Recreational

New England Aquarium Expansion
Location: Boston, MA
Clients: Schwartz/Silver Architects, Inc. (Phase I)
E. Verner Johnson and Associates, Inc. (Phase II)
TAMS Consultants, Inc. (Phase III)

Renovations to the New England Aquarium were planned in a three-phase process: design and construction of 17,400-square-foot addition to the West Wing (opened in January 1998), a new IMAX theatre (opening in fall 2001), and a 109,630-square-foot addition to the East Wing (scheduled for completion in 2005/6). Nitsch Engineering's services included developing an existing conditions plan, providing layout control surveys for building construction, preparing Boston Water and Sewer Commission (BWSC) site plans and permit applications, and designing the site grading, layout, utilities, and details. The project was initially complicated by neighbors' concerns about the placement of the IMAX theatre and several buried, undocumented utilities. To satisfy Aquarium abutters, Nitsch Engineering re-established the 1880 Boston Harbor Line; we then derived the height set-back lines from that harbor line and determined property and zoning set-back lines. This thorough approach to land surveying enabled construction to move forward uncontested by the public. Construction is furthermore progressing as scheduled because Nitsch Engineering quickly and effectively addressed unforeseen utility conditions (i.e., 100 years of utility installation without reliable recordkeeping and close coordination with existing and future Central Artery utilities). We are currently preparing the site design and BWSC site plan application for the East Wing addition.

Cape Cod Rail Trail
Location: Dennis to Eastham, MA
Client: Department of Environmental Managemen

As prime consultant to the Department of Environmental Management (DEM), Nitsch Engineering is providing civil engineering and land surveying services for safety improvements to an 18-mile segment of the Cape Cod Rail Trail in Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Orleans, and Eastham. This trail is a multi-use path that attracts more than 400,000 users per season and is nearing 20 years in age. Nitsch Engineering developed a project approach to upgrade the trail from its present 8-foot-wide paved path to 10 feet, which would be acceptable to the five local Conservation Commissions. To prevent future slope erosion by trail users and stormwater, bioengineering techniques along with traditional slope revegetation were used to stabilize the slopes. In addition, because the bike path's grades and sharp radii into the Route 6 underpass in Eastham resulted in many accidents, Nitsch Engineering's design increased the approach radii to the underpass and lessened the immediate grade, while reusing the existing precast concrete retaining wall system. We also assisted DEM (in partnership with Coastal Zone Management) in restoring the salt marsh at Boat Meadow Creek crossing; using incremental tide data, Nitsch Engineering provided hydraulic analysis to resize and improve the 36-inch Boat Meadow Creek culvert. Permitting services included preparing Environmental Notification Forms under MEPA and Notices of Intent for submittal to each of the five local Conservation Commissions.

Site Work for the Predator (Lion) Exhibit,
Franklin Park Zoo
Location: Boston, MA
Client: Graham Gund Architects, Inc.

Part of Franklin Park Zoo's multi-million dollar renovation included design and construction of a new predator habitat for 12 African lions. The exhibit consists of a 9,000-square-foot sloped area, separated from the public by moats, and offers five different viewing stations. Nitsch Engineering quickly identified an unusual permit issue Ñ that stormwater runoff from the lions' open-air field required treatment before discharge to the sanitary sewer Ñ and secured the appropriate approvals. We also prepared an existing conditions plan, designed site layout and utilities, and prepared the permitting and construction plans and Division 2 specifications.