Site work, paving and new construction of a laboratory facility in Albany, New York. Completed plans call for the construction of a laboratory facility.

https://www.bizjournals.com/albany/news/2024/07/19/largest-construction-projects-albany-2024.html July 18, 2024 There are several major projects that are likely to land here in 2025, including the Livingston Avenue Bridge replacement, a nearly $500 million expansion at Albany Nanotech, the new $1.7 billion state health lab in Albany and, then, maybe, the biggest one of them all: GlobalFoundries' second plant in Malta. _____________________________________________________________ https://dec.ny.gov/news/environmental-notice-bulletin/2024-06-12/seqr/city-of-albany-new-york-state-life-sciences-public-health-laboratory Notice of Availability of Final Scope Albany County - The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, as lead agency, has made the Final Scope for the proposed New York State Life Sciences Public Health Laboratory available. The Final Scope is available at the following address Albany Public Library, Pine Hills Branch, 517 Western Avenue Albany, New York. 12208, from the contact below and online at: https://www.dasny.org/wadsworth-lab. The action involves a request received by Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) from the New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) for the construction of NYS DOHs New York State Life Sciences Public Health Laboratory, a new, four-story (plus mechanical floor), approximately 647,000 gross square foot laboratory, including a 930-space surface parking lot, on a vacant, approximately 27-acre site on the W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus in Albany. The project is located 1220 Washington Avenue Albany, New York. Primary Contact Robert S. Derico DASNY 515 Broadway Albany, NY 12207 Phone: (518) 257-3214 rderico@dasny.org _________________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.bizjournals.com/albany/news/2024/03/21/new-wadsworth-lab-albany-state-campus-details.html The new public health laboratory planned for the W. Averell Harriman State Office Campus in Albany would be a four-story, 647,000-square-foot building with 930 surface parking spaces. _____________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.timesunion.com/health/article/new-york-adds-1b-cost-new-wadsworth-center-lab-18085691.php ALBANY The plan for the long-awaited overhaul of the Wadsworth Center, the state's public health lab and research facilities, will cost taxpayers $1.7 billion, adding close to a billion dollars to the previously projected $750 million price tag. The new laboratory, expected to be constructed on the Harriman Office Campus complex in Albany by 2030, seeks to consolidate five facilities currently in Albany and Guilderland into one modern campus, according to a Friday press release from the state Department of Health. "New York is fortunate to be home of the Wadsworth Center, one of the premier public health laboratories in the world. This substantial investment, supported by Governor Hochul and the legislature, further demonstrates the state's commitment to public health excellence," Acting State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a statement. This year's spending plan adds $967 million to the original $750 million first approved in 2018 under former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. Wadsworth is one of the oldest and most prominent public health labs in the country. For nearly a decade, state and local policy makers have talked about upgrading its outdated facilities. But the location for its headquarters was never finalized and it was unclear whether the project would include a brand new campus or just a partial consolidation of its existing buildings. Planning and construction were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and funds were removed from the state budget in 2021 as the state grappled with a financial shortfall exacerbated by the health crisis. Hochul's administration returned the $750 million to the state's financial plan in 2022, with promises to study design options. State health officials said the initial figure approved five years ago was a placeholder intended to get the project moving, but would not cover the full cost of a consolidated laboratory, which in 2019 was estimated at approximately $1 billion. Inflation since 2019, regulatory compliance costs, expanded design features based on lessons learned from COVID-19, new regulatory requirements and strengthened security standards have added an additional $700 million, Department of Health spokeswoman Erin Clary said. An initial $1.9 million design contract was jointly awarded to Gilbane Inc. and Turner Construction Co. in association with the design firm HOK. The building is expected to span 27 acres on Harriman land, which is already owned by the state. Assemblywoman Pat Fahy, a longtime advocate for the the Wadsworth project, has fought to keep the center in Albany. Under the Cuomo administration, there was some discussion about establishing the Wadsworth campus in Rensselaer County or Long Island. Fahy, D-Albany, said the funding is a huge step forward, but she was dismayed that the budget didn't include another half million dollars for a complete redesign of the Harriman campus that creates green space and more readily connects the campus to the city of Albany. "We've got to get out of the 1960s," Fahy said. "It cannot be another standalone office building... it won't help recruitment either. What do young professionals want They want walkability. If you take out those ring roads, you gain more acreage and you reconnect it to Albany." Fahy also wants to see the University at Albany's School of Public Health relocated to the new Wadsworth Center. If implemented right, the plan would create at least 800 jobs in Albany and turn the area into a hub of economic activity and research, she said. Wadsworth was a key component in the state's strategy to control the spread of COVID-19, including by analyzing wastewater and using genetic sequencing to identify new variants. These advanced capabilities also helped the state in its battles with polio and mpox last summer. The Department of Health last