Maspeth Feasibility Study

Under NYC DDC’s Design and Construction Excellence program, BKSK directed a Capital Scope Development Study for the Department of Environmental Protection exploring options for co-locating new Fleet Operations, Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations, and Bureau of Water Treatment facilities to an FDNY-occupied site in Maspeth, Queens to improve safety and operations. BKSK assembled and managed a design team comprised of structural, geotechnical, civil, traffic, MEPFP, landscape, environmental, fuel, survey and cost consultants to produce the year-long study.

Through site visits, precedent studies, historical document review and programming sessions with stakeholders, BKSK developed and evaluated design options for DEP’s Fleet and BWSO facilities. The Fleet facility included a multi-bay garage for vehicle storage, cleaning, and servicing; a training track for large trucks; administrative offices; conference rooms; and parking for 200 cars. The BWSO facility included a multi-bay garage, parts and material storage, machine shop, administrative offices, and support facilities. A compost facility, part of a DEP pilot project initiative, was also incorporated into the site programming. To assess needs for this new program, the design team visited precedent projects run by other city agencies with the DDC and DEP team.

The study evaluated site conditions and constraints, zoning requirements, programmatic requirements, sustainability requirements, and regulatory requirements governing hazardous materials removal. The site presented multiple challenges—located in the FEMA flood plain, containing contamination, bisected by freight railway tracks and encumbered with easements. Site and landscape strategies integrated on-site operations, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, stormwater management and flood mitigation measures, as well as provisions for temporary facilities and phasing for uninterrupted operations.

The study was completed in three phases: inventory and analysis of existing conditions; identification of issues and development of options; and detailed analysis of the selected option including schedule and costs. At completion, BKSK worked closely with DDC to distill findings into a report successfully presented to OMB, demonstrating our ability to translate complex technical analysis into clear recommendations for decision-makers.