-April - May-

MESSENGER

-MEGA PROGRESS-

203 Newport Index piles at the Newport project are installed and curing; projected date of testing is May 2nd. Production piles are expected to start immediately thereafter on May 9th. SOE piles are installed and excavation is pending approval from our soil facility.

46th Street This month at Astoria 46, we finished the installation of piles in the perimeter of the building. The site is currently undergoing excavation and we reached the general excavation depth on the 46th street side. We have started the support and shoring of our existing north wall while the remainder of the site is being excavated.

St. James Terrace At St. James, the concrete operations continue with pouring of the 6th floor. The mason contractor mobilized starting with the mockup and CMU in the cellar. The electrical contractor continued work on the switch gear and the plumber is midway through the fire standpipe installation. The hoist is built up to the 4th floor and our carpenter mobilized and is installing framing on the 1st floor. We installed the temp roof on the 2nd floor terrace in preparation for installation of pipe scaffolding around the building.

Inwood Library At the Inwood Library project this month, work on the superstructure continued. With the erection of the concrete pump placing boom, the concrete superstructure subcontractor is able to decrease the time required to pour a floor. Currently, the 4th floor has been poured and we continue to erect one floor per week. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing work is continuing with the installation of the dry sprinkler system, the storm and sanitary overhead piping in the cellar, electrical cellar overhead and risers conduit for the express electrical service to the roof, and risers for the plumbing and sprinkler systems. Ductwork is starting next week in the cellar and carpentry wall framing has started in the basement as well.

Simba Simbi We completed brick on the bulkhead and will be clearing the roof in preparation for permanent roof installation to start this month. Kone has mobilized and started setting rails in the elevator shaft. Duct branches are installed through the 5th floor. Core board shaft walls are complete on the 3rd floor, and by the end of the month all shaft walls will be complete. Plumbing roughing testing and inspections are scheduled for the middle of May, and we will begin Sheetrocking apartments.

Nameoke We are currently erecting the 8th floor CMU and will be installing the 9th floor plank at the end of this week. Brickwork has started at the 1st floor, and interior framing is ongoing through the 6th floor with plumbing and duct work through the 5th floor. Electrical roughing and split system piping are in progress through the 4th floor.

178 Warburton Currently at Warburton, we are almost finished with the exterior panel work and roof installation. On the interior, we continue painting and installing bathroom tiles as we hang wood doors and shelves. We are also happy to report that we have started to install light fixtures throughout the apartments as well as LVT.

Herkimer Street This month at 491 Herkimer Street, we completed gypcrete at the 3rd and 4th floors. Painting has begun on the 3rd Floor, and bathroom wall and floor tiles are in progress on 3rd and 4th floors. GFRC Panel installation is nearly 50% complete at the south elevation. Cornice installation at the north and south Elevation is ongoing and we have begun dismantling scaffolding at the north elevation.

37 Hillside Cellar underground plumbing has been installed and tested. Majority of the cellar walls are in place and have been waterproofed/insulated and are ready for backfill. The cellar pressure slab is being poured and decking for 1st floor forming is being delivered. Water connection has been completed and temporary electric service is to be provided within two weeks.

3401 Third Avenue Installation of brick pavers and topsoil in the rear yard and courtyard are complete. Punchlist work has started in all apartments from the 2nd to 10th floors. Window treatment installation is in progress. All 1st floor and cellar work, including ceramic & porcelain tile work, sheetrock and acoustical ceiling work are nearing completion. Installation of decorative ceramic wall tiles in the 1st floor elevator lobby is complete. April was very productive with testing as we successfully passed the DOB boiler, elevator, blower door tests and inspections as well as the fire alarm pre-test all in the middle of the month. Con Edison has started the gas service work to the building, and this is expected to be completed in late April together with the sidewalk and curb installation. Storefront including glazing, door, frames and hardware installation is ongoing.

