Renovations Begin On Yard Residences

Massive construction efforts will continue through the summer in Harvard Yard, where a major dormitory overhaul, begun just after commencement, is underway.

The Yard hasn't seen this much scaffolding in at least 20 years, according to Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57.

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences crystallized plans this spring for a $70 million dorm renovation project.

Jewett said the directors of the construction project have been working closely with Harvard Summer School administrators to minimize the amount of inconvenience on both sides.

Crews have been working around the clock for about three weeks to complete as much construction as possible before the summer school session begins, said Associate Director for Engineering and Utilities Harold A. Hawkes. This week, construction workers will abandon night shifts and begin working only day shifts to minimize disruption for summer Yard residents.

Construction crews normally begin morning shifts very early, but will start at an unusually late 8 a.m. for the benefit of sleeping Yardlings, said Director of Physical Operations Michael N. Lichten.

The 700 to 800 Harvard Summer School students who descend upon the Yard each summer never fill every dorm, Lichten said. Usually, Facilities Maintenance rotates the used dorms yearly, doing minor construction work in the unused building. This year, the summer school is trying to house students as far as possible from the construction sites.Matthews Hall and Hollis Hall, for example, willremain empty until the fall.

The administration, working closely with summerschool officials, has also coordinated trafficpatterns through the yard's gates, said Hawkes,who oversees construction on the water main.

The water main project has been planned forseveral years, Hawkes said. "The existing line isboth old and inadequate in size," he said.

Construction crews are replacing the existingsix-inch line with a 12-inch line. The extracapacity is necessary, Hawkes said, in partbecause new sprinkler systems installed thissummer will increase the flow of water to thedorms. The iron pipes are also prone to chemicalreactions underground, and tend to build up crustover time, Hawkes said.

Currently, crews working on the North-Southsection of the line, running from Wadsworth Houseto Cambridge St., are slightly behind schedule,Hawkes said. Work was supposed to finish thisweekend, but will continue into the coming week.After that line is completed, a second, runningfrom Massachusetts Hall to the Weld side ofWidener Library, will also be replaced.

The massive construction effort in WeldHall--which won't be completed until thiswinter--will add an elevator shaft, making theentire dorm handicapped-accessible. Crews willalso refurbish Weld's interiors and exteriors, addnew heating and electrical systems, replace thewindows and strip most linoleum from the hardwoodfloors, Lichten said.

Lionel and Mower will receive electrical workand refurbishment, and Massachusetts Hall will seesimilar work. In addition to the dorms, BolystonHall, the Yard fences and the roof of RobinsonHall will also be repaired and renovated, saidAssociate Dean for Physical Resources Philip J.Parsons.

Workers are also resetting the steps over PuseyLibrary, although the project was not part of theUniversity's long-term planning, Lichten said.

"It was in need of doing and it was a fairlyquick project," he said.

After the Pusey steps are completed,construction crews will work on the steps nearWigglesworth Hall, Lichten said.

Current low construction rates helped galvanizeplans for the dormitory overhaul this year,Lichten said.

"The construction industry has been fairlyslack recently, and companies are anxious to havesome building going," he said.

The University signed an unprecedented contractwith the construction workers' union, promising tohire only Union labor for the Yard work. Inreturn, the Union accepted a reduced wags rate andother concessions, parsons said

The administration, working closely with summerschool officials, has also coordinated trafficpatterns through the yard's gates, said Hawkes,who oversees construction on the water main.

The water main project has been planned forseveral years, Hawkes said. "The existing line isboth old and inadequate in size," he said.

Construction crews are replacing the existingsix-inch line with a 12-inch line. The extracapacity is necessary, Hawkes said, in partbecause new sprinkler systems installed thissummer will increase the flow of water to thedorms. The iron pipes are also prone to chemicalreactions underground, and tend to build up crustover time, Hawkes said.

Currently, crews working on the North-Southsection of the line, running from Wadsworth Houseto Cambridge St., are slightly behind schedule,Hawkes said. Work was supposed to finish thisweekend, but will continue into the coming week.After that line is completed, a second, runningfrom Massachusetts Hall to the Weld side ofWidener Library, will also be replaced.

The massive construction effort in WeldHall--which won't be completed until thiswinter--will add an elevator shaft, making theentire dorm handicapped-accessible. Crews willalso refurbish Weld's interiors and exteriors, addnew heating and electrical systems, replace thewindows and strip most linoleum from the hardwoodfloors, Lichten said.

Lionel and Mower will receive electrical workand refurbishment, and Massachusetts Hall will seesimilar work. In addition to the dorms, BolystonHall, the Yard fences and the roof of RobinsonHall will also be repaired and renovated, saidAssociate Dean for Physical Resources Philip J.Parsons.

Workers are also resetting the steps over PuseyLibrary, although the project was not part of theUniversity's long-term planning, Lichten said.

"It was in need of doing and it was a fairlyquick project," he said.

After the Pusey steps are completed,construction crews will work on the steps nearWigglesworth Hall, Lichten said.

Current low construction rates helped galvanizeplans for the dormitory overhaul this year,Lichten said.

"The construction industry has been fairlyslack recently, and companies are anxious to havesome building going," he said.

The University signed an unprecedented contractwith the construction workers' union, promising tohire only Union labor for the Yard work. Inreturn, the Union accepted a reduced wags rate andother concessions, parsons said