BHS-Sonthofen provided mixing technology for the ambitious "Pier 55" project in New York

“Little Island” consists of 132 concrete tulips rising from the water.

Each of the 90-ton tulip heads, which even have trees on them, acts as an oversized flowerpot for the park.

The established BHS mixing technology enabled the production of 655 individual tulip leaves.

Two BHS twin-shaft batch mixers of type DKXS 3,00 produced concrete of the highest quality.

132 concrete tulip heads form an island landscape on the Hudson River...

At the former Pier 55 along the Hudson River in New York, 132 precast tulip elements, mounted on 267 concrete piles, form a 2.4-acres artificial island. They are the new eye-catcher of the waterfront. For the ambitious project, precast producer and supplier of the concrete flowers Fort Miller Co, Inc. relied on the proven mixing technology from BHS-Sonthofen – two BHS twin-shaft batch mixers of type DKXS 3,00 ensured concrete of the highest quality.

The planning phase for Pier 55, now known as "Little Island", dates back almost ten years, with the foundation stone being laid in 2018: Concrete piles had to be driven into the ground to make the island, designed to accommodate several thousand people, possible. The project was realized through partnership with the Hudson River Park Trust and funded primarily through Barry Diller and the Diller-Von Furstenberg Family Foundation. The free public park pier within the larger Hudson River Park opened in May 2021.

Highest concrete quality for aesthetics, expediency, and durability

BHS-Sonthofen was already involved in the project during this first phase. Precast concrete manufacturer Coastal Precast Systems from Chesapeake/Virginia uses BHS mixing technology at three of their sites. They supplied the necessary 267 up to 60 m long post-tensioned precast concrete piers for the substructure – each with a load capacity of 250 - 300 tons.

In the subsequent project phase with Fort Miller from Schuylerville/NY, the architecturally appealing precast concrete structures were placed. Weighing 90 tons, each of the 132 tulip heads is intended to be both delicate and function as an oversized flowerpot to support the park and entire trees. Fort Miller accepted this challenge and purchased two BHS twin-shaft batch mixers, each with a discharge of 3 m³ per batch, for this and other ambitious orders. "Concrete components in close proximity to the tidal sea water are subject to constant corrosion. The mixing technology from BHS-Sonthofen ensures the highest mixing quality, which is essential in such projects," explains Scott D. Harrigan, president of Fort Miller. The proven technology enabled the production of 655 individual tulip leaves, which were trucked to the port of Coeymans and assembled before being barged to the site.

Mixing technology optimized for customer requirements

With more than 130 years of experience with mixing technology, BHS-Sonthofen is the right partner for ambitious challenges. “The DKXS is the optimal choice for precast concrete of highest quality”, explains Mike Kerins, Sales Manager Concrete and Minerals Division at BHS-Sonthofen Inc. “The three-dimensional mixing concept of the mixer results in an intensive exchange of materials, shorter mixing cycles with reduced energy consumption, and a maintenance-friendly and robust design. Furthermore we are centrally located on the East Coast where we have our sales and warehousing operations that can quickly adapt for orders and service needs. Fort Miller has been a great partner to BHS, and we are honored to continually be an integral part of their manufacturing process,” Kerins sums up the successful project.