![]() ![]() In fact, Hong Kong is home to more skyscrapers than anywhere else. In every direction you look, countless high-rise buildings are stacked side by side, clustered together, like a real-world version of the game Tetris. “It’s fascinating to be part of changing the skyline of New York city, while at the same time working within the confines of one of the most historic structures in the world,” said Clayton, who calls herself a “tunnel geek”.Looking out over Hong Kong's iconic skyline from the viewing deck of its tallest skyscraper, the 118-storey International Commerce Centre (ICC), it's clear why Hong Kong is known as the world's most vertical city. You had to thread the foundations between the railroad tracks. “We got the old building down, and while bringing it down, we also brought the new foundations back up, which were a lot bigger. She had to draw on all her varied engineering experience as well as business acumen to keep all the parties involved happy. ![]() All the designers and contractors would bring their plans for the foundation work among the tracks to Clayton for review. Both experienced the Covid-19 outbreak in New York City, which added delays and challenges to the above-ground portion of the construction project and added new significance to Burkitt’s fellowship in infectious diseases.Ĭlayton was part of the demolition project, where the original JP Morgan building had to be dismantled piece-by-piece while 12 train tracks operated underneath, she said. Michael Burkitt (’04) moved to New York City for three years for her to oversee the railroad project and for him to take on a fellowship in infectious disease at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Hospital in Manhattan. ![]() Everyone wants the biggest, tallest and shiniest building.”Ĭlayton and her Lipscomb alumnus partner Dr. “These properties are now incredibly valuable. “The trains actually run through the buildings’ basements,” Clayton explained. Air rights give purchasers the right to build in the empty space above the earth’s surface. In 1910, to fund the construction of Grand Central Terminal, the railroad sold the air rights to developers to build buildings over the tracks. Park Avenue in New York City, is actually a bridge, Clayton explained. So when Metro North came to Gannett Fleming to borrow an engineer to help ensure the railroad could operate safely and efficiently during the construction of the foundation for the new JP Morgan skyscraper, Clayton was the obvious choice. resulted in new federal tunnel inspection requirements. Over time, she became involved in rehabilitating tunnels and evaluating them for needed updates, a role that became in-demand after a few high-profile tunnel accidents in the U.S. They involve a structural component to hold back the earth, a roadway and its drainage involve civil engineering and the mechanical and electrical components are the lighting, ventilation, and life-safety features, she explained. Tunnels, Clayton said, are projects that involve all engineering disciplines. “So the tunnels part came when someone remembered six years into my career that, “Hey! You basically have a mechanical engineering degree!’ Tunnels have a lot of mechanical engineering components, so they said, ‘You should come work on our project.’”Ĭhristie Clayton in Grand Central Terminal, just two blocks from the JP Morgan Chase tower project at 270 Park Avenue. “When someone said, ‘Hey, do you want to learn this?’ I just said, ‘Yes!’ “What I found in my career was that the best opportunities came when I said, ‘Yes’”, said Clayton. She later passed her civil engineering licensing exam to become official. I was very attached to them and I needed them in my life.”Ĭlayton likes to call herself “Lipscomb’s first civil engineer,” even though her degree was in engineering mechanics, because immediately upon graduating Gannett Fleming lured her to come work for them-on highways. I was not a great student, but they never gave up on me and they never let me give up. That is not something you get at other schools,” Clayton said. Fred Gilliam (former Dean of the College of Engineering) once called me because I overslept for an 8 a.m. Lipscomb’s engineering faculty became a family for her at a time of searching in her life, she said. Jones College of Engineering, won her over and she ended up graduating with her degree in engineering mechanics. Christie Clayton, on the third floor of the new JP Morgan Chase skyscraper at 270 Park Avenue.īut Lipscomb’s community, and the advice of her mentor Fort Gwinn, now associate dean in the Raymond B. ![]()
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