Beach 21st Street Receives TCO! Let's all congratulate the Beach 21st Street team on obtaining TCO!!! Standing at 10 stories tall, this mixed-use building in Far Rockaway yields 224 residences. Resident amenities include on-site laundry, parking, fitness rooms, a community room, and rooftop terraces with panoramic ocean views, landscaping, vegetable gardens, and a children’s play area. The development also yields 24,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space and 8,000 square feet allocated to community facility uses, including a daycare and early childhood center with a private outdoor play area and a vocational training center. Join us in a round of applause for the Beach 21 Street team!!! Boris Medovoy Oscar Mexia Besnik Korbeci Steven Yeung Markos Vizaniaris Tiffany Rodrigues Yan Mezhirovskiy Timothy Conner Savvas Lavithis Mario Condeza Michael Rakhar

2051 Ryer Avenue obtrains FCO!!!

2051 Ryer Avenue has obtained its FCO!!! Located in the quickly developing Mt. Hope section of the Bronx, 2051 Ryer Ave is a 12 story apartment building with a combination of affordable apartments for families and apartments dedicated to individuals living with mental illnesses. The building consists of 86 apartments ranging from studios up to 3 bedrooms.  Congratulations to Ryan Butcher and the Ryer Avenue team for getting us through this final milestone!

In effort to highlight the amazing behind the scenes work done throughout our many departments we have been featuring a different department every month under the Mega Marquee section. Buyouts Department

Responsible for hiring of all our subcontractors, the Buyouts Department is the bridge between our Estimating Department and the Project Management teams in Operations. Buyouts' role is to ready the project for construction by enlisting the proper subcontractors for it.   Chris Mui took on the leadership of the then newly-created department in 2016, and along with Thomas Chan, later joined by Marc Peretzman and recently Benjamin Park, have created a great team that has been working diligently to assure our jobs have quality subcontractors when they are needed and at the right price. As new projects get transferred from Estimating, Chris and his team review the proposals obtained by Estimating and solicit additional ones for each scope of the work. Working along with the Project Management teams they develop each scope making sure nothing is missed by soliciting proposals, leveling them, and interviewing subcontractors. A crucial part of their role is to also ensure that we meet or exceed the high MWBE, Section 3, local hiring and other inclusionary goals that our clients, funders and Mega strive to achieve. Like coaches putting together a team, Buyouts has to balance the qualifications of subcontractors and their pricing, along with insurance requirements, while meeting our participation goals to create, along with Operations, a capable & reliable team that will ultimately build a successful project.   In an effort to expand our pool of qualified subcontractors, they review all prospective subcontractor applications that we receive, present our projects at networking events, and post opportunities on industry publications to attract new subcontractors, They often even assist smaller Minority and women owned subcontractors to obtain their City and State certifications.   Day to day tasks include reviewing the project drawings and specifications, performing take-offs, developing scopes of work, following up with subcontractors, levelling and comparing proposals, and most importantly communicating with the project teams and subcontractors to ensure everyone is on the same page.   We thank and congratulate Chris Mui and his team for their great work and for their achievement to often be able to buyout three or four projects at a time without missing a beat! Mega’s success would not have been the same without your dedication and persistence!!!

