Weak Bolts Troubled Brooklyn’s Barclays Center
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.
Weak Bolts Troubled Brooklyn’s Barclays Center
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.
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