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):
- Small miscellaneous concrete pours will occur as needed on the upper portion of the building. Window and doorframe deliveries and window installation using boom lifts continue. Exterior wall sheathing continues. Exterior swing staging and a scaffolding lift system are set up on the buildings to assist with curtainwall installation. Exterior brickwork in the courtyard begins this month. Boom lifts and swing staging are on the low rise working on window installation. Roofing is progressing. Once it is in place, the swing staging will be removed from the level 12 roof. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades continue to work throughout the site. Interior fit out and framing continue. Work continues on doors and ramps. Stairs are being installed.
- The contractor will need to close South Campus Drive on Wednesday, April 23, (weather dependent) to accommodate a crane needed to lift insulation to the roof. Approximately once a week, a pumper truck will be on South Campus Drive to support concrete placements.
- On other days during the week of April 21, the contractor will need to periodically close South Campus Drive between 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to support lift access to the building’s west elevation, which cannot accommodate swing staging. The only available access for this work is via a large boom lift that will not fit within the fence line.
- When South Campus Drive is closed, all traffic leaving the Continuum and Trader Joe’s parking garage will be instructed to make a right turn only out of the garage. South Campus Drive will be open to traffic each day after 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday. Signage will be provided to divert traffic as needed, and police details will be on site to provide assistance. The signage will be covered after the end of each shift so vehicles can use South Campus Drive.
- Wheel washing and street sweeping continue to ensure soil is not being tracked through the neighborhood streets.
- On the new American Repertory Theater (ART) work site, the project has a crane in place to install mass timber (engineered wood products known for their strength, durability, versatility and sustainability) for the next several months. Daily wood deliveries are underway. The rest of this month will focus on wall panels. An increase in trucking is expected for panel delivery.
- Steel detailing work continues. A police detail is assigned to North Harvard Street/South Campus Drive to help facilitate mass timber trailer deliveries. Wood protection trades and mechanical systems installation continues as mass timber gets installed. Columns, beams, trusses, stairs, wall panels, beams and flooring have been installed in the first sector near the west stage. The south tower stage wall is now up.
- Periodic adjustments will take place on the ART building mock-up to review design and constructability across North Harvard Street.
- Work will be taking place at the affiliate housing building on the next two Saturdays, April 19 and April 26, to do some exterior wall sheathing, masonry, and window installation. This work is dependent on the weather.
- The crew at the ART project will be working on Saturdays, April 19 and 26, installing mass timber. This work is dependent on the weather.
- Both job sites will be closed for the Patriot’s Day holiday on Monday, April 21.
- 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.
- Off-hours water management may be needed for the ART mass timber roofs and structures during and after rain events.