"Sandy's Watery Wake-up Call"

Check out the new Spring issue of Oculus featuring the article "Sandy's Watery Wake-up Call", written by DfRR co-chairs, Lance Jay Brown FAIA & Illya Azaroff AIA.  The article discusses and explores steps that must be taken to prevent future loss and devastation.

For the full article, click HERE.

Post-Sandy Recovery Grant Deadline this Wednesday

From The New York Landmarks Conservancy:   Dear Friend of the Conservancy:   Last Friday, the Landmarks Conservancy was contacted by FEMA officials because of our work disbursing Emergency Grants in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  So far, the Conservancy has provided grants to nearly a dozen landmarked nonprofit and religious institutions damaged by the storm.  Officials at FEMA were eager to know about these projects and were tapping our knowledge about other post-Sandy restoration efforts involving historic properties. They reminded us that the deadline to apply for a grant from FEMA is Wednesday February 27, 2013 and asked us to help get the word out that the deadline is fast approaching. They have the ability to help eligible historic landmarks receive funding through a $50 million National Park Service Hurricane Sandy recovery program. On our website is information from the New York Joint Field Operation of FEMA regarding their grants including the applications handbook, and specific guidelines for FEMA’s public assistance program. If you work with or know of a historic landmark damaged by Hurricane Sandy, please contact Jenny Bernstein, at the division that is charged specifically with landmark properties. She can be reached at   Jenny Bernstein Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination Natural and Cultural Resources Liaison Forest Hills Tower JFO DR-4085-NY Forest Hills, NY  11375   Jenny.bernstein@fema.dhs.gov 609-480-1462   Sincerely,

Peg Breen President

Presentation on Construction Standards in Flood Zones and Procedures for Rebuilding After Sandy

On January 22nd, 2013, The Building Code Committee of the New York Chapter of the AIA presented a practical course, Construction Standards in Flood Zones and Procedures for Rebuilding After Sandy.  The presented course covers construction standards in flood zones, including new construction, substantial damage, substantial improvement, alterations, and repairs. Also covered, are the regulatory framework for design and construction in flood zones, including areas regulated by the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation.

Click Here to download the presentation.

AIA Trains First 45 New York area SAP Post-Disaster Damage Assessment Volunteers!

The 12/22/2012 training was initiated by the DfRR, supported by AIA national, and hosted by the AIANY Chapter.

Rick Bell, FAIA and Lance Jay Brown, FAIA welcomed and introduced the program and Dan Eschenasy, P.E., Chief Structural Engineer for the NYC Dept. of Buildings gave a lunchtime presentation including how NYC hopes to engage architects in the future. The day long program was expertly delivered by Rachel Minnery, AIA, LEEDac, Chair of the AIA Disaster Assistance Advisory Group.


Illya Azaroff (DFRR Co-Chair), Rachel Minnery (AIA Disaster Assisstance Advisory Group Chair), Lance Brown (DFRR Co-Chair)

 images from the AIA training of our first 45 New York area SAP post-disaster damage assessment volunteers!



SAP post-disaster damage assessment training



Get Help, Rebuild Better

Deborah Gans, member of the AIANY Design for Risk & Reconstruction Committee (DfRR), has prepared an information sheet for wide distribution. The text is below.
 

sample from pamphlet



GET HELP

DRC

DISASTER RESTORATION CENTERS

Full-service sites for help with emergency social and economic assistance such as Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), FEMA loans and temporary cash.

CURRENTLY OPEN (check updated locations on nyc.gov):

• Our Lady of Solace 2865 W 17 (At Mermaid Avenue) Brooklyn :10 am - 4 pm

• Mount Loretto at 6581 Hylan Blvd. at Sharrotts Road, Staten Island: 10am-4pm

FEMA

ADDITIONAL OFFICES (check for updates!)

