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):
- Window installation using boom lifts continues. Exterior wall framing continues. Exterior swing staging and a scaffolding lift system are set up on the buildings to assist with curtainwall installation. Multiple swing stages are on the mid-rise and the tower. More swing staging will be coming in at the north tower. Brick work is ramping up and will be in full swing in the next couple of weeks. Brick deliveries will start to increase. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades continue work on multiple levels. Interior fit outs and framing continues. Miscellaneous deliveries to the hoist will continue. Elevator installation in the south tower continues. Drywall work is scheduled to begin in June. A crane is arriving the first week of June to support work on the north tower.
- During the weeks of May 26 and June 2, excluding Sundays and Monday, May 26, the contractor will need to close South Campus Drive between 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to accommodate lift access. South Campus Drive will be open to traffic each day after 5:00 p.m.
- The contractor may need to utilize one lane of Ivy Lane in front of the project gate to unload materials. Access to Ivy Lane for the general public and the Continuum, Sloane’s, and Trader Joe’s deliveries will be a priority. If necessary, construction delivery vehicles will be diverted until they can unload in a way that does not impede traffic on Ivy Lane.
- 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. 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.
- A light pole has been removed along the walking path adjacent to McCurdy Track along South Campus Drive to provide truck turn radius access for trailers.
- 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 for the next several months. Daily wood deliveries continue. Crews are finishing walls at the fly tower section. Mass Timber work continues on an adjacent section of the building closest to South Campus Drive through the month of May. A 100-ton crane is positioned in the access road to assist with chimneys, which may extend into next week due to weather. Masonry work is underway. Additional trades will arrive on site next week for block work, roof level parapet work, and slab on deck pours. This work is in preparation for roofers to be on site beginning Monday, June 23. Work will be taking place on lower plenum level block walls and roof topping slabs.
- Steel detailing work continues ahead of waterproofing. 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.
- 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, May 24 and May 31, to do some exterior wall sheathing, window installation, and interior framing and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work. This work is dependent on weather.
- There will not be any work at the ART project on Saturday, May 24.
- Please note that both projects will have onsite security during Boston Calling from 2:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Friday through Sunday, May 23-25.
- The projects will be closed on Monday, May 26, for the Memorial Day holiday. Both projects are planning to work on Thursday, May 29, during Harvard’s Commencement.
- As a component of Harvard’s public benefit commitments with the City of Boston, Harvard University Housing is working with Cambridge Landscaping to replace approximately 60 dead trees throughout Smith Field, adjacent to the new affiliate housing building. Several of those trees abut South Campus Drive adjacent to the Continuum. The work is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, May 27, and will take several weeks to complete. The project scope also includes installation of a new accessible ramp between South Campus Drive and the park, which is in the approvals process.
- 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.