Monthly construction-input prices jump in April

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ABC analysis shows costs up almost 20 percent in the last year Construction-input prices — the costs of materials and energy sed in building projects — increased 1.3 percent in April from March, according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Producer Price Index data by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). But construction-input prices are […]

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Construction projects among those targeted in Potsdam’s $10M state downtown-funding grant

Construction, Design & Real Estate, New York News, Nonprofits, Regional News, Small Business, Subscriber Only

POTSDAM, N.Y. — Construction and renovation work will be among the eight projects that will benefit from the state’s $10 million award in the Downtown Revitalization Initiative for the village of Potsdam in St. Lawrence County. The office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo on May 19 announced Potsdam’s list of projects. The eight projects will help

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The office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo on May 19 announced Potsdam’s list of projects.

The eight projects will help to “redevelop and repurpose” underutilized buildings, improve streetscapes, and support downtown and local businesses, Cuomo’s office said.

Potsdam was named a round 4 winner in October 2019.

Projects

Potsdam will use more than $1.8 million to build a downtown river-walk trail. The construction project involves a looped multi-modal trail along the Raquette River. It’ll include a pocket park, shared-use path, mural walk, and new bike lanes on Maple Street. The trail will connect to existing multi-modal connections downtown.

In addition, the community will use more than $1.6 million to relocate and expand the Potsdam Food Co-op. The project will include the acquisition of new property, renovation, equipment, and marketing.

The projects will also include the expansion of the North Country Children’s Museum. Potsdam will use $1.4 million to expand the children’s museum into the second floor, including basement-and first-floor renovations to accommodate an elevator.

Potsdam also plans to expand the Clarkson Inn. It will use $600,000 for the project that will involve adding 20 rooms, meeting space, a fitness room, and renovating its furniture and fixtures.

Another $578,000 will help pay to revitalize the North Country Arts Center. The acquisition and exterior/interior renovation for the new North Country Arts Center will include windows, floors, restrooms, walls, elevator, and equipment for a printmaking studio.

Potsdam will also use $118,000 to expand the Sandstone Diner, which involves the expansion of Scoops ice cream into a 1940s/50s-themed seasonal diner serving breakfast and lunch with outdoor seating.

In addition, the community will use $750,000 to establish a fund to rebuild its downtown area. The revolving grant and loan fund will include rent assistance, Main Street renovation, a quick-start grant program, and COVID-19-related capital improvements.

Potsdam also plans to use $2.78 million to pay for streetscape improvements in the Market Street historic district. The work will include intersection and safety improvements, street lighting, trees, wayfinding, and bioretention, Cuomo’s office said.

New York closed and pending home sales exploded higher in April

Construction, Design & Real Estate, New York News, Subscriber Only

CNY sales mixed ALBANY, N.Y. — The red-hot real-estate market continued in April. New York realtors sold 10,528 previously owned homes in the month, a rise of 47.6 percent from the 7,134 homes sold in April 2020. Further large increases in closed home sales are coming in forthcoming months as pending

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CNY sales mixed

ALBANY, N.Y. — The red-hot real-estate market continued in April. New York realtors sold 10,528 previously owned homes in the month, a rise of 47.6 percent from the 7,134 homes sold in April 2020.

Further large increases in closed home sales are coming in forthcoming months as pending sales nearly tripled in April. That’s according to the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR)’s April housing-market report issued May 21.

The sales gains came as the inventory of homes for sale declined for a 17th straight month.

Sales data

Pending sales totaled 14,596 homes in April, up nearly 175 percent from 5,312 in the same month in 2020, according to the NYSAR data.

The April 2021 statewide median sales price was $370,000, up more than 42 percent from the April 2020 median sales price of $260,000.

The months’ supply of homes for sale at the end of April stood at 2.9 months, down more than 38 percent from 4.7 months a year ago, per NYSAR’s report. A 6 month to 6.5 month supply is considered to be a balanced market, per the association.

The number of homes for sale totaled 38,751 in April, down more than 21 percent from 49,195 in April 2020.

Central New York data

Realtors in Onondaga County sold 307 previously owned homes in April, down 7.3 percent from the 331 homes sold in the same month in 2020. The median sales price rose 11.9 percent to more than $177,400 from $158,500 a year ago, according to the NYSAR report.

Realtors sold 124 homes in Oneida County in April, up 18.1 percent from the 105 homes sold during April 2020. The median sales price increased 31.3 percent to $168,000 from $128,000 a year prior.

Realtors in Broome County sold 140 existing homes in April, up 27.3 percent from 110 a year ago, according to the NYSAR report. The median sales price rose 12.4 percent to $128,600 from more than $114,400 a year earlier.

In Jefferson County, realtors closed on 107 homes in April, up 48.6 percent from 72 a year before, and the median sales price of $168,000 was up 18.3 percent from $142,000 a year ago, according to the NYSAR data.

