Member in Focus: Rusk Renovations
Founded in 1986, Rusk Renovations is an award-winning contractor and construction manager specializing in luxury townhouses and apartments in Manhattan. Their decades-old relationships with buildings, managers, architects, designers and tradesman create trust and synergies that clear the way for building spectacular residences in formidable time frames.
Rusk Renovations has worked with many international citizens to build their homes here in New York City and we welcome designers, architects, and clients from around the world. There are many advantages to living in such a vibrant city, and construction here requires a depth of expertise that differs from other major cities. New York preserves its history through a variety buildings, including the townhomes and apartment buildings on the Upper East Side and Upper West Side neighborhoods, grand residential hotels along the southern border of Central Park, industrial lofts in Tribeca and Soho, and traditional townhouses throughout the city’s boroughs. It also embraces the new, with signature residential towers such as Hudson Yards, 432 Park Avenue, and 56 Leonard Street (aka the “Jenga” building), all forming the city’s new skyline.
Rusk works with designers from around the world using a collaborative approach that leverages the latest technology. Regular Matterport scans of the job site ensure that our clients and design teams are informed on how the job is progressing, regardless of their location. The scan allows the viewer to “walk” through the construction site, even providing the ability to take general measurements. We also utilize a cloud-based project management system which lets us stay on top of paperwork and provides a central clearinghouse for the project documents and information both during construction and after the project is completed.
For projects to be successful, they must be organized and well-paced from the start. Rusk begins each project with a “page-turn” session – a day on-site shortly before construction begins, where the Project Manager and Project Superintendent meet with the design team and subcontractors to thoroughly review each drawing one by one – allowing each subcontractor to ask questions, coordinate details and discuss the process. The session is a focused collaboration, thoroughly detailing the project gives the design team enough time to address any issues that may be uncovered during this process.
As builders and mechanics, our knowledge of both modern construction methods, and historical turn of the century techniques allows us to create your vision, whether in a new luxury tower or a prominent pre-war building. Our decades of experience in New York City positions us to successfully navigate the project from conception to completion.
In our near 40 years of experience, we have developed long standing relationships with many of the city’s top subcontractors and artisans. This allows us to depend on materials being delivered on time, work being delivered as planned, and to the high standards of quality on which we insist. Our subcontractors have access to one-of-a-kind materials met with the technology to create cutting-edge, cost-effective, and book-matching designs with a reputable turn-around time.
For clients interested in healthier homes, Rusk provides engineered systems for site-specific water purification, air filtration, circadian lighting control and comfort products through our partner in wellness, Delos. Responsive Air purification intelligently and efficiently targets particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, allergens, pathogens, and other air pollutants as they arise. Customized water filtration employs best-in-class filtration technologies tailored through on-site water testing, third-party laboratory analysis, and historical regional data, to deliver great tasting water that is healthier to drink, cook, and bathe with. Dynamic, circadian lighting mirrors natural sunlight patterns to promote your circadian rhythm, which helps regulate your energy levels, hormonal balance, appetite, productivity, and sleep quality. All these features add up to a healthier home.
For clients with outdoor space, building a rooftop garden is an option. In this case, one must consider an array of environmental concerns not native to a garden at street level. It is not only the shade from adjacent buildings, but also the reflected sun and heat. What seems to be a light wind at ground level may send a several-hundred-pound table flying over the edge like a kite.
But there is magic as well. A rooftop or terrace garden transports the owners and guests in an urban setting to the enjoyment of nature after nothing but a short elevator ride, or a quick step outside. The sunset views and the opportunities for lighting, seating, and dining present remarkable opportunities to complete the finest urban residences.
John Rusk also conducts several Lunch and Learn series and would be happy to present to your office by Zoom (or in person next time he is in London!) Feel free to reach out if you are interested in learning more about The Nuts and Bolts of New York City, Wellness for the Whole Home, or Creating Rooftop and Terrace Gardens in NYC.
“We are proud to be members of the LPF community and enjoy the camaraderie and open exchange of ideas among the wonderful members as we serve our global clients.”
GET IN TOUCH
39 West 37th Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10018
info@ruskinc.com