Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©
Just a month before the Barclays Center’s grand opening in New York in September 2013, engineers
discovered a potentially serious issue: nearly a quarter of the bolts anchoring the arena’s distinctive steel
panels were weaker than specified. The discovery raised concerns about the structure’s integrity and
sparked a race to replace the subpar fasteners before the inaugural event.
The Barclays Center, with its weathered steel facade and striking canopy, was designed to make a bold
statement about Brooklyn’s resurgence. However, the project faced numerous challenges, including the
abrupt shutdown of the panel fabricator midway through the job and occasional instances of rusty orange
drips staining the sidewalks.
Engineers determined that only 8% of the 23,351 bolts needed replacement, but the issue raised questions
about communication between the arena’s developer, Forest City Ratner, and city regulators. The Buildings
Department claimed it had not been notified of the bolt problem, while Forest City maintained it had
submitted a letter outlining the issue and the planned fix.
Despite the last-minute bolt replacement, the Barclays Center opened on time and withstood Hurricane
Sandy’s winds just a month later. The project’s executive vice president for construction downplayed the
issue, asserting that such problems are not uncommon in highly customized architectural projects.
At Tsamouris, we supply the largest construction companies in Greece with the highest quality screws,
ensuring that problems are avoided and the strictest building standards are maintained.