All home-sales data is compiled from multiple-listing services in New York state and it includes townhomes and condominiums in addition to existing single-family homes, according to NYSAR.

Syracuse Downtown Living Tour returns in September

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Those who enjoy the annual Downtown Living Tour in Syracuse should plan for a Saturday in mid-to-late September. The Downtown Committee of Syracuse, Inc. tells CNYBJ that it will hold this year’s tour in September for the second straight year. The organization will determine the specific date as the event draws closer

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Construction project visible from Taft Road will include WellNow Urgent Care as tenant

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

CLAY, N.Y. — A building that is under construction across Taft Road from the Wegmans store in Clay will include a location of WellNow Urgent Care. The project is located at 4995 Wintersweet Drive in Clay (Liverpool mailing address), a spokesperson for Chicago, Illinois–based WellNow tells CNYBJ in an email. Founded as Five Star Urgent

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Construction-law attorney joins Hancock Estabrook

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Attorney Michael Balestra has joined Syracuse–based law firm Hancock Estabrook, LLP as a partner in the firm’s construction, commercial litigation, and cannabis practice areas. Balestra represents owners, contractors, and design professionals in matters related to public and private construction projects, the law firm said in a release. He assists clients in reviewing,

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C.K. Construction leases industrial building on Factory Avenue

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Subscriber Only

SALINA, N.Y. — C.K. Construction Unlimited, LLC recently leased a 6,615-square-foot freestanding industrial building at 209 Factory Ave. in the town of Salina. Gary Cottet from Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage Company represented the tenant and Chris Savage & Sam Vulcano from Cushman & Wakefield/Pyramid Brokerage represented the landlord in this transaction. No lease terms were

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VIEWPOINT: U.S. DOL Withdraws Independent-Contractor Regulations

Business Mentors, Employee Benefits & Human Resources, Law, Accounting & Taxes, Subscriber Only

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On May 6, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) withdrew its final regulations that would have revised the standard for determining whether a worker is an employee covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) or an independent contractor who is not subject to the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime requirements. According to the USDOL, the independent-contractor rule that was withdrawn “is inconsistent with the FLSA’s text and purpose, and would have a confusing and disruptive effect on workers and businesses alike due to its departure from longstanding judicial precedent.”

The USDOL’s independent-contractor regulations were published on Jan. 7 and were initially supposed to become effective on March 8. The effective date of the regulations was then delayed until May 7, and the USDOL published a proposed rule on March 12 to withdraw the regulations. After receiving more than 1,000 comments on its proposed withdrawal of its independent-contractor regulations, the USDOL formally withdrew those regulations on May 6.

The result of this withdrawal is that the USDOL will likely continue to take an expansive view of employee status under the FLSA. Even if the final regulations had taken effect on May 7 as scheduled, those regulations would have only been applicable to the independent-contractor analysis under the FLSA, and would not have affected the independent-contractor analysis under New York wage and hour laws. There are many branches of the New York State Department of Labor (such as the Division of Labor Standards, the Unemployment Insurance Division, and the Workers’ Compensation Board) that have historically taken a more expansive view of employee status under New York law. So, for employers in New York, the USDOL’s withdrawal of its regulations should not drastically change the manner in which potential independent-contractor relationships are analyzed. Employers should continue to be cautious when classifying an individual worker as an independent contractor and should consult with legal counsel to assess the risks of such a classification.

Subhash Viswanathan is a member (partner) at Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC in Syracuse. Viswanathan represents employers in many different industries on labor and employment issues. Contact him at suba@bsk.com. This viewpoint is drawn from the firm’s New York Labor and Employment Law Report.

Construction underway on $19M housing development in Oneonta

Construction, Design & Real Estate, New York News, Regional News, Subscriber Only

ONEONTA, N.Y. — Construction has begun on Dietz Street Lofts, a $19 million mixed-use, mixed-income affordable-housing development in Oneonta that will create 64 affordable homes. The project supports the economic-development efforts underway in Oneonta, as part of the city’s selection as a winner of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for the Mohawk Valley,

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ONEONTA, N.Y. — Construction has begun on Dietz Street Lofts, a $19 million mixed-use, mixed-income affordable-housing development in Oneonta that will create 64 affordable homes.

The project supports the economic-development efforts underway in Oneonta, as part of the city’s selection as a winner of the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) for the Mohawk Valley, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in an April 30 news release.

Oneonta was named a DRI round 1 winner in 2016.

Crews are building the four-story Dietz Street Lofts on the site of a municipal parking lot in Oneonta’s DRI strategic-plan area. The developer is Parkview Development & Construction and Kearney Realty and Development Group of Baldwin Place in Westchester County will be the management agent.

Dietz Street Lofts will include 40 one-bedroom apartments and 24 two-bedroom apartments. The structure will include 42 apartments, with a preference for tenants involved in artistic or literary activities. Seven apartments will be fully adaptable for persons with mobility impairment and three will be adapted for persons with hearing or vision impairment.

