Construction workers tasked with replacing the Carrier Dome’s roof and other renovations will continue to work despite Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive order requiring all nonessential workers in New York to stay home. 

Jeremy Thurston, the president of The Hayner Hoyt Corporation, the construction company in charge of the $118 million renovation project, confirmed to The Daily Orange that work will “continue forward as planned.”

“We’re going to do our best to navigate the changing climate and all the coronavirus things that are going on,” Thurston said.

Workers remained at the Carrier Dome construction site as Cuomo’s order, which he announced on March 20, went into effect Monday. States that have closed nonessential businesses amid the spread of the novel coronavirus include New York, California, Illinois and Connecticut, among others. Businesses in New York that remain open must work to implement social distancing rules, Cuomo said.

“(The order) will cause disruption,” Cuomo said. “They will cause businesses to close. They’ll cause employees to stay at home. I understand that. They will cause much unhappiness. I understand that also.”

Each state decides which businesses are essential, and New York deemed The Hayner Hoyt Corporation as appropriate to remain operational. 

Four days before Cuomo’s announcement, workers deflated the Carrier Dome roof and cut it down. The next roof is expected to have a longer lifespan, require less upkeep and eliminate the potential of a collapse in bad weather, according to Syracuse.com.

On March 16, Pete Sala, Syracuse’s vice president and chief facilities officer, said the roof was on schedule to be installed for SU’s football home opener on Sept. 19. Thurston said he can’t comment on the progress of construction without the University’s permission. 

Sala told Syracuse.com that at the project’s peak, up to 200 people make up the construction crew which works “24 hours a day.” He also said the air conditioning system was on track for 2021 and other renovations including improved restrooms, concessions and accessibility upgrades were to be completed by 2022.