Commissioner Thomas Foley of the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) announced that the agency has received 11 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards from the American Council of Engineering Companies of New York (ACEC New York) for capital projects in Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens, including top Diamond Awards for Project Area 2 of East Side Coastal Resiliency and the new NYPD 116th Precinct.
The ACEC 58th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala will be held at the Hilton Midtown on April 5, 2025.
“Whether it’s infrastructure to stop flooding in Queens and Brooklyn or road safety improvements on Pelham Parkway in the Bronx, these 11 projects are changing the lives of New Yorkers and prove that DDC builds the coolest stuff that helps everyone,” said Foley.
“Our portfolio is growing and evolving all the time to meet the needs of a changing city, and battling the effects of climate change through projects that promote green infrastructure and sustainability. The ACEC awards have done a remarkable job of capturing those changing priorities. We are very grateful for their recognition and thank ACEC for working with us on capital process reform.”
East Side Coastal Resiliency — East 15th Street to East 25th Street SANDRESM2 (Diamond Award)
Photo courtesy of NYCDDC
ESCR from East 15th Street to East 25th Street was completed ahead of schedule and $10 million under budget. Here Mayor Adams operates a 79-ft.-long flood gate at Stuyvesant Cove Park.
Photo courtesy of NYCDDC
ESCR from East 15th Street to East 25th Street was completed ahead of schedule and $10 million under budget. Here Mayor Adams operates a 79-ft.-long flood gate at Stuyvesant Cove Park.
The first section of East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) to be completed covers the area between East 15th Street and Asser Levy Playground at East 25th Street. This section of ESCR revamped three separate recreation areas: Asser Levy Playground, Stuyvesant Cove Park and Murphy Brothers Playground.
The $163 million section was $10 million under its original projected budget and was completed two months ahead of schedule. Construction on the second section, PA1, is under way and anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026.
116th Precinct PO002-116 (Diamond Award)
<p class="photo-credit" style="font-size: 14px; color: grey; text-align
What specific performance indicators did the ACEC New York consider when evaluating projects for the Engineering Excellence Awards?
## Interview with Commissioner Thomas Foley
**Interviewer:** Commissioner Foley, congratulations on the DDC receiving eleven 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards from ACEC New York! This is a significant achievement.
**Commissioner Foley:** Thank you. We’re incredibly proud of this recognition. This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team at DDC, who are committed to delivering high-quality infrastructure projects that benefit all New Yorkers.
**Interviewer:** Can you tell us more about some of the projects that were recognized?
**Commissioner Foley:** Absolutely. We received Diamond Awards, the highest honor, for Project Area 2 of the East Side Coastal Resiliency project and the new NYPD 116th Precinct. These projects are truly transformative. The East Side Coastal Resiliency project will dramatically reduce the risk of flooding for vulnerable communities in Manhattan, while the new 116th Precinct provides a modern and efficient facility for our dedicated NYPD officers.
**Interviewer:** These are impressive projects, and you mentioned they are changing lives. Can you elaborate on that?
**Commissioner Foley:** Absolutely. Take the East Side Coastal Resiliency project, for example. After experiencing devastating flooding in the past, communities along the East River are now better protected thanks to this project. The 116th Precinct also improves safety for residents in the surrounding area by providing our officers with the tools and resources they need to effectively serve the community. These are just two examples of how our work directly impacts the well-being of New Yorkers.
**Interviewer:** What does this recognition from ACEC New York mean for the DDC moving forward?
**Commissioner Foley:** It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by our peers in the engineering community. This reinforces our commitment to excellence and innovation in all of our endeavors. But more importantly, it reminds us of the critical role we play in shaping the future of our city. We will continue to work tirelessly to build the coolest stuff that helps everyone.
<p class="photo-credit" style="font-size: 14px; color: grey; text-align
What specific performance indicators did the ACEC New York consider when evaluating projects for the Engineering Excellence Awards?
## Interview with Commissioner Thomas Foley
**Interviewer:** Commissioner Foley, congratulations on the DDC receiving eleven 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards from ACEC New York! This is a significant achievement.
**Commissioner Foley:** Thank you. We’re incredibly proud of this recognition. This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team at DDC, who are committed to delivering high-quality infrastructure projects that benefit all New Yorkers.
**Interviewer:** Can you tell us more about some of the projects that were recognized?
**Commissioner Foley:** Absolutely. We received Diamond Awards, the highest honor, for Project Area 2 of the East Side Coastal Resiliency project and the new NYPD 116th Precinct. These projects are truly transformative. The East Side Coastal Resiliency project will dramatically reduce the risk of flooding for vulnerable communities in Manhattan, while the new 116th Precinct provides a modern and efficient facility for our dedicated NYPD officers.
**Interviewer:** These are impressive projects, and you mentioned they are changing lives. Can you elaborate on that?
**Commissioner Foley:** Absolutely. Take the East Side Coastal Resiliency project, for example. After experiencing devastating flooding in the past, communities along the East River are now better protected thanks to this project. The 116th Precinct also improves safety for residents in the surrounding area by providing our officers with the tools and resources they need to effectively serve the community. These are just two examples of how our work directly impacts the well-being of New Yorkers.
**Interviewer:** What does this recognition from ACEC New York mean for the DDC moving forward?
**Commissioner Foley:** It’s a tremendous honor to be recognized by our peers in the engineering community. This reinforces our commitment to excellence and innovation in all of our endeavors. But more importantly, it reminds us of the critical role we play in shaping the future of our city. We will continue to work tirelessly to build the coolest stuff that helps everyone.