Purchasing Department Our Purchasing Department is responsible for procuring all of the material that we use in our projects. In the past, Project Managers and Site Supers were tasked with purchasing jobsite materials for the projects they were overseeing. Although materials were being purchased, this process lacked the planning, strategy, research and cost efficiency methods needed to improve business operations. John Panikidis joined Mega in 2017 and immediately created our Purchasing department, which he manages and oversees to this day. Through effective management of material procurement, John has significantly improved purchasing processes and reduced operational costs. In addition, John oversees the responsibilities of those employees providing assistance for this intricate and high-volume task. This includes Dimo Pagkas and Christian Carboy who both assist John with all things purchasing as it pertains to our jobsites. It also includes Rosalie Brancaccio who purchases office supplies for the jobsite and office. John’s extensive background in sales of building material and his familiarity with the ins and outs of purchasing helped him establish a much more streamlined purchasing process while bridging the paper trail gap between Operations and Accounting.   Our Purchasing Department acts as Mega’s Super Store, filling the needs of every project and department company-wide. The department’s responsibilities include researching, soliciting, ordering and coordinating the delivery of any type of material, tools and equipment, to our jobsites.   Purchasing does not simply place the orders; their work is a complex process in which the department receives the purchase requests from the field, looks through its database of pricing, obtains additional quotes to find the best possible deal without compromising on timely delivery. The department then issues a Purchase Order in Sage, reviews and approves the invoices and works closely with our supers, warehouse team and drivers, keeping inventory of all materials & equipment purchased and making sure everything gets where it needs to go.   The Purchasing Department not only maintains relationships with our existing vendors but constantly searches for new vendors that can help serve the needs of our jobsites. They also routinely go out to the surrounding areas of new projects to locate local vendors, promote local businesses and have a vendor that can quickly supply a need in a pinch.   The Purchasing Department is an integral part of Mega’s day to day operations and has been able to make us more efficient and competitive in our market.   A big Thanks goes to John and his team, Dimo, Christian and Rosalie, for their dedication, their willingness to work practically 24/7 to service our sites and their passion to always find the best material, when we need it and at the best possible price!!!

Work Anniversaries

John Panikidis This month we celebrate a very special work anniversary; John Panikidis’ 5 years with Mega. John joined our team to fill a position that was long overdue and very difficult to fill. There was always a desire to have an inhouse purchaser that would be able to provide us the ability to purchase wisely, timely, at the lowest price, and to manage materials and eliminate waste. However, it was difficult to find the appropriate candidate to fill the position. We knew John because of his other “talents” but did not know at the time that his hidden talent and qualities were in purchasing! When we learned that John had many years of experience purchasing for large lumber yards, some of which we purchased from, we knew he would be a perfect fit for the job! John has the uncanny ability to seek out the lowest price for the best material to get the job done, as well as manage multiple requests at the same time. There is no doubt that his role can be quite overwhelming at times, but John always manages to satisfy all requests, no matter what time of day they come in! John has successfully created, grown and managed the Purchasing Department and is now assisting with the creation of the Purchasing Module App for our Mega Database, which will create an online purchasing system for placing our orders! We want to thank John for all his years of dedication! We look forward to many more years and a very bright future with purchasing and its transition into the digital age!!!

Nia Jackson Let's all wish a Happy Anniversary to Nia Jackson! Congratulations on achieving 5 years of service at Mega! Over the last 5 years, Nia has contributed to and supported the Admin and Legal Departments at Mega, always protecting Mega’s best interests from a legal perspective. Nia's training as an attorney provides project teams with the support and knowledge needed to maneuver through various legal situations that arise during the course of a project. Violations, lawsuits, claims, incidents and various other challenging situations arise at times when building in NYC and Nia is there to assist each project team ensuring that Mega’s interests are fully protected. Nia has been instrumental working with project teams and a large team of outside attorneys to ensure that all incidents are properly documented and investigated, violations are addressed and cleared with government agencies in a timely manner and agreements are properly drafted and executed! Nia has always proven to be a team player and a valuable resource through her desire to assist team members and willingness to collaborate with the various departments in the office regardless of the task at hand! Nia, we look forward to seeing what more you will accomplish at Mega and we thank you for your outstanding work!!!

Timothy Conner Let's all congratulate Timothy Conner on his 5-year work anniversary! Timothy Conner is a retired NYPD officer, and he has brought integrity, honor and respect to Mega. He started off at Mega as a Construction Health and Safety technician and was shortly thereafter awarded a Site Safety Coordinator license. Timothy has worked on multiple projects, including Parsons Blvd and Beach 21st street. He works very hard to maintain a Safe and Healthful job site. He earns the respect of all his coworkers and his subcontractors through his hard work and the help he provides to everyone! He has vast knowledge of construction safety codes, and continues to strive to learn more on a daily basis! He has become a great asset to the safety team and MEGA family as a whole, and we wish him many more years of service with MEGA!!!

