McInnis Cement says its new cement terminal in New York is the first industrial maritime project built on the South Bronx waterfront in more than 50 years.
The 100,000-square-foot terminal is a port location for storing and distributing cement in New York and beyond. The warehouse on site is expected to store up to 44,000 metric tonnes of cement.
According to McInnis, 90% of the cement will be delivered via ships and will help decrease traffic across nearby bridges and tunnels, including the Cross-Bronx, Major Deegan, Sheridan and Bruckner Expressways. This process is also anticipated to remove 25,000 one-truck trips and more than two million truck miles off the road across the region annually.
Jean Moreau, president and chief executive officer, McInnis Cement, says: “Our Bronx terminal is more than just a new facility. In addition to building a new cement company, our Hunts Point location is reactivating a working waterfront while balancing the needs of the community, environmental habitat and industry.
McInnis set out to establish a new standard for development in the city's harbour and place a major industrial operation in harmony with a natural wildlife habitat as well as provide access for citizens of the South Bronx, Moreau adds.
The South Bronx Greenway includes three-acres of wetlands which is intended to allow the public to enjoy nature while preserving the water habitat for plants, birds and fish. McInnis created the habitat by restoring the shoreline, which included removing a century-old pier system and installing a wave attenuator to preserve the wetlands and protect the waterfront.
McInnis' project is certified through the Waterfront Alliance’s nationally applicable Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines (WEDG) – a gold standard for resilient, ecologically-sound and accessible waterfront design. The guidelines are used by design professionals and planners, government agencies and community advocates.
The site is also providing new living wage jobs and is generating tax revenue for the state and local governments, McInnis adds.
Tony Sneska, McInnis’ vice president, marketing and sales, says: “While the terminal’s impact on local cement supply, employment, traffic and revitalisation might be considered more than enough to justify the ambitious project, its impact on the local environment may prove to be its greatest reward.”
