New York City, NY — Standing at the western end of Langan’s New York City office gives you direct sightlines to the project reinventing Manhattan’s West Side. Just a block away, you can hear the hum of a herd of construction cranes hoisting steel and concrete into the sky. This is Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in U.S. history. Langan has been intimately involved with the redevelopment of this active train yard for more than a decade, from the initial studies for a sports stadium and convention center, to the 28-acre mixed-use project being constructed by the Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group. Throughout the project we have worked closely with world-class design consultants, including architects KPF, SOM, Diller Scofidio, Ismael Leyva Architects, and Rockwell Group, and structural engineers Thornton Tomasetti and WSP. With phase one of foundation construction complete and the first office tower delivered for tenant fit-out, developing over 17 million s/f of commercial, residential, and public space is well underway.
Hudson Yards creates real estate out of thin air – literally. Two “platforms” will bridge over 30 active train tracks and will support towers, mid-rises and public open space.
Langan has been the geotechnical and environmental engineer for the east platform, which is supported by 380 high-capacity caissons that transfer loads from the platform and buildings into the underlying bedrock.
Importantly, Langan advocated for performing unconventional caisson load tests to substantiate using higher foundation capacities. The tests resulted in reduced rock-socket lengths and cut foundation drilling duration substantially. Our geotechnical engineers performed advanced analyses of the building loads on adjacent subway tunnels, which allowed New York City Transit to approve foundations that were significantly shorter than would be required by standard practice. Coupled with our integration of geotechnical and environmental field work, the advanced studies and field testing translated into significant foundation construction time and materials savings.
“Completion of the eastern yards foundation system is such a milestone for the Hudson Yards project because it sets the stage for the real development – the towers, a culture center, retail podium and fantastic public space,” said Marc Gallagher, Senior Principal at Langan leading the firm’s work at Hudson Yards. “Working with Related/Oxford to maximize foundation and environmental efficiencies has helped move this project forward, which will ultimately spur development of the Far West Side, a neighborhood that we at Langan call home.”