Destiny USA : Construction aspect

By Justin Tindley

Destiny USA is held in theory to be the most sustainable projects in the world.

It will invoke environmentally conscious thought while saving energy and releasing a dependence on fossil fuel. That may happen if it every gets erected. After almost a decade of talking about the project in the news and a constant battle to get it approved by the city, Bob Congel seems to be getting the ball rolling with the actual development of this city, I mean complex. Okay let’s face it the truth is that Congel is basically creating a city within a city. Rome wasn’t built in a day but it was probably started on that day, Destiny USA seems as though it may take a lifetime. Though there is some progress that has been made very recently there is still not much physical evidence to show for it. The site is still not where it was said to be before. What eco-conscious people want to know is what is happening with the claims of eco-friendly construction and whether the claims of it happening are being held up. Sustainability comes into question because it is a major factor in this project. Where the funding coming from for this is because this is a massive project Congel and Pyramid Co. are creating a city within the city of Syracuse. Time is an odd factor in the project also because a lot of time has been spent just trying to get everyone on board for it. There also a time constrained on a lot of the construction so Congel’s construction crew really needs to get moving. Destiny USA is a project that will overall do more harm than good with the idea of construction and the setbacks that have come up, Bob Congel’s dream doesn’t look like a reality.

The sustainability of this project is probably one of the most important aspects of the project because it is the number one selling point to America. Ideas about construction that are proposed are sustainability & eco-friendly ideas. Fossil fuel free work site. Machines that would normally take fuel will be given Bio-deisel a better alternative. Solar panels will be used to conserve energy.

“‘With the Destiny USA project, we will stop talking about our dependence on fossil fuels and instead demonstrate how we can earn our independence,’ said Robert J. Congel, founder of Destiny USA. ‘This project will prove the viability of using 100 percent biofuel in all types equipment, and will educate and challenge other developers in New York and around the country to adopt similar environmentally friendly approaches.’” (National Biodiesel Board).

Destiny USA, assuming that it will be constructed will set a standard for sustainable living and building. Pyramid Co. released that the Destiny project will be done in three phases. The first phase being an 800,000+ square foot expansion of Carousel mall. Next phase would be the construction of the 13,000+ room hotel. The third phase would be the actual expansion of the Carousel mall. A 300,000+ square foot leasable retail space. As of April 2008 there isn’t much of phase two that is done, if we can even call it phase two. It must be something about this phase that has the stamp “may not happen any time soon on it” because it has been off an on for a few years. On the Destiny USA website there is a link to a Destiny USA press release, which says that the company was moving forward with phase II.

“In a presentation today to the United States Green Building Council annual conference, Destiny USA founder and chairman Robert J. Congel introduced the initial design of a 1,300+ hotel and conference facility that will be the next phase of the Destiny USA project in Syracuse, New York. The hotel is designed to LEED Platinum standards, serving as a showcase for sustainability and environmentally stewardship and a global destination” (Destiny USA).

This was released November 8, 2007 and by what is done on the site now not much has been going on. So what is the hold up? Maybe they need worker since they don’t have many.

“Forty-five Destiny USA workers who got back on the job last year after a one-year layoff lost their jobs again Monday. Destiny laid them off Monday morning, citing financing delays for the second phase of the big retail, hotel and entertainment center planned by developer Robert Congel” (Moriarty). Well this is a bit backwards, shouldn’t there be people working on the next phase especially when Destiny USA wanted to push Phase II to be done while Phase I is occurring.

The Destiny project may be hitting the headlines in the news but, the buzz has started to fade. The construction was supposed to have been started. Congel has just gotten the okay to start phase 2 but has time restrains, and with the news about workers on site being laid off its looks as though maybe this still is an idea instead of a reality. Congel must have 1,000 rooms in the Grand Destiny Hotel by February 1, 2012. Not a lot of time for a site that doesn’t have a lot of workers on it. Funding is also hard to come by. This is a multi-billion dollar project. Who wants to give money to a project that doesn’t have any thing to show for it but a groundbreaking ceremony and steel beams in the ground? Funding is also major concern because the project is reactionary. If Phase 2 is well there will be a better chance there will be money for phase 3.