The Cotocon Group

Some of our Projects, including LEED Certification, Energy Efficiency, and EPA ENERGY STAR Benchmarking & Labeling:

555 Madison Avenue, New York, NY

Situated between 55th and 56th Streets, 555 Madison Avenue can certainly be described as four-star prime New York City commercial real estate. The building faces the new Sony headquarters and is diagonally across from the striking black granite headquarters recently sold by IBM. Talk about good neighbors! Built in 1961, 555 Madison is near completion of a multi-million dollar renovation plan which includes new elevator and air-conditioning systems, new, double-story lobby/entrance area brought out to the property line, concierge desk, external signage and re-cladding, and a complete lobby re-design featuring resurfaced French limestone, a water wall and a high-relief sculpture by Robert Perless. Actually, the renovation of 555 Madison Avenue has been over 2 years in the making. That’s when Philip D. Restifo, executive director of Galbreath/Riverbank, was first brought in as a consultant to evaluate the re-positioning of this Class A property. Due to market conditions at the time, however, it was determined that the moment was not right to begin the renovation, but the Rodney Company proceeded with the development of the renovation plan and waited for the market to turn. This major renovation plan includes:

• Potential LEED® Silver Certification
• Awarded ENERGY STAR Label
• $373K in utility company subsidy
• 23% reduction in energy costs
• Solar Thermal Incentives
• 8.75% or NO R/E Taxes (4YRS)
• 29% Fed. Energy Grant
• 27% NYSERDA rebate
• $45K NYC vegetated roof subsidy

40 Rector Street, New York, NY

Steps from Wall Street, 40 Rector Street is owned by Philips International, which owns and operates premier office properties in major business districts throughout the East Coast. 40 Rector is a commercial office building operating at full occupancy with commercial tenants of all Some of the features of this facility include:

• West-facing orientation
• Great light and views
• Fully serviced 24 hour/7 day security
• 10 elevators servicing 19 floors
• Close to all major transportation
• Attended lobby and loading dock on West Street
• High speed internet access available (T1/T3 connections)
• Owner-managed

149 Broadway, Newburgh, NY

The Newburgh Armory was constructed in 1932 and is located on the south side of South William Street in a quiet suburban neighborhood in the southwest fringes of the city. The armory, built for a cavalry unit of the New York National Guard, is a sprawling, asymmetrical brick complex consisting of a two-story, flat-roofed administration building, a one and one-half story, gable-roofed administration building, a one and one-half story, gable-roofed gymnasium (i.e., a small drill shed), a large, barrel-vaulted drill shed, a tack room wing and a stable wing. All sections are constructed of structural steel framing clad with brick curtain walls and stone trim. Fenestration is each section is symmetrical, but overall asymmetry prevails due to the irregular massing of the various blocks. The remainder of the administration building features numerous small and mid-sized offices and meeting rooms in an irregular configuration. Walls, floors and ceilings are concrete and feature little or no embellishment. Both the gym and the drill shed survive substantially intact and feature steel roof trusses and wainscoted ceilings. The gym retains its original hardwood floor; the drill shed now has a modern concrete floor instead of its original dirt floor. The former stable wing now serves as maintenance and storage space and contains no evidence of its historic function. The Newburgh (South William Street) Armory was added to the Historical Register in June, 1991.

Security Dodge,

Amityville, NY

Security Dodge (a Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram dealership) is the first auto dealership in the State to be registered with the USGBC, shooting for LEED Gold certification. To achieve Gold certification status, Security Dodge major renovation will make extensive use of recycled and energy-saving materials. The landscape itself will consist of native plants, trees and grasses that are drought and disease-resistant. The roof will be made of materials that reflect 90 percent of the sun’s heat energy.

The distinctive entryway will use Low-E glass and shades the showroom from direct sunlight. Controlled daylighting will be used rather than incandescent and standard fluorescent lights to further reduce energy use.

“Once we decided to do a green dealership, we decided to stretch the envelope and go for the Gold”, said Gabe Vigorito, owner of Security Dodge. – We hope to play a leadership role in building environmental awareness in the community and to be a place where customers come to learn about the automotive advances to improve environmental quality. -

Bayville On The Sound,

Bayville, NY

The Bayville on the Sound Spa and Wellness Center (under construction) is a celebration of relaxation, renewal and the environment on a grand scale. This 27,000-square-foot oasis is located in the heart of the Gold Coast of Long Island. The structure has been designed to minimize its impact on the environment while maximizing its efficiency. The technologies and materials that will be used in the process will enable Bayville on the Sound to be LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the USGBC, one of only six destination spas in the U.S. with that certification.

