DFRR Desk Share for Displaced Architects & AIA Response to Hurricane Sandy

DFRR is reaching out to local architects who may have lost the use of their offices and those who may have space to share. If you have lost access to your work space or have a few desks to offer, please contact us at dfrr@aiany.org.

Additionally, AIA President Jeff Potter, FAIA, and the American Institute of Architects issued the following statement with regard to the assessment and recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s impact:

To the many communities in Hurricane Sandy's path, members of the AIA and the AIA National Disaster Assistance Committee send our hopes for their safety. The AIA will work closely with our colleagues, as we have following other severe weather events, to assist local communities in their recovery efforts.

Through our network of chapters, we are beginning to assess the damage to communities in the Northeast region. Now that the storm is passing, we will formulate plans to assist architects there in evaluating the building damage caused by the storm and map a path to recovery.

Meanwhile, experienced disaster responders with the AIA have resources to help prepare architects for this important role. Visit our web page to get an overview of the AIA Disaster Response Program:  http://www.aia.org/disasterresponse.

A commitment to public service is a core value of our profession. We intend to live up to that value in the hours and days ahead as we prepare to assist the communities hit by Hurricane Sandy.” 

Anyone wishing to donate to the recovery effort should consider making a contribution to our partners, Architecture for Humanity www.architectureforhumanity.org. The AIA and Architecture for Humanity have a strategic partnership to coordinate advocacy, education, and training that helps architects make effective contributions to communities preparing for, responding to, and rebuilding after disaster.  

Post-Sandy Recovery: Power Failures & Flooding

Hurricane Sandy struck the tri-state area on October 29, 2012, leaving many dead, millions without power and/or water, and countless homes unoccupiable. Fires have been widespread, notably in Breezy Point, Queens, where 80-100 homes have been destroyed by fire during the storm.

Breezy Point, post-storm fires via Atlantic Wire/Photo: Frank Franklin II, AP)

Hurricane Sandy is on its way to being one of the most expensive disasters in history. Costs, expected in the billions, will come in the form of direct recovery expenses, such as the projected $8 million in damages to the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, NJ, as well as costs associated with the disruption to business and services. As of Tuesday morning, the Wall Street Journal reports that all four NYC area airports remain closed. Transit is disrupted throughout New York City and the tri-state area. New York public schools remain closed. The New York Stock Exchange will be closed until Wednesday, the first time since 1888 that the NYSE has closed two days in a row due to weather.

In a press conference appearance, Governor Cuomo said that New York is relatively well prepared for disasters, but that much of our infrastructure was designed without an understanding of  many of the current risks. Some argue that these risks are increasing. In an October 6, 2011 presentation to the DFRR Committee, Klaus Jacob, of Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory & School of International and Public Affairs, predicted that the economic impact of storms to the city may increase dramatically when future storm surges are compounded by climate change-related sea level rise.

The New York Times has extensive coverage of the Hurricane Sandy aftermath, including the spread of power failures in the Northeast:

via the New York Times

Hurricane Sandy Tri-State Area Evacuations and Shelters

Hurricane Sandy Evacuation Orders And Shelter Locations in the Tri-State Area via CBS Local

SUFFOLK COUNTY:

Road conditions in Suffolk County via the Suffolk News Herald

Babylon – Mandatory Evacuation Category 1 areas and trailer parks
Huntington – Voluntary Evacuation Category 1 areas
Islip – Mandatory Evacuation Category 1 areas, trailer parks and Fire Island
Smithtown – No Mandatory Evacuation, voluntary on Long Beach Road
Brookhaven (North Shore) – Mandatory Evacuation Category 1 and Category 2 areas
Brookhaven (South Shore) – Mandatory Evacuation Category 1 Areas, Voluntary Category 2 areas
Riverhead – Mandatory Evacuation Category 1 and trailer parks
South Hampton – Mandatory Evacuation Category 1, trailer parks and Dune Road
Southold – Mandatory Evacuation Category 1
East Hampton – Voluntary Evacuation Category 1
Shelter Island – Voluntary Evacuation Category 1
LINK: List Of Shelters
LINK: Map Of Shelters

NASSAU COUNTY:
Mandatory Evacuation of all residents living in a flood or storm surge zone. This area is defined as south of Sunrise Highway, from the Queens line to Rockville Centre and South of Merrick Road, from Rockville Centre to the Nassau-Suffolk border.
This Mandatory Evacuation also includes the residents on the north shore of Nassau County that reside in low-lying areas and storm surge zones. Low-lying are defined as 15 feet above sea-level or less.
LINK: List Of Shelters

WESTCHESTER COUNTY:
No mandatory evacuations at this time, but people in flood zones should consider voluntary evacuation
LINK: List Of Shelters

ROCKLAND COUNTY:
The following areas have been requested to evacuate due to the impending high winds, rain and tidal storm surge:
• Flood prone areas in the Village of Piermont
• Ba Mar Trailer Park, Grassy Point, and Beach Road in Stony Point.

