HARVARD LAW SCHOOL
1511 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA
Architect: Austin Architects
Project Cost: 4.5 Million
Completion: August 2013
The Gannett House is occupied by the Harvard Law Review (HLR) and operated by Harvard Law School (HLS). A Greek revival building, this wood frame structure was constructed in 1838 as a private residence. The Gannett House was purchased by Harvard in 1897 and converted into a boarding house. The building has now been converted to office space and houses the HLR. The renovation project included retrofitting all 8,660 square feet with new Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing systems, interior finishes and the replacement and upgrade of life safety systems, as well as, accessibility upgrades on all four floors of the building. The project boundary is limited to the building foot print, and the project work included minor exterior and envelope changes including: new slate and metal roof, associated gutters and flashing, re-pointing, capping and rebuilding chimneys, painting, and the accessibility improvements.
To preserve the historic character and building integrity, the windows were restored and fitted with storm windows to improve building energy efficiency. The renovation provided the opportunity to reconfigure spaces to meet programmatic requirements for the occupants, update finishes and furnishings, increase the efficiency and quality of the building lighting, heating and air conditioning, as well as, provide critical accessibility and life safety systems to the space. Construction began in December of 2012, and completed in August of 2013. HLS and Lake Contracting were committed to sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The project was LEED Gold Certified under the USGBC in April 2014, and met the Harvard Green Building Standards.