ZOFS Engineering provided Construction Inspection (CI) services for this landmark project, which aims to protect over 110,000 New Yorkers on Manhattan’s East Side from storm surge, sea level rise, and the broader effects of climate change. Located between East 15th Street and East 25th Street along the FDR Drive and Avenue C corridor, Area 2 encompasses vital community facilities including Asser Levy Playground, Stuyvesant Cove Park, Murphy Brothers Playground, local streets, and the E. 15th Street Con Edison Facility. The project also includes robust Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) and
utility work, all coordinated with Con Edison and city agencies. It provides flood protection ranging from 8 to 9 feet above existing grade, aligned with low-probability sea level rise projections for the 2050s. The flood protection system includes more than 3,100 linear feet of cast-in-place reinforced concrete floodwalls and 12 custom-fabricated movable floodgates, all tied into existing flood barriers such as the VA Hospital wall. Deep foundations using steel piles driven to depths exceeding 100 feet were installed in select areas to ensure long-term structural stability. This project serves as a model of urban resilience, not only protecting critical infrastructure and housing but also enhancing open spaces, improving ADA accessibility, and increasing ecological diversity through landscape upgrades and sustainable design elements.

Additional complex scopes included oversight of electrical and signal work at Avenue C intersections with East 18th, 20th, and 23rd Streets, including installation of street lights, traffic signals, pedestrian countdown timers, and ADA-compliant audible push buttons. Pole installations, fiber optic cables, conduits, and control cabinets were also installed. Utility work included copper piping for hydrants, fountains, and RPZ systems. The drainage system was upgraded with new catch basins, manholes, and tie-ins to existing CSO infrastructure, ensuring continuity and resilience against stormwater overflow. Further scopes included Con Edison utility coordination energy protection.