week announced the Wadsworth Center's new health director Dr. Leonard Peruski, who led global health laboratories at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "I am looking forward to working with the world-class scientists and public health experts of Wadsworth so that we may enhance New York's readiness to effectively respond to potential future public health crises," Peruski said in a statement. ______________________________________________ https://www.bizjournals.com/albany/news/2023/01/16/hochul-governor-more-money-wadsworth-lab-albany.html Gov. Kathy Hochul will provide additional funding beyond the $750 million that's already been committed to build a new public health lab in Albany -- marking the latest turn for a project that's been talked about for years but with no visible progress. Hochul disclosed her plans in the State of the State briefing book released last week but didn't specify the amount of additional money she wants to spend to consolidate the five laboratories that make up the Wadsworth Center in the region. The public health research laboratory is "home to cutting-edge research on biomedical and environmental issues critical to protecting the health of New Yorkers," according to the briefing book. The governor wants the new facility built by 2030 at the W. Averell Harriman State Office Building Campus in Albany. Further details are expected when Hochul releases the 2023-24 executive budget. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature approved spending $750 million to replace the aging, cramped laboratories but the process was delayed pre-Covid by the construction bidding and then because the state Department of Health was focused on responding to the pandemic. Turnover in leadership at the state agency has contributed to the long timeline. Last April, Hochul announced a joint venture of Gilbane Inc. and Turner Construction Co., in association with the international design firm HOK, was awarded a contract to do the first phase of the programming for the new building. The contract start date was Jan. 14, 2022, according to the state comptroller's office. The contract was scheduled to end June 15 but got extended to Dec. 31, 2022. The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY), which oversees the contract, has submitted an extension until June 1, 2023, to the comptroller's office, according to Jeffrey Gordon, a DASNY spokesman. It's unclear what has been accomplished in the year since the consulting team was hired. The Albany Business Review asked DASNY for an update, including whether conceptual designs have been presented to state officials. This was the written response: "DASNY is excited about the governor's important proposal and looks forward to working with the executive upon its enactment to bring the lab to fruition." The new Wadsworth lab would be built on the eastern end of the campus, near Route 85. Enlarge The new Wadsworth lab would be built on the eastern end of the campus, near Route 85. MAPCREATOR RECOMMENDED CAREER & WORKPLACE Top local execs to share outlook on 2023 economy ENERGY Gov. Hochul signals strong support for climate plan, including natural gas ban FOOD & LIFESTYLE Franklin's Southall Farm & Inn opens amenities to locals Assembly member Pat Fahy, who was instrumental in ensuring the new facility will be built in Albany, said a complicating factor in the planning is the involvement of five state agencies, each with its own role in the process. "We've met with the governor's office to say we've been really patient, but we need a point person who is really going to drive this bus across the agencies," Fahy said. "We need somebody spearheading it." Fahy has also made it clear she doesn't support devoting all 27 acres of vacant land at the eastern end of the Harriman campus for a big office building with a huge parking lot. "That is a complete and utter non-starter for me," she said. "That's 1960s [thinking]. We've got to get into the 21st century. I don't know what their design is, but I've been worried about it." She said the new Wadsworth Center should be part of a fresh approach to the office campus so it doesn't continue to be a 330-acre island of buildings and parking lots cut off from surrounding neighborhoods. Fahy has asked the governor to include $500,000 in the executive budget for a traffic feasibility study about the eastern edge of the campus, near Route 85 and Brevator Street. ______________________________ https://www.bizjournals.com/albany/news/2022/06/08/gilbane-new-upstate-new-york-business-leader.html That includes participating in a joint venture for the initial design contract for the states new $750 million public health laboratory in Albany ________________ https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/contract-awarded-for-750m-ny-lab - A joint venture of Gilbane Building Company and Turner Construction Company in association with design firm HOK won the contract for the project at the Harriman State Office Campus Complex in Albany. The contract is for the design and construction of a new Wadsworth Laboratory that will consolidate operations currently spread out across several facilities. The contract will be made up of several phases. The initial investment will explore options for a new basis of design, ranging from partial to full consolidation of Wadsworth facilities. A primary goal is to enhance the state's readiness to respond to potential future public health crises. "Gilbane is honored to team with Turner and HOK to advance New York's public health preparedness," said John LaRow, senior vice president, Gilbane Building Company. "We look forward to working with our team of building and design experts and partnering with the Hochul administration to deliver the state-of-the-art public health facility that New York deserves." "It is an honour to partner with the State of New York as well as Gilbane, HOK, and the trade partners on this world-class facility that will help protect and improve the health of the people of New York," said Carl Stewart III, vice president and general manager, Turner Construction. "It is so incredibly rewarding to collaborate on a project enhancing New York's capabilities to efficiently and effectively prepare for and