SEPTEMBER 2023 CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
In September, the contractor finished most of the work on Breakwater ‘E’. The navigation aid light on this breakwater has also been turned on! In addition, the team is nearly finished with placing all toe armor stone, the biggest stone in the structure, on the trunks of breakwaters ‘F’, ‘G’, and ‘H’. They will commence placing armor stone in the next couple months on these breakwaters.
Moreover, stone is now also being produced and shipped from Silvi Quarry in Belle Mead, NJ in addition to Carver Quarry in Johnstown, NY. You can read more about the team visit to Silvi Quarry to inspect the stone that will be used in the project in the Fun Fact portion of this month.
Lastly, we are moving our Fall Public Shorewalk to Saturday, November 4 because of inclement weather. We will meet at 1:00 PM at Conference House Park’s parking lot near the Visitor Center and walk to the beach together. If you arrive late, please walk directly to the beach to find our group. The beach is a 10 min walk from the Visitor Center at 200-236 Satterlee St. (accessible via the SIM2 and SIM25 buses) or 30 min walk from Tottenville SIR station. There is no advanced registration needed, and everyone is welcome!
Image Descriptions
- Left: Aerial photo of Living Breakwaters (Credit: WMI + Bernstein Associates, July 2023)
- Center: View of Econcrete™ Tide Pools at Breakwater ‘E’ reef ridge (Credit: Baird, September 2023)
- Right: View of reef ridge construction at Breakwater ‘E’ (Credit: Baird, September 2023)
FUN FACT: STONE SELECTION
Have you ever wondered how stone gets selected for a project such as Living Breakwaters? There is plenty of thought and effort that goes into finding the right fit!
In August, the Office of Resilient Homes and Community team visited Silvi Quarry in Belle Mead, NJ in preparation for using their stone on the Living Breakwaters. In addition to touring the quarry, the team also reviewed ‘pre-production reference stones’ selected by the contractor. Designating ‘pre-production reference stones’ is one of the methods the construction team employed to make sure that all armor and toe amor stones used in the project follow the design requirements in regard to size, dimensions, strength, quality, among other parameters. These stones are carefully selected and agreed on by RHC and the construction team to be representative of stone qualified for our project. They are then placed adjacent to the work site for the construction team to select appropriate stone for the breakwaters.
At the quarry, the team also observed drop tests performed on a few pre-selected stones. Stones were dropped five times from a height of approximately five feet to simulate impacts during handling, transport, and construction. The tests proved Silvi Quarry as a high-quality source, and the visit was a success! The stones have since been transported from Silvi Quarry to a stockpile at a marine terminal near the site, and will be placed on Breakwater ‘F’, ‘G’, and ‘H’ in the coming months!
Image Descriptions
- Left Top: View of Silvi Quarry in Belle Mead, NJ (Credit: SCAPE, August 2023)
- Left Bottom: Stone drop tests at Silvi Quarry (Credit: SCAPE, August 2023)
- Right: RHC team inspecting Silvi Quarry stone (Credit: SCAPE, August 2023)
UPCOMING EVENTS
11/4/23: Please join us on Saturday, November 4th for our next Shorewalk! We will meet at 1:00 PM at Conference House Park’s parking lot near the Visitor Center and walk to the beach together. If you arrive late, please walk directly to the beach to find our group. The beach is a 10 min walk from the Visitor Center at 200-236 Satterlee St. (accessible via the SIM2 and SIM25 buses) or 30 min walk from Tottenville SIR station. There is no advanced registration needed, and everyone is welcome!
Ongoing: See the Living Breakwaters in the Vulnerable Landscapes Exhibit at Staten Island Museum April 22 – December 30, 2023.