Rendering of the B2 modular tower at Atlantic Yards (source: SHoP Architects)

The first residential component at Atlantic Yards, a 32-story tower known as B2, will contain 930 prefabricated units and a mix of studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms, developer Forest City Ratner said today.

The company had announced in October that the 15 residential towers at the project would be built using pre-fabricated, modular construction. But details revealed today show a unit breakdown of 150 studios, 165 one-bedrooms and 48 two-bedrooms, with 20 percent of the two-bedroom units offered as affordable housing. The groundbreaking is scheduled for Dec. 18. When completed in 2014, B2 will be the tallest modular building in the world. [more]

Building Trades Employers Association President Louis Coletti and U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch

If misery loves company then Bovis Lend Lease, the construction firm that agreed to pay $56 million in April to settle billing fraud charges, may soon be happy. WNYC reported that federal prosecutors are widening their probe into construction billing practices to include four more of the city’s biggest firms: Turner Construction Company, Plaza Construction, Skanska USA and Tishman Construction.

When Bovis settled the charges three months ago, Loretta Lynch, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, issued a statement saying, “The message should be clear to all who are engaged in similar contract billing fraud: You are in our sights.” [more]

Skanska USA has been awarded a $61 million contract by the New York City School Construction Authority to build a new, highly sustainable middle school and high school at South Hunter’s Point in Long Island City, the company announced today. Plans for the five-story school building call for 26 classrooms and eight special-education classrooms, in addition to science rooms, an art studio, a music suite, a regulation-size gym with an auxiliary gym and a library. The school, which will accommodate more than 1,000 students, will be designed to meet silver LEED certification. TRD
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