August 26, 2007:
Well, it's over! Today Blackstone Hall opens for all students to enjoy. The month of August was a test of wills and a test of well... the building, as students began arriving early and kept coming in throughout the month. Little details like window drapes came in at the last minute, and even now there will be some fine tuning that takes place until everything is really broken in. The good news is that students have been very pleased with the building and the residents seem happy to be coming back to such a beautiful new facility.
On behalf of RLH I'd like to extend my thanks to those of you who have followed the progress of the building from the start, here online, and in person through tours and visits. I'd also like to extend a thank you to our general contractor, Consigli Construction Company, Inc. and to our architectural firm, Chan Krieger Sieniewicz. Both companies worked extremely hard on this project and their efforts are evident throughout Blackstone Hall. We also want to thank Paul Bottis and everyone at Physical Plant who also worked extremely hard on this project.
It's been fun, and now it's real. Here's to Blackstone Hall!
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
August 2, 2007:
Holy Cow! Is that August I just typed up there?
I can't even believe it, but Blackstone Hall opens in like... 6 days! The scramble is on to finish those last minute details, but I think we will be in good shape. The first to arrive might have a few details missing, but by the time the masses get here I think the wrinkles will be ironed out.
Today I was over there and the computers are going in to the Laundry Center. I also purchased the 2 plasma TVs and installed them today as well (42" in the Laundry Center, 50" in the main lounge).
Outside the sod is all in and the place looks spectacular! I took a bunch of pictures and am putting them up a gallery dedicated solely to exterior photos!
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
July 17, 2007:
I know I haven't been great about updating the blog this summer... sorry for that! Part of the reason for my negligence has been that it's really busy around here during the summer (First Year assignment letters just went out yesterday!), but the bigger reason is that until last week, there hasn't been much to tell you about. The new flooring I spoke of last week went in slowly during the month of May and early june, and other than landscaping the only major work going on was detail work and various system calibrations, etc. Nothing that I could really photograph and talk about on here. I didn't think you'd be all that interested in photos of ITS guys connecting the Ethernet ports up or of the guys fine tuning the 5 card access doors. Thats about all that was really going on in Blackstone this summer. Every project reaches a point where it seems (an incorrect observation) like things just stop... thats kind of how it's been as of late. That all changed last week when every day we got 2 more trucks of furniture! Setting up 208 bedroom sets, 44 apartment units, and countless study and common lounge spaces takes time, and finally today I was able to go in and get the photos so many of you guys have been emailing me about! These photos are up now in the Gallery!
A few misc. pieces of info... the hall is on scheduled to open on time (August 26th for everyone but the early arrivals and RAs). We currently have a temporary Certificate of Occupancy, and as soon as the landscaping is done (Sod is coming soon), we'll have the permanent one. August will be here SOON!
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
April 24, 2007:
A lot has taken place during this past month, much of it having to do with a problem that arose in the cork flooring specified for the project. After laying the cork, we began to experience curling and unevenness at the seams of the tile. After weeks of experimentation with different adhesives and types of cork tile, it was determined that the product was defective and could not be used. Due to the long lead time to get a different batch of cork, and our doubt that another batch wouldn't have the same problems, we have decided to go with a different product. What we are now using is a laminate faux wood flooring that is 67% recycled and looks just like hardwood flooring. This product looks amazing (most of us like it better than the cork), and should be just as durable. New photos are up now in the Gallery!
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
March 9, 2007:
I finally got over to see Blackstone. Let me tell you whoever gets to live over
there is pretty lucky. What a place! I was very impressed! The shared kitchens
are unbelievable. From the Corian countertops to the tiled blue and green
backsplash it is beautiful. The kitchen cabinets are great a lot of space.
The carpeting in the common area is nice… great windows. The doubles and singles
have the biggest closets I have ever seen in a Resident’s Hall! The bathrooms in
the apartments have beautiful tile work as well. I have to say my favorite thing
is the island in the kitchen!
From there Kevin took me all around, and there are tons of storage and great
recycling areas. The laundry room on the 3rd floor is unbelievable. While you
are waiting for your laundry to be done you can use the new computers that will
be right in the laundry room. When you come in through the main entrance there
is a common area with a nice big flat screen television with couches and chairs.
I can’t wait to go back and see it when it is finished!
Lisa Jano, RLH Office Assistant
March 8, 2007:
I'm making a consorted effort to avoid waiting so long between blog entries. This month it's pretty easy to write stuff because I am really excited about the progress I've seen in the past couple of weeks. This morning I took our Office Assistant extraordinaire Lisa Jano over to see the building for the first time and I think she was impressed. Lisa will actually be submitting her own blog to offer an opinion other than my own!
So the biggest excitement for me today was seeing the cork flooring and carpet installed in some of the 4th floor apartments. This really makes the units look so much closer to completion, and you can really get a good idea of what it will look like furnished and finished. Unfortunately I couldn't find my camera this morning on the way over so I didn't get any pictures, but I will early next week... promise.
Speaking of early next week, I am excited that we will be taking groups of students through Blackstone for the first time. While it's nowhere near finished, we want students to get a sneak peek at the building before Lottery so they can decide whether they would like to live there. We're offering tours on Monday 3/12, Tuesday 3/13, and Wednesday 3/14 from 3:30-5:00PM. As of writing this there are still a number of spaces left on some of the tours so if you're reading this and you would like to come, let us know. If you don't make it, be sure to ask your friends what they thought.
Hope to see you all there!
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
February 22, 2007:
Well it's been about 6 weeks since my last update and there is much to fill you in on. Besides the onset of winter, and frigid temperatures, the last month and a half has brought some of the most significant progress we've seen since the metal skeleton was being assembled in the summer. When I lasted posted I was talking about the first cabinets arriving... now most all of the units have them installed. Many units also have their countertops and tile backsplashes in place as well. Tile work in the bathrooms is nearly finished, with really stunning results. Almost all of the sheetrock and painting is complete, and details like light fixtures, faucets, etc. are all being or are already installed. In fact, the last two weeks have brought a tremendous amount of work to the suites, including the installation of many interior doors, etc.
On the outside, window boxes (wooden architectural elements covered in zinc cladding) are being installed every day as they arrive on site from being assembled. These window boxes give the building a look not found anywhere on campus currently. You can see them best along Beaver Street as that side is where most of them have been installed thus far.
With the announcement of the Housing Selection process, I can talk a bit more about what living in Blackstone will be like. The cost, which has been a burning question for many students since the project was announced, was set by the Board of Trustees earlier in February. As many of you have determined, living in Blackstone will cost $750 more per semester than living in a standard double or single. Blackstone Hall will be $250 more per semester than living in an RLH House. We believe that the level of comfort and amenities offered in in Blackstone Hall will be well worth the additional expense. As students living in Blackstone will have their own fully functional kitchen facilities, there will be additional cost savings associated with cooking for one's self. Students in Blackstone will have access to other great features like the outdoor patio on the 4th floor, the wireless internet and computer stations in the laundry room, the beautiful flat screen TVs, and the magnificent study and lounge spaces to name a few.
Students living in Blackstone Hall will have access to their apartments throughout the entire year. There is no additional cost to stay in Blackstone during the winter break when other buildings must vacate. There is also likely to be a summer housing option for residents looking for full year round housing.
If you are interested in living in Blackstone Hall, you should be applying for Housing Lottery through the My Lottery online Housing Selection Registration form. Blackstone Hall will be selected on the first night of Lottery, and students will be called slightly different than in other Lottery processes. For more information on how this will work, check out this information.
I hope everyone is as excited about Blackstone Hall as we are. It will truly be spectacular!
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
January 11, 2007:
Happy New Year. The new hall has a name! It's Blackstone Hall, and I personally like it a LOT! In creating a "working name" (a name to use up until or in lieu of a name given in dedication) for the hall, we wanted to choose a name that had significance not only to Clark, but to the surrounding community as well. In choosing Blackstone Hall, we have paid tribute to the Blackstone River, and the Blackstone River Valley as a whole, both integral and essential aspects of Worcester and Central Massachusetts.
Besides the addition of a great name, the project is moving along wonderfully! The exterior brickwork is all but done, the windows are almost all in, and the window boxes (the zinc covered details that surround the windows on the hall) are arriving daily and being installed as they come.
Inside the hall almost all interior walls are finished and sheet rocked. Interior brickwork is done, and tile work is underway in much of buildings Y and Z. There are even kitchen cabinets being hung in building Z this week!
Much work has been accomplished behind the scenes in determining logistical details for Blackstone Hall. Things like lottery process, room rates, amenities, contract terms, etc. have been under discussion for a long time and are almost ready. I can't get into to many details until they are official, but I'll promise you will be learning much more about this facility in the next month.
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
December 11, 2006:
It's been a while since I have had a chance to report on the building's progress. Things continue to move at great speed, and every time I go on-site I find new things to appreciate. At this point the building is almost completely enclosed. Temporary windows have been fabricated from simple materials as we await the arrival of the permanent units. Those should begin going into building Z this week. Brickwork is largely complete on buildings Y and Z, but due to the cold, building X had to be tented and heated to finish brickwork there. All bricks should be laid in the next 3 to 4 weeks.
Inside, buildings Y and Z are really taking shape. Building Z is almost completely sheet rocked, and details like tiling the bathrooms is underway. Brick layers have been working in the study lounges, which have brick interior walls. The beauty of the interior design is becoming clear as the walls go up and you get a better sense of the dimensioning of spaces. For example, the jog between buildings Y and Z has created a wonderful break in the hallway, making what would have been an awkwardly long hallway (think MSH and WH combined!) a very nice pathway with seating areas and bonus space.
The suites themselves look great. They remind me of Maywood Street Hall only with better common space and full kitchens. They also have very nice bath and closet facilities. The units with 4 singles have the extra benefit of a completely separate half bath! How nice is that?!?! Students lucky enough to live anywhere in this building will have a wonderful experience.
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
October 12, 2006:
The crew is really cruising on the building. Building Z is still ahead of its companion sections, but the gap is closing. Building Y has a finished roof over it and the insulation on the walls is close to finished... it's just awaiting waterproofing. Building X is the farthest behind, but that's the way the project is designed to be run. Only in the last months do I expect to see the three sections close to each other in terms of progress. At this time X is still being detailed and things like the stairs are going in. Within the next week I expect to see steel studs in place.
Back to Z... wow, that is really looking great! Electrical, fire safety, and pluming systems are largely in place, and even some finish products like shower bases are in. The walls are all framed out, and doorframes are in place. Soon we'll see drywall going up and before too long I'll be able to take some photos of what an apartment unit is really going to look like. There are photos up now that give you a good idea of the layout and basic look of the units.
On the exterior, workers are starting to lay the bricks that will ultimately side the whole building. Helping the brick layers is a massive system of moving platforms called Fratco lifts. These lifts ride up and down on massive legs that are temporarily bolted to the building through the windows. These lifts help the brick layers work up and down the building without ladders or lugging bricks up scaffolding. They're very cool!
I've added a lot more photos since my last blog entry. Also, Anthony over in ITS hooked us up with the "Stage 2" video, which is the timelapse of the building steel going in place, etc. That is up on the media gallery page with new photos from October.
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
September 13, 2006:
The construction is going great! Yesterday before our weekly construction meeting I walked the site and took a bunch of photos of the work in progress. These pictures are up on the media gallery page, and I hope to add more in the next two weeks.
The view from the top is fantastic. I was up on the fourth floor of section Z and took a few shots to give you an idea of what things look like from up there... it's pretty neat. Paul Bottis says the view is even better from the roof, but I've yet to go up there, so I'll take his word for it and maybe report back later if I get brave enough!
Right now the state of the building is kind of a snapshot of the evolution of it's progress. Building X is in the final stages of major steel construction, while building Y is in the steel detail stage and close to accepting concrete for it's floors. Building Z remains the forerunner of progress, with steel studs, insulated exterior panels, and interior layout work underway. We expect to see brickwork in progress in the next two weeks. The goal is to have all brickwork done and have the building enclosed by winter. That seems like a lofty task, but a month ago I would have been shocked if someone told me that yesterday I'd be walking around on the 4th floor of the building!
I updated the website a lot today, adding a photo show for some of the pictures I took yesterday. If you haven't seen it yet, be sure to check out the timelapse movie of the demolition of the old houses. I owe many thanks to Anthony Helm of ITS for compiling the webcam shots into the movie, and many thanks to you for your interest in this project!
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH
August 9, 2006:
First post: The project website is just about ready to launch, so I figured I'd better put something in the Blog! The project has been going along well so far. We are on schedule and budget, and today the first steel parts arrived and began going up on the Z pod. For those who are wondering, the construction guys refer to this project as three buildings... X, Y, and Z. X buidling is the pod closest to Florence Street, Y is in the middle, and Z is closest to the Lasry Center. Work began on Z, so it will also be the first part done. While steel is going up on Z, X and Y are still getting concrete footings and floors poured. Building the structure as three units makes a lot of sense, as sub contractors like the steel guys are not waiting on the whole foundation to be finished before they can start. As Paul Bottis, Director of Physical Plant reminds our construction company every week when we meet, THE BUILDING MUST BE DONE ON TIME!
To get you all up to speed with where we've been... well it's been a wild ride. Construction started even before the students left, but the bulk of it kicked in right after graduation. The process of tearing down the 7 houses was a longer one than planned, as asbestos materials were found which required abatement. There was also some delay with the city on disconnecting sewer and water services, etc. Nonetheless, the first house (18-20 Beaver) came down on June 21st, and the rest followed quickly.
By the end of July the footings and underground piping were ready for building Z. The first slab was poured last week, and was "wet cured over the past week or so". Wet curing is the process of letting a concrete harden while still wet. If you let normal concreter cure too fast, it will crack, so usually concrete is mixed with a curing agent, that allows it to cure dry without cracking. It was determined that a curing agent would cause problems with the flooring we intend to use sticking to the concrete, so a decision was made to wet cure the slabs. To do this a sprinkler is used to keep the concrete wet constantly until it is cured. It takes longer, but it will make the flooring last. Coincidently, for this building we are using tiles which are made of renewable cork and have a lifespan of 50+ years. We don't want them to come unglued because we rushed the concrete work.
The erection of the steel frame marks a major milestone. After Z is ready work will rapidly progress to Y and X, and before we know it we will have an iron skeleton out there instead of a desolate lot as it looks now. So many great things ahead, and we'll be sure to keep you posted!
Kevin Forti, Director of RLH