Loading...Baseball is America’s pastime. NECA and IBEW members all around the country dream of the day that they might be able to work on a new baseball stadium, helping to create new dreams and new history for generations to come.
This was the case when the New York Mets hired the NECA-IBEW team to help build their new stadium, Citi Field.
The Mets knew their new stadium was going to be a big job. There’s a lot of work that goes into something like this, so they hired the NECA-IBEW team to get them to bat in time for Opening Day 2009.
Mike Piazza. Tom Seaver.
These are the names that contribute to the history of baseball in New York City.
World Championships and pennants have been won, records shattered and iconic images have been captured in one of the most famous baseball parks in America: Shea Stadium.
But now, Shea is being replaced by the hope of new records and world championships being won. And while NECA and the IBEW don’t perform in front of thousands of fans, the best electrical team in the world is still caught up in the excitement.
Local 3 electricians are working side by side with NECA contractors to get the new Citi Field up and running before Opening Day 2009. It seems like all the electricians from Local 3 in New York City want to be a part of this historic building.
Mark Biesiadecki, Local 3 Electrician, Quantum Electric Corp, Foreman
“When they started building this I thought we’d never be here. When they mentioned we had a shot at it, this is exciting. This is very exciting.”
John Marchell, Local 3 President
“It’s just thrilling to be here – it’s a sad moment, you know that the stadium that brought many good times along with a lot of anguish, you know, that it’s going to be coming down, but it’s a new era, and the new stadium Citi Field will be up, and hopefully the Mets will continue in the tradition that they have in the past.”
The job at Citi Field is big, with its own set of diverse challenges.
Richard Sobel, President, Quantum Electric, Long Island City, New York
“We specialize in jobs such as this one at Citi Field – temperature controls, audio visual, telecommunications, computer installations, computer rooms, data centers. We really just try to make a difference, use the skills that we have, to carve out our niche in the marketplace.”
The scale of construction on this building is gigantic, and no one knows that better than the subcontractors.
Gary Segal, President and CEO, 5 Star Electric
“I’m sure there’s millions of feet of cable. This was an interesting job, because obviously there’s not that many stadiums that get built in New York, and we are so proud to be part of this one. Like I told you I’ve been a Mets fan all my life.”
The projects are a result of a PLA, or Project Labor Agreement, which delivers all the skilled crafts together to the job – working under one agreement.
Christopher Erikson, Business Manager, Local 3
“The coordination of this project of course was – it was a project labor agreement. The building trades came together, we signed a PLA critical to the building trades getting work in New York City these days. It’s a good feeling to know that the men are here, they’re being productive, they’re making a success of this, and that’s good for Local 3, that’s good for union labor everywhere.”
The general contractor on the project, Hunt Bovis, said that using the NECA-IBEW team was the only way to go for them.
Sid Perkins, Construction Manager on Project, Hunt Bovis
“These are extremely complex jobs. And we depend very much on the top craftsmen that are available in any given geographical area on a project such as this. Very important to have union people on the job. We get the best value for our dollar, we also get the best quality construction.”
Thomas McVey, Executive Vice President, Nead Electric
“IBEW is everything for us. We wouldn’t be where we are without the IBEW. It’s just – anybody that you mention Local 3 to, they expect, and they get a level of expertise which is far and above more than anyplace else in the country.”
Citi Field is a shining example of productivity and expertise by the NECA-IBEW team on the job.