• Ikea, 1 Beard St , Redhook Brooklyn

• Holy Family RC Church 9719 Flatlands Ave Brooklyn

MEDICAL VANS:

10 am - 5 pm

Redfern Houses

1462 Beach Channel Drive -Redfern and Beach 12th

Beach 41 Houses

Beach 40th Street and Beach Channel Drive, Queens

Hammel Playground, 220 Beach 85th Street, Queens

St. Francis de Sales,129-16 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Queens

Waldbaums Parking Lot,112-15 Beach Channel Drive, Queens

Red Hook East and West,Coffey Park, 85 Richards Street, Brooklyn

Our Lady of Solace

2865 West 17th Street (at Mermaid Avenue) Brooklyn

Mount Manresa Jesuit House

239 Fingerboard Road, State Island

GET WARM

DAYTIME:

ALL SENIOR CENTERS have warming centers from at least 9 am - 4 pm. Additional Sites and updates can be found at www.NYC.gov

NIGHTTIME:

Lehman College: All Populations

250 Bedford Park Blvd W, Bronx, NY 10458

Brooklyn Tech HS: Special Medical Needs Only

29 Fort Greene Pl, Brooklyn, NY 11217

FDR HS: All Populations

5800 20 Av, Brooklyn, NY 11204

Park Slope Armory: Special Medical Needs Only

361 15 St, Brooklyn, NY 11215

G. Washington HS: All Populations

549 Audubon Av, New York, NY 10040

John Jay College: Special Medical Needs Only

445 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019

Hillcrest HS All Populations

160-05 Highland Av, Jamaica, NY 11432

Queens College: All Populations

65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, NY 11367

York College: Special Medical Needs Only

94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd, Jamaica, NY 11451

Susan Wagner: HS All Populations

1200 Manor Rd, Staten Island, NY 10314

Tottenville HS: All Population

100 Luten Ave, Staten Island, NY 10312

Reminder: Event Tonight

Designing the City after Superstorm Sandy: Fundraiser & Discussion

Photo by andjelicaaa via the architect's newspaper

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

Klaus Jacob - Geophysicist, Urban Environmental Disaster Expert, Columbia University (SIPA, EI/LDEO)
Rob Rogers, FAIA - Principal, Rogers Marvel Architects
Stephen Cassell, AIA, LEED AP - Principal, Co-Founder, Architecture Research Office (ARO)
Cynthia Barton - Disaster Housing Recovery Plan Manager, NYC Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
Moderator: Michael Kimmelman - Chief Architecture Critic, The New York Times

DETAILS

Thursday, November 15, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM  — RSVP
At the Center for Architecture, 536 LaGuardia Place [Directions] 

DONATION

Suggested Donation: $10
All contributions will be donated to the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City to support Superstorm Sandy relief efforts. The Mayor’s Fund retains no administrative fee, and one hundred percent of donations are being dispersed to relief efforts and organizations. Funds will support immediate aid needs – including, food, water and hygiene supplies – as well as long-term relief and restoration.
RSVP

MTV and Architecture for Humanity Fundraiser for Jersey Shore Rebuild

MTV and Architecture for Humanity are working together to raise funds for the rebuilding of the Jersey Shore through an hour long fund raiser staged tonight on MTV. All funds raised will go to Architecture for Humanity, an internationally recognized non-profit that led rebuilding efforts in post-Katrina New Orleans and post-earthquake Haiti.

WATCH

The cast of MTV's "Jersey Shore" - as well as stars from other top MTV shows including "Awkward," "Teen Wolf," "Teen Mom," "The Challenge," and "The Real World" - will be live in MTV's Times Square studio, calling donors to thank them for giving. Stars contributing messages of support who will be featured on-air include One Direction, Mac Miller, Pharrell, Kim Kardashian, Ne-Yo, Bruno Mars, fun., the Jonas Brothers, All Time Low, Sean Kingston and many more.

"Restore the Shore" will also feature live performances from Gym Class Heroes (with special guest Oh Land) performing the comeback anthem "The Fighter," as well as "American Idol" Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips performing his stirring hit "Home."

For more information, go to: Restore the Shore
Thursday, 11.15.2012
11:00 pm

DONATE

Do your part now. Donate $25 or more here and receive an exclusive MTV "Restore the Shore" song bundle, which includes 30 songs from the past six seasons of "Jersey Shore."