Congratulations to Serin Choi who is celebrating her 1 year anniversary with Mega.   We are glad to have you on our team. We thank you for your hard working focused contributions.

to the Mega Family!

We would like to welcome the newest additions to our team! Nicholas Hartofilis - Development Accounting Manager Steven Golden - MEP Field Utility

-May-

Serin Choi - May 4th Monyka Velandia - May 6th Mohammed Choum - May 9th Frank Modafferi - May 14th Oneil Allen - May 15th Igor Mucha - May 17th Luna Chu - May 22nd Steven Yueng - May 24th Mario Condeza - May 25th Adea Kosumi - May 25th Erin Mitchell - May 26th Christopher Mui - May 28th Kerem Acar - May 29th

-June-

Cassandre Francois-Sanon - June 2nd George Smoudianis - June 2nd Glendon Frederick - June 3rd Emmanuel Amaya - June 3rd James Dudley - June 6th Michael Iovine - June 9th Chris Marangoudakis - June 12th Nathaniel Sutton - June 12th Katerina Kousoulas - June 13th Panagiotis Kousoulas - June 15th Christian Carboy - June 15th Chris Argyriou - June 16th Andrew Hegarty - June 17th John Panikidis - June 25th Liam Brennan - June 29th Christopher Binns - June 30th

NEW! Employee Benefit - FinFit

Mega is excited to announce a new benefit available to its employees called FinFit, offered through Paychex! What is FinFit? FinFit is your free personal guide to financial well-being, including money management tools and credit solutions. The following are tools available for your use on FitFit: Financial Assessment: Helps Identify what your financial educational opportunities may be and shows you the correct classes on our site for you to take based on your answers. Financial Calculators: These calculators help you make smart moves on big decisions like buying a home, planning for retirement, and planning out your children’s college fund. Ready University: FinFit offers over 40 FREE financial education classes available for adults. They also have FREE children’s financial education classes for your children, grade school through high school levels. MoneyView: This tool is a “one stop” Financial Management tool. It teaches money management and shows spending habits, helps organize your debt and show you how you can get it paid off quicker and even use it on the go with the FinFit App! Financial Counseling: This is an 800# you can call for free and get free financial advice, like how to buy a home for the first time or teach you how to read your credit report correctly, or create an action plan to be debt free. Coupon Vault: FinFit has tons of free electronic coupons from all sorts of big-name stores and Restaurants. Rewards program: You can take classes, use MoneyView, take the financial assessment and all sorts of other educational items on FinFit's site and earn rewards points that you can then turn in for Gift cards and other free prizes! You may qualify for short-term employee loans through FinFit: Minimum six-month employment tenure Soft credit check Five-month payoff Paid through direct deposit set up by Paychex. Minimum loan amount =$500 Maximum loan amount = 50% of gross monthly income Interest between 4%-13%   How do I access FinFit? Log into Paychex and right on your dashboard, you will see the FinFit.

T-Building Receives Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award!

George Poulon, Johnathan Huang, Bill Harwood, Sonia Onasi and Giannis Zouboulis represented Mega joining the owner Dunn Development and Saky Yakas of SLCE at the award ceremony on April 20th, 2020 at the Cathedra Church of Saint John the Divine. The Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards are the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s highest honors for outstanding preservation. The Conservancy has been a leader in preserving, restoring, and reusing New York City’s exceptional architectural legacy for nearly five decades. The Moses Awards recognize individuals, organizations, architects, craftspeople, and building owners for their extraordinary contributions to preserving our City.

