Work Stops on World’s Tallest Modular Tower

Skanska stopped work on the world’s tallest modular building last week over a dispute with the project’s developer Forest City Ratner. Skanska feels that the delays to the project have resulted from the modular designs for the buildings. They feel that Forest City Ratner should be held responsible for the cost overruns.  Richard Kennedy, co-chief operating officer of Skanska USA, told the Wall Street Journal, “it [the design] just doesn’t work the way it was sold to work. It was represented to be a complete and buildable modular design,” he said. “That simply was not the case and that’s what we’ve been struggling with.”  Forest City Ratner, however, stands by their design and believes the dispute is based on financial reasons.

The 32-story modular tower is known as the B2 and is being built in Brooklyn, New York next to the Barclay’s Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets. The tower is part of the Atlantic Yards Megaproject and was designed to bring more affordable housing to the area. The $115 million project began in 2012 and was scheduled to be completed in 18 months. The B2 was supposed to be completed in 75% of the time as a normal apartment building and cost 30% less than the typical apartment project of its size. Skanska has currently completed 11 of the tower’s 32 stories.  In addition to stopping work on-site, Skanska has also halted work at the Brooklyn Navy Yard prefabrication plant. The building’s designers, SHOP Architects, have previously stated that 60% of the project’s construction will be completed offsite with much of it being done at the Navy Yard plant.  The previous delays combined with the current work stoppage have pushed the project completion date back to the end of next year.