New York, NY
Armand Corporation (“Armand”) was retained in January 2022 as the
Construction Manager for the design/bid/build of five (5) cooling towers
that required replacement on the rooftop of the Martin Luther King Tower
at Harlem Hospital. The existing towers which supported the 4800-ton
chiller plant on the ground floor had reached the end of their useful life.
In addition, during the Fall of 2021, the 24” riser pipes supplying the water
from the building’s lower level to the cooling towers burst between the
15th and 18th floors. As a result, the hospital secured temporary cooling
units, and Health + Hospital Corporation expedited the project award.
The scope of the work that Armand managed included but was not limited
to the following: asbestos abatement work, demolition of the existing
cooling towers and associated dunnage (removal by crane), demolition
of all cooling tower system piping on the roof, demolition of all electrical
conduits and wiring related to the towers on the room and 18th-floor
mechanical room, demolition of control stems for the existing towers,
delivery, and installation of five (5) new cooling tower systems, including
associated dunnage, piping, electrical and control systems. Armand also
had to perform remediation work, including roof patching, replacing
damaged floor and ceiling tiles, replacing stair tread covers, and painting
the work areas on the 18th floor and roof affected during construction.
The abatement work reached completion in mid-March 2022, and work
permits were issued, which no longer restricted the general contractor’s
access to the work site. However, the time frame to complete the work
was less than three (3) months. (HHC issued the original RFP for this
project in May 2021 with a contract duration of one year.) Our highly
dedicated project team and contractors worked up to three daily shifts
to meet the milestones/deadlines. Not only was completing the physical
work within the time frame a challenge but expediting the approvals/
inspections with the multitude of authorities such as the NYC DOB,
DOT, and MTA took massive coordination and careful pre-planning. The
three (3) scheduled crane lifts could not be modified with such a tight
time frame.
Armand was able to have two of the cooling towers operational in May 2022, allowing the hospital to use and transfer from the temporary cooling units. By June 15, 2002, beneficial use of the remaining three cooling towers was turned over to the hospital, two weeks ahead of schedule. Funding for the project was through a bond from Morgan Stanley (awarded to the hospital in January of 2021), which required that the project be completed by June 2022.
Working around unplanned conditions …. The original construction schedule was greatly re-duced by the client due to contract execution delays which were outside of Armand’s control. How – ever, the client had a hard deadline for the completion date since part of the funding was being provided through a grant. To further complicate matters, abatement work had to be performed, which meant that the construction team could not begin until their work was finished.
Armand worked to obtain a NYC Department of Building variance, which allowed the generalcon-tractor to obtain the construction permit and with careful coordination, the contractors could begin their work, while the abatement contractor worked in specific confined. The variance was a key factor in our being able to provide the hospital with beneficial use of two units, two weeks before the requested completion date. Armand’s team was able to provide beneficial use of all the units.
NYC Health + Hospital
Corporation
$10 Million
$10 Million
June 30, 2022
October 2022
New York City Health + Hospital Corporation
Construction Management, Design-Bid-Build
(Pre-Construction, Construction, & Post-Construction)
January 2022
October 2022
Original Contract $10M | Current Contract $10M
The project did not utilize a PLA
Harlem, New York City
(Within Geographic Region to this Type of Work)
The Harlem Health project involved replacement of the five existing cooling
towers which had reached the end of their life and were no longer providing
the hospital with reliable cooling. The hospital had brought in temporary
cooling units as the system and piping had started to fail before the project
went to contract.
Armand was able to work around several challenges and a very restrictive
schedule to get the project completed on time.
Shamsell Abdill brings over 20 years of experience in the construction industry to her role as Vice President at Armand Corporation. She oversees the company’s building and infrastructure programs, serving as Project Executive, and is renowned for her expertise in contract administration, project management, problem resolution, and M/WBE compliance. Her career highlights include contributing to the rebuilding of the World Trade Center as part of the Procurement and Change Order Management Team, where she gained extensive experience in procurement and negotiation. Shamsell leverages her comprehensive industry knowledge to build strong professional relationships with agencies and utility companies, minimizing impacts on construction schedules. Her diverse project portfolio spans corporate, correctional, healthcare, educational, and landmark building restorations, as well as masonry renovations. She is adept in various project delivery methods, including construction manager as agent, construction manager at risk, design-bid-build, and design-build, making her an invaluable leader in delivering successful projects for Armand Corporation.
Robert “Bob” Mello is a seasoned construction professional with over 35 years of experience managing both new construction and renovation projects. As Associate Vice President of Pre-Construction at Armand Corporation, Bob specializes in overseeing planning and construction-related services for public and private clients.
A licensed Professional Engineer in New York State, Bob’s extensive expertise includes managing projects across urban environments and on-call contracts. His skill set encompasses facility planning, property condition assessments, constructability reviews, quality control and compliance, energy efficiency initiatives, and scope and schedule reviews.
Bob’s comprehensive approach ensures effective construction management from initial phases through project close-out, making him an invaluable leader in delivering successful outcomes for Armand’s clients.
CariAnn Palmese is a senior program manager with nearly 20 years of experience delivering program management and administrative support for large, complex, multi-million-dollar projects. Her expertise includes developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure the successful execution of challenging initiatives.
A highlight of CariAnn’s career was guiding the Nassau County Department of Public Works in managing community reconstruction projects under a $36 million CDBG-DR capital program. Currently, she works alongside Armand’s team to provide construction management services for disaster recovery capital programs, showcasing her dedication to driving successful outcomes in high-stakes environments.
Jerome Wright is a seasoned financial analyst with nearly 20 years of accounting experience across diverse industries. As Associate Vice President of Operations at Armand Corporation, Jerome excels in managing and tracking vendor invoices, ensuring timely processing using project-specific templates, and providing hands-on assistance to vendors with invoice submissions.
Jerome’s expertise includes preparing detailed invoice summary reports for Program Manager approvals and collaborating with Program Managers to resolve billing discrepancies. He has a proven ability to reconcile financial data, comparing and correcting invoice details while working closely with project management and accounting teams to address invoicing issues.His commitment to precision and collaboration makes him an integral part of the operations team.
At Armand Corporation, We are committed to maintaining a secure and transparent hiring process. Please be aware of potential job scams that misuse our name to solicit sensitive or personal information. We do not request Social Security numbers, bank account details, or payment of any kind during the initial stages of the hiring process. Additionally, we never offer employment without a formal interview process. All applicants are required to participate in one or more interviews before any job offer is extended. While we may request verification of education, certifications, or licenses during the later stages of the hiring process.
If you receive suspicious communication claiming to be from Armand Corporation or are uncertain about the legitimacy of a job offer, please contact us directly at careers@armandcorp.com for confirmation. Protecting your privacy and ensuring a fair and professional hiring experience is our top priority.
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Phillip Grant is responsible for overseeing the company’s daily operations and driving the execution of strategic initiatives. He manages key relationships with stakeholders, including boards, owners, consultants, and contractors. Phillip is also responsible for negotiating contracts, resolving budget and schedule challenges, and integrating innovative technologies. He has over 20 years of extensive expertise in economic development, engineering, and public infrastructure. Phillip has successfully managed multi-billion dollar capital construction programs, focusing on sustainability, compliance, and efficiency. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York, a Certified Construction Manager and holds a BS in engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an MBA from Mercy University. He is also a member of the Construction Management Association of America, National Society of Professional Engineers, and the American Society of Civil Engineers.