NEW YORK CITY:

Closed Grand Central by MTA/Aaron Donovan via Gothamist

Mandatory evacuations in effect for residents living in Zone A which includes:
• Coney Island, Manhattan Beach and Red Hook and other areas along the East River in Brooklyn;
• All of the Rockaways, as well as Hamilton Beach and Broad Channel in Queens;
• Almost all of the coastline of Staten Island;
• City Island, a small patch of Throgg’s Neck, and another patch of the South Bronx in the Bronx;
• Battery Park City and stretches of the West Side waterfront and of the Lower East Side and East Village in Manhattan.
LINK: Map Of Zone A

LINK: List Of Shelters


NEW JERSEY:

ATLANTIC COUNTY:
A mandatory evacuation of the barrier islands is in effect that includes Brigantine, Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate and Longport.
LINK: List Of Shelters

CAPE MAY COUNTY:
Mandatory evacuation for residents of Barrier Islands and Bayside Communities.
LINK: List Of Shelters

CUMBERLAND COUNTY:
Evacuation is strongly recommended for county residents along the Delaware Bay, Greenwich, Fairfield, South West of Route 553 in Lawrence, Downe and Commercial Townships, as well as residents that live South West of Route 47 in Maurice River Township, South of Bricksboro.
LINK: List Of Shelters

HUDSON COUNTY:
A mandatory evacuation is in effect in Hoboken for ground floor apartments.
A mandatory evacuation is in effect in parts of Jersey City for residents ground floor apartments.
LINK: List Of Shelters

OCEAN COUNTY:
LINK: List Of Shelters

CONNECTICUT:

Branford, Connecticut during Hurricane Irene in 2011
via the Coast Guard Compass

Branford: Mandatory evacuations ordered for all coastal areas and areas along Branford River.
Bridgeport: Mandatory evacuations for certain areas. Also, a mandatory evacuation for the University of Bridgeport.
Darien: Mandatory evacuations of all coastal areas, including Noroton Bay, Tokeneke, Contentment Island, Five Mile River Road, Holly Pond, Delafield Island and Tokeneke in the vicinity of the Five Mile River.
East Haven: Mandatory evacuations for all areas within two blocks of shoreline.
Fairfield: Mandatory evacuations south of the Oldfield/Old Post Road.
Groton: Mandatory evacuations.
Greenwich: Mandatory evacuations for areas 1, 2, and 3 as identified on the town’s Sea, Lake and Overland Surges. These are generally low-lying areas such as Mill Pond in Cos Cob, areas near the coast of the Long Island Sound and Byram River.
Guilford: Mandatory evacuations for flood-prone regions.
Madison: Partial evacuations.
Milford: Mandatory evacuations for low-lying areas.
New Haven: Evacuations for flood-prone regions (Morris Cove south of Girard Street, Front Street, Haven Street in Fair Haven, between South Water Street and the highway in City Point) beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday. There is a recommended evacuation for low-lying areas of Blake Street.
New London: Partial evacuations.
Old Lyme: Mandatory evacuations.
Old Saybrook: Partial evacuations.
Stamford: Mandatory evacuations for certain areas.
Waterford: Voluntary evacuations recommended for all low-lying areas including Millstone, Ridgewood Park, Jordan Cove, Pleasure Beach, Smiths Cove, Niantic River, Golden Spur, and Oil Mill.
West Haven: Mandatory evacuations for everyone along Ocean Avenue and Captain Thomas on the beach side, everyone south of Park Street and everyone south of White Street from Peck to First Avenue.

NYC Hurricane Evacuation Map

NYC.gov has posted an interactive evacuation zone map with shelter locations. More information can be found at www.nyc.gov.

sample image via www.nyc.gov

CDEM's Response to the 2011 Earthquake in Chistchurch




ChristChurch Cathedral, post-earthquake. Photo via MSNBC



The February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand caused many deaths and injuries, damaged tens of thousands of homes, and may bring about a complete change to the city's central business district.

New Zealand's Ministry of Civil Defense & Emergency Management has published the following report: Review of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Response to the 22 February Christchurch Earthquake. According to the agency's media release, "the Ministry commissioned the report to identify lessons for the management of future emergencies" but overall reported their response to have been well managed and appropriate. More information can be found at the New Zealand CDEM's website. 


Upcoming DFRR Event: After Disaster: How Does NYC Plan to Recover?

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM     Sunday, October 21, 2012
The Center for Architecture
536 Laguardia Place     New York, NY

We are at a watershed moment in government planning where agendas for disaster recovery and the development of sustainable communities are aligning at the Federal level. Two NYC agencies, the Office of Emergency Management and the Dept. of City Planning are developing plans that set national precedents for preparing for and responding to disaster. Speakers will present how the City plans to respond to disasters, and how that planning makes NYC more sustainable now. A new training opportunity for NYC architects to become a part of planned response funded through the AIA and Architecture for Humanity’s Disaster Resiliency and Recovery Program will be presented by Architecture for Humanity New York.

Welcoming Remarks:
Lance Jay Brown, FAIA and Illya Azaroff, AIA DfRR co-chairs

Moderator: 
Deborah Gans, AIA Principal,Gans Studio and Professor,Architecture School,Pratt Institute

Speakers:
Cynthia Barton, Housing Recovery Program, NYC Office of Emergency Management
Heather Roiter Damiano, Transportation and Infrastructure Unit, NYC Office of Emergency Management
Thaddeus Pawlowski, Office of the Chief Urban Designer at the NYC Department of City Planning
Katherine Malishewsky and Matt Charney, Architecture for Humanity’s New York City chapter (AFHny)

This event will show how the government organizes response to catastrophic events; it is the second event in a series sponsored by the AIAny’s Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee that looks at how NYC prepares for and responds to disaster. The first featured the NYC Dept. of City Planning’s work related to long-term climate change mitigation.

Cost: 
Free for AIA and ASLA Members and Students
$10 for non-members

Co-Organized by the AIANY Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee and NYASLA

Upcoming Meeting

October 10, 2012 Wednesday @ 6pm
DFRR Committee Meeting @ The Center for Architecture
536 Laguardia Place     New York, NY