The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) has entered into an agreement to exclusively utilize local union workforce projected to reduce overall project costs by more than $2.3 million 

Yesterday, the ECHDC board of directors approved a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) with the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO, as well as the Building and Construction Trades Council of Buffalo, NY and Vicinity, AFL-CIO, for public infrastructure work related to the proposed Canal Side inner harbor project.  In addition, the harbor corporation authorized contract amendments for additional architectural design, strategic planning and legal services associated with the waterfront redevelopment effort.   

The authorized PLA between ECHDC and local trades is a formal post-bid contract that encompasses various Canal Side project components, such as the public canal environments, associated public facilities and potential parking garage structures.  Subsequent private development associated with the project will not be subject to the agreement.

  

"Undertaking a PLA for the initial phase of Canal Side infrastructure work made good business sense based on a number of factors, including our aggressive construction schedule, the need to minimize work site delays and the potential cost savings associated with the agreement," said ECHDC President Thomas Dee.  "Having done our due diligence and formally analyzing the public benefits of such an arrangement, we feel confident in our partnership with local labor and look forward to getting this project built."

Under the terms of the PLA, the trades are established as the collective bargaining representatives for workers, with all contractor and subcontractor groups required to endorse the agreement in order to perform Canal Side public infrastructure work.  In exchange for this requirement and the adherence to certain dispute resolution services and labor rules, the project will be devoid of construction site jurisdictional hindrances and potential lockouts or strikes.  The PLA is also expected to induce bidding competition through the presence of a single collective bargaining mechanism, while reducing potential costs by roughly $2.3 million via the streamlined process.

"This PLA is really about two things: providing good construction jobs to local working men and women; and moving this project forward for the betterment of Western New York," said Buffalo Building Trades Council President Paul Brown.  "While we wish that all the Canal Side construction work was going to union shops, the trades recognize the need for compromise and we remain pleased that such a large portion of the project is included in the public infrastructure package."

In other activity, ECHDC amended a contract with Ehrenkrantz, Eckstut & Kuhn Architects for the amount of $1.03 million.  This adjustment will cover a number of additional services provided by the firm, including: further project "master architect" responsibilities; design integrity assistance; and work related to cost estimation, civil and traffic engineering, water features, wind buffering, sustainability, parking, lighting, landscaping, signage and graphic creation, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, vertical transportation and code requirements and specifications.  

A contract was also updated with Phillips Lytle LLP to provide an additional $350,000 for professional counsel concerning upcoming waterfront site acquisitions, real estate negotiations and remaining environmental review issues.  Both amendments will be paid for using proceeds from the New York Power Authority agreement.  

"These are prudent amendments to ensure that we retain the proper services needed to complete the many detailed facets of the Canal Side design and mandatory environmental review process," said Dee.  "ECHDC continues to advance the inner harbor project and looks forward to this upcoming spring and summer when we'll be able to initiate even more site construction than just the utility work that is already underway."