Project Updates

Masonry Restoration Project History 2009-2022

The masonry restoration project at Center Court began in 2009 with an assessment of the exterior façade by Wiss, Janney, Elstner (WJE), a nationally recognized structural engineering firm. The survey was initiated by the Association’s Executive Board after shards of brick from the west façade were found on the rear patio of the restaurant next door, and later in the parking lot behind the building. Fortunately no one was injured and protective scaffolding was promptly installed. WJE identified numerous serious defects in the masonry and reached the following conclusion:

“The masonry façade of the tower is in poor condition. Distress is most severe at the south elevation, southern half of the west elevation and southern half of the east elevation. The deterioration is a result of excessive water penetration through the exterior wall which in turn causes corrosion of the steel frame and freeze-thaw cycling damage to the saturated masonry.”

In 2010 WJE performed investigative probes on the rear façade to determine what repairs were necessary and prepared detailed engineering drawings for use in obtaining construction bids from contractors. At this time WJE also discovered that decorative elements on the front of the building at the 12th and 13th floors were seriously compromised and in danger of falling to the sidewalk. Two options were considered for addressing these issues: restore the existing masonry or cover it with stucco-like exterior cladding known as EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finishing System). The Board decided against EIFS after learning about durability and maintenance problems encountered at other high-rise buildings. The Board realized that the Association did not have adequate funds to accomplish major capital improvements and implemented two substantial common fee increases for 2009 (25%) and 2010 (21%) which enabled roughly $100,000-$130,000 per year in masonry work. Even though the Association has a construction easement, negotiations with the telephone company for access to space in the parking lot and driveway added complications to the project.

Work proceeded gradually each year from 2010 through 2013 with G.L. Capasso as the contractor and WJE as the engineer. In 2014 funds were redirected to the freight elevator overhaul and in 2015 to the tower roof replacement. Funds were accumulated from 2016 to 2018 to support a large project with Summit Masonry & Building Restoration in 2018 to complete the south façade at a cost of $550,000. In November 2018, after considering several options for finishing the remaining work, the Association decided to obtain a $1,138,665 loan from Ion Bank to fund three projects, including almost $950,000 for the masonry. Prior to 2018 Center Court could not qualify for a loan because the number of rented units was too high – well above 50% rented in some years. That problem was slowly resolved with the implementation of a leasing restriction rule in January 2013.

Between 2019 and 2022 G.L. Capasso completed work on the west, north, and east façades with substantial delays in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid-19. Now all the urgent issues described in the 2009 WJE survey have been addressed at a total cost of over $2,000,000 – a remarkable achievement for an Association of modest means like ours. Still to be done is the comprehensive repointing of the mortar joints in areas where it has not already been performed, perhaps 60-75% of the exterior. This major project may have to wait until the existing loan is paid off in 2035 and another loan can be negotiated. Meanwhile, residents can rest assured that safety issues have been resolved and the structural integrity of our historic building has been well preserved.

Download this history in PDF format

Photos: Restoration in Progress, 2018 and 2019

In common areas and mechanical rooms the following equipment will be replaced:

• 116 Court Gamewell fire alarm control panel (dating from 1986)

• 122 Court Notifier fire alarm control panel (dating from 2007)

• Annunciator panel in the 116 Court entry vestibule

• Alarms, smoke detectors, and pull stations on all floors at both 116 and 122 Court

• Monitor modules at sprinkler tamper/flow detectors

• Wiring to all floors and units in the 116 Court tower

The following work inside all 93 units will be scheduled with unit owners by Westford:

• Inspection of sprinkler heads and replacement of any damaged heads

• Replacement of speaker alarm devices

• Replacement of smoke detectors

We understand that this project will cause some inconvenience, but we hope you will agree that any disruption is well worth the resulting long-term improvements to our building.

Download this announcement in PDF format

– Center Court Board

Masonry Project 2019-2022

Posted August 1, 2020

Exterior masonry work will resume on the east side of the Center Court building during the week of August 10th, first on the east wall above the lower 122 Court roof (August-September), and later on the wall facing the driveway (postponed until 2022 because of Covid-19). The notes below provide some background and explain why the Board decided to continue the project this summer with so many residents home during Covid restrictions.

