Functioning as the first building block for future improvement to the neighbourhood, the New York & Atlantic Railway Wheelspur Multimodal Facility and Freight Yard will attract new commodity-based firms to the area. With the project’s completion, Long Island City will be viewed as a competitive industrial hub on the rise.

Owned by MTA Long Island Railroad (MTA-LIRR) since the early 1900s, the project site originally served as LIRR’s hub before conversion to other commercial uses. After being cleared of commercial tenants in 2010, the site was flooded by Hurricane Sandy and ravaged by fire. Consultants partnered with New York & Atlantic Railway to redevelop the space into a new rail yard, enabling freight traffic to cross the Dutch Kills Creek drawbridge and commodity-based freight cargo distribution at the facility.

The new facility provides access to freight rail, commercial trucking and barges, transforming an eyesore into a community asset. The site features rail-to-barge operations, loading docks to existing structures, lay down space, four railroad tracks with six switches, a refurbished 20,000 square-foot storage facility, a new 10,000 square-foot pre-fabricated building and a new 3,600 square-foot welfare facility.

The previous lack of freight rail has made New York City dependent on trucks, which increases the cost of goods and materials as well as traffic congestion. In addition to bolstering freight rail service, the new facility aids the progression of the East Side Access project.

The project team completed design and oversaw construction of the project on an accelerated schedule while meeting the complex needs of NYA, MTA-LIRR and NYSDOT. This project is an excellent example of how smart, urban design can transform old industrial spaces into a vital part of the city’s infrastructure.

Awards

• 2014 - Gold Award, Engineering Excellence Awards, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York