Construction begins on new ferry terminal.

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Staten Island borough president Guy V. Molinari announced the beginning of construction on the new Whitehall Ferry Terminal and Peter Minuit Plaza in downtown Manhattan. The three-year project, which is expected to create 1,200 new construction jobs, will provide ferry riders with an efficient, cost effective, and attractive terminal building to accommodate the 60,000 commuters and tourists who ride the Staten Island ferries each day.

The Mayor and borough president were joined by Michael G. Carey, president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Iris Weinshall, commissioner of the department of transportation, and Henry Stern, commissioner of the department of parks and recreation, at the ceremony.

"This is a great day for commuters and tourists who travel on the Staten Island Ferry," said Mayor Giuliani. "This new state-of-the-art ferry terminal will serve as the gateway for tourists and New Yorkers alike traveling to the revitalized St. George area of Staten Island. This new terminal will also enhance the revitalization of downtown Manhattan. I want to thank Governor Pataki and the various State agencies involved in this project, as well as borough president Molinari, EDC president Carey, and commissioners Weinshall and Stern for their efforts on this project."

The project is being financed by a combination of federal, state and City funds. In addition, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is funding the installation of photovoltalic panels. These solar panels, which convert sunlight to electricity, will provide a portion of the terminal's power.

Demolition of the existing terminal building and construction of the new terminal will be completed in phases. Two of the terminal's three ferry slips will be in use at all times, which will allow the Staten Island ferries to operate continuously without interruption during construction.

The state-of-the-art terminal will offer a 75-foot-high entry hail, with spectacular views of the downtown Manhattan skyline and the waterfront, a rooftop viewing deck, and 6,000 SF of retail space and food concessions. The spacious new 19,000 SF waiting room will be 6,500 SF larger than the current waiting room, and will provide improved access to the ferry slips.

"The Staten Island Ferry has long been one of the treasures of New York City and thanks to Mayor Giuliani, it's the best bargain in town," said borough. president Molinari. "We want to encourage more use of the ferries and a key component to this is improving the facilities on both the Manhattan and Staten Island sides. This is a day that our Staten Island commuters have long been waiting for -- a more aesthetically pleasing atmosphere, more functional waiting room space, and improved access to boats. Today's groundbreaking marks the first step in making these much-needed improvements a reality."

The terminal building will feature faceted crystalline glass facades on the Manhattan side, while the waterfront exterior will present corrugated stainless steel portals. In addition to the new terminal building, the scope of the project also includes the redesign of Peter Minuit Plaza, a reconfiguration of the existing traffic islands and intersecting streets that currently front the terminal. The new plaza will be connected to the terminal by a stairway and is designed to safely accommodate pedestrians, buses, cars, and subway commuters.

Direct connections to the 1 and 9 subway lines will be accessible inside the entry hall of the terminal building, while the new Peter Minuit Plaza will provide access to the Whitehall St. Station, as well as to the N and R subway lines. In addition, there will be a designated cab drop-off along Whitehall St. and a dedicated bus loop for the M1 M6, and M15 bus lines with a landscaped island and waiting areas.

Information kiosks will be located outside the terminals on both the Manhattan and Staten Island sides to alert passengers of alternative pedestrian routes to and from the terminals, as well as construction schedules.

The new terminal was designed by Schwartz Architects. The project team also includes the architectural/engineering firm of TAMS Consultants, Inc., Ron Evitts Design as architects; Robert Sillman Associates as structural engineers; Flack & Kurtz as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers; Ysrael A. Seinuk as utility consultants, and Phillip Habib & Associates as environmental consultants. Tishman/Harris, a joint venture of Tishman Construction and Frederick R. Harris, is the construction manager for the project.

Oversight of the project is being provided by EDC and DOT, in conjunction with the MTA and the parks department.