LMCT Project News

Giorgio Armani's Stairway to Heaven

Hard Work Creates Soft Lines

By Bill Hohlfeld
LMCT Coordinator

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

For some fashion plates out there, the closest you can come to heaven on earth, is to slip into a pair of Armani jeans and a tee-shirt. But, if you’d like to save yourself about $175.00 you can visit the new showroom at 56th and Fifth and climb the newly constructed “stairway to heaven.” Patterns and fabric notwithstanding, the design is another Armani original, the physical creation is expertly crafted and the final product, eye catching.

This elaborate arrangement of risers and treads was the result of a computer generated design. The software used to develop its unique shape is normally used to create roller coaster configuations. While the Armani staircase is certainly more pedestrian than a roller coaster, it is no less exciting, either in its look or its history.

Prefabricated in Italy, the staircase was shipped in 75 separate sections ranging from 10 to 12 feet in length, which were unloaded by crane onto a closed down 56th St. Each section was then rolled into the store on massive I-beams from which they were hoisted into place with chain falls.

Under the direction of the General Contractor, Americon, a composite team of Locals 40 and 580 Ironworkers bolted and welded the pieces together to form a complete structure. Then, Nastassi and Associates sent in a team of welders, led by Local 46 Foreman, Sean Jennings to bridge the series of 2 ft. gaps left at the seams with 3/8” reinforcing mats. They built the area out to within 1” of what would be the finished plaster surface.

Finally, J. Rosen Plastering had their craftsmen put on all the finishing touches. Wire Lather Foreman, Jerry Griffin and his four man crew then spent the next several weeks removing the tubular stops that had been attached for shipping, meticulously tying rib lath to the two foot splice areas, and installing top rail and base rail bead work. This last part of the process was no mean feat, as the curvature of the bead work needed to be an exact match to the already intricate design of the stairs and rails. With all the substrate properly set, Rosens’ professional team of plasterers could finish the work of art with a final flourish of flawless plastering. As with most of Armani’s creations, the attenion to detail is remarkable.

Yankee Stadium Nears Completion

Opening Day approaches...

By Bill Hohlfeld
LMCT Coordinator

Friday, January 16, 2009

It is an undeniable fact that no expense has been spared in the construction of the new Yankee Stadium. Sports fans will realize this as soon as they enter the impressive new 12,000 square foot “Great Hall” which runs the length of 161st St. from River Avenue to Jerome Avenue. There they will see the handiwork of Component Assemblies Inc. It’s an array of four foot by eight foot stainless steel ceiling panels which are suspended from back to back, 20 gauge, 6 inch studs. The extravagant design was arrived at, “not so much because of the weight of the panels” says Lather Foreman John Coffey, but rather as “a precaution against wind shear.”

In total, there are four separate “inside” shops doing work at the stadium. Mike Seib’s crew at Island Diversified is busy installing 5/8” gypsum board as well as modifying the exterior of cast-in-place concrete columns and installing exterior lath which will receive plaster simulating stone.

Rich Ahearn’s contingent at Jacobsen Inc. is building concession stands and adding sound proofing to the players’ locker rooms and associated areas, while Bobby Kay’s complement from Nastassi Associates are hard at work on upscale restaurants that provide stadium seating such as Legends, Hard Rock Cafe, Stadium Club and Dugout Pub. (If you’re thinking of stopping in any time after opening day, season tickets top out at about $243,000 - but they throw in the steak.)

The series of projects, which began last April, are expected to reach completion by the upcoming holidays. At their peak of operation they provided work for some 25 Lathers, who may never be able to afford the restaurant seating, but now, just may be able to afford widescreen TV’s to watch the games on.