Posted by Leonard Steinberg on October 12th, 2013
As we approach the one year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the second-costliest hurricane in United States history that killed 73 people and cost New York around $42 billion. ($65 billion in total US damages), we have to ask: what has changed? Well, the most important ‘new’ thing besides generators and flood gates is ELEVATION, an element that is affecting the way buildings will be designed that are in close proximity to the river.
From a real estate broker’s perspective I was amazed at the speed at which so many badly damaged buildings recovered…..granted there are those that are still completing renovations to their lobbies (which is not unusual for any lobby renovation considering the often psychotic behavior of building owners and their boards when it comes to the subject of aesthetics). It was alarming to discover how many rather newly constructed buildings had completely ignored a reality all decent architects and engineers were aware of many, many years ago: responsible developers knew that buildings that exist in Zone A simply cannot have their electronics below grade. The cost of moving these electrical panels was probably the slowest and most costly changes some buildings had to endure. The first thing you may notice about 505 West 19th Street (www.505west19.com), the new Thomas Juul-Hansen-designed building currently under construction on ‘Architects Row’ in West Chelsea, is a noticeable flight of stairs to access the lobby (located underneath the Highline Park), a result of new code that demands that all residential space is now elevated at least 4ft above street level.
Stairs leading up to lobbies have never been terribly desirable as they often involve installing some rather unsightly contraption for wheel chair access if there is no room for a ramp: the time has arrived for an aesthetically pleasing version of this essential element.
Other cities around the world are plagued with high water levels and have engineered around this, and I am certain New York can do the same. Cost is always an argument used against a city wall (such as the one in St. Petersburg Russia)or a series of dykes (Holland), yet that cost should be weighed up against future storms: is a $10 billion sea wall really that much more expensive than $42 billion worth of damage?
Most developers are installing flood gate systems to protect buildings, building the basements like swimming pools with submarine-style doors, water-proofing extensively, elevating all mechanicals well above street grade and installing generators to provide power, possibly the one thing that would have helped most buildings mitigate damage directly after the storm. All were reminded about the power of water and the damaging nature of SALT water. Salt’s corrosive qualities are truly astounding.
The bottom line: New York is expecting future storms: what exactly the damages will be next time remain unknown. Hopefully the short-sightedness of not investing in a real, meaningful long-term protection system doesn’t mirror the current short term Band-Aid fixes our government is seeking for our debt ceiling.