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, December 21
• Saturday, December 28

Altschul Hall (which will become the Roy and Diana Vagelos Science Center) / Claremont Avenue

• Parking or Street Impacts: Periodic brief stoppages so that construction vehicles can back up into the dock area. Flaggers will assist drivers and pedestrians to ensure safety.
• Extended Hours: 
  • Abatement & Demolition: Limited interior demolition work and abatement removal will extend beyond the normal hours listed on the website. During these extended hours, workers will use the hoist for access only (it will not run continuously).
  • Concrete Finishing: While not expected, concrete operations sometimes require quiet finishing work to continue after hours. You may see workers on site, but noise should be minimal.
• Noisy Work:
  • Foundation and Concrete Work: Concrete trucks, pumps, and machinery will operate on Claremont Avenue for the building expansion on the north side of Altschul Hall through the end of the year. Interior jackhammering is expected for the next four to six weeks. Anticipated noise impact is 5 out of 5.
  • Debris Removal: Noise from debris removal may peak at 5 out of 5 at times but will generally remain lower throughout the day. Anticipated noise impact is 5 out of 5.

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

• There will be work scheduled at the 24 Claremont Ave. entrance to Barnard Hall beginning the week of December 30. The area of work will be cordoned off, and alternate entrances will be posted as needed. Anticipated noise impact is 2 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.