Bayville on the Sound is slated to achieve:

• Anticipated LEED^® Platinum Certification
• $350-400K utility company subsidy
• 42.5% reduction in energy costs
• Solar Power/Solar Thermal Systems
• 65% water savings (compared to industry average)

Viana Hotel & Spa, Westbury, NY

The Viana Hotel and Spa (under construction) has guest rooms that will use computerized state-of-the-art occupancy sensors and lighting and comfort controls to both save energy and give guests the ability to adjust the climate in the room for their greatest comfort. The Viana’s 50 rooftop solar photovoltaic cell (PVC) panels produce an estimated 12,100 kWh a year, reducing fossil fuel consumption and, as a result, making the Viana’s carbon footprint delicately small.

State-of-the-art LED lighting is being used throughout the Viana’s Lobby and Restaurant. LED lighting reduces the lighting electric load by at least 60% compared to traditional T-12 fluorescent bulbs. The energy savings are even greater compared to incandescent bulbs and energy-hogging halogen bulbs. LED lighting lasts at least 10 times longer than florescent lighting. (No mercury is used in LEDs as there is in fluorescents. This makes LEDs much safer and probably the greenest form of electrical lighting around.)

The Kohler dual-flush toilets installed in the Viana guest rooms will use as little as 8/10 of a gallon of water: half the water as standard toilets, contributing to LEED certification through LEED WEc2; Water Use Reduction.

All carpet being used in the Viana is independently tested and certified as Green Label Plus carpet by the Carpet and Rug Institute, certifying it emits low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Well-insulated buildings conserve energy both in heating and cooling, reducing fossil fuel use and carbon production. The Viana uses three types of insulation in its construction:

• Blown cellulose insulation made with recycled content is used in the exterior walls, contributing to LEED certification through LEED MRc4; Recycled Content. 
• Roxul insulation made with recycled content is used interior walls. Sourcing and manufacturing are within a 500 mile radius of the Viana and so Roxul insulation contributes to LEED certification through both LEED MRc5; Regional Materials and LEED MRc4; Recycled Content.
• Icyene spray foam insulation is used underneath the roof membrane, making the roof completely tight and free from heat leakage. Icycene is manufactured within a 500 mile radius of the Viana and so contributes to LEED certification through LEED MRc5; Regional Materials.
• All of the Viana’s insulation saves energy by improving building energy performance and also by reducing air leakage and accompanying movement of moisture. Improving building performance contributes to LEED certification through LEED EAc1; Optimize Energy Performance. The reduction of air leakage and the movement of moisture may contribute to LEED certification through helping to meet the Prerequisite EQp1; Minimum Indoor Air Quality.

The Viana will use low-emitting paint and wallpaper adhesive throughout the building, which creates better interior air quality and contributes to LEED certification through LEED EQc4.1; Low-Emitting Adhesives and Sealants and LEED EQc4.2; Low-Emitting Paints and Coatings.

Motor Parkway Plaza, Hauppauge, NY

Awarded LEED Silver certification, Motor Parkway Plaza is the first LEED-certified combined office/shopping center on Long Island. Motor Parkway Plaza is an open-space, mixed-use shopping center developed, owned and operated by Quadrangle Properties, LLC.

Designed by D3 Architecture, Motor Parkway Plaza accommodates retail shops, restaurants, and offices and incorporate green LEED measures throughout the project. With its large windows admitting bountiful natural light, the second floor open plan office spaces has over 180 degrees of elevated views of the surrounding landscape.

Its design alludes to a European market square with the structure angled around a central portico entrance proceeding into a covered courtyard with tables and a fountain. The portico entrance leads to enclosed stairs and an elevator up to the second floor office spaces, and down to the lower-level covered parking garage. Extending from both sides of the central portico entrance are colonnaded verandas, which create spacious protected entrances to all first floor retail space.

For more photos and the full story, including “Notable Green and LEED Features” and “The Motor Parkway Plaza Executive LEED Team”, go to the Motor Pkwy Plaza Project Page.