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A picture-perfect day on the course: Golfers gather at Old Westbury Golf and Country Club before heading out for a day of friendly competition, camaraderie and giving back. It’s official. The 18th annual Golf Classic hosted by The Skyline Charitable Foundation on June 29, 2026, at the Old Westbury Golf and Country Club on Long Island broke its record in fundraising by bringing in over $350K, surpassing previous totals by over $30K! Even before the final numbers were tabulated

The building construction industry, like many technical fields, depends on knowledge that cannot be captured in textbooks alone. Our most valuable insights come from experience: solving problems in the field, learning from failures, and navigating the complexities of real projects. Today, as the industry enters a pivotal moment shaped by the rapid emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the need to preserve this lived expertise has never been more urgent. In addition, a si

By Aurore Badré, Philanthropic Chair, NWIR NYC Council | Building Science Associate, Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE) Every building in New York City tells a story, and behind every one of those stories is a person who built it, repaired it, or kept it standing. Not just the engineers and architects whose names appear on drawings, but the roofers, waterproofers, masons, and tradespeople whose hands do the work that holds this city together. The construction and restorat

Executive Summary Local Law 126 is not just a compliance requirement—it is a risk management and capital planning tool. Early inspections, proactive water management, and coordinated repair planning can significantly reduce long-term costs and prevent unsafe conditions Introduction: Why Garages Are Different Parking garages are among the most demanding structures in New York City. They are exposed to constant vehicle loading, vibration, and harsh conditions such as water, dei

Governor Kathy Hochul with John Kalafatis and Andriana Vamvakas. On May 20, 2026, Andromeda was honored to welcome New York Governor Kathy Hochul to our offices for an important discussion with approximately 40 to 50 industry leaders, partners, and stakeholders. The gathering brought together professionals from the construction and insurance sectors to address some of the most pressing challenges affecting New York’s businesses, workforce, and economy. The growing impact of

New York City Department of Buildings (NYCDOB) LL126, Article 323, requires building owners to complete a series of steps to help improve the safety of parking garage structures in all five boroughs. A parking structure is defined as a building or space used for parking or storage of motor vehicles, other than an automotive service station, automotive repair shop, or private garages serving one- and two-family homes not exceeding 650 square feet in area and one-story height.

The Marriage of Earth and Water and Fire Boston Valley Terra Cotta explores the past, present and future potential of a highly versatile, sustainable, durable and beautiful material. Terra cotta, Italian for ‘baked earth,’ deriving from the Latin Terra Cocta, is a natural clay-based material dating back to ancient civilizations. On the morning of March 5, 2026, a three-person team from Boston Valley Terra Cotta, a global manufacturer of custom architectural façade solutions f

This is my second Skylines article on staged accident fraud and the Scaffold Law and how it is hurting New York construction sites. I have been President of Andromeda for nearly two and a half years now, leading the fight against staged accidents on job sites. Before that, I spent over 34 years conducting and directing high scale federal corruption investigations. Being in that world for so long, plus being a certified fraud examiner, has made me a natural skeptic. I need rea

Safety is not just a priority, it is a responsibility we carry on every project, every day. The work we do comes with inherent risks, and how we prepare for and manage those risks defines who we are as a company. Safety is not just a priority, it is a responsibility Our commitment to safety is rooted in one simple objective, everyone goes home. That outcome depends on planning, awareness, and a shared understanding that no task is too urgent to be done without the right contr

The Barclay Vessey Building, 140 West Street Arcade The Queensboro Bridge Western Underside Vault Space Restoration Retrospective Location: Andromeda Auditorium On November 12, Skyline Restoration hosted two distinguished professionals who brought presentations of their own experiences working with Guastavino Vaults to a diverse group of restoration industry professionals. Each presenter told the attendees about their specific learning curve with the “Cohesive Construction” G