• • This is the last phase of a multi-million-dollar restoration program that began in 2010 to address long-neglected structural issues with fractured brick and rusted steel that threatened the integrity of the building and endangered pedestrians.

  • This year's work is the continuation of a contract with G.L. Capasso signed in the spring of 2019 long before Covid. The work was interrupted by winter temperatures and then again by the virus lockdown.

  • The terms of our loan from Ion Bank make it very difficult to postpone the work because we can only draw on the loan funds until December 1 of this year.

  • Postponing the work is not advisable because it prolongs the risk of further damage to the building and possible injury to pedestrians.

  • The virus is under relatively good control in CT at this time and contractors are allowed to work under current rules. At the moment there are places residents can go if they wish to leave the building, but these conditions may not continue if the outbreak in other states spreads here. We do not know what the new normal will look like next spring; working remotely may still be prevalent.

  • Over the past decade owners have strongly supported this project, even though it is expensive and disruptive, because it preserves and enhances everyone's investment at Center Court.

Engineering plans for 2019-2022 exterior masonry project: View

Photos showing progress on west wall renovation, September-December, 2019

Posted May 8, 2019

Exterior masonry repair work on the south façade of the Center Court building was completed in 2018. Work on the remaining façades began on May 6, 2019 and is expected to continue through November 2019 and possibly in the spring of 2020 depending on the weather and other logistics. This $850,000 project, funded through the loan obtained from Ion Bank last November, will contribute significantly to the long-term preservation of the Center Court building.

Units on the east, north, and west sides will be affected (-01 through -06 units on floors 3 - 11 as well as units 1201 - 1209, and 2-5). Work will begin on the northeast side above the lower 122 Court roof (outside the -01 units) and will proceed around the building (in unit number order) to the east, north, and west sides, ending up at the east wall of stairwell A by the driveway. Work on the west side (outside -05 and -06 units), probably beginning in August, will be the most extensive. There will also be limited repairs to the newer 3-story section of 122 Court.

Important details are listed below:

• • The masonry work requires removing and replacing damaged brick and steel window lintels. The work will generate significant noise, vibration, and dust between the hours of 7:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday through Friday and some Saturdays.

  • Please close all windows to keep out dust.

  • Masons will be working on platforms outside the windows of the units identified above. Please close your blinds as appropriate to maintain privacy.

  • Remove art work and fragile items from exterior walls to avoid possible damage.

  • During working hours, access to the rear of the building may be restricted, depending on the nature of the work in progress.

  • Pedestrian traffic may also be restricted for safety reasons. Please avoid walking near areas where the masons are working.

  • Engineering drawings posted below show exactly where the various types of repairs will be done.

We understand that this project will cause inconvenience, but we hope you will agree that the disruption is well worth the resulting long-term improvements to our historic building.

Masonry Project 2018

December 2, 2018 Update

On Monday November 26, after six full months on the job, the Summit masons finished their work and removed all of their equipment from behind the Center Court building. The protective scaffolding that has been in place there for the past 10 years is now gone and the area looks very empty and spacious. We still have to reconstruct the back porch railing and the ramp to the maintenance room that enables emptying of the trash carts. Please do not use the trash chute until the new ramp is in place (we hope by the end of December). Thank you to all residents for your patience during this complex, disruptive, and noisy project.

October 31, 2018 Update

The masons are currently wrapping up work on the south side of the building. Most of the masonry work there is completed and caulking of the AC sleeves is in progress. One of the three mast climbers and scaffolding at the east end has been removed. Window washing on the south side is scheduled for this week. Work on the northwest corner at the 13th floor is in progress. Another section of steel shelf must be replaced there, resulting in an unexpected delay. Completion of all work is now projected for November 21, i.e. by Thanksgiving.

September 18, 2018 Update

The masons are making good progress on the south side of the building. The southwest corner is almost fully rebuilt and work is in progress on replacement of corroded window lintels and repair of displaced brick at several floor beams. One 80-foot length of steel shelf at the 13th floor proved to be so severely rusted that it must be replaced (at extra cost). Work is about to begin on repairs to brickwork at the 13th floor of the west wall near the front of the building. This task will require installation of sidewalk protection in front of the 126 Court door. It now appears that the project will continue until at least the end of October, i.e. longer than originally planned. The extremely hot weather this summer contributed to the extended timetable along with other logistical issues.

