The Arts & Powerhouse Building at 130 Bay Street in Jersey City’s Powerhouse Arts District has officially commenced commercial leasing. Originally constructed in 1913 as the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company Warehouse, the building has undergone a $30 million renovation that blends its industrial heritage with modern office and retail spaces.
Utility Thermal Energy Networks and Jobs Act: Chelsea & Rockefeller Center
As part of a New York State Public Service Commission initiative to decarbonize buildings across New York State, the Utility Thermal Energy Networks and Jobs Act was passed to accelerate the development of utility-scale, grid-interactive thermal energy networks (UTENs). These systems reduce greenhouse gases; they harness waste heat, geothermal energy, and advanced heat pump technology to provide efficient, low-emission heating and cooling across multiple buildings. Two of the most ambitious pilot projects under this act—the Chelsea and Rockefeller Center networks—are redefining how we think about sustainable energy in both residential and commercial contexts.
GMS congratulates our Principal, Tim Barnard, on his retirement and celebrates his remarkable career in structural engineering.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Tim began his career in London after earning a Bachelor of Science and Technology from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology. His professional journey eventually brought him across the Atlantic and led him to GMS, where he spent nearly 30 years shaping the firm and its legacy. With over four and a half decades of experience in structural engineering, Tim’s portfolio spans high-rise office towers, public institutions, schools, retail renovations, residential buildings, and hospital projects across the United States, the Caribbean, and Europe.
Top of the Rock, located on the 67th, 69th, and 70th floors of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, is one of New York’s most iconic observation decks. As part of a recent revitalization effort, the owners aimed to introduce new, immersive visitor experiences that involved installing two amusement rides on the roof of the historic skyscraper. Construction had to be meticulously planned so that the observation deck could remain open to patrons throughout construction. In recognition of the project’s creative approach to adaptive reuse, it was honored with the 2025 AISC IDEAS² Award for Excellence in Adaptive Reuse of Steel Structures.
On May 28, GMS Partner and GeoHazards International (GHI) Board Trustee Ramon Gilsanz delivered a powerful presentation at the Real Academia de Doctores de España in Madrid. His talk, titled “Preparedness for Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and Landslides,” highlighted the critical importance of disaster mitigation and the proactive implementation of preventive measures—particularly in less developed countries—to reduce the devastating impacts of natural hazards.
At the 2025 American Society of Civil Engineers SEI Structures Congress, several GMS team members joined fellow industry leaders to discuss critical issues shaping the future of structural engineering.
In December 2024, the New York City Council officially adopted the City of Yes Zoning for Housing Opportunity. The City of Yes initiative aims to minimize parking restrictions and provide new housing opportunities across all five boroughs. In April 2024, New York State enacted the 467-m tax incentive program, known as “Affordable Housing from Commercial Conversions,” to bolster the transformation of non-residential buildings into affordable housing. And with the recent growing trend of converting existing underutilized or abandoned office spaces into state-of-the-art residential buildings, the possibilities are endless. As structural engineers, we have a critical role in understanding the many challenges and complexities that come with these projects.
Starting the new year with a new qualification – GMS Associate Susan Haynes is now a New York City Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector! Susan joins Partner Susanne Mackiw and the building envelope team providing our Clients with Façade and Parapet Inspection Safety Program inspections to comply with the Critical Façade Examinations as defined by Rule No. 103-04 of the Rules of the City of New York (formerly known as LL11) and Rule No. 103-15 Periodic Observation of Building Parapets.
GMS’s building envelope consulting expertise includes curtain walls, masonry, stone, precast concrete and specialty cladding systems, roofing, waterproofing, windows, glazing, skylights, repair, restoration, over cladding, Energy Code compliance, leak investigations, FISP (formerly known as LL11) and other inspections, peer reviews and due diligence studies.
Congratulations Susan!
GMS teams are bringing the energy, from big wins to kicking off new seasons!
The highly anticipated Pearl House, a luxury residential conversion in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan, opened its doors to new tenants early this year. Developed by the Vanbarton Group and designed by Gensler, this $273 million project is the largest office-to-residential conversion in the city’s history. Pearl House boasts 588 market rate luxury apartments right in the heart of the Seaport district and offers water views and luxury resort-style amenities to its tenants. Residences range from studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments to penthouses with private terraces.