Courtyard improvement project

Post date: Sep 8, 2011 7:31:28 PM

Next week the restoration of the courtyard will begin. The first week will be mainly site preparation and breaking ground will start Sept. 19. Work this fall is expected to last 4 to 5 weeks. We have selected Landscape Collaborative as our contractor through a competitive bidding process.

The work will include installing durable and attractive cobblestone edging along the pathways in the East and West courtyards, instead of bricks. The contour of the pathways will change slightly and the size of the planting beds will be increased in some places. Additionally, the grading of the pathways will be modified as needed to ensure proper drainage into the gutters. The pathways will be coated with a "chip-and-seal" surface, which is a thin layer of light-color crushed stone on an asphalt base.

This fall the contractor will work on reshaping the pathways and installing the cobblestone edging but the final chip-and-seal coat will not be applied until spring. The current asphalt will be retained, but may look rough until the spring when the final coating is placed. Although the pathways will not have the final appearance until spring, they will continue to be usable.

Planting beds will be graded to more effectively direct water away from the buildings and new swales (collections of pea-sized stones used to slow down the velocity of water coming off the roof) will be created to direct water from the downspouts not connected to the storm drains.

A new birch tree will be planted to replace the tree that was removed in the west end of the courtyard last fall as part of the drainage project. We are planning to plant the birch tree this fall, but it may be the spring if a suitable specimen cannot be located in time. Numerous bushes will be marked for transplanting to more favorable locations. Additional new plantings will take place in the spring.

Major work will be done to improve the dumpster area and the recycling situation. We will install a concrete pad for the dumpster to protect the pavement against wear and tear resulting from the dump truck lifting and dropping the dumpster when emptying. We will also disperse most of the recycling bins currently in the dumpster enclosure outside of the rear entrances. As you all know, the recycling bins are crowded in the dumpster area now and overflow towards the end of the week. This new arrangement will allow us to add a number of new bins, thus relieving the overflow and crowding. It will also mean that we can shrink the size of the dumpster enclosure, which will improve the appearance of the area. There will be a new natural cedar enclosure for the dumpster and small cedar enclosures for the recycling bins near the rear entrances. While there is no perfect solution to the recycling issue due to space limitations dictated by the need to get the trash truck to the dumpster, recycling should be easier to manage and will be more attractive under the new arrangement than the current setup. The dispersed recycling locations will be placed in such a way that they will not be visible from the driveway or apartment windows.

People should continue to keep recycled material clean and to consolidate as much as possible; breaking down boxes will be essential. You will receive more details when the transition takes place.

Further questions should be directed to RBrown Partners.

R Brown Partners

39 Brighton Avenue

Boston, MA 02134

(tel) 617-782-3400

(fax) 617-782-1151