A report published in NY Daily News says that the state is suggesting the New York City to use a design-build process to build new projects.
Quoting a letter sent by Gov. Cuomo’s counsel Alphonso David to Council Speaker Corey Johnson, the newspaper reported that the state recommended the city seek design-build authority on a project-by-project basis.
According to the letter, this move would support efforts to use the streamlined process to rebuild a portion of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, to create new jails to replace Rikers Island and to fix up public housing.
Backers of design-build say it speeds up the process and reduces costs by combining the planning and construction phases of capital projects — and Cuomo has touted its successful use in rebuilding the Tappan Zee Bridge.
“All local governments want broad design-build authority, but it has been a nonstarter legislatively,” he wrote. Instead, he suggests the city would have the “highest likelihood of legislative success” by seeking design-build approval on a case-by-case basis — starting with rebuilding a portion of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
