NEWS ON CAMPUS ALUMNI FACULTY SPORTS Manhattan Monthly Manhattan Monthly


September 2008 NEWSLETTER

 

Manhattan College Alumni Help Building Neighboring Campus

In 1878, Felix Adler, founder of the New York Society for Ethical Culture, opened the doors of a free kindergarten to eight children of the working poor. From the outset, the Workingman's School emphasized moral education, psychological development, teacher training and the integration of “manual arts” with academics. Based on the belief that hands-on education gives children the most lasting and satisfying learning experiences, the broad-based curriculum included geography, history, nature study, creative writing, arts and crafts, wood working, singing, field trips and drama – startling innovations in that day.

Since 1928, Manhattan College and the Ethical Culture Fieldston School (ECFS) have been friendly neighbors along Manhattan College Parkway in Riverdale. Recently, Tishman Construction Corporation of New York completed a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified major campus expansion project for the Fieldston School, thanks in part to a construction team composed largely of Jasper alumni.

Completed in September 2007, the scope of work included the design and construction of new middle school, gymnasium and pool buildings, the renovation of an existing classroom building totaling 133,000 square feet and 18 acres of site work.

Fieldston School

As it turns out, ECFS, Tishman and numerous contractors for the project all have Manhattan College alumni team members.

Gene Kivlan '73, director of facilities for ECFS, had an integral role in overseeing construction and logistics while contributing practical ideas and solutions for the overall functionality of the buildings. Adding to the technology and communications side of the project, Chris Mulios '89, associate director of internet technology for ECFS, identified the school's IT infrastructure needs, ensuring compatibility between new technologies and existing systems.

Tishman had three Jaspers on the project in a variety of roles. Senior Vice President Tom Hoban '80, Tishman's project executive on the project, played an instrumental role in planning and bidding the project to local contractors.

“Any builder who performs construction work in the tri-state area will invariably find fellow Jaspers in all aspects of the business,” Hoban says. “Just look at the principles of most major designers and contractors in New York City and it is not a coincidence that you'll find Jasper alumni.”

Also on the Tishman team were Peter Vezos '86 as MEP project manager and Dan Roy '06 as project engineer.

Several other Manhattan College graduates contributed to the ECFS project as subcontractors. Dave Pisacrita '82 of Metropolitan Metals fabricated and erected the project's structural steel. Laying the foundation for the structural steel were John Civetta '51 and Ted Civetta '76. One of the leading founding contractors in the Metropolitan area, Civetta and Sons, Inc. excavated the ground and poured concrete for the foundations of the three buildings.

Bob Furlong '76 of Furlong and Lee Stone Sales took the excavated granite stone from the site and re-tooled the rubble into the stone veneer at the base of all three buildings, which matches the facades of the existing buildings.

Additional contributions to ECFS were made by Jaspers Dan Amoruso '80 from Amoruso Constructing Corporation for heavy equipment rental, and Dennis Mulvey '88 Vic Serricchio '79 and Paul Jeris '82, principals of Stratis Contracting, who managed the final paving and site work for the project.

In microcosm, the project is an example of Manhattan College's presence in the construction industry of New York. All alumni should take pride in the quality and professionalism shown, which is typical of Manhattan College graduates.

 

newsletter / news / on campus / alumni / faculty / sports

www.manhattan.edu

© 2008 · Manhattan College · Riverdale, NY 10471 · 718-862-8000 / 1-800-MC2-XCEL