Contractor building roof garden for seniors.

In addition to the installation of a new roof, Bellet Construction is in the final stages of an extensive restoration and waterproofing project at 900 Grand Concourse in The Bronx for the Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council, according to Wayne Bellet, president of Bellet Construction.

The project entails the removal of the current tile flooring in the center roof courtyard, originally the former hotel's covered formal ballroom. The tiles are being replaced with a new state-of-the-art roofing surface.

"It is gratifying to see the commitment being made on behalf of the residents here," said Bellet. "This project calls for a nodollar-limit top-quality product with a 20year roof warranty. The new roof courtyard will provide enjoyment to groups of senior citizens for many, many years to come."

This newly restored area, which encompasses approximately 5,000 square feet, will have a Japanese garden, as well as areas for live performances and food service. Moreover, a small section has been allotted for use as a residents' garden. The project is funded by the Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council, Inc., a non-profit organization serving the South Bronx. The managing agent for the building is Rental & Management Associates (RMA).

"Wayne Bellet was awarded the job through competitive bid, but he is also a quality contractor," says Leonard Schwartz, director of operations for RMA. "We have worked with him on several occasions and are confident that this project will reflect the same care and skill as his other jobs for us."

The building at 161 Street and Grand Concourse is a HUD sponsored Section 8 residence for low-income senior citizens. It has 298 units, primarily studio and one-bedroom apartments; an on-site doctor and social worker; and a community dining room.

Designed as the Waldorf-Astoria of The Bronx, and built in 1923, the former Grand Hotel at 161st Street and Grand Concourse has hosted such luminaries as Babe Ruth, Roger Marls and Jim Brown, and was a campaign stop for Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and John F. Kennedy. As the neighborhood deteriorated in the late 1960's and 1970's, it became a welfare hotel. In 1974, the city bought the building for its present use as senior citizen housing, and it is now known as a clean and safe environment.

Bellet Construction, founded in 1909, is one of New York's most respected waterproofing, roofing and exterior maintenance companies. Wayne Bellet is the grandson of the company's founder and a third generation construction professional. For 20 years, he has been a licensed rigger and site safety auditor, with certification from many top building materials manufacturers, including GAF, Manville, Firestone, U.S. Intec, TriPly, Kemper, Adaron, Sonneborn, Sika, Sto, Conproco, Master Builders, Cathedral Stone, Mimic, Prosoco, Detrick, Grace, GE and Tremco.

Acclaimed for its restoration and waterproofing work at many of New York City's top residential buildings, Bellet Construction has also worked on recent projects for Bergdorf Goodman Department Store. The Plaza Hotel, MetLife Building, The Crown Building, the New York Post's South Street printing plant, Marymount College, and The Bronx Zoo.