175 North Harvard Street, 100 South Campus Drive
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):
- The structural steel phase of the housing project is ongoing with work finishing on upper levels. Steel should be completed later this month. Two to three steel deliveries take place per day with two rebar deliveries per day. Decking and detailing will continue through December. Concrete deck placements will continue. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades are working throughout the site. A subcontractor continues working on small utilities, including storm, duct bank, and data and is backfilling around the foundation. Exterior waterproofing continues and crews are fireproofing on several levels. This work will continue progressing up the building. The dewatering tank will be removed at the end of this month.
- The temporary construction hoist (exterior elevator) tower installation is underway closer to South Campus Drive and is expected to be operational next week. Steel stairways are being placed.
- Installation of building wrap to retain temporary heat on upper floors during concrete and fireproofing activities will continue. A small amount of noise associated with the temporary heaters falls within normal limits and may be heard off-hours.
- Neighbors will continue to see road closures on South Campus Drive in support of concrete operations and other activities. All activities are anticipated to take place on weekdays during normal working hours with the road being returned at the end of each day. Signage and details will be provided to divert traffic as needed.
- Concrete deck placements can be expected each week from level 8 to the roof level during regular work hours throughout this month – some finishing work may extend beyond 6 p.m. depending on weather conditions. A pump truck will be present on South Campus Drive during concrete pours.
- Within the next six to eight weeks, work will begin taking place at the roof level. Personnel will be observed on upper floors and exterior staging will continue.
- The tower crane will be in use for the next month to six weeks during normal working hours and is placed in weathervane mode with safety lighting turned inward at the end of every shift. The crane will be disassembled and removed from the site in mid-January. Because this is a sizeable undertaking, the crane removal will require some after-hours work. More detail will be provided as the date gets closer.
- 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, interior and exterior concrete wall and pier placements continue. Interior slab and exterior wall waterproofing is ongoing. Backfilling for exterior walls and excavating for utilities continue. Utility work continues around the building perimeter.
- Structural steel arrived on the ART site on Monday, December 9, and installation for the theatre’s stage, fly tower structure, will run through January. Multiple concrete placements to enable structural steel installation will take place each week for the next few weeks. There is potential for early work starts and late finishes during some of these placements. Installation will run through mid-December and detailing through January.
- PLEASE NOTE: On Wednesday, December 18, an oversized load of steel will be delivered to the job site. To best minimize disruptions to the surrounding streets and South Campus Drive, the delivery will need to arrive off hours and be offloaded between 4:30 a.m. and 6 a.m. Three parking spaces next to Sloane’s will be coned off on Tuesday night, December 17, so they are reserved on Wednesday morning to accommodate the truck’s turn radius. Starting at 4 a.m., to prepare for the delivery, the contractor will need to remove four jersey barriers on the corner of North Harvard Street and Ivy Lane. The jersey barriers and parking spaces will be restored by 6:00 a.m. A crane will be used for this activity.
- Mass timber (engineered wood products known for their strength, durability, versatility and sustainability) will follow in late February.
- Work continues on the building mock-ups to review design and constructability across North Harvard Street. At the ART mockup, activities will take place intermittently. Adjustments continue intermittently on the housing mockup to include framing, sheathing, and masonry.
- Crews at the affiliate housing building site will be working on Saturday, December 14 and 21 to continue installing structural steel.
- The project’s regular work hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. and Saturdays as permitted by the City of Boston from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.