MTA Storm Mitigation

Superstorm Sandy slammed New York City in October of 2012. At 2 Broadway, the Class-A commercial building in Lower Manhattan, occupied by the NYC MTA,

absorbed approximately 30 feet

of water in the basement.

Constructed in 1959, 2 Broadway was the first modernist structure erected in lower Manhattan and comprises 1.6 million square feet of premium office space and a mix of storefront retail spaces. Extensively renovated in 1999, it is managed by Transwestern Commercial Services, the Property and Project Management Company.

Under its lease, the NYC MTA is responsible for the upkeep and repairs to the downtown building. In the aftermath of Sandy and wary that such a so-called “100-year storm” could come again much sooner rather than later, the NYC MTA and Transwestern decided to institute a flood mitigation solution. Together they selected the Mechanical Engineering firm, DLB Associates who collaborated with Boddewyn Gaynor Architects and Raman + Oundjian Structural Engineers for the implementation of Phase I of the mitigation project.

BGA assembled documents for the architectural portion of the project, which included the installation of demountable, exterior flood barriers around the perimeter of 2 Broadway.

To accomplish our work, BGA surveyed the perimeter of the building, which has multiple exposures on Broadway, Beaver Street, Marketfield Street, Broad Street and Stone Street. Our team identified the points of vulnerability, such as: exterior vents and entrances, sidewalk grates, an underground parking garage, retail spaces, and mechanical and electrical equipment rooms in the basement.

The flood mitigation barriers at the building exterior were designed in accordance with the latest FEMA standards and based on the varied topography of the site, which slopes from Broadway downhill to Broad Street. The flood barrier elevation varied around the building thus requiring a range in barrier height from as little as four feet to as much as ten feet. Working with Presray, a supplier of flood mitigation products, we implemented a barrier system of interlocked planking.

In conjunction with DLB Associates, BGA designed the relocation of domestic water pumps to higher elevations within the basement and relocated the building’s emergency electrical systems.

The architectural community has a vast cadre of talented project managers. And then there’s Michael Ankuda, the project manager’s project manager; the professional’s professional.

With more than 35 years of experience, Michael is a technically savvy and seasoned professional,  who brings a unique set of talents and skills to projects of all types. That experience encompasses a multitude of initiatives involving building conversions and additions, educational, medical, retail, public agency, institutional and landmarks, including the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

A fair but no-nonsense task master, Michael has high expectations of his team and he knows how to keep a project on schedule. His keen eye for detail is evident when examining field conditions, enabling him to anticipate issues before they arise and to provide appropriate solutions. In fact, BGA’s reputation for producing tight, rigorous contract documents stems, in part, from Michael’s exacting attention to detail. His characteristic “deep-concentration pose” is apparent whenever his hands are propped against his head, a pencil is behind his ear, and he is intently studying the drawings.

A recent BGA project spearheaded by Michael involves the replacement of nearly eight miles of glass in approximately 5,000 windows in the Starrett-Lehigh building, a Landmark building on Manhattan’s Far West Side. To quote our client…”Boddewyn Gaynor’s team was deft in their approach and displayed an aptitude for detail that proved to be the difference in obtaining Landmarks approval to proceed on one of the largest facades + window replacement projects…”.

Further evidence of Michael’s skill and inventiveness is apparent in comments from the property manager of Transwestern Commercial Services, which oversees 2 Broadway, a Lower Manhattan building occupied by the NYC MTA that was severely impacted by Hurricane Sandy: “The MTA Storm Mitigation project demanded outside-the-box thinking. Rarely had something like this been done before in Lower Manhattan. We were forced to be pioneers and Michael Ankuda of BGA had the vision to help us make it happen. Michael’s flexibility and imagination made him a most valuable member of our team…I don’t think we could have done it without him.”

What does Michael do in his spare time when he is not problem-solving professionally? Always up for a challenge, Michael enjoys restoring wooden boats. You may find him along the Hudson River sailing a restored gem and enjoying the sun, the sea and the salt air!

BGA is proud of the work Michael Ankuda has done, and continues to do for our firm. We are enthusiastic that he is a part the BGA family and we want to share that enthusiasm with you.