ceilings, fireplaces, hot tubs and IPE wood terraces.
According to Larry Bijou of Bijou Properties LLC, the project owner, "It took years of effort by some of the best and freshest minds in the industry to create a model for sustainable residential development that offers comfort, style and beauty, while being sensitive to the impact on the environment. The City of Hoboken is an ideal setting for this model because of its historical significance, proximity to New York City, and urbane mindset."
LEED promotes a holistic building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. While the re-use of the Coconut Building is perhaps the ultimate in recycling, the many sustainable development highlights of the project include:
A sedum-covered green roof designed to prevent flooding, as well as absorb rainfall and outside sound, making for a safer, cleaner, and quieter environment. Comprised of greenery and soils specially selected to prevent storm-water runoff, the green roof provides insulation, produces oxygen and reduces heat pollution. The foliage-covered roof creates significantly lower heat emissions compared to black asphalt, which will ultimately decrease energy use and residents' energy bills. Free access for residents to public transportation such as the PATH and the Hoboken Ferry. Optimized energy performance using special window glass and Viracon Low E VE 1-42 glazing to help maintain optimal indoor temperatures. The use of low emitting, recycled, locally manufactured, and rapidly renewable materials such as structural steel and zinc facade, bamboo flooring, cotton insulation, FSC certified wood, FSC IPE Decking and Siding, No VOC Paint and Low VOC coatings. (IPE is a hardwood from Brazilian growers that harvest under the guidelines and techniques of sustainable yield forestry management. It contains no toxins or chemicals.) Separate HVAC systems for the apartments and for the corridor and lobby spaces, which provide fresh, filtered cool and warm air to those spaces via 100% outside air rooftop air handling units. The building's design will utilize 24% less energy in heating, cooling and lighting, as well as 20% less water than a standard building, which, in turn, will afford lower utility bills. The building was constructed utilizing criteria from the LEED New Construction Guidelines version 2.1. During each stage of construction, the onsite team met to review/implement the guidelines, with an emphasis on construction waste management, diversion from landfill material, and adherence to an indoor air quality management plan. Construction waste management initiatives allowed 88% of building construction waste materials to be recycled during the construction process. These materials included, wood, metals, concrete, masonry, drywall, cartons/crates, and glass. 100% of the electrical power will be purchased from wind and other alternative energy sources. The site positioning maximizes the use of daylight and views. A green housekeeping program for the building management company. Sustainable education offered through building tours, web site links and information, and a case study. "Del-Sano was the ideal construction partner to redevelop Garden Street Lofts. Their knowledge of sustainable materials and LEED requirements, energy efficient systems and sustainable construction processes, as well as their commitment to the highest quality and attention to detail, were evident everyday throughout the process." Bijou noted.
"We are very excited about our contributions as general contractor to this ground-breaking project because it sets new standards and a commitment for sustainable residential development here in New Jersey. In addition, Garden Street Lofts is very much in sync with Del-Sano's own commitment to the utilization of sustainable resources and efficient, energy-conscious construction," said Del-Sano CEO and Founder Angelo Del Russo.
Among the other project team members were: Architect: Sharples Holden Pasquarelli Architects, New York, NY MEPS Engineer: Buro Happold, New York, NY Project Financing: TD Bank, Ramsey, NJ Marketing Agent: Hudson Place Realty, Hoboken, NJ LEED Commissioning Agent, Dome-Tech Group, Edison, NJ About Bijou Properties Garden Street Lofts was developed by Bijou Properties (http://www.bijouproperties.com), which has already received recognition for successfully redeveloping urban properties and for the adaptive re-use of a former industrial and warehouse building along the Hudson River waterfront. The company is committed to incorporating sustainable design and construction into its projects. Bijou Properties recently completed the renovation of the former Hostess Building, which is adjacent to Garden Street Lofts, into a prime retail property in Hoboken. Tenants include the New York Sports Club, Washington Mutual Bank, and CVS pharmacy.
About Del-Sano Contracting Corp. Del-Sano Contracting Corp. (http://www.delsano.com) a member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC), is a skilled and qualified builder of LEED-registered projects. The firm is committed to setting new standards for sustainable development through ongoing education and training, responsible use of natural resources, and the integration of principles of sustainable development in its day-to-day activities and client projects.
Established in 1975, Del-Sano provides full-service, commercial general construction and construction management services to a distinguished and diverse client base located throughout the New York metropolitan area. The firm, which ranks among the 25 largest general contractors in New Jersey, is engaged in the construction and development of commercial, institutional, retail, multifamily (including senior, affordable and luxury housing) high-rise, multi-level and framed structures, as well as recreational facilities and historic renovation projects.
www.zibb.com

Green Design Makes 'Cents' CEO Angelo Del-Russo Quoted

Green Design Makes 'Cents'
Multi-Housing News
Sept 4, 2008 By Keat Foong, Executive Editor

Green developments do not necessarily have to cost that much more. In the development of green multi-housing, certain measures are relatively cost-efficient but still go a long way toward achieving environmental sustainability. The items and measures "can literally range from zero to hundreds of thousands of dollars," says Michael Massie, housing development manager with the affordable housing developer Jamboree Housing Corp. For example, many of the items on Jamboree's green development checklist "simply required resourcefulness and creativity, not excessive expense," says the company. Low-VOC paints and dual-flush toilets are examples of green products that cost very little extra to incorporate, says Massie. "The difference in price for VOC versus non-VOC paints is pretty incidental," he adds. "And low-flush toilets have a dramatic impact, but cost just a few hundred dollars more." One measure that costs nothing extra but takes a big step in the direction of green building is orienting the building correctly in relation to the sun's exposure. In order to incorporate such measures and get the best bids from contractors, developers are advised to start planning their green strategies early, at the start of the design process. "The design process, if done correctly from the beginning, helps to find the strategic orientation of the building and take advantage of prevailing winds. These steps do not add to the cost of the building, but have a positive effect on the environmental aspects of the project," says Christof Jantzen, principal partner at the Los Angeles-based Behnisch Architects. Just how much more do green buildings cost today? The answer depends on many factors. Nevertheless, developers have general rules of thumb. "You are hovering about the 10 percent level," in higher construction costs, advises Angelo Del Russo, founder and CEO of Del-Sano Construction Corp., based in Union, N.J. Most of the extra costs in green projects come from the products and materials side, rather than from labor, Russo says. AvalonBay Communities Inc. currently has about a dozen green projects in the pilot phase, says Phillip Wharton, vice president of development in the company's New York office. One environmentally sensitive project the company is developing is the 507-unit Avalon White Plains, in White Plains, N.Y. The project is the first residential property in the city to incorporate green features under a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) program. The company will be reimbursed for as much as $504,747 under the program for the additional costs of incorporating or exceeding NYSERDA's energy conservation requirements. The measures taken by AvalonBay include the use of high-efficiency condensing boilers, low-rate ventilation fans, high-efficiency elevators and lighting, and Energy Star appliances. Wharton estimates the additional costs of implementing green building measures to be 2 to 5 percent of the total development cost, "which is significant because our developments often cost $100 million." All these items, Wharton says, would not have been economically worthwhile to incorporate without the NYSERDA incentives. "Over time, as the technology becomes more prolific, we'll start to see payback. The goal now is to be cost neutral or have the cost offset by the lower expenses," says Rachel Loeb, AvalonBay senior development director. California-based affordable housing developer Jamboree Housing Corp. agrees that green building can generate about 10 percent in additional costs. A project that the company currently has on the drawing boards is aiming for LEED Gold certification. The green certification will add about another $2 million to the $20 million development, estimates Massie. Jamboree now incorporates a green checklist at the start of design engineering for each of its projects. The developer says it typically exceeds California's Title 24 requirements by 15 percent and takes further steps to lower energy consumption and lower the level of pollutants. Its extensive standard green development checklist includes items such as avoiding wetlands or steep slopes, limiting density to 26.5 units per acre, using Energy Star appliances, designing units for east-west orientation for access to the sun, using through-unit design for maximum daylight penetration and natural ventilation and using capped ducts during construction. Many sustainable measures incur fixed costs no matter the number of units. In this regard, building green can actually result in fewer additional costs as a percentage of total costs if the development is high-cost or has many units. International developer Hines is currently developing the 35-unit One Jackson Square in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York. David Penick, vice president at Hines and the developer of the project, estimates that the LEED Silver rating will add about "3 percent in extra costs in the context of a very high-quality building." Condominiums at the project will sell for about $2,500 per square foot, or about $2.1 million to $22 million. "The additional cost is not that great if the project is a high-quality building," says Penick. Environmentally friendly measures to be employed at One Jackson Square include the use of at least 10 percent post-consumer recycled materials; 20 percent regional sourcing of materials; low-VOC paints, finishes and adhesives; mechanical systems such as high-efficiency motors and local control of equipment; and a green roof to reduce water runoff and heat emission. According to Penick, the green roof is one of the most expensive propositions in the green equation. He says the union-installed cost for the green roof system at One Jackson Square will be about $25 per sq. ft. In any case, the biggest financial challenge of building green to LEED standards is "meeting the energy requirements without question," says Penick. "It is also one of the biggest benefits because greater energy efficiencies will lower building costs," he says. Other costly green items are photovoltaic cell solar panels used for the generation of energy from the sun. Jamboree Housing employed these panels in its 36-unit Laurel Crest Apartment Homes in Lancaster, Calif. at a cost of $169,000. However, the company is obtaining a $69,000 rebate from the state of California, and the use of the technology helped the developer earn an additional $35,000 in equity from the sale of 4 percent tax credits. The anticipated savings are at least $6,500 a year in electricity charges. As a result, the company was able to take out an additional $91,000 in extra debt.
www.del-sano.com

Featured Real Estate Business Online

DEL-SANO SELECTED FOR SENIOR HOUSING PROJECTWEST CALDWELL, N.J. — Union, N.J.-based Del-Sano Contracting Corp, has been selected to provide general contracting services for the construction of Phases II and III of Crane’s Mill, a 35-acre senior housing facility located in West Caldwell that is being developed by Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey. The project is expected to cost $27 million, and construction will begin this month. Phase II will include the construction of 70 independent units with 47 underground parking spaces, as well as 10 cottages with attached garages. The independent living units will be located in a two-story building attached to the existing central facility. Phase III of Crane’s Mill will encompass 20,000 square feet of new and existing space. A new wing will be added that will house the memory support area, a dementia courtyard and renovated common areas for the assisted living areas. Construction will also include the conversion of 18 of the facility’s 60 assisted living units into dementia units. Upon completion, Crane’s Mill will contain 286 independent living units, 48 assisted living units and 18 dementia units, with 66 of the units set aside for skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. The first phase of the community was completed in 1998. MARCUS & MILLICHAP BROKERS 120-UNIT APARTMENT SALELEVITTOWN, PA. — Marcus & Millichap has brokered the sale of Avalon Court Apartments, a 120-unit, garden-style apartment community located in Levittown. Situated on 6 acres on Bristol Oxford Valley Road, the property contains 11 three-story brick buildings. Clark Talone and Ridge MacLaren of Marcus & Millichap’s Philadelphia office represented the seller, Avalon Partners, and procured the buyer, a regionally based partnership. The acquisition price was not disclosed. http://www.rebusinessonline.com/news_archive/2008/August/08-08-08.shtml