The Day from New London, Connecticut • 9

31 The Day wwwthedaycom Sunday ebruary 28 2016 BUSINESS Perspective: Editorial Page Editor Paul Choiniere says the General Assembly could send a message by rejecting planned pay hikes at the University of Connecticut B3 Major apple growers are diversifying their orchards Page B2 Lu" 'u Rising to new heights Skinny skyscrapers are transforming iconic skyline By DEEPTI HAJELA Associated Press In New York City no escaping the pressure to be taller and thinner not even for the skyscrapers Changes in building technology and materials in recent years have made it possible to build slender towers that are among the tallest in the world And some of these cloud puncturing beanstalks are poised to transform the iconic skyline So far the thinnest of all is the recently completed apartment tower at 432 Park Ave The stark white pillar just south of Central Park is 1396 feet tall but each side is only about 93 feet wide higher than the Empire State Building but only as wide as the length of a basketball court Plans are in place for another tower just a few blocks away that could be the skinniest skyscraper in the world The tower at 111 57th St would be about 1400 feet tall and under 60 feet wide Those tiny footprints are a sharp departure from supertali skyscrapers of the past The base of the Empire State Building for example occupies an entire city block a combination of advancements that allows us to said Ahmad Rahimian USA director of building struc tures at WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff an engineering firm worked on these kinds of projects He pointed to high strength steel and concrete unavailable a couple of decades ago which can support higher levels of stress advances in computing that allows for better modeling and building simulations and advancements in damp ing devices like weights springs and pendulums which counteract swinging Damping systems are used in super tall buildings to help control how the structures move with the wind to make it more comfortable for the people inside Better engineering alone driving the race for thinner towers In New York City these days there is very little land SEE CHANGES PAGE B2 Jaf" KggjeBI Mt umMhVMV i vk Isl a GgafiWEM8M 'U4 tffsSnKSSar rLMSBBH MGBv OumkUKv UlsiMMIE'u fliillllnlll Sil ii fik UK 4 i iKmnMRwi la HKliOl! rMr ZJfcZLr'' iW WBTIW aMT flZllML BQ A JMMim Ja IhBI fem 'Jaw' A building at 432 Park Ave rises above the streets of Manhattan New technologies have allowed the buildings to have footprints no more than the width of a brownstone or two a far cry from the massive city block an older building like the Empire State Building requires SETH WENIGAP PHOTO Minuteman Press soldiers on as more than a print shop i (p W3 LMa in By LEE HOWARD Day Staff Writer Norwich So you want a shirt with your name on it? Not a problem What about a stress ball with your logo in the shape of an egg? Yeah sure OK what about printing and mail ing material intended for a select ethnic group with specific age and in come criteria? Done it before In fact it seems there is little that Steve and Gail Weber have seen their business through many changes over the last 15 years TIM C00KTHE DAY local Minuteman Press franchise owners Steve and Gail Weber of East Lyme been able to accommo date during their 24 year run in Nor wich and six years in New London can put your name on just about Steve said Minuteman relationships with a national franchise and a va riety of vendors including a local shirt maker makes it all possible And the best thing is that the Webers can service a variety of marketing and promotional needs all under one roof customers are happy to have one stop said Gail really not selling just print ing Steve added Instead the Webers see them selves as partners with businesses and nonprofits trying to help fig ure out solutions to their market ing needs They pride themselves on quick turnarounds as well knowing that most businesses these days need to respond quickly to survive in to competitive 247 world Minuteman Press a national fran chise has helped the Webers weather the vicissitudes of the business cli mate over the past few years which has resulted in the closing of sev eral local print shops The Webers have bought the customer lists of four of these businesses moves that helped Minuteman Press maintain its edge even in the face of stiff competi tion from newer marketing methods fostered by the Internet The Webers said that between SEE MINUTEMAN PAGE B2 Download today Chelsea Groton ch lsc a ro to corn 860 448 4200 Making more time available for the things that matter most DIC JUSrf Our mobile app puts the answers in the palm of your hand is wsauftus Im your bank liK: HNl POINTS py I 2' ft I I I I.