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1999 Events
Forums
One of the strengths of the Building Congress is its ability to
gather top policy makers, elected officials and industry leaders
at its monthly forums. These forums often draw top public officials
because they appreciate the opportunity to express their views to
an audience of hundreds of businesspeople, all of whom have a stake
in improving City life. In fact, every senior New York City and
State official has addressed a Building Congress event over the
past few years.
At forums in 1999 alone:
New York City Schools Chancellor Rudy Crew lobbied for the industry's
support of the Board of Education's capital plan;
MTA Chairman E. Virgil Conway made a forceful plea on behalf of
his $17 billion mass transit capital program;
Speaker of the Assembly Sheldon Silver made his case for funding
to build a full Second Avenue Subway line;
for the first time as a U.S. Senator, Charles E. Schumer offered
his vision of major public capital investment;
a special panel format in August featured Congressmen Peter T.
King and Gregory W. Meeks, State Assemblywoman Catherine T. Nolan,
State Senator Dean G. Skelos and the President of Long Island Rail
Road, Thomas F. Prendergast, discussing the prospects, timing and
potential funding for construction of LIRR access to Grand Central
Terminal; and,
the Building Congress hosted a year-end salute to the City's Borough
Presidents in which Claire Shulman, Fernando Ferrer and C. Virginia
Fields discussed the most pressing capital issues facing New York
in the coming decade.
Recognition of Industry Leaders
More than 2,000 people attended the Building Congress 78th Anniversary
Leadership Awards Luncheon and Industry Recognition Dinner to honor
four accomplished leaders in design, construction and real estate:
David Childs, Partner, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP; Claes
Bjork, President and CEO, Skanska AB ; Frank Ross Sr., Chairman
and CEO, HRH Construction Corporation; and Charles H. Thornton,
Principal, The Thornton-Tomasetti Group, Inc.The gala tributes to
these esteemed professionals also attracted prominent public officials,
including New York State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, City
Council Speaker Peter Vallone, and City Comptroller Alan Hevesi.
Membership Reception
Members of the Building Congress were saluted at the Third Annual
Membership Appreciation Reception, hosted this year by Tishman Construction
Corporation and The Durst Organization. The event was held at Four
Times Square, widely considered one of the cornerstones of Times
Square's revitalization.
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