Contracting in Manhattan
Following my father's asphalt company one Saturday morning
For my photography project, I decided to document a day in the life of a New York City contractor. I chose this theme to document because my father owns a asphalt contracting company and I have worked with him since I was 13. On Saturdays, the famous island of Manhattan is usually the destination for the day's job locations. This was because of the zoo that the city is during the week, you ever try driving into Manhattan on a week day morning? Brutal. Growing up, being at middle school and high school, working on Saturday's was a normal occurrence. This is when I fell in love with New York City, the skyscrapers, the pace of the rush, the big scale fashion and style. All of this reminded me, every single time I drive into the city, how much I wanted to live here when I was in my twenties. My dad has been working in NYC since he immigrated to New York from Ireland. I know, I know an Irishman working in contracting in New York City, how original? However, I could not of asked for a better opportunity and experience every summer in my teenage years. This documentation will show you the very normal and extraordinary day I experienced each and every Saturday growing up.
Working with an asphalt company was not all positive, the wake up call on most Saturday mornings was about 4:30am to be at the yard by 5:30am. This was exactly the best situation for a lazy teenager, but my dad made sure my lazy bottom was up and ready to work with a coffee and half a bagel every morning. The dawning sky and the dump truck that has been around longer than I have really symbolize two things for this image. The early mornings and the longevity my dad has been working in this business.
Once everyone in the crew gets to the truck yard, my father and I usually drive the Mack truck, we call "Ol Smokey". We drive the rigged old truck to the asphalt plant, we is what is documented here. Huge contraptions, assembly lines, and 100 foot silos (seen here), all make up the 350 degree "black gold" as my dad calls it.
Once the silos are ready to go, the operator of the plant calls my father through the direct line, my dad asks for the amount of
tons he needs for the day. Then the gates open up, as seen here, looking like a volcano erupting with all the "black gold" pouring in and all the smoke pouring out of the trucks body. If only you could be there for the intense smell that fills the air, almost impossible to breathe.
After the "black gold" is covered to stay hot, the trip begins towards our location, the greatest city in the world. The views driving on the Long Island Expressway towards the city are unforgettable and never cease to amaze me and give me chills. The second of the two images, Ol Smokey's truck emblem is the Mack bulldog. Since 1985, that bulldog has seen everything through every season throughout the years.
Once we get into the city, the tourism is over and I am reminded of why I am really here in the first place: to bust my hump and get paid. My father usually never had a problem telling me that growing up, always teaching me a valuable lesson in working hard. Documented here is the bobcat with the grinding attachment, which rips up the old asphalt to create a grove in the street, which allows for the new asphalt to be cemented in the ground.
After the grinding and ripping up is done, the crew sweeps and shovels the old asphalt and gravel into the bucket attachment of the Bobcat. Not out of the Blue, we are located on 5th Ave and 48th street, and anyone that knows the city, knows what is located behind. That is Rockville Center and 30 Rock. The American flags also symbolize something within the company. Hugo Guerro, the Bobcat operator, just received his American citizenship and he was aloud to go see his mother and father for the first time in 19 years.
After cleaning up, it is time to pave, the truck is raised, the roller is off the truck and the crew has their shovels and rakes ready to go. After looking north on 5th Ave, we are looking south on 5th Ave, and look closely at the skyline. I think everyone knows that building, the great Empire State Building, we see it at almost every job location we have. My father always told me, "everyone in the world dreams of coming to this city just to see that building and the skyline, and we see it everyday."
After the job is paved and the tools and machines are put away, the crew climbs into their spot in each one of the trucks and drives back to the yard. Another day another dollar is what it means to the men on the crew supporting families and their life. To me, it is a life lesson: working hard in the city that I love, motivates and sets my goals that maybe one day, I'll be watching some one else dreaming through my apartment window.
