SAS hits: A contract for 86th St., small businesses suffer

I have a pair of Second Ave. Subway-related stories this afternoon. Let’s dive in: As the MTA’s tunnel boring machine moves southward underneath Second Ave., planning for the post-TBM construction efforts are well under way. Recently, as Tunnel Talk reported, the joint venture between Skanska and Traylor won the bid for the 86th St. station cavern contract. The JV’s bid of $302 million came in well below engineering estimates, and construction industry officials are not surprised by this figure. Due to the need to keep workers employed, companies are willing to bid low for these projects right now.

Per the report, work under this contract will include “excavation and finishing works of the 86th Street station as well as shafts and adits for the entrances, ancillaries and cross passages; demolition work in advance of entrances and ancillaries; and underpinning of existing buildings adjacent to the ancillaries and Entrance 1.” This contract, though, is not without uncertainties as the pending litigation over the relocated station entrances could delay some of the work at 86th St.

Meanwhile, Crain’s New York has yet another story on how businesses along Second Ave. are suffering amidst construction. The story is one we’ve heard for nearly three years now, and the situation isn’t going to improve any time soon. Businesses have seem revenues drop by 20 percent from 2008, and owners see no short-term relief coming their way. Of course, they do recognize the future benefits. As Ralph Schaller, owner of a grocery store at 86th St. said, “I guess business will improve when it’s over, if we’re still around.”