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Q&A
Benefits and drawbacks of design-build project methodology
5:18:34
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Council Member Brooks-Powers inquires about the benefits and drawbacks of the design-build project methodology. DDC Associate Commissioner Jeffrey Margolis explains some of the challenges and lessons learned from implementing design-build.
- Design-build allows for earlier start of work, including soil testing and foundation work
- There's a perception that design is already completed when presenting to the community, leading to concerns about lack of community input
- DDC has implemented measures to ensure community engagement from the project's outset
- Design-build allows for simultaneous design and construction phases, potentially speeding up the process
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
5:18:34
Thank you.
5:18:36
Moving to design build project completion deadlines.
5:18:41
Meeting project completion deadlines for important infrastructure projects like hospitals can be crucial for a community.
5:18:47
Design build has been seen as a way to complete projects quicker and at lower at a lower cost and reduce time by streamlining existing the existing process.
5:19:00
What are some benefits and drawbacks from your perspective of design build that you've encountered?
5:19:06
I really wanna focus actually on the drawbacks because commissioner Foley has in past hearings talked about what he felt the benefits were but I'm curious to see now that DEC continues to move forward with more design build projects, what what are the drawbacks that you all have experienced?
Jeffrey Margolis
5:19:27
We would we would obviously characterize them not necessarily as drawbacks but as a different way of doing business for the city.
5:19:34
So for example, some of
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5:19:35
the
Jeffrey Margolis
5:19:35
lessons learned at least on the community engagement side, is in design build, you're bringing a team together to the community and the perception is that design is already completed and there's not an opportunity for feedback.
5:19:47
So one of the lessons learned, Chair, you mentioned Roy Wilkins Park, we've really tried to engage with council member Williams, senator Comery, Assembly member Hindman, borough president Richards to ensure that the community does have a voice and are part of that process.
5:20:01
Not that they haven't in the past, but to have that real opportunity from day one to be part of that conversation.
5:20:08
So we're putting in those guardrails to ensure that that is something that works for Roy Wilkins.
5:20:14
And also as Executive Deputy Commissioner Austin mentioned, we have now required the design builder to come to the community within ninety days of the notice to proceed to have those conversations about potentially trying to work with local MWBEs.
5:20:29
So again a lesson learned from our previous engagement in the past on that topic.
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
5:20:37
Thank you.
5:20:38
Do multiple projects start simultaneously under design build and if not, why not?
Jeffrey Margolis
5:20:45
So there is always a period of design.
5:20:48
As I mentioned, some teams come with a very strong vision of how they want to design a project, but the design is not fully fleshed out.
5:20:55
But what design build does allow us to do is start that early work.
5:20:59
So literally testing the soil to see what the soil conditions are and then potentially starting that foundation work once they've progressed along far enough along with the design to ensure that the foundation they're going to build will support the building.
5:21:12
So it gives us a lot of opportunities to do that.
5:21:15
It's also a really good opportunity to work with our sponsor agencies to ensure that from the outset all the requirements that they need to have those facilities serve the community are met at the beginning from the outset.