175 North Harvard Street Project
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 roof is substantially complete. Exterior swing staging and a scaffolding lift system are set up on the buildings to assist with curtainwall installation and masonry. Scaffolding is going up on the west and north side of the building. Scaffolding deliveries on the north elevation will start to occur. Brick topping off on the mid-rise and south side is expected this month. A second crane arrived on site last week to support the west side of the building to feed the brick on the west tower. Brickwork is moving up the building and is finished in the courtyard. Sheathing and framing install around the hoist is ongoing. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades continue working on multiple levels. Interior fit outs and framing continue throughout the building. Miscellaneous deliveries to the hoist will continue. Elevator installation is ongoing in the north tower. Finish work on the lower floors is ongoing. Drywall work continues and dry wall deliveries take place on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays. Interior framing is ongoing. Framing topping off on the midrise and south side is expected this month. Small utilities inside the site continue. Window installation is going well. Windows are installed on the north, west, and south side of the north tower. Finishes on the lower floors are ongoing. Kitchen and bathroom work is underway. The bike pavilion work will begin in November. A small concrete pour with a pump truck occurred last week. More of these can be expected intermittently to place column encasements in the garage.
- Within the next 8-10 weeks, work will take place to remove the tower crane’s concrete pad. This work requires mechanical chipping and hammering, which will generate perceptible noise during regular work hours. More info will be provided as the date gets closer.
- South Campus Drive will be closed to vehicles occasionally from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the week of September 15 to provide for crane access. The road will be open to traffic each day after 5:00 p.m. Adjustments have been made to roadway lighting to account for the shorter days.
- Access to Ivy Lane for the general public and the Continuum, Sloane’s, and Trader Joe’s deliveries remain 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, mass timber installation continues along with wood deliveries. Mass timber will be complete on the front mid-section this month and on the front section of the building closest to North Harvard Street by mid-October. Acoustic metal decking has started. Roofing is underway on all sections and will be wrapping up on two of the three back sections of the building. Roofing materials are delivered by crane once per week. An additional crane will be on site next week to hoist roofing material to one of the building sections facing North Harvard Street. Additional trades are on site for masonry work, roof level parapet work, and slab on deck pours. Mechanical system work is ongoing with equipment on site. All mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades are mobilized. Drywall work is taking place. Exterior façade prep work is underway. Staging is up to support the brick façade work. Curtain wall work will begin next week on the section of the building closest to Harvard’s track and will continue around the building clockwise. Riser work and overhead mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work has started.
- A police detail is assigned to North Harvard Street/South Campus Drive to help facilitate mass timber trailer deliveries. To deliver mass timber to the section of the building closet to Ivy Lane, trucks will need to enter Ivy Lane traveling west down Ivy Lane from North Harvard Street. During this time, the trucks will be walked down Ivy Lane by personnel, and vehicular traffic will be stopped briefly at the Continuum garage exit and at the corner of South Campus Drive and Ivy Lane. Wood protection trades and mechanical systems installation continue as mass timber gets installed.
- Drones are flying over the site on a bi-weekly basis to capture project progress. A drone flight is scheduled for Monday, September 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Work will be taking place at the affiliate housing building on Saturdays, September 13, and September 20, doing some masonry along with mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work. Some Saturday work can be expected each week going forward.
- A crew at the ART project will be working on Saturday, September 13. Saturday work can be expected through the winter. This week, crews will be working on mass timber detailing, collecting trash and cleanup, carpenter temp safety rails, and decking installation on level 1.
- There will be some Sunday work on the affiliate housing building on September 14 and 21. A crew will be on site installing sheathing on the common hoist tower to continue to make the building watertight.
- There is no work currently taking place at the ART building mock-up across North Harvard Street.
- 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.