August 2, 2018 Update

The masons are currently using the mast climbers to work at three different locations on the south façade. Demolition of the masonry surrounding the steel column at the southwest corner is about 60% complete. It is necessary to rebuild this corner because of a widening vertical crack in the brickwork running from the fifth floor up to the roof. (Photos)

June 28, 2018 Update

Summit Masonry is nearly finished with installation of the mast climber machines that will support and raise and lower the three work platforms. Crews will begin the actual masonry restoration work in the coming week.

June 5, 2018 Update

Today Summit Masonry began installation of the machine that will support and raise and lower the work platforms. Unfortunately they had to remove the ramp that Jaime uses to take the trash chute bins out to the dumpster. If possible, please avoid using the trash chute during the masonry project. Bring your trash directly to the dumpster (the one on the left) after 4:00 or on the weekend when the masons are not working.

May 28, 2018 Update

Major work on the masonry project will begin on Tuesday June 5th. On that date the contractor (Summit Masonry) will start installation of the scaffolding system that will allow masons to reach all areas of the south façade. Please observe the instructions and restrictions outlined below in the May 4 posting.

May 11, 2018 Update

On Thursday May 10th our masonry contractor used a hydraulic lift to make an exploratory probe of the brickwork on the third floor of the south (rear) façade of the Center Court building in order to locate the floor beam and determine the best method for securing scaffolding to the façade.

Posted May 4, 2018

Exterior masonry repair work on the south (rear) façade of the Center Court building will begin in May, 2018 and is expected to continue for approximately four months depending on the weather and other logistics. This project will contribute significantly to the long-term preservation of the Center Court building and we expect that it will allow us to remove most of the scaffolding along the back wall. Units on the south side, especially in the southwest corner, will be most affected (-06 and -07 units as well as units 1209, 1210, 1211, 10, 1 and 2). There will also be a limited repair to a 13th floor section of the west wall at the northern end outside unit 1206. Important details are listed below.

• • The masonry work requires removing and replacing damaged brick and steel window lintels. The work will generate significant noise, vibration, and dust between the hours of 7:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday through Friday and some Saturdays.

  • Please close all windows to keep out dust.

  • Masons will be working on platforms outside the windows of the units identified above. Please close your blinds as appropriate to maintain privacy.

  • Remove art work and fragile items from the south wall to avoid possible damage.

  • During these working hours, access to the rear of the building will be restricted. No parking or deliveries for Center Court will be permitted there. Please use the parking lot across the street or other parking facilities and enter through the Court Street doors.

  • Pedestrian traffic will also be restricted for safety reasons. Please do not use the back door while the masons are working. Wait until after 4:00 pm to bring trash and recycling to the dumpsters.

We understand that this project will cause inconvenience but we hope you will agree that the disruption is well worth the resulting long-term improvements to our historic building.

Center Court Executive Board

122 Court Roof 2018-2020

October 30, 2020 Update

Roof Access Ladder Information (O'Keeffe's Inc. Roof Access Ladder Model 504):

• Photo of aluminum ladder with locked security door.

• Diagram of access ladder.

• Diagram of security door.

The ladder will run from the one-story roof at the south-east corner of the building to the three-story 122 Court roof. There will be no access to the ladder at ground level. The ladder is needed so that contractors can access the roof without climbing out through a window in a 3rd floor unit. Other solutions were considered by the Board and found not to be feasible: 1) utilizing the smoke hatch - cannot be closed from the inside, 2) replacing the smoke hatch with an access hatch - opposed by the fire marshal, 3) cutting a new opening in the 122 roof for an access hatch, 4) cutting through the brick wall in stairwell A into the abandoned elevator shaft and out onto the roof at the 3rd floor level.

December 20, 2019 Update

Replacement of the main roof has been completed. Three tasks will be completed once the masonry work is done: 1) replacement of the small roof over the 116 Court entrance hallway and removal of the skylights, 2) installation of an access ladder from this one-story roof to the main three-story 122 Court roof, 3) installation of a protective hood over the elevator shaft vent to prevent snow from blowing in.