The T-Building shows how historic buildings provide new housing opportunities. The 1941 Triboro Hospital for Tuberculosis has been converted into 200 units of affordable housing for low- and middle-income households, including supportive housing, community space, and a youth center in the former hospital kitchen. The project qualified for Low Income Housing Tax Credits and both NY State and Federal Historic Preservation Investment Tax Credits. As medical advances made the Art Moderne hospital obsolete, wards were turned over to film production companies, pigeons, and raccoons. Preservation and neighborhood advocates helped derail demolition plans, and in 2014, the City selected this proposal to save and adapt the T-Building. The design team reused open terraces and sun-filled balconies connected with the original use. The limestone and brick exterior, monumental copper lanterns, and bronze metalwork were all retained, along with tiled walls, terrazzo floors, and large steel sash windows. Key interior spaces, such as the bronze and marble-clad lobby, wood-paneled library, and auditorium with its glass-block window wall were restored. The conversion meets building codes, addresses energy-efficiency standards, and provides modern residential amenities while converting a dilapidated empty building into homes that will be filled with happy and deserving families. Congratulations to the T-Building team on this well deserved recognition:  Jonathan Huang Bill Harwood James Samuels Andrew McGann Athanasios Balampanis Giannis Zouboulis Sonia Mantzouridou Onasi Christopher Katsanos Miles Hunter Jimmy Espinoza Savvas Lavithis Akif Chugtai Timothy Conner Stefanos Varelis Christopher Cheong Lissa Polanco Michael Rakhar Anastasios Papadopoulos Jaliza Tull

Safety Meeting April 2022!

This month we had another successful virtual safety meeting. We reviewed safety protocols as well as policies, procedures, and best practices. Thank you to Arthur and Luna for the informative presentation, and Andrew for all his input and guidance, and remember SAFETY FIRST!

Kicking off Rooftop Season!

It’s that time of year again!!! Our beautiful Rooftop Deck is officially open for use throughout the Spring and Summer seasons! What a better way to kick off rooftop season than with a happy hour?! Following the safety meeting which took place on Wednesday, April 20th, we headed up to our rooftop to enjoy delicious food catered by Truva, drinks, warm weather and great company. For those who were unable to attend, we hope to see you at the next happy hour! As a reminder: Employees must use their access cards to enter and exit the staircase leading to the roof deck. Upon entry, the staircase door should only be pushed open after disabling the alarm with an access card. If the door is pushed open without an access card first being swiped against the card reader, the alarm will sound. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind while utilizing the space: Hours of operation are from 11am-3pm and from 5-6pm daily Rooftop deck and lounge is not to be used for work, only for breaks and after work lounging Clean up after yourself and make sure to drop all garbage in the waste bins If you brought it upstairs with you, then take it with you when you leave Dishes are not to be put in the sink or left in the lounge area Visitors and/or guests are not allowed without approval from Human Resources Manager (HRM) or Upper Management, with no exceptions The last person to leave the deck during after-hours use is responsible for storing cushions, lowering umbrellas, clearing garbage or miscellaneous items, turning lights off and making sure the door is closed before exiting

Annual Chinatown Y Zumbathon!

As many may know, our very own Nancy Chan is a board member of the Chinatown YMCA. Nancy and the Chinatown YMCA are very excited to invite you to the 3rd annual Zumbathon on Saturday, May 7th "in-person or virtually", at the Houston St. Center-Chinatown YMCA located at 273 Bowery. If you cannot Zumba, any donations are welcome during these difficult times. You can follow the link below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/annual-chinatown-y-zumbathon-we-come-back-stronger-tickets-319067307907?aff=ebdssbdestsearch OR Check made payable to YMCA; mail checks to Nancy Chan, 26 E. 2nd Street, 5th floor, NY, NY 10003.   OR VENMO - @Nancy-Chan-19 Thank you all for your continued support to Chinatown YMCA!

2022 Sensitivity Training

Mark your calendars to join us on Thursday, May 12th, 2022 at 5 pm *virtually* for a mandated Sensitivity training.  The sensitivity training is designed to make individuals aware of their behavior towards others, who may be different in race, color, gender, religion, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation and other categories protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Sensitivity training also raises awareness of other characteristics that employees may encounter in their daily interactions, such as individuals with different experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and communication styles. Raising awareness among employees and managers about the benefits of respect, civility and inclusion is an important step in creating a workplace free of discrimination and harassment, which is one of Mega’s top priorities.

