Volmar wins $87 million courthouse renovation contract.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) recently announced the award of an $87 million construction contract to Brooklyn-based Volmar Construction for a major modernization of the Emanuel Celler U.S. Courthouse at Cadman Plaza in downtown Brooklyn.

The courthouse reconstruction contract comes during a construction boom in downtown Brooklyn. City officials rezoned large sections of downtown in 2004, allowing for taller buildings and greater densities in the borough. At the same time this private redevelopment is taking place, the General Services Administration and other public bodies are improving their buildings

"This modernization project is the final phase of GSA's plan to provide additional and more modern facilities for the U.S. Courts in downtown Brooklyn. With the recent completion of work and the openings of the new U.S. Courthouse and the U.S. Post Office and Courthouse at Cadman Plaza, this contract will ensure that the facilities at the Emanuel Celler U.S. Courthouse will also be capable of meeting federal court needs well into the future," said Eileen Long-Chelales, Regional Administrator of GSA's Northeast and Caribbean Region. "We are also very pleased to note that our contractor for this significant project is located in Brooklyn and that this contract will be a significant boost for the local economy."

The modernization of the Emanuel Celler U.S. Courthouse, built in the late 1960's, will include upgrading the elevators, lighting, and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems; replacement of windows, parapet and roofing; providing separate secured circulation for the judges and public; installing a new emergency generator and new fire alarm, sprinkler and security systems; asbestos and lead abatement; PCB removal; a seismic retrofit; and ensuring the facility is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project will take place in two phases, starting this July. The courts will partially occupy the building during the construction, which is anticipated to be finished by October of 2009.

"GSA views the Judiciary as an important federal customer agency," said David L. Winstead, commissioner of GSA's Public Buildings Service. "And we are committed to providing the courts with high-quality workspaces, enabling them to concentrate on their core mission of administering justice on behalf of the American people."

Volmar Construction, headquartered in Brooklyn, is a general contractor that specializes in the renovation of commercial buildings.

GSA is a centralized federal procurement, property management and policy agency created by Congress to improve government efficiency and help federal agencies better serve the public. On behalf of federal agencies, GSA acquires office space, equipment, telecommunications, information technology, supplies and services. It also plays a key role in developing and implementing government-wide policies. GSA's 13,000 associates provide services and solutions for office operations for more than one million federal workers located in more than 8,000 government-owned and leased buildings in 2,000 U.S. communities.

GSA's Northeast and Caribbean Region and its 800 associates, deliver agency services to federal customers in New York. New Jersey, Puerto Rico.