Week of July 8, 2024

175 North Harvard Street Project Construction Impacts Update

The following is an overview of the work taking place at the 175 North Harvard construction site at the
future location of the new Harvard University affiliate housing building and American Repertory Theatre
(ART):

  • There may be periods of time where road closures on South Campus Drive are required due to
    increased trucking and the job site’s logistical constraints. When closures are needed, signage,
    police details, and traffic cones will be in position to provide guidance. Only construction vehicles
    are permitted to turn onto South Campus Drive from North Harvard Street for safety reasons and
    to improve traffic flow. All other vehicles are directed to access South Campus Drive from Western
    Ave.
  • The North Core elevator shaft work continues and is on target for completion on July 12. This work
    includes the installation of rebar, formwork, and concrete vertically utilizing the tower crane.
  • The tower crane will be in use for the next nine months during normal working hours and will be
    placed in weathervane mode with safety lighting turned inward at the end of every shift.
  • Foundation wall rebar installation is in progress as is the installation of below grade
    waterproofing. Small concrete pours continue throughout the week during normal working hours.
    Under slab mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work is underway.
  • The structural steel phase of the housing project is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 15.
    At this time, steel beams will be delivered on flat-bed trucks and will be offloaded and
    installed using the tower crane.
  • Wheel washing and street sweeping continues to ensure soil is not being tracked through the
    neighborhood streets.
  • On the new American Repertory Theater (ART) work site, excavation for footings and foundations
    with concrete placements every couple of days will continue through mid-July. Then crews will
    excavate for the final sequence of foundation and backfill. This foundation work will continue into
    August. Concrete and rebar work will continue through August. Backfilling is ongoing in the
    substage area. Formwork and waterproofing will be underway next week.
  • Please be advised that the contractor working on the ART project is now targeting the end of
    the week of July 15 for a mat slab placement, which will require an early morning start. The
    project team is targeting a 5:00 a.m. start for this work. Concrete pump trucks will arrive on
    site to prepare as early as 4:00 a.m. The contractor will do its best to keep noise levels to a
    minimum. Neighbors can expect to experience some intermittent noise due to the presence
    of a work crew on site and the use of equipment needed to perform this work, including
    concrete pump trucks, and trucks arriving on site to deliver concrete. An exact date for this
    work will be provided once it is scheduled.
  • Building mock-ups to review design and constructability are underway across North Harvard
    Street. The curtain wall for the mock-up will be delivered in late August/early September. There is
    no work planned on the building mock-ups next week.
  • The projects’ job sites are closed on Thursday, July 4. The sites are open on Friday, July 5, and
    There will be some work taking place at the new Harvard affiliate housing building on
    Saturday, July 6.
  • On Saturday, July 13, the contractor will be on site stripping concrete forms and removing
    formwork and equipment in preparation for steel delivery. This will require the shutdown of 100
    South Campus Drive to accommodate crane access. Proper signage with detours will be in
    place and police details will be coordinated.
  • The project’s regular work hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and
    Saturdays as permitted by the City of Boston from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.