Lou Coletti will step down from his longtime position as President & CEO of the Building Trades Employers Association on June 30 and will be replaced by Elizabeth Crowley, a former member of the City Council who will be the first woman to lead the organization. “I look forward to seeing Elizabeth’s leadership and vision continue to advance the BTEA,” Coletti said. “It has been an honor to lead this organization for the past 26 years, see it grow, and make a positive impact on the lives of so many people who work in the construction industry.” 

Mayor Adams Appoints Jimmy Oddo DOB Commissioner; Kazimir Vilenchik, P.E. to Continue as DOB First Deputy Commissioner

On April 27, Mayor Eric Adams announced the appointments of Jimmy Oddo as the commissioner for the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) and Molly Wasow Park as the commissioner for the New York City Department of Social Services (DSS). DOB Acting Commissioner Kazimir Vilenchik, P.E. will return to his previous role as the agency’s first deputy commissioner. Oddo will lead the administration’s critical building and construction safety work while continuing to support the city’s economic recovery.

SAFEBUILD, NATIONAL BTEA SAFETY FORUM 

We have braved the cold, short days of winter and are squarely in the start of spring as the weather is warming and the sun is setting a touch later. And with this change of the seasons comes the start of the second quarter of 2023, a year the construction industry came into with caution and uncertainty.

We kicked off the year with plenty of unanswered questions around awarded projects commencing, when we will start to see infrastructure spending, labor challenges and the ongoing battle with inflation, which continues to spur interest rate hikes. 



With the first quarter of 2023 behind us, do we have any clearer answers now? As an advisor, student and practitioner of the construction industry, it felt only natural to reflect on and share some observations and takeaways from what we have experienced over the last three months

Building Trades Employers Association of New York (BTEA New York) is the construction contractor's unified advocate for construction safety standards, professional development, government affairs, public relations and fostering communication between public officials, public and private owners, labor and the general public. Realizing that a construction industry is essential to the vibrant future of New York City, its activities are dedicated to a building environment meeting the highest of environmental standards, integrity, cost efficiency, productivity and value that contributes to improving the quality of life in New York City. BTEA New York represents 26 Construction Manager, General Contractor, Subcontractor and Specialty Trade contractor associations with over 1,200 individual contractor members.