On February, 2, 2013, New York City celebrated the 100th Anniversary of Grand Central Terminal, a birthday which had special meaning to me. Like so many New Yorkers, the building has always had a special place in my heart. My father, after returning from the Korean War in the 1950s went on to work for CBS, whose studios were located there. Later, growing up in New Rochelle in the 1960s, I remember him taking me through Grand Central to visit his office on Madison Avenue where he worked in advertising as one of the original Mad Men. The memories of Grand Central in the 70s and 80s are equally poignant as in my earlier years, but it wasn't until the 1990s when Grand Central took on a totally different meaning from my childhood nostalgia. From 1994 to 2001, while working for Beyer Blinder Belle, I was the project architect for the restoration and rehabilitation of the Terminal, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for any architect.
After working three years on the design development (DD) and construction documents (CD), I was assigned to the BBB field office in 1997. Although the drawing set was robust, field problems still occurred, as they do on most jobs. But unlike previous field assignments, this time I began jotting down things I'd do differently on 3M Post-it notes and a yellow legal pad. These would serve as reminders so that on future projects, potential construction issues would be resolved during the DD and CD phases. Or so I thought.
Last month, while New York was celebrating Grand Central's 100th birthday, I came across an old grey envelope while going through paperwork. Inside were my notes from Grand Central written on fading legal paper and 3M Post-its. I always knew the envelope existed, but never really took the time to read the notes, until now.
Here's a sampling of what I found (actual notes italicized). See how many apply to your current job.
Consultant Coordination Notes
When developing lighting or other electrical devices, have a full understanding of the electrical requirements; size of conduit, type of conduit, box size, location, and number
- Know every piece of MEP, fire alarm, fire protection equipment; size and weight of unit, accessing equipment for servicing and size of room
- Have a structural engineer provide engineering design for miscellaneous items not covered by building code
- Most importantly, maintain close coordination and communication with spec writer
Mock-ups and Samples Notes
- When asking for terrazzo samples (in spec), require the samples to be fully dry before submitting, the area of existing terrazzo should be ground down and cleaned for comparison to samples
- In paint spec, provide mock-ups of paint colors on varying surfaces
- Have enough mock-ups in spec for lighting
- Get samples of light fixtures to look at wiring and how everything goes together during DD
Pre-Construction Notes
- During the DD, and CD phases, ask the owner to hire a contractor to perform mock restoration for each item to be restored - this will expose hidden costs of restoring items before construction begins
- Have accurate meeting minutes of all decisions made by all parties, especially the client
Construction Manager/General Contractor Notes
- When the construction manager/general contractor request a rush for submittals and RFIs, this should be solidified in writing with the signature of the project manager or project executive
- If you don't find the conflicts in your drawings before construction, the contractor will during construction
- You cannot change how a contractor works, but you can control it
Specifications and Drawings Notes
- Never use the terms 'as required' in the drawings or specifications
- Words in specifications and drawings should be consistent
- Spec coordination should be developed along with the drawings
- Start hardware spec early
Drawing Notes
- Leave one or two inches more than is required for handicapped accessibility, construction is not a perfect science
- Good research is essential - always know what can be done and what can't be done
- Minimize the amount of drafting to explain the scope of work.
When I began my blog series for FXFOWLE in December 2011, my first piece was titled 'Notes from a Construction Site' based on my habit of jotting down thoughts on Post-it notes. While the Post-it became the blog's logo, it hadn't really occurred to me how much meaning that little sticker had; at least not until I found the notes from Grand Central.
While I never referenced the notes until last month, they unknowingly formed the basis for much of what I write about today (see 'The Juiceman' and 'Dress Rehearsal' blogs) and how I practice architecture. Some of the notes are unique to what I experienced at Grand Central, but most are universal and can be applied to any project. What the notes have in common is this: something didn't go as planned which resulted in a change to the contract. Time and effort were expended to correct the problem.
Although the technology that we use to design buildings has evolved from just 20 years ago, the problems we experience on job sites remain the same. Most are related to how we communicate during the DD and CD phases, others have to do with how well we execute during construction. Eventually, technology will solve these problems too. But until then, I'll just keep taking my notes on Post-its.
Note to self: send a belated birthday card to Grand Central Terminal.
After working three years on the design development (DD) and construction documents (CD), I was assigned to the BBB field office in 1997. Although the drawing set was robust, field problems still occurred, as they do on most jobs. But unlike previous field assignments, this time I began jotting down things I'd do differently on 3M Post-it notes and a yellow legal pad. These would serve as reminders so that on future projects, potential construction issues would be resolved during the DD and CD phases. Or so I thought.
Last month, while New York was celebrating Grand Central's 100th birthday, I came across an old grey envelope while going through paperwork. Inside were my notes from Grand Central written on fading legal paper and 3M Post-its. I always knew the envelope existed, but never really took the time to read the notes, until now.
Here's a sampling of what I found (actual notes italicized). See how many apply to your current job.
Consultant Coordination Notes
When developing lighting or other electrical devices, have a full understanding of the electrical requirements; size of conduit, type of conduit, box size, location, and number
- Know every piece of MEP, fire alarm, fire protection equipment; size and weight of unit, accessing equipment for servicing and size of room
- Have a structural engineer provide engineering design for miscellaneous items not covered by building code
- Most importantly, maintain close coordination and communication with spec writer
Mock-ups and Samples Notes
- When asking for terrazzo samples (in spec), require the samples to be fully dry before submitting, the area of existing terrazzo should be ground down and cleaned for comparison to samples
- In paint spec, provide mock-ups of paint colors on varying surfaces
- Have enough mock-ups in spec for lighting
- Get samples of light fixtures to look at wiring and how everything goes together during DD
Pre-Construction Notes
- During the DD, and CD phases, ask the owner to hire a contractor to perform mock restoration for each item to be restored - this will expose hidden costs of restoring items before construction begins
- Have accurate meeting minutes of all decisions made by all parties, especially the client
Construction Manager/General Contractor Notes
- When the construction manager/general contractor request a rush for submittals and RFIs, this should be solidified in writing with the signature of the project manager or project executive
- If you don't find the conflicts in your drawings before construction, the contractor will during construction
- You cannot change how a contractor works, but you can control it
Specifications and Drawings Notes
- Never use the terms 'as required' in the drawings or specifications
- Words in specifications and drawings should be consistent
- Spec coordination should be developed along with the drawings
- Start hardware spec early
Drawing Notes
- Leave one or two inches more than is required for handicapped accessibility, construction is not a perfect science
- Good research is essential - always know what can be done and what can't be done
- Minimize the amount of drafting to explain the scope of work.
When I began my blog series for FXFOWLE in December 2011, my first piece was titled 'Notes from a Construction Site' based on my habit of jotting down thoughts on Post-it notes. While the Post-it became the blog's logo, it hadn't really occurred to me how much meaning that little sticker had; at least not until I found the notes from Grand Central.
While I never referenced the notes until last month, they unknowingly formed the basis for much of what I write about today (see 'The Juiceman' and 'Dress Rehearsal' blogs) and how I practice architecture. Some of the notes are unique to what I experienced at Grand Central, but most are universal and can be applied to any project. What the notes have in common is this: something didn't go as planned which resulted in a change to the contract. Time and effort were expended to correct the problem.
Although the technology that we use to design buildings has evolved from just 20 years ago, the problems we experience on job sites remain the same. Most are related to how we communicate during the DD and CD phases, others have to do with how well we execute during construction. Eventually, technology will solve these problems too. But until then, I'll just keep taking my notes on Post-its.
Note to self: send a belated birthday card to Grand Central Terminal.
