New York-based Oldcastle Precast Building Systems was selected as the primary precast concrete contractor for phase one of New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) new housing facilities at Prospect Plaza in the Oceanhill-Brownsville community of Brooklyn.

Under the contract for Phase One of Prospect Plaza’s Redevelopment Project, the company will supply the precast concrete building system which includes hollowcore prestressed concrete slabs, precast concrete beams, interior and exterior wall panels, solid slabs, and precast stairs and landings which will be used to construct four story walk up, townhouse-style buildings and a five-and-a-half story elevator building. Additionally, Oldcastle Precast Building Systems will be supplying a prefabricated composite metal panelized wall system for the exterior of the building which includes shop installation of windows within the prefabricated system.

Prospect Plaza is being developed under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s New Housing Marketplace Plan (NHMP), a multibillion dollar initiative to finance 165,000 units of affordable housing for half a million New Yorkers by the close of the 2014 fiscal year.

NYCHA’s Prospect Plaza redevelopment plan contains three phases of construction-- construction of new housing facilities, open space, community facilities, and retail space--to replace the remaining vacant Prospect Plaza towers. The NYCHA and NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development selected Blue Sea Development Company, Pennrose Properties, Duvernay + Brooks, and Rosenberg Housing Group (Blue Sea & Partners), as the development team to revitalize NYCHA’s Prospect Plaza. Oldcastle Precast Building Systems was chosen by general contractor Blue Sea Development Company, a New York-based firm with a big presence in New York, for Phase One of NYCHA’s $140 million Prospect Plaza redevelopment plan. Prospect Plaza South (Phase I) includes 148 units; 42 NYCHA public housing units and 106 low-income affordable housing units.

In all, Oldcastle Precast Building Systems is manufacturing 125,220 square feet of 8” deep x 4’-0” hollowcore prestressed slabs; 1,737 square feet of 8” solid slabs; 30,178 square feet of 8” thick solid precast concrete interior walls panels; 30,727 square feet of 8” thick solid precast concrete exterior wall panels with Metro Thin Brick finish; 23,611 square feet of 8” thick solid precast concrete exterior wall panels with reveals; 23 pieces of 12” x 16” rectangular beams (467 linear feet); 68 precast concrete stairs; and 3,071 square feet of solid precast concrete landings at their Albany, New York plant for this project.

“Oldcastle Precast Building Systems has been a reliable partner supplying high quality products to Blue Sea Development for many years”, said Les Bluestone, co-owner of Blue Sea Development. “We look forward to working with the Oldcastle Precast on Phase 1 of the project.”

“We are excited and very proud to be a part of this important New York community project and partnering again with Blue Sea Development Company who are committed to building green and sustainable communities and homes,” stated David Wan, Regional Manager of Engineering at Oldcastle Precast Building Systems. “The benefits of using these modular technologies together accelerates the construction schedule, provides a safer job site, as well as providing a sustainable quality product.”

In addition, Oldcastle Modular, certified as an off-site fabricator by the New York City Department of Buildings, Office of Technical Certification, and Research (OTCR), was awarded the contract to supply 117 modular, fully out-fitted bathroom pods for the new housing facilities. They are manufacturing the fully-outfitted and functional bathroom pods at their Orlando, Florida factory.

The three phase Prospect Plaza project will transform a 4.5-acre scattered site into 364-housing units, including 80 units of NYCHA public housing and 284 affordable housing apartments, and supporting amenities. Phase II, Prospect Plaza North, will have 111 units in a combination of townhouse-style walk-ups and taller elevator buildings. The final phase, the Saratoga Site, will be a four-and-a-half story elevator building organized around a central courtyard with 105 units. Prospect Plaza will also include a new supermarket, community facility, a rooftop greenhouse, and a recreation area.

Prospect Plaza Phase 1 is pursuing Energy Star, LEED, and National Green Building Standard certifications.

About Oldcastle Precast:
Oldcastle Precast is the clear choice for building products and services for North American Infrastructure projects. The company is a leading provider of engineered product solutions nationwide to a number of market sectors including:
Building Structures – Communications – Government/Military
Power & Energy - Security - Transportation – Water
Construction Services – Engineering Support – LEED/Green Consulting