respond to public health matters." "HOK is excited to team with Gilbane, Turner and the New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center on this critical project for all New Yorkers," said David Schwartz, HOK's leader of science and technology in New York. "The Wadsworth Laboratory has been at the forefront of public health since its inception. This is a significant opportunity to redefine the future of public health for both New York and the country." The Wadsworth Laboratory, which has played a central role during the Covid-19 pandemic, focuses on a range of critical public health concerns, including responding to public health threats, studying emerging infections and analysing environmental exposures. ________________________________________________________________________________________ https://www.bizjournals.com/albany/news/2022/04/21/wadsworth-lab-design-contract-awarded-albany.html A joint venture of Gilbane Inc. and Turner Construction Co. in association with the international design firm HOK has been awarded an initial design contract for New York's new $750 million public health laboratory in Albany. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the contract Thursday, a significant step forward for a project that has been delayed for years. The contract is worth $1.9 million, according to the state Dormitory Authority. The new Wadsworth Laboratory will be built at the Harriman State Office Campus. The Wadsworth Center is now spread across five facilities with about 800 employees in the Albany region, including labs deep below the Empire State Plaza. It's the largest and most diverse public health lab in the nation, according to the state. The push to replace the aging, cramped facilities started years before the pandemic hit. The state Legislature has already appropriated $750 million, but the plans bogged down during the bidding process prior to the emergence of Covid-19. "Wadsworth has served as a global leader in Covid research throughout the pandemic," Hochul said in a prepared statement. "New York is proud to support Wadsworth's scientists and public health experts with the development of a new world-class laboratory facility to continue their critical groundbreaking research." Gilbane is based in Providence, Rhode Island; Turner is based in Manhattan. Both have offices in Albany. HOK is based in St. Louis. Under the contract with Gilbane/Turner and HOK, the firms will explore options for a new basis of design, ranging from partial to full consolidation of Wadsworth facilities. There will be a focus on enhancing the state's readiness to effectively respond to potential future public health crises, according to a news release. The contract award was greeted with enthusiasm from state legislators representing Albany, Mayor Kathy Sheehan and Albany County Executive Dan McCoy. __________ **As of January 19, 2022, the project has not been awarded. A timeline for the award is not yet established.** https://www.bizjournals.com/albany/news/2022/01/05/hochul-commits-to-building-new-state-health-lab.html Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday committed to rebuilding New York's public health lab in Albany into a "world-class campus," a significant step forward for a project that has been delayed for years. The governor's first State of the State speech since taking over in August after the resignation of former Gov. Andrew Cuomo included a promise to "rebuild" the Wadsworth Center, an assortment of aging, cramped labs in the area that provide vital public health services, including fighting the Covid-19 pandemic. "New York State is committed to supporting the rebuilding of this Center, ensuring that these vital [Department of Health] facilities can prepare to fight future public health challenges on behalf of New Yorkers," according to the briefing book distributed by Hochul's administration. "The Dormitory Authority of the state of New York (DASNY) is currently updating the plans to reflect lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic." It's unclear how much it would cost or how long it would take to build, but $750 million was set aside in the state budget several years ago. The intended location is 17 acres on the eastern end of the Harriman State Office Campus in Albany. Legislators representing the city of Albany and the leader of the Associated General Contractors of New York State welcomed the governor's remarks. "Clearly I think it's good news," said Michael Elmendorf, president/CEO of the influential trade group. "The governor has talked about the importance of that facility and the work it does. That's encouraging. We know that discussions about what to do with it are ongoing and are hopeful in the next year we'll see ground broken and a project take form there." Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy and Assemblyman John T. McDonald III issued statements praising the governor's remarks on Wadsworth and other initiatives. The new Wadsworth lab is expected to retain more than 800 jobs. _____________________________________________________________________________ Work on major projects across the region pushed forward during 2020 despite the pandemic. Less than half the contractors surveyed by the Business Review said their largest projects were delayed by Covid, though the rising costs of materials have become a concern. This week, we have our annual List of Largest Construction Projects. The total project value is down slightly from years past, but several major new projects broke ground last year, while others finished -- or will be done soon. And there's plenty of major work in the pipeline, including a new Wadsworth Lab with an estimated value of $750 million. ___________________________________________________________________ As of 5/4/2021 this project has not yet been awarded. A timeline for award has not yet been established. As of November 2019 one of the two teams below has withdrawn their bid, the owner at this time has not released the information of which team withdrew their bid. Currently the owner is deciding on if they will move forward with the 1 bid they do have remaining. As of 8/31/2021 this project has not yet been awarded. A timeline for award has not yet been established