Dancing In The Aisles

The construction waste recovery process for the Baryshnikov Arts Center Project in New York City presented a unique series of obstacles in order to certify the building according to the LEED standard for existing structures. Reuse (one of the big three Rs, remember?) allowed us to start off this sustainable production on the right foot.

The aging fixtures of the theatre were from a different era of the New York stage, but there was no shortage of volunteers that wanted a piece of nostalgia and prestige from this well known establishment in the theatrical community. Everything from dressing room vanities to audience seating found a new home.

State-of-the-art, acoustically superior sound panels were installed, according to the strict guidelines for wood in the LEED standard. Veneers needed to be formaldehyde free and harvested from a sustainably minded source.

Floor to ceiling barriers were erected to ensure construction did not affect the ongoing activities in the rest of the building. Contending with an active theatre during the construction phase of the project meant that demolition, renovation, and construction had to adhere to a very specific schedule. Hats off to the project coordinators for not running the jackhammers during the more intimate moments of Swan Lake.

Concrete and brick were removed from the site using small, one yard containers and then brought to a roll off at street level. Street traffic in front of the Baryshnikov Arts Center is as famous as its namesake. Filling the containers as efficiently as possible reduced the need for multiple container pickups and deliveries, resulting in less down time for trades and fewer horns blaring.

Out of 175.45 tons of materials generated, 162.54 tons of material were recovered, and an 92.6% overall landfill waste diversion rate for this project was achieved.

Ready to start dancing on your own sustainable stage? Send an email to clientservices@esmg.com and grab your hard hat. We can’t wait to get the conversation started.