Staten Island Chamber presents annual Building Awards
More than 20 properties recognized for excellence in design, construction
Eric Eremita, the no-nonsense award-winning general contractor for HGTV’s “Love It or List It,” returned to his Staten Island roots on Friday, Dec. 1, to emcee the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce 2017 Building Awards, where more than 20 properties were recognized for excellence in design and construction.
“Hosting the awards really brought everything full circle for me,” Eremita said during a phone interview from Raleigh, N.C., where he was filming an episode of “Love It or List It.” “I worked as a contractor on Staten Island for over 30 years and to now be recognized by my hometown, invited to host and present awards to so many talented architects, builders and designers in the industry, was a very humbling and wonderful experience.”
The Chamber’s annual event, now in its 56th year, celebrates the best in construction and design for commercial and residential properties across Staten Island, as judged by industry experts. Each year, entries are submitted by homeowners with new construction or renovations, contractors, engineers, architects, interior designers, landscapers and craftsmen.
“These awards aren’t about specific tastes in design or personal preferences,” Chamber President and CEO Linda Baran said. “Our judges are professionals who can recognize quality materials, expert craftsmanship and exquisite design. This is really about the excellent work our building and design industries do here on Staten Island.”
Achievement and Excellence awards were given in interior, exterior and outdoor space categories, and recognized properties ranged from private residences to commercial businesses. Richmond University Medical Center was lauded for the design of its new primary care/walk-in center, while Denny’s in Eltingville was acknowledged for excellence in exterior. Other commercial winners included Investors Bank, Mr. Ciao, Stop & Stor, Hylan Plaza and a Chevrolet dealership. Several homes throughout the borough were awarded for both their interior and exterior elements.
“The Susan Wagner Performing Arts Center was chosen for the Albert P. Melniker Award, which is given to a special person, group or structure that enhances the quality of life on Staten Island,” Baran noted. “This award was named as a tribute to Albert Melniker, the founder of the building awards program, for his service, commitment and dedication to keeping Staten Island a beautiful place to both live and work.”
Wagner’s new three-story addition, constructed next to the existing school building, opened in fall 2016 as a dual-use facility. It is used as a performance and instructional space for students and also as after-hours space for community use.
The Performing Arts Center offers flexible use for music, theater, dance and experimental types of performing arts and includes a 2,680-square-foot black box theater, with seating for just under 200, a moveable platform stage and an enclosed sound, lighting and recording booth. A professional dance studio features springboard flooring and mirrored walls.
Four new classrooms are used for chorus, guitar, band and theater education. There are also classrooms dedicated to stage craft and carpentry students. A music suite has five sound-proof practice rooms.
“Former Borough President Jim Molinaro really got behind this project, securing funding for it,” Baran said. “And they produced a truly outstanding space with that funding.”
The Chamber’s Neighborhood Improvement Award went to Urby, Staten Island’s largest new construction development taking shape in Stapleton. Featuring 900 apartments and 35,000 square feet of commercial space, the complex will include a curated selection of boutique restaurants and shops.
Ironstate, a Hoboken-based real estate firm that is developing the site, transformed a former U.S. Navy Yard to create Urby, leading the effort to reconnect the community back to the waterfront esplanade, which the city invested $32 million to restore.
“Urby was conceived to offer a better rental-housing product with the ever-changing needs of the contemporary urban resident in mind,” Baran said. “It features smartly designed residences and has social spaces that encourage natural opportunities for neighbors to meet and interact.”
Urby also features one of New York City’s largest urban farms, which measures 5,000 square feet, grows more than 50 varieties of produce and includes picnic tables for shared dining, as well as composting. A large communal kitchen has a chef-in-residence who teaches culinary classes, hosts chef tastings and incorporates produce from the urban farm into gourmet meals.
There’s filtered water filling stations in the lobbies, electric car chargers in the garage and storage for 500 bicycles. An apiary with 20 beehives is located on Urby’s roof. The honey is served in the café and is sold at a weekly farmer’s market. Urby also has a large outdoor pool, landscaped courtyards with fire pits and Wi-Fi enabled green spaces.
“It is a wonderful representation of the innovative projects that these awards recognize,” Baran concluded.
The Building Awards committee was chaired by Lana Seidman, NARI-HIC, who oversees committee members Anselmo Genovese, Anselmo S. Genovese Architect P.C.; Ronit Lapid, Designer Touch Interiors; Holly Wiesner Olivieri, Holly’s Staten Island Buzz Realty; Alfred Saulo, Alfred V. Saulo Architect, P.C.; and Jonathan Weinberg, Builder Prime.
This year’s Building Awards judges were committee members Glen Cutrona, AIA, Cutrona Architecture PLLC; Frank Martarella, American Institute of Architects, S.I. Chapter; Murray Berman, Heritage Hill Homes; Stuart Garber, Garber Building Supplies; Lana Seidman, NARI-HIC; Mike Veneziale, Statwood Home Improvements; Debra Monte, The Green Inspector; Joseph Gobin, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation; Laura Fitzsimmons Volsario, Gateway Arms Realty Corp.; Holly Wiesner-Olivieri, Holly’s Staten Island Buzz Realty; Diane Yetman, DiTomasso Real Estate; JoAnne McDonald, Shamrock Paints; and Janice Giacalone, Hall of Frames.
