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 finishing on upper levels. Steel decking installation and detailing is expected to be complete by the end of this month. Concrete deck placements will continue on upper levels to the roof and should be complete in early February, weather permitting. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades are working throughout the site. Crews continue fireproofing on several levels. This work is progressing up the building. Crews are backfilling foundations and performing site work.
- The tower crane will be in use for the next few weeks during normal working hours as crews continue to work through winter weather conditions. The crane is currently scheduled to be disassembled and removed from the site in mid-February. Because this is a sizeable undertaking, the crane removal will require after-hours work. More detail will be provided as the date gets closer.
- The height of the temporary construction hoist continues to be increased to the roof and will be complete in the next few weeks before the crane is removed. More details will be provided as that work gets closer.
- Crews continue to install building wrap to retain temporary heat on upper floors during concrete and fireproofing activities. A small amount of noise associated with the temporary heaters falls within normal limits and may be heard off-hours. Tarping is removed at the lower floors after the fireproofing is complete.
- For the next several weeks, work at the new affiliate housing building will require closures of South Campus Drive to all vehicles during working hours Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. All traffic leaving the Continuum and Trader Joe’s parking will be instructed to make a right turn only out of the garage. The road will be open to traffic each day after 5 p.m. and on weekends. Signage and details will be provided to divert traffic as needed, and police details will be on site to provide assistance.
- Occasional concrete deck placements continue on the upper levels to the roof level during regular work hours throughout this month – some finishing work will extend beyond 9 p.m. with the colder temperatures. Noise is generated by the power trowels used for finishing. The fresh concrete needs to be covered with blankets for warmth while curing. A pump truck will be present on South Campus Drive during concrete pours.
- 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, concrete placements and detailing continues through January. Backfilling for exterior walls and excavating for utilities continues. Utility work continues around the building perimeter. Steel detailing for the theatre’s stage and fly tower structure and concrete placements will run through January. An additional crane will be on site to support the removal of boom lifts from lower levels on Thursday, January 31.
- Mass timber (engineered wood products known for their strength, durability, versatility and sustainability) will follow beginning on Monday, February 24. A crane to support this work will mobilize mid-February.
- Adjustments continue on the building mock-ups to review design and constructability across North Harvard Street. A surrounding structure will be built at the housing building mock-up to retain heat for f lashing and masonry work. At the ART mockup, miscellaneous activities will take place intermittently.
- Crews at the affiliate housing building site will be working on Saturdays, January 25 and February 1, weather permitting, adding the upper levels of the material hoist, performing some welding and installing some steel sections. Heaters will be maintained by workers on Sundays through the winter.
- Off hours snow and ice removal are expected as needed.
- 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.