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March 28, 2017

$39 Million in Water, Sewer and Street Upgrades Underway in Norwood

Project managed by Bronx Resident Ketty Paulino

Contact:
Shavone Williams
718-391-1583

Bronx, NY –  A $39 million infrastructure project in the Norwood community will soon replace century-old cast iron water mains and will include new sidewalks and roadways once underground work is complete. The project, which began in 2016, is being managed by the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) for the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and is scheduled to be completed in summer 2019.

The project includes the installation of 8,500 feet of larger trunk water mains and 8,500 feet of smaller distribution water mains along several streets in the area, including:

  • Bainbridge Avenue between East Gun Hill Road and Jerome Avenue;
  • Intersection of Jerome Avenue and Bainbridge Avenue;
  • Jerome Avenue between Bainbridge Avenue and East 233rd Street.

Other improvements include the replacement of 25 fire hydrants to connect to the newly installed water mains.

The NYC Department of Design and Construction is managing infrastructure upgrades along Bainbridge in the Bronx

This project will significantly upgrade the area’s water system, which is over a century old. The installation of the essential infrastructure will increase the reliability of water service and provide much needed relief to residents in this community. We look forward to continuing our work with DEP to complete this and other vital infrastructure improvements for the borough,” said DDC Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora.

Borough resident and DDC Resident Engineer Ketty Paulino inspects construction along Bainbridge Avenue in the Bronx

The project is being managed by DDC Resident Engineer and Bronx resident Ketty Paulino. Ketty oversees daily construction, coming up with solutions to day-to-day issues that arise, and performs inspections to make sure that project specifications are being followed. Born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Ketty was inspired to pursue a career in civil engineer by watching her mother excel in the field. In 2012, she obtained her civil engineering degree from the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC).

She came to America in 2013 and obtained her Master’s degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with a concentration in construction management. After her graduation, Ketty planned on moving back to the Dominican Republic, but stayed once she was offered a position at DDC.

“As a woman, I’ve had my challenges in the field. I had to develop a character with contractors and community members so that people would respect my authority and how I manage the project. I feel like I can’t see myself doing anything else in my career besides engineering. When you’re passionate about the projects you work on they will always stay with you, even if they are underground and people may not see the completed work,” said Paulino.

Although her mother was reluctant at first for her work in the engineering industry, she has progressed and made her family proud. In two years, Paulino has managed four other DDC infrastructure projects in the Bronx and was recently promoted to Resident Engineer.

DDC has worked closely to accommodate the needs of neighborhood residents and businesses duration of the project, including schools, hospitals, and nursing homes.

Bainbridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center Administrator Suzanne Hogan

“In 40 years of working in New York City in various locations, I have never seen a project run smoothly and efficiently with so much mutual cooperation. The way this operation has been running is amazing, and we appreciate it because sometimes the things that we are doing as a healthcare facility are a matter of life and death. The team understands this and never second guesses us, they have accommodated some of our elderly’s visitors coming in and out of the facility. It’s really a plus and the way it should be,” said Bainbridge Rehabilitation and Nursing Center Administrator Suzanne Hogan.

Construction is being performed by general contractor EIC Associates of Springfield, New Jersey.

About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s lenses of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, new or upgraded roadways, sewers, water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative, and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to city projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.