The Hotel Pennsylvania at 401 Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, opened in 1919, reportedly will be demolished to make way for development by Vornado Realty Trust. Vornado CEO Steven Roth told shareholders in the REIT's annual letter that while "[t]he Pennsylvania may have been a grande dame in its time," at this point "it is decades past its glory and sell-by date."

The Hudson Tunnel part of the Gateway Program is moving forward again under President Joe Biden's leadership, says New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. The environmental review and permitting process for the project is expected to be completed by Oct. 1.

The introduction of technology in construction is being held back by difficulty in calculating cost savings over the useful life of a system, Bentley Systems CEO Greg Bentley says. Remarks at McKinsey's Global Infrastructure Initiative event show wide agreement, and Bentley urges firms to consider how data from the build-out stage can inform operational decisions.

The Italian-made Despe Self Climbing Kokoon has ensured worker safety on the 50 Hudson Yards tower in New York City by hydraulically raising itself tier by tier. The machine eliminates the need for a crane to convey workers, using an onboard power source as it latches on to a building's columns to move from one floor to the next.

After a subcommittee hearing, a City Council vote is expected in May on a rezoning proposal for Governors Island in New York Harbor, where plans have been drawn for a climate solutions center and other development. The Trust for Governors Island says the climate center would create 8,000 jobs and $1 billion in economic impact.

There are several reasons business owners should apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans as soon as possible, including the fact that the program could run out of funds before it expires.

Asar John provides a tutorial on a process in NYC often in the news -- the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, ULURP for short, around since 1975. John covers some history and provides examples of how the ULURP procedure has been used to alter the course of developments that rankled communities.

It takes a great workforce to build the greatest city in the world. Union carpenters are that great workforce. Our members reflect the diversity of local communities and are equipped with the skills to perform work on every project according to the highest standards. In addition to building great projects, our members have equal access to the good wages, benefits and upward mobility that define middle-class opportunity.

Visit our searchable directory of union carpentry contractors in the New York City metropolitan area. It includes listings of 14 contractor associations and their members, contractors that have union agreements independently or with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, and contractors certified as MWBEs. General building, concrete, wall and ceiling, millwrights, heavy construction, dockbuilders and timbermen, floor coverers, woodwork and cabinetry and more - it's all in one place.

A summary in last Thursday's CCA Metro SmartBrief misidentified the governor of New York. Andrew Cuomo is the current governor. SmartBrief regrets the error.