Or make a $10 donation by texting SHORE to 85944 (message and data rates will apply).

LEARN MORE

Architecture for Humanity intends to help rebuild homes, businesses, and the boardwalk in Seaside Heights. After their 140 mile tour of post-Sandy New York and New Jersey coastline, the New York City Chapter and their Disaster Team have identified the following priorities:

• Repair of structurally sound intact houses and businesses so they can regain full functionality and habitability. $20,000 grants can get MEP needs for many of these buildings solved, for instance.
• Reconstruction of destroyed homes.
• Building back green: helping people identify sustainable strategies for coastal living, and developing strategies to mitigate or circumvent future destruction from severe weather events.

Architects and Engineers Needed for Post-Hurricane Building Evaluations

Dear AIA New York Members:

In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, city, state, and federal agencies have formed a Disaster Housing Task Force ("Task Force"). This Task Force has asked architects and engineers to help with the evaluation of damage to the estimated 35,000 buildings affected by the storm. Damage assessment of these buildings is essential for families to return to their homes and for businesses to reopen.

AIA New York and its Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee ("DfRR") are therefore looking for registered architects and professional engineers interested in helping.

There are two ways you can become involved:

(1) If you are already trained or certified for such damage assessment by an approved agency, please send us your name, address, AIA member number, and date of certification, or;

(2) If, in order to help, you wish to receive damage assessment training through the New York City Department of Buildings ("NYC DOB"), please send us your name, address, and AIA member number.

Please send responses to dfrr@aiany.org. In your emails, indicate which way (1 or 2) you are interested in becoming involved.

AIA New York will then submit a list of interested professionals to the Mayor's Office and the NYC DOB to advance this effort.

Interested participants should note that training is the first step to becoming involved. AIA New York and DfRR will be working closely with governing officials and response organizers to address liability issues and identify the agencies for which volunteers will work.

Thank you for your interest and support of recovery efforts,

Lance Jay Brown, FAIA, and Illya Azaroff, AIA
Co-chairs, AIANY Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee

 

Hurricane Sandy: Estimated Losses Now Up to $50 Billion

Economic damages inflicted by Hurricane Sandy could reach $50 billion, according to new estimates that are more than double a previous forecast. Some economists warned on Thursday that the storm could shave a half percentage point off the nation’s economic growth in the current quarter.

Mike Groll/Associated Press

Link:  New York Times Article

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.  

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

DFRR Event: Climate Change: Inevitable Challenges and Potential Opportunities

Climate Change: Inevitable Challenges and Potential Opportunities
When: 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Friday, February 17, 2012
Reception: 5:30
Program: 6:00 - 8:00

Where: At The Center
Center for Architecture
536 LaGuardia Place
New York, NY 10012
 
Panelist:
David Dixon, FAIA, Director of Urban Design Goody Clancy, Boston, MA

Respondents:
Illya Azaroff, AIA, Co-chair, DfRR
James S. Russell, Architecture & Design columnist

Moderator:
Lance Jay Brown FAIA Co-chair, DfRR


Climate Change: Inevitable Challenges and Potential Opportunities
It is too late to stop the inevitable impact of climate change on cities. It is not too late to meet the inevitable challenges and identify opportunities these challenges present. America lacks the tools and political will to relocate cities…or neighborhoods. My experience in New Orleans, Birmingham (AL), and Springfield (MA) suggests that architects and planners should take the lead in three key tasks: shaping protection strategies that also unlock enhanced livability and quality of life; building the shared political will required to adopt protection policies and in the process create the sense of shared destiny necessary to tackle longstanding social and economic issues; and insuring that the rebuilding which follows disasters is not about recovery but also about building better communities.

Cost:
Free for Members
$10 for Non-Members

Please note - There will be a reception from 5:30 to 6:00 with the event starting promptly at 6 PM
Organized by the AIANY Design for Risk and Reconstruction Committee

RSVP here

Below the Sill Plate: Redevelopment in New Orleans East: Places: Design Observer

Below the Sill Plate: Redevelopment in New Orleans East: Places: Design Observer