Barnard Builds

Noise Impact Scale 

To help you gauge the expected noise levels and better prepare members of our community for what to expect, we’ve provided a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being the quietest and 5 being loud and potentially disruptive:

1 out of 5: Quiet, typical indoor construction, minimally heard from outside the area of work.
2 out of 5: Noticeable but not very disruptive (e.g., an engine whirring intermittently).
3 out of 5: Moderate noise (e.g., periodic hammering with hand tools).
4 out of 5: Louder, more significant noise impact (e.g., emptying dumpsters/dump trucks collecting material).
5 out of 5: Loud (e.g., jackhammer operating on concrete or rock). 

Weekend work has been scheduled for the following dates in the coming two weeks:

• Saturday, June 21

• Saturday, June 28

Roy and Diana Vagelos Science Center

• Weekend Work:
  • Scheduled for Saturday, June 21, and Saturday, June 28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with workers arriving at 8 a.m.
  • Primarily interior work. There will also be work on the mechanical roof equipment and in the area between the R&D Science Center and Milbank Hall.
    Anticipated noise impact is 3 out of 5 during hoist use.
• Weekday Work:
  • Foundation Excavation and Concrete Work: Concrete trucks, pumps, and machinery will continue to operate on Claremont Avenue. Interior jackhammering will also continue. Anticipated noise impact is 4 out of 5.
  • Demolition and Debris Removal: Noise from debris removal may peak at 3 out of 5 at times but will generally remain lower throughout the day. 
    Anticipated noise impact is 3 out of 5.
  • Interior Work: This work will extend beyond the normal hours listed on the website. During these extended hours, workers are limited to hoist use for access only between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
    Anticipated noise impact is 3 out of 5 during hoist use.
  • IT Cabling Work: Work will take place in the Lower Level corridors of Barnard, Elliott, Milbank, Milstein, and Lower Levels 1 and 2 of Diana from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Corridors will remain accessible.
    Anticipated noise impact is 1 out of 5. 
  • Traffic & Truck Control on Claremont Ave: 
    • To prepare for upcoming utility and road work, modifications will be made to the sidewalk shed and site logistics. Additional trucks are anticipated on Claremont Ave. the week of June 16.
    • Utility and road work is slated to commence the week of July 7. A single lane closure is expected. We will follow up with more updates as we continue to collaborate with city agencies and utility companies on street work logistics and scheduling. 
      Anticipated noise impact is 4 out of 5.
       

Milstein Center and Diana Center

• The following work will take place through mid-July:

  • Lower Level Tunnel Closed: The Lower Level tunnel corridor between Milstein and Diana will be closed due to construction. Adjacent rooms, including Milstein Rooms 016, 017, 018, and Diana Rooms LL103 and LL104 (Mail), will remain accessible. Signage will be posted.
    Anticipated noise impact is 5 out of 5.

  • Diana Center Lower Level 1 - Restrooms Closed. Please use the restrooms on Lower Level 2. Signage will be posted.

  • Diana Center Lower Level 2 - Corridors to the Dressing Rooms and the back-of-house mechanical rooms/cold storage room will be closed for additional fireproofing of the ceilings and walls. Egress during emergencies will be maintained.
    Anticipated noise impact is 3 out of 5.

Milbank Hall - Window Replacement

• The existing south-facing windows in Milbank Hall’s west wing will be replaced with new windows. A boom lift will be used. 
  Anticipated noise impact is 4 out of 5. 
• To accommodate the construction, the following departments have been temporarily relocated through mid-late August. 
  • Bursars: from Milbank 007 to Interchurch 1320A
  • Registrar and Dean of Advising & Support: from Milbank 105 to Milbank 115

  • Psychology: from the 5th floor to the Milbank basement, CSCD, and Milbank 322.

• The following classrooms will be offline this summer: Milbank 207, 306, 307, and 405.

Barnard Hall (which houses the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being)

• Punch List: Miscellaneous construction punch list activities will occur in the new Francine LeFrak Center. This work will be coordinated with the Center staff and will be scheduled around classes and events.
• IT Cabling: Work will take place in the Lower Level corridors of Barnard Hall from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Corridors will remain accessible. 
  Anticipated noise impact is 1 out of 5. 

If you are a member of the Barnard College on-campus community and have questions about specific campus impacts, please reference the Barnard Builds newsletter or email barnardbuilds@barnard.edu.

Barnard College’s Office of Capital Projects oversees all construction projects on campus under the Barnard Builds umbrella. Led by the Capital Projects Division, the staff oversees new construction projects, renovations, and major repair and replacement projects for all campus buildings. The Capital Projects team manages outside vendors and consultants, including architects, construction managers or contractors for major construction projects. Email Barnard Builds with questions or concerns.

The projects operate in compliance with health and safety guidelines from the New York City Department of Buildings, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Transportation. The site logistics and flow of foot and vehicle traffic have been reviewed by the Department of Transportation and changed at the direction of that agency.