Posted September 22, 2018

The roof over the low three-story section of the building at 122 Court has had a variety of leaks over the past ten years, most of which have been patched successfully. Repairs are difficult because a layer of river rocks serves as "ballast" to hold the rubber membrane in place and obscures any defects in the roof. One area has been particularly troublesome, and during the week of September 10, 2018 a major leak caused substantial damage to one unit at 122 Court. We have contracted with the FJ Dahill company to remove the rocks from this section of the roof and secure it from further leaks. In the end, however, the roof has reached the end of its useful life and must be completely replaced. Ideally this work will be done after the masonry repairs are completed on the north and east walls overhead, in order to avoid damage to the newly installed roof.

122 Court Air Conditioning Repairs 2018-2019

May 22, 2019 Update

Cooling tower pipe installation completed, system filled and tested. 122 Court AC ready for use.

December 2, 2018 Update

On Thursday November 29 Board members signed the closing documents for the $1.14M loan from Ion Bank. Lawyers for the Bank and the Association were present to assure that all details were explained and completed correctly. Now we have the funds to proceed with the cooling tower pipe replacement in January, as well as further masonry work and 122 Court roof replacement in 2019-20.

October 31, 2018 Update

In September we carefully measured the stairwell and prepared diagrams for the layout of the 664 feet of new pipe needed for the cooling tower. Cordone and Tonucci submitted a bid of $65,850 based on this information and the Board approved the proposal at its October meeting. This price does not include necessary electrical work and is nearly double the amount we had hoped for.

September 18, 2018 Update

Last week (September 12) we met with our plumber and the city building inspector to make one last pitch for the new-pipes-in-the-stairwell option because the new-machine-behind-the-building option now appears to be very difficult and extremely costly. Surprisingly, the building inspector determined that because our stairwell is spacious and includes a recessed area where the pipes can be placed, he would allow us to install the pipes there. This is exceptionally good news! Next steps are to make detailed measurements in the stairwell, have the engineer prepare construction drawings, solicit pricing for the project, and obtain official permits for the work from the city. At least 660 feet of four-inch steel pipe will be required and 24 five-inch holes must be drilled through 12-inch concrete floors -- not a small job. We still plan to do the work during the winter with completion no later than April 2019.

August 2, 2018 Update

Our mechanical engineer has completed specifications for installing a new cooling tower at ground level behind the building. The Executive Board approved the specifications at its July 24 meeting. On July 31 two contractors were invited to bid on the project. Proposals are due by August 30. Work is expected to be completed between January and April 2019.

June 28, 2018 Update

Our mechanical engineer has delivered his report which outlines three options for the cooling tower pipes: replacing the existing pipes in their present location, moving the existing cooling tower from the roof to a location behind the building, or installing a new cooling tower behind the building. The first option would require major demolition and disruption in 10 residential units. The second option would require negotiating with the phone company to use a crane for lowering the old equipment from the roof and that machine is not entirely suitable for use at ground level. The Board voted on June 19 to pursue the third option because it provides the best long-term solution. This machine will minimize noise in the parking lot and will provide improved efficiency. The engineer is now in the process of preparing specifications for the project so that we can put it out to bid. Estimated cost is approximately $50,000.

June 5, 2018 Update

On June 1 we signed the contract with a mechanical engineer to determine the best solution to the cooling tower problem and provide specifications for the work. His report is due in 2-4 weeks (i.e. by the end of June). Then we will ask two contractors to bid on the job. Once we know the cost and the duration of the project, the Board will decide how to proceed.

May 23, 2018 Update

Cooling Tower Pipe Replacement

The situation has changed considerably since the last update on May 18th. Our contractors and city building officials have raised issues that will require us to engage a mechanical engineer to look at various possible solutions, draw up plans that meet code requirements, and put the certified plans out to bid. The preferred plan to run new pipes through the west stairwell has been rejected by the New Haven building inspector because the stairwell is a fire escape route. We are actively pursuing other solutions to the cooling tower pipe problem, but the process will clearly take longer than the six weeks we had hoped for last week. At this point it seems unlikely that the cooling tower will be back in service this cooling season. Since we do not yet have engineering plans or contractor bids, we do not know how much this project will cost.

