In this issue:
· 05.03.2011 — Lobby Day Report
· 2011 AIANY Slate Announced
· Passing: Peter Nolasco daSilva
· e-Calendar

05.03.2011 — Lobby Day Report
By Jay Bond, AIANY Policy Director

(L-R): Margaret O’Donoghue Castillo, AIA, LEED AP; Joseph J. Aliotta, AIA, LEED AP; Anthony Schirripa, FAIA, IIDA; Mary A. Burke, AIA, IIDA; Terrence O’Neal, AIA; and Jay Bond.

Courtesy AIANY

On 05.03.11, AIANY sent representatives to AIA New York State’s Architects in Albany Lobby Day. AIANY’s Policy Director Jay Bond organized a group of Chapter leadership and NYC-based practitioners, including: 2011 President Margaret O’Donoghue Castillo, AIA, LEED AP; 2010 President Anthony Schirripa, FAIA, IIDA; President-elect Joseph J. Aliotta, AIA, LEED AP; Vice President for Public Outreach Mary A. Burke, AIA, IIDA; Executive Director Rick Bell, FAIA; and Terrence O’Neal, AIA.

Appointments began with NYS Assembly Majority Leader Ronald Canestrari, the prime sponsor of many of the pieces of legislation important to architects. AIANY also met with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver; NYS Assembly Member Deborah Glick, who, as Chair of the Higher Education Committee, oversees licensing of the professions; NYS Senator Liz Krueger; Assembly Member Richard Gottfried; and Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh. This was our first meeting with a number of Manhattan legislators, and they were very receptive to our concerns. As a group, we pushed for important issues: statute of repose, and interdisciplinary firm ownership. The lack of both puts NY architects and designers at a competitive disadvantage with colleagues in other states.

The Chapter emphasized its concerns over New York State’s lack of a statute of repose. Currently, 48 states and D.C. have some sort of statute of repose for design professionals, while architects in NY must maintain their insurance into retirement. (Although there is a three-year statute of limitations on actions brought by an owner or client, architects are answerable to third party claims for an indefinite period after project completion). AIANY advocates a 10-year limitation on third-party claims, recognizing that the design professional has no control over a property after construction is complete. We wanted elected officials to understand that there is a point when a building goes from being well-designed to well-maintained, and that is the point when the architect should no longer be liable.

We also addressed interdisciplinary firm ownership — again, not allowing it puts us at a competitive disadvantage — and the Good Samaritan Act, which would allow engineers and architects to provide services in times of emergency without fear of legal action. All of these legislations are in various stages of progress in the Senate and the Assembly, and it’s unclear how far they will get before the session ends in June. Moving forward, the Chapter will keep you up-to-date on our progress and potentially call upon you for help in the effort. If there are particular pieces of legislation of interest to you either before the state legislature or the New York City Council, please feel free to bring them to the attention of Jay Bond at jbond@aiany.org. We encourage you to meet with your State Assembly members and/or Senators and ask them to co-sponsor these important laws. More details on these three bills, along with information on bills we oppose, appear here.

2011 AIANY Slate Announced
The AIA New York Chapter has officially announced the slate of candidates to be voted on at the AIA New York Chapter 144th Annual Meeting. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, 06.21.11, 6:00-8:00 pm (RSVP). Independent nominations may be submitted to the secretary in accordance with Chapter by-laws. Please click here for the full slate, to RSVP, and to review Chapter by-laws.

Passing: Peter Nolasco daSILVA
Peter Nolasco da Silva, architect and health facility planner, passed away on 04.18.11 at the age of 73. Though afflicted for the last 10 years with Parkinson’s disease, da Silva maintained an active schedule.

He was born in 1938 in Manila and came to the U.S. at the age of 18 to attend Notre Dame University where he earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree. After college, he moved to NYC, working for Rogers Butler Architects and Charles deBarry. He attended graduate school at Columbia to earn a Master in Health Facility Planning in 1962, after which he worked with Westerman Miller Associates, specializing in Health Facility Design. In 1977, he founded Mason and daSILVA Associates with Larry Mason. When Larry Mason left in 1987, da Silva continued the firm as daSILVA + Associates, where he remained until his retirement. The firm still carries on his name as daSILVA Architects PC, led by Jaques Black, AIA, Charles Calcagni, AIA, and Anton Martinez, AIA.

As a Health Facility architect and planner, da Silva designed many structures at most of the major medical centers in the tri-state area. North Central Bronx Hospital, for the Health and Hospital Corporation, was the first “fast track” hospital built in NYC. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, da Silva was responsible for many new and renovated centers for the Health Insurance Plan of Greater New York. His dedication to proper planning for patient care assured that each of these facilities worked both for staff and patients. His insistence on bringing light and air and color into each building was based on his belief that patient care environments should be life affirming and pleasant for all patients and family members.

He is survived by Beth, his wife of 47 years, three daughters, four grandchildren, a brother Noel of Canada, and a sister Rosalie of Australia.

eCALENDAR
eCalendar includes an interactive listing of architectural events around NYC. Click the link to go to to eCalendar on the Web.