Photo taken by Erica Camille Photography at Skyline's Holiday party at Tao. Skyline Restoration’s annual holiday party brought together colleagues, clients, industry partners and families for a night filled with celebration at Tao Downtown. Set in the heart of New York City, the iconic venue provided the perfect backdrop for an evening that truly reflected Skyline’s culture. It was a chance for everyone to step away from the day to day, enjoy the atmosphere, and spend time wi

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has announced an important safety upgrade for sidewalk sheds. Under Local Law 47 of 2025 (LL47) , which took effect on August 15, 2025, sidewalk sheds must now meet higher lighting standards to improve pedestrian safety and visibility across the city’s streets. PHOTO: GUY/STOCK.ADOBE.COM According to the new regulation, sidewalk sheds with construction documents submitted on or after August 15, 2025 must provide a minimum illum

On November 5, 2025, construction and restoration professionals gathered at Club 101 in Manhattan for the ICRI Metro New York Chapter Dinner Meeting, highlighting major updates in concrete repair standards. The sold-out event focused on ACI 563-25: Specifications for the Repair of Concrete in Buildings , a newly updated document that provides standardized guidance to improve communication and reduce costly errors in concrete repair projects. Presenters Marjorie Lynch, PE,

The Restoration of the Convent of the Sacred Heart’s Landmark Houses The Convent of the Sacred Heart School, located on Upper East Side of New York City is comprised the former Otto Kahn House (1 East 91st Street) and neighboring James A. Burden House (7 East 91st Street) . Photo: Convent of the Sacred Heart The Otto Kahn House is a five story, Neo-Italian Style building constructed between 1914-1918 in St. Quentin limestone , sourced from St. Quentin, France. Similarly, i

Inside New York’s Fight Against Scaffold Law Fraud By Andriana Vamvakas, CFE President, Andromeda Advantage "The first time the pattern stopped feeling like coincidence I knew that something larger was at work." After 34 years as a federal investigator I followed paper trails, exposed networks, and helped secure indictments and convictions in fraud cases that involved millions of dollars. As a certified fraud examiner, I have been trained to trust patterns and to remain a nat

The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) is reminding property owners that the next major deadline for the Periodic Inspection of Parking Structures (PIPS) is fast approaching. Photo: Bumble Dee - stock.adobe.com Owners of parking structures located in the Upper East Side, Upper Manhattan, and Brooklyn must submit their required PIPS engineering reports by December 31, 2025. This deadline marks the second cycle of the city’s phased inspection program, established to

HOW IIBEC METRO NY’S 2025 SYMPOSIUM BROUGHT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTO THE HEART OF THE BUILDING-ENCLOSURE INDUSTRY On September 17, 2025, Civic Hall became the center of innovation as the IIBEC Metro New York Chapter hosted its first-ever “Building Smarter with AI” Symposium, a sold-out event drawing architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, and students eager to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping construction and façade restoration. “Our goal was to d

Local Law 47 of 2025 (LL47) , effective August 15, 2025, raises the required minimum clear ceiling height for new sidewalk sheds from 8 feet to 12 feet. The change applies to all sidewalk shed construction documents submitted on or after August 15. Existing sheds do not need to be modified. The higher clearance aims to improve visibility, accessibility, and the overall pedestrian experience while maintaining safety during construction and façade work. The law allows flexibili

On October 1st, Skyline Restoration proudly hosted the 2nd Annual Demo Day: Plaza Waterproofing Edition , presented in collaboration with the ICRI Metro New York Chapter and the National Women in Roofing - NYC Council (NWIR). From live demos to expert-led presentations, attendees got an up-close look at plaza waterproofing systems, inverted roof assemblies, and expansion joint transitions—a hands-on experience that brought technical insight to life. A big thank-you to all

The NYC Department of Buildings has introduced expanded color options for sidewalk sheds and solid construction or demolition fences under Local Law 47 of 2025 (LL47) , effective August 15, 2025. Previously, these protective structures were required to be hunter green, with limited allowances for white. PHOTO: SPRING SCAFFOLDING Local Law 47 now authorizes three standard colors—hunter green, metallic gray, and white—for all sidewalk sheds and fences. For existing buildings (