North Avenue Apartments to Undergo Brick Repair Work

The North Avenue Apartments will soon undergo brick repair and replacement work that will take six to eight months to complete.

“Contractors will be replacing and repairing brick on the facade of the east side of the complex,” said James Fetig, associate vice president of communications and marketing. “The need for maintenance was identified during the original analysis before Georgia Tech assumed ownership last year because the brick veneer is not properly tied to the building.”

“This is not a structural issue,” said Fetig. “This is veneer brick repair and replacement work that needs to be done to ensure that we increase the life cycle and longevity of the building.”

The work is being done section by section to minimize the impact on students. Gilbane Building Company has been contracted for the work, and construction will be completed during a daily shift that will last from 8:00AM am to 8:00PM Students’ windows will be blocked off for two to three weeks during the time the construction crews are working on their particular section of the building.

Officials say they are taking extra measures to ensure security and privacy for students.
In addition to the windows being blocked off, other measures are being taken such as restricting workers to certain areas of the building during construction, keeping emergency exits open and adding lighting around work areas.

Contractors do not expect noise to be a problem during construction.

“This process is done by hand, and most of the vibration work will be done before students get back to campus this fall,” said Fetig.

Housing will coordinate notification to students of the time table they should expect to have work done on their section of the building.

Gilbane officials say the work is being done with conservation and recycling in mind. Unused brick, which has been removed from the facade, will be crushed and used for landscapes. Brick will also be salvaged for any spot repairs that may be required later.