CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Part of a busy Boston area parkway will close this weekend amid fears that a structurally compromised building that towers over the thoroughfare and overlooks the Charles River could collapse.
Starting on Saturday, the Department of Conservation and Recreation and the City of Cambridge will close the right westbound lane of Memorial Drive between Hawthorn Street and Gerry’s Landing.
Officials warned motorists that the closure is due to structural concerns at the Riverview Condominiums at 221 Mount Auburn Street.
“It’s going to be a big disruption. There’s no way around it,” said Sam Hurlbut, whose 88-year-old father lives next to the condo building.
Hurlbut told Boston 25 News he does have some concerns about the structurally deficient building and believes the city of Cambridge is handling it as best they can.
Contractors currently cannot enter the Riverview Condominiums to remove asbestos in its ceilings and tiles.
The whole site will be treated as hazardous once demolition happens in several months which will require misting and air monitoring.
“We’re getting kind of nervous about the asbestos and will it come down without any help at all,” said Hurlbut. “You just got to roll with the punches.”
In November, residents of the now permanently closed luxury condo complex were ordered out of the eight-story building after engineers with the property manager, Thayer & Associates, Inc., uncovered structural deficiencies that dated back to the 1960s.
The company told Boston 25 News at the time that sub-standard concrete and improper placement of reinforcing steel were recently discovered during roofing renovations.
The lane closure could remain in place until the end of 2025, according to the city.
“This type of thing is a little unprecedented for us,” said Brooke McKenna, Cambridge’s Transportation Commissioner. “We are working as quicky as possible to get the building down, but it does take time to do that.”
Traffic, cyclist, and pedestrian patterns will be clearly marked to facilitate movement in the area.
Pedestrians and cyclists are encouraged to use the Paul Dudley White Bike Path and to cross at Hawthorn Street and Gerry’s Landing Road for safe travel.
Area residents are encouraged to visit the City of Cambridge’s website for updates on local access detours and MBTA bus detours.
Many of Riverview’s condo owners were seniors who planned to remain in their homes until the urgent situation arose last year.
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