175 North Harvard Street Project Construction Impacts
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):
- Exterior swing staging and a scaffolding lift system are being removed where curtainwall installation and masonry are complete. Scaffolding is set up and curtainwall is finishing on the north side of the site (the Harvard track side) and brick work is underway inside the tarped working enclosure. Temporary heaters have been set up in this area. Brick is topped off on the low-rise and will be topped off on the mid-rise next week. The south side of the tower will be topped out by Thanksgiving. Three cranes are supporting the brick installation. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades continue working on multiple levels. Miscellaneous deliveries to the hoist will continue. The hoist will be taken down in the first week of January. Elevators are progressing for a November turnover. Drywall work continues. Dry wall deliveries are slowing down, but continue to take place on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays. Drywall should be completed by the end of the year. Interior fit outs and framing beginning on lower floors continue throughout the building. Window installation is complete. Kitchen and bathroom work is underway. Work on the bike pavilion continues with forming and placing concrete for the foundation. Excavations for the bike pavilion foundation will continue for one week. Ramp work in the garage continues. Lighting has been adjusted to account for the shorter days.
- PLEASE NOTE: South Campus Drive will be closed to vehicles during regular work hours through May 2026 from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to accommodate crane access and large delivery vehicles. 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 public and the Continuum, Sloane’s, and Trader Joe’s deliveries will 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 structural installation is complete. Detailing work will continue through November. Acoustic metal decking continues. Roofing is underway and roofing materials are delivered by crane once per week. Masons are working on walls. All mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades are mobilized. Drywall work is taking place. Exterior façade work is underway. Staging is up to support the brick façade work. Brick façade work will wrap mid-November on the west side or the back side of the building. Brick work will be completed on the Harvard track side of the building in December. Wood protection trades and mechanical systems installation continue. Concrete slab placement continues. Exterior steel for the east façade will take place. Exterior tarp protection at openings is installed throughout the building. Curtain wall systems with supporting boom lifts are ongoing around the east side (the North Harvard Street side) of the building. Wood cladding installation will come around on North Harvard Street sections of the building followed by the two sections along Ivy Lane. Miscellaneous steel is coming into the west stage setting up the overhead balconies and catwalk systems. This work will go into November/December. The building is scheduled to be weather-tight by mid-December. Daily steel, block, and wood deliveries continue. Some roofing activity continues. Skylight and framing work continue. This work will be completed before the brick façade work begins on the chimneys.
- For one more week, through Friday, November 22, workers will be removing a concrete wall on the Ivy Lane side of the job site using air compressing chipping guns. Some above normal noise can be expected during this work. The project team appreciates the community’s understanding during this necessary work.
- Drones are flying over the site on a bi-weekly basis to capture project progress.
- Work will be taking place at the affiliate housing building on Saturdays, November 15 and November 22, doing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work, exterior masonry, some interior finish trades and general clean up. Some Saturday work can be expected each week going forward. Road closures are not anticipated on Saturdays.
- A crew at the ART project will be working on Saturday, November 15, continuing mass timber detailing, curtain wall, and general clean up. Saturday work can be expected through the winter.
- There are no plans to work at the affiliate housing building on Sunday, November 16.
- There is no work taking place at the building mock-up across North Harvard Street.
- The projects are under camera surveillance, with live monitoring and audible messaging.
- 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.