Construction and cooperation on the frontlines of COVID-19 – Alexandria Bay Land Port of Entry

Edited by Ben Zabava

Panorama of construction on the $215 million modernization and expansion of the U.S. Land Port of Entry at Alexandria Bay, New York. Photograph courtesy of Revette Studio.

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GSA’s partnerships with client agencies have been instrumental in keeping the federal government’s most critical construction projects moving forward, in spite of the challenge of COVID-19. Such is the case even in Region 2, for so long comprising much of the epicenter of the pandemic in the United States.

“Our region’s federal construction projects are some of the largest in the country,” said GSA Region 2 Administrator John A. Sarcone, III. “I am truly proud of the hundreds of workers we have helped keep employed throughout this pandemic, and of the impact continuing this work is having on our local economy and the spirit of our nation.”

The following is the first of a three-part series of interviews conducted with GSA project managers and client agency officials to obtain their perspectives on the status of the region’s major construction projects during COVID-19. 

In Part 1, Port Director Tim Walker and Facilities Program Manager Carlo Dirienzo of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection, along with Supervisory Project Manager Andrew Woodring of GSA’s Public Building Service Region 2 Project Management Division, discuss progress on the $215 million modernization and expansion of the U.S. Land Port of Entry at Alexandria Bay, New York.

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How was the Alexandria Bay project progressing before COVID-19?

Tim Walker, CBP: The contractor and GSA were both working well with CBP.

Carlo Dirienzo, CBP: The project was on schedule before COVID.

Andrew Woodring, GSA: Prior to the pandemic, Phase 1 was tracking to be completed six calendar days ahead of schedule. The overall project schedule, inclusive of Phase 2, was tracking 79 days ahead of schedule with a substantial completion date of May 13, 2022.

How has COVID-19 affected the project?

Walker: Contractors have worked throughout the duration of COVID-19, thus far.

Dirienzo: COVID has impacted the schedule. Contractors are practicing social distancing to the extent possible and, as a result, productivity temporarily decreased.

Woodring: Beginning in mid-March, the general contractor implemented a COVID-19 site safety procedure that required everyone on site to self-certify their health, complete a daily questionnaire, have their temperatures taken, and take frequent breaks for hand and tool sanitization. All spaces had limits on the number of people allowed in them. Unnecessary gatherings, such as group lunches, ceased. Any employee who could work remotely was instructed to do so. The job was never shut down, but individual employees opted to stay home, which temporarily reduced the number of workers reporting to the jobsite. This had a small impact on production, but we worked closely with the contractors to prioritize activities to maintain the schedule. Thankfully, this labor shortage only lasted two to three weeks and workers are back to their pre-pandemic numbers.

Detail of construction on the $215 million modernization and expansion of the U.S. Land Port of Entry at Alexandria Bay, New York. Photograph courtesy of Revette Studio.

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What has been the biggest adjustment made to the project?

Dirienzo: The biggest adjustment was getting contractors to maintain social distancing while trying to work together.  Often on a project of this nature, you have multiple people working together on the same task. As a result of COVID, the contractors are more conscious of their distance to one another and forced to do more work with less bodies.

Woodring: Safety has always been the top priority for the general contractor, so it has not been difficult to adjust to the changing conditions. The check-in procedures and added precautions are a daily reminder that the goal is for each person to leave the job in the same condition as they arrived. Innovation and creativity have balanced any drop in productivity.

Walker: Thankfully, any adjustments to the project did not affect our continuing border protection operations at the location.

How currently complete is the project?

Woodring: The project is 60% complete.

How happy are you with the work being done and current schedule of the project?

Walker: The work being done has been fantastic.

Dirienzo: We are very happy with the quality of work being done as well as the schedule for the project.

Is the project on schedule? What is the current projected completion date?

Woodring: The project is still ahead of schedule. Despite the short-term impacts to certain milestones, the project is still tracking completion 79 days ahead of schedule with a substantial completion date of May 13, 2022.

Why is the project important to CBP?

Walker: Our current processing facilities are old and in need of modernization.  This new facility will allow our growing staff to have more room, a better infrastructure for technology, and adequate processing facilities for both commercial and secondary passenger traffic/referrals. It will also offer a more welcoming environment to travelers.

Dirienzo: The project is important because it will allow CBP to more efficiently process trade while significantly improving infrastructure and enhancing security.

As a GSA employee, why are you proud of the project?

Woodring: This project is a unique opportunity for GSA. We have maintained a strong, trusting relationship among all stakeholders despite the daily challenges we encounter. All of it was accomplished with no major safety incidents and in spite of COVID-19. It is rewarding to occasionally take a step back and recognize how much the team has accomplished.

Is there any last thing you would like to say about this project?

Dirienzo: We are extremely grateful for our partnership with GSA and the team of professionals they have contracted with for this project. We see the dedication of the entire group on a daily basis.

Woodring: As much as our projects are about building structures, it is equally important to build relationships. The project could have been negatively impacted if we did not have a solid foundation of trust and teamwork to help each other overcome obstacles.

For more information about GSA design and construction services, please visit: gsa.gov/real-estate/design-and-construction-overview.

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Construction and cooperation on the frontlines of COVID-19 

The complete three-part series:

Part 1 — Alexandria Bay Land Port of Entry
Part 2 — Lewiston Land Port of Entry
Part 3 — 26 Federal Plaza Backfill and Renovation