Rendering of Fox Hall dormitory
Boston – Walsh Brothers, Inc. has been selected to renovate and expand The University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Fox Hall dormitory. This popular and active 18-story dormitory, originally constructed in the early 1970s, provides housing for over 800 students, dining facilities with associated kitchens, offices, and meeting rooms.
Along with completing some interior renovations to all 18 floors, including new resident directors’ suites and a new first-floor main lobby, this project will include the addition of an 18-story exterior double-elevator tower. Once the new elevators are turned over to UMass Lowell, a complete modernization/replacement of the two existing elevators will commence.
The two primary Fox Hall elevators are original to the building and were designed to support 420 residents. In addition to being at risk for maintenance failure from the aging equipment, they do not meet the demand of the current resident count of over 800. The university is concerned that student frustration will soon begin to impact their overall experience on campus.
The project will be completed in collaboration with University of Massachusetts Building Authority, UMass Lowell, Bergmeyer Associates, LeftField, and Walsh Brothers, Inc.
Project highlights will include:
• 18-story building addition and renovation on an active campus.
• Design-assist strategies utilizing prefabrication to reduce the construction schedule and minimize campus disruption.
• Detailed phasing plans and construction activity protocols to maintain building operations and minimize disruptions.
• Knowledge of high-rise life safety systems and integration of fire alarm and smoke control systems.
• Precast and façade demolition to prepare for high-rise structure and connections on every floor.
• Project schedule and budget managed under a fast-track construction delivery method by providing early design packages and interim GMPs.
