An OPM, or Owner’s Project Manager, is an individual or firm hired by a entity to represent the owner’s interests throughout the design and construction phases of a building project. They serve as the Awarding Authority’s agent and consultant, with …
CAD Standards refer to the standards of how drawings are created and documented. These standards are set up by each firm to allow a more cohesive and readable set of drawings. Firms need these standards for their CAD practices because …
A few years ago, a client called CBI with a business emergency: multiple ISD citations required the client to vacate the facility that it was leasing. Violations included electrical hookup problems, exposed abandoned elevator shafts, failure to change occupancy, failed …
When most of us hear the words “pig’s ear” the first thing that might come to mind is a delicious treat for a dog to chew on. However, this term also describes a special membrane folding technique to create an …
Technology is always advancing. This holds true in the field of architecture. Architects and engineers need to keep up with the constant changes of the world, whether it is how designs are generated, or how designs are constructed. No longer …
In the span of over a decade, a major cell service provider outfitted a historic metro-west Boston building as a cell service tower. The work included installing an equipment room in the attic space, installing cell signal transmitters in the …
Back in the 1970’s, a stately Back Bay mansion was converted to condominiums. The roof was later divided among the two top level units for private roof decks. In the days before the Massachusetts State Building Code got tough on …
1. WHEN IT’S TIME FOR AN ANCHOR TEST Anchor manufacturers publish a dizzying array of data about their fasteners’ capacity in various substrates under various conditions. It’s often the structural engineer’s task to identify the most appropriate anchor for the …
CBI was recently called out to investigate a buckling brick wall in the South End of Boston. The building is a 19th century former whiskey distillery turned into artist studios. The property owner was rightly spooked by the sight of …
In our previous blog post we talked about restoring the iconic iron-clad façade of the McLauthlin Elevator Building, however we have been working at this building for a number of years. 12 years ago, this building, over 100 years old …