Alabama Maker Says New York Bike Path Benches Went to Canadian Firm Despite Buy American Rule

An Alabama metalwork company says New York City passed it over for benches on a new federally funded bike path in lower Manhattan, despite a Buy American requirement. The benches went to a Canadian firm after New York’s state Department of Transportation granted a waiver, the New York Post reported on Aug. 23, 2015.

The contract

• The $12 million Battery Bikeway was paid for with federal money. That funding requires goods to be made in the USA unless a waiver is granted.
• The city hired Queens contractor Professional Pavers for the job in 2011. The contractor retained Allen Architectural Metals, an Alabama firm with 30 workers, in December 2013 to make the benches.
• The $362,000 purchase order was canceled in June 2014. Company head John Allen said the firm had built a prototype matching the River Bench used elsewhere in Battery Park and lost about $50,000.
• Professional Pavers then chose Soheil Mosun, a Canadian company, to make the benches for $260,000.

The city’s response

The Parks Department said Allen Architectural had not been approved by the Manhattan firm that designed the River Bench. “The Buy American clause remains in effect,” a spokesman said. “It was waived for a single item, the River Bench, as the Canadian firm Soheil Mosun was the only company that could cost-effectively produce the same bench used elsewhere in the Battery.”

Professional Pavers did not respond to the Post’s requests for comment.