Temporary AC Option

Residents at 122 Court who wish to have air conditioning this summer will need to purchase a portable AC unit (the type with hoses running to the window). For safety and liability reasons, window air conditioners are not permitted at Center Court. It is widely agreed that models with two hoses (intake and exhaust) are more efficient and provide better cooling than one-hose machines. A resident at 116 Court reports good results with a Whynter unit. Model ARC-14S is available on Amazon for $453: https://www.amazon.com/Whynter-Dual-Portable-Conditioner-ARC-14S/dp/B0028AYQDC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1526663906&sr=8-4&keywords=whynter&dpID=31n0%252BXA7IqL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch . A Friedrich unit (model PH14B) is recommended by Consumer Reports and is currently on sale at P. C. Richard in North Haven for $600 (with rebate through 5/31 in store, 8/31 online): https://www.pcrichard.com/Friedrich/Friedrich-ZoneAire-13500-BTU-Portable-Air-Conditioner/PH14B.pcrp . Read reviews on Amazon to learn more about installation, performance, and customer satisfaction.

May 18, 2018 Update

Cooling Tower Pipe Replacement

Today (May 18) Fred met with Dependable HVAC and tomorrow (May 19) he is meeting with Cordone & Tonucci to discuss complete replacement of the pipes leading from the basement pumps to the rooftop cooling tower, using the new route through the west stairwell (the one with the windows). We learned today that it will take about one week to drill the 24 8” holes in the stairwell landings and roughly two weeks to install the piping with insulation. Then we should allow another week for inspection by the city, activation, and testing. If we can obtain proposals and approve funding by the end of May, it looks like it might be possible to complete the job by the end of June, before the hottest weather in July and August.

Funding the Project

A major obstacle, however, is that most of the funds currently in the Association reserve account are already committed to the major masonry project about to begin at the end of May. Consequently, financing the pipe replacement project may prove to be a challenge, depending on how high the bids from Dependable and Cordone turn out to be.

Window Air Conditioners NOT an Option

For safety and liability reasons, window air conditioners are not permitted at Center Court. There is simply too high a risk to pedestrians and contractors walking and working below in the event that an AC unit should fall out of a window. Please do NOT install window AC units as a temporary solution.

May 14, 2018 Update

Based on inspections and recommendations from our plumbing and HVAC contractors and on our own inspections, the Board has concluded that the existing cooling tower pipes cannot be successfully repaired. The large pipes run from the basement to the rooftop cooling tower in a cavity adjacent to the chimney concealed behind the walls of ten units on floors 3-13. In April one badly corroded and leaking section of pipe was replaced on floors 1 and 2, but when the system was refilled further leaks were discovered on the third floor. Through openings in the walls on floors 4 and 6 our plumber found evidence of additional leaks on May 8 and 9. Using the system with pipes in such poor condition poses a serious risk of major flooding in numerous units on the west side of the building from floors 1-13. Even a minor leak would necessitate immediate shutdown of the 122 Court AC system.

The Board has considered several alternatives. The existing pipes cannot be replaced in their present location without major demolition and disruption in 10 occupied units. Moving the cooling tower from the roof to a lower location would allow for installation of new pipes at relatively moderate cost, but there is no acceptable alternate location. Installation of new independent AC systems in each unit at 122 Court would be one possibility, but running new piping and wiring to the 17 individual units would be difficult, disruptive, and costly. The only truly satisfactory solution is to install new pipes to the existing cooling tower using an alternate route through stairwell B. The Board has asked two contractors to provide proposals for this work which will require drilling 24 6-inch holes in the stairwell landings and installing 660 feet of new pipe (2 pipes running 130 feet horizontally and 200 feet vertically). Once we receive these estimates we can address the questions of timing and budgeting for this major project.

May 9, 2018 Update

On May 8 and 9 further leaks were discovered in the 200 feet of piping running to the roof through the walls of units on floors 4-12. We are consulting with contractors about options for repairing or replacing the pipes. We do not yet have a date for completion of this work.

Posted May 4, 2018

Important!

122 Court AC not available as of May 2, 2018

The rooftop cooling tower that supports Air Conditioning for 122 Court is NOT running.

Units 1-14 and G1: Do not turn on your AC.

Using your AC under these conditions will risk permanent damage to the heat pump located inside your unit due to lack of cooling water. Repair/replacement of heat pumps is a unit-owner expense.

In April the Association repaired one leak in the cooling tower piping, but on May 2nd another leak was discovered. We are working with the plumbing contractor to make further repairs as quickly as possible.

Center Court Executive Board

Center Court Machinery (Photos)