How Do You Build a 1M SF Warehouse? A Behind-The-Scenes Look
Imagine a 1M SF warehouse where businesses and creative industries come together.
The Borden Complex does just that—this multi-level warehouse in Long Island City, Queens, integrates high-tech production studios, modern office spaces and a state-of-the-art logistics center, creating a dynamic environment where innovation and industry thrive.
Developed by Innovo Property Group and KSS Architects, this building is designed to help different industries work together more efficiently.
Innovo chose March Construction, a company that has been building in the Tri-State Area for more than 35 years, as the project’s general contractor to take on the challenge.
Bringing this project to life was no simple task, said March Construction Senior Project Manager Gabe Miani. Building something so large in a tight urban area meant navigating narrow city streets, implementing soundproofing in a loud location, and coordinating it all with multiple teams.
At the helm were Miani and March Construction Project Manager Renni Trinh, who orchestrated the moving parts behind the build, which involved keeping teams aligned and solving complex challenges to ensure successful delivery.
Miani said this project is the first of its kind on the East Coast and is radically changing the way companies use industrial buildings.
“For developers, this project shows what’s possible when a visionary idea meets the right execution team,” he said.
Soundproofing A Studio In A Bustling City
Having a state-of-the-art film studio inside an industrial warehouse — located right next to the busy Midtown Tunnel and Long Island Rail Road — could have been a soundproofing nightmare. But March Construction tackled the engineering challenge, Miani said.
“When we did the sound test, we blasted a jet engine sound outside,” Miani said. “Despite the noise from outside, the inside was silent. It was one of the most rewarding moments of the project.”
Trinh said that for filmmakers, controlling sound is everything, and the precision behind this build made that possible.
“Every single opening, even tiny utility holes, had to be completely sealed,” she said. “Even the massive elephant doors had custom-made seals to stop any sound from going between studios.”
Moving Large Steel Beams Through The Urban Maze
Bringing 100-foot steel girders into a dense urban site was one of the toughest logistical challenges on the project, as planned delivery routes were unexpectedly blocked due to city construction, Trinh said.
“We had to test multiple truck routes at night, literally driving the path to make sure those massive girders could make the turns,” she said. “When the New York State Department of Transportation kept rejecting routes, we had to pivot and find another way.”
Trinh said that the team cut the plate girders into smaller pieces and spliced them back together on-site — a solution that would avoid delaying the project.
An additional logistical hurdle was the building’s proximity to the Long Island Rail Road system, with the LIRR running directly behind the site, Miani said.
“Every crane lift and concrete pour had to be coordinated with train schedules to avoid disruptions,” he said. “It drove our schedule in ways that other projects didn’t. However, that’s the job: managing constraints, planning ahead and making it work.”
Speeding Up Construction With Strategic Moves
Miani said the project’s biggest challenge was coordinating two separate design teams, one responsible for the industrial core and shell and the other for the high-end production studio fit-out.
“The key to making these teams work together was ensuring we had clear and open communication,” Miani said.
Through months of strategic coordination, March kept every trade, engineer and subcontractor aligned, ensuring a seamless build despite unexpected challenges, he said.
Early in construction, the team identified a major issue: Utility connections were placed on the east side of the site, near the parking garage. Since construction was planned from west to east, this placement would have slowed progress, Trinh said.
“Instead of working around it, we collaborated with the design team to move the utilities west,” Trinh said. “That allowed us to start working with Con Edison right away to get power on-site, keeping everything on schedule.”
By relocating utilities, March prevented costly delays, secured early power access and kept the project moving efficiently.
Value Engineering For Efficient Delivery
The team also found that soil beneath The Borden Complex site wasn’t strong enough to support the large structure, and traditional pile-supported foundations would have driven costs up, Trinh said.
“You can design for every possible scenario — earthquakes, wind, hurricanes — but until you start digging, you don't always know what you're working with,” Miani said. “The key is adaptability, and that's where we shine.”
To keep the project on budget, March switched to rigid inclusions and soil mixing.
“This method not only strengthened the ground but also reduced costs and improved efficiency,” Trinh said. “Smart engineering allowed us to keep the project on track without sacrificing strength.”
From navigating tight city logistics to engineering creative solutions, March Construction helped Innovo Property Group bring an ambitious vision to life — one that sets a new standard for industrial space in New York City, Miani said.
“At the end of the day, it came down to patience, consistent collaboration and problem-solving,” he said.
For developers tackling large-scale urban projects, having a construction partner that understands collaboration, problem-solving and real-world constraints makes all the difference. Visit marchassociates.com to learn more.
This article was produced in collaboration between Studio B and Briana Samman, March Construction digital marketing manager. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.
Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.
