Gabriel steel seaa 2013 poy2

Project of the Year - Cl ass II: $500K t o $1Million

Boa r d o f Direc t ors

Coney Island Steeple Chase Plaza Brooklyn, NY – Gabriel Steel Erectors

By Tina Cauller

THE SEAA CONNECTOR 2013 |

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Project the Year Board o fof D irect or s - Class II: $500K to $1Million

Project Name: Coney Island Steeple Chase Plaza Location: Brooklyn, NY Fabricator: Orange County Ironworks Detailer: KV Detailers Structural Engineering Firm: AECOM General Contractor: Hunter Roberts Project Owner: NYC Parks & Recreation Total erection duration: 6 weeks

C

oney Island is a true American treasure – an iconic amusement park with a rich history, set along the sunny Atlantic coastline.

After its own rollercoaster ride of vibrancy and decline, Coney Island is the focus of New York City’s plan for a major makeover of the area.

Part of that plan is the new 2.2-acre Steeplechase Plaza, a world-class public space located on the site of the old Steeplechase Amusement Park across from historic Steeplechase Pier.

The Plaza serves as the western entry point for the Coney Island amusement district.

For their expert contributions to the construction of the Steeplechase Plaza Pavilion (and dogged perseverance in the face of an unexpected calamity), Gabriel Steel Erectors has been recognized with the SEAA Class II Project of the Year for 2012.

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As Matt Messing, VP of Construction for Gabriel Steel Erectors, points out, “It was exciting for all of us to be a part of this project - to help bring Coney Island back to life. The Plaza is designed to be a centerpiece for that revival.”

The Plaza’s pavilion, designed by the Rockwell Group, features an S-curve roof structure that embraces a round glass carriage house enclosure with doors that open up to the boardwalk to let in the sea breezes. The building houses the Plaza’s crown jewel, the lovingly restored 1906 B&B Carousell, res-

Pro je ct o f th e Ye a r - Cl a ss II:Boa $500K $1Million r d otfo Direc t ors

cued from the auction block when the City of New York purchased it in 2005 for $1.8 million. Private owners had operated it on the north side of Surf Avenue since the 1970s. A team of carousel restoration experts gingerly dissembled the carousel, shipped it to Ohio for restoration down to the last authentic detail, and then returned it to Coney Island to show off its original glory.

tion process went off without a hitch. Messing notes, “Bringing it together required an enormous amount of architectural coordination and planning. We held several meetings with the contractor, architects and engineers to work through planning for all the architectural elements involved.”

The site itself created an additional challenge.

“The pavilion site is tight to the Boardwalk, so we were working in pretty close quarters with a number of other crews all working simultaneously,” Messing explains. A 100-ton hydraulic Liebherr LTM1090 crane was used to erect the steel structure.

According to Messing, “The pavilion design uses unique architectural elements based around multiple radii and very few right angles. The roof features pie-shaped sections of sloped roof decking and, to meet the aesthetic requirements of the designer, the team had to locate the bottom of each deck flute to ensure precise geometric alignment with the building. The canopy, composed of compound slopes and complex curves, was built in the shop of Orange County Ironworks in Montgomery, NY, about two hours away, then shipped to the site and reassembled.

The perimeter of the carriage house is encircled by perforated aluminum banding that provides solar shading and serves as a backdrop for the giant neon letters of the carousel’s new sign.

The experienced team at Gabriel Steel knew that it was critical to spend time up front examining connections to ensure that the erecREPRINTED FROM THE 2013 SEAA CONNECTOR |

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Project the Year Board o fof D irect or s - Class II: $500K to $1Million

“There were a lot of unitized sections,” notes Messing. “There is a plated compression ring at the center of the carriage house and we installed falsework to support it temporarily while the girders were brought into place.”

Project manager Matt Haaksma, a detail-oriented perfectionist by nature, deftly coordinated operations with the support of extensive BIM modeling and detailing.

Safety was a high priority throughout the project, so 100% tie-offs were used, and man lifts were brought in to limit fall exposure to 6 feet.

Then, on October 29, 2012, as the project neared completion, the one thing Gabriel Steel couldn’t plan for happened. Where happy beachgoers normally enjoy gently lapping

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waves, a monstrous superstorm, Hurricane Sandy, threatened the coast, forcing evacuation of the area. As Sandy slammed into Coney Island, the storm surge breached the site and submerged the entire park under a flood of sand, saltwater and debris. The winds reminded everyone of the incredible destructive power of nature.

Messing recalls, “It was three days until the crew was permitted to return to the site and begin clean-up. Six-thousand pound Connex boxes had been moved across the site by the flooding. The roof was ripped off the pavilion structure and much of the park suffered devastating damage.”

The Gabriel Steel team got the project back on track quickly and completed four weeks ahead of schedule.

This isn’t the first time Coney Island has been willed back from the brink of oblivion, but modern technology may be better able to protect it from future threats. The pavilion, designed by Rockwell Group, is equipped with hurricane-proof glass and elevated to reduce the risk of flooding.

The Steeplechase Plaza pavilion is now the proud home of the country’s second oldest surviving hand-carved carousel and the only remaining historic carousel on Coney Island.

“We are thrilled to be a part of preserving this piece of Coney Island history,” notes Messing. For local residents and visitors, the new Steeplechase Plaza provides an unparalleled opportunity to experience the salty history of this boardwalk gem, make new memories, and renew hope for the area’s future.