Case Study
The Rushmore Building, NYC

Construction of a two tower highrise complex above a train tunnel

Decoupling individual loors fromvibrations

Compliance with the required
ceiling height with smaller distance
between loors

Vibration isolationof buildings

Project description
The Rushmore Building in Manhattan
ituated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, the Rushmore
building is a 41-story luxury condo complex.
Developed by Real Estate Developer Extell,
The Rushmore is part of New York City’s
largest construction project in the last 50years. The overall project consists of 18high-rise buildings & 85 million square feetof loor space. The exact location of theRushmore presented a challenge as thetwo-towered high-rise was to be constructed directly over an AMTRAK railway tunnel.

SGetzner solution
The tunnel consists of two railway lines
carrying 28 short-tons axle loads & aplanned future metro line. Due to the close
proximity to the rail line there was great
concern for rail-generated vibrations. It wasthese concerns that had limited construction in this area until recently. Togetherwith our North American partner Soundown
Corporation, we were able to develop &successfully coordinate the project.
Implementation phase:
July 2007 to spring 2008

Successful use of polyurethane mats forhighly efficient vibration isolationetzner Werkstoffe developed a completely new method for the elastic
mounting of skyscrapers: the individualloors of the 41-story building are elasticallymounted. Two stories are completely decoupled in terms of vibrations, like drawers thatcan be removed: the ground loor and mezzanine level are mounted on 3.5 in polyurethane Sylomer® blocks. Neither of the twoloors are connected with the building in aixed manner. Sylomer® mats were alsoG

Feedbackused on the sides of the load bearing columns to protect against the inluence ofwind. Together with the architects andstructural engineers, Getzner prepareddetailed load distribution plans, in which theloads on each of 350 bearing points wasprecisely determined. The ground loor wasconstructed using support beams and in theirst loor, the isolation is recessed in theceiling. The new construction method withT-beams helps minimize the build-up height.

Getzner Werkstoffe: developer, manufacturer and installation consultant

What did the general contractor have to
say about the project?

Getzner Werkstoffe is more than just a developer and manufacturer of materials forvibration mitigation and isolation. The company is also an experienced consultant inconstruction engineering issues related tovibration and isolation. Getzner’s experts
are deeply involved in system development
and realization of projects right from thevery beginning. Cooperation begins withdeinition of the overall design conditions
and often ends with the development ofnew, ground-breaking solutions. Thanks toGetzner’s technical expertise in the ield ofvibration isolation, the end result is a smart
system using elastic materials, which ensure a high levels of costeffectiveness,noise protection and comfort.

“Our project team was very impressed withthe cooperation with Getzner and Soundown during the course of the planning andcoordination. Both irms were extremely
lexible and pro-active in getting all participants involved in the project and coordinating the work together.
Thanks to this approach, it was possible todevise an isolation system for the building
which is successfully integrated into thestructure itself. Installation on-site went
very smoothly and quickly, without interruptions. If vibration isolation is what youneed, I would not hesitate to recommend
Getzner, Soundown and Sylomer® products.”
David Ridoutt,Project Manager
Bovis Lend Lease
New York, USA

Detail of the pointwise supportof the Mezzanine f loor. Bearing
dimensions customized according togiven performance criterias
as well as specific loading.

Facts and igures at a glance
The Rushmore Building
One of New York’s largest construction project in the last 50years (18 skyscrapers comprising 85 million square feet).

Vibration insulation:
Investor:

426.5 feet, 41 storeys, two towers
Riverside (close to Times Square),Manhattan, New York
Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH
Extell Development (since 2005)

References

Data and facts regarding Getzner Werkstoffe GmbHFoundation:
Managing Director:
Employees:
2012 turnover:Business areas:
2012 output:
2012 recycling:
Locations:

Ratio of exports:

1969 (as a subsidiary of Getzner,
Mutter & Cie)Ing. Jürgen Rainalter
215 in Bürs, 85 abroad$ 79.3 Mio.
Railway, construction, industry
6488 Tons of technical PU materials
41 Tons of residual PU materials
Bürs (AT), Munich (DE), Berlin (DE),Amman (JO), Tokyo (JP), Pune (IN),Beijing (CN), Kunshan (CN), Charlotte (US)80 percent

AUSTRIA — Bürs GERMANY — Berlin — Munich FRANCE — Lyon
INDIA — Pune CHINA — Beijing USA — Charlotte

JORDAN — Amman— The Touraine – luxury residential
complex, New York (US)— “Four Suns” luxury residentialcomplex, Moscow (RU)
— Beisheim Center Ritz-Carlton, Berlin (DE)— Drachen-Center, Basel (CH)— Theatro National de Catalunya,Barcelona (ES)— BMW World, Munich (DE)— Welfenhöfe, Munich (DE)— Lufthansa Head Offices, Frankfurt (DE)— Clichy Batignolles, Paris (FR)— Central & Park Panorama Towers,
Arnulfpark, Munich (DE)— Music Centre, Helsinki (FI)— John Jay College, New York (US)JAPAN — Tokyo
www.getzner.com

CS RS US en © Copyright by Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH | 01-2014

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