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.

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/

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