Cambridge, MA

Waverly Hall, 115 Mount Auburn Street

Scope/Solutions

Constructed in the late 1800s, Waverly Hall is part of the Harvard Square Historic District. The owner wanted to renovate the residential building to create modern micro apartments while maintaining its historic character. SGH worked as the structural engineer of record and building enclosure consultant for the rehabilitation.

The project involved renovating the existing building and replacing the wood-framed floors. Highlights of our work include the following:

  • Reviewed Chapter 34 of the Massachusetts State Building Code and analyzed the building considering the renovation scope
  • Designed new wood-framed floors on typical levels and steel framing at the ground floor to maximize interior layout flexibility and brace the restored existing facade
  • Evaluated the structure’s lateral-load-resisting system, comprising load-bearing masonry shear walls, and designed in-kind repairs and strengthening with supplemental steel plate elements
  • Investigated the condition of the exterior mass masonry walls, cornice, and windows
  • Recommended a rehabilitation plan for the exterior walls and consulted on the window, cornice, and roof replacement
  • Provided construction administration services, including reviewing contractor submittals, visiting the site to observe ongoing construction, and helping the contractor resolve field conditions

Project Summary

Icon: completion-date

2017

Completion Date
Icon: award-winner

Award

Winner
Solutions
Repair & Rehabilitation | Preservation
Services
Structures | Building Enclosures
Markets
Residential
Client(s)
Analogue Studio | Tarragon LLC
Specialized Capabilities
Building Design | Repair & Strengthening | Condition Assessments | Preservation | Roofing & Waterproofing

Key team members

Smiling man in a navy suit and blue patterned tie
Derek McCowan
Principal

Additional Projects

Northeast

Washington Mills Lofts

With exposed brick and timber framing, the apartments offer modern amenities with nods to the building’s history. SGH evaluated timber beams as part of the adaptive reuse project.
Explore
Northeast

ATRIUM AT SUMNER

Looking to fill a need for affordable senior housing, the New York City Housing Authority constructed the Atrium at Sumner on the existing Sumner Houses property in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. SGH provided fire life safety services for the project.
Explore