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My 40-Year Short Story: I began my
career in Jan. 1971, with the Port in the maintenance engineering
department. This department did design engineering on many Port
facilities. Working on rehabilitation projects and new design systems
throughout the Port facilities. My first assignment was the replacement
of the Holland tunnel lighting system, providing better lighting
distribution to the entire tunnel. Projects were designed by engineers
first visiting the facility to research the issues and speak to facility
managers and field staff!
I spent 15 years in this department becoming familiar with many
different facilities, which was a plus for future projects at the Port.
I became familiar with electrical distribution systems at the airports
and both tunnels!
I then put in for a position in the inspection department for Trade
Center tenant alterations. These alterations required inspections by
Port engineers and approval to move into the new tenant spaces. These
types of inspections were called “TAA” tenant alteration applications.
I was then sent to work at a new facility just starting, THE TELEPORT IN
STATEN ISLAND NY. It was a new wave in engineering technology! Satellite
communications development and engineering. I spent five years at this
facility completing a number of state-of-the-art communications tenant
buildings.
Facilities like the Merrill Lynch
communications, Telerhouse, A Japanese firm, Telecenter building Port
headquarters for all engineering and field inspections and construction.
The Teleport was the first facility which had put in place the 33kv
electrical distribution system with construction of new substation and
distribution to each of the new communication buildings mentioned above.
New transformers were placed and installed at each of these new
buildings, providing great electrical power services!
I then returned to the Trade Center, with a new promotion and position
in the new economic development department. This department would now
oversee all existing tenant and new building at many Port facilities.
Facilities like BATHGATE in Bronx NY, with tenant buildings as Clay Park
pharmaceutical company, and a new day care building for the Bronx
community children. This was a joint project with the NYC Building
Department and I was successful in obtaining the first “CERTIFICATE OF
Occupancy” from that department for the day care building! Other
facilities like “resource recovery” a garbage burning facility in New
Jersey, the existing Yonkers industrial park in Yonkers NY where they
build the rail cars for the NY transit system installing several large
transformers to replace very old units.
The Port Authority has completed many new and improved engineering
systems throughout all of our and existing tenant buildings throughout
NY and NJ. Great accomplishments to enhance the Port Authority region! I
was very proud of these engineering accomplishments completed by Port
Authority staff!
Let me thank all the great and talented
Port Authority staff that I was grateful to be part of for all my years
of service. God bless all those PA staff, many who were my close friends
and coworkers! May they Rest In Peace!
Just a note to all that may not know this: the Economic
Development Department was located on the 86th floor of One World Trade
Center. Prior to 9/11-- two weeks prior to that horrible date -- We were
relocated to the Newark Legal Center building! All our staff were spared
the horror of 9/11!
I thank God for that blessing every day and also pray for my departed
friends and coworkers!
This concludes my short story Of my time,
40 years of great experiences!
Thank you,
Be safe and God bless the PORT AUTHORITY
OF NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY
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