All apartments will be affordable to households earning between 60 and 100 percent of the area median income or less, Cuomo’s office said.

In addition, Dietz Street Lofts will be home to Hartwick College’s Grain Innovation Center, which will be a regional source for studying the quality of potential wheat cultivars for whole-grain milling and baking. The educational facility will be located on the building’s first floor. The Mohawk Valley Regional Economic Development Council awarded a grant for $180,000 through Empire State Development in support of this project.

New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) says the financing for the Dietz Street Lofts project includes federal and state low-income housing tax credits that will generate $11.1 million in equity, $2.8 million from the Housing Trust Fund, $975,000 through the Rural and Urban Community Investment Fund, and $665,000 through the Middle-Income Housing Program.

Additional state support includes a $1.4 million DRI grant administered by Empire State Development and $58,400 provided by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. The Community Preservation Corporation is providing a SONYMA-insured $1.6 million permanent loan through their partnership with the New York State Common Retirement Fund. SONYMA is short for State of New York Mortgage Agency.

“Dietz Street Lofts will offer 64 households, including those in the artistic community and those with disabilities, the opportunity to live affordably in new energy-efficient homes that blend with the design and architecture of the surrounding historic community,” HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said in the release. “We are pleased to partner with Parkview Development and Construction on this $19 million project that will advance Oneonta’s community renewal, enhance downtown revitalization and provide workforce housing that is convenient to public transportation, close to government services, health care and shopping opportunities.”

Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig thanked state officials for their support of Oneonta’s downtown revitalization efforts.

“In addition to addressing our need for affordable middle-income housing, the Dietz Street Lofts will provide affordable live/workspace for local artists,” Herzig said. “This project will not only support Oneonta’s thriving arts community as part of our walkable downtown, it will also be home to the Hartwick College Grain Innovation Center — an Innovation Center which will support our local agribusinesses while providing hands-on training for the students of Hartwick College.”

Construction begins on REDI project in Sterling, finishes in Little Sodus Bay

Construction, Design & Real Estate, Sports, Entertainment & Tourism, Subscriber Only

STERLING — Construction is underway on a $1.5 million project awarded to the town of Sterling in Cayuga County to deal with flooding issues. At the same time, a dredging project in Little Sodus Bay is now finished. The funding for both projects comes through the Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI), the office of

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STERLING — Construction is underway on a $1.5 million project awarded to the town of Sterling in Cayuga County to deal with flooding issues.

At the same time, a dredging project in Little Sodus Bay is now finished.

The funding for both projects comes through the Resiliency and Economic Development Initiative (REDI), the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

The existing double culvert carrying McIntyre Road over Sterling Valley Creek is the only access route for local homes and agricultural properties north of Sterling Creek. Flooding in 2019 caused inundation of the culvert and erosion of the roadway embankment at both the inlet and the outlet of the culvert.

Emergency repairs were needed to keep this roadway open. Improvements included in this project will “ensure uninterrupted” residential and emergency vehicle passage, Cuomo’s office said.

Mitigation measures for this project include the removal of the existing double-barrel culvert. Crews will replace the structure with a 71-foot single-span bridge. Workers will also install stone fill in front of the abutments and along the wingwalls to protect the structure against future erosion.

“In 2019, intense flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario caused sections of roadway to be fully submerged in water, making travel hazardous and in some cases forcing emergency closures,” Cuomo said. “The safety of New Yorkers is our top priority. Through REDI, we will ensure that when high water events occur, roadways remain clear and open allowing continued safe travel for residents and emergency vehicles.”

“Through the governor’s REDI program, vital upgrades will be made to ensure that we do not have to close the road during times of high water,” Town of Sterling Supervisor Scott Crawford said. “These improvements will protect the residents of Sterling and visitors, by allowing safe passage as well as ensuring emergency vehicles are able to respond quickly to calls.”

Little Sodus Bay project complete

Besides the Sterling project, Cuomo announced the completion of dredging at Little Sodus Bay in Cayuga County as part of the state’s $15 million REDI regional dredging project, which removed built-up sediment from the bottom of the waterway to allow for continued safe passage of watercraft.

The Little Sodus Bay project removed approximately 6,000 cubic yards of sediment, which was then deposited on the shoreline east of the navigation channel to rebuild and protect the beach.

About REDI

In response to the extended pattern of flooding along the shores of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River, Cuomo created REDI to increase the resilience of shoreline communities and “bolster” economic development in the region.

Five REDI regional planning committees — which included representatives from eight counties, Niagara and Orleans, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, and Oswego, and Jefferson and St. Lawrence — were established to identify local priorities, at-risk infrastructure and other assets, and public-safety concerns.

The REDI Commission allocated $20 million for homeowner assistance, $30 million to improve the resiliency of businesses, and $15 million toward a regional dredging effort that will benefit each of the eight counties in the REDI regions.

The remaining $235 million has been allocated towards local and regional projects that advance and embody the REDI mission.

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