Solution

Waverly Hall, 115 Mount Auburn Street

Cambridge, MA

Service: Building Enclosure Investigation, Building Enclosure Rehabilitation, Structural Design

Market: Residential - Apartment

Keywords: Award Winning, Construction Administration, Historic, Masonry, Masonry-Brick, Preservation Technology , Renovation, Residential, Shear Wall, Structural Strengthening, Windows, Wood

Completion

2017

Awards

2018 Preservation Award, Cambridge Historical Commission

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.

Scope | Solutions

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

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger

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Waverly Hall, 115 Mount Auburn Street

Completion

Awards

Scope | Solutions

Project Contact(s)

Derek McCowan

Pedro Sifre