Contract awarded for tallest ICF high rise in U.S.

Scotia, N.Y. — A 16-story mixed-use development near New York City will set a new benchmark for the construction industry.  It will be one of the most energy-efficient large-scale buildings in Westchester County, N.Y. — projected to be the tallest building to be built in the United States with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs).

The development, dubbed 42 Broad, is a luxury transit-oriented-development (TOD) located in Mount Vernon’s prestigious Fleetwood neighborhood.  The site is three blocks from the Metro-North Railroad Harlem Line (Fleetwood stop – 30 minutes to Grand Central Station) in Westchester County.

The project, a joint venture of The Bluestone Organization and Alexander Development Group, consists of 249 luxury rental apartments, approximately 20,000 square feet of retail space, and the refurbishment of an adjacent parking garage.  Fitting the character of the neighborhood, tenant amenities will be first-class.  Plans call for a heated swimming pool, large community/party room, fully equipped gym, and a library/reading room.

Structural walls for the 16-story tower will be formed with ICFs, which sandwich a core of steel-reinforced concrete between panels of rigid polystyrene foam insulation on each side.  While a handful of ICF buildings exceeding 16 stories have been built in Canada, 42 Broad Street is reported to be the tallest ICF building in the United States.

In another first, the ICFs will arrive at the jobsite as custom-made panels up to 50 feet long.  The panelization will be done offsite at an assembly plant operated by ICF Panels of Scotia, N.Y.  On multi-story projects such as this one, 100 percent of the walls can be panelized prior to construction of the applicable floors.

Michael Cleary, president of ICF Panels, estimates that panelization will shorten the construction schedule by several months, allowing the building to be occupied significantly earlier than would otherwise be possible.  “Owners and developers will see that building with ICF Panels is literally ‘money in the bank’,” he says. “Opening early at this project allows them to gain access to millions of dollars in extra rent that is otherwise unavailable.”

Panels will be delivered to the jobsite ready to be braced and poured.  Bucks, weld plates, and lintel rebar will be installed prior to shipping.  The majority of the reinforcing steel for temperature and shrinkage control will be replaced with Helix Steel (www.HelixRebar.com), a twisted steel micro rebar technology developed for the military that creates a stronger concrete with better consolidation and pour characteristics.

ICF Panels has proved its methods on other high-profile projects, including 350 Clarkson Ave. (https://hudsoninc.com/350-clarkson) in Brooklyn.

Panelization offers benefits such as reduced hazard insurance, less form waste, virtually no weather delays, and improved worker productivity.  It’s an attractive option for commercial developers, designers, ICF installers and others wanting to maximize profits and gain market share.

For additional information, visit the ICF Panels website at www.ICFPanels.com.