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The only construction access to the site
is through a narrow alley.
The Center will house theaters,
studios, seminar rooms and offices.
An angled glass wall makes a unique backdrop
for the lobby of Theater 1 on the second floor.
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The city of Boston entertains a long history
of utilizing its limited available space to maximum capacity,
and the structures dotting today’s skyline are more complex
and completed quicker than ever before. As the demand for
new construction increases–and available land decreases–owners,
designers and general contractors need to be extremely resourceful
in order to overcome the challenges presented by Boston’s
increasingly tight conditions.
The construction of Emerson College’s Tufte
Performance & Production Center (TPPC) in Boston’s
Theater District is a prime example of the planning, skill
and finesse necessary to complete a project within the confines
of a tight building site. The 10-story Tufte Performance &
Production Center, which features an “L-shaped”
footprint, will be bounded on four sides by existing structures.
Furthermore, the only construction access to the site is through
narrow Allen’s Alley off Tremont Street.
The TPPC, designed by Elkus/Manfredi Architects
ltd., will be bounded on the north and west sides by the Walker
Building, on the south and west sides by the State Transportation
Building and on the east side by the Emerson Majestic Theatre.
The TPPC's public entrance will be on Boylston Place where
it will connect to a lobby in the Walker Building as well
as at the fifth and sixth floors of the Walker Building. The
TPPC will also connect to the Emerson Majestic Theatre at
the stage house, and to an egress corridor in the State Transportation
Building.
Lee Kennedy Co. performed extensive preconstruction
services to plan an effective solution to the project’s
logistical challenges. In addition to diverting traffic, equipment,
utilities and operational functions out of the alley so that
construction could start, the preconstruction process enabled
Lee Kennedy Co. to secure permits more easily as the result
of early, ongoing discussions with the respective agencies.
“The site not only required City approvals, but State
approvals as well,” notes Senior Estimator Peter Doran.
Because the TPPC abuts the State Transportation Building,
State agencies were also involved in the permitting process.
A detailed Construction Management Plan was developed to clarify
the intent of the project and provide the numerous permitting
officials a comprehensible picture of the work to take place.
“Innovative building techniques are necessary to accommodate
a tricky site like this,” says Steve Keith, project executive
for the TPPC project. An example of such techniques is the
placement of the tower crane. “There’s so little
space to work with, that we incorporated the crane right into
the footprint of the building,” comments Steve.
“In addition to overcoming the physical
confinements of the site,” adds Project Manager Anthony
Dirubbo, “developing a solid construction schedule was
necessary to ensure the project would run properly.”
Because the only means for getting materials and equipment
to the site is through the alley, measures were established
early to assure that all parties would have pre-planned access
to the alley as needed. Plus, Tremont Street is currently
host to several construction projects, which means the ability
to cue trucks on the street is limited and the schedule must
accommodate these restrictions. Since the site is on an urban
campus setting, heavy pedestrian traffic flow must also be
taken into consideration.
As with any construction project, sensitivity
to neighboring buildings and tenants is always a concern.
In the case of the TPPC, it is particularly important because
access is extremely limited to the adjacent properties. “In
order to minimize disturbance,” notes General Superintendent
Chris Pennie, “careful lines of communication were established
so that any issues could be handled promptly.” Furthermore,
because heavy construction will be taking place within the
closest possible proximity of the abutters, an extensive survey
of existing conditions was performed which allows Lee Kennedy
Co. to handle any issues that could arise as a result of construction.
When completed, the TPPC will house two theaters,
two television studios, design studios, seminar rooms, a control
room, faculty offices and a full array of facilities to provide
a complete home to the School of the Arts. Additionally, the
TPPC will contain support spaces for the Majestic Theater
and a service court for all the surrounding buildings. The
TPPC will be completely wired for phone and data, which is
connected to the campus data system. All services–particularly
the HVAC–will be carefully constructed to substantially
eliminate noise and comply with the stringent acoustical needs
of the building’s theaters. Construction is slated for
completion in the spring of 2003.
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