Boston University has a lot of construction activity underway, and some of the most trade-relevant work is happening on building exteriors. University leaders say they are pushing hard on deferred maintenance, with multiple facade renewals, plus roofs and windows, on their radar.
The biggest project is a $550 million restoration and renovation of Warren Towers, the school’s largest residence hall complex. Tower A reopened this fall with new air conditioning, bathrooms, student lounges, escalators, gathering spaces, and major plumbing, electrical, and security system upgrades. About 250 construction workers are on site during the academic year.
From the street, the upgrade shows up in the masonry scope. BU says brick masonry on Tower A was repointed, repaired, and cleaned. The tower also received new, larger windows, with copper-colored metal now surrounding the openings. Inside, the renovation ties into a sustainability shift, with Warren Towers set to be fully electric.
Elsewhere on campus, BU points to facade work at the BU Academy building, constructed in 1931 as the home of the Shell Oil Co. The building’s concrete facade includes a scallop motif, a nod to Shell’s logo. After decades of Boston winters, BU says the facade needs reinforcement. Decorative panels are being removed and recast using 3D laser scanning, then reinstalled.
For mason contractors, BU’s approach highlights a common reality on campus work: aging envelopes, changing codes, and new materials that are not compatible with older construction. That puts a premium on clear restoration details, realistic phasing around occupied buildings, and tight coordination between the design team and the crews doing the exterior repairs.
Read the full, original article from Boston University here.