CPR Training 2022!

The FDNY CPR Program is coming back to the Mega office on June 23rd to instruct a class on hands-only CPR (please note, this program does not offer CPR certification). To date, the program has successfully trained thousands of New Yorkers in these lifesaving techniques. Program participants are provided with: Skill demonstrations and hands-on practice for performing hands-only CPR. Basic instruction on how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Additional information for identifying a person in need of CPR and other resources. Keep an eye out for the Constant Contact e-vite to RSVP!

We're Looking for a Labor Monitor!!! Do you have a Candidate?

We have a job opening available in our Labor Monitor department. We have published this position externally, but we also wanted to send this internally in case you have a referral 😊   Please have all interested candidates email their resumes directly to Alexa Correa ([email protected]) and in the subject line please include the position that they’re applying for and who referred them. Do not hesitate to contact HR if you have any questions about the position or process.   Lastly, don’t forget that Mega has a Referral Program! If you refer someone who you believe would be a good addition to our family and they are hired, you may be awarded a referral bonus of $1,500 in the form of a prepaid credit card. See page 26 from your Employee Handbook for the full policy.

Magnificent May Activities!!!

There are so many things to do in NYC in May! It’s a great time of year to enjoy our beautiful city – everything is blooming, the sun is shining, and the first outdoor events are make their appearance. Spring in NYC is in full effect, while summer in New York is just around the corner. Check out the list below for some activities taking place this month! The Whitney Biennial 2022 -The Whitney Biennial has surveyed the landscape of American art, reflecting and shaping the cultural conversation, since 1932. The eightieth edition of the landmark exhibition is co-curated by David Breslin, DeMartini Family Curator and Director of Curatorial Initiatives, and Adrienne Edwards, Engell Speyer Family Curator and Director of Curatorial Affairs. Titled Quiet as It’s Kept, the 2022 Biennial features an intergenerational and interdisciplinary group of sixty-three artists and collectives whose dynamic works reflect the challenges, complexities, and possibilities of the American experience today.  Whitney Biennial 2022: Quiet as It’s Kept | Whitney Museum of American Art Ninth Avenue International Food Festival -Voted the Best Street Fair in NYC, taste the best of the best Manhattan food. Kids and adults will be entertained and fed until you’re stuffed! Admission free, food costs vary. Come for Argentinian, Brazilian, Cajun, Chinese, Cuban, Dominican, Ethiopian, French, German, Greek, Haitian, Indian, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Moroccan, Pakistani, Polish, Puerto Rican, Peruvian, Senegalese, Sicilian, Southern, Spanish, Thai, Trinidadian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese food – and more! Ninth Avenue Food Festival Summer on the Hudson 2022 -Summer on the Hudson is Riverside Park & West Harlem Piers Park’s annual outdoor arts and culture festival. Between 59th and 153rd Streets on the Hudson River, you can experience live DJs, exhibits, special shows for kids, and of course, the outdoor movies. And the best part? All the events are free!  Summer on the Hudson | (riversideparknyc.org)

Mother's Day this year falls on Sunday, May 8th, 2022. We wish a Happy Mother's Day to all Mega Mothers whether you are past, present or soon to be Moms! May your day be filled with love, laughter and joy!!!

National Receptionists Day is the best day for us to celebrate and recognize how important receptionists are! When a client or a guest calls or enters our office, our receptionist is the first to greet them. They create an all-important first impression, and because of this, we thank our receptionists Pamela Hardy & Rosalie Brancaccio for making sure we always leave a great first impression!!!

Accounting Day began in 1972 as an annual educational event usually held in May of each year. On this day, and everyday, we wish to extend a warm thank you to our Accounting Department who continue to show their  hard work and dedication!!!

Do you have a suggestion, comment, or question? Let me know what it is by emailing me at [email protected].