Swimming and diving complex completed for Goodwill Games.

The world's second-largest indoor competition swimming pool recently made its debut in East Meadow, NY before Nassau County dignitaries, New York State officials, and proud building team members - including the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) and Tishman Construction Corporation of New York (TCCNY).

The totally-enclosed, 80,000 square-foot facility will host the swimming, diving and water polo matches at this Summer's Goodwill Games in New York.

Tishman served as construction manager to DASNY and Nassau County, and ensured that the $30 million facility in Eisenhower Park was ready on time by compressing construction schedules and streamlining bid processes within the 21-month timetable.

"The decisions that we made in collaboration with DASNY in the Spring of 1996 made it possible to get the job done on time," said Allan Paull, senior project manager for TCCNY. At the recent dedication ceremony for the facility, DASNY Chairman Thomas Murphy underscored the successful collaboration when he thanked Tishman for, "as usual, its high level of professionalism and excellent work," on the Goodwill Games Swimming and Diving Center.

The pool is not only a centerpiece venue of this Summer's Goodwill Games - which will bring athletes from all over the world - but will also anchor Nassau County's recreational and educational offerings for years to come. The County also plans to host major national and international competitions. The facility, designed by Richard Dattner, features a central skylight stretching across an arched ceiling 60 feet above pool level.

Olympic Dimensions

The center boasts a massive 233-foot-long, 82-foot-wide pool that holds 1.6 million gallons of water. The pool can be divided into three sections for different, and simultaneous, competitions along depths of seven to 17 feet, thanks to movable bulkheads that create a 10-lane racing section and a diving end that features platforms up to 10 meters high. The facility has 1,800 permanent seats and offers another 1,200 temporary seats for major events. In addition, it features a 82-foot x 75-foot moveable floor to adjust pool depth for recreational swimming.

The facility's versatility mirrors the creative strategies which Tishman developed for the project after construction was delayed because of funding questions until July, 1996. "We made sure during the preconstruction phase that we were covering every possible detail to avoid changes and potential delays later on," said Tishman First Vice President Leonard Gallina.

Fast-Track Decisions Save Time and Money

As part of its varied role, Tishman performed pre-construction space analysis. value engineering and budgeting, project planning and scheduling, bid evaluations and awards, and construction monitoring. Several Tishman recommendations helped the project stay on track, despite funding and time constraints, including dividing bids into 11 packages, which allowed fast-track contracting and increased project control. Tishman also developed plans to construct the pool's shell before erecting the building frame, and to use a hanging scaffold system - strategies which allowed crews to work on the ceiling and floor simultaneously - saving time and money.

"Those decisions allowed its to compress the schedule," said Paull. "Conservatively, we saved six months on the job."

For its diligent efforts, Tishman, along with the design and construction team, also won recognition for its work on the wave-inspired concrete buttresses - which form the building's most distinctive feature - with an "Award of Merit with Special Recognition" from the Concrete Industry Board.