Case Study: The Amalgamated Warbasse Houses
The Amalgamated Warbasse Houses is one of New York’s largest union-sponsored housing cooperatives, located in Brooklyn’s Brighton-Coney Island community. It resides on 26 acres, and includes 5 high rise towers, over 2500 units and 8,000+ residents.
In 2012, the electrical distribution equipment in each building was badly damaged by saltwater flooding related to Superstorm Sandy. Residents of the co-op’s five 24-story buildings experienced devastating hardships in the storm’s aftermath, without lights, heat, refrigeration, elevator service, and other necessities until temporary generators could be installed.
Warbasse Houses received relief funding to not only update the electrical equipment, but completely relocate it to an area located above the unprecedented floodplain level. The timing of the project to switch over from the existing equipment to the new equipment was critical to restoring permanent power to its 8000+ residents.
Trachte worked in partnership with a major electrical equipment manufacturer to provide and install (5) new Double Ended Unit Substations (DEUS) on a perimeter foundation wall 8 feet above grade. The buildings were designed during a collaboration with the architect to provide a custom exterior brick façade that blended with the surrounding aesthetic. The Trachte team was integral in the design with the switchgear and transformer OEM and also successfully coordinated transportation and permitting to deliver this critical equipment on time.
Application Notes
- (5) Doubled Ended Unit Substations with (2) Medium Voltage (MV) feeds to (2) transformers with Main tie Main. These substations provided two sources of incoming MV supply and transformed each down to the 480VAC site voltage needed for building power.
- Building Sizes: 13’ x 34′ x 10′-8″
- Buildings were installed on an elevated perimeter vault 8’-0” feet above grade to meet funding requirements.
- Including incoming feeds to each building were installed under the building floor accessible from the vault.
- Acoustically rated, perforated wall panels were installed in all buildings to help reduce ambient noise from the transformers and HVAC equipment.
- Trachte’s scope was comprehensive and included platforms, landings, and stairs.
- Brick Facade to match existing buildings and blend into the surrounding area.
In times of critical hardship and the requirement for a complex power distribution system, people trust the team at Trachte for technical solutions. Our team has the experience, knowledge and capacity to bring critical projects to market, teaming with leading Engineering, Architectural and Electrical OEM companies.
