A model structure of light weight concrete used in the building of the homes by the Bluestone Organization. They have plans for hundreds homes on Staten Island to be built as part of Build it Back. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Steve Bluestone wants to build Staten Island back better than it was when Sandy hit -- and that means more than just elevating homes.
"My first thought was, what if FEMA got it wrong and Sandy number two, God forbid, comes through -- how can I build a house and do it better?" he asked. "If they got it wrong and the water is, instead of being 12 feet -- and that's an arbitrary number -- it's 13 feet, what can we do?"
For the Bluestone Organization, the contractor chosen by the city as the go-to home builder for the Build it Back program, it meant finding building materials that will hold up even if they're pounded by storm waters.
So Bluestone has designed a prototype using lightweight aerated concrete, a building material rarely used in the region but popular elsewhere, particularly in Europe.
On the outside, fiber cement siding will look like any other typical home in the area. Inside, there will be drywall -- made of mold-proof fiberglass.
But in between? Lightweight aerated concrete, eight inches of it, and another two inches of rigid insulation. In addition to being storm-proof, it's highly energy-efficient. It's noticeably bulky, Bluestone said -- except for a slightly deeper windowsill, all the better for placing plants.
"What we end up with is a super highly insulated envelope that can get wet, it won't grow mold, which is fireproof," Bluestone said.
Bluestone Organization will use this prototype to create several different model homes -- which will vary based on the lot size and can be customized -- to offer to homeowners whose residences were destroyed or demolished after the storm, or have substantial damage.
They were chosen through a bidding process to handle the homes on Staten Island -- and though the city's Housing Preservation and Development won't tell them the prices of designs other companies have floated for other parts of the city like the Rockaways,
Bluestone's isn't any more expensive, he said.
"We have come up with something that we think is a good idea and it's not more expensive," he said.
Build it Back will take the money a homeowner has received from FEMA and insurance, determine how much a new home will cost, and pay the difference. Homeowners will have the option of using their own contractor, or going with one of Bluestone's designs.
"For most people, right, sort of the first question is, 'Where do I start? And it's kind of overwhelming, " HPD Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said. "The idea of building your own house from scratch is rather daunting."
Not to mention the contractors chosen for the various areas, including Bluestone, have been vetted by the city, and have been keyed in to all the various zoning and permitting issues.
Bluestone said he's working to get plans pre-approved, but pointed out it's a simple economy of scale. Let's say there are 300 homes that need to be rebuilt, and 300 different contractors take the jobs and go apply for permits.
"It'll take 300 times longer," Bluestone said.
Peter Madden, director of HPD's Storm Recovery Program, agreed, saying the Department of Buildings has been vetting Bluestone's designs along the way to make for easier permitting.
"We're all city agencies, so let's do this as smartly and efficiently as possible," Madden said.
"And I think when you have one development team representing, let's say 100 homeowners or more, there are going to be a lot of efficiencies built into that process."
Madden said they expect a wave of eligible homeowners to start moving closer toward the rebuilding process soon -- though in the meantime, Bluestone will field calls, emails, and visits from interested parties. Before homeowners can decide through Build it Back to have a new home rebuilt, they'll be presented with all their options -- including an acquisition for redevelopment, allowing them to sell their property and move elsewhere.
But Bluestone is hoping that Staten Islanders will consider giving his company a shot at rebuilding their homes -- and as a preview, he has set up an office in the Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation offices on Hylan Boulevard. There, people can see a small model of the homes he proposes to build. There's also a website, bluestonerrsi.com.
"The program almost sounds too good to be true," Bluestone said. "People, they're dubious, and they're nervous, and they're afraid of government."
But he wants to take the opportunity to turn a negative into a positive -- by giving people better places to live.
"Sandy was the worst thing to happen to folks in these neighborhoods, but it may be the best thing to happen to them, too," he said.
Jillian Jorgensen covers City Hall for the Advance. She may be reached at jorgensen@siadvance.com.
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