North Dorchester Bay Ventilation Building

Project Manager: Marco Gioioso
Engineer: Fay, Spofford & Thorndike
Client: Massachusetts Water Resource Authority
Construction Cost: $5,162,500
Construction Schedule: November 2009 - 2011

The construction includes a cast-in-place concrete structure all built below grade. The structure is supported by 32 steel piles averaging 120 feet in length. The purpose of the building is to ventilate a recently constructed 4-mile long combined sewer tunnel that was constructed to reduce sewer discharges into Massachusetts Bay. The Ventilation System is an activated carbon system that includes up to 54" FRP ductwork and two 75 horsepower vent fans with an airflow of 19,500 CFM's each and two activated carbon vessels. The site had major restrictions for logistics because of the size of the site. Once complete the finished product will be viewed as a parking lot with a number of hatches and vent shaft openings to minimize visual impact to the public and abutters.