Preservation School: Construction Activities Adjacent to Historic Properties
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Jun 14, 2022
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Via Zoom
6:00 – 7:00 p.m
In this class Charu Chaudhry, registered architect and Vice President at Thornton Tomasetti, will discuss the risks and strategies of constructing adjacent to existing and historic properties. Construction activities next to historic buildings are a common occurrence especially in dense urban areas of New York City and need to be managed carefully. Urban environments contain buildings with shared party walls or adjoining property lines. Activities like demolition, excavation, dewatering and construction carry greater risk of causing damage when performed close to existing buildings, especially if the new building is taller or deeper into the ground than the previous building on the same lot. Where new buildings replace a demolished portion of a row structure, there are additional considerations related to bracing and weatherproofing of former party lines. There is a need to proactively communicate, where experienced design professionals are engaged to evaluate risks and develop mitigation strategies, which often include a Pre-Construction survey and monitoring of building movement and/or ground vibration and establish protection measures. There is a need for proper documentation of the condition and previous modifications of older structures which may be susceptible to damage from adjacent construction than new structures.
