Behind the scenes on some of NY's biggest projects.

When Forrest Gump won this year's Oscar for "Best Picture," the all-but-invisible author who first brought life to the character remained where he began, behind the scenes, happy to let others bask in the limelight of a job well done.

The same can be said for AJ Contracting Company, Inc. Although not as celebrated as the developers and investors who build up Manhattan's skyline, AJ plays a vital role in bringing some of the City's most recognizable buildings to life.

AJ, which ranked 79th of the nation's top 400 contractors according to a recent Engineering News' Record survey, is known throughout the industry as having a solid reputation for consistently delivering on its promises of superior quality, strong project management, accurate estimating, cost effective purchasing and seasoned field supervision.

Its principals, Charles Uribe, chairman and CEO, Jerome A. Gannon, president, and Kenneth D. Smith, P.E., executive vice president, have more than 80 years combined experience in contracting and construction management. They have successfully built AJ into a company with an annual volume in excess of $250 million.

Starting in 1992, AJ's principals decided to capitalize on weak construction industry conditions and aggressively recruited major base building and core/shell construction executives like Kenneth P. Browne, senior vice president of Construction Operations, and Thomas Link, senior vice president of Health Care and Special Projects.

With this new construction team in place, AJ's professionals looked for opportunities to revitalize New York, never shying away from new challenges.

Take for instance AJ's most recent ongoing task of restoring four of Manhattan's historic piers for re-use as the $60 million Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex. AJ, serving as general contractor, is dramatically transforming the 84-year-old piers at the foot of 23rd Street on the West Side into a 1.7 million square-foot haven for sports enthusiasts. The four-pier complex will be the largest facility of its kind in New York City, housing an in-line roller rink, a running track, basketball and volleyball courts, a rock climbing wall, a golfing range, film and television studios and other recreational services.

Chelsea Piers, which will revitalize the now barren West Side waterfront, is just one example of AJ's commitment to the city it calls home.

"Not only will Chelsea Piers provide the City of New York with an unparalleled recreational facility, but it also demonstrates a creative new use of waterfront property," said Uribe. "We see this project as a major example of how creative entrepreneurs are willing to take new risks in revitalizing New York."

Uribe, who is also President of AJ's MBE affiliate, Integral Construction Corp., sees AJ's mission as more than just adding another skyscraper to Manhattan's skyline.

"While we are always looking for new challenges, we tend to look at the long-range aspects of each new construction project, instead of just the bricks and mortar," explained Uribe. "We want to make sure that any project we undertake adds value to the City at large and its immediate neighborhood, and will benefit the people who live there."

Perhaps because of a strong dedication to New York City's cultural institutions, the Smithsonian Institution selected AJ to renovate two of it's historic museums.

"Our work on the $20 million renovation of the old U.S. Custom's House on Bowling Green for The National Museum of the American Indian included major interior renovations and building a new emergency power plant for the structure," explained Gannon. "As you can imagine, we were extremely pleased to hear that we would again be working with the Smithsonian Institution - this time on restoration of The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum.

This high level of client satisfaction has helped AJ develop a large base of repeat business, representing a substantial majority of it's annual volume. AJ's staff of registered architects, professional engineers and special quality control professionals all report directly to senior management, ensuring the hands-on involvement of AJ principals.

"Even though we are a large company, we are committed to providing individualized attention to each and every project," notes Smith. "We still feel, just as we did when we started out, that no project is too small or too large for us to take on."

One current project is the construction of the $38 million Grand Concourse Office Plaza in The Bronx. The ten-story, 240,000 square-foot building will consolidate the Bronx District Attorney's office for the first tune ever, making it one of the largest office buildings built in The Bronx in the last 20 years.

The building, which is owned by Brycon Development Inc., a subsidiary of NatWest Bancorp, will be sold to the City of New York upon its completion.

Grand Concourse Office Plaza has been custom-designed to suit the needs of its new tenants to include a structural steel frame with 40-foot spans, a unitized insulated aluminum and glass curtain wall system, state-of-the-art mechanical and electrical systems with 24-hour computerized data, communications and security systems. The elevators include provisions for the secure movement of visitors within the building.

"Grand Concourse Office Plaza is just the beginning of revitalization efforts taking place in the Mid-Bronx," noted Uribe. "Others will be looking to Grand Concourse Office Plaza as the prototype for new construction in the area. We are confident that what they will find is a first-class building that brings pride to the neighborhood."

"AJ Contracting brought an excellent reputation to this enterprise and we certainly found it to be well deserved," explained John Tugwell, chairman and CEO of Nat-West Bancorp. "We are delighted to see the growth and promise this project is already bringing to the area. We look forward, with pride, to our continued partnership with the community and the attainment of our common goals."

Although AJ continues to practice the same hands-on approach it did when the company was formed in 1917, the company's lengthy list of prestigious projects ensures its prominence in the construction industry throughout the next century.

Presently in construction by the company is the New York Public Library's new Science, Industry and Business Library; the restoration of Columbia University's Butler Library and the interior construction of Morgan Stanley's World Headquarters at 1 585 Broadway.

AJ's diverse range of projects not only represents the skill and craft the company has developed over the past 78 years, but also the expertise that is needed to be a major force in the construction industry in the New York metropolitan area.

With developers and owners entrusting AJ with major renovations of historic landmarks, construction of new high-rises, conversion of buildings into modern-day health care facilities, and the renovation and re-use of waterfront property.

Will AJ come to demand greater recognition for its contributions to the community?

"We have been fortunate to work on some of the most challenging and rewarding projects in the metropolitan area," said Uribe. "We plan on continuing to serve our clients with the same type of experienced professionalism they have come to expect from AJ, and hopefully, quietly let our presence be known through our superior work."