Photo courtesy H&L Electric

Over the decades since its opening in 1972, power demands at 1 Police Plaza increased and were met with piecemeal upgrades—trailer-mounted generators, scattered UPS installations, and as needed upgrades. Many systems became obsolete or failed, with no spares available. Critically, the building lacked full generator backup. In response, the NYPD award a contract to H&L Electric to fully replace the electrical infrastructure. The scope included new generators, UPS systems, automatic transfer switches, switchboards, motor control centers, paralleling switchgear, transformers, and a complete fuel system with new tanks, pumps, and structural reinforcements including submarine doors.

With no existing design documents, the design-build upgrade began by conducting field surveys, producing as-built riser diagrams and developing a full construction plan in-house. “Since there were no design drawings, we were able to fully engineer and design it ourselves,” he says. “That’s normal on a smaller project, but for a project of this magnitude, with so many systems involved, it was unique to have a blank slate to come up with what the best options were for the NYPD. That's what we're most proud about on this job.”

Building Information Modeling was used to coordinate tight clearances and avoid field conflicts. Models were also used to prefabricate components offsite, including new custom watertight generator enclosures. “[The enclosures] not only improved schedule, it also decreased disruption at the site,” Sokoloff says. “Other than placing steel and electrical conduits, we didn’t have to preform and heavy construction tasks outside.”

Photo courtesy of Bala

To address flood risks identified during Superstorm Sandy, the generator enclosures were elevated and fitted with “submarine-style” access doors that were designed to withstand potential major flood levels.

Early in the project, H&L Electric encountered delays due to extended approval cycles and unexpected work stoppages. Navigating the NYPD’s highly structured and hierarchical chain of command was critical. Complications included strict noise restrictions, security constraints and organizational silos within the NYPD, which required tailored communication with different departments and commissioners on every floor. Success hinged not only on technical precision, but on the team’s ability to navigate a highly structured hierarchy, earn trust and streamline approvals.

Photo courtesy of Bala

During construction, foremen and electricians were empowered to collaborate with project managers and suggest improvements to both design and field installation. Tools, materials, and work zones were tightly controlled. On multiple occasions, construction schedules and worker entry and entry points were rapidly adjusted to accommodate real-time events affecting city and NYPD operations. Despite the complexities, the upgrade project was completed on time, and at budget. Perhaps more importantly, a complex project that presented daily opportunities for disruption with city-wide consequences, was carried out with no critical incidents. Meticulous team planning, rigorous coordination, and execution kept all critical systems operational from start to finish.

The project was completed at budget and on schedule, delivering a modern, resilient and fully redundant electrical system for the NYPD—ensuring uninterrupted service to millions of New Yorkers and bolstering the city’s safety infrastructure for decades to come.