You know what it looks like? Absolute trash for $4B.

My standard comment when anyone says the $4B number: That number is the cost of the *station*. The majority of that cost was all the major, major underground infrastructure work that you don't see, where the trains are. The birdy thing itself was a small portion of the budget, relatively.

^do we have an estimate of the cost of the actual bird-thing?

A huge portion of the cost overruns were the result of public officials sticking their noses into the design process and making ridiculous demands. For example, Gov. Cuomo demanded that the public plaza at street level be complete in time for the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, even though the below-ground facilities under the plaza were still years away from completion. And the NYPD demanded that the birdy thing use roughly double the amount of structural steel (all unique custom shapes) beyond what was required, in order to supposedly make it resistant to truck bombs.

Calatrava isn't blameless; he demanded that the NYC subway tracks carrying the 1 train essentially be built on a giant railroad bridge -- while the subway had to remain running 24/7 -- so as not to obstruct his concourse with columns. But let's be realistic about the true causes of New York's horribly dysfunctional way of building infrastructure.

Keep in mind that there's only a small handful of contractors in NYC who are even qualified to build major underground transit infrastructure, and they've been busy with other major projects such as the Second Avenue Subway, the 7 train extension, the LIRR East Side Access project, and the Fulton Street Transit Center. As such, they're in a position to pretty much name their price. (Many other states use design-build for these types of projects, but design-build doesn't really exist in New York State due to the legalities involved.)

Just for comparison, the first phase of the Second Avenue Subway just opened up last week. It involves two miles of tunnels and three new stations, has been delayed for over 80 years, cost $4.45 billion to build, and had 48,000 riders on its first day.

Seattle, by contrast, recently opened an extension of its light rail system, 3 miles of tunnels with two new underground stations, at a cost of $1.9 billion. It opened six months early and $200M under budget, and had a ridership of 72,000 people on its first day.

Granted, it's not a strict apples-to-apples comparison, but it gives you a sense of the scale of the problem.

I wish I had a project come in under budget so I could do whatever the opposite of VE is. 

Living in Gin for the win!

Thanks David.

Interesting David. Thanks.

This isn't my first time in the city, I must have forgotten this, but I'm shocked at how old fashioned everything is. And friendly! Not kidding. I expected the opposite on both counts. Taking a tour of an architect's office today who shall remain nameless but I'm super excited! Then heading home.

Josh, the opposite of VE is bedazzling.

I've only ever knowingly met one other archinector IRL. He was kind of a jerk about it. 

I wish I could bedazzle the shit out of some affordable housing. Sadly, it is constant VE. Trump isn't doing any favors with the funding markets right now.

I'm at 3 or 4 archinectors.

btw, Team Canada will destroy team USA tonight in junior hockey.

^ Obviously. Little Billy can't keep his slapshot out of Mrs. McGregor's soffit.

EI, some archinectoers are jerks alright, but most I've met have been great. It is a huge risk when you meet someone IRL that you met on the Internet, no doubt.

Office tour was great. I would love to work there.... shoulda dropped my resume off. But then got a great job lead while riding to the airport. On the west coast of course. Why not? That's why I live in the middle...

I had a GREAT day today, which sucks.  

I took today and tomorrow off my regular job to work on a a little freelance job and small public art commission that's due end of January. And I had a GREAT day working on something fun for a change, working from home, being creative...I want every day to be like this!

Damn USian health care system. It's the killer of dreams. 

Donna, if you want to be a freelancer again you can join my freelancing co-op where we trade ideas and resources. Do it! The lifestyle kicks ass!

I KNOW IT DOES! But I need insurance for my family. Last I checked ACA would cost us the same as our mortgage. I can't afford that.

But you make more when you freelance. I think it is worth it.

I feel like I missed something. Where did the there come from? ... and where did the no there go?

I've not been able to tap into big enough freelance jobs to make more than I make at my cushy institutional job. And since my husband is running his own brand new business, one of us needs the benefits and steadiness. He's looking to do very well this year, but we need my stability right now to be sure.

I do not think this is a good solution for both mossonline preserved on book shelves RayRay unfortunately it was just too much space loss at the base for "high case of 24 books.

Donna, stability?? What's that? I have seen any for years. I'm used to it, it's part of the fun.

EI, I must have found something... it was there the whole time actually but I had clouded perceptions. :)

Booooo

good game thou.

Back in sunny Colorado. :) I'm so happy to be back!

^Agreed.

I joked in the office this morning that shootouts were necessary due to child-labour laws preventing us to make kids work/play more than 80mins per day.

Canada - always the #2 in North America!

Sorry I had to, you guys are awesome, eh?

^free health care and no trump thou.

that was a fun read, funny guy... he signs-off as P. P for player? they probably just got 5 more commisions out of that free media coverage....

Tonight is our (wife and i) annual winter house party! We've got an ice bar with Jager and fireball shots (in ice shot glasses of course). Two bonfires. A keg. 50 friends. Held entirely outdoors in -40 weather. One of the best nights of the year, wish us luck!

^ I have to say that sounds pretty awesome, B_B.

NEGATIVE 40?!?!?! YOU COULD DIE!!!!!

But it does sound fun as long as the fireball flows. Enjoy!

-40C (or F... it's the same at that point) is not unheard of up here Donna.  We get about a few -35C or more days per year.

Bowling, where's my invite?

So far, so good. We have 3 fires going to keep everyone warm. Right now there's about 50 people here. Time for a shot of fireball.

bowling_ball DID invite us to the party - he's posting from it to TC!! Thank you!

Hope everyone had fun and you aren't too hung over this morning!
 

So we're all a little slower today but everyone cleared out by about 3am with zero drunken drama. You're all invited to the next one! Happy new year.

New design: cover the entire facade with shutters. The all shutter house. 

^^ EXCEPT for 2 feet on either side of windows.  BOOM!  Irony!

I just think all shutters should be too small for the windows.  That way we know they're fake.  That would be great.

Yeah...

Fake shutters are just the best. So great. They really make a window great again. America makes the best fake shutters. China has the worst fake shutters. Sad!

The only people I've known that think fake shutters are nice were on that side of the political spectrum.