Carrier Dome renovations likely halted by latest nonessential work order
Daily Orange File Photo
The new Carrier Dome roof installation was scheduled to be completed in time for Syracuse football’s home opener on Sept. 19
UPDATED: March 27, 2020 at 7:36 p.m.
In a follow-up to his original nonessential work order, New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo released a new list on Friday morning, potentially altering the Carrier Dome’s construction timeline.
According to an Empire State Development release, “Essential construction may continue and includes roads, bridges, transit facilities, utilities, hospitals or health care facilities, affordable housing, and homeless shelters.” Emergency construction projects — which Cuomo defined as projects needed to protect occupants or sites that would be unsafe if left in their current state — are allowed to continue.
A construction stoppage would change the $118 million Carrier Dome roof project’s timeline, as the installation was scheduled to be completed in time for Syracuse football’s home opener on Sept. 19. The Dome’s bubble roof was deflated 11 days ago and work from The Hayner Hoyt Corporation continued unaffected by Cuomo’s initial executive nonessential work order that went into effect on March 23 amid the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“We’re going to do our best to navigate the changing climate and all the coronavirus things that are going on,” Jeremy Thurston, President of The Hayner Hoyt Corporation told The Daily Orange on Monday.
Cuomo’s updated list for essential construction included social distancing requirements, and fines up to $10,000 per violation that will be enforced by the local and city governments.
There is an appeal process with the state to be deemed an essential construction operation in which the University can go through for Dome construction to continue. But at his press briefing Friday afternoon, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said that he had a phone call with the state and the Dome renovations should be exempt.
“It has to be exempt because that big metal structure on the Dome isn’t secure,” McMahon said. “They’re still putting it up. We’re not going to stop construction and have 50 mph winds present another public health challenge.”
This post was updated with McMahon’s statement about the Carrier Dome renovations.
Published on March 27, 2020 at 1:41 pm
Contact Andrew: arcrane@syr